Wisdom Is Character

From: Boyd Bailey Ministries

Proverbs 23:19 "Hear, My son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the right way."

Wisdom is much more than knowledge—it is character. In fact, someone can be smart, clever and insightful, but without character there is an absence of authentic wisdom.   

The wise are pure in motive and peace loving in relationships. They defer to the needs of others, submit to authority, initiate empathy, bear the fruit of the Spirit, gather all the facts before making a decision and are genuine in their concerns. Wisdom and character are prayer partners in their faith journey.


Godly wisdom is keenly aware of the need to be consistent in its character. Our persuasive speech falls on 
deaf ears when it does not have the backing of being a person of honesty and honor.  

Wisdom gives you the platform to influence others into a relationship with Jesus. Thus, keep your character submitted to the character of Christ and you will remain wise.

Spiritual Armor And Weapons

From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North

Ephesians 6:11-13 "Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm."

We have a powerful and clever spiritual enemy, but God has given us armor and weapons that will enable us to defeat his attacks in our lives. Still, unless we use that armor and prepare for battle we will experience constant defeat in our spiritual lives. As Charles Spurgeon said, "We may sleep, but Satan does not."

The time to start praying and reading your Bible and going to Bible study is not when you are in a tough time and being tempted and attacked spiritually at every turn. For sure, run to God then; but God is speaking to you today through these verses and telling you that the key to victory is to be walking in close fellowship with Him before the attacks come.

Prepare yourself for spiritual battle before it comes to you! Strengthen your spiritual life today.

Trust Him

From: Joe Gibbs Ministries

Isaiah 55:8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord."

The sports world knows how to tell who's been successful at accomplishing what they set out to do. You can spot the champion by the title they hold.

But God doesn't work that way. Titles, ranking, and position are not His barometers of success for us, nor should they be of ours. God has His own reasons for letting some taste the rewards of success and letting others continue to battle from beneath the pile.

God may allow someone to earn a promotion, not because they are by far the most qualified, but because this person has a weakness for power that needs exposing and correcting. God may allow a person to be overlooked at work, not because they don't possess what it takes to advance, but to make them better prepared for a greater opportunity down the line.

With God, the possibilities are always endless. Trust Him!

Face Time

From: Boyd Bailey Ministries

Exodus 33:11 "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend."

Christ is on call for His children, but we still need structured time with Him. It is imperative that we instill in our lives the discipline of daily face time in prayer and engrafting God’s Word into our minds and hearts. Regular face time with God in Scripture is what transforms our thinking with truth.

You can tell when someone has been with Jesus. They have peace that brings calm; they have patience that extends a second chance; they have boldness based on wisdom; they have love that forgives; they have service that is relentless; they have faith that is strong; they have a hope that perseveres.

Invest time in your relationship with the Almighty. Keep an eye on eternity. Furthermore, create face time with family, friends, and those you lead and serve. Trust and intimacy comes from looking into each other’s eyes. Faithfulness in face time leads to robust relationships. So, enjoy the joy of being with Jesus and friends.

Spiritual Maturity

From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North

James 1:2-4 "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

What could possibly enable you to face trials with joy? The confidence that those trials are actually opportunities to mature spiritually.

There are some aspects of the Christian life that come instantaneously, like being born again, or the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life, or God anointing you for ministry in a specific situation. But there are also aspects of the Christian life for which there is no shortcut. Spiritual maturity is one of those.

There is no quick maturity in the Christian life. We want to just have a spectacular experience of the Holy Spirit and suddenly be mature, but it doesn’t work like that. Even being filled with the Spirit as a way of life is not the same as maturity. Maturity only comes from walking through the valleys, trusting in God’s purposes even when you can’t see them, and honoring Him all the way.

Replenish Your Strength

From: The Word For You Today - Bob Gass Ministries

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all who are weary and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy, and My burden light."

Weariness is a weapon Satan will use against you. When you're worn out, you're vulnerable. At that point temptation can lead to compromise, compromise to indulgence and indulgence to defeat. "...make no provision for the flesh." (Romans 13:14)

Don't give Satan an inch or he will take a mile. Your mind is where the real attack takes place. The Bible warns you to be careful, lest you become "wearied and faint in your minds." (Hebrews 12:3) Satan will wear you down in order to wipe you out, so you must take time to replenish your strength in God's presence.

When you commit yourself to doing God's will, God's way, in God's strength, you don't wear out. You're fulfilled, you stay in balance, and you overcome the stress and anxiety of this world. And that's how God wants you to live.

Trusting God

From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

We can trust God because He knows what He is doing even when we don't! Sometimes we can't understand why God does certain things, or how He could love us and still allow something painful in our lives. But think about it—if we could understand everything about God and His actions, He wouldn't be God!

When pain comes into your life, you have a choice. You can say to God, "I will not trust until I understand!" Or you can acknowledge God's greatness and say, "I don't understand it Lord, but I trust You and Your good purpose in my life."

The fact that He is God automatically means that He is beyond our understanding and sometimes He will do things based on His wisdom and insight and absolute knowledge that we will not be able to understand. William Culbertson once said, "Keep praying, but be thankful that God's answers are wiser than your prayers!"

Defeat Negativity

From: New Life Daily Devotions - Steve Arterburn

Colossians 4:6 "Let your speech be always gracious and in good taste, and strive to respond properly to all who address you."

From experience, we know that it is easy to criticize others. And we know that it is usually far easier to find faults than to find solutions. Still, the urge to criticize others remains a powerful temptation for most of us.

Negativity is highly contagious: We give it to others who, in turn, give it back to us. This stress-inducing cycle can be broken only by positive thoughts, heartfelt prayers, encouraging words, and meaningful acts of kindness.

As thoughtful servants of a loving God, we have no valid reason—and no legitimate excuse—to be negative. So, when we are tempted to be overly critical of others, or unfairly critical of ourselves, we must use the transforming power of God’s love to break the chains of negativity. We must defeat negativity before negativity defeats us.

We Will Not Fade

From: Every Day Light - Selwyn Hughes

1 Peter 4:12 "Do not be surprised, beloved, that a trial by fire is occurring in your midst. It is a test for you, but it should not catch you off guard."

God seldom uses anyone unless He puts that person through the test of suffering and adversity. Jesus, you remember, began His ministry in the wilderness of temptation, but it culminated in a garden in Jerusalem on Easter morning.

Our lesser ministries, too, need the test of suffering. An ancient proverb says: "He who is born in the fire will not fade in the sun." If God lets us suffer in the fire of adversity, depend on it - He is only making sure that we will not fade in the sun of smaller difficulties.

Make no mistake about it - the world is watching how we Christians react to suffering. What do they see? People who struggle on in continual weakness, or people who have been made "strong at the broken places"?

Protection From Poor Decisions

From: Today God Is First - Os Hillman

Proverbs 15:22 "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

Confirming major decisions through the counsel of others is one way God protects us from poor decisions. This process is designed to confirm direction for which we are seeking confirmation. Paul was sensitive not to get too heavy-handed in the confirmation process though. He offered advice to others but was not the enforcer of their decisions. "And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter." (2 Corinthians 8:10)

There have been times in my life where I have felt strongly about a certain issue only to receive feedback from those close to me which revealed that I was not accurate in my assessment of the situation. I have learned to yield in such situations, trusting that God is working through those in whom I am accountable.

The scriptures encourage us to seek advice and counsel from other Godly people who share the same values and goals that we have. "Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise." (Proverbs 19:20)

Peace of mind is another important confirmation requirement for making decisions. If you do not have peace about a decision, you should wait until God gives you peace. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

Because He Promised

From: New Life Daily Devotions - Steve Arterburn

Psalm 121:1-2 "I will lift up my eyes to the hills. From where comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth."

It’s a promise that is made over and over again in the Bible: Whatever "it" is, God can handle it.

Life isn’t always easy. Far from it! Sometimes, life can be very, very difficult, indeed. But even when the storm clouds form overhead, even during our most stressful moments, we’re protected by a loving Heavenly Father.

When we’re worried, God can reassure us; when we’re sad, God can comfort us. When our hearts are broken, God is not just near; He is here. So we must lift our thoughts and prayers to Him. When we do, He will answer our prayers. Why? Because He is our shepherd, and He has promised to protect us now and forever.

Walking With God Daily

From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding. In all things acknowledge God and He will direct your paths."

"In all things acknowledge God." As you wake up, acknowledge God—"Good morning Lord." As you take your shower, acknowledge God—"Lord, I am looking for Your involvement in every aspect of my day today." As you eat breakfast with your family, acknowledge God—"Lord, we thank You for providing all of our needs." As you have your daily quiet time, acknowledge God—"God, I don’t want to just read words on the page; I want to hear from You. Please speak to me from Your Word."

As you go about the business of your day, acknowledge God—"Lord, I know that every person I encounter today is someone You want to minister to through me. Please show me how I can minister to this person spiritually right now in a way that will move them closer to You."

As you experience problems or hardship or deep personal struggles, acknowledge God—"Lord, I know that You are in control of all things, and so I know that You have allowed this difficulty into my life for a reason. I can’t see the reason but I will respond to this by trusting You and looking for ways to glorify You to others in the midst of this."

A Passion For God

From: Powerpoint Daily Devotions

Psalm 42:1 "As a deer longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for you, O God."

What are the passions that drive your life? In other words, what motivates and inspires you to get up in the morning and face your day?

For some, your passion is your work. Now, work is good and can give you a sense of fulfillment in life. And I hope you get up in the morning excited about your work. But I also hope you have a job that’s more than a job—a calling of God on your life.

And then there’s a passion for your family. That’s especially good to prioritize and desire above all things to make your house a home so that your children walk with God and your family is committed to Jesus Christ. We need a passion for that!

David said in today’s passage that your highest passion, the one that surpasses all others, should be for God. Like a thirsty deer running to drink from flowing waters, you and I are to run in desperate need to God. Other godly passions are good, as long as they’re placed in the context of your greatest passion of all, the Lord Jesus.

So when it comes to your passions, keep the main thing the main thing by focusing on making Jesus Lord of your life and letting all your other passions flow from that!

Our Greatest Hope

From: Powerpoint Daily Devotions - Jack Graham

Revelation 21:4 "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

The Christian is the ultimate optimist. Whatever may be going on in your life, if you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, you have a hope! Hope is to the Christian what oxygen is to the body. You can live without health. You can even live without happiness. But you cannot live without hope.

The Word of God calls our hope a blessed hope. It’s a hope that brings constant joy to the believer. It is a very definite and specific hope that Christ is going to one day wipe every tear from our eyes when He comes back.

So as you live your life, remember that you can always look toward a better day when Christ will return. He is our greatest hope!

Patience

From: New Life Daily Devotions - Steve Arterburn

1 Thessalonians 5:14 "We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone."

Life demands patience . . . and lots of it! We live in an imperfect world inhabited by imperfect people. Sometimes, we inherit troubles from others, and sometimes we create trouble for ourselves. In either case, what’s required is patience.

Lamentations 3:25 reminds us that, "The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for Him and seek Him." But, for most of us, waiting quietly for God is difficult. Why? Because we are fallible human beings, sometimes quick to anger and sometimes slow to forgive.

The next time you find your patience tested to the limit, remember that the world unfolds according to God’s timetable, not ours. Sometimes, we must wait patiently, and that’s as it should be. After all, think how patient God has been with us.

Contentment

From: New Life Daily Devotions - Steve Arterburn

Psalm 29:11 "The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace."

Everywhere we turn, or so it seems, the world promises us contentment and happiness. But the contentment that the world offers is fleeting and incomplete. Thankfully, the contentment that God offers is all encompassing and everlasting.

Happiness depends less upon our circumstances than upon our thoughts. When we turn our thoughts to God, to His gifts, and to His glorious creation, we experience the joy that God intends for His children. But, when we focus on the negative aspects of life—or when we disobey God’s commandments—we cause ourselves needless suffering.

How can we be contented Christians? Set our minds and our hearts upon God’s love and His grace . . . and let Him take care of the rest.

Listening Continually

From: In Touch Ministries

Proverbs 4:20-22 "Be attentive to My words, to My sayings, incline your ear. Let them not slip out of your sight, keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them."

Listening to God is not a onetime event. We must continually keep His Word before us, or we'll begin to listen to the wrong voices. The world is filled with voices that vie for our attention and influence our thoughts and actions. Throughout the day, consider the messages that are sent your way through the media and people. Consciously begin to compare them to what Scripture says about God and His ways.

The schemes of the Enemy have not changed. He still whispers lies and twists truth to convince us that a) God cannot be trusted and b) His ways are not the best. In every temptation, there is a deception about the character and motive of God, plus an attractive promise of a better way.

Remembering what God says in the Bible is our safeguard against deception and temptation. Daily devotions won't protect us if they're quickly forgotten during the day. Follow Christ's example: be ready with truth in your mind and on your tongue whenever temptation strikes.

In God We Trust

From: The Purpose Driven Life Ministries

Matthew 14:31 "Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'"

Faith always means risk. Everything in life is a risk. Ecclesiastes 10:8 says, "When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you! When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax! Such are the risks of life." There’s nothing we can do that doesn’t have some element of risk in it.

Faith is stepping out and doing what God has asked you to do when you can't see what will happen in the end. You don't know exactly what God's going to do in the end, but you know He’s asking you to step out in faith.

Trust God with everything you have. Then, when God challenges you with a risk of faith, you’ll be more confident to do what God tells you to do.