Friday, December 19, 2008

Daily Digest #199

God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. —1 Corinthians 2:10

The power of choice -- it is God's gift that we ought to use wisely. God gave us this freedom so we could find our way back to Him. We encounter different barriers to keep going, but it all depends on the choices we make, what we do with the matter and what we do next. If we ask for His wisdom and guidance, He will surely lead us to the right direction. He reveals Himself to those who diligently search for Him, like unwrapping a present, and being surprised by what is found inside -- far greater than what we ever imagined. When we do find it, we will feel the Holy Spirit working within us, guiding our every thought, word and action. How long would it last, we ask. Again, it lies in our choice to keep it, to continuously find it, or to lose it forever.

God's presents are everywhere, waiting to be unwrapped. May we have the eyes to see and heart to understand how precious it is to find Him, and know Him more. May we long, not for material things, but His wisdom, grace and mercy. May we grow a faithful and discerning heart. Pray always.

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2008/12/16

I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question? Romans 7:24 (MSG)


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Have you figured out yet that a lot of times you are your own worst enemy? It's your own reactions, your own fears, your own inadequacies that cause you to act in foolish ways. I know that's true for me.

I need to be saved from myself because there are things I don't like about me – things I wish I had done differently, things I'd like to change. But I can't change them, not on my own power. I need an outside power source.

You may be saying, "I can change." I hate to say this, but you can't. In January, you're going to make a list of New Year's resolutions. And, by the end of January, that list will be in the dumpster. Why? Because you can't change on your own; you need God's power. You need a Savior, someone who can make the changes you can't make yourself.

Let me make an important point here: God never wastes energy. He doesn't waste effort on things that are unnecessary. In other words, if you didn't need a Savior, he wouldn't have sent one. The very fact that God sent a Savior means you need one.

The truth is, if you are honest about it, sometimes you feel like your life is out of control. That's a pretty common feeling. Welcome to the human race!

The apostle Paul felt that way 2,000 years ago. Paul says this in the Bible: "I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does" (Romans 7:24-25 MSG). That's the answer!

Let me be honest with you. You may be looking for salvation in the wrong places, that's why you're frustrated. You're looking for that one thing that's going to give you fulfillment and meaning and peace in life.

Some of us think that if we could just get married, or if we could just get a certain job, or a promotion, or attain a certain level of wealth, or have a baby – or if our babies would grow up and graduate! – things would be great.

You're looking in the wrong places.

A lot of people are looking for salvation in a self-help book. Or they're looking for it in therapy or in a fad or diet. Or they're looking for it in a vacation, "If I could just escape to Tahiti, everything would be great." The problem is that if you go to Tahiti, you're taking you with you!

The answer is not in a place. It's not in a program or a pill. The answer is a person: Jesus Christ. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life is never going to make sense.

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