Your Daily Bible

What we believe about who we are has a massive impact on how our purpose is lived out. Stop for a minute and ask yourself what makes you, you? When you meet someone for the first time, how do you introduce and describe yourself? 

Our identity is very important to the heart of God. So much so, that he fills the Bible with stories that affirm our new identity in Christ. We can enter into an identity crisis when we lose sight of who Jesus is. However, when we renew our minds with the truth of God’s Word, we’re able to restore our understanding of who we are in Christ. From this place, we find power, we find redemption, and we find all that we need to live a life of godliness (2 Peter 1:3). 

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Have you ever known someone who could complicate even the simplest task? Christians are some of the best at this.
 
 When God provides simple, clear instructions, it seems too good to be true. So we add on more and more rules and requirements until following God seems impossible to do. Then, when we’re challenged to do something Scripture clearly commands, we find we’re too busy, too tired, and stretched too thin to do the one thing that will give us life again. 

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Imagine you had nothing to eat for weeks. Your hunger would be so overwhelming that it would consume all of your thoughts. If you saw the food your belly ached for, what are the chances you would share it with an equally famished person?

Paul is thinking along those lines when he warns us not to “bite and devour” one another (Galatians 5:15). When we are empty spiritually, we see people and things as means, or obstacles, to filling our emptiness.

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The human body is complex. Our 78 organs work individually and collectively. A dozen distinct systems coexist seamlessly.
 
 God created every part of our body for a specific purpose. Hands pick up objects, write letters, and steer the car. Feet take us down the street, up the stairs. Our hearts ensure that blood gets to every inch of our bodies, and our brains supervise and regulate bodily activities.
 
 What would the heart be without vessels to carry its live-giving force? And what would our brain be without that blood to power it? Every part must work together in harmony, so the body as a whole will thrive.
 
 The same is true of the church. When we give our lives to Jesus, we join the body of believers. Each of us has different talents and abilities. But every person is vital, even if their gifts and service are not as visible as others’. 

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Jesus washed smelly, dirty, calloused feet with His own holy hands. At this point, the disciples are prepared for Jesus to become the military and political leader of Israel.
 
Had Jesus wanted, He could have easily impressed the disciples with His resume. Creator, Sustainer, Sovereign Lord, King, and Messiah are a few of the titles Jesus held as God’s Son. Men like Peter, James, and John sat beside Jesus ready to be given positions of authority in His new regime.
 

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“In God We Trust” is in our pledge of allegiance, our national anthem, and on our money. It's easy to say, easy to sing about, and easy to read. But, it's not always easy to live.

What happens when you get a grim medical diagnosis or your boss says your position is being eliminated? What happens when Covid19 numbers are spiking and there is so much uncertainty. Will you still trust God if you come home and discover your spouse has moved out?

King David experienced his fair share of anxiety, sorrow, and pain. Just because he loved the Lord doesn't mean his life was easy. David wrote Psalm 56 while fearing for his life, and in Psalm 56:3, he shares the key to overcoming danger and difficulty: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you [God]."

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Too often, we take the same attitude to sin that celebrities take to blending in. In our desire to do what we want, to be our own gods, we put our sunglasses on and pretend no one is watching.

But deep down, we all know this is foolishness. We can't hide from God, and no amount of disguise stops God from seeing us as we really are (Psalm 53:2-3). 

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"I'm sorry, but...[insert excuse here]."  

How many times have you heard an empty apology? "I'm sorry" means nothing unless it comes from a repentant heart.  

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We all share the need to feel safe. When we don't feel safe, we stop growing. Instead, we put all of our energy into managing fear and protecting ourselves.  

Ancient cities protected their citizens by building large surrounding walls, which created a fortress that kept chaos out. The walls’ constant presence in people's lives created a safe atmosphere where communities could thrive.

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You enjoy your home, and the car is nice, but the payments are a burden. Maybe, there is the student loan and some credit card debt added to the mix. You work hard to stay ahead of the obligations, but the interest grows and you feel the weight of the debt hanging over your head like a great stone suspended by a mere thread.

It’s easy to feel that way about our sin as well, but unlike these financial obligations, when God saves us, there is no form of repayment required from us.

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