Our Confidence

Being afraid of the dark may not be something we struggle with now, but being alone in any situation can cause uncertainty. We were not created to be alone, but that doesn’t mean we won’t face situation alone, and many of us can feel alone even in a large family. When we face these kind of situations we can give into fear, and there is danger here. Fear can control our lives, our decisions and actions, even effecting our loved ones. But we are not alone, we have a helper who is always with us, encouraging us, guiding us, and loving us. God is for us, and if we truly believe this then we know that nothing can stand against us, not fear, not the enemy, nothing. Then we can have confidence no matter what we face.

Further reading | Deuteronomy 31:7-8, Psalm 118:1-7

Deuteronomy 31:7-8

⁷ Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the Lordswore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. ⁸ Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lordwill personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Psalm 118:1-7

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.

² Let all Israel repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”
³ Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”
⁴ Let all who fear the Lord repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”

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Effort

Is it easy to be good to one another? I think if we are being honest we know that there isn’t an easy yes or no to this one. Most of us would say we can be good to someone else, but what if that other person doesn’t believe what you do, or maybe has a different view point that rubs you the wrong way? Can you be good to them? Don’t assume that being friendly is the same as good, you can smile and wave at someone you strongly dislike, but to be good to them, that’s a different story. Jesus tells us that no one is good, not one. So how can we be good if no one is good? The answer; we must strive to be like Jesus. If we can agree that Jesus is good, then to be good to others is to be like Jesus to others. This creates a big challenge. Jesus forgave, Jesus was beaten, accosted, betrayed, hated, despised, rejected, and yet he forgave. Jesus was good, it’s going to take some effort to be like Jesus.

Further reading | 1 John 4:7-19

Loving One Another

⁷ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. ⁸ But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

⁹ God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. ¹⁰ This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

¹¹ Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.¹² No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

¹³ And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.¹⁴ Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. ¹⁶ We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. ¹⁷ And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

¹⁸ Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. ¹⁹ We love each other^[a] because he loved us first.

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Persevere

Think of the last time you baked something, did it turn out as you hoped, or was it more like something you would find on the Netflix show “Nailed It”? More often than not, a poor result in attempting to bake something can be traced back to a miscalculation or poor measurement, and sometimes an ingredient is missed altogether. Regardless of the outcome, when baking you can tell if something was off, or if everything was in order by simply seeing and tasting the baked good. What about you though? How can you tell if something is off with you? We have the ability to ask our loving father to help correct us and shape us into the product he is looking for along the way, we don’t have to wait until the end, we can change now. While this is exciting, it’s also challenging. Change isn’t always simple, and sometimes can be very difficult. Yet, when facing change that comes from God we should count it as joy! He isn’t willing to give up and throw you away. He can fix whatever is needed to get that perfect end result.

Further reading | James 1:2-18

Faith and Endurance

² Dear brothers and sisters,^[a] when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

⁵ If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. ⁶ But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

⁹ Believers who are^[b] poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. ¹⁰ And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. ¹¹ The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.

¹² God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. ¹³ And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong,^[c] and he never tempts anyone else. ¹⁴ Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. ¹⁵ These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

¹⁶ So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.^[d] He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.^{[e] 18} He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.^[f]

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Glory

When is the last time you went outside and took in the world around you? Perhaps on a hike,
or maybe you spent a night under the stars and were lost in the beauty. We live in a world full of wonders, but we often over look these things because of the business of life. In this time of sheltering in place, you have been given an opportunity to breath, relax, and remember the glory of the one who created. So slow down, don’t be in such a hurry to get back to the business of life. Breath in his creation, take it all in and thank him for all he has created.

Further reading | Genesis 1:1-31

The Account of Creation

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.^{[a] 2} The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

³ Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴ And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”

And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

⁶ Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.” ⁷ And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens. ⁸ God called the space “sky.”

And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.

⁹ Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened. ¹⁰ God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good. ¹¹ Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened.¹² The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.

¹³ And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.

¹⁴ Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. ¹⁵ Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened. ¹⁶ God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. ¹⁷ God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, ¹⁸ to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

¹⁹ And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.

²⁰ Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” ²¹ So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. ²² Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”

²³ And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day.

²⁴ Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened. ²⁵ God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make human beings^[b] in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth,^[c] and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

²⁷ So God created human beings^[d] in his own image.
    In the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

²⁸ Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

²⁹ Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. ³⁰ And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.

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Creating

LEGOs can be very fun, but if you are impatient, then the journey from start to finish can be pretty frustrating. The process of creating something out of LEGO Bricks can be challenging, and we are often tempted to cut corners in order to see the end result quicker, but when we do we often miss a key element that stops the building process sooner or later, and it requires us to back track to fix the short cut. Think of the masterpiece God is creating with you. He won’t rush or cut corners to get to the end quicker, because God knows the journey is just as important as the results. When life is taking its time, and you are going through a situation that seems mundane, just remember God’s handiwork result in wonders. Trust his timing, he knows exactly what to do.

Further reading | Romans 8:24-30

²⁴ We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope^[a] for it. ²⁵ But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

²⁶ And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. ²⁷ And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers^[b] in harmony with God’s own will. ²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together^[c] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.²⁹ For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn^[d] among many brothers and sisters.³⁰ And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

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Struggles

Life is full of struggles, many things don’t seem fair, and often times we feel like the sun never shines on us. We face troubles, and difficulties, most times from those we care about the most. We see things in different ways and from different perspectives. These will always result in struggles. The great thing is that when we face struggles we don’t face them alone. God will never run from something difficult. He will always remain faithful to us and will continue to support us during times of struggle. Don’t give up, there is light at the end of the tunnel. God’s light, and He is guiding you through this. Continue to look for God in the day to day, and look for His heart for you in the Bible. God’s got this, and He always wins!

Further reading | 1 Timothy 4:7-9, Philippians 1:29-30

1 Timothy 4:7-9

⁷ Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. ⁸ “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” ⁹ This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it.

Philippians 1:29-30

²⁹ For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. ³⁰ We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

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The Good Fight

Fighting for something without focusing on winning isn’t a concept we are very familiar with. When is the last time you went to a sporting event and cheered for you team to just finish? I’m going to guess you haven’t done that. We don’t think of finishing as a success, we often think the only reason to try is to win. You know, if you’re not first your last… That mentality can often stop us from even trying, especially if we don’t think we can come out victorious. Entering a 10k run without training might be silly, but not entering because you don’t think you can win… That’s a different story. If the people who entered those races only did so because they thought they could win, then we would see races with only a handful of people in them. Sometimes the best victory we can experience is simply finishing. Run the race, not to win, but to finish. Work through those arguments and fights, not to win, but to continue on together in harmony. Fight for your marriage not to win, but to become stronger with, and for the other person. Fight, but fight to finish the race.

Further reading | 2 Timothy 4:1-8

I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: ² Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

³ For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

⁵ But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

⁶ As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. ⁸ And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

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First Thoughts

Our first thoughts can drive our attitude for the day, often these thoughts are dictated by the last experiences we had before bed the night before. What were you doing? Do you have a normal nightly routine? Maybe its watching some Netflix late at night, or once the kids go to bed you and your spouse have some much needed alone time. Do you go to sleep angry, happy, frightened, sad? We need to be careful that we don’t create a cycle of negativity in our lives. If we go to be with a negative mindset, it’s likely that we will wake with that same mindset. This is a dangerous cycle, and one that can seriously impact those around us in a negative way too. Make sure your heart and mind are focused on the hope, truth, and mercy that comes from Christ.

Further reading | Ephesians 4:17-32

Living as Children of Light

¹⁷ With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. ¹⁸ Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. ¹⁹ They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

²⁰ But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. ²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, ²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

²⁵ So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. ²⁶ And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”^[a] Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

²⁸ If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. ²⁹ Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

³⁰ And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own,^[b] guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ³² Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

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Hindsight

The story of Joseph may be one that you can easily relate to. While you may not have had you siblings turn on you, or hate you. You likely can relate to everything in your life seeming to fall apart, like Joseph. It’s not an uncommon feeling, many of us can relate, when the world seems to be falling apart around us, and life is unfair, we can often turn our eyes away from God, or even blame Him for the lack of care we feel. However, if we were able to have hindsight from the beginning we would be able to see God’s hand at work in every situation. Think of a challenging thing that God has brought you through, remember the hopelessness you felt during that time, and rejoice for the work that God has done in and through you. God hasn’t left you, you haven’t been abandoned. Life might not be great right now, but God is Good, trust in Him.

Further reading | Genesis 39:1-23

Joseph in Potiphar’s House

39 When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

² The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. ³ Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lordwas with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. ⁴ This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. ⁵ From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. ⁶ So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, ⁷ and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.

⁸ But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. ⁹ No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

¹⁰ She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. ¹¹ One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. ¹² She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

¹³ When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, ¹⁴ she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. ¹⁵ When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.”

¹⁶ She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. ¹⁷ Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. ¹⁸ “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!”

Joseph Put in Prison

¹⁹ Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. ²⁰ So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. ²¹ But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. ²² Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. ²³ The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

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Anxiety

While many of us may have been out of school for a while now, it’s not hard to think back to those “big” tests. Maybe you were prepared, maybe you weren’t, regardless there is a sense of anxiety we get in order to pass through those moments that are weighting down on us. Our promises are clear from God in the Bible. When we put our trust in Him, we have nothing to fear! Is fear creeping up in your life? Are you being overwhelmed with anxiety? There is a simple but difficult answer, put your trust in Him!

Further reading | Philippians 4:4-14

⁴ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ⁵ Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.^[a]

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ⁹ Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Paul’s Thanks for Their Gifts

¹⁰ How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. ¹¹ Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.¹² I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. ¹³ For I can do everything through Christ,^[b] who gives me strength.¹⁴ Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.

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