Jun 16 2021

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We can find everything we will ever need through our relationship with God.

When we release control of our lives to God, we can live in His will. As humans, our tendency is to imagine a worst-case scenario for even the smallest of situations. What happens if we forget to pack our kids' lunches? They could starve to death! What if a co-worker misunderstands something we said at work? We could get fired and end up homeless!

The reality of those crises happening as a result of one single incident are slim to none, but in our minds, we can justify the possibility. God doesn't want us to live in constant fear of the what-ifs. He offers us the opportunity to hand our lives over to Him and allow Him to take care of anything that comes our way.

When people know we are proclaimed followers of Jesus, they often watch us to see how we handle everyday life. If we are insecure and constantly worried, then why would they want to follow our example?

In comparison, a life filled with God's peace and power invites people to discover a different way of living as they turn their lives over to Jesus. When we choose to live for God, we actually receive a new life. We exchange our former way of living for a clean slate.

God's spirit and His power replace our old minds and way of thinking. No longer do our thoughts control us; they are now under the authority of God. With God in control, we can have total faith that He will take care of every area of our lives.

God, I want to live in your will. When I'm in control, I quickly mess things up—but you always know the right thing to do. Today, I choose to remember that you hold my life in your loving hands. Help me experience your love like never before. Remind me that your ways are better than mine. No matter how tempting it is to go my own way, give me the strength to choose your ways. I am so thankful that I can put all of my faith and trust in you. In Jesus' name, amen.

Jun 15 2021

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. :

The United States Secret Service was created in 1865. When we hear something about this agency today, we typically think of the tough, heavily armed agents who guard the President and other high-ranking government officials and their families. But that's not why this law enforcement agency was founded. Its original purpose was to combat the widespread issue of counterfeit currency.

In the nineteenth century, this affected one-third of the currency that was being circulated, and the problem was out of control. Secret Service agents were therefore tasked with investigating crimes that promoted the spread of counterfeit bills. Over time, the organization morphed into what we know now as the safeguard to the President. To get to the President, you must go through these agents first.

In John 14:6, Jesus tells His disciples that the only way to God is through a relationship with Him. There's no way around it—to approach God, you must go through Jesus. Only Jesus, the Son of God, could make this bold statement, but He had complete authority to do so.

Throughout history, there have been many counterfeits who claimed to be God or offer a different path to God, but Jesus is the only way, truth, and life.

The Secret Service can't help us discern a counterfeit to God, but the Bible and the Holy Spirit can and will. We can read the prophecies about Jesus and see that all the other counterfeits don't meet the criteria. So, the only thing we can do is dismiss them and accept that if we want the real deal—knowing God—we must believe in and follow Jesus.

Jesus, thank you for providing a way for me to come to the Father. Your life, death, and resurrection proved that you are the true and only Son of God. The only way I can know the heart of God is through believing what you accomplished on the cross. Thank you, Jesus, for loving me so much that you provided a way for me to have a relationship with you and spend eternity with you in Heaven. In your name, amen.
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