Unity In Christ
He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. Ephesians 2:17.
T here are many groups that espouse the brotherhood of man and make appeals on behalf of peace. In times past, mighty leaders such as the Caesars, Constantine, Charlemagne, Napoleon, the czars of the East and the kings of the West each in turn promised peace. But they all failed. Bold schemes for global unity and brotherhood are still proclaimed. It’s always good to work for peace, but true peace will come only when Christ returns to bring lasting peace. He alone transcends the political and social boundaries of the world. But can we know His peace in our own hearts today? Yes. When we are brought into the family of God through the Fatherhood of God, we enjoy the brotherhood of man. God is not our Father automatically when we are born; He must become our Father spiritually. The Bible teaches that we can experience unity through the cross of Jesus Christ because of His perfect obedience to His Father in Heaven. Apart from this, we see only a world filled with bitterness, intolerance, hatred, prejudice, lust, and greed. Within the powerful working of the cross grow love, new life, and true brotherhood. The only human hope for these lies at the cross of Jesus, where all people— no matter what their background of nationality or race— can become one in Christ.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-22 13:27:22.
A Consecrated Life
Hold firmly to the word of life. Philippians 2:16 nlt.
W e live in a hostile world that constantly seeks to pull us away from God, and sometimes its pressures are enormous. Trouble seeks out weak places lives. dam can hold enormous amounts of water back; it can be 99 percent solid, 1 percent is weak, eventually the whole structure may give way. This is why must fortify ourselves by the Word of God. His promises strengthen us and prepare us for times when the dam breaks, whether through the loss of a loved one, illness, mental anguish, or a host of other calamities that assault us. The Bible tells us to put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10– 18). It also tells us that when we are weak, our God is strong and shows Himself to us in remarkable ways, strengthening our faith— even though we live in a dark and sinful world (2 Corinthians 12:9– 10). Worldliness is an inner attitude that puts self at the center of life instead of God. God’s people should live consecrated, Spirit- f illed lives because Christ lives in us and is victorious over the world, the flesh, and the devil. It is the Holy Spirit who goes before us to make our pathway sure. We must lift our eyes above our circumstances and “lay aside . . . the sin which so easily ensnares us . . . looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1– 2). in our A but if we
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-22 13:25:33.
Grounded In Truth
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18.
T he story’s been told of engineers who made plans to construct a suspension bridge over a deep river gorge. The first problem was how to get the heavy cables from one side of the gorge to the other. Helicopters hadn’t been invented, the turbulent river below made it too dangerous to transfer the cables by boat. day, the engineers flew a kite over the gorge and grounded it, which meant two sides of the river were now linked by a thin kite string. They tied a slightly heavier string to one end of the kite string and carefully hauled it across to the other side. Once it was in place they tied a still stronger cord to the end of that string and pulled it across. They repeated this process several more times until eventually they were able to pull the heavy steel cables across the gorge and construct the bridge. By grounding the kite, their work continued with success. Spiritual growth is like the construction of that bridge. Becoming a Christian is the work of a moment; being a Christian is the work of a lifetime, and it must be grounded in God’s truth. God’s will isn’t simply our conversion but our spiritual maturity. Nothing strengthens us more than immersing ourselves in God’s Word, fixing our eyes on Christ, and praying for His guidance. steel and One the
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-22 13:23:40.
Spread The Word
According to His mercy He saved us. Titus 3:5.
T here’s a wonderful story about Paul and Silas in Acts 16:16– 34, who were thrown in a Philippian prison for preaching. Instead of complaining, they sat damp dungeon listening to the groans from others in chains. But the jailer night heard a strange sound that drowned out the wailing. Paul and Silas were having a song service at midnight, praising the name of their great and mighty God. They used their imprisonment to proclaim the news that Jesus had come to free people from the chains of sin. What was Heaven’s response? The prison walls shook on their foundations and crumbled, giving the chance for prisoners to escape. The jailer was about to commit suicide because of a mass escape. Paul glanced in the jailer’s direction and said: “Don’t kill yourself; we’re still here!” The jailer fell upon his face and said, “Sir, what must I do to be saved?” Paul didn’t answer, “Join the church and thou shalt be saved.” Oh no! “Live the best you can and thou shalt be saved.” Oh no! The answer that rang through the jail that night is the same message that’s been ringing down through the centuries: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (v. 30– 31 kjv). It is faith placed in Christ alone that assures the soul is saved, and we are surrounded by those who need to know Christ as Savior.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-22 13:17:58.
Guilt And Forgiveness
Guilt and Forgiveness “I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions.” Isaiah 44:22.
Guilt is inescapable. The Bible proclaims that we all have broken God’s laws. Therefore, guilt rests upon the entire human race. Some people may feel it more intensely than others, but the guilt is there, whether in the conscious or the subconscious realm. It must be dealt with before we can become fulfilled personalities. This is why Jesus died. He shed His blood to purge our dead consciences. So guilt is not all bad, for without it there is nothing to drive a person toward self- examination and toward God’s forgiveness. The human heart is empty; hearts that are not attuned to God will become catch basins for every device of the devil. Satan has control over multitudes whose hearts have never been captured by Jesus Christ. The devil has hundreds of agents writing pornographic literature and producing immoral movies to pollute human minds. He has intellectuals in high positions teaching a hedonistic and permissive philosophy. While the culture has had great success in infiltrating people’s minds, it is possible to overcome. The Bible is filled with testimonies of those who, by God’s grace, were victorious over Satan’s power. John Newton was a slave trader. One day in a storm at sea, he met Jesus Christ and it changed his life forever. He will always be remembered for writing the hymn “Amazing Grace.” No one is beyond the reach of the loving arms of the Savior.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-22 13:05:40.
Our Full Attention
Behold, to obey [the Lord] is better than sacrifice. 1 Samuel 15:22.
Mankind has always worshiped things: status, fame, popularity, people, money, and security. Anything that comes between God and man is idolatry. Many believe that pagan worship is a thing of the past, but it is ever present. We have just given it a new name: pop culture! Daily we are called to make choices. When it comes to whom or what we worship, we have two choices: bow to the things of this world and spiritually die, or bow down before the true God and live. Worship in the truest sense takes place only when our full attention is on God— on His glory, His power, His majesty, His love, His compassion. If people are really honest, this doesn’t happen very often, because even in church or in our times of quiet devotion, we get distracted and fail to see God as He truly is. Those who worship God first of all recognize that God is the Lord, the Sovereign and all- powerful God of the universe. Worship is acknowledging God as Creator. True worship should come from God’s people because He has made them part of His family. We must learn to shut out the distractions that keep us from truly worshiping God. We must turn our minds and hearts to Him every day, praising Him for who He is and what He has done to save lost souls.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-14 14:47:00
Standing Strong
Hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught. Titus 1:9 esv
It’s well and good when a person’s convictions are based upon the “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots” of Scripture rather than individual ideas. The Bible tells us to hold fast the faithful Word of God with sound doctrine. His truth becomes the foundation of everything we believe, and to live by His commandment to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37), He provides the strength to live for Him without compromise, because we’re putting Him first in all things. People generally respect a person of convictions, and many of them wish they the moral stamina to stand alone. But when a Christian compromises, often the ones who cause Christians to compromise will despise them for it. Returning to biblical conversion, faith, and conviction would have a great impact on society, and God gives the strength to individuals to do this. When faith in Christ is anchored in Him alone, men and women can withstand peer pressure. God often gives us an inner conviction or prompting to confirm which way He wants us to go. The prompting comes from the Holy Spirit. When we put Christ first in life, we will be walking with Him every step. May the Lord give added courage for His people to be witnesses for Him, even in hard places. had very
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-14 14:45:13..
Reaching The Lonely
There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24.
Loneliness can bring solitude. The sentry standing duty alone at an outpost, the thousands in mental institutions, and those in solitary confinement in prisons and concentration camps know the meaning of the loneliness of solitude. In his fascinating book Alone , Admiral Richard E. Byrd told about the time he spent in bewildering and soul- shattering darkness. He lived alone in a shack buried in the great glacial ice cap that covers the South Pole. The days were as black as the nights. No living creature existed within a hundred miles. The cold was so intense that he could hear his breath freeze and crystallize as the wind blew it past his ears. But he kept his mind challenged by thinking on good things. There are some who never hear one word of encouragement. Loneliness comes to shut- ins and wealthy society personalities. Some hide behind smiles and others are left with vacant eyes. We may not be able to go to the lonely, but the joy of the lonely receiving handwritten letters in the mail can be better than a spoonful of medicine, especially when the message tells of a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. Jesus Christ is that Friend who wants to come near and abide in the hearts of those who will receive Him as Savior and Lord. Nothing dissolves loneliness like reading God’s love letter, the Bible.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-14 14:41:58.
Our Codebook
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1.
The authoritative source for mankind is the Holy Bible. Its wisdom is both ancient and relevant, historic and prophetic. Above all, it is the Word of God. It is our codebook and its message is the key to life. The Bible has come down to us through the ages. It has passed through so many hands and survived attacks of every kind. Neither barbaric vandalism nor civilized scholarship has touched it. Neither the burning of fire nor the laughter of skepticism has accomplished its annihilation. History recounts the true story of the British and Foreign Bible Society during World War II. When the Germans began bombing the city of Old Warsaw, the wife of the director went to the storeroom and carried some two thousand Bibles to the basement. She was trapped by the bombing and later captured by the Germans and put in a prison camp. She managed to escape, and after the war was over she was able to retrieve the Bibles and distribute them to people in need. Warsaw was flattened, but one wall of the Bible Society remained standing. On it were these words, painted in large letters: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Oh, that people would retrieve their Bibles and open their pages of truth. It’s the indestructible Book written by God Himself.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-14 14:40:20..
Where Fulfillment Is Found
“Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:22.
Mankind is on a great quest from birth. Sometimes many years pass before people realize they are on a constant search for something. Others have felt freed from the need to go on seeking this nameless thing, almost dismissing the quest. Some find fulfillment in marriage and family living. Others achieve fame and fortune in other parts of the world, while many stay close to home and prosper. At a glance it appears they have found their way, leaving those who don’t “find it” forlorn— still asking, seeking, and stumbling along. No one is alone in this quest. All mankind travels the same road, noticing the emptiness that oppresses the world, crying out for guidance, for comfort, and for peace. For generations the human race has been on the great quest, trying every pathway. One path is political freedom. When found it still does not achieve a better world. Another hopeful path is education, and many put complete faith in it, since it seems a sensible path to travel. We are the most informed society in the history of civilization, yet the most confused. The solution to satisfying this great quest is putting faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the blessed hope. Do not cease to seek out the Lord, for you will find Him and be satisfied.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-14 14:38:19.
The Heart Of God
O LORD , You have searched me and known me. Psalm 139:1
The word heart is used in different ways all through Scripture. The Bible says that man looks on the outward appearance but God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). When God looks at man He doesn’t look at the color of his skin or what kind of house he lives in. The Bible says simply that God looks upon the heart to see what we are on the inside— the thoughts, motives, and intents of the heart. The Bible speaks of the heart that is full of evil imaginations. It tells us that our hearts are deceitful and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Jesus said in Matthew 15:8 that our hearts are far from Him. The Bible says that our hearts are dark (Romans 1:21) and rebellious (Jeremiah 5:23). God’s Word also informs us that our hearts can become hardened (Hebrews 3:15). That’s the bad news. Now here is the good news. God knows our hearts and searches our hearts. When we open our hearts to Him and read His Word, He reveals His heart to us. Christ revealed His heart to us on the cross when He shed His blood to cleanse mankind from the stain and destruction of sin that has darkened the hearts of people. His pure heart, His perfect heart, His glorious heart, His loving heart, His tender heart, His compassionate heart, calls out to us today.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-14 14:13:15.
The Search For Freedom
“The Spirit of the Lord G od is upon Me, because the L anointed Me . . . to proclaim liberty to the captives.” Isaiah 61:1.
People seek freedom in various ways, not realizing that the freedom they seek is often the pathway to bondage. Einstein said, “I feel like a man chained. If only I could be free from the shackles of my intellectual smallness, then I could understand the universe in which I live.” My, what insight into a man who is considered one of the most brilliant minds. Freedom for the scientist, he thinks, is found in seeking truth about the physical universe. The philosopher tries to discover truth about human existence. The psychologist looks for truth about the action and reaction of the human mind. At the end of his life, Buddha said, “I am still searching for truth.” We say we want freedom from prejudice, freedom from ignorance, and freedom from poverty. We even say we’re searching for religious freedom; yet even in America there are groups that want to throw out religious symbols. They wish to be free from bondage while throwing away the symbols that speak of true freedom. Jesus is Truth— a ll psychological truth, all sociological truth, all scientific truth, all philosophical truth, all religious truth (John 14:6). He came to deliver the most freeing message of all and to rescue mankind from bondage and bring peace and freedom to weary souls.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-14 13:59:22.
A Spirit Of Discernment
“Take heed that no one deceives you.” Matthew 24:4.
Many years ago a distinguished Methodist minister was preaching on sin. Some deacons approached him afterward and said, “We don’t want you to talk so plainly about sin; if you do, our people will more easily become sinners. Call their sin mistakes if you will, but do not call their mistakes sin.” The minister picked up a small bottle and showed it to the group of deacons. bottle was clearly marked “Poison.” “Would you like me to change the label?” minister asked. “I can mark that this strychnine is the essence of peppermint make you feel better, but if you take it you will still die. Don’t you see that the milder you make the label, the more dangerous you make the poison?” Satan is the great deceiver. He is crafty and clever, disguising his lies as truth. For his deceptions to be successful, they must be so cunningly devised that his real purpose is concealed. This is manifested even in the spirits of people. We see ourselves as self- sufficient, self- important, and self- sustaining. God sees us as dependent, self- centered, and self- deceived. One of Satan’s greatest feats is to portray evil as good. But it is the people who listen and follow his pathway that will ultimately pay the awful price. Jesus came to rescue us from Satan’s terrible grip. We must pray for God to give the spirit of discernment. The the to
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-09 14:58:50.
The Giver Of Hope
My flesh also will rest in hope. Psalm 16:9.
Good things can come out of bad situations. While it is wise to be realistic, we must be careful not to dampen the spirit of hope due to lack of faith in what God wants to accomplish in each person’s life. After all, hope is a gift. What is hope? Some equate it to a fanciful wish. But the word explodes with confidence to believe in something greater than ourselves. Hope is not found in things but in God who is the Giver of hope. We know that darkness does not remain, for the sun breaks through the night. God is the Light and creates the light, whether in the flicker of a flame, a sunray, a moonbeam, or the twinkle of the stars. And the flicker of life in the soul is hope. A contemporary philosopher, the late Richard Rorty, claimed that hope placed in the promise of Jesus Christ returning to Earth has failed because He has not returned. This philosopher believed a new document of promise is needed for hope to exist again. But there is a document of promise that has never grown old. It is new every morning. The Bible says that Jesus is the very hope that lies within. He is our only hope. Hope is an unseen commodity that pays dividends while we still live. God bless those who live in hope and with hope.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-09 14:56:12.
God’s Love For Sinners
He knows the secrets of every heart. Psalm 44:21 nlt
Sin presents itself in the mind, manifests itself in word and deed, and is hidden in the hearts of everyone. It will overtake the man and woman who refuse to believe it and will conquer them. The Bible says that the whole world is a prisoner of sin. Sin has crippled human nature, but God has provided the cure. There is no sin that the blood of Jesus Christ cannot cleanse. And that’s good news indeed for a culture that still doesn’t know what to do with sin. All the distress, bitterness, heartache, shame, and tragedy can be summed up in the three- letter word sin . Its meaning— to fall short of God’s standard and to do contrary to God’s law— has an impact on every soul. The world’s system claims that the notion of sin is old- fashioned. People “in” the world prove that claim erroneous. A national newspaper quoted a sociologist who admitted, “Secular people still believe there’s sin, judgment, and punishment.” Sin is definitely “in” and it is “in” every single heart that beats. The truth is that everyone is born in sin. While some may not think of themselves as sinners, God does. He hears every word we utter; He knows the hidden things. But He loves sinners more than we love sin. There is no greater love than what Jesus offers every person ever born.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-09 14:54:39.
Healthy Roots
Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:17 nlt
Some neighbors planted a young plum tree thinking it would shade a corner of their home. Instead, it was struck with blights and would lean until its branches touched the ground in any strong wind. No matter how they staked it, it would not stand tall against the elements. When examined, the tree had never taken root because it had been planted close to a downspout. The roots never stretched beyond its infant root ball to find water. Contrast this with another sapling planted in a different environment but on the same property. The sapling was able to reach up for sun and out for water and its roots had room to grow— it was not bound by its environment. After our roots of faith are planted in the fertile ground of truth, we should grow in understanding God’s Word with the help of His Spirit, and through prayer and fellowship with other believers. Only with a deep root system can we endure the storms of life. This prepares us for things ahead. If believers stay entrenched in things that pull them down or are motivated to please others, it will stunt their growth and render them ineffective. We mustn’t plant ourselves in an environment that causes us to fall. We must grow in the things of God and apply His truth to everything we do.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-09 14:52:35.
Empowered
I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. Psalm 17:15.
All those who know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior will see Him in all His splendor and glory. In His Sermon on the Mount, He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). What a promise this is. But we do not have to wait to know His power. He gives it to us while we live: a supernatural power to overcome temptations, to smile through tears, to experience joy despite life’s burdens. His Spirit raises us up from the mundane, the monotonous, and the hopelessness that we encounter on Earth. He brings us out of spiritual lifelessness and transforms us day by day. Imagine plugging in to such power as this— the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. He calls us to follow Him and to serve Him, and He does not do that without enabling us. When we work in our own power, we struggle. With Christ, though, all things are possible, and He enables us to do His will. What a reversal there would be in our culture’s deteriorating morals. What a lessening of tensions we would see in individuals, groups, and even nations! What a new purpose and power we would experience if we caught the wonder of the biblical truth that Jesus is alive!
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-09 14:50:00.
Be Filled With The Truth
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 nlt T he Bible says, “The entirety of [God’s] word is truth” (Psalm 119:160). God calls on mankind to believe His Word, by faith. Face- to- face, Pontius Pilate confronted Jesus, asking, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37). Truth is timeless. Truth does not differ from one age to another, from one person to another, from one geographical location to another. Even if truth is unpopular, that does not mean that it should not be proclaimed. Humans are emotional beings, but emotions can deceive us. When truth is mixed with error there is always compromise. We need to counter our emotions with the pure truth of God’s Word. If our minds and hearts are not filled with God’s truth, something else will take its place: cynicism, occultism, false religions and philosophies, drugs— the list is endless. It is far better to know God’s truth than to be ignorant of it. While Pilate declared that he found no fault in Jesus, neither is there indication that he ever accepted the truth that Jesus proclaimed. Don’t make the same mistake.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-09 03:51:11.
The Problem With Sin
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23.
When we look at our own goodness, we tend to get sidetracked by the fact that mankind is weighed down by its own sin. When one does something good for another, that person can take advantage of that goodness because of his or her own sin. It doesn’t change the fact that something good was done; it simply highlights the fact that man’s heart by nature is evil. For humans, there is a mystery about sin. But God has revealed answers through the Bible and through Jesus. We must always start “at the beginning.” Man rebelled against God after God given man a perfect environment. Man said, “I don’t need You, God. I can build world without You.” Rebellion against God is sin. When mankind took that position, suffering entered the world. Remember, Satan is the author of sin. Sin is the reason we have afflictions, including death. This is why Jesus came. To give us new life. For those who belong to the Lord, we have the privilege of demonstrating more than human love. “Love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great” (Luke 6:35). This is a difficult message, but not if we pray first and ask the Lord to guide us in all that we do, that His name may be known. had my
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-09 03:47:21.
Loneliness
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 A few years ago a beautiful young Hollywood star ended her life. She left behind a note with a brief message— she was unbearably lonely. One of the most sought- after box- office draws felt alone. Then there is the story of Queen Victoria of England. After the death of her husband, she said, “There is no one left to call me Victoria.” Even a queen knew what it meant to be lonely. Then there is the poor person living in a dingy apartment who never receives a phone call or letter or a word of encouragement. There are children isolated in orphanages. The loneliness of solitude affects individuals and whole societies. The world can be a harsh and sometimes cruel environment, especially when focus on ourselves. No one can understand loneliness like Jesus Christ. He “despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). But Jesus did not only come to identify with mankind’s griefs, He came to destroy the grief of sin, the grief of disappointment, and the grief of loneliness. Because Jesus willingly bore the pain and paid the price to redeem our sinful natures, we can have full fellowship with Him forever. Reach out to others who may have never known acceptance, and great blessing will come. we was
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : A 365-Day Devotional, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-04-01 04:19:08.