We’ve got your daily encouragement, written by Travis Pate.
Bible Reading:
Jeremiah 9:23-24
23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
Word:
The world comes at us from so many directions. It pushes us to be stronger, richer, smarter, and more successful. It calls out for us to climb the ladder of success and shout from the mountain top, “Look at me.” Social media adds fuel to the fire. It causes us to play the comparison game with others. Your “friends” show off their best self and their best life, and jealousy stirs in our souls. But to what end? If we ever “make it”, what’s next? Where do we go from there?
The battle between the world (flesh) and the Spirit is for our hearts. God’s call is very different from the call of the world. His rewards are not always visible or tangible to us, but the rewards of the world sure are. They are here and now and screaming your name! God’s way is very different! God calls us into a relationship with him. He wants to to trust him and to follow him. The hard part is, that in order to follow God, we have to give up the world.
We can’t be attached to the things of this world and be fully committed to following him. The crazy thing is, when we fully trust in Him and follow Him, He gives us all that we will ever need! Matt 6:33 says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things will be added to you.”
We have to let God lead the way for us. It’s His power and His strength that goes before us and fights our battles for us. And while we get the spoils of victory, He gets the glory! All we have to do is make the choice to follow Him.
Prayer:
God, I believe the stories of the Old Testament. I believe that you go before us to guide us and that you fight our battles for us. I believe in you as the source of my strength, and l pray that I would have the courage to follow you. I ask that you break the chains on anything that Is holding me back from being fully committed to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Skillwork:
Make a list of the things you are not willing to give up to follow God? Pray that God will break the chains of the things that are holding you back from being fully committed to Him.
Bible Verses:
Psalm 144 (ESV)
1 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing; may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!
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