Keep
Good Company
Today's
Scripture:
Do
not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’
1 Corinthians 15:33, NKJV.
1 Corinthians 15:33, NKJV.
Today's
Word:
Sometimes,
in order to embrace the destiny God has in store, you have to be willing to
make some changes in your life. You have to be willing to examine where you are
and what you need to move forward. This may mean that you need to change some
friends that you’re spending time with. Maybe they were fine for a season in
your life, but now you’ve outgrown them. This is a new season, and in order for
you to rise higher, you have to break away from relationships that are limiting
you. You have to develop some new relationships with people who are going to
pull you up and inspire you to rise higher.
And
this doesn’t just mean separating yourself from people who are holding you back
spiritually. I’ve found that if you’re the smartest one in your group, your
group is too small. Find people who are smarter than you are, people who will
challenge you to stretch to the next level and become everything God’s created
you to be. Remember, he who walks with the wise becomes wise. Choose your
friends wisely and don’t be deceived. Choose your friends wisely so you can
walk and live in the destiny God has in store for you!
Prayer
for Today:
Father
God, thank You for Your grace and mercy. Thank You for the good plan You have
for my life. Help me choose my friends and companions wisely so that I can
continue to move forward in the destiny You have for me in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
***
The Power to Change
14 hours ago
by Rick Warren
“God is testing us to show us that we are merely animals.” (Ecclesiastes 3:18 CEV)
And your sin isn’t any better! Think of all the lies you’ve told, pain you’ve caused, and good you’ve left undone.
It’s easy to look around at the consequences of our sin and wonder why God lets it continue. If God is all-powerful, why doesn’t he just stop our sin before it gets ugly?
The truth is, one of the reasons God doesn’t keep us from sinning (besides wanting to give us a free choice) is that he wants us to realize how much we need him. The Bible says, “God is testing us to show us that we are merely animals” (Ecclesiastes 3:18 CEV).
Animals don’t have a conscience. They do whatever feels good. If they want to kill another animal, they do so. If they want to take another animal’s lunch, they’ll do it. They don’t have a conscience. But we do have a conscience. Humans don’t just do whatever they feel like doing. They have the capacity to make decisions based on what’s right and wrong. That ability is a gift from God. Without God, we’d behave just like the animals. Without God, life’s a disaster.
We need God, and we need a Savior. If you didn’t need a Savior, God wouldn’t have wasted the time of sending his Son.
God didn’t want you to be subject only to the animalistic desires of your flesh. He wanted you to have freedom from those desires, so he sent a Savior to you.
We all have areas of our lives where we still live out those animalistic, carnal desires. God sent us Jesus so we don’t have to stay like that. You may think you can’t change on your own. You’re right! You can’t. If you could have, you would have, but you can’t, so you won’t. You don’t have the power to change.
But God does. You need him in your life.
Talk It Over
- What are some of the most important ways humans differ from animals?
- In what areas of your life do you deal the most with carnal desires? Who can you confess that sin to?
- In what way does realizing that you can’t change your desires on your own provide you with real, lasting freedom in Christ?
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