Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Proverbs 27:6
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

Have you ever felt betrayed by someone you thought was a friend? Have you ever been lied to by someone you trusted? Enemies and friends alike can both leave wounds… the difference is that when a friend leaves a wound, it’s one that you needed. An honest person calling out the things in your life God wants to change might sting, but it might also be exactly what you need to hear. An enemy will just use your flaws to bring you down, but a true friend, instead of watching you go down the wrong road, would rather force you to face hard things in order for you to come out on top. The enemy condemns you, saying that you are imperfect, flawed, and not worthy of love. But a friend, and the Holy Spirit Himself, will convict you: you are imperfect, you are flawed, but Christ redeems you, and through Him all things are possible.

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Tuesday, June 13 2023
Proverbs 27:9
Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.

Bad friends can talk you straight into bad decisions, but good friends can talk you away from one. The counsel you get from people you trust can greatly influence the kinds of decisions you make in life, for better or for worse. That’s why the Bible time and time again urges you to form your bonds with quality people: followers of Christ whose advice revolves around God’s word. You’re a member of the body of Christ, and as you might guess, a body doesn’t work so well when one of its pieces is missing, nor does that piece function when separated from the rest of the body. Don’t neglect to spend time with others and lean on them when you need help. Remember that the only counsel worth pursuing will have roots in the truth.

Monday, June 12, 2023

Monday, June 12, 2023
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

You’re at your best when you aren’t the only one pushing you. Iron sharpens iron, and people sharpen other people. The Bible speaks often about the importance of family, friends, and close companions to keep you accountable, upright, and cared for. Even in the Garden of Eden, a perfect world, God still gave Adam a partner to help him. If you tend to isolate yourself when storms brew in your life, remember that a ship can’t be crewed by one person, and even the finest swords need help to be sharpened.

Friday, June 9, 2023

Friday, June 9, 2023
Philippians 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Think for a moment about how truly small and temporary this life is when compared to heaven. You do not live here! You are just passing through on your way to God’s kingdom, the place where you have eternal citizenship! When you come to terms with that, it makes pain and grief easier to bear, and makes living each day for God even more important. It’s because of Jesus that you have hope, and it’s in Him that you have your identity. Do not worry about what the world throws at you… worry about who you are before Christ, because that identity is the one that’s going to last.

Thursday, June 8, 2023

Thursday, June 8, 2023
1 John 3:1
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Jesus was born in this world, but He was not of this world. He did not talk like other people, He did not act like other people, and He certainly rustled some feathers… enough to be crucified. The earth did not recognize the Son of God, and they nailed Him to a tree. While you probably won’t be crucified for it, Jesus promised that as you become more Christlike, you will face hate and persecution. But whatever hate you receive from man will never outweigh the overwhelming love you receive from the Lord. You are His son or daughter now, and if the world doesn’t recognize you, it’s because they don’t recognize your Father.

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Romans 6:10-11
The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

For centuries, God’s people had sacrificed sacred animals to atone for their sins, but they could never pay for it all themselves. So, in His love, the Lord provided the ultimate, spotless sacrifice: His one and only Son. But unlike other sacrifices, this one came back to life. In the same way, when you accept Christ’s payment for your sins and make Him the anchor of your life, the old you “dies,” and the new you “lives.” Do not live for yourself, but for God, the one to whom you owe your life. The Word encourages you to think of yourself as dead to sin, and alive before the Lord, ready to be who He made you to be, and to do what He wants you to do, one step at a time.