Do you need a guide? Are you in need of guidance and direction? God has given you two sources, His Word and His Spirit.

Main Points:

1. Where does this guidance come from? How does God become our guide? He guides us in two ways. He guides us by His Word and by the Holy Spirit.

2. Psalm 119 says God’s Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path, meaning, it illuminates the steps we are to take. God’s Word makes it clear what the next step should be. As wonderful as this is, it is only half the answer. You’ll make many decisions in life that are not identified or prescribed in the Bible.

3. In the absence of clear guidance from the Word of God, we rely on the direction of the Holy Spirit. This is why Paul said in Romans 8:14 - “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” Not only do we need daily guidance from Scripture, but we also need daily direction from the Holy Spirit. The Word and the Spirit together are the leadership that we need.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

James 1:5 - "Whoever among you lacks wisdom, ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.”

Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go and I will counsel you and watch over you.

Proverbs 3:5-6 - “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

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That is what we live for: to experience the glory of God, to reflect it, to bring it to the world around us, not for our own sake but for the praise of His glory and honor.

Main Points:

1. The glory of God refers to his beauty, majesty, purity, and power. It speaks of the greatness and wonder of God.

2. In His love for us, God created us to experience himself. He created us to experience his glory. We get to experience God’s beauty, power, love, and mercy.

3. Not only do we experience His glory, but we were also created to reflect it. Like the moon reflects the light and radiance of the son, we are to reflect the glory of God to others around us. People should see and notice there is something different about our lives.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Isaiah 43:7 - “Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.”

2 Corinthians 4:6 - “For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Matthew 5:16 - “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

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Every day, you make decisions about whether you will stand for Christ or not. In how we live our lives, the choices we make, the attitudes we portray, and the words we say, we are telling others that we stand for Christ, or we are communicating that we do not stand with him.

Main Points:

1. Jesus knew we would face a strong temptation to hide our light. When we are open and public about our testimony for Christ, it draws attention to us. We face potential rejection, scorn, and persecution. No one wants to experience such things. It’s so much easier to keep our faith and our testimony hidden. After all, isn’t faith in God supposed to be a personal, private matter?

2. Unfortunately, this is a lie we have come to believe. Satan wants your voice to be silenced. If you can be intimated to keep your witness for Christ quiet, then that is the temptation you will face.

3. Today you’ll have an opportunity to stand for God. In a conversation, at your office, with your family, or on social media, there will be a moment of decision. Choose to speak up. Choose to be identified with Christ. Don’t hide your witness. You can stand for Christ, but do it in a way that is gentle and respectful.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Isaiah 7:9 - “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”

Matthew 5:15 - “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”

Romans 1:16 - “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”

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We have a temptation to think that if we are living in God’s will that we won’t suffer, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, God, in His sovereignty, allows us to go through hardship as a part of his greater purpose.

Main Points:

1. Sometimes hardship is part of the growth and development of our faith and spiritual growth. Other times hardship is a part of the testimony and ministry God wants to give us.

2. God calls us to endure difficulties for his name's sake, knowing that His grace is sufficient and that he will be with us and sustain us through it all.

3. Ask God for the strength to endure whatever hardship you are facing so that your testimony for Christ will be evident to others.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Corinthians 11:23-28 - “have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, and I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”

2 Timothy 2:3 - “You, therefore, must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

Hebrews 12:2 - “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

2 Timothy 2:10 - “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.”

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Jesus left the glory of Heaven to come to earth and take on humanity. He came with one purpose that was to satisfy the justice of God. Jesus would come and die for us. He would become our substitute. We wouldn’t have to die for our sins because Jesus would die for us. He would shed his own life blood on the cross as payment for our sins.

Main Points:

1. Sin must be atoned for by death. Why? Because sin violates the righteous laws of God. God cannot wink at sin. He cannot overlook it. Sin must be accounted for and justice must be served.

2. In the Old Testament, God set up a system of animal sacrifices to atone for sin. It was a temporary solution until Jesus, the Messiah, would come.

3. The New Testament book of Hebrews teaches us that through the coming of Jesus, God put away the old system of animal sacrifices. Why? Because the final perfect lamb of God has come that takes away the sins of the world.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Hebrews 9:22 - “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

John 1:29 - "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

1 John 1:7 - “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Ephesians 2:13 - “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Revelation 1:5 - “…To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood.”

Romans 10:13 - “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

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Gentleness is the demonstration of strength and self-control. Life and its stress and pressure can tempt us to react with frustration and anger. It’s easy to fly off the handle and say things we don’t mean. We can project a false sense of strength by being brash and outspoken. But true strength keeps our spirit under control.

Main Points:

1. It’s possible that you and I could think of the character trait of gentleness and equate it to weakness. We might consider gentleness to be the opposite of strength and power. Yet, as we serve God, sometimes our greatest strength reveals a heart of gentleness to those in need.

2. The world around us doesn’t usually applaud gentleness. It seems to recognize those who speak loudly and forcibly in public and on social media. But God honors gentleness.

3. Gentleness involves humility and gratitude toward God. It is polite, restrained behavior toward others.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Philippians 4:5 - “Let your gentleness be known to all. The Lord is at hand.”

Galatians 5:22-23 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Matthew 7:16 - “By their fruit, you will recognize them.”

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Unfortunately, one of the characteristics of humanity, even followers of Christ, is that our strength is exhaustible. We are not superhuman creatures. Our strength runs out and we face the common problem of weariness.

Main Points:

1. We’ve sometimes bought into a misunderstanding that in order for you and I to be strong we must have good conditions. However, it seems that most of our spiritual growth occurs when times are difficult. It’s in these hard times we learn God is faithful and dependable. It’s in these times we gain much-needed strength from the Lord.

2. What we decide to do in our times of weariness is critical. I’ve seen people who were tired, become discouraged, they failed to reach out for God’s strength, and eventually, they gave up on their faith – they quit. This is what the devil would like to have to happen to each of us.

3. While we must face the reality that all of us must deal with weariness, there is hope from the Scriptures of a deeper reality in which we can tap into the inexhaustible strength of God. It’s here that we discover a source of strength for those who trust in and wait upon the Lord.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Isaiah 40:31 - “…those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Psalm 27:14 - “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

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Work out your salvation. Put your salvation to work. Let it be evident in every area of your life. Allow your salvation to transform your thinking, your attitude, your words, and your behavior. Let Christ be exalted in every area.

Main Points:

1. The forgiveness of our sins does not come through our own works and good deeds. In other words, we could never earn our salvation.

2. Works do not save us, but they are the evidence of our salvation. We do not work to be saved. We work because we are saved.

3. Having received such a powerful and gracious salvation from our heavenly father, we want to serve Him. We want to live the life of a believer he has called us to. We want to use our time, talents, and treasure to advance the kingdom of God.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Acts 16:30 - “What must I do to be saved?”

Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

Philippians 2:12-13 - “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

James 2:26 - “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”

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