James 1:17-18

The Lord’s character is often distorted by the world. To unbelieving eyes, God can seem like a harsh ruler who is quick to condemn any disobedience. Somehow that false view has infected our churches as well. There are believers who approach the Lord as if He were a stingy old man doling out shreds of love, grace, and forgiveness. But spiritual poverty is not the Father’s plan for His children.

At salvation, we received every good gift that God intends to give us: forgiveness, redemption, righteousness, a place in His family, and much more. There is a misguided notion among some believers that the Lord’s grace to us increases as our faith matures. If that were accurate, we would be earning His blessing though works. The truth is that spiritual growth broadens our capacity to recognize and enjoy His grace in our lives.

It is sad that so many people feel unworthy to enjoy the Lord’s blessings. Thankfully, we do not have to merit His goodness, because none of us would be able to measure up. In fact, Scripture underscores the fact that God operates on the basis of His grace rather than our works (Eph. 2:8-9). Think of how big, wide, and deep His love is—He cares for us and showers us with grace because He wants to and not because we earn it.

Our heavenly Father is not stingy—He lavishly pours out grace upon us. Instead of sampling meager bites of His Word and His presence on Sunday, we ought to devour whole “meals” every day. Follow the advice from the Psalms: “Open wide” so you can “taste and see that the LORD is good” (81:10; 34:8).

Ephesians 1:3-9

Imagine an elderly couple living in a dilapidated farmhouse. They can barely afford the few groceries and medicines that they need. There isn’t even enough money to keep the heat on all the time.

Then a short while after they both have died, a huge deposit of oil is discovered on the old homestead. All their years of poverty were lived out sitting on top of untapped wealth.

Sadly, many Christians go through life like that elderly couple. Such believers have distilled Christianity down to its most basic elements: God saved me and someday I’ll go to heaven. Though Jesus offers an abundant life now (John 10:10), they aren’t living it. Spiritually poor believers fail to tap into the reservoir of God’s grace. Eternity begins the moment we are saved; there is no reason to wait until heaven to enjoy the Lord’s riches.

God has lavished His grace upon believers. We receive righteousness, freedom from legalism, and an unbreakable union with our Father. In return, He desires that we invest time and energy in our relationship with Him. As we open ourselves to the Father, everything He has to offer pours freely into our lives. Our connection with Him makes it possible for us to live joyful, contented lives overflowing with blessing.

True wealth isn’t measured by your bank account or automobile. As fellow heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17), believers have access to God’s riches, which include unspeakable joy, unconditional love, and peace beyond understanding. Invest in your spiritual life, and enjoy these blessings of grace.

Psalm 37:7

In our modern world, we often hear this familiar call to action: “Don’t just stand there—do something!” However, there’s an inherent danger in trying to force this way of thinking into our spiritual life.

Too often, whether we voice the belief or not, we act as though God needs our help. We wrestle with Him for some degree of control over the events in our life. In effect, we proudly make a stand and proclaim, “Okay, Lord. I think this is what You want to happen, so I’m going to work and work and work and make it come about.”

Somewhere in the back of our mind, we hear the oft-quoted counsel, “God helps those who help themselves.” In fact, the vast majority of Christians believe that this word of advice is found in the Bible. It is not.

Actually, this statement is entirely contrary to the Word of God, which instead tells us, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10 NIV). The Father knows we cannot help ourselves. That is the very reason He sent His Son to die—because we were utterly helpless to improve our sinful condition (Rom. 5:8).

While we seek to do God’s will, we must not forget His fundamental call to stillness before Him. When we are quiet in His presence and focused on Him, we put ourselves in the most teachable position possible.

Are you too busy trying to keep up with God? Lay down your efforts and simply become quiet. What you discover in the stillness may revolutionize your call to Christian service.

You and I can always go to Jesus in our time of need. But what should we do for a friend or loved one going through a crisis? How can we pray for someone God has brought to mind, even if we don’t know the exact details of their situation?

In Colossians 1:9-12, Paul includes a powerful prayer for his fellow Christians. His example gives us six ways to intercede on another person’s behalf:

1. May my friend be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (v. 9).

God is ready to show us exactly what to do in any given situation. As Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” You don’t have to say, “Show my friend Your will—if it’s Your will.” His promise to do so is sure and clear. Ask the Lord to give your loved one spiritual discernment and clear direction about His desires.

2. May my friend walk in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ and please God in all respects (v. 10).

If a person is a believer, then he is called to emulate the life of Christ—his words and behavior should match the character and attitude of Jesus. Pray that your friend would recognize the great privilege of being part of God’s kingdom. If he does not know Jesus as his Savior, ask the Lord to make Himself known in your friend’s life, so that he would become a child of God and give glory to the Lord through obedience and repentance.

3. May my friend bear fruit in every good work (v. 10).

Being busy doesn’t always mean that we are also being fruitful. Pray that your friend will wisely invest his time and resources for the sake of God’s kingdom—to have an eternal impact rather than a temporal one.

4. May my friend increasingly grow in the knowledge of the Lord (v. 10).

We all have a spiritual hunger that only God can satisfy, though we might try to quench it with other things. Nothing can take the place of a healthy relationship with the Father. Finding spiritual fulfillment is possible only through reading, applying His word to our lives, and observing the results. Pray that your friend will have a hunger for God and seek Him through Scripture.

5. May my friend be strengthened with all power, according to God’s glorious might (v. 11).

If you know someone going through a crisis, don’t stop praying for the power of God to work in his or her life. On behalf of your friend, ask God to provide strength to remain steadfast in the truth, regardless of the circumstances. Keep praying for the person to be empowered to do His will, for His glory.

6. May my friend express joyous gratitude to the Father for His grace (v. 12).

It can be a challenge to remain thankful when we’re experiencing unpleasant circumstances. In order to steal our joy and diminish our witness, Satan often uses times of difficulty to bombard us with destructive thoughts, Pray that your friend will have a thankful heart and share gratitude with others as a testament to the good work of God in his or her life.

Conclusion

As Christians, we are connected to the One who has authority over all things, knows all things, and loves us unconditionally. And He wants to hear the desires of our hearts and give us wonderful blessings. If we come to Him asking for wisdom and the strength to walk in His ways, He will answer our prayers.

Think about somebody whose life you want to impact for eternal good. Spend time each morning petitioning God to work in that person’s life, according to Paul’s example. You can also ask someone to pray for you in this way. Then, as you intercede for others, you will begin to see God change their lives and experience the blessings of His good work.

Acts 17:22-31

The apostle Paul told the Greeks on Mars Hill that in God, we live and move and exist. He was saying that we forever remain in the Lord’s presence, which is a blessed reassurance to those who know the Savior.

The reality of the Lord’s presence is this: God is complete, and He exists in His fullness wherever He is. Psalm 139 tells us that there is no place on the face of the earth in which God does not exist: “If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will . . . lay hold of me” (vv. 9-10).

This means that God is not at one place in His mercy and at another in His wrath. He is not at one location with His forgiveness and at another in His rebuke. Rather, He is whole—and wholly holy—wherever He is. His fullness exists wherever His presence exists.

This should affect how we act, what we believe, and how we respond to our circumstances. If we believe God is always perfect, this conviction should impact our words, thoughts, and actions. It should certainly also strengthen our faith.

If God is perfect and He calls you His child, could there be so much as one single moment in which He is not looking out for your best interest? Is there ever, for one instant, the chance that something will slip past Him and into your life? Does the Enemy of your soul have even a nanosecond’s opportunity to destroy you?

The answer is emphatically no! Trust in God’s presence and know that He is with you every second.