Just as though one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. Romans 5:12

Man’s natural state is one of sinfulness. It is a direct result of the Fall and the rebellion Adam and Eve demonstrated in the Garden of Eden. Our fallen nature is evident in feelings and emotions such as jealousy, anger, fear, resentment, lack of forgiveness, lust, and more.

When the apostle Paul became aware of the depth of his sin, he cried out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death [death meaning a spiritual death]?” (Romans 7:24 NASB).

Coming face-to-face with our sinfulness should bring the same response from us. If we were left on our own with no thought of God, sin would control our lives. Only by the grace of God and the mercy of Jesus Christ can we say with the apostle Paul, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25 NASB).

Only Jesus Christ can save us from the clutches of sin. Only He can change the nature of our hearts and give us a new life. We can choose to live for Him and turn from evil, but first we must come to a point where we see our sin as He sees it. Nothing is glamorous about sin. It keeps us from experiencing all that God has for us.

Ask Him to surface anything in your life that reflects the old, sinful nature. Then pray to walk faithfully in the grace He provides through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, thank You for saving me from the clutches of sin, changing my nature, and giving me new life. I choose to live for You and turn from evil. Surface anything in my life that reflects the old, sinful nature. Then help me walk faithfully in the grace provided through Jesus.

In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37

Do you ever worry about whether you can trust God? Many deny it, but their actions speak different. Have you ever prayed for something and felt as though your prayers were going unanswered? After a while, it is easy to think that maybe it would be okay to help God out—give Him a little shove to start things off. But you may want to consider the following:

God is sovereign. He is both personal and loving. He has not forgotten you. Even though you may have to wait for the answer to your prayers, when it comes, it will be a wondrous blessing because you were willing to wait and trust the Lord for the answer.

God is infinitely wise. All knowledge about all things belongs to Him. He knows everything. Deep love and commitment toward those who have accepted His Son as their Savior are hallmarks of His personal care. Therefore, he has provided a way for sin to be eradicated from your life. In wisdom and mercy, He desires for you to live free of the bondage of sin and failure.

God loves perfectly and completely. He can meet all your needs. You may wonder how this can be, especially since you can’t see or touch Him. Deep within the resources of His love, contentment and a sense of peace are waiting just for you. Nothing the world offers can duplicate these things.

Father God, You are sovereign and wise. You know everything about my life. You love me perfectly and completely and have the ability to meet all my needs. Thank You that You have not forgotten me!

The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. Psalm 25:14

Barriers to faith keep us from accomplishing God’s will. A poor self-image; ignorance of who God is; doubt; feelings of inadequacy; fear of failure; selfish desires and actions—all display a lack of faith in God. Anytime our eyes of faith drift from Jesus Christ we run the risk of losing our spiritual focus. At some point, everyone fights feelings of doubt and low self-esteem. However, these are feelings, and feelings have nothing to do with truth.

Jesus was quick to point out that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44). He is relentless in his attempt to draw you away from God. Whispering thoughts of doubt and feelings of self-pity easily assist his disabling work.

How can you break through barriers to faith such as the ones just mentioned? 

First, learn to listen only to God. If you are unsure of what you are hearing, go to God’s Word and ask Him to reveal His will to you.

Second, be courageous and not afraid to trust God. He has never failed anyone, and He won’t fail you.

Third, when He tells you to go forward in faith, do it, and allow Him to take care of the consequences of your obedience.

Fourth, once you have obeyed God, look for evidence of His blessing in your life. Obedience is the gateway to blessing, and God blesses those who honor Him with their lives.

Father, I choose to listen for Your voice and trust in You in every circumstance. Let this day be one of new direction in my spiritual journey as I move forward in faith and obedience.

Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Hebrews 11:33

A plot was afoot. Some political advisers decided it was time to put a negative spin on the efforts of one of the chief officials, to make sure he was put in the bad graces of the executive in chief.

That sounds as if it could be part of a plot for a modern novel, but it’s really a very old story about how Daniel came to be in the lions’ den. Daniel took a stand of obedience by refusing to pray to anyone besides the Lord God, and his decision ran in the face of the new law that demanded worship of King Darius alone for thirty days.

Taking a stand in faith very often entails negative consequences, at least from an earthly perspective. Those who do not honor God as Lord are usually angered by those who do, and radical displays of humble reliance on Him can incense them even more.

If you have ever been the victim of harassment by peers, “friends,” coworkers, or supervisors as a result of sticking by a scripture conviction, then you understand a little of what Daniel felt. You have probably not experienced retribution this dire in your own life, but the principle is the same. God will turn negative response into something for His glory. God shut the mouths of the lions, and He can silence your detractors as well.

I take my stand, Lord! I honor You as Lord of my life. I rely on You to turn the negative to positive in every area of my life. You plead my cause. I rest my case with You.

Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

Hebrews 11 is an emotional chapter. Spread before you are the spiritual sagas of generations who placed their unwavering trust in God, who took them on adventures beyond their imaginations. Some never saw the end result of their faith, but a great many did. Do you notice some common denominators among their experiences? No matter how different their particular stories might have been, certain principles held true for them all.

Faith was the way of trials. Noah certainly didn’t ask for the ridicule and doubt of his neighbors. Moses would have preferred an easier way out of Egypt. But God used the rough times to sharpen them for the future and to be an even more powerful testimony to others.

Faith was the way of the most misunderstanding. Abraham’s choice to follow God wherever He led was surely confusing to some. It didn’t make sense from an earthly point of view for Rahab to hide the Israelite spies. From God’s perspective, however, their unquestioning obedience opened the door to His blessing.

Faith was the way of patience. David had to wait many years before God fulfilled His promise of giving him the kingship. And many of the believers of the New Testament were put to death after prolonged periods of persecution. God’s ultimate rewards for them were (and are) worth the wait.

Dear heavenly Father, I realize that the way of faith is often a journey of trials. Use the rough times to prepare me for the future. Give me patience to endure the darkest hours.

Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

The apostle Thomas felt deserted. The One he had followed closely and served for almost three years was gone. A cold cave of stone held Jesus’ battered, torn body, and no one knew what to do next.

Later that Sabbath when Thomas arrived at the disciples’ meeting, their mood had changed completely. “We have seen the Lord!” they cried. But Thomas couldn’t share their enthusiasm. He had not seen the Lord, and he did not want to be set up for yet another disappointment. His focus was gone, his grand vision of the future was shattered, and his faith shaken.

Have you been there? A negative experience left a bad impression, and you are afraid to trust again. One more letdown, and you aren’t sure how you might respond. If you could have a glimpse of God in the dark times, you would have hope.

Jesus met Thomas right where he was in wavering faith. The living Christ stood before him face-to-face and told him to feel His hands and side. Thomas responded with one of the most moving confessions of faith in the Scriptures: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28 NASB).

Look at Jesus. He is real, and He is there to meet you in the bleakest hour. You will have the same reply when you see Him as He is.

O Lord, sometimes the shadows of the past make me afraid to trust. During these dark times, meet me where I am. Let me see You as You are. Let me touch You with the hand of faith.

You younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:5-6

Sometimes great examples of faith come in small, unappealing packages. For Naaman, the leprous captain of the army of Syria, his moment of faith came when he dipped in dirty water far from home.

Naaman was insulted. After all the trouble it took to travel to a foreign country, the prophet he came to see did not greet him as a proper host should. Even worse, Elisha sent him orders by a lowly servant to wash in the Jordan.

Naaman was so outraged by Elisha’s supposed affront that he refused to perform the one act that would save him from his ravaging disease. Finally his servants came to talk him out of his pride. They asked him pointedly: “Had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean’?” (2 Kings 5:13 NASB).

When Naaman paused to consider their words, he realized that his refusal to humble himself before God would cost his life. He hurried to obey Elisha’s instructions from the Lord, and his flesh was made whole.

Do you say yes to God in the little things? Are you content to follow His will when you do not receive any of the glory? No matter what the task, God always rewards the humble step of faith.

Father God, make me content to follow Your will, even when I do not receive any glory. No matter how small or great the task, let me step forth in humble faith.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Romans 8:35

Imagine that someone walked up to you today and said, “Here’s one million dollars. Build yourself a dream house.” Chances are, you’re not going o pick a poor lot filled with sand. You’re not going to use the cheapest, knottiest, half-rotted lumber you can find. Of course not. You search for the choicest acreage and the highest-quality building materials you can afford.

But when it comes to constructing a sturdy foundation for their lives, many people settle for inferior supplies—possessions, fame, or financial security. On the surface, these things seem reliable enough, but in the hard blast of a personal crisis they crumble away. A fire can eat up possessions; fame can disappear with one piece of negative press; a failing economy or a layoff can destroy financial security.

That’s why Jesus wanted you to see beyond the temporal to the eternal. He said, “Everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock… The winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall” (Matthew 7:24-25 NASB).

You need the shake-proof foundation of Christ to make it through the storms of life (Romans 8:35). Only on His sure footing can you find security that survives every trouble. Build your life on the foundation of faith—Jesus Christ.

Dear God, I do not want to build with inferior supplies—possessions, fame, or financial security—because these things crumble. Empower me to build my life upon the foundations of Your Word and Your Son, Jesus Christ.

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Hebrews 11:7

It is an old saying that people are “creatures of habit.” Of course, we love occasional variation in the routine, but we strive for stability as much as possible. 

If you ever feel stressed when dealing with the unknown, then you have a small idea of how Noah felt when God told him to build an ark. An ark? He probably didn’t have a clear idea of what it even looked like until God’s blueprint began to take shape.

In a single encounter, Noah’s concept of daily life took a violent twist. Though he was surrounded by a self-serving, sensual society with no interest in God, he knew where he and his family stood. But suddenly his vision of the future changed forever. No more neighbors, no towns, no noise of crowds, no marketplace—what would the world be like?

Hebrews 11:7 (NASB) notes that in spite of the questions: “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household….and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

Faith was all he could cling to; God was literally his only port in the storm. When your circumstances turn upside down, when you don’t have the answers, trust the Lord. His plan is perfect.

Almighty God, You are my port in every storm of life. When my circumstances are confusing, when I don’t have all the answers, help me trust You. Your plan is always perfect.

The genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:7

Though Joseph was sold into slavery, he refused to become embittered. As a result, God blessed him through Potiphar, an Egyptian officer who purchased him. He was taken into Potiphar’s home and given great responsibility. The Bible tells us that Joseph was a successful man (Genesis 39:2). All that Potiphar had was left in Joseph’s care.

However, what happened next in Joseph’s life was certainly a test of his character and obedience to God. It is fairly common for God to test our level of obedience. One day as Joseph was going about his duties, Potiphar’s wife approached him with an alluring temptation. She wanted Joseph to commit adultery with her, but Joseph immediately recognized the error and refused her advances.

Joseph said, “How then could I do this great evil, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9 NASB). His first thought was what such a sin would do to his relationship with God. Obedience was far more important to Joseph than a moment of physical pleasure.

Potiphar’s wife was furious and turned on him by lying to her husband. Potiphar had Joseph imprisoned. However, God was with him, orchestrating the circumstances of his life for even greater blessing.

If you are facing a situation that calls for obedience, ask yourself, Am I about to do something that will lead to my ruin or damage my faith? Faithful obedience always leads to blessing.

Precious Lord, thank You for the faith already instilled in my heart. Help me continue growing stronger each day in my spiritual journey of faith.