HOW CAN YOU AVOID THE GUILT EXPERIENCES BY JOHN BUNYAN?

Today's promise: No temptation is too great

How can you avoid the guilt experiences by John Bunyan?

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
Keep me from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me.

Psalm 19:12-13 NLT

Now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling, and who will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy.

Jude 1:24 NLT

A Pilgrim making progress

John Bunyan, who wrote the class The Pilgrim's Progress, had been a godless youth with a "great desire to take fill of sin, still studying what sin was yet to be committed, that might taste the sweetness of it." However, while still in his twenties, Bunyan was convicted by the Holy Spirit of his sinfulness and his need for a Redeemer.

After this Bunyan's conscience became so tender that he feared he was committing sins that would not be forgiven. Bunyan spent time studying Scripture, at times finding comfort and at other times being weighed down by guilt.

Looking back on those turbulent days in his life, Bunyan recognized he had made some big mistakes. Although he had prayed for cleansing, he had not prayed to be kept from future sin. In addition, he was not standing firmly on the rock of his salvation, even though he had asked Christ to be his Redeemer (see Psalm 19:12-14).

Perhaps you have trusted Christ to save you, but you still experience spiritual defeat. This is not unusual, but you do need to address the problem. Each new day ask God to help you follow him more closely. But do not be afraid, for, as Bunyan later wrote, our "righteousness is Jesus Christ himself, the same yesterday, today, and forever."

adapted from The One Year® Book of Psalms by William J. Petersen and Randy Petersen,, Tyndale House Publishers (1999), entry for February 6

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HOW DO YOU AVOID TEMPTATION?

Today's promise: No temptation is too great

How Do You Avoid Temptation?

She came and grabbed him by his shirt, demanding, "Sleep with me!" Joseph tore himself away.

Genesis 39:12 NLT

A man who fled from temptation

Like cream, Joseph rose to the top. Each time he tackled temptation, he thrived. He was the next-to-last son of Jacob, but the first son of Jacob's favorite wife, Rachel. He had two significant dreams. We don't know how he told his brothers about the dreams, in which they bowed down to him, but they hated him for the content.

His brothers tried to kill him, but sold him into slavery in Egypt. At age 17, Joseph was carried hundreds of miles away to Egypt, where he became a slave. Most people in his situation would have become bitter. Not Joseph. He was a worthy worker. And he rose to the top.

He was "handsome and well-built" (Gen. 39:6), 300 miles from home, and single. That was a set-up for someone like Potiphar's wife. She kept after Joseph "day after day" (Gen. 39:10), but he kept saying no. When she tried one last time (Gen. 39:12), grabbing him by the shirt, Joseph ran off minus his shirt.

The reward for his good conduct was jail. Even there, Joseph rose to the top. After interpreting a dream, Pharaoh made Joseph vice-president of the country. When, twenty years later, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to buy food, they didn't recognize their brother. He resisted the temptation to pay them back for what they had done. But Joseph showed them forgiveness.

Joseph was sold from his father's house, seduced in Potiphar's house, and suffered in a prison house — yet he remained faithful to God. He triumphed over temptation.

adapted from Men of Integrity Devotional Bible with devotionals by the editors of Men of Integrity magazine (Christianity Today, Intl), Tyndale House Publishers (2002), p 53

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HOW HAS GOD REVEALED HIMSELF IN YOU?

Today's promise: We are created in His image

How Has God Revealed Himself in You?

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1 NLT

The Master Creator

Genesis 1:1 and the entire creation story reveals God's creativity. He is the Master Creator who delights in diversity and variety.

Creativity is a gift God gives to people by the power of his Holy Spirit. Exodus 31:1-4 described a person who used his artistic skills and craftsmanship to make beautiful things for God's glory.

The Lord also said to Moses, "Look, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts. He is able to create beautiful objects from gold, silver, and bronze.

Hebrews 11:3 proclaims God as the ultimate source of all creativity.

By faith we understood that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

from Living Water for Those Who Thirst Tyndale House Publishers (2000), pp 37-8

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The "great raveled knot," as the famous English psychologist Sir Charles Sherrington called the brain, is about the size of a grapefruit and weighs approximately three pounds. It is composed of some twelve to fourteen billion cells.… It is the almost limitless number of cells-plus-interconnections that makes the human brain an intellectual instrument of unparalleled supremacy.
JOHN P McNEEL, The Brain of Man

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

CARICATURE GOD

CARICATURE GOD

READ:
Exodus 34:1-9

The LORD is longsuffering and abundant
in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression;
but HE by no means clears the guilty.
-Numbers 14:18

Caricature artists set up their easels in public places and draw pictures of people who are willing to pay  modest price for a humorous image of themselves.  Their drawings amuse us because they exaggerate one or more of our physical features in a way that is recognizable but funny.

Caricatures of God, on the other hand, are not funny.  Exaggerating one of His attributes presents a distorted view that people easily dismiss.  Like a caricature, a distorted view of God is not taken seriously.  Those who see God portrayed only as an angry and demanding judge are easily lured away by someone who emphasizes mercy.  Those who see God as a kindhearted grandfather will reject that image when they need justice.  Those who see God as an intellectual idea rather than a living, loving being eventually find other ideas more appealing.  Those who see God as a best friend often leave Him behind wen they find human friends who are more to their liking.

God declares Himself to be merciful and gracious, but also just in punishing the guilty (Exodus 34:6-7).

As we put our faith into action, we need to avoid portraying God as having only our favorite attributes.  We must worship all of God, not just what we like. -Julie Ackerman Link

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-
Oh, Thou blessed Trinity:
One in essence, yet three persons-
Thou, our God, we worship Thee. - D. De Haan
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All-powerful, merciful, wise, and just
is the God in whom we trust.

INSIGHT
Being exposed to God's perfect character drew two responses from Moses.  He first responded with worship (v.8), ad then he acknowledged the need for forgiveness (v.9).  These continue to be important responses toward our loving God who is perfectly holy.

Have a blessed night.
God Our Creator's Love Always
Unity & Peace

I'M GOOD

I'M GOOD

READ:
Matthew 19:16-26

[Jesus said,] "Why do you call
ME good?  No one is good but
One, that is, God. But if you
want to enter into life, keep the
commandments." -Matthew 19:17

When someone asks, "How are you?" it has become common for the response to be, "I'm good."  When we say this, we are really saying, "I'm well" or "I'm doing fine," speaking of our general well-being and not our character.  I have answered with that response more times than I can count, but lately it has begunn to bother me.  Because, whether we realize it or not, we are saying something specific when we use the word good.

Jesus once encountered a wealthy young man who called Him "Good Teacher" (Matthew 19:16).  The young man was right, for Jesus is both good (completely perfect) and the Teacher.  He is the only One who can truly make that claim.

The Lord, however, challenged the man to think about what he was saying in using that term good. "So He said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandment'" (v.17).  Jesus wanted the man to understand that the assertion he was making needed to be taken seriously.  Jesus can be called "good" because He is God.

Next time someone asks you, "How are you?" it is great to be able to say, "I'm well."  But remember, Only Jesus is good. -Bill Crowder

Eternal with the Father, One,
Is Jesus Christ, His own dear Son;
In Him God's fullness we can  see,
For Jesus Christ is deity. -D. De Haan
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God is great and God is good,
but without Him we are neither.

INSIGHT
Jesus answered the young man's question with commands from the second portion of the Ten Commandments, which focus on our dealing with each other.  The first portion, regarding our relationship with God, is clearly more difficult to keep.

Have a blessed night.
God Our Creator's Love Always
Unity & Peace

ISN'T IT INCREDIBLE THAT GOD CREATED US WITH THE ABILITY TO PRAISE HIM?

Today's promise: We are created in His image

Isn't it incredible that God created us with the ability to praise him?

But happy are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.

Psalm 146:5 NLT

I'll praise my maker

I'll praise my Maker while I've breath;
And when my voice is lost in death.
Praise shall employ my nobler pow'rs;
My days of praise shall ne'er be past,
While life, and thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.

Happy the man whose hopes rely
On Israel's God! He made the sky,
And earth, and sea, with all their train;
His truth for ever stands secure;
He saves the oppressed, He feeds the poor,
And none shall find His promise vain. I'll Praise My Maker While I've Breath (v1,2), ISAAC WATTS (1674-1748)

In Westminster Abbey stands a statue of Isaac Watts with a pen in his hand. Not far from Watts, John Wesley is also honored. This hymn has connections to both men.

As John Wesley lay dying, he surprised his friends gathered around his bedside by singing in a clear voice this hymn of Isaac Watts: "I'll praise my Maker while I've breath, and when my voice is lost in death, praise shall employ my nobler powers."

The next day he tried to sing the hymn again, but he could not. Two or three times he began, but could only say the words "I'll praise." That was all he could get out of his mouth. Then, with those words on his lips, he was ushered into glory.

adapted from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995), entry for February 27

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

CAN I TRUST YOU?

CAN I TRUST YOU?

READ:
Joshus 9:1-16

The LORD searches all hearts and
understands all the intent of the
thoughts.  -1 Chronicles 28:9

According to lie-detection experts, "Our natural tendency is to trust people."   However, not everyone is trustworthy all the time.  Signs that someone may be lying include fidgeting, lack of eye contact, and noticeable pauses in speaking.  Even with these clues, experts warn that it is still quite tough to tell deceivers from honest people.

Joshua needed to know if he could trust the Gibeonites.  When they discovered that God wanted him to get rid of some neighboring nations (Joshua 9:24), they pretended to be from a faraway land.  They arrived in wornout tunics and patched sandals, claiming, "Our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey" (v.13).  The Israelistes were suspicious (v.7), but they did not ask coursel of the LORD" (v.14); and Joshua unwisely made a peace treaty with the deceivers.

Many want to gain our trust; salespeople, financial advisors, or estranged family members.  If we wonder:  "Can I trust you?" we shouldn't decide quickly, based only on what seems right to us.  It's better to seek counsel from God's Word (Psalm 119:105), godly people (Proverbs 11:14), and God Himself (James 1:5).  Wisdom from above will help us decide who to trust. -Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Protect us from deceivers, Lord,
Who lie and plot to take
Advantage of us and confuse
Decisions we must make. - Sper
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A desire for discernment is God's call to prayer

Have a blessed day
God Our Creator's Love Always
Unity & Peace