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Perhaps I’m alone in this, but when I encounter someone who disagrees with me my natural inclination is to argue with them. After all, they’re wrong!

A.W. Tozer challenges us in this devotional that when it comes to matters of defending God our only responsibility is to positively declare God’s truth. With that act, we put the burden of persuasion upon God, who is far more capable than you or I:

The answer to the question, “Where did I come from?” can never be better answered than by the Christian mother who tells her child, “God made you!” The great store of knowledge in today’s world cannot improve on that simple answer! The scientist can tell us the secrets of how matter operates, but the origin of matter lies in deep silence, refusing to give an answer to man’s question. … Our chief business is not to argue or to persuade our generation. With our positive declaration of God’s Word and revelation, we make God responsible for the outcome.

Are you in the midst of an on-going argument with someone over issues of God and faith? How would taking Tozer’s advice change your approach to the disagreement?

Why do you call yourself a Christian? Is it out of duty to a past decision? Or because you’re still in love with God?

As time passes it can be easy to forget our first passionate declaration of faith. Consequently, we begin to see our relationship with God as one in which we need to appease Him. As our devotional from Our Daily Bread today reminds us, our faith should be informed primarily by an all encompassing love for God and His ways:

When Jesus was asked to name the greatest command in the Law, He replied, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment (Matt. 22:37-38). The questioner wanted to test Jesus, but the Lord answered him with the key element in pleasing God. First and foremost, our relationship with Him is a matter of the heart.

If we see God as a taskmaster and consider obedience to Him as a burden, then we have joined those of whom the Lord said, I have this against you, that you have left your first love (Rev. 2:4).

Would you say that your faith in God is based on love or something else? If it’s based on something else, what would it take for you to remember and pursue the original love commitment that lead you to Him?

Just a quick note on the relaxed posting schedule over the past few weeks. Most of our team was out on vacation, but we’re slowly getting caught up and getting back into the swing of things. We hope you had a wonderful Holiday season!

It’s easy to slip into a routine faith. We go to church, read our Bibles and pray every once in a while, and think that’s enough. We forget that God wants us to continually yearn for Him.

Our devotional this morning from Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening can be seen as a wakeup call to any of us who have slipped into a lazy faith. In it, he exhorts us to forcefully cast off whatever it is that is keeping us from experiencing God to the fullest:

Rouse thee, O believer, from thy low condition! Cast away thy sloth, thy lethargy, thy coldness, or whatever interferes with thy chaste and pure love to Christ, thy souls Husband. Make him the source, the centre, and the circumference of all thy souls range of delight. What enchants thee into such folly as to remain in a pit when thou mayst sit on a throne? Live not in the lowlands of bondage now that mountain liberty is conferred upon thee. Rest no longer satisfied with thy dwarfish attainments, but press forward to things more sublime and heavenly. Aspire to a higher, a nobler, a fuller life. Upward to heaven! Nearer to God!

Is there anything in your life that you’ve let come between you and the fullness of God’s love and grace?

I’ve often thought of the Christian life as a continual process of opening oneself up to God. We start our Christian journey by saying yes to Jesus—and then the difficult work of actually giving over every part of our being to God begins. A.W. Tozer questions whether or not any of us fully understands the extent to which the Spirit wants to take over our lives. Have we truly counted the costs of letting God be the Lord of our Lives?

Before a man can be filled with the Spirit he must be sure he wants to be. And let this be taken seriously. Many Christians want to be filled, but their desire is a vague romantic kind of thing hardly worthy to be called desire. They have almost no knowledge of what it will cost them to realize it.

Let us imagine that we are talking to an inquirer, some eager young Christian, let us say, who has sought us out to learn about the Spirit-filled life. As gently as possible, considering the pointed nature of the questions, we would probe his soul somewhat as follows: “Are you sure you want to be filled with a Spirit who, though He is like Jesus in His gentleness and love, will nevertheless demand to be Lord of your life? Are you willing to let your personality be taken over by another, even if that other be the Spirit of God Himself?

What areas in your life are you holding back from God? Is it out of fear, pride, or something else?

Would you characterize your life as “bold”? In this Morning and Evening devotional by Charles Spurgeon, we’re challenged to be bold in all that we do:

Dear friend, are you already saved? Then keep not back from union with the Lord’s people. Neglect not the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. You may be of a timid disposition, but you must strive against it, lest it lead you into disobedience. There is a sweet promise made to those who confess Christby no means miss it, lest you come under the condemnation of those who deny Him. If you have talents keep not back from using them. Hoard not your wealth, waste not your time; let not your abilities rust or your influence be unused. Jesus kept not back, imitate Him by being foremost in self-denials and self-sacrifices. Keep not back from close communion with God, from boldly appropriating covenant blessings, from advancing in the divine life, from prying into the precious mysteries of the love of Christ. Neither, beloved friend, be guilty of keeping others back by your coldness, harshness, or suspicions. For Jesus’ sake go forward yourself, and encourage others to do the like. Hell and the leaguered bands of superstition and infidelity are forward to the fight. O soldiers of the cross, keep not back.

Spurgeon’s reminder to actively seek Christian fellowship, use our talents, and share our blessings is a good one. Are there areas in your life where you’ve been holding back? What would it take for you to be bold in your service of God?

Have you ever tried to hide from God?

The first actions of Adam and Eve after the fall were to cover themselves and try to hide from God. And though it’s obvious God wasn’t fooled by their actions, that hasn’t stopped humanity from attempting to flee from Him ever since.

This Daily Encounter devotional urges us to be honest with God. After all, he already knows the deepest depths of our souls; there’s nothing we can say or think that would shock Him:

“Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” […]

When it comes to trying to hide from God, that’s impossible. God knows all. He sees all. He knows who I am . . . where I am . . . why I am here . . . where I am going . . . what I am doing . . . and what I am not doing. No matter how I try, I cannot hide from God! No way. Period!

As David wrote in the Psalms, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

The best thing is to tell God who you are, where you are, what you want, what you don’t want, what you are afraid of, what you don’t want to give up, etc., etc. Only when we get honest with ourselves and real with God, can he (or anyone else) help us.

Consider taking some time today to open up to God. If you’re experiencing some deep hurt, anger or struggle, being honest with God is a freeing first step toward peace.

One aspect of the Bible that I’ve always felt reinforced its authenticity and trustworthiness is its willingness to expose the failings of its heroes. Moses, David, Paul—if the Bible were a straight hagiography of these “heroes of the faith,” we would read only of their mighty accomplishments, and we wouldn’t find any mention of their failings.

But the Bible isn’t interested in whitewashing the lives and actions of even these great heroes; their flaws are described alongside their virtues. And it’s often the case that their failings teach us just as much or more about living in faith than do their mighty deeds.

In this Daily Strength devotional, Joe Stowell turns a discerning gaze to the life of Abraham, the most famous of all Old Testament believers. What was Abraham’s flaw? Fear… of the same sort that affects each of us today:

…before you come down too hard on Abraham, it might be good to ask: For fear of losing your job, would you put your integrity at risk? For fear of appearing old-fashioned, would you put righteousness at risk? For fear of being ridiculed or misunderstood, would you neglect sharing the gospel and put someones eternity at risk?

If youve ever felt the intimidation of fear, then be assured that only one thing will conquer your fears: tenacious faith in God—in His presence, His protection, His power, His promises. Remember, God is bigger than your biggest fear!

And heres the good news: Abraham is actually known for his legacy as a man of faith. In fact, the Hall of Faith chapter gives Abraham a lot of good press (Hebrews 11:8-19)! Thankfully he wasnt marked forever by his flaw.

Imagine that a future biographer is describing your life and accomplishments. What flaw(s) might they point out? Are you allowing that flaw to define your life and relationship to God, or are you asking God to give your victory over it?

Our imagination can help us visualize the events of the Gospels. But for those events to have true meaning, we need faith—specifically faith that the eyewitness Gospel accounts are inspired by God.

This devotional from Lifetime Guarantee reminds us that we can trust the the authors of the Gospels. The Bible gives us many reasons to believe that God’s followers not only speak truthfully, but do extraordinary things:

Those who were there when He was so cruelly executed on the cross, fully aware of the agony and pain He was enduring, and those who believed that His resurrection was a fact—not a fanatical dream—knew once and for all what God omnipotent could do! In these two mighty acts they realized the glorious truth—that nothing could ever stop Jesus nowthat the love which held Him to the cross and the power which had taken Him out of the grave were literally, indisputably irresistible.

But I wasnt there. I didnt see these two marvelous acts. I didnt see His terrible suffering, His cruel execution, the amazing resurrection. And these powerful promises about Him being able these can only be fulfilled by Someone powerful enough to bring them about. I need more evidence than the words of men. Can I believe the words these men have written?

In order for this question to be answered, it is essential for me to remember that the Bible is not written by inspired men—it is dictated to men by God. Im not asked to believe the testimonies of mere men. I am believing/trusting in the Word of God—irrevocable, enduring, spoken by God Himself.

Acts 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is ABLE to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is ABLE to make him stand.

Romans 16:25 Now to Him who is ABLE to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past

II Corinthians 9:8 And God is ABLE to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything you may have abundance for every good deed;

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is ABLE to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever, Amen.

Philippians 3:21 according to the working whereby He is ABLE to subdue all things to Himself that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth (Phil. 2:10)..

Read the rest of the devotional at lifetime.org.

Which of these verses stand out to you?

The tension between hope and suffering is one of the most challenging themes of the Bible. Christ holds out the promise of an eventual end to suffering, but the Bible makes it clear that we can expect to undergo trials until that promise is fully realized. And the Bible in places suggests that God allows struggle into our lives as part of his divine plan.

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you’re familiar with this line of reasoning. But even accepting that there is a purpose behind our suffering, it’s still hard not to cry out “Why?” when bad things happen to us.

It’s hard to find a more encouraging engagement of this matter than in today’s Morning and Evening devotional by the eloquent Spurgeon. Here’s how he responds to the question “Why does God allow his children to suffer?”

It is a poor faith which can only trust God when friends are true, the body full of health, and the business profitable; but that is true faith which holds by the Lords faithfulness when friends are gone, when the body is sick, when spirits are depressed, and the light of our Fathers countenance is hidden. A faith which can say, in the direst trouble, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, is heaven-born faith. The Lord afflicts his servants to glorify himself, for he is greatly glorified in the graces of his people, which are his own handiwork. When tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope, the Lord is honoured by these growing virtues. We should never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched; nor enjoy the juice of the grape if it were not trodden in the winepress; nor discover the sweet perfume of cinnamon if it were not pressed and beaten; nor feel the warmth of fire if the coals were not utterly consumed. The wisdom and power of the great Workman are discovered by the trials through which his vessels of mercy are permitted to pass. Present afflictions tend also to heighten future joy. There must be shades in the picture to bring out the beauty of the lights. Could we be so supremely blessed in heaven, if we had not known the curse of sin and the sorrow of earth? Will not peace be sweeter after conflict, and rest more welcome after toil? Will not the recollection of past sufferings enhance the bliss of the glorified?

Believing this doesn’t magically take away the pain of life’s trials. But take comfort in the fact that there is light at the end of the tunnel—and that your trials can shape in you an even stronger and purer faith if you trust in God’s promises.

Every day we have to make a decision about whether or not we’re going to trust God enough to follow Him. For most of us that decision won’t have a lasting historical impact, but for some people, trusting in God’s sovereignty has played a key part in the story of Christianity.

Our devotional this morning comes from Today in the Word. In it, the author discusses Zerubbabel’s role in rebuilding the temple—an action that had repercussions for centuries to come:

The book of Haggai is the story of a turning point in the spiritual life of Gods people. They had gone from neglecting the new temple and the spiritual state of their own hearts to obediently rebuilding the temple and joyfully participating in genuine worship. They had moved from self-centered to God-centered, and as a result were poised to experience His blessing on their harvests and community.

Todays final message is addressed to Zerubbabel, and it parallels the messianic passage earlier in the chapter (vv. 6-9). The first part reaffirms that God is sovereign and has a plan for the nations (vv. 21-22). The second part portrays Zerubbabel as a signet ring on Gods hand (v. 23). One meaning of this image was that God would bless Zerubbabel as a leader, as opposed to King Jehoiachin, who as a signet ring had been discarded (Jer. 22:24-25).

A second meaning of this picture was that Zerubbabel was a type or foreshadowing of Christ (cf. Zech. 3:8). Generally, a kings signet ring carries the authority of the king, just as Christ the Son is equivalent in authority to God the Father (John 17:2). From our vantage point in history, we know that Zerubbabel was in the line of David and an ancestor of Jesus (Matt. 1:12). Zerubbabel, then, was chosen by God to lead in a special task, rebuilding the temple, at a key time in history, and both who he was and what he did had spiritual significance beyond that time, just as God had planned.

Read the rest of the devotional at todayintheword.com.

Your decision to follow Christ might not change the course of history, but that doesn’t make it any less significant. How have you seen your relationship with Christ change the world around you?