Time Out! Devotions

(devotional by Daily Disciples Ministries from Christianity.com)

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

The Bible is clear in its teachings on faith. Faith is essential to our salvation. If we do not have faith to believe in Jesus Christ, then we cannot receive Him as Savior. It takes faith to believe in God. Believing in God through our faith is the victory that has overcome the world (1 John 5:4). Jesus says in Matthew 17:20 that with faith we can move mountains and that nothing will be impossible for us. The power of God’s Holy Spirit lives within each believer; but do we live as if we believe it? Not without faith.

How do we get more faith? First of all, faith is given to each of us as a gift. Everyone has faith. But we can have more faith in the things of the world than in the things of God. We have faith that the sun will rise and set each day, even though we have no way of controlling its movements; we just trust that it will continue to work the way it always has. But we need to grow in trusting the One who makes the sun rise and set, the One who put it there in the first place. Therefore, our first step in gaining more faith is by getting to know more about our God, our Lord, our Creator. And the way to obtain knowledge of God is by getting into His word.

I love today’s verse because it tells us to hear the word of God. Did you know that when you start reading His Word, you will start hearing His voice? When you start hearing His voice through His Word, then you will see His intervention in all areas of your life. You will pray in accordance with His will because you will know where He is leading you. You will see God answer your prayers. And the end result: more faith! Take a moment to ask the Lord to help you in your faith by helping you hear His Word. Ask for more of Him, more of His Word in your life—more faith.

Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God’s Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple. Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

James 1:12-16 (NCV)

¹² When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy. After they have proved their faith, God will reward them with life forever. God promised this to all those who love him.^{13 14} But people are tempted when their own evil desire leads them away and traps them.¹⁵ This desire leads to sin, and then the sin grows and brings death. When people are tempted, they should not say, “God is tempting me.” Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone. ¹⁶ My dear brothers and sisters, do not be fooled about this.

Temptation comes from evil desire within, not from God. It begins with an evil thought. It becomes sin when we dwell on the thought and allow it to become an action. Like a snowball rolling downhill, sin’s destruction grows the more we let sin have its way. The best time to stop a snowball is before it is too big or moving too fast to control. (See Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Corinthians 10:13; and 2 Timothy 2:22 for more about escaping temptation.)

It’s easy to blame others and make excuses for evil thoughts and wrong actions. Excuses include (1) it’s the other person’s fault; (2) I couldn’t help it; (3) everybody’s doing it; (4) it was just a mistake; (5) nobody’s perfect; (6) the devil made me do it; (7) I was pressured into it; (8) I didn’t know it was wrong. A person who makes excuses is trying to shift the blame from himself to something or someone else. A Christian, on the other hand, accepts responsibility for his wrongs, confesses them, and asks God for forgiveness.

People who live for God often wonder why they still have temptations. Does God tempt them? God tests people, but He does not tempt them by trying to seduce them into sin. He allows Satan to tempt them, however, in order to refine their faith and to grow in their dependence upon Christ. We can endure the temptation to sin by turning to God for strength and choosing to act in obedience to His Word.

Psalm 37:1-9 (NIV)

¹ Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; ² for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. ³ Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. ⁴ Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: ⁶ He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. ⁷ Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. ⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. ⁹ For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

Throughout Scripture, we are admonished to trust in the Lord. When times are good, this doesn’t seem like a difficult task. However, when trials arise, it is much more difficult to rely fully upon Him.

Yet it is always important for us to place our trust in the living God, especially when everything around us seems to be falling apart. That may well have been the situation that inspired the writing of Psalm 37.

Notice that in today’s passage, the psalmist mentions several times that we should not fret (verses 1, 7, 8). Distress over a situation is the opposite of trust, and fretting has ill effects. For one thing, it can take a toll on physical and emotional wellbeing. Another problem is that feeding worry can lead to evildoing: by attempting to manage the situation quickly in our human way, we may miss God’s best solution. A third consequence is that others may not enjoy our company, so we could lose our effective witness for the kingdom.

What, then, is the antidote for worry and stress during a difficult time? Absolute trust in Christ. Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” This means we are to lay all our burdens at His feet, believing that He is good, loving, and in control.

When trials arise, do you run toward the Lord? Or do you try to handle things yourself? He who created you can handle any difficulty and pain, even when it seems overwhelming. What He desires is your surrender and trust. It is in His arms that you will find rest for your soul.

(by Dr. Charles Stanley from the March 2010 issue of In Touch magazine)

Psalm 25:15 (NCV)

My eyes are always looking to the Lord for help. He will keep me from any traps.

John 1:12 (NCV)

But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.

John 7:38 (NCV)

If anyone believes in me, rivers of living water will flow out from that person’s heart, as the Scripture says.”

Acts 15:9 (NCV)

To God, those people are not different from us. When they believed, he made their hearts pure.

Romans 4:1-5 (NCV)

So what can we say that Abraham, the father of our people, learned about faith?² If Abraham was made right by the things he did, he had a reason to brag. But this is not God’s view,³ because the Scripture says, “Abraham believed God, and God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God.”⁴ When people work, their pay is not given as a gift, but as something earned.⁵ But people cannot do any work that will make them right with God. So they must trust in him, who makes even evil people right in his sight. Then God accepts their faith, and that makes them right with him.

Romans 4:18 (NCV)

There was no hope that Abraham would have children. But Abraham believed God and continued hoping, and so he became the father of many nations. As God told him, “Your descendants also will be too many to count.”

Romans 10:4 (NCV)

Christ ended the law so that everyone who believes in him may be right with God.

Romans 11:20 (NCV)

Those branches were broken off because they did not believe, and you continue to be part of the tree only because you believe. Do not be proud, but be afraid.

1 Corinthians 2:5 (NCV)

This was so that your faith would be in God’s power and not in human wisdom.

1 Peter 2:6 (NCV)

The Scripture says: “I will put a stone in the ground in Jerusalem. Everything will be built on this important and precious rock. Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” (Isaiah 28:16)

2 Corinthians 1:24 (NCV)

We are not trying to control your faith. You are strong in faith. But we are workers with you for your own joy.

Ephesians 6:16 (NCV)

And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows of the Evil One.

Hebrews 10:22 (NCV)

Let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, because we have been made free from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:38-39 (NCV)

Those who are right with me will live by faith. But if they turn back with fear, I will not be pleased with them.” (Habakkuk 2:3–4) ³⁹ But we are not those who turn back and are lost. We are people who have faith and are saved.

Matthew 9:28 (NCV)

After Jesus went inside, the blind men went with him. He asked the men, “Do you believe that I can make you see again?” They answered, “Yes, Lord.”

Mark 9:24 (NCV)

Immediately the father cried out, “I do believe! Help me to believe more!”