SECURITY IN ETERNITY
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalm 18:2)
Daily Devotional:
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalm 18:2)
Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God (Galatians 4:7)
As you consider the importance of your spiritual identity and the spiritual identity of your children, meditate on these passages:
The spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16)
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:26,27)
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6)
By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples (John 15:8)
How can you know if you're being led by the Spirit or the flesh? Very simple - look at your behaviour. If you respond to a given situation by exercising love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, you are following the Spirit's lead (Galatians 5:22,23). If your reactions and responses reflect the deeds of the flesh listed in Galatians 5:19-21, you are following the flesh.
Whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? (Matthew 16:25,26)
Three guidelines from these verses summarize the view from the cross, which we must adopt to counteract the self-centred worldview promoted by the god of this world.
If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him follow Me (Matthew 16:24)
Seeking to overcome self by self-effort is a hopeless struggle. Self will never cast out self, because an independent self-motivated by the flesh still wants to be God. We must follow Christ by being led by the Holy Spirit down the path of death to self-rule. As Paul wrote: "we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Corinthians 4:11).
If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him take up his cross (Matthew 16:24)
If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself (Matthew 16:24)
A primary reason why we struggle to fulfil Christ's Great Commission is because we are guilty of a great omission. We fail to deny ourselves.
Denying yourself is not the same as self-denial. Students, athletes and cult members practice self-denial, restricting themselves from substances and activities that keep them from reaching their goals. But the ultimate purpose of self-denial is self-glorification. The ultimate purpose of denying self is to glorify God.
The serpent said "you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:4,5)
Adam was the first to be tempted by the notion that he could "be like God" (Genesis 3:5), which is the essence of the self-centred worldview that Satan promotes. Satan has seduced millions into believing that they are God. The New Age Movement is promoting this lie on a grand and international scale.
When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth (John 16:13)