Topic: You’re Only Accountable to God [Wednesday December 6, 2017]

May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. — Romans 15:13

Too many people never get around to fulfilling God’s purpose for their lives because they’re so busy keeping everyone else happy.

The world is filled with people who think they know what you should be doing with your life.

But the Bible says you will give an account to God, not anyone else, of how you’ve lived. That’s why we need to live by God’s grace each day, doing our part to live in a way that pleases Him.

Are you daring enough to follow your heart rather than the crowd? Are you focused on Christ even when many voices try to draw you away from your purpose?

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who wait for something to happen and those who make things happen. God has called you to do great things for His kingdom—and He’s given you everything you need in Christ to fulfill them.

So be intentional and live life on purpose. Don’t just wait around to see what everyone else is going to do and then follow the crowd. Stir yourself up, make a decision, and get going!

Prayer Starter: Lord, I only want to live my life to please You, not others. I boldly step into the purpose You have for me. I will not sit back, I will purposefully live my life for You.

From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries

Topic: Where’s Your Focus? [Wednesday December 6, 2017]

Matthew 27:4 “Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.”

These Jews, who had courted Judas’ favor to obtain his cooperation in arresting Jesus, cared nothing for Judas. They had simply used him. The devil’s crowd may flatter as long as they can use you, but you can be assured that when there is no longer anything in it for them, they will forsake you just as the chief priests did Judas.

The serpent didn’t come to Eve in the garden threatening to bite her if she didn’t eat of the forbidden fruit. Instead, he came with deception, presenting himself as being concerned for her welfare. Satan’s greatest weapon is deceit.

Just as a football player, a boxer, or military man’s success depends partly on how well he knows his opponent(s), so believers must not be ignorant of Satan’s devices. Jesus stripped Satan of all his authority (Mt. 28:18). The power that Satan uses against us now, is deception. Those who ascribe other powers to him have already fallen prey to one of his lies. The devil deceives us and uses our own power and authority against us. The thing that makes deception so deadly is that those who are deceived don’t know it. Once they realize they are deceived, they aren’t deceived any more.

The best defense against the devil is to be so God-centered that you give no place to Satan. People who are very sensitive to the devil’s presence usually are so at the expense of being sensitive to the Lord’s presence. David said, “If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Ps. 139:8). Anytime Satan’s oppression is present, God’s presence is there too (Heb. 13:5). It’s just a matter of where our focus is. Focusing on the devil is a trick of the devil. Choose to focus on God.

This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).

Topic: Relying on Grace [Wednesday December 6, 2017]

Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. — 1 Corinthians 15:10

Let us face this fact: We came into the world with nothing, and we will leave it with nothing. Where do we get the notion that man’s idea of success and God’s are the same? You have written a book; you are a clever manager and promoter; you are a talented artist; you are independently rich; you have achieved fame and fortune. Without the gifts of intelligence, imagination, personality, and physical energy—which are all endowed by God—where would you be? Are we not born poor? Do we not die poor? And would we not be poor indeed without God’s infinite mercy and love?

We came out of nothing; and if we are anything, it is because God is everything. If He were to withhold His power for one brief instant from us, if He were to hold in check the breath of life for one moment, our physical existence would shrivel into nothingness, and our souls would be whisked away into an endless eternity. Those who are poor in spirit recognize their creatureliness and their sinfulness—but more, they are ready to confess their sins and renounce them.

Prayer for the day: All I have or am, Lord God, has been given to me by Your almighty hands. Forgive me when I tend to boast about my own accomplishments—for I am nothing without Your grace and love.

Written by Billy Graham, Founder of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association(BGEA). BGEA exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by every effective means and to equip the church and others to do the same.