Author: trevongross

Genesis 3:1-4:26; Matthew 2:13-3:6; Psalm 2:1-12; Proverbs 1:7-9

Sin can have devastating effects on our lives. Sin is anything that displeases God. Where we end up after sin is always worse than when we began. All sin begins with a temptation! We are tempted to listen to someone else’s voice above God’s voice. We are tempted to follow a path different from the path God has laid out for us. We are tempted to think that we know more than God.

The good news today is that sin will not have the final word! Even though Adam and Eve sinned against God, their sin was not the end of the story. God put in place a plan to bring all of us back to Him. Jesus is the way back to God! If you are struggling with sin in an area of your life, you do not have to fight it alone. You have Jesus who is willing to help you get out of it.

Ask for Jesus’ help!  Surrender your life to Him. Receive His forgiveness and strength to keep moving forward. Jesus knows how to lead you out of sin! You may have to do it moment by moment or day by day. It’s okay. Because as long as you are pursuing a relationship with Jesus, you will move further and further away from sin until you are free. “So, if the Son sets you free, you are truly free!” (John 8:36) This is true wisdom. Act on it today and receive God’s amazing grace!

Tomorrow’s Reading:  Genesis 5:1-7:24; Matthew 3:7-4:11; Psalm 3:1-8; Proverbs 1:10-19

Genesis 1-2:25; Matthew 1:1-2:12; Psalm 1:1-6; Proverbs 1:1-6

Today is all about beginnings. While beginnings are new to us, they are not new to God. Look at the precision with which He constructs the world. Each day, He accomplished another aspect of His creation. Can you hear Him speaking, “Let there be Light?” He started His creation with intentionality. The same is even true with our lives. Would God put so much care into designing the world without putting the same amount of care into our lives? Of course not!

As you start out in this New Year, be as intentional as God. Let your words create the reality that you want to see. Design your life day by day. Review each day with a sense of how the next one can be better. And, when tomorrow comes, make it better by accomplishing exactly what God tells you. He knows how to make all things good!

Each day you enjoy on earth is a good day because God created it. Prepare to be amazed by God’s goodness and overwhelmed by His love. He gave you this new year to give you an opportunity to experience more of Him.

Tomorrow’s Reading:  Genesis 3:1-4:26; Matthew 2:13-3:6; Psalm 2:1-12; Proverbs 1:7-9

Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Revelation 13:1-18; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 30:18-20

God is so consistent in His desire to be in relationship with us.  Throughout the Old Testament, we see a picture emerge of how God will restore His people to Him. In the manner that God restores the priest, Jeshua, God also restores us to our rightful place as His modern day priests.

The accuser was faithfully on his post tearing down God’s priest, Jeshua. God strongly rejects every accusation of the devil against His priest. Without any rebuttal, satan stops his accusations. God then goes through the process of restoring the priest. He removed his old soiled clothes and replaced them with clean ones.

The devil tries to accuse us and convince God to reject us. But God won’t do that! God wants to do the same thing in our lives that He did for that priest. God believes in restoration!

Regardless of how far we have fallen, God silences the accusations of satan and restores us to our rightful place with Him. God leads this process until completion. Let God continue His cleansing process so that we can faithfully serve Him.

Tomorrow’s Reading:  Zechariah 4:1-5:11; Revelation 14:1-20; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 30:21-23

1 Samuel 10:1-11:15; John 6:43-71; Psalm 107:1-43; Proverbs 15:1-3

The power behind the throne is a man of God! Samuel, though he was getting old, was still the King’s connection to God and God’s plan. Though Saul was now the King, Samuel told him step by step what was to happen and how he was to go about being king.

The first thing Saul received was a new heart! Prior to his elevation to the throne, he was focused on his personal agenda. God gave him a heart to lead His people and to care for God’s sheep. Saul was positioned to succeed as King over God’s people. As long as Saul followed God’s mandates and directions, he prospered. When he departed from God’s ways, trouble arose.

God’s plan is the same for each of us as we rule as kings and queens on the earth. He has given you a man (or woman) of God to speak His Word into your life so that you stay on course with His purposes. Each believer needs a prophet to speak into his or her life. Respect this gift in your life because it will help guide you as you pursue God’s purposes for your life!

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Samuel 12:1-13:23; John 7:1-30; Psalm 108:1-13; Proverbs 15:4

1 Samuel 8:1-9:27; John 6:22-42; Psalm 106:32-48; Proverbs 14:34-35

Freewill is what sets us apart from all of creation. Every other living thing in creation has instinctual behaviors that they cannot override (even trained animals revert back to their inherent behaviors over time.) With all that God had done for Israel, they made the big mistake to choose a human king over The Eternal King.

If ever there was a time for God to override human will, it would have been at this point. Yet, God allowed them to do something that He was against. He sent Samuel to warn them and give them a realistic picture about what having a king would mean. They still chose an earthly king.

Are there times when you choose incorrectly and want your life to be like other people’s? Have you looked at the green grass of someone else’s life and rejected God’s path for yours? Have you subtly substituted God’s place in your life with someone else’s? If so, it will never end well.

The throne of our lives is reserved for only One: The Lord Jesus Christ! If an unworthy person sits on the Throne, they will lead us astray and cause us to fall. Renounce any false God or fraudulent king and let God be your God! He has earned that place in your life.

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Samuel 10:1-11:15; John 6:43-71; Psalm 107:1-43; Proverbs 15:1-3

 

Genesis 42:18-43:34; Matthew 13:47-14:12; Psalm 18:16-36; Proverbs 4:7-10

Jesus went to His hometown and He was prepared to show the power of His Father. But as much as He desired to see all the people healed, He was limited. How could this be? Jesus could heal sick people, raise people from the dead, multiply food and cast out devils. How could Jesus have all this power and yet He could not do any miracles?

One thing that keeps the power of God from flowing into our lives is: our unbelief! As much as God wants to heal, bless, restore, deliver and provide for us, He can’t without our permission and participation.

With all the power that Jesus has, He can do nothing for someone who does not believe. When we believe, we give God permission to operate in our lives. This means we submit to His power! We also have to cooperate with His way of doing things. When we read the stories of people Jesus healed, sometimes He gave them instructions: to the lepers, He said go show yourself to the priests. To the man beside the pool, He said, “Take up your bed and walk.” To the blind man, He said, “Go wash your eyes in the pool.” They had to follow what Jesus told them to do.

I want you to search your heart this week and ask yourself, “Am I hindering the miracles that God wants to do in my life because of unbelief?” Are you truly submitted to God in the area where you need a miracle? Are you doing the things that God has instructed you to do? If your answer is, “Yes!” Then get ready, because your miracle is on the way! 

Tomorrow’s Reading: Genesis 44:1-45:28; Matthew 14:13-36; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 4:11-13