THE 1st OF JULY
WE NEED TO BE SPIRITUALLY ALERT
- “But take heed to yourselves and be on your guard, lest your hearts be overburdened and depressed (weighed down) with the giddiness and headache and nausea of self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries and cares pertaining to [the business of] this life, and [lest] that day come upon you suddenly like a trap or a noose;” - Luke 21:34 (AMP)
In this particular case, Jesus ended His teaching about the end times with an important reminder for His disciples, by telling them to always live with the expectation of the judgment day, which He calls here “that day.” This warning is valid for us, also. It is our duty to be on guard, to be watchful of our hearts and how we live our everyday lives.
If we do not truly care about growing in our relationship with Jesus and we do not feed our hearts with God’s Word on a daily basis, it is easy to become weary and little by little, go back to our old ways of doing things. Self-indulgence is our enemy. Since we have become born-again and the Holy Spirit lives in us, we also have His fruit in our spirit, including self-control. But for the fruit of the Holy Spirit to be at work in our lives, we need to be truly committed to the Lord, give it all to Him, be hungry for more of Him all the time, not only on Sundays and use every chance we have to seek to be in His presence.
Everything that we allow to control us becomes an idol and a sin. Whenever we allow worries and the concerns of this life to rule us instead of Jesus, we must realize it and get back under the Lord’s leadership. We need to try our best to not allow ourselves to habitually worry and get to where we may have no time left to repent and start living right for Jesus.
Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father please help me to always be hungry for more of You. Please help me walk on the narrow path and never look back to any of the things that I used to do before becoming Your child. Please help me understand the Scripture and apply its truth into my life daily so that I may mature spiritually and have the fruit of the Holy Spirit manifested in my life. Please help me grow in controlling my carnal nature, so that I will not sin, but live right for You. Thank You so very much dear Lord, that as long as I sincerely want to be Yours, You continue to help me grow and become what You want me to be so that for all eternity I will be with You in heaven. Praises and glory to Your holy Name! Amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 2nd OF JULY
HOW TO RENEW OUR MINDS
- And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you]. - Romans 12:2 (AMP)
We are urged to not copy the patterns of the world we live in. A true Christian should not follow the fleeting fashions and ways of doing things of the present time. Each age has its own superficial values and customs and the better the economy, the more fleeting things are in every society.
No human society has a truly good pattern to follow. No matter where we live, we need to do our best to be progressively transformed, by renewing our minds with the truth of God’s Word. Our mental faculties, reasoning and understanding are shaped by the values we follow and of what surrounds us daily. In the years we lived a worldly life, our brain was programmed to think according to worldly values. Now, as Christians we have to erase our old mentality and replace it with God’s perfect one, according to His eternal ways and values.
The more we study the Bible asking the Holy Spirit to reveal its truth to us and then meditate on it, we start to replace our old thinking patterns, with the right ways. Each of us know what needs to change first. If we focus long enough on the Bible verses that show God’s truth on the matter, it becomes ours and our mentality changes. Then, we can start to work on another wrong thinking pattern. It takes time and effort to renew our minds, but the result is well worth it. We live on this planet to get to know God’s perfect will, be able to follow it and fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives and help as many as possible to live for Jesus.
Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You so much for making a way for me to replace my old mindset with Your true, valid one. The better I understand Your will and the more Your Word becomes alive in my heart, the more blessed I am. I love Your value system! Please help me understand it and be able to replace my old ways of thinking and doing things with the one shown in Your Word. Please help me to understand Your will and fulfill it. Thank You that Your will is good, acceptable and perfect in Your plan and purpose for my life, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 3rd OF JULY
WE CAN ALWAYS HAVE THE PEACE OF JESUS
All the torment I had to go through in the last few years, caused me to understand more than ever that it is our personal choice to enjoy life and be happy because we are God’s children and refuse to be unhappy based on circumstances. Being sad or unhappy does not change anything for the better. On the contrary, our unhappiness might make things worse for us and those around us including robing them of their joy.
Jesus said that He gave us His own peace! In our born again spirit we do have the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which includes love, joy and peace (Galatians 5:22). These three work hand in hand. Love is the key to be able to not get easily offended and be quick to forgive those who hurt us. Love and peace make us joyful. By valuing our joy, we do our best to keep it and as a result, we have more peace.
By fighting against fear, anxiety, worry and bad emotions, we keep our peace and a merry heart. It is truly worth it to keep our peace. An agitated and tormented life does us no good. Getting involved in arguments, just for the sake of being right or having the last word, brings nothing else but trouble. The more we follow our Lord’s leadership, the happier we are!
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, thank You so very much for Your peace, which is beyond any understanding! I love Your peace so much. Please give me Your wisdom so that I learn how to keep my peace and joy by not permitting myself to be fearful, intimidated, cowardly or unsettled, no matter the situation. Lord please fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so that His fruit will abound in my life and I may live right, pleasing my Father. Glory and praises to Your holy Name dear Lord, amen.
- “Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]” - John 14:27 (AMP Classic Edition)
All the torment I had to go through in the last few years, caused me to understand more than ever that it is our personal choice to enjoy life and be happy because we are God’s children and refuse to be unhappy based on circumstances. Being sad or unhappy does not change anything for the better. On the contrary, our unhappiness might make things worse for us and those around us including robing them of their joy.
Jesus said that He gave us His own peace! In our born again spirit we do have the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which includes love, joy and peace (Galatians 5:22). These three work hand in hand. Love is the key to be able to not get easily offended and be quick to forgive those who hurt us. Love and peace make us joyful. By valuing our joy, we do our best to keep it and as a result, we have more peace.
By fighting against fear, anxiety, worry and bad emotions, we keep our peace and a merry heart. It is truly worth it to keep our peace. An agitated and tormented life does us no good. Getting involved in arguments, just for the sake of being right or having the last word, brings nothing else but trouble. The more we follow our Lord’s leadership, the happier we are!
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, thank You so very much for Your peace, which is beyond any understanding! I love Your peace so much. Please give me Your wisdom so that I learn how to keep my peace and joy by not permitting myself to be fearful, intimidated, cowardly or unsettled, no matter the situation. Lord please fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so that His fruit will abound in my life and I may live right, pleasing my Father. Glory and praises to Your holy Name dear Lord, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
The 4th OF JULY
WE CAN LIVE BETTER LIVES, IF WE PRAY FOR OUR NATION
We are called to pray for other people, according to their need. It might be a petition, which is a very a specific request for particular benefits; or intercession, which is prayer in its most individual form, as one enters in a close communion with God praying for someone else as for himself. Giving thanks for all that God does is very important, too.
Praying for the leaders of our nation is another important part of our prayer life. Our citizenship is in heaven and there is where we are headed to, but while we are still here on earth, we do care for our nation and for the quality of life in the area we live in. To pray for those in authority to fear God, be honest, have God’s wisdom and a heart for the people, is what we should do and it contributes to a better life for us and our fellow citizens. The better examples the leaders are for the nation, the more godly and integer people try to become and as a result peace, dignity and respect are increased throughout the nation.
Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord for the power of prayer. Holy Spirit please help me be sensitive to Your voice and pray for the people You lay on my heart. Please inspire me to pray right for those who need help in prayer and also for those in authority. Lord please give me Your wisdom to be able to pray effectively for our leaders so that our nation will be blessed. Father God, please send the Holy Spirit to convince my fellow citizens of sin, to repent and start to live right, for You. Please help us all to fear You and live to glorify You, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
- Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. - 1 Timothy 2:1-2
We are called to pray for other people, according to their need. It might be a petition, which is a very a specific request for particular benefits; or intercession, which is prayer in its most individual form, as one enters in a close communion with God praying for someone else as for himself. Giving thanks for all that God does is very important, too.
Praying for the leaders of our nation is another important part of our prayer life. Our citizenship is in heaven and there is where we are headed to, but while we are still here on earth, we do care for our nation and for the quality of life in the area we live in. To pray for those in authority to fear God, be honest, have God’s wisdom and a heart for the people, is what we should do and it contributes to a better life for us and our fellow citizens. The better examples the leaders are for the nation, the more godly and integer people try to become and as a result peace, dignity and respect are increased throughout the nation.
Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord for the power of prayer. Holy Spirit please help me be sensitive to Your voice and pray for the people You lay on my heart. Please inspire me to pray right for those who need help in prayer and also for those in authority. Lord please give me Your wisdom to be able to pray effectively for our leaders so that our nation will be blessed. Father God, please send the Holy Spirit to convince my fellow citizens of sin, to repent and start to live right, for You. Please help us all to fear You and live to glorify You, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
The 5th OF JULY
OUR PLANS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IF WE SUBMIT THEM TO OUR LORD AND WE TRUST IN HIS HELP
- Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him], and your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance]. - Proverbs 16:3 (AMP)
Life can be so much easier if we learn to submit all that we do to our Lord and trust Him to help us do things right. The Bible urges us to give it all to the Lord (Matthew 11:28) and this is the shortest way to success. All that we have to do, our duties and responsibilities, may weigh heavily on our shoulders, but the good news is that we can give them all to Jesus. But how do we do that?
All the thinking and planning that goes on in our minds about what we have to do, can become a burden and a source of stress. This is why we are to commit them all to our Lord, trusting Him for the right solutions and His help to do them all the right way. Once we give Jesus our problem and we ask for His direction in solving it, we should leave it there. We should also stop worrying about it and trying to handle it in our own strength.
By learning to leave it all at our Lord’s feet, believing that His will about it is the best, and then following His guidance, without stressing over things, our plans will truly succeed.
Suggested prayer: Glory and honor to Your holy Name, dear Lord! You always have the best solutions and Your will is best for every single thing I have to do. Please help me to give You full control over my life and duties and do it all as You lead me. Also, please help me always remember that I am so weak and limited in my own strength and ability. You want me to succeed in what I have to do and that can happen only if I give You the leadership of it all. Please help me surrender it all to You and leave it there! Thank You for all Your help and patience, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
The 6th OF JULY
PATIENCE AND ENDURANCE ARE IMPORTANT FOR SALVATION
- “By your [patient] endurance [empowered by the Holy Spirit] you will gain your souls.” - Luke 21:19 (AMP)
What is our Lord actually saying here? He is saying that our endurance will save our lives, or “but he who endure to the end, shall be saved” in Matthew 24:13 and Mark 13:13. To gain our souls, it means not to lose them and end up in hell, but to be saved and go to heaven. Having patience brings much benefits in this life too, not only for eternity.
We will keep our calm when we trust God that even if we are hated, betrayed or killed, we will just go to be with our Lord and not perish. In the previous verses, Jesus was saying to the disciples and to us as well, that even if we go through very harsh trials and our bodies might be killed, we will “not even lose one hair of our heads.” We are eternal beings and the physical bodies are just for as long as we live on this earth, while we prepare for eternity. “Losing these bodies,” just means that we will continue to exist in a spiritual form, until the rapture, when we will receive our glorified bodies. That means that it is not worth it to compromise in order to keep these bodies alive and lose our salvation. This life will end at some point anyway, but what will follow after it, will be forever. You may read more on this matter in the article “By your patience you posses your souls.”
Suggested prayer: My beloved Lord, thank You so much for showing me the right perspective about life. Holy Spirit, please help me focus on my eternity and not on my life here on earth. Dear Jesus, You want me to be with You forever and by learning to have patience, trusting You no matter what I have to go through, I will make it to heaven and be in perfect happiness for all eternity. Please help me to live to please You, remain faithful and not fail under pressure, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
The 7th OF JULY
FEAR NOT, BECAUSE GOD IS BY OUR SIDE
- I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? - Psalm 118:5-6
We all go through times in life, similar to what King David presented in the above verses. Whenever we choose to do the right thing and call on the Lord in faith, He always sees us through. David was a man after God’s heart and he learned to fulfill God’s will. Even if David was not perfect in his obedience to God at all times, he always repented and sincerely asked God to forgive him, when he fell into sin.
If we truly know that our hearts are clean, having repented of our sins, we can be sure that God is on our side and there is nothing we should be afraid of. There is nothing that man can do to us, to rob us of our salvation, as long as we want to belong to God. Even if our physical bodies are killed, it is a win-win situation for us, because we will get to be with our Lord in a split of a second!
Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being on my side and for always helping me out when I call on Your Name. Please help me to fear only You and keep my heart pure. Dear Lord, please help me to quickly repent when I sin and live right so that there will never be any sin between me and my Lord, that would give the enemy the right to hurt me. Thank You Jesus, that You are for me and not against me. You want me to never fear people or the evil one and You always provide a way of escape for me, no matter how bad the situation looks like. Praises and glory to Your holy Name, dear Lord, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit..
The 8th OF JULY
THE LORD HAVE GIVEN US ALL WE NEED TO OVERCOME TEMPTATIONS
- No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. - 1 Corinthians 10:13
While living on this earth, there are so many temptations, that may come from our own carnal nature, the world or the enemy. But no matter the source, God does not allow any temptations which might be stronger than our human ability to fight against them. Indulgence causes our carnal desires to become stronger, so we do ourselves a huge favor when we stop them, by using the self-control that is already in us, since the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, after we have been born-again.
The Lord permits us to be tempted, by allowing certain circumstances in our lives which cause temptations to arise, but He always prepares a way out from it. Even so, it is up to us to be willing not to fall into temptation. God is compassionate, trustworthy and He fulfills all His promises from His Word. By living in obedience to the Lord, loving and worshiping Him, we can overcome every temptation with joy, because God already prepared the way of escape for every single situation. Our Lord will never force us to use the way out He provides for us, but as long as we want to be true to Him, we will be able to overcome temptation and rejoice in our victory.
Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me to always love and obey You. I want to be Yours forever. Please help me recognize all the lies and temptations of the enemy and escape them by using the way out You provide for me. Thank You so much for all the victories I have already had in You and please help me always remain in You and follow Your ways. Please increase my hunger and thirst for more of You, so that nothing else would be truly tempting for me, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
The 9th OF JULY
WE CAN REJOICE DURING TRIALS, KNOWING THAT THEY CAUSE US TO GROW IN ENDURANCE AND SPIRITUAL MATURITY
The effects of the same trial are not the same for all people. Something that might be devastating for one Christian, might be minor for another one. We have all followed different paths in life and have faced different hardships. So, whatever we have to deal with, we are not told to rejoice for the pain, but to have the right perspective about it. And that is God’s perspective.
In the Good News Version Bible, the above verses are written like this: “My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure.”
We can be certain that every hardship is a test of our faith. The more tests we pass, the stronger our faith gets and the better we handle hardships. Experience is very important in every area of life, especially in our walk with Jesus. The better we endure a bad situation, keeping a right attitude and a good heart, the more we mature spiritually and the better we become at keeping our inner peace in the midst of any storm. Our peace and joy should not be based on circumstances, but in knowing who God is and how He changes every bad thing into something good for us.
Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord that with Your help I can rejoice, no matter what my circumstances are. Please help me see what good comes out of everything I am going through and know that the testing of my faith produces endurance and makes me stronger. Thank You Lord that with every test I pass, I become more mature while my faith and inner peace are increased; please help me to choose to rejoice while going through hardships, knowing that my victory is close and You will use what I am going through, to increase my ability to endure and be stronger in my walk with You. Glory and honor to Your holy Name, for ever and ever, amen.
- Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. - James 1:2-3 (AMP)
The effects of the same trial are not the same for all people. Something that might be devastating for one Christian, might be minor for another one. We have all followed different paths in life and have faced different hardships. So, whatever we have to deal with, we are not told to rejoice for the pain, but to have the right perspective about it. And that is God’s perspective.
In the Good News Version Bible, the above verses are written like this: “My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure.”
We can be certain that every hardship is a test of our faith. The more tests we pass, the stronger our faith gets and the better we handle hardships. Experience is very important in every area of life, especially in our walk with Jesus. The better we endure a bad situation, keeping a right attitude and a good heart, the more we mature spiritually and the better we become at keeping our inner peace in the midst of any storm. Our peace and joy should not be based on circumstances, but in knowing who God is and how He changes every bad thing into something good for us.
Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord that with Your help I can rejoice, no matter what my circumstances are. Please help me see what good comes out of everything I am going through and know that the testing of my faith produces endurance and makes me stronger. Thank You Lord that with every test I pass, I become more mature while my faith and inner peace are increased; please help me to choose to rejoice while going through hardships, knowing that my victory is close and You will use what I am going through, to increase my ability to endure and be stronger in my walk with You. Glory and honor to Your holy Name, for ever and ever, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 10th OF JULY
THE MORE PATIENCE WE HAVE, THE MORE BLESSED WE ARE
- But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. - James 1:4
We are to put an end to the lordship of our carnal nature. We cannot continue handling stress as the world does, by being impatient, getting mad when things are not as we want them to be and allow our carnal nature to take control. We cannot have two lords at the same time. If Jesus is Lord, we have to follow His direction and that means that we stop following our carnal nature’s impulses.
Whenever we do not follow the directions of the Holy Spirit and we fall into sin, we empower the enemy to hurt us. The choice is ours and the quicker we learn to do things God’s way and let the Holy Spirit to take control over our fallen carnal nature, the more we grow into becoming mature and fully developed children of God.
It is not our power that enables us to endure, to stand vertical and be patient while everything falls apart around us. It is the Holy Spirit working in us that does it, when we ask for His help and follow His directions.
Suggested prayer: Dear Father, please help me endure, persevere and have patience during hard times and while waiting for Your answer to my prayers. I know that the more I trust You, the more patience and strength I will have to keep the right attitude. By doing so, I can even rejoice in my spirit, while my flesh would despair. Dear Lord please help me grow into becoming the perfect person that You created me to be, lacking nothing. Thank You and praise You for ever and ever, dear Lord, amen!
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 11th OF JULY
WE RECEIVE WISDOM WHEN WE ASK IT IN FAITH
- If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting. - James 1:5-6a
To be honest, I believe that every single one of us need more of God’s wisdom. Throughout the years, I have met some truly brilliant Christians, but none of them had perfect wisdom in every area of life. Even many of the geniuses, that invented or discovered so many amazing things, made many of bad choices and could have used more of God’s wisdom also.
Our Lord is more than willing to make us wiser. God has prepared His wisdom for us, because He wants us to have it so that we might live victorious lives. All we have to do to receive God’s wisdom, is to believe that He has it and is willing to give it to us, so that we may ask in faith. Our carnal nature would always try to make us doubt that we are worthy to receive anything from God and the enemy would use any lie to try to stop us from receiving more wisdom too. A wise Christian is a powerful one and a real threat to the kingdom of darkness, so the devil tries every trick to stop us from becoming wiser. But Jesus, “who is in us is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4), so we can become wiser, because that is our Lord’s desire for us.
Suggested prayer: Thank You dear Lord for Your wisdom and please give me more of it. Please help me overcome any doubt so that I will not hesitate in my belief that the more I mature spiritually, I can receive more and more of Your wisdom. I need Your wisdom to be able to know You more, to understand Your ways and be able to live to please You. Thank You dear Lord for making a way for me to replace the worldly wisdom that I tried all my life to accumulate, with Your true and perfect wisdom that cannot be topped by anything else, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 12th OF JULY
CAN WE HAVE MORE FAITH THAN DOUBT?
Whatever our prayer request is, if we doubt and are not sure that God will give us what we are asking for, we will never receive anything. It seems to be easier to have faith when we pray for someone else, than when we pray for ourselves. This is because we know all the aspects of the issue we pray for, when it is about ourselves and we are way more involved physically and emotionally, than when we pray for someone else.
The more serious our request is and the longer it takes for the answer to be seen, the harder it is to remain in faith for receiving it. What can we do? We need to have two or three Scriptures that support our petition to make sure that what we are praying for is God’s will. Based on those Scriptures, we can build our faith and fight against any doubt. God’s Word is the truth and a powerful weapon in our spiritual warfare.
If doubt tries to enter our minds, we can fight against those thoughts by declaring the truth of God’s Word and stop allowing and entertaining those thoughts. It also helps to remind ourselves of previous experiences, other people’s experiences and anything else the Holy Spirit brings to our attention.
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, You are the author of faith and without Your help I could never believe that Jesus is Your Son and that I can be saved through Him. Please help me mature and continue to fight the good fight of faith, every day of my life. Dear Lord please help me find the right Bible verses for every prayer request I have and help me to pray in faith, resisting any doubt or hesitation. Thank You for all the answers to my prayers that I have already received and for those yet to come, in Jesus' Name, amen.
- But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; - James 1:6-7a
Whatever our prayer request is, if we doubt and are not sure that God will give us what we are asking for, we will never receive anything. It seems to be easier to have faith when we pray for someone else, than when we pray for ourselves. This is because we know all the aspects of the issue we pray for, when it is about ourselves and we are way more involved physically and emotionally, than when we pray for someone else.
The more serious our request is and the longer it takes for the answer to be seen, the harder it is to remain in faith for receiving it. What can we do? We need to have two or three Scriptures that support our petition to make sure that what we are praying for is God’s will. Based on those Scriptures, we can build our faith and fight against any doubt. God’s Word is the truth and a powerful weapon in our spiritual warfare.
If doubt tries to enter our minds, we can fight against those thoughts by declaring the truth of God’s Word and stop allowing and entertaining those thoughts. It also helps to remind ourselves of previous experiences, other people’s experiences and anything else the Holy Spirit brings to our attention.
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, You are the author of faith and without Your help I could never believe that Jesus is Your Son and that I can be saved through Him. Please help me mature and continue to fight the good fight of faith, every day of my life. Dear Lord please help me find the right Bible verses for every prayer request I have and help me to pray in faith, resisting any doubt or hesitation. Thank You for all the answers to my prayers that I have already received and for those yet to come, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 13th OF JULY
WHAT TO DO WHEN WE HAVE MORE DOUBT THAN FAITH?
- For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. - James 1:7-8
In the previous verses, the apostle James, compares a doubtful person with the “waves of the sea, tossed by the wind.” Here James goes even further and says that such person has “two minds” meaning that they are hesitating, dubious, irresolute, unstable and unreliable about everything they think and that will affect all their feelings, decisions and actions.
Is there a way out from being doubtful? With Jesus we can do all things, including to change the way we think, feel, make decisions and act. The first step is to realize that we have a problem and to get serious about it, by being determined to change and then ask the Holy Spirit to help us change. We need to seriously dig into God’s Word to find the verses about faith and study the stories of the great examples of faith until our own faith is built up. We need to be determined to step out and make decisions, even if at first not all of them will be the best ones. The more we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us, the more we learn to hear His voice and the better decisions we will make. If you want to know more on this subject, you can read the article: “Hearing God’s voice.”
Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me grow in faith and in hearing Your directions; please help me learn to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and identify the spontaneous thoughts that come from You. I need Your help to overcome doubt and remain in faith once I am praying on a matter and I do not receive the answer right away. I know that sometimes Your timing is different than mine, but You know when and what is best for me. Please help me never doubt that what You want for me is the best. Thank You so very much, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 14th OF JULY
GOD USES ALL THAT HAPPENS TO US FOR OUR GOOD IN THE LONG TERM
- And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28
Because we are God’s children, we love Him and are called according to His purpose, we qualify for the first part of the verse too. Many non-believers, while going through hardships, quote this verse for themselves. But this verse does not apply to those who do not truly love God and are not called “according to [His] design and purpose.”
How encouraging it is to realize that God makes all things to work together for our good, as He is always working in our behalf. It does not say that God uses just the good things or that all are good. The beauty is that God takes all things, good and bad, and makes them work together in such a way, that if we continue to trust in Him, we will reap good fruit even out of all the bad we are going through. This proves that whatever the enemy intends for our harm and destruction, God uses for our benefit in the long term. Glory to God!
Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord that in Your might and wisdom, You turn around all that the devil uses with the intent to hurt and destroy me, for my benefit. You always have a good plan and make things go on a certain way, as long as I continue to live for You and be Yours. Thank You for all the great lessons I learned during hardships and for Your Spirit that lives in me and strengthens me at all times. Thank you Holy Spirit for never leaving me alone and for helping me to overcome whatever comes my way, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 15th OF JULY
JESUS SET US FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH
- There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:1-2
Jesus’ sacrifice canceled the condemnation that sin brings. As long as we belong to God, we are free from guilt and the death penalty for sin, because Jesus washed away our sins with His blood.
The “law of the Spirit of life” which began to operate in us as believers, by union with Christ, has set us free from the death punishment brought by the “law of sin and death.” We are not saved by our own efforts, but by God’s grace, that we have received through faith. The life we have received since Jesus became our Lord, is everlasting, as only Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord Jesus, for setting me free from the law of sin and death and for canceling the punishment for my sins. Praises and glory to Your holy Name for all You have done for me, for Your love and grace and for the perfect way You have prepared for me to walk in. I am so happy and blessed to be Yours. Please help me to always follow You, by heeding the direction of Your Spirit and not the desires of my carnal nature. Thank You Jesus, for You are the only way to the Father, the only everlasting truth and life. Praises and glory to Your holy Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 16th OF JULY
JESUS FULFILLED THE LAW AND DEFEATED SIN FOR US
- For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. - Romans 8:3-4
The Law received by the people of Israel through Moses, could not overcome sin, its penalty or power that enslaves people, because of the weaknesses of our human nature. We can be strong and overcome sin, only with the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, is the only one who has ever lived in a human body, never sinned and was able to fulfill the law.
The just requirements of the Law are fulfilled in us only through Jesus. But for this to happen, we have to stop living according to the lusts of our carnal nature by obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the teachings and commands of the Word of God.
Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You so much for sending Your own Son in a human body, to condemn and overcome sin. Thank You Lord Jesus, for redeeming me and for making me righteous through Your sacrifice. Please help me live right, and improve my spiritual hearing so that I may follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I want to follow You, and You alone, dear Lord. Thank You and praise You forever more, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 17th OF JULY
THE PASSION FOR EARTHLY THINGS DOES NOT PLEASE GOD
- For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, on the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. - Romans 8:5-8
Our minds, emotions, speech and actions follow whatever leads them. A person is led by their carnal nature, lives accordingly to its lusts, desires and they show interest in the worldly things. Sometimes people say, including Christians, that they are sorry for what they did, but they could not help doing it. The enemy wants us to believe that this is true, but it is not. Jesus set us free from the law of sin and with the help of the Holy Spirit we can control our actions and reactions. Those people who say they “could not help it,” if while they are mad and yelling, their pastor or someone they want to impress shows up they calm down in a second and change their tone of voice. This is true for all of us.
When we live our lives led by the Holy Spirit we are interested more in spiritual things than in anything else. The leadership of the carnal nature brings death and is the opposite of the leadership of the Holy Spirit, which brings peace and life. To be in the flesh, means to be against God and that cannot please the Lord, as it rebels against God’s Word.
Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord for sending the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and remind us of Your Word. Thank You dear Holy Spirit for being the most perfect Helper, Counselor, Comforter and all I need. No matter what I am going through, I can always count on You to be there for me and help me out. Lord please warn me when I allow to the flesh to control me, so that I may repent and return under Your leadership and guidance. Thank You in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 18th OF JULY
WE ARE PART OF GOD’S FAMILY IF THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN US
- But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. - Romans 8:9
Once we have repented and asked Jesus to be our Lord, we have become born-again through the Holy Spirit. Since we are in union with Jesus, remaining in Him and He in us, our sins are forgiven and forgotten and we are under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, accepted and approved by God.
Paul refers to the Holy Spirit also as the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ, because Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One, triune God. When the Holy Spirit lives in us, we have His presence in us all the time, we are spiritually minded and we for sure belong to Christ. Jesus said in John 10:28-29 that at the same time, we are in His hand and in His Father’s hand, as They are one and no one can pull us out from there. Then in John 15 we learn that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches that can produce fruit only as long as they are connected to the vine.
Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot believe that Jesus is the Son of God and ask Him to be our Lord. The faith relationship is one of us being dependent upon the Lord, while He lives in us. We are to depend 100% on our Lord and do nothing separated from Him. If we believe that we might accomplish anything without Jesus, it means that we are not fully committed to Him and it would be best for us to change that.
Suggested prayer: Thank You so much dear Lord, for sending the Holy Spirit to touch my heart. It is so good to belong to You and to know that the Holy Spirit is always inside of me. His help is only one breath away from me, all I have to do is call His Name and He is there for me. Please help me Lord to never quench the Holy Spirit, but to always pay attention to His small voice and obey His instructions, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 19th OF JULY
THROUGH JESUS WE ARE RIGHTEOUS AND SPIRITUALLY ALIVE
- And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. - Romans 8:10
We are triune beings too. Each of us is a spirit that has a soul and lives in a body. The body is what will die of the physical death, but the soul and spirit are eternal. The penalty for sin is death and that is why things are very different for Christians, than for those who rejected Christ. If Christ is in us, the only part of us which death has a hold of, is the human body and that must die, but death cannot touch a Christian further than that. At the rapture we will receive our perfect glorified bodies that we will enjoy having for all eternity.
As born-again Christians, we have the Holy Spirit united with our spirit and He is life, because He is righteous and there is no sin in the Spirit of Christ. Life and righteousness are interdependent, one involving the other one.
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, I am so blessed to be Yours. I am happy that Jesus is in me through the Holy Spirit and I have His righteousness that assures my eternal life. Please help me remain true to You and hungry for more of You. Lord please help me feel Your presence more and teach me how to properly praise Father God and Jesus. Thank You Lord for redeeming me and making my life so beautiful and worth it to be lived! Glory and honor to Your holy Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 20th OF JULY
WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE IF THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN US
How amazing it is to be God’s children! The life we have in Jesus is not only for here and now, but it extends beyond the grave. Life with Jesus is far more valuable, brighter, happier and easier than life lived without Him. We have true purpose and great reasons to make the most of our lives. Even whenever we have to go through hard times, we are not alone, Jesus is in us and His help is always available for us. The Lord protects us, takes care of our needs and the Holy Spirit not only helps us, but He comforts and strengthens us.
If the Holy Spirit is in us, it means that Jesus lives in our hearts because of our faith. Our hearts (spirits or inner men) are alive to God, because the Holy Spirit inhabits them and are made perfect, with no sin, because of the new birth in Christ. How encouraging it is to know that the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us and Father God will give us His life too. As Jesus said in John 14:19, “Because I live, you shall live also.” This is not talking about being resurrected after the physical death, but about our body being subject to carnal desires and lusts, that by nature was under the reign of death, subject to death, as we also read in Ephesians 2. Because of the new birth in Christ, that gave us a new spirit, as we continue to grow and mature spiritually, the Holy Spirit will bring life even to our bodies, as sin loses its grip over it, as we keep on living led by the Holy Spirit and not by the fallen carnal nature. Even our bodies that used to have so many evil passions and desires, have become alive as we have changed, becoming more and more like Jesus.
Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father, Your plan for my life is so perfect. Your desire is to bring Your life into all of who I am. Please help me to live a holy, pure life, set aside for You, so that I will never go back to my old habits or ways of doing things. Please help me change all that is not yet right in me and to live to please You. Thank You so much for bringing Your life in me through the same Holy Spirit, that raised Jesus from the dead. Glory, honor and praises to your holy Name, amen.
- And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you. - Romans 8:11 (NIV)
How amazing it is to be God’s children! The life we have in Jesus is not only for here and now, but it extends beyond the grave. Life with Jesus is far more valuable, brighter, happier and easier than life lived without Him. We have true purpose and great reasons to make the most of our lives. Even whenever we have to go through hard times, we are not alone, Jesus is in us and His help is always available for us. The Lord protects us, takes care of our needs and the Holy Spirit not only helps us, but He comforts and strengthens us.
If the Holy Spirit is in us, it means that Jesus lives in our hearts because of our faith. Our hearts (spirits or inner men) are alive to God, because the Holy Spirit inhabits them and are made perfect, with no sin, because of the new birth in Christ. How encouraging it is to know that the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us and Father God will give us His life too. As Jesus said in John 14:19, “Because I live, you shall live also.” This is not talking about being resurrected after the physical death, but about our body being subject to carnal desires and lusts, that by nature was under the reign of death, subject to death, as we also read in Ephesians 2. Because of the new birth in Christ, that gave us a new spirit, as we continue to grow and mature spiritually, the Holy Spirit will bring life even to our bodies, as sin loses its grip over it, as we keep on living led by the Holy Spirit and not by the fallen carnal nature. Even our bodies that used to have so many evil passions and desires, have become alive as we have changed, becoming more and more like Jesus.
Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father, Your plan for my life is so perfect. Your desire is to bring Your life into all of who I am. Please help me to live a holy, pure life, set aside for You, so that I will never go back to my old habits or ways of doing things. Please help me change all that is not yet right in me and to live to please You. Thank You so much for bringing Your life in me through the same Holy Spirit, that raised Jesus from the dead. Glory, honor and praises to your holy Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 21st OF JULY
BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WE CAN STOP FULFILLING THE LUSTS OF OUR CARNAL NATURE AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE
- Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. - Romans 8:12-13
God has bought us with the highest price, the life of His beloved Son. We do not belong to ourselves anymore, so we cannot live as we please, if we want to continue to belong to God. We are debtors to do God’s will, because we belong to Him. On the other hand, we have no obligations to live according to the desires of our flesh and end up spiritually dead.
If a Christian chooses to habitually and repeatedly live in sin, according to the corrupt lusts of their flesh and never truly repents, will end up doomed and separated from God for eternity, which is the spiritual death. On the contrary, we have to put the deeds and desires of our carnal nature to death, by not obeying the flesh anymore and choosing to do God’s will instead. We can do it only with the help of the Holy Spirit and He is ready to help us, whenever we ask Him to. God wants us to succeed and live with Him forever, so He equipped us with all we need, to make it to heaven.
Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord for teaching us Your will and ways, through Your Word. It blesses me so much to know that Your plan for me is to make it to heaven and not to be punished. Thank You for all the help I have in the Holy Spirit, to do the right thing. Please help me to crucify my carnal nature daily and put to death its desires and works, so that I may live, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 22nd OF JULY
GOD’S CHILDREN ARE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
- For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” - Romans 8:14-15
No one can be led by the Holy Spirit, if they do not believe in Jesus and are not born-again. Once we are God’s children, we start to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. There are Christians who do not identify the source of the spontaneous thoughts that the Holy Spirit puts in their minds, considering that they must be their own thoughts, because they are in their mind.
Once we were touched by the Holy Spirit, believed that Jesus is the Son of God and we asked Him to be our Lord, we entered into the special relationship with God as His sons. That is not a relationship of bondage or slavery under the terror of fear, but Father-child relationship and the child inherits the Father. By the Holy Spirit we are adopted by God and we call Him “Abba, Father.” We are co-heirs with Jesus, we inherit His glory with Him, and even now, we are seated in Christ in the heavenly places at the right hand of God (Ephesians 2:6).
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, I am so thankful for being led by Your Holy Spirit and being Your child. I am adopted into Your family and I can call You, my Father! Thank You for such a great privilege! I did nothing to deserve this, it is all because of Your amazing grace and love! I am not a slave that should be under the terror of fear, but I am Your beloved child and all You are asking me to do, is to love and obey Your will. I know that Your will is the best for me and there is no greater love than the love You have for me. Thank You and praise You for ever and ever, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 23rd OF JULY
WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN AND COHEIRS WITH JESUS
Our spirit knows all we need to know, as it is united with the Holy Spirit, since we became born again. This means that in our inner men we know that we are the children of God. The Father-child relationship brings huge benefits. It makes us our Father’s heirs and co-heirs with Christ too.
But, to be God’s children for real, comes with a price. Our salvation costs us nothing, but to keep it, we have to give and surrender it all to God. We need to be fully committed to our Lord, as He suffered tremendously for us, in our place. The path to heaven is not all joy, but the one to hell has even more pain and ends up in eternal damnation and torment. It is worth it to suffer for serving the One who suffered first in our place, out of His amazing love for every single one of us. While on this earth, pain and despair is not far away from any of us, but if we choose to live for Jesus we can endure it all way easier, as He is protecting and helping us out, every time.
Suggested prayer: Thank You precious Lord for giving such a glorious purpose to my life. You created me to shine for You and to bring You praises and glory! I am so blessed to be Your child and to know that I can be with You in the perfect place, called heaven. Thank You so very much for all You do for me here on earth and for what you have prepared for me in heaven. Please help me be always true to You, remaining in You as I know that You will remain in me. I love and praise You dear Lord, amen.
- The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. - Romans 8:16-17
Our spirit knows all we need to know, as it is united with the Holy Spirit, since we became born again. This means that in our inner men we know that we are the children of God. The Father-child relationship brings huge benefits. It makes us our Father’s heirs and co-heirs with Christ too.
But, to be God’s children for real, comes with a price. Our salvation costs us nothing, but to keep it, we have to give and surrender it all to God. We need to be fully committed to our Lord, as He suffered tremendously for us, in our place. The path to heaven is not all joy, but the one to hell has even more pain and ends up in eternal damnation and torment. It is worth it to suffer for serving the One who suffered first in our place, out of His amazing love for every single one of us. While on this earth, pain and despair is not far away from any of us, but if we choose to live for Jesus we can endure it all way easier, as He is protecting and helping us out, every time.
Suggested prayer: Thank You precious Lord for giving such a glorious purpose to my life. You created me to shine for You and to bring You praises and glory! I am so blessed to be Your child and to know that I can be with You in the perfect place, called heaven. Thank You so very much for all You do for me here on earth and for what you have prepared for me in heaven. Please help me be always true to You, remaining in You as I know that You will remain in me. I love and praise You dear Lord, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 24th OF JULY
OUR PRESENT SUFFERINGS CANNOT COMPARE WITH THE GLORY THAT IS WAITING FOR US IN HEAVEN
In 2 Corinthians 11:23-33, we read about the tremendous hardships that the apostle Paul went through. After learning all that, to read that He considered that all he suffered in this life is not even worthy to be compared to the glory that God prepared for us for eternity, is amazing. In 2 Corinthians 4:17a, Paul wrote: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment...”
We also know that God took Paul to heaven (2 Corinthians 12) and that together with all the great experiences he had with God and his desire to serve the Lord at any cost, gave him the strength to walk on the narrow path, until the end of his life. We can be encouraged by Paul’s example. If we compare our hardships and troubles with what Paul went through, for most of us, ours are pale in comparison. And none of us, can even dare to compare with what Jesus went through, and He never sinned. While accomplishing God’s plan for his life, Paul was looking forward for the redemption of his body and we should do the same. Jesus wants us to be with Him in heaven, forever.
Suggested prayer: Father God, what an amazing, glorious place You prepared for me, to be my mansion for eternity. Please help me to always remember that no matter what I am going through while on earth, it cannot compare to what You have been going through, paying for my sins, so that I may be forever with You, in the perfect and wonderful heaven. Even if here I have the Holy Spirit living in me, that is just a tiny part of the glory You have prepared for me in heaven. I am so looking forward to the time when I will have the glory, perfect body, that will never sin, get sick or grow old. Thank You with all my heart for all that I am and have in You, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
- For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us… 23 Not only that, but we also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope... - Romans 8:18, 23-24a
In 2 Corinthians 11:23-33, we read about the tremendous hardships that the apostle Paul went through. After learning all that, to read that He considered that all he suffered in this life is not even worthy to be compared to the glory that God prepared for us for eternity, is amazing. In 2 Corinthians 4:17a, Paul wrote: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment...”
We also know that God took Paul to heaven (2 Corinthians 12) and that together with all the great experiences he had with God and his desire to serve the Lord at any cost, gave him the strength to walk on the narrow path, until the end of his life. We can be encouraged by Paul’s example. If we compare our hardships and troubles with what Paul went through, for most of us, ours are pale in comparison. And none of us, can even dare to compare with what Jesus went through, and He never sinned. While accomplishing God’s plan for his life, Paul was looking forward for the redemption of his body and we should do the same. Jesus wants us to be with Him in heaven, forever.
Suggested prayer: Father God, what an amazing, glorious place You prepared for me, to be my mansion for eternity. Please help me to always remember that no matter what I am going through while on earth, it cannot compare to what You have been going through, paying for my sins, so that I may be forever with You, in the perfect and wonderful heaven. Even if here I have the Holy Spirit living in me, that is just a tiny part of the glory You have prepared for me in heaven. I am so looking forward to the time when I will have the glory, perfect body, that will never sin, get sick or grow old. Thank You with all my heart for all that I am and have in You, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 25th OF JULY
JOY IS A CHOICE
We may have true joy, no matter what, only in our Lord! God is always the same and so is His love for us! God would never force us to rejoice or be happy. We are to choose to delight and be glad in Him. Once we have become born-again, our desires started to change and we long to please our Lord more than our flesh or other people. As we have a constant, relationship with Jesus, and we seek His face and opinion about every decision we are to take, we learn that we may have peace and joy even if we go through things that would normally cause us to be upset, worried or frustrated.
How can we rejoice when things are not working out as we would like them to? We can rejoice no matter what, if we understand that our citizenship is in heaven, we do not belong to this world anymore and what troubles us here will end at some point, but the mansion that Jesus prepares for us there, will be ours forever. We need to put things in the right perspective, which is that we belong to Jesus and our main goal in life is to praise and please Him. Once we learn to do that, we are able to accomplish our duties and responsibilities from a position of victory and not defeat.
Suggested prayer: Father God, I am so glad that You created joy and You want me to rejoice in You at all times. I am so blessed to belong to You and to know that You never leave me alone and You always have the best solutions for all my problems. Please help me to communicate with You, all the time, so that my mind stays focused on You and not on what would steal my peace and joy. Praises and glory to Your holy Name, for ever and ever, amen.
- Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! - Philippians 4:4 (AMP)
We may have true joy, no matter what, only in our Lord! God is always the same and so is His love for us! God would never force us to rejoice or be happy. We are to choose to delight and be glad in Him. Once we have become born-again, our desires started to change and we long to please our Lord more than our flesh or other people. As we have a constant, relationship with Jesus, and we seek His face and opinion about every decision we are to take, we learn that we may have peace and joy even if we go through things that would normally cause us to be upset, worried or frustrated.
How can we rejoice when things are not working out as we would like them to? We can rejoice no matter what, if we understand that our citizenship is in heaven, we do not belong to this world anymore and what troubles us here will end at some point, but the mansion that Jesus prepares for us there, will be ours forever. We need to put things in the right perspective, which is that we belong to Jesus and our main goal in life is to praise and please Him. Once we learn to do that, we are able to accomplish our duties and responsibilities from a position of victory and not defeat.
Suggested prayer: Father God, I am so glad that You created joy and You want me to rejoice in You at all times. I am so blessed to belong to You and to know that You never leave me alone and You always have the best solutions for all my problems. Please help me to communicate with You, all the time, so that my mind stays focused on You and not on what would steal my peace and joy. Praises and glory to Your holy Name, for ever and ever, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 26th OF JULY
ONLY IN TRUSTING THE LORD WE MAY FIND TRUE PEACE
- You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation]. Trust [confidently] in the Lord forever [He is your fortress, your shield, your banner], for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages]. - Isaiah 26:3-4 (AMP)
It is truly possible to live in perfect peace, because our Lord wants that for us. But to be able to live a peaceful life, we have to renew our minds, through God’s Word, to be committed and focus on the Lord in all areas of our lives and in behavior. Whenever we do so, we fully trust God for all that we need and go through and we find our secure place in our Lord. In Him, we have not only our hope, but a confident expectation that He will make all things to work together for our benefit in the long term.
The more we repeat in our hearts and declare with our mouths, that God is our fortress, our shield and banner that we can trust confidently and fully, no matter what, the more we believe it and the more peace we may have. God really is the Rock of Ages, He is the Alpha and Omega, has no beginning and no end.
Suggested prayer: Precious Lord, how great it is to trust in You and You alone. There is nothing too hard for You and nothing can take You by surprise, as You know the end from the beginning. You are my fortress and my shield and I can take refuge in You with confident expectation that You will do what is best for me. Dear Lord, You truly are the everlasting Rock of Ages and I can trust in You forever. Glory and praises to Your holy Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 27th OF JULY
CAN WE CONTROL WHAT WE SAY?
- Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. - Proverbs 17:28
It is so beneficial to be able to control our lips. People that talk less, seem wiser, even if they are not. We are created to communicate, but if we do not use our words wisely, they may destroy us. Whoever talks more, errs more than the one who talks less. The opportunity to say more than we should, increases with the number of words we use in conversation.
There are many warnings in the Bible about controlling our lips and being careful with our words. Whatever concerns, worries, upsets or excites us, directs our words. If we want to keep it to ourselves, we need to avoid getting engaged in any conversation, until we are able to control our emotions.
By following the advice to keep our lips shut or talk only when we need to, we may spare ourselves from much trouble. The less we say, the easier it is to avoid later regrets and the chance to hurt other people or even sin. If before we start any conversation, we ask the Holy Spirit to help us say only what He knows we should say, we can improve and do better, even if we are “born to talk.”
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, I need Your help, to be able to control the quantity and quality of the words I use. Please help use the words that build others up and only when, where and to whom You want me to. I cannot do it by myself, so please help me dear Lord to never start a conversation in my own wisdom, but to follow Your leadership. Thank You so very much for all You do for me and for helping me to improve the way I talk too, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 28th OF JULY
DO WE TRY TO PLEASE PEOPLE OR GOD?
- But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel [that tells the good news of salvation through faith in Christ], so we speak, not as [if we were trying] to please people [to gain power and popularity], but to please God who examines our hearts [expecting our best]. - 1 Thessalonians 2:4 (AMP)
For many of us, it is not easy to overcome the temptation to please people, especially if we are friendly and love the company of others. There is a very fine line between doing our best to treat other people right and going over board to please them, even at the cost of not pleasing God. The apostle Paul said it so clearly in his epistle to the Galatians: “Am I now trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).
When we share the Gospel, we need the constant guidance of the Holy Spirit, to present the whole truth without seeking to tell people only what they would like to hear. We might get temporary benefit and popularity by having more people like us, but that would be short lived and come with a high cost. God sees our hearts and in order to please Him, we may encounter people who will hate us, because we tell them the truth and because we truly belong to Jesus, whom they refuse.
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, please help me tell people the Good News of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, in order to please You, not men. Please help me to always care more about what You like than about what people expect from me. I know that while I am faithful to Your truth, You always take care of my needs and bring the right people into my life. Please help me to rejoice in pleasing You and in fulfilling Your will. Thank You and praise You for ever and ever, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 29th OF JULY
IT IS WORTH TO “WALK AN EXTRA MILE” FOR OTHER PEOPLE’S SALVATION
Would this be against what we have read in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 or in Galatians 1:10? No, it is not. Here Paul was saying that he had lived as much as possible, by not doing what he would like, but what would serve the interests of those around him. He said he tried to please all men, by not seeking his own profit, so that people’s hearts would be open to receive the Gospel.
We are to try our best to please God and then to please people, but only in the measure that it would not be a sin against our Lord. In the previous verses, Paul was talking about eating the meat that had been offered to idols and then the pagan priests that received it would give it to be sold on the market. Even if something may not be a sin for the one with strong faith, we should not use the freedom we have in Christ, to cause those that might be weaker Christians to sin, by following our example and ignoring their own convictions. In such cases, it is better to do what helps others.
In eating, drinking and in all we do, we should seek to please and glorify God, helping others to do what is right and not what would please our carnal nature. It is way more valuable to help a soul to be saved than for us to do something that might be a stumbling block for that person.
Suggested prayer: Father God, please help me to pay attention to the people around me and not do something that might cause them to stumble and as a result, to reject You. Please give me wisdom and help me to use self-control, so that I may help the people around me to find You and be saved. Lord please help me not to seek my own profit, but the profit of many, that they might be saved. In Jesus Name, amen.
- Just as I please everyone in all things [as much as possible adapting myself to the interests of others], not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, so that they [will be open to the message of salvation and] may be saved. - 1 Corinthians 10:33 (AMP)
Would this be against what we have read in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 or in Galatians 1:10? No, it is not. Here Paul was saying that he had lived as much as possible, by not doing what he would like, but what would serve the interests of those around him. He said he tried to please all men, by not seeking his own profit, so that people’s hearts would be open to receive the Gospel.
We are to try our best to please God and then to please people, but only in the measure that it would not be a sin against our Lord. In the previous verses, Paul was talking about eating the meat that had been offered to idols and then the pagan priests that received it would give it to be sold on the market. Even if something may not be a sin for the one with strong faith, we should not use the freedom we have in Christ, to cause those that might be weaker Christians to sin, by following our example and ignoring their own convictions. In such cases, it is better to do what helps others.
In eating, drinking and in all we do, we should seek to please and glorify God, helping others to do what is right and not what would please our carnal nature. It is way more valuable to help a soul to be saved than for us to do something that might be a stumbling block for that person.
Suggested prayer: Father God, please help me to pay attention to the people around me and not do something that might cause them to stumble and as a result, to reject You. Please give me wisdom and help me to use self-control, so that I may help the people around me to find You and be saved. Lord please help me not to seek my own profit, but the profit of many, that they might be saved. In Jesus Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 30th OF JULY
THE REWARDS FOR SELF-CONTROL ARE ETERNAL
- Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. - 1 Corinthians 9:24-25
Paul uses a familiar example to the Corinthians and even for us today. The games of Greece had included all kinds of athletic sports and the athletes had certain rules to follow and had to use self-control in all things. Each of those that would be allowed in a competition, would do their very best to win, but even so, only one could make it first at the finish line and receive the prize.
There are important lessons that we may learn from athletes. They have to be disciplined and abstain from all pleasures. They have to train themselves by investing much effort and time, even knowing that they could lose, as only one could win. Even with all that, they still consider it worth it all. How much more should we consider it worth to discipline ourselves and not follow the desires of our carnal nature, but abstain from all sin in order to please God, knowing that we can make it to heaven. Unlike the games of Greek and all sports we can all win and receive the best crown that we cannot lose, as long as we do not quit, but continue to discipline ourselves and live right for our Lord to the end.
Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father, I am so blessed to be Your child! I cannot imagine anything more worthy than to live to please You and bring glory to Your holy Name! It is so much better for me to use the fruit of self-control that You gave me through the Holy Spirit, to abstain from all sin and lusts of the flesh. Obeying all Your commandments is best for me and is the only way for me to live the abundant life that Jesus came for me to have. Thank You so much dear Lord for Your Word, that teaches me how to live right and to please You, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
THE 31st OF JULY
WE CHOOSE TO USE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT AND APPLY SELF-CONTROL
The apostle Paul uses his own conduct as an example for us, his readers. He compares himself with a runner that knows exactly where the finish line is and a boxer that hits his aim.
There is no way to live for Christ and to follow the desires of our fallen carnal nature at the same time. Our carnal nature fights against the Spirit. In Romans 8:13, Paul explains the effects of following the flesh or the Holy Spirit: “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” We have to choose between being enslaved by sin, or us to enslave our bodies, by using self-discipline as we follow the direction of the Holy Spirit.
We need to be serious in our choices to obey God and subdue the lusts of our carnal nature. We cannot do it alone, we need the help of the Holy Spirit, and He is always ready to help us, if we ask Him to. Whenever the Spirit of God warns us that we might sin, we should stop and ask His help to not do it. It is not easy, but it is possible and the more we practice it, the easier it gets. We can truly do all things through the strength we have in Jesus Christ.
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to never forget that my goal is to live right for You and glorify Your Name. Please help me to pay attention to my behavior. Dear Holy Spirit, please help me to listen to Your warnings, to overcome all temptations and do what is right in Your sight. I need Your help so much, step by step, to enslave my carnal nature and to put to death the deeds of the body, so that I may live. Only in You can I have true peace, joy and victory. Thank You dear Lord, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
- Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. - 1 Corinthians 9:26-27
The apostle Paul uses his own conduct as an example for us, his readers. He compares himself with a runner that knows exactly where the finish line is and a boxer that hits his aim.
There is no way to live for Christ and to follow the desires of our fallen carnal nature at the same time. Our carnal nature fights against the Spirit. In Romans 8:13, Paul explains the effects of following the flesh or the Holy Spirit: “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” We have to choose between being enslaved by sin, or us to enslave our bodies, by using self-discipline as we follow the direction of the Holy Spirit.
We need to be serious in our choices to obey God and subdue the lusts of our carnal nature. We cannot do it alone, we need the help of the Holy Spirit, and He is always ready to help us, if we ask Him to. Whenever the Spirit of God warns us that we might sin, we should stop and ask His help to not do it. It is not easy, but it is possible and the more we practice it, the easier it gets. We can truly do all things through the strength we have in Jesus Christ.
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to never forget that my goal is to live right for You and glorify Your Name. Please help me to pay attention to my behavior. Dear Holy Spirit, please help me to listen to Your warnings, to overcome all temptations and do what is right in Your sight. I need Your help so much, step by step, to enslave my carnal nature and to put to death the deeds of the body, so that I may live. Only in You can I have true peace, joy and victory. Thank You dear Lord, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.