The Trial Of Faith

By Oswald Chambers

 If you have faith as a mustard seed…nothing will be impossible for you. —Matthew 17:20

We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, and it may be so in the initial stages. But we do not earn anything through faith— faith brings us into the right relationship with God and gives Him His opportunity to work. Yet God frequently has to knock the bottom out of your experience as His saint to get you in direct contact with Himself. God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of emotional enjoyment of His blessings. The beginning of your life of faith was very narrow and intense, centered around a small amount of experience that had as much emotion as faith in it, and it was full of light and sweetness. Then God withdrew His conscious blessings to teach you to “walk by faith” (2 Corinthians 5:7). And you are worth much more to Him now than you were in your days of conscious delight with your thrilling testimony.

Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. And the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character must be proven as trustworthy in our own minds. Faith being worked out into reality must experience times of unbroken isolation. Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life, because a great deal of what we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him— a faith that says, “I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.” The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is— “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).

Unraveling the Mysteries

  October 30, 2017  
From: Our Daily Bread

Read: Psalm 119:97–104 | Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 20–21; 2 Timothy 4

I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Psalm 119:104

I have always enjoyed the wit and insight of Peanuts creator, Charles Schulz. One of my favorite cartoons drawn by him appeared in a book about young people in the church. It shows a young man holding a Bible as he tells a friend on the phone, “I think I’ve made one of the first steps toward unraveling the mysteries of the Old Testament . . . I’m starting to read it!” (Teen-Ager Is Not a Disease).

Psalm 119 overflows with the writer’s hunger to understand and experience the power of God’s Word each day. “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long” (v. 97). This eager pursuit leads to growing wisdom, understanding, and obedience to the Lord (vv. 98–100).

Lord, thank You for the Bible, which gives us wisdom and understanding.

The Bible doesn’t contain a magic formula for “unraveling the mysteries” in its pages. The process is more than mental and requires a response to what we read. While some passages may remain puzzling to us, we can embrace those truths we clearly understand, and say to the Lord, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path” (vv. 103–104).

A wonderful journey of discovery awaits us in God’s Word.

Lord, thank You for the Bible, which gives us wisdom and understanding to follow Your pathway of life today.

A commitment to read and follow God’s Word begins a daily journey of discovering His love and power.

Trust Tally

From: Our Daily Bread

  October 29, 2017  

Read: Deuteronomy 1:21–33 | Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 18–19; 2 Timothy 3

See, the Lord your God has given you the land. . . . Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 1:21

Before my husband and I surrendered our lives to Christ, we seriously considered divorce. But after committing to love and obey God, we recommitted to each other. We sought wise counsel and invited the Holy Spirit to transform us individually and as a couple. Our heavenly Father continues to help us develop healthy communication skills. He’s teaching us how to love and trust Him—and one another—no matter what happens.

Yet, even as we head toward celebrating our twenty-fifth anniversary, I occasionally forget everything God has done in and through our trials. Sometimes, I struggle with a deep-seated fear of the unknown—experiencing unnecessary anxiety instead of relying on God’s track record.

God’s past faithfulness proves His everlasting dependability.

In Deuteronomy 1, Moses affirmed the Lord’s reliability. He encouraged the Israelites to move forward in faith so they could enjoy their inheritance (v. 21). But God’s people demanded details about what they’d be up against and what they’d receive before committing to trust Him with their future (vv. 22–33).

Followers of Christ are not immune to succumbing to fear or anxiety. Worrying about what difficulties we may or may not encounter can keep us from depending on faith, and may even damage our relationships with God and others. But the Holy Spirit can help us create a trust tally of the Lord’s past faithfulness. He can empower us with courageous confidence in God’s trustworthiness yesterday, today, and forever.

Lord, thank You for affirming that we don’t need to know everything that lies ahead when we know You. We know You never change.

God’s past faithfulness proves His everlasting dependability.

Justification by Faith

Justification by Faith

By Oswald Chambers

If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. —Romans 5:10

I am not saved by believing— I simply realize I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me— repentance is only the sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus. The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of on the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that make me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God’s grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know that I am saved, even though I don’t know how it was accomplished.

The salvation that comes from God is not based on human logic, but on the sacrificial death of Jesus. We can be born again solely because of the atonement of our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creations, not through their repentance or their belief, but through the wonderful work of God in Christ Jesus which preceded all of our experience (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-19). The unconquerable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We do not have to accomplish these things ourselves— they have been accomplished through the atonement of the Cross of Christ. The supernatural becomes natural to us through the miracle of God, and there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done— “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

God Provides

From: Our Daily Bread

 October 27, 2017 

Read: Deuteronomy 24:19–22 | Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 12–14; 2 Timothy 1

Those who work their land will have abundant food. Proverbs 12:11

Outside my office window, the squirrels are in a race against winter to bury their acorns in a safe, accessible place. Their commotion amuses me. An entire herd of deer can go through our back yard and not make a sound, but one squirrel sounds like an invasion.

The two creatures are different in another way as well. Deer do not prepare for winter. When the snow comes they eat whatever they can find along the way (including ornamental shrubs in our yard). But squirrels would starve if they followed that example. They would be unable to find suitable food.

Our needs will never exhaust God’s supply.

The deer and the squirrel represent ways that God cares for us. He enables us to work and save for the future, and He meets our need when resources are scarce. As the wisdom literature teaches, God gives us seasons of plenty so that we can prepare for seasons of need (Prov. 12:11). And as Psalm 23 says, the Lord leads us through perilous places to pleasant pastures.

Another way that God provides is by instructing those with plenty to share with those in need (Deut. 24:19). So when it comes to provision, the message of the Bible is this: Work while we can, save what we can, share what we can, and trust God to meet our needs.

Thank You, Lord, for the promise that You will meet our needs. Help us not to fear or doubt. We’re grateful that You’re watching over us and that our cries for help reach Your ear.

Our needs will never exhaust God’s supply.

Exceedingly Better

From: Utmost.org

  October 26, 2017  

Read: 1 Chronicles 17:1–15 | Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 9–11; 1 Timothy 6

He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 1 Chronicles 17:12

My birthday is the day after my mother’s. As an adolescent, I would scramble to think of a gift that delighted my mom yet fit in my budget. She always received my purchases with appreciation, and on the following day, my birthday, she would present her gift to me. Without fail, her gift vastly outshone mine. Her intention wasn’t to diminish what I’d given her; she simply gave generously from her resources, which far exceeded my own.

My desire to give to my mother reminds me of David’s wish to build a home for God. Struck by the contrast between his palace and the tent where God revealed Himself, David longed to build God a temple. Instead of granting David’s wish to give, God responded by giving David an exceedingly better gift. God promised that not only would one of David’s children (Solomon) build the temple (1 Chron. 17:11), but that He would build David a house, a dynasty. That promise began with Solomon but found its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, whose throne was indeed “established forever” (v. 12). David wanted to give from his finite resources, but God promised something infinite.

God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ exceeds all gifts.

Like David, may we always be moved to give to God out of gratitude and love. And may we always see how much more abundantly He has given to us in Jesus.

Father God, I thank You for Your astounding gift to me in Jesus Christ. Your love overwhelms me.

God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ exceeds all gifts.

Whispers of Rest

From: CBN, and Cindy Sproles, author

“The LORD replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'” Exodus 33:14 (NIV)

“Inanimate objects don’t have human traits!” I still smile when I think of my friend’s adamant opinion.

But last night, the waves whispered to me. I couldn’t see them through the darkness, but the voice of the water called to me from across the sand. “Rest, lull in the wash of the ocean,” they murmured.

It’s been a long three years. Much has happened. Good things — hard decisions — but then nothing good is easy. Is it? Overwork and stress were taking their toll.

I climbed out of the bed, then slipped from the condo onto the beach. A couple stood ankle deep in the foamy wash, flashlights and strainers in hand — their catch, nil. My watch glowed a florescent yellow — 4:00 a.m. A chill surged through me. And I recognized my soul was tired. I needed physical and spiritual rest.

Fatigue has many forms — the physical towers above the spiritual need for rest because we often fail to understand a balance must be struck. As the waves pushed my feet deep into the sand, I knew without a doubt, I was weary.

Satan wasn’t ashamed to use my good attributes to wear me down. He’d attacked me brutally using my work ethic to push more work at me. He knew the ethic insisted I complete the task. But when I said “no,” he lashed out like an angry child and my soul wore away.

Christ understood the agony of a strong work ethic and the repercussion of saying “no” to Satan. He pushed ahead when His body pleaded for rest, sometimes climbing into a boat to get an arm’s length from the crowds who pleaded for His healing words and touch. He worked until He was spent. Still, He’d slip away to seek solitude in His Father. Jesus needed rest and renewal, and He sought both in His alone time — in His prayer life.

God, in all His majesty — rested. He set the pace for a good work ethic. Yet, even as He toiled to form every crevice and crinkle in the universe, He chose a day to rest. In all of God’s infinite wisdom, He earmarked a day, a time that we might follow in His example; seek His peace, take in His restoration and renewal.

The Father knew His children needed respite and when He rested on the seventh day then commanded His children to do the same, there was reason.

“He said to them, “This is what the LORD commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD …” Exodus 16:23a NIV

It was to bring our bodies and our minds back to Him.

I dropped to my knees as the ocean whispered its restful coo. Clearly, God had given this inanimate object the voice I needed to hear. The soft gurgle tempted me to lie on the sand, gazing into the stars until their light blurred. Without a doubt, I heard His words and sought my rest in Him.

When fatigue overtakes you, listen to the gentleness of the breeze, the wash of the ocean, the trickle of a stream. It’s God calling you to seek renewal in Him. He’s asking you to obey. Christ longs for you to snuggle into His arms and simply rest. Go to Him where rest is complete.

The Proper Perspective

By Oswald Chambers

 

Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ… —2 Corinthians 2:14

The proper perspective of a servant of God must not simply be as near to the highest as he can get, but it must be the highest. Be careful that you vigorously maintain God’s perspective, and remember that it must be done every day, little by little. Don’t think on a finite level. No outside power can touch the proper perspective.

The proper perspective to maintain is that we are here for only one purpose— to be captives marching in the procession of Christ’s triumphs. We are not on display in God’s showcase— we are here to exhibit only one thing— the “captivity [of our lives] to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). How small all the other perspectives are! For example, the ones that say, “I am standing all alone, battling for Jesus,” or, “I have to maintain the cause of Christ and hold down this fort for Him.” But Paul said, in essence, “I am in the procession of a conqueror, and it doesn’t matter what the difficulties are, for I am always led in triumph.” Is this idea being worked out practically in us? Paul’s secret joy was that God took him as a blatant rebel against Jesus Christ, and made him a captive— and that became his purpose. It was Paul’s joy to be a captive of the Lord, and he had no other interest in heaven or on earth. It is a shameful thing for a Christian to talk about getting the victory. We should belong so completely to the Victor that it is always His victory, and “we are more than conquerors through Him…” (Romans 8:37).

“We are to God the fragrance of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 2:15). We are encompassed with the sweet aroma of Jesus, and wherever we go we are a wonderful refreshment to God.

Brother To Brother

From: Our Daily Bread

 Read: Genesis 33:1–11 | Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 1–2; 1 Timothy 3

A new command I give you: Love one another. John 13:34

My brother and I, less than a year apart in age, were quite “competitive” growing up (translation: we fought!). Dad understood. He had brothers. Mom? Not so much.

Our story could have fit in the book of Genesis, which might well be subtitled A Brief History of Sibling Rivalry. Cain and Abel (Gen. 4); Isaac and Ishmael (21:8–10); Joseph and everyone not named Benjamin (ch. 37). But for brother-to-brother animosity, it’s hard to beat Jacob and Esau.

A new command I give you: Love one another. John 13:34

Esau’s twin brother had cheated him twice, so he wanted to kill Jacob (27:41). Decades later Jacob and Esau would reconcile (ch. 33). But the rivalry continued on in their descendants, who became the nations of Edom and Israel. When the people of Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, Edom met them with threats and an army (Num. 20:14–21). Much later, as Jerusalem’s citizens fled invading forces, Edom slaughtered the refugees (Obad. 1:10–14).

Happily for us, the Bible contains not just the sad account of our brokenness but the story of God’s redemption as well. Jesus changed everything, telling His disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another” (John 13:34). Then He showed us what that means by dying for us.

As my brother and I got older, we became close. That’s the thing with God. When we respond to the forgiveness He offers, His grace can transform our sibling rivalries into brotherly love.

Lord, we invite You to transform our relationships with Your healing love.

Sibling rivalry is natural. God’s love is supernatural.

Another Kind Of Love

Read: John 15:9–17 | Bible in a Year: Isaiah 65–66; 1 Timothy 2

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:12 

From: Our Daily Bread

One of my favorite churches started several years ago as a ministry to ex-prisoners who were transitioning back into society. Now the church flourishes with people from all walks of life. I love that church because it reminds me of what I picture heaven will be like—filled with different kinds of people, all redeemed sinners, all bound together by the love of Jesus.

Sometimes, though, I wonder if church seems more like an exclusive club than a safe haven for forgiven sinners. As people naturally gravitate into groups of “a certain kind” and cluster around those they feel comfortable with, it leaves others feeling marginalized. But that’s not what Jesus had in mind when He told His disciples to “love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). His church was to be an extension of His love mutually shared with all.

Share Christ’s love with another.

If hurting, rejected people can find loving refuge, comfort, and forgiveness in Jesus, they should expect no less from the church. So let’s exhibit the love of Jesus to everyone we encounter—especially those who are not like us. All around us are people Jesus wants to love through us. What a joy it is when people unite to worship together in love—a slice of heaven we can enjoy here on earth!

Lord, remind me today that while I was a sinner You embraced me with Your deep and unconditional love and brought me into the fellowship of Your grace. Lead me to someone I can love as You loved me.

Share Christ’s love with another.

Love Meter

From: Our Daily Journey

1 John 4:9-10
God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).

A “love calculator” can be found on the Internet. As strange as it may sound, all you’re instructed to do once you’re on the website is to key in your name and the name of the person you’re interested in, and the love meter calculates your “love percentage”—supposedly revealing your chances of a successful romantic relationship. I wonder how many have naïvely tried to find true love using this website!

God doesn’t leave us second-guessing how much He loves us. The Bible speaks of God’s love being demonstrated by His generous gift of His Son—solid proof that He loves us (John 3:16). In fact, we “know what real love is” only “because Jesus gave up his life for us” (1 John 3:16). His willing death demonstrated the enormity and intensity of that affection (Romans 5:6-8) and revealed God’s heart: “God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love . . . that he loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

No one compelled Jesus to die. Three times He said He willingly died for us (John 10:11,15,18). Paul said that “God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. . . . Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood” (Romans 3:25). Because His death was divinely authored, it’s not a meaningless tragedy. He purposefully died for us, taking our sin and its consequences on Himself (Romans 4:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Because “all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:18), we need never doubt His love. The cross of Jesus is God’s love meter. And it shows we’re greatly loved beyond measure.

More Than You Know

From: Crosswalk.com

Psalm 104:1-35
O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all (Psalm 104:24).

What makes grass grow thick and green? Would you believe that part of the answer is lightning? The main ingredient in most fertilizers is nitrogen, and the air is full of it. But grass can’t access the nitrogen in the air until lightning moves through it. Lightning heats the air and splits nitrogen into separate molecules. The molecules of nitrogen then join with oxygen and hydrogen and fall as rain—nourishing the vegetation. Who knew that lightning is one of God’s messengers to make the world green?

Learning about lightning makes me wonder what else God is doing behind the scenes. I love to hear miraculous stories of healing, surprise checks in the mail, and bullets that somehow miss from point-blank range. The God of wonders can do spectacular things. But His “ordinary” acts of providence are equally wonderful.

Psalm 104 lists some of the ways God quietly provides for us. He “placed the world on its foundation” and “set a firm boundary for the seas” (Psalm 104:5,9). He sends rain to nourish the earth and grow “plants for people to use” (Psalm 104:14). He “made the moon to mark the seasons” and uses the sun to create a rhythm of work and rest for all His creatures (Psalm 104:19). “They all depend on [Him] to give them food” (Psalm 104:27).

Consider the many ways God silently sustains your life. Thank Him for the various systems within your body and for the outside world that provides you with family, friends, and meaningful work. Praise Him for the many provisions—like lightning for our lawns—that you may not even know about.

There are countless ways God secretly cares for us! Tell Him thanks for the ways He cares for you that you aren’t even aware of. What an amazing, creative, compassionate God we serve!

Evidence Of Kindness

From: Our Daily journey

Read:

Ephesians 2:1-10 God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness (Ephesians 2:7).

Several children and their parents filed into a room in which a neo-natal nurse sat. The kids were carrying pictures of themselves as premature infants—years ago, they had been cared for by the nurse. Before the group surprised her, she had watched a video in which the parents expressed how thankful they were for her role in saving their children’s lives. After the reunion, the nurse remarked, “I love what I do. It’s a ministry for me. I believe God has put me [here] for a purpose, and He has given me a love for these babies and these parents.” This touching story brought to mind the helpless situation from which God’s love and kindness rescues us. He revives us even when, as Paul put it, we’re dead because of our sin (Ephesians 2:1). We’re desperate, but God knows what’s necessary to make spiritual life possible. Although “by our very nature we were subject to God’s anger” (Ephesians 2:3), God doesn’t respond to us in wrath. He loves us and cares for us. Through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, we can receive His mercy. When Paul wrote about these things to the Ephesian believers, he told them, “God can point to us in all future ages as examples of . . . his grace and kindness” (Ephesians 2:7). As we read the Bible today, we can see what Paul meant. We are able to look back on centuries of changed lives and see evidence of God’s kindness. And looking forward, we know that our salvation will also show future generations God’s goodness. Like the nurse’s compassionate care, God has tended to our souls. He has gently washed away our sins and made new life possible through His Spirit (Titus 3:5).

What Do You Think of Jesus?

From: Get More Strength

Oct

18

2017

“Who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:15

When Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do you say I am?”—He wasn’t having an identity crisis nor was He feeling insecure about His reputation. He passed out the quiz to see whether or not the disciples had come to grips with who He really was, or, if they too, like the rest of the crowds, had misperceived His true identity.

It’s a good quiz to take, because if you and I don’t perceive Jesus as He really is, we just may get our Christianity twisted and headed in the wrong direction. So ask yourself, “Who do I think Jesus is?”

There are lots of ways to look at the question: theologically, historically, culturally, redemptively, spiritually, or experientially. But for starters, let’s ask in terms of how you perceive Him as a person when He comes to mind. This is not a throwaway issue! How you envision Him has a lot to do with whether or not you’ll want to follow Him. And following Him is at the very heart of a fulfilling relationship with Him.

If you grew up in Sunday school world, you saw a lot of Sunday school papers with pictures of Jesus in a neatly pressed white robe, nice sandals, and a well-trimmed beard. It was easy to draw the conclusion that Jesus is a kind, softhearted, merciful, and deferring kind of guy. And, thankfully, He is all those things. But if that’s all He is to you, He won’t seem very compelling. You might think, “Nice guy, but I’m not sure I’d want to go on a fishing trip with Him!”

Yet a brief look at who found Him to be compelling will correct our often distorted view of Jesus. Rough fishermen like James, John, Peter, and Andrew dropped their nets to follow Him. These were guys who would have had fading tattoos on their bulging biceps, and rugged, sea-worn faces. Simon the Zealot, a member of the underground resistance force, was committed to give his life if necessary to overthrow the oppressive regime of Rome. He traded in his Uzis and fatigues to join the Jesus revolution. And Matthew, the ruthless tax collector, found Jesus a far more compelling option for life than continuing to get rich at other peoples’ expense. Women felt safe with Him and adoringly followed and supported Him.

So, take it from those who knew Him best. They gave up everything and followed Him to a whole new way of life. A life where the power of love is courageous enough to forgive; where the joy of generosity trumps the withering grip of greed; where others’ needs and interests capture the attention of our hearts; where cross-bearing is an honor; where the poor, marginalized, and oppressed find refuge and significance.

Facing Life's Worries With Truth

October 16, 2017 From: Crosswalk.com

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37‑39 (NIV)

Everyone has assumptions about life.

Many are useful and constructive. We know the sun will rise and set each day. We assume storms will pass, and food is available.

Some assumptions, however, are toxic. Even worse, they are contrary to the truth. Unhealthy assumptions include false thoughts like these:

I’m unworthy. I don’t deserve to have good things happen to me.
People abandon me. 
When people come to know the real me, they leave.
It’s all my fault. I’m to blame for every bad thing that happens to me.
No one has my back, which makes me vulnerable. 
Something bad is going to happen.
The world feels dangerous.

Many false beliefs were formed in the early years of our lives when we did not have the ability to challenge them. So their roots run deep, and such false assumptions create an anxiety-ridden life.

God’s solution? Truth. Face worries with truth. Take “captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5b, NIV). One way to do this is to correct faulty thinking with accurate thoughts:

I matter to God. He made me, knows me and has a plan for my life.
I am worthy of love. I’m not perfect, but I have abilities and God-given gifts.
I’m not responsible for all the bad things. I’ve made mistakes, but I am learning and growing, and, most of all, I am forgiven by God.
I’m protected. It is a dangerous world, but I serve a mighty God who knows and loves me.

Listen to yourself. Monitor your beliefs about yourself, about God and about the world. Don’t allow false assumptions to take up any space in your mind. Immediately treat them with truth.

I’m either my own worst critic or greatest cheerleader. Either I tear myself down or build myself up. The words I say can usher in fear or faith. I’ve learned to ask: Are you against you? Or are you for you?

The truth is, God is for you. He has cast His vote. In His opinion you’re worth the death of His Son. You are valuable, purposeful and important. “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1b, NIV).

If God is for you, shouldn’t you be for you? I’ve learned it doesn’t make sense to be against myself if God isn’t. Calling myself dumb, ugly or poor … saying there is no solution, hope or promise in life. If I decide I have no talents, friends or future … these words have power.

Saying something often enough can become my version of the truth! Those offhand negative remarks aren’t harmless; they are toxic. They actually agree with the devil. They give him a foothold. “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit” (Proverbs 15:4, NIV).