God's Word on That

Tag: Daily Slice

A slice of God’s Word for the day

  • Today is God’s Present

    Never allow your yesterday to use up too much of today. The past is gone, and tomorrow is at best a maybe. Live for this moment because it may be all you will ever have.

    There is one maxim that applies equally to all seasons: No time should go by uselessly. All time forms a part of the order, a link in the chain of God’s providence… God never means us to look upon any time as purposeless.

    My times are in Your hands (Psalm 31:15). Trust in Him at all times, O people (Psalm 62:8) – at all times, in all situations, no matter what, holding absolutely nothing back.

    As you learn to worship, praise, and bless God for all things — to see His hand everywhere — you will feel nothing to be an unbearable evil, for everything, even the cruelest sufferings, will turn to good for you. Let Him do as He sees fit with you.

    My times are in Your hands. Please make me beautiful.

    The hardest part of living is making peace with your past. Looking ahead is more productive than looking back, but the past needs to be dealt with. That is why God forgives.

  • A Weakness Isn’t Bad

    When we wrestle with a weakness, we ask God to take it away, to be over with it. But doesn’t’ that make us less dependent on God, to our disadvantage? The more people know we have a weakness somewhere, the more they will see God working in us and know He is real. So we should be content in weaknesses.

    My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:10).

    It is usually a wound, and maybe even a sin, to compare ourselves to others. Jesus calls us individually for what we individually can do for Him. As long as we can carry love in our heart, Jesus can direct us to do what He wants us to do individually.

    And remember: We are to judge the situation without judging the sinner. After all, we all have weaknesses.

    A weakness can make us stronger.

  • What Do We Feed Our Mind?

    Thoughts are powerful. They shape how we feel about everything around us, everything that does or does not affect us. If our thoughts are wrong, they bring harm to ourselves as well as others. God gave us the ability to think, reason, and know. It is our duty to use these correctly based on truth.

    The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile (1 Corinthians 3:20). When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me (1 Corinthians 13:11). Now we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

    Fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess (Hebrews 3:1). For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword… it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

    Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).

    What we think upon can help us or hurt us. Don’t let circumstances make you think you are unloved.

  • The Fruitful Walk

    The works of the flesh separate us from God while the fruits of the Spirit make us more like God. We know the fine line between spiritual and carnal – it’s that second of hesitation we get before doing something that the Spirit is trying to warn us against. How do we walk by the Spirit? If I answered that question by giving a rigid formula, you would be back under a law. Walking by the Spirit – a He, not an IT – is a relationship issue, not a legal or ritualistic exercise.

    “But the fruit of the Spirit is…” (Galatians 5:22) produced naturally, like grapes on the vine. You don’t have to decide, it flows from you. Orange trees automatically produce oranges. Apple trees produce apples. Living in the Spirit produces fruit too, and we will produce if we do not lose heart.

    Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

    Sometimes we sow in May and do not reap a harvest until October. Enjoy the experience of sowing while we sow; the experience of enjoying the reaping can come later.

    The fruits of the Spirit are plentiful and obvious.

  • Judge Fairly

    Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be [used on] you (Matthew 7:1-2). Let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way (Romans 14:13).

    Our job is to accept people and let the Holy Spirit bring conviction of sin in His timing. We are to join the ministry of reconciliation, not condemnation. The only time we confront a brother or sister is because we care about their relationship to God, not with other humans (2 Corinthians 5:19).

    There is only one Law-giver and one Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy. But you — who are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:12) Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment (John 7:24).

    Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned (Luke 6:37). Judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes (1 Corinthians 4:5).

    We have the job of reconciling others to Christ – while we are all on this planet together.

  • The Gift of You

    In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul explains that we are all built up together. We are like a building with many rooms. Yet we are all different. There is a music room designed to enhance the sound of the instruments, and there is a drawing room designed to draw people into groups to share in conversations. Not all of us can be music rooms and not all can be drawing rooms. I say “Thank God I don’t have to be the music room” – and you would too if you heard my singing.

    Paul uses the analogy of a body, yet he points out that the foot does not get jealous because someone says, “You have a beautiful face”. With such comments the whole body smiles and feels lighter.

    We have different gifts, according to the grace given us (Romans 12:6). Our job is not to worry about what the other parts are doing or not doing. Jesus is the Head; that’s His job. The world around us will prompt us to compare ourselves with others – to be the same, then to become arrogant or discouraged with ourselves. But the Spirit of God teaches us that each one of us is different, put here for different reasons and given different gifts on purpose. Let’s make God smile by using the gift He endowed us with.

  • Exercising Self-Control

    Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me – but I will not be mastered by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12).

    Paul is saying to the church at Corinth that we are not free to break the law, but we are free to not sin under the law, or be condemned by it. We are free from the law (Romans 8:2), but that doesn’t allow our desires to run rampant. This message to the Corinthians is a warning to be aware of anything that may control us.

    Self-control secures our freedom to love, to experience joy, to know peace, to respond with patience, to have a kind disposition, to act out goodness, to step in faithfulness, to agree with gentleness. Self-control is the ability to make choices which invite and enhance the authority and filling by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is a decision to remain within the boundaries of victory.

    The Spirit of God lives in us (1 Corinthians 6:19), and self-control is our wall of protection for Him to work. Therefore self-control is like a wall of protection surrounding us, dramatically reducing our vulnerability to the enemy.

  • The Law of Opportunity

    We have been liberated from law-keeping as a means of justification and righteousness (Romans 3:21). Yes, we need a law to live by, but we don’t have to worry about the old law, the foods to eat and what to wear. Now there is a new law: Take into account the people around you (Romans 13:8).

    Romans 12:1 through 13:10 give wonderful guidelines that urge believers to offer their lives fully and completely to the Lord. As Christians we are no longer to conform to worldly standards – this should impact every area of our lives as well as our daily conduct.

    Sometimes the key to survival is simply “setting your jaw” and going on faithfully, trusting God is there beside us despite the circumstances. Choosing joy through hope rather than despair, choosing patient endurance in time of affliction, choosing faithfulness in prayer over other opportunities – are all decisions of the Will (Romans 12:12). We trust that God – who raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11) – can also change the circumstances because He hears and listens to our voice (Isaiah 65:24).

    We are to support one another in every opportunity given to us. And the day is full of opportunity.

  • Living for Today

    I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food and the body more than [something to drape] clothes [on] (Luke 12:22-23). Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions (Luke 12:15).

    The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will also be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me (John 12:25-26).

    “The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day” (Exodus 16:4). Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own [to occupy your time and thoughts] (Matthew 6:14).

    Don’t worry about tomorrow. God’s promises are for today. Relax and enjoy Him.

  • What is Reality?

    God’s laws were given to protect and promote man’s happiness, not to restrict it.  God wants the best for us.  He has laid down spiritual laws which, if obeyed, bring harmony and fulfillment. 

    We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual (Romans 7:14). If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become foolish that he may become wise [in spiritual things]. (1 Corinthians 3:18).

    The spirit realm is reality, the material realm is only supplemental. Spiritual vision depends on our character, since “the pure in heart shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). Like all knowledge, spiritual knowledge may make you feel relief, but unless you actually implement your knowledge – take proper action to cement it in your brain – your knowledge will simply remain knowledge. It will not transform to wisdom!

    You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God (1 Peter 2:4-5).

    Things in our world feel “real” but the spiritual realm is “reality”.