"How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. . . . Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee" ( Ps. 119:9 ,  11 ). Scripture is the source of spiritual victory. Many Christians struggle with spiritual defeat or recurring sins because they haven't learned to apply biblical principles to specific situations. Perhaps they don't know God's will because they haven't matured in the Word. Or maybe they know what He expects of them but disregard His counsel. In either case, the result is the same. Jesus Himself repelled Satan's attacks by quoting specific portions of Scripture that applied to specific temptations ( Matt. 4:1-11 ). He knew the Word, believed it, and refused to compromise its principles. In so doing He set a pattern for us to follow. Using metaphorical language, the apostle John emphasized the priority of the Word when he described three levels of spiritual maturity: children, young men, and fathers. In  1 John 2:13  he says, "I have written to you, children, because you know the Father." Spiritual children aren't yet mature in their faith, but they know who their Heavenly Father is. They know they belong to God. John continues: "I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one" (v. 14). Spiritual young men are healthy, vibrant, and aggressive because the Word abides in them—it has found a home in their hearts. They're victorious over the evil one because their doctrine is sound and they've cultivated spiritual wisdom and discernment ( Phil. 1:9 ). They recognize Satan's lies and reject them. First John 2:14  says, "I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning." Spiritual fathers have a deep, mature relationship with God that comes from prolonged time in prayer and the Word. Which of those terms best describes you: spiritual child, young man, or father? What specific things can you do today to move toward a more mature and victorious Christian life? Suggestions for Prayer Ask God to help you love Him more deeply and know His Word more completely. Therein is the key to spiritual victory. For Further Study Memorize  Psalm 119:11 . Recite it often as a reminder of the priority of hiding God's Word in your heart. From  Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187,  www.crossway.com .

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” ( Psalm 51:2 ). True confession involves a proper understanding of sin. King David was a man after God’s own heart ( 1 Sam. 13:14 ). He was far from perfect, however. He was not an effective father ( 1 Kings 1:5-6 ), nor did he always trust God ( 1 Sam. 21:10—22:1 ). But by far his greatest failings were his horrible sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband ( 2 Sam. 11—12 ). After Nathan the prophet confronted him with his sin, David poured out his heart in confession to God. During the next three days, we will learn from that prayer ( Ps. 51 ) some key marks of true confession. Confession, first of all, involves a right view of sin. In Psalm 51 David summarized the biblical view of sin. First, sin deserves judgment. In verse 1 David pleaded, “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my transgressions.” True confession must begin with an admission of guilt. Second, sin demands cleansing. In verse 2 David asked God to cleanse him from the guilt of his sin. Since God’s “eyes are too pure to approve evil” and He cannot “look on wickedness with favor” ( Hab. 1:13 ), only those cleansed from their sins can enter His presence. True confession acknowledges the defilement sin causes, and it pleads for God’s cleansing ( 1 John 1:7 ,  9 ). Third, sin is our responsibility. Unlike Adam ( Gen. 3:12 ) and Eve ( Gen. 3:13 ), David accepted full responsibility for his sin. In verses 1 and 3 he referred to his sins as “my transgressions.” True confession does not blame others for sin. Fourth, all sin is ultimately against God. David admitted that when he said to God, “Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned” (v. 4). True confession recognizes God as the supreme Lawgiver. Fifth, sin is part of human nature. “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,” David acknowledged in verse 5, “and in sin my mother conceived me.” David accepted the biblical teaching of total depravity—that all men inherit Adam’s sin ( Rom. 5:12 ). True confession looks inward for the cause of sin, not to external factors. Does your confession reflect a right view of sin? Suggestions for Prayer Praise God that He doesn’t keep a record of your sins ( Ps. 130:3-4 ). For Further Study Why is acknowledging sin important ( Josh. 7:19 )? From  Strength for Today  by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187,  www.crossway.com .

I ALSO DO MY BEST TO MAINTAIN ALWAYS A BLAMELESS CONSCIENCE BOTH BEFORE GOD AND BEFORE MEN. ACTS 24:16 Folklore advises, "Let your conscience be your guide." This has serious limitations since our conscience is a function of our mind. Having been conformed to this world, the conscience can be programmed wrongly. It is always true to its own standard. Until we come to Christ, the standard is the world system in which we were raised. Many people are falsely guided by a guilty conscience—not a true guilt, but a psychological guilt usually developed in early childhood. Satan works through this stronghold to accuse the brethren day and night (Revelation 12:10). People like this are usually perfectionists who labour under condemnation, even though the Bible says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). They aren't led; they are driven. They constantly look for affirmation. They have a tendency to be man-pleasers. Paul said, "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). If you are striving to please men, of whom are you a bondservant? Since our minds were conformed to this world, we need to renew them in such a way that what we believe is in accordance with truth. Chapter 14 of Romans deals with how we should walk in regard to non-moral issues. Paul says, "The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves" (Romans 14:22). However, we are to restrict our freedom if it causes a weaker brother to stumble. We never have the right to violate another person's conscience. Paul says, "I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men" (Acts 24:16). Be very cautious about going against your own conscience once you are committed to Christ. The Holy Spirit does work through our consciences as He seeks to renew our minds. A PRAYER FOR TODAY Thank You, Lord, that my mind and conscience can be renewed daily through the power of Your Word.

SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH. JOHN 17:17 Jesus had defeated the work of Satan. He had “disarmed the powers and authorities” and “made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15). Christ’s sacrifice for our sins signaled the end of the story for the devil. Yet we still live in a fallen world, and until Christ returns and casts Satan into the lake of fire (see Revelation 20:1-15), we will face many hardships as we live out our stories on earth. Just before Jesus departed this world to be with the Father, He prayed for all the believers, saying, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:15-17). God’s Word is a lamp for our feet and a light on our path (see Psalm 119:105). It is the only infallible truth that can set us free, serve as the basis for our sanctification, and protect us from deception. The apostle Paul instructed Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In this passage, Paul explains the purpose for God’s Word. First, the written Word is “God-breathed,” or inspired, by the Lord. The Holy Spirit guided the men who wrote it so that their writings were without error (see 2 Peter 1:20-21). God’s Word is also profitable for teaching. In making this statement, Paul was saying that the Bible is a source of authority for teaching—that it contains sound doctrine . The Word of God provides guidance for ethical instruction (see 1 Timothy 1:9-20) and enables believers to mature in Christ. A follower of Christ “must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9). When correctly taught and applied, the Word of God will rebuke, correct, train us to live righteously and thoroughly equip us for every good work. Sin will keep us from God’s Word, but God’s Word will keep us from sinning. His Word will rebuke us when we are wrong and correct us so we don’t do it again—all with the purpose of enabling us to live righteously. God never intended His Word to be discussed on a purely intellectual level and not put into practice. Rather, “the word of God is alive and active . . . it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). The danger is thinking the word of God is profitable for teaching and training in competence, instead of training in righteousness. That bypasses the reproof and correction that is necessary for repentance. Information without transformation is malformation. People may become more knowledgeable when that happens, but not necessarily more mature. Scripture emphasizes being before doing, character before career, and maturity before ministry. We can’t be the people God created us to be unless His Word penetrates our hearts and transforms our lives. When that happens we become “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER Review 2 Timothy 3:10-17. What kinds of trials did Paul face while serving the Lord? What promise does Paul make to Timothy about trials? How can we be kept from the evil one? In what ways will the Bible equip you to do the work of God? How can you get beyond an intellectual knowledge of the Bible to total transformation? In regard to the Church, the first concern of our Lord is that we be kept from evil. How well do you think you and others are equipped to stand against the evil forces?

WALK WITH THE WISE AND BECOME WISE, FOR A COMPANION OF FOOLS SUFFERS HARM.PROVERBS 13:20 How much can we accomplish in the kingdom of God when we operate by ourselves? Nothing! How much can we accomplish in this present Church Age if we do nothing and expect God to do everything? Nothing! God has committed Himself to work through the Church. We have the privilege to water and plant in God’s kingdom, “but God it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Nothing grows without God, but nothing grows if we don’t water and plant. The fact that nobody hears unless a preacher is sent (see Romans 10:14-15) illustrates the same principle. God could have chosen to bypass the Church, but He has chosen to work through us. It is His intention that we walk together, and Jesus has provided the perfect example of how that works. Jesus was a carpenter during His youth, and His handiwork later became useful metaphors for His ministry. Carpenters didn’t frame houses in those days; they fashioned doors and yokes out of wood. A yoke is a heavy wooden beam that fits over the shoulders of two oxen. The yoke can only work if two oxen are in it and are pulling together. For the purpose of training, a young ox is yoked to an older ox that has “learned obedience from what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). The young ox will be tempted to stray off to the left or to the right, but the old ox stays on the right path. The young ox may think the pace is too slow and try running ahead, but all he gets is a sore neck. Slowly, the young ox begins to realize the old ox knows how to walk. The pace is right and the course is true, so he decides to learn from him. “Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:30-31, NASB ). Being yoked with Jesus does not mean we sit around thinking pious thoughts expecting God to do it all. Nor does it mean running around in endless activities trying to do it all by ourselves. It is a walk with the only One who knows the way, who is the truth and has the life to make it possible. In Him we find rest for our souls, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light (see Matthew 11:29-30). What would we learn from Jesus if we walked with Him? We would learn to take one day at a time and trust God for tomorrow (see Matthew 6:25-34). We would learn the priority of relationships. We would learn to love people and use things—instead of loving things and using people. We would learn what it means to be compassionate. Jesus said, “Go and learn with this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’” (Matthew 9:13). This passage in Matthew 11:28-30 is the only place in the Bible where Jesus describes Himself, and He says, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (verse 29). With all the harshness and vulgarity surrounding us in this fallen world, we have been invited to walk with the gentle Jesus. Imagine that! QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER Why shouldn’t we ask or expect God to do all the work in the kingdom? Why do we try to build God’s kingdom for Him instead of waiting on the Lord? What is the practical significance of being yoked to Jesus? How does that work? What is your tendency as a young Christian when yoked together with God? To run on ahead? To drop out? To stray off to the left of right? Is being yoked together with God a liberating or binding concept to you? Why?

ALL THIS IS FROM GOD, WHO RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF THROUGH CHRIST AND GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.2 CORINTHIANS 5:18 As born-again believers, we are all new creations in Christ. Although we may not always feel like it or act like it, Scripture clearly teaches that we have a new identity: we are children of God (see 1 John 3:1-3) and no longer children of wrath (see Ephesians 2:1-3). This immediate spiritual transformation and continuing growth will be easier for us to understand if we are familiar with a particular agricultural technique that is used in the semitropical climate zones where a frost can severely damage citrus crops. In these regions, horticulturists have learned to use the bitter-tasting ornamental orange as rootstock because it can take a moderate freeze without damage. When the ornamental orange tree has grown to the right stage, they cut the stem just above the ground and graft in a sweet orange, such as a navel orange. The new growth above the graft has a new nature. Nobody looks at a navel orange grove and says, “Actually, all those trees are nothing but rootstock.” They were at one time, but they no longer are. Now, people identify the orchard by the type of fruit the trees are bearing. The same is true for us. Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16). Believers are identified for who they are “in Christ,” not for who they were “in Adam.” “Suckers,” or small green sprouts, can continue to grow from the old roots, but they need to be trimmed off. If they are allowed to grow, they will divert the growth of the tree away from the new graft. In the same way, the gardener cuts off every branch that does not bear fruit and prunes every branch that is bearing fruit so it may bear even more (see John 15:2). We have been grafted into Christ, and He will prune away our old nature that doesn’t bear fruit. This transformation from who we were “in Adam” to whom we are now “in Christ” may be summarized as follows: In Adam: Old self (Col.3:9) by birth In Christ: New self (Col. 3:10) In Adam: Sin nature (Eph. 2:1-3) by nature In Christ: Participate in the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4) In Adam: Live according to the sinful nature (flesh; Rom. 8:5a) by choice In Christ: Live in accordance with the Spirit or flesh (Rom. 8:5b; Gal. 5:13-23) The apostle Paul consistently identifies the believer according to who they are in Christ and never identifies them by their old nature/flesh. “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh” (2 Corinthians 5:16, ESV ). In other words, we shouldn’t perceive other believers as natural people who derive their identity from their physical origin and natural existence. Returning to the tree illustration, that which grows above the graft has only one nature, but the total tree has two natures (rootstock and navel). The believer still lives in a mortal body and is confronted with the choice of living according to the old sinful nature (flesh) or living according to the Spirit. However, the apostle Paul says, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24). We are new creations in Christ, and we belong to Him. Someday, we will leave our physical body, receive a resurrected body and live forever—with only one righteous nature—in the presence of God. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER When a navel orange is grafted into an ornamental orange, the tree takes on a new identity. How is the same true when we are grafted into Christ? Small green sprouts called “suckers” can divert the growth of a tree from the new graft. How is this similar to what can happen in our lives? Why shouldn’t believers identify themselves as sinners, alcoholics, addicts, co-dependents, and the like? In what way is God pruning your life so that you may bear more fruit? What labels have you worn that are not consistent with who you really are?

JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND FOREVER. MATTHEW 13:8 The psalmist wrote, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). Faith is dependent on its object. To say that you should walk by faith begs the question, “Faith in what?” You cannot have faith in faith. Jesus Christ is the only legitimate object of our faith, for two reasons. First, we can trust in Jesus because of the witness of those who have chosen to believe in Him. Trusting in Christ results in our becoming new creations and believing that the truth sets us free. The writer of Hebrews says, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7). He doesn’t say we should imitate what they do or say. If their lives demonstrate what they believe, then we should imitate what they believe, because what we do or say is just a product of what we have chosen to believe. People don’t always live according to what they profess, but they always live according to what they believe. The second and primary reason Jesus is the ultimate object of our faith is that He never changes. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). We learn to trust people who are true to their word and trust in things that have proven to be consistent. The most universally accepted faith object is the fixed order of the universe. We set our clocks and make plans according to the calendars. The world would be thrown into chaos if the rotation of the sun and moon suddenly changed. If we have that much confidence in the sun, why not in the Son who spoke the universe into existence and sustains all things by His powerful Word (see Hebrews 1:3)? It takes time to establish trust in something or someone, because the process of building faith requires consistent and continuous behavior demonstrated over time. That is why human relationships are so fragile. It may take months or years to establish a great degree of trust in another person, but one act of unfaithfulness can destroy it. We can choose to forgive those who have betrayed us, but it often takes a long time to regain the trust that has been lost. If God were to change or if His Word proved to be false, He would no longer be a legitimate object of our faith. Centuries of human history have proven that the nature of God is eternally consistent, as is His Word. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18). In other words, heaven and earth will pass away before the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet will disappear from God’s Word or be altered in any way. Critics have hammered on this anvil for centuries. The hammers and those who wield them have fallen away, but the anvil of God’s Word remains the same. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER How does the witness of those who have chosen to believe in Christ demonstrate that we can completely trust in Him? How does the fact that Jesus never changes enable us to put our trust in Him? How has the record of history proven God to be completely reliable? In what ways are you imitating the faith of godly people in your life? People always live according to what they believe. What are your actions saying about the object of your faith?

SO I SAY, WALK BY THE SPIRIT, AND YOU WILL NOT GRATIFY THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH. GALATIANS 5:16 One of the most dangerous heresies that confronted the Early Church in the second century was Gnosticism. The Gnostics taught that the spirit is good and that matter is evil. Therefore, our natural bodies are evil, but God is good because He is a Spirit. Salvation comes by special knowledge ( gnosis is Greek for “knowledge”) that enables us to escape from the body. The Gnostics denied the fact that Christ came in the flesh. Anyone who did not acknowledge Jesus as coming in the flesh was a deceiver (see 1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 1:7). Some people influenced by Gnosticism taught that Jesus only seemed to have a body—a heretical view called Docetism. Others held that the “divine Jesus” joined the “man Jesus” at His baptism and left before the “man Jesus” died—a heresy called Cerinthianism. Because the body was evil, it was to be treated harshly. The term “flesh” has many meanings in Scripture. In some instances it refers to the physical body. At times it refers to the whole person. John said of Jesus, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). In such uses there is no concept of sinfulness or evil. Jesus never sinned, and His body was never evil. The common thread for all the uses of the word “flesh” is the idea of weakness or a transitory nature. Compared to the spirit, which denotes life and power, the flesh is weak. It is this concept of weakness that has contributed to the use of the term “flesh” for that which is sinful or contrary to God. Humans, as flesh, are not only frail as creatures but also frail morally. Apart from God, humans are no match for the power of sin and consequently come under its bondage. The use of the word “flesh” in reference to humankind’s propensity to sin is prominent in the New Testament (this is translated in the New International Version as “old nature” or “sin nature” in such cases). It may be defined as existence apart from God. It represents our “old nature” before coming to Christ when we were “in Adam” or “in the flesh.” Paul wrote, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit , if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:8-9, NASB, emphasis added). In that one verse, Paul described the Trinity, interchanging “Spirit of God” with “Spirit of Christ.” Because all believers are “in Christ,” they are also “in the Spirit.” In Galatians 5:17, Paul wrote, “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another” ( NASB ). They are in opposition because the Holy Spirit and God the Father are one. The flesh is self-centered and functions independently of God. The flesh seeks life on human terms and standards rather than on God’s. Our bodies are not sinful, but our minds retain certain flesh patterns that we learned before we came to Christ. In addition, we still have certain physical cravings that we have to subdue. Satan will work through those mental flesh patterns and cravings enticing us to live independently of God. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER What was Gnosticism? How did it represent a problem for the Early Church? What does the term “flesh” mean in Scripture? How can you know whether you are living according to the flesh or living according to the Spirit? Why do you still have the propensity to sin? Do you believe you have the power to say no to sin? Why or why not? How can you manage self-control if it is a fruit of the Spirit?

FOR AS IN ADAM ALL DIE, SO IN CHRIST ALL WILL BE MADE ALIVE. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:22 Eve was deceived, but Adam willfully sinned against the Lord. Adam knew what he was doing and made a conscious choice to disobey his Creator. As a result of his actions, “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). The Bible clearly tells us that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Sin separates us from a holy God, which is spiritual death; and because we no longer have His life to sustain us, it also leads to physical death. Each of us is destined to die once, and after that we will face judgment (see Hebrews 9:27). God had clearly warned Adam that he would die if he disobeyed Him, but Adam did not remain alert to the dangers of sin. Centuries later, the people would station watchmen at the highest parts of the city to warn the inhabitants of coming danger. God told prophets such as Ezekiel that they were to serve as spiritual watchmen, warning the people that He would hold them accountable for not keeping His law. He said, “When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways . . . I will hold you accountable for their blood” (Ezekiel 3:18). In order to understand holiness, we must first understand sin. However, this is difficult for us to grasp because we all have sinned and live in an environment affected by sin. Other than Christ, nobody has ever experienced perfect holiness, so it is hard for us to discern the difference between society’s norms and genuine righteousness. We are continually exposed to sin and learn to tolerate it, which causes our awareness of what is truly sinful to grow dull. Furthermore, none of us has experienced the full weight of the consequences for our sins. If we had, we might choose a different course. Satan did not make Adam sin. God had created Adam in His image and given him the capacity to choose whether or not to obey His commands. Adam failed to keep watch and sinned of his own free will, and for this reason he became responsible for the presence and consequences of sin in the world. We, like Adam, have also sinned, and we must bear the consequences of that sin. Spiritual death silences every attempt we might make to transfer, even partially, our guilt to Satan, by whom man was first tempted. God has authentic freedom and cannot sin, and He created Adam and Eve with a freedom that was dependent on Him. The concept of freedom lies at the very heart of God. As long as Adam and Eve refrained from sin, they could freely live. Disobedience results in bondage to sin. Freedom is more than the exercise of choice; it is always related to the consequences of that choice. Paul wrote, “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). Adam and Eve ultimately lost their freedom and their lives because of the lies they believed and the sin they willfully committed. Thankfully, neither sin nor death has the final word. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: Read Genesis 3:6-7. Why did Adam choose to sin? How can we be deceived into thinking that we are living a righteous life when in reality we aren’t? What does it mean that “everything that does not come from faith is sin?” How can we train ourselves to consider the short-term and long-term consequences of our choices What will be the impact on society when nobody has to suffer the consequences of poor choices, and how will that affect their path toward maturity?

“After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the Lord, ‘Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?’ The Lord said, ‘Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.’ And Judah said to Simeon his brother, ‘Come up with me in the territory allotted to me, that we may fight against the Canaanites. And I likewise will go with you into the territory allotted to you.’ So Simeon went with him” (Judges 1:1-3).   Have you ever felt alone in what your are trying to accomplish? Many pastors and lay ministers feel alone in their role because of the expectations that are put upon them for their ministry. Sometimes people expect our spiritual leaders to be perfect people, above the fray, better than everyone else. Once, when I shared a popular joke on social media a friend of mine wrote to me and said, “I thought that you were better than that.” In embarrassment I took the joke down, but also felt unjustly criticized.   When we engage in reaching others for Christ God does not want us to be alone. We need the support and partnership of others if we are to be successful in whatever ministry God has called us too. Just like Judah and Simeon, they did not engage in their conquests alone. They partnered with each other to realize the dream of a land God would give them. Partnerships are important. Event the apostle Paul did not do things alone. He traveled with others like Barnabas and Silas. He wrote his letters with the help of others. In fact, when God called him into ministry, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart Barnabas and Saul to the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2).   Whether you are criticized or praised, don’t do your work alone. We need each other. There are no Lone Ranger Christians.   Memory Verse   “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (I Corinthians 12:27).   Application   Do you feel like you have no help? Seek out others with a similar heart as yours and recruit their help, or offer to help them in their ministry. Partnerships are intentional. Be intentional in working with others.

“[Judah] went against the inhabitants of Debir…And Caleb said, ‘He who attacks Kiribati-shepherd and captures it, I will give him Achsah my daughter for a wife.’ And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it. And he gave him Achsah his daughter for a wife” (Judges 1:11-13).   What is the first thing you think of when you read that passage? You know what occurs to me? How could a man treat his daughter like a commodity, like something to be traded, like goods bought and sold? Sometimes we read passages like this and think that the ancient peoples of these times regarded women as cattle. In fact, that’s not really the case.   Caleb was not pawning off his daughter like a prize to the most powerful warrior. To be sure, he was offering a prize, but it was a prize that he prized greatly. Elsewhere we learned that Caleb valued his daughter and listened to her. So what was Caleb doing? He was offering the daughter he prized to the one God would use to capture land that God had promised. She was a prize of great value to be given to a man also of great value.   There is, in this passage, of picture of Christ. God has offered us a great prize in his Son, Jesus. Except that it is Jesus who has conquered and God gives him us as the prize for his victory on the cross and resurrection from the dead. So, not only is Jesus a prize to us, but we are also regarded as a prize to him.   One of my favorite passages is in II Corinthians 5:19, “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself.” That little word reconcile, is a financial term. It literally means, “An exchange of equal value.” Did you catch that? God considers you as of equal value to his own sinless son. Yes, you are a sinner. Yes, you deserve death and hell for eternity. Yet, God has traded Jesus for you, and given you to one another. Just like Caleb who valued his daughter so highly, so too, God values you.   Memory Verse   “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself” (II Corinthians 5:19).   Application   What do you have that you can surrender to God as an act of faith and love, demonstrating that you want to give yourself completely to Jesus? How about trusting God with more than your life, but with your family’s lives as well?

“And the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negev near Arad, and they went and settled with the people” (Judges 1:16). I have a friend who lived in New Mexico but decided he needed to find better opportunities for work, so he moved his family to Texas. His best friend then did something remarkable. They were so close that his best friend decided to leave his job and also move his family with him to Texas so they could be together, friends together, no matter where, no matter what.   Moses’ father-in-law once visited him when he was leading Israel out of Egypt. But when Moses asked him to come with him to the promised land, he declined, But over time, his descendent joined the people of Israel, as we read in today’s passage, and lived in the promised land with them, as if they were of their people.   God doesn’t want us going to Heaven alone. He wants us to take others with us—our friends, our family, our associates. God has great blessings in store for those who love him. And he wants us to share that love and blessing that we have received so that others will experience it as well. Who would you want to settle with you in your place in Heaven?   Memory Verse   “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20).   Application   The only way you can get others to come to Heaven with you is to tell them about the work of Jesus on the cross for them. Be intentional in your relationships with those who don’t know Christ. Look for natural opportunities to share God’s love with them in both your actions and your speech.