NO CONDEMNATION: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned.” John 3:17–18 If you’ve been living in the abyss of fear for as long as you can remember…it is time for your liberty! You can begin on this journey of freedom today by believing that God’s heart is full of love, grace, and mercy toward you. Listen to your Father’s heartbeat in today’s scripture. Do you believe in Jesus? There is no condemnation for anyone who calls upon the name of Jesus and is saved! All who call on Him and believe in Him are not condemned but saved. That is the good news of the gospel. Many believers are still living under the heavy yoke of condemnation and fear because they hear the Mosaic covenant being proclaimed and put themselves under the Ten Commandments. The apostle Paul describes the Ten Commandments in 2 Corinthians 3:7–9: “But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious . . . how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.” The Ten Commandments minister death and condemnation because no man was able to keep God’s perfect law. Failure to keep the law at any point brings you under its curse, condemns you, and hangs a death sentence over your head. However, the covenant of grace “exceeds much more in glory” because it ministers the spirit of liberty and the gift of God’s righteousness. The problem has never been the Ten Commandments or God’s perfect law. The problem has always been imperfect man’s ability to keep God’s perfect law. That is why our Lord Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it on our behalf (Matt. 5:17). The law was perfectly fulfilled at the cross when He cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). The cross of Jesus has made all the difference! We no longer have to live in condemnation and fear under the old covenant of the law. We are now under the new covenant of grace, where we are fully forgiven, justified, and made righteous by Jesus’ blood to reign in life. When you realize you are justified by faith and not by your works…you become free from the ministry of condemnation and the death it ministers—guilt, insecurity, dread, anxieties, and all sorts of debilitating fears. Condemnation robs you of peace in your heart and of joy in your relationship with your Father. It robs you of faith and confidence in His love and ability to save you. Perhaps you know what it’s like to battle fear every day. Perhaps you’ve been plagued by fears of being unable to cope with certain changes in your circumstances. Maybe fearful thoughts of losing your health, your job, your children, or your very life keep you awake at night. Perhaps you suffer from severe anxiety attacks and the very thought of going anywhere outside of your home fills you with suffocating fear. This is not the life God wants us to live. Through the sacrifice of His Son and the perfection of Christ’s finished work, He has made a way for us to live free from the captivity of fear! ❤️
BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 The road to personal peace is a multi-lane highway in today’s world. There is a lane for peace through prosperity…peace through prestige…peace through possessions…peace through personal achievements…and more. But all those lanes to peace omit the one lane that is necessary before all others — peace with God! Once we have peace with God, it doesn’t matter what things happen in our life. In God, we can have a clear conscience and true contentment knowing that we are secure and protected in Him. That raises the question: How do we find peace with God? In his letter to the Romans (chapter 4), after Paul explained how Abraham gained a relationship with God (by believing God—Genesis 15:6), he said that we find peace with God the same way — by being “justified by faith…through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Abraham was declared righteous by God, not by his deeds or works but by simply believing in Him. And we are declared righteous the same way (2 Corinthians 5:21). Before, you look for peace anywhere else…make sure you have peace with God through faith in Christ. ❤️–David Jeremiah God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.-C. S. Lewis
GUARD THE GOOD DEPOSIT: When God brings us to the point of greater commitment and surrender, we have a wonderful reason to rejoice; but we also have an obligation to protect and nurture what He has planted in our heart. He has called us to draw closer and spend more time in His presence…to join Him in a more intimate and loving relationship. But the enemy is hard at work trying to destroy the change which has begun. 2 Timothy 1:13-14 “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you – guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” Every so often on our Christian walk, there comes a time of special closeness with God. This closeness may come as the result of a new understanding of His Word where we see His character like never before. It may come during a solitary time of prayer or while worshiping with many other believers…through a powerful speaker…or inspirational writing. Each time this occurs, God is depositing a little truth into our life which says: I am the way; draw nearer and follow Me more. We know when God calls us in this manner. We know His truth! We know He is lighting the only true way, and we honestly desire to follow. But then we are back at work with deadlines to meet, people to see, or kids to feed. Soon, the busyness of our everyday “normal” life has consumed our thoughts, and God’s deposit has begun to fade. This should not be! We must establish disciplines which enable us to hear God’s message and then help us keep His message at the forefront of our thoughts all through the day. These disciplines will vary for different people. Some may need to wake up earlier to have a time which is quiet…others may need to change their work habits or the condition of their work environment…most need to simply turn off the television or put down our phone! But regardless of our hectic pace, we ALL need to talk with God more and worship more at His feet. This must become our highest priority. His call to draw near is a precious deposit — a gift which we must not allow to be destroyed or forgotten. We should never allow the frustrations of the past…the pulls of the present…or the desires of the future, to steal the gift entrusted to us today. Let’s make the necessary changes and boldly draw near without hesitation. Let’s praise Him for His gift, and “with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us,” guard the good deposit!! ❤️—Steve Troxel
WORKS IN PROGRESS: God patiently guides drifting believers back into His will.
Isaiah 64:8-9 ”But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O Lord, Nor remember iniquity forever; Behold, look now, all of us are Your people. In a studio, the potter has complete power over the clay. The same is true of God…as our Creator, He can do with us whatever He chooses. That might sound scary, but remember that God’s sovereignty cannot be separated from His other attributes. While the Lord is sovereign…He is also loving…gracious…and thorough—and that influences how He shapes us.
Just as a potter works the clay with patience, God forms our Christlike character slowly—one experience at a time. He knows that spiritual maturity can’t be rushed. And just as clay can slip from the middle of the wheel, we too might find ourselves off-center from time to time—whether due to an old wound…a new hardship…a recurring habit…or something else. However, we don’t have to worry. In His grace, God always maneuvers the drifting believer back into position and begins remolding. He never discards His vessels…but patiently works to mold them. Our Father is a personal Potter. His creations reflect Him, and His Spirit is poured into each believing vessel so He can be an intimate part of our life. The result is a work of true beauty—a saint dearly loved by the Lord!! ❤️–Charles Stanley Personal Note: I have drifted from the wheel more times than I care to remember…but He is always faithful to bring me back…and continue the molding process. ❤️
YOURS IS THE VICTORY: The enemy seduces, confuses, and accuses. God redeems, clarifies, and affirms. The enemy knows where you’re weak…knows what to condemn…and knows how to distort your perspective in a way that ties you up in knots. Jesus loves you with an everlasting love…covers your sins with His blood…and brings clarity to your heart in a way that fills you with peace. Though the devil plays dirty, this is not a fair fight. Overwhelming victory belongs to YOU because you belong to Jesus. Shut down the enemy’s taunts…refuse to listen to his voice…and turn away from his berating accusations. Turn your eyes toward the One who knows you best and loves you most!! Have a victorious, peace-filled, and joyful day! ❤️ Romans 8:35-37 (NLT) ~ Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
STRONG IN HIS GRACE: When we are brought to the point of belief – the point where we see our sin, desire to change, and acknowledge God’s Son as our only way to eternal life – we ask, in faith, for Jesus to forgive our sins and be our Savior. At that very moment, the grace of God abounds, His Spirit transforms our heart and He picks us up as His child: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). The moment of true Salvation is without question the most significant event in our Christian life. In that moment, we are “born again” (John 3:7) and become a “new creation” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) through the power of the Holy Spirit; “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3:6). In fact, the moment of Salvation is so significant that even if we seem to stumble through every step past that point, we still have reason to rejoice with every breath – we are children of the King and will spend all eternity in His glorious Kingdom. Our journey with God can indeed be rocky. As we continue down His path, we are to strive for holiness and purposeful worship in our life. We are to diligently seek Him and “learn the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12). We must learn to “trust in the Lord with all our heart” (Proverbs 3:5), but we must also remember that “apart from Me {Jesus}, you can do NOTHING” (John 15:5). The reality of this journey is that if we strive for anything in our own strength, we are certainly destined to stumble and fall. 2 Timothy 2:1 “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
This verse means we must continue to trust in His grace and in His grace alone. We did nothing to earn our Salvation, and we can do nothing to maintain our right standing before God – nothing besides belief in His Son; “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (Galatians 3:3). Our goal of a life which is honoring to God cannot be accomplished through our own effort! We are saved by the grace of God and we must continue to live by this same grace: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught” (Colossians 2:6). Our Heavenly Father will determine our path to holiness, purpose, contentment, and trust – and His grace will equip us with all we need for the journey. Let’s completely trust in the saving grace of Jesus! Let’s apply the strength of His grace today in every trial and temptation. Let’s live a life of pure and holy devotion by always remaining strong in His grace. ❤️–Steve Troxel
DEATH TO LIFE: So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Ezekiel 37:7 All of us face times when our lives seem as scorched and lifeless as Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones. But as Ezekiel lifted his voice in speaking the Word of God, it became a mighty, life-giving force! Centuries later, Jesus instructed His disciples: “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Later, following the birth of the church, these same disciples spent much of their time in the temple speaking “the words of this life” (Acts 5:20). They recognized the power of the life-giving Word of God!
Just ten chapters following the vision of the dry bones, Ezekiel is brought to the river of healing waters that bring God’s life, health, and abundance wherever they go. God has the same blessing in store for each one of us…but it requires that we “hold fast the word of life, so that [we] may rejoice in the day of Christ” (Philippians 2:16). ❤️-Jack Hayford” My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them And health to all their body.“ (Proverbs 4:20-22) ”For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.“ (Hebrews 4:12).
