To Be "in Christ Jesus"
Pastor Adrian Rogers
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1
What does it mean to be "in Christ Jesus?" First, think about what it was for Noah to be in the ark. The ark was waterproof. How do we know it was? Well, God told Noah, "put pitch on the inside and on the outside" (Genesis 6:14). The word "pitch" in the Hebrew is kapar, and it is exactly the same word translated as "atonement." You see, we are in Jesus as Noah was in that ark. Just as the storms of God's wrath beat upon that ark, the storms of God's wrath beat upon the Lord Jesus. But we are on the inside, and not one drop of judgment can come through.
Read Romans 8:35-39. Reflect on the things that Paul says will never separate you from God's love. Give glory to God that your sins have been atoned for by the righteous blood of the Savior.
Unless They Are Agreed
with Bayless Conley
Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? (Amos 3:3).
In order to walk with God, one must agree with Him. In order to experience the fulfillment of His promises in our lives, we must agree with what those promises say—whether we understand how they could ever come to pass or not.
When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would give birth to a son, she asked, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" (Luke 1:34).
A pretty fair question, don't you think? It seemed impossible to Mary. She could not get her mind around how Gabriel's announcement could ever come to pass.
I love the angel's response to her question, "The Holy Spirit..." (Luke 1:35). That is the answer to your impossibilities as well. When you can't understand how a promise from God could ever be fulfilled, the answer is "The Holy Spirit!"
At this point Mary could have said, "No way! This makes no sense to me. I don't accept it!" But she didn't. She said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).
Mary agreed with God's promise and accepted it. Then the miracle happened.
Whatever you are facing today, make the decision to agree with God and His promises. The Holy Spirit can bring His Word to pass!
Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God.
The Art of Waiting
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
"By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them...." Exodus 13:21
How are you at waiting on God? How do you determine if God is giving you the green light to move forward? Many workplace believers make the mistake of adding up all the pluses and then concluding that God has given them the green light. Several factors go into making a decision from the Lord.
It is important to do three things before you make a decision on a matter. First, you should gather facts. Fact gathering allows you to determine all the realities of a given situation. However, this does not ultimately drive your decision, but it can put a stop to it. For instance, if you were planning to build a shopping center and you knew the only way to lease the space was to rent to a porn shop, your decision would be made. God would not lead you to enter into unrighteous ventures.
Second, is the Holy Spirit guiding you in your decision? "If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm" (Ps. 37:23). George Mueller cites that the steps are also "by the Lord." God puts hedges around us, but many times we bull our way through the hedges under the guise of tenacity and perseverance. This too is unrighteousness. One wise workplace believer stated that the greatest success one can have in business is to know when it is time to pull the plug rather than keep forcing a situation. Not all businesses last forever.
Third, has your decision been confirmed? God has placed others around us to be used as instruments in our lives to confirm decisions and keep us from the deceit of our own heart. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses" (2 Cor. 13:1b). This is God's way of keeping us within the hedge of His protection.
"Write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser."
Today's Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank You for this day. Please help me to stand firm and to always give myself fully to Your work. I know that anything that is done for You in accordance to Your will is not in vain, but will reap showers of blessings. Although I may not always see immediate results or receive instant gratification (as so many want these days), I know that You are the Lord of the harvest, and that You will bring the results in the right time. Please guide, direct, and strengthen me. In Jesus' name I pray, amen
Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders
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