Daily Devotional: 4/3/2018
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8.
I just got done with a Bible Study with a brother, our pastor, and a teammate we are trying to preach the word to. This guy is really smart and it is encouraging to just see his interest in the word. He is has his ups and downs like anyone else, but he is trying to be more like Jesus everyday and if you could see the change he made to become to the man he is being now you would be amazed. When we were talking and studying, our pastor was asking him questions and one of the questions he asked him was, “How have you been doing?” The guy told him that he was doing better now than the past couple of days, he’s reading and all the fun stuff. He told us how he went out last Saturday and that he went out drinking and partying. He was so convicted when he was out and then even more the next day, because he knew it was something he should not have done. We talked about it and gave him some suggestions. We read a couple verses on drunkenness and about temptations. Then our pastor asked him where he thinks he is on his spiritual journey, if he sees himself growing close to God (because this kid is so close to being baptized, I can feel it!). He told us that he feels like he is, but it is different everyday. This meaning that one day he is good, the next he feels shaky, and another he will be half in and half out. What was encouraging was that he wants to be fully in all the time, he is just struggling. This is where we get to the root of the above verse. My pastor told him to go to James 4:7-10. We have to fight sin. We have to fight the temptation. God will never tempt us, temptation comes when we are dragged away by our own evil desire and enticed (James 1:13-14). We have to resist the devil in all he does. We are in a constant battle with him and he is always looking for and attacking at our weaknesses (1 Peter 5:8-9). We we have to stand firm in our faith against him, because the battle is already won by the man himself, Jesus. We have to draw near to God and purify our heart. We have to put on the full body of armor (Ephesians 6:13). We cannot be double-minded. Double-minded simply put is having two brains, but having two brains that are in constant conflict with each other. Our pastor asked both my brother and I what he do to stay single-minded. We both came out with similar answers, our dependency on God and reading. We depend and focus on God. We put him first above all us. For me, the first thing that I do when I wake up is thank God, I thank him for another day on this planet. This helps me focus on him and his word. We had a speaker yesterday before practice tell us the same thing, “If you do not say ‘thank you’ the second you wake up, you are not really living for Christ.” You have to first seek the kingdom of Christ and then everything else will fall into place (Mt. 6:25-33). One of the hardest things, but in retrospect it is one of the easiest things to do. We are nothing without God. We cannot do anything without him. He gives us breath. He gives us life. He is the main purpose for life. He created everything. For me reading helps me stay single-minded. The Bible cover to cover is important, God constantly shows us and tells us that he is with us always. He is constantly making all things for us. He constantly has our back. He is molding us to be the men and women he wants us to be on a daily basis. He turns every situation whether good or bad, he turns for his advantage. Then God put on our hearts two verses. The verse my brother felt was Revelations 3:15-16. Jesus tells us not to be lukewarm, we are stuck in between, we are neither hot or cold. He wants us to be on one side. When we are in the middle, we are to close to the devil and can be easily manipulated and tempted to go to the dark. The verse I came up with is Colossians 3:17. This is a verse I try my best to live my life by, I write it on my shoes, my cleats, my elbow guard, anything. It is a verse I learned about half a year ago. We have to do everything in the name of Jesus. We cannot do one thing for him, we have to do all. The Bible constantly tells us we have to do ALL things for and with him. Just like ALL Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16). Whether it is word or deed we have to do it for the glory of God. Step back from what you are doing. Look at the past decisions you have made. Are you doing all you do for God? Is that what Jesus would have done? Is God the main focus on your mind in ALL you do? Do you put him first? Continue to strive to make every single one of these questions to be a roaring YES. Continually to pray for God to guide you.
Lord, I pray that you are with the guy we were studying with continue to help him grow in you. Continue to be with us all helping us grow to be the men and women you want us to be. Allow your will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Help us focus on you and put you first. Make sure that nothing in this world is put before you. Allow us to continue to do all deeds with and through you. Allow all we do to glorify your name.
#LetsBeAMovement
I just got done with a Bible Study with a brother, our pastor, and a teammate we are trying to preach the word to. This guy is really smart and it is encouraging to just see his interest in the word. He is has his ups and downs like anyone else, but he is trying to be more like Jesus everyday and if you could see the change he made to become to the man he is being now you would be amazed. When we were talking and studying, our pastor was asking him questions and one of the questions he asked him was, “How have you been doing?” The guy told him that he was doing better now than the past couple of days, he’s reading and all the fun stuff. He told us how he went out last Saturday and that he went out drinking and partying. He was so convicted when he was out and then even more the next day, because he knew it was something he should not have done. We talked about it and gave him some suggestions. We read a couple verses on drunkenness and about temptations. Then our pastor asked him where he thinks he is on his spiritual journey, if he sees himself growing close to God (because this kid is so close to being baptized, I can feel it!). He told us that he feels like he is, but it is different everyday. This meaning that one day he is good, the next he feels shaky, and another he will be half in and half out. What was encouraging was that he wants to be fully in all the time, he is just struggling. This is where we get to the root of the above verse. My pastor told him to go to James 4:7-10. We have to fight sin. We have to fight the temptation. God will never tempt us, temptation comes when we are dragged away by our own evil desire and enticed (James 1:13-14). We have to resist the devil in all he does. We are in a constant battle with him and he is always looking for and attacking at our weaknesses (1 Peter 5:8-9). We we have to stand firm in our faith against him, because the battle is already won by the man himself, Jesus. We have to draw near to God and purify our heart. We have to put on the full body of armor (Ephesians 6:13). We cannot be double-minded. Double-minded simply put is having two brains, but having two brains that are in constant conflict with each other. Our pastor asked both my brother and I what he do to stay single-minded. We both came out with similar answers, our dependency on God and reading. We depend and focus on God. We put him first above all us. For me, the first thing that I do when I wake up is thank God, I thank him for another day on this planet. This helps me focus on him and his word. We had a speaker yesterday before practice tell us the same thing, “If you do not say ‘thank you’ the second you wake up, you are not really living for Christ.” You have to first seek the kingdom of Christ and then everything else will fall into place (Mt. 6:25-33). One of the hardest things, but in retrospect it is one of the easiest things to do. We are nothing without God. We cannot do anything without him. He gives us breath. He gives us life. He is the main purpose for life. He created everything. For me reading helps me stay single-minded. The Bible cover to cover is important, God constantly shows us and tells us that he is with us always. He is constantly making all things for us. He constantly has our back. He is molding us to be the men and women he wants us to be on a daily basis. He turns every situation whether good or bad, he turns for his advantage. Then God put on our hearts two verses. The verse my brother felt was Revelations 3:15-16. Jesus tells us not to be lukewarm, we are stuck in between, we are neither hot or cold. He wants us to be on one side. When we are in the middle, we are to close to the devil and can be easily manipulated and tempted to go to the dark. The verse I came up with is Colossians 3:17. This is a verse I try my best to live my life by, I write it on my shoes, my cleats, my elbow guard, anything. It is a verse I learned about half a year ago. We have to do everything in the name of Jesus. We cannot do one thing for him, we have to do all. The Bible constantly tells us we have to do ALL things for and with him. Just like ALL Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16). Whether it is word or deed we have to do it for the glory of God. Step back from what you are doing. Look at the past decisions you have made. Are you doing all you do for God? Is that what Jesus would have done? Is God the main focus on your mind in ALL you do? Do you put him first? Continue to strive to make every single one of these questions to be a roaring YES. Continually to pray for God to guide you.
Lord, I pray that you are with the guy we were studying with continue to help him grow in you. Continue to be with us all helping us grow to be the men and women you want us to be. Allow your will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Help us focus on you and put you first. Make sure that nothing in this world is put before you. Allow us to continue to do all deeds with and through you. Allow all we do to glorify your name.
#LetsBeAMovement
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