Daily 763

God Is Near

God is near us when we have broken hearts and broken spirits. Whether we are struggling with our own sin, the sin of others, or the result of sin’s fracturing of our world, He is never distant even if seems that way. He hears our cries. He comforts our hearts. He meets our needs. Though the result will not always be when we want it and how we want it, we have His promise that we will lack no good thing. This is true because God did not spare even His own Son from suffering. Jesus is our ever-near Immanuel, who lived, died and rose so we can taste and see God’s goodness. Mingled with tears now. Free from tears later.

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Daily 762

Never Forget In The Dark

Defeat doubt by preparing for battle in advance by filling your heart with the truth of God’s Word. In advance, because doubt appears without warning. With the truth of God’s Word, because doubt arrives with lies. The enemy will attack you in times of darkness because it’s hard to see him coming, and it’s hard to see the situation for what it really is. So, start your day in the light by saturating your heart with a good and accurate picture of God’s graciousness and faithfulness so you can remember those truths and promises when darkness falls. Never forget in the dark what God has shown you in the light.

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Daily 713

Run To The Throne Of Grace

There is a daily tug-of-war for control of your thoughts, feelings, motives, attitudes, words and actions, pulling you in the opposing directions of what sin entices you into and what God invites you into. Look to Jesus for help and look for His help to arrive in your time of temptation as a way to leave it, the power to say “no” to it, a divine removal of it, the arrival of someone to help you through it, and / or a promise of something worth waiting for that is better than it. He is bigger than your biggest need! Take heart… You are never helpless against temptation as long as there is a throne of grace for you to run to for help.

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Daily 702

Grace Will Always Come Alongside To Help

It’s not just about your past and your future. It’s also about your present. Our sinful separation from God is behind us, and our face-to-face fellowship with Him is ahead of us. In between the two is the nowness of everyday life. And grace is there. The way that God works in our lives is very practical for the right here, right now moments of our lives. You will not face a single situation today, good or bad, self-induced or involuntary, hard or easy, quick or lasting, anticipated or unexpected, that God has not provided for. No matter what is happening on the inside or the outside, grace will always come alongside to help.

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Daily 691

Grace Has Gotten Us This Far And Grace Will Get Us …

Every good thing about who we are, what we do or what we have is the result of God’s grace. It is all undeserved and unmerited. Yes… We may live wisely. We may be highly motivated. We may work hard. But none of this originates with us because God freely supplied the ability, opportunity, voracity and community to make these things possible. He’s been working on our behalf our entire lives! Because God is gracious, we do not have the fear, frustration, or futility that comes from depending on ourselves when we depend on Him. Rest in this today: grace has gotten us this far; grace will get us all the way home.

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Daily 679

Jesus Is Our Security

Jesus is our security… He laid down His life on the cross so we can be forgiven and freed from the one thing that can truly threaten us, our sin. He rose from the dead to defeat the one thing that we could never safeguard against, our mortality. He sits in the position of power and authority to rule for good the one thing that we struggle to control, our lives. He prepares for us a place and an inheritance to be enjoyed forever by ensuring the one thing that we cannot, our eternity. He promises to provide all we need until He brings us safely to the one thing in our future that we long for most, our home with Him.

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Daily 668

Battling Unbelief

There are days when our biggest battle is against unbelief. We start to doubt that God cares about what is happening to us and that He is going to do anything about it. To battle unbelief, we must remember God’s faithfulness in the past and remember God’s promises for the future. He has always taken care of us, He is taking care of us, and He will continue to take care of us. Defeat your doubts by remembering today that He has a good reason for what He has allowed into your life and that He is actively working it out for your good. God cares about what is happening to you, and God will show His care for you.

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Daily 637

The Truth Will Set You Free

The truth will set you free FROM fearful hearts, false hopes and fleeting happiness that cleverly disguised sin creates. But only if you know what the truth is when you see it. False things are often mixed in with true things which leave us mixed up if we can’t tell the difference between the two. Do you know how to spot a fake? By knowing what the real thing looks like. That is why it is so important to fill our hearts and minds with the truth of Scripture, the promises of God, the commands of our King, the words of Jesus, the beauty of the gospel. The truth will set you free TO enjoy real heart-peace, real hope and real happiness.

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Daily 634

And So Is The End Of Sin

There are many things we long for about heaven, such as being with Jesus, reuniting with loved ones, eliminating sorrow and experiencing fullness of joy. One big thing that we should daily and decidedly look forward to is the complete defeat of all sin. What a day it will be when we sin no more! No more unkindness, hardheartedness, covetousness and selfishness. No more idolatry, bigotry, adultery and mockery. No more rebellion, manipulation, inaction or division. Every sin completely gone forever because our Savior has secured the victory! Take heart, friends. Jesus is coming, and so is the end of sin.

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Daily 617

God Will Never Lie To Us

An effective lie of the enemy works like this: It is rejected. It is tolerated. It is approved. It is encouraged. It starts out so absurd that only someone considered a fool would believe it. It ends up so accepted that only someone considered a fool would not believe it. If something is said loud enough and long enough, people will think it is true. As Christians, we must look to God over politicians, journalists, bloggers, podcasters, peers and other people for what to believe. We must turn to Scripture over culture for truth and wisdom for how to live. Let us believe this… God is not our enemy, and God will never lie to us.

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Daily 612

God Will Do For Us What He Says To Us

We face many uncertainties today as much of the circumstances and people in our lives are completely out of our control. But that doesn’t mean we have to head into the day with fear or worry that things will go from good to bad or from bad to worse. Instead, we can be of good courage and cheer because… God has promised to be with us. God has promised to help us. God has promised to provide for us. In the morning, let us remember that He has made these promises to us. In the evening, let us rejoice that He has kept these promises to us. In between, let us live certain of this: God will do for us what He says to us.

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Daily 607

Turn On The Light Today

The Bible is a light that illuminates dark places. When you read it or hear it, it lights up the darkness of… Your heart. Your path. Your witness. Your life. It exposes the sinfulness of your heart so you can go to Jesus for forgiveness. It shows you the pitfalls of the path you are on so you can follow Jesus safely to where you are meant to go. It brightens your witness before other people as you go so you can point them through your good works to the hope and happiness you have in Jesus. It shines encouragement into your life so that you can keep going because of the promises of Jesus. So… turn on the light today.

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Daily 604

Biggest Thrills And Best Prizes

Temptation often invites us to sin in two ways. The first is like a carny barking at us to “Step right up” for a chance to have a thrilling experience or win a desirable prize that is never worth it in the end. The second is like a boat at sea gently rocking us back and forth until we have drifted to sleep in indifference to God’s better ways. Whether it shouts or whispers, temptation beckons us to look away from Jesus, love something more than Jesus, and live for a substitute for Jesus. By grace, we can resist by reminding ourselves that the biggest thrills and the best prizes are enjoyed by those who are anchored to Him.

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Daily 601

In The Lord

As Christians, what we do needs to be grounded in what Jesus graciously has done, is doing and will do for us. Otherwise, it will become a joyless, hopeless burden on us. It’s not just “be strong,” it’s “be strong in the Lord.” It’s not just “rejoice,” it’s “rejoice in the Lord.” It’s not just “hope,” it’s “hope in the Lord.” It’s not just “boast,” it’s “boast in the Lord.” It’s not just “have faith,” it’s “have faith in the Lord.” It’s not just “stand fast,” it’s “stand fast in the Lord.” Self-confidence and self-effort will sooner or later lead to self-despair and self-destruction. Remember: It’s not about trying really hard; it’s about relying on the Lord.

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Daily 593

He Will Not Lose Us On The Way

There are days when our faith falters, but Jesus does not abandon us. There are days when we feel like giving up, but Jesus does not let us. There are days when we are too overwhelmed to carry on, but Jesus does not move on without us. Through every sinful setback, every stagnant season and every stormy squall, Jesus remains faithful to get to heaven all those who believe in Him. By grace, let us keep taking the next right step in front of us knowing that Jesus is with us every step and will overcome even our mis-steps to take us home. Hallelujah! He will not lose us on the way. He will not let us lose our way.

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Daily 592

Two Sides Of Faith

Biblical faith has a responding side and a receiving side.  Part of faith is responding in obedience.  We trust what God says, we trust He will help us do what He says, and we trust that He will be pleased when we do what He says.  Part of faith is receiving what God does for us.  We trust what God says, we trust He will do what He says, and we trust that we will be pleased when He does what He says.  Real faith includes believing in the promises of God and living out the purposes of God because we trust Him.  Today, let us confidently do what God tells us to do because we are confident in what God tells us He will do.

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Daily 581

Our Hope And Happiness Rests

While things in us and around us seem to constantly change, it is comforting to know that God will always remain the same. He is perfect in Who He is. He is perfect in what He does. He is perfect in every way. There is no possibility for Him to become better or worse. His goodness, forgiveness, graciousness, faithfulness, greatness, faultlessness and all God-ness will forevermore remain unchangeable. He will keep His good promises to us and fulfill His good purposes for us. Rejoice in the Lord today and remember that all our hope and happiness rests on this unchanging truth: that God is unchanging.

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Daily 578

God Is Able

God is the most-powerful, all-powerful being in existence and is able to do whatever He purposes to do. Nothing is too hard for Him. Nothing is mightier than Him. Nothing can stop Him. And He has graciously chosen to use His power over all things to work all things together for our good. Praise God He needs no help! Praise God He helps those in need! When we grow weak, He strengthens us. When we grow weary, He sustains us. May we rest today knowing He will use His power in ways that will bring blessing to us when all is accomplished as He intends. He has made us promises, and He is able to keep them all.

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Daily 576

The Best Is Always Yet To Come

For all who trust in Jesus, there is a glorious eternity ahead in which bad things will be eliminated, good things will be perfected, and the best things will be unveiled. We have an eternity with Him that… Never gets stale. Never gets boring. Never gets routine. Never gets unappealing. Never gets finished. There will always be more to discover and enjoy from the immeasurable riches of God’s grace towards us in Christ Jesus. Don’t live for this day; live for that day. Don’t be discouraged by this day; be encouraged by that day. Take hope in this every day: for those who are trusting in Jesus, the best is always yet to come.

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Daily 570

Jesus Is Who We Can Believe

It is hard to know who is telling us the whole truth, withholding the truth, distorting the truth, misinterpreting the truth, or creating their own version of the truth. We can easily be deceived into thinking something is true when it is not. So, who can we count on to be honest with us with what we need to hear? What is the standard by which we can evaluate all other guiding life principles and philosophies? What truth can we live by so we do not live in vain or error? Who can we believe? Jesus. Jesus is Who we can believe. We can always count on what He says to be true for us and good for us.

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