Daily Devotional 8-31-2021
1Th 4:7 For God has not called us to impurity but to live in holiness. Paul’s first reason looks forward to the prospect of future punishment, but his second reason looks back to the purpose for which God called each Christian to Himself. God’s plan for a Christian includes purifying his life. Sexual immorality frustrates the purpose of God’s call. Certain pagan cults promoted unclean ceremonies, but Christ’s plans for a Christian are to clean him up. A holy life demonstrates God’s supernatural power at work overcoming what is natural, and it glorifies God.
Daily Devotional 8-23-2021
Php 3:10-11 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, (11) assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. To know Christ by experience & to experience the power of His resurrection was also the apostle’s goal. The power which brought Christ forth from the dead now operates in believers’ lives since they have been “raised with Christ”. “Power” means ability to overcome resistance. By setting forth his own goals and ambitions Paul gave the Philippians an example to follow. His example was, of course, in stark contrast to the Judaizers whose example they were not to follow. Paul also longed to share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings and in so doing to become like Him in His death. These sufferings were not Christ’s substitutionary sufferings on the cross. Paul…
Daily Devotional 8-22-2021
Jas 4:6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore he says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. God opposes the proud. To the humble, however, God gives grace. Whether a believer is called to resist his human spirit which tends toward envy or to rejoice in the Holy Spirit who jealously yearns for each believer’s edification, the call is to shun pride and to submit humbly to God’s authority. The cure for conflict is a humble spirit which is rewarded by God’s unmerited favor.