Who Is Your Neighbor?

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Romans 13:9

When Paul says we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, he means that we should have the same care and concern for others that we have for ourselves. Paul said the same thing in this way: “Let each of you look not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil 2:4). You should be just as concerned about the comfort, happiness, peace, and joy of others as you are about your own.

Whose face do you wash in the morning? Whose hair do you comb? Whose wardrobe do you buy? Whose comforts are you concerned about? You are concerned about your self–preservation and self–comfort and should be concerned about others in the same way. Pay as much attention to them as you do yourself. That’s loving your neighbor as yourself.

Who is your neighbor? Anyone who comes across your path. Although it is hard to love everyone, you have a new capacity within you to do that (Rom 5:5).

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 295). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: If you seek to fulfill Christ's second commandment, it should not be hard to find a "neighbor" to love. Everyone is your neighbor. If we show the same care for everyone else that we show for ourselves, then we will do them no harm. If we love our neighbor, we will not commit adultery, we will not murder, we will not steal, we will not bear false witness, we will not covet. Loving ourselves and doing what is best for us comes easily and naturally. Loving everyone else, even our enemies, takes a concious effort on our part. It also requires the love of God to empower us. Only those filled with the Holy Spirit can do something so unnatural as to love everyone, including those who hate them.

Applications: Be proactive in loving others. Don't just wait for others to show you kindness first. If everyone did that, there would be very little love in the world and everybody would only love their own family and friends. Just as God loved us while we were still His enemies (Rom 5:8), we must love everyone, even our enemies. God has given us the capacity to show that kind of love to all of our neighbors, both friends and strangers.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a sincere, proactive love for everyone around me. Pray for opportunities to serve and minister to others in need, both those close to me and strangers, and even enemies. Pray for God's love to fill my heart and to empower me to love sacrificially.

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Love Me, Love Men

On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 22:40

Jesus said that the Ten Commandments could be summed up in two commands: love Me, and love men. Perhaps you wonder how you can ever live up to all the commands in the Bible. The answer is very simple: love God, love men, and do what you want.

When you love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and you love your neighbor as yourself, you can do what you want because you will be the person God wants you to be. Because of your love, you won’t kill anyone, defile anyone, steal anything, or covet what another person has. The Spirit will cultivate in your heart a love that precludes any desire to do wrong.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 294). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: It's amazing that what the Pharisees had made so complicated (the Old Testament Law) Jesus was able to make so simple. The Pharisees heaped on layer after layer of man-made, self-glorifying, superficial, rules for righteousness, but Jesus summed up God's Law into two simple commands; to love Him, and to love men. If you do these two things with a sincere heart, you will be obeying all the commands in the Bible.

Applications: It is actually really easy to obey God's commandments if you are in Christ and He is in you. The Holy Spirit pours the love of God into the hearts of believers, and enables us to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, and love our neighbors as ourselves. If you focus on living your life according to Christ's two greatest commandments (Mat 22:37-39), you will be living the way God want's you to. If you love God and love men, you will be fulfilling the Law as God intended.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for the love of God to inspire me to love God and love men. Pray that I would focus on simply following Christ's commands, so that I would fulfill God's law. Pray for the Holy Spirit to empower me to obey God's commands out of love.

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Obeying Out Of Love

The purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart.

1 Timothy 1:5

The keeping of a commandment should flow from a heart of love. It’s possible to obey the law out of fear and to be afraid of God’s punishment. But when you do that, you don’t really obey the law in the fullest sense because fear is not the biblical motive for obedience. Fear will restrain you from some evil and its effect can be somewhat productive, but its result is incomplete.

Some keep the law out of self–interest. They believe that if they live a moral life, God will repay them. But that is not a pure motive for obedience—it’s a selfish one. Although you may restrain yourself from evil and do good things outwardly, you won’t have an obedience that comes from an attitude of love. The true intention of the law is to cultivate love from the heart. That’s how the law is fulfilled.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 293). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Biblical obedience comes from the heart. It flows from an attitude of love which is heartfelt. Obedience which come entirely from fear of punishment, or from a self-serving belief that one can earn favor from God by compliance, is not honoring to God. It may produce an outward appearance of righteousness, but without true obedience which comes from heartfelt love, it cannot please or honor God.

Applications: Obedience to God's law is intended to produce love. The kind of love which comes from a clean heart, a clear conscience, and honest faith. The law itself is not meant for the righteous, but for the ungodly and sinful (1 Tim 1:9). It is meant to show them their sinfulness. But in those who already recognize their sins and have confessed and repented of them, obedience to the law flows freely from their hearts. Maintain spiritual purity by studying right doctrine, so that God's truth will cleanse your heart and produce a pure, biblical obedience and love.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a desire to maintain spiritual purity through the study of sound doctrine. Pray for the heart cleansing which comes from knowing God's truth and obeying God's law. Pray for biblical obedience which is heartfelt and pure.

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Fulfilling The Law

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:9

The key to obeying the law of God is love. When we love others, we will automatically obey the law. You won’t commit adultery if you love someone. That’s because love doesn’t defile others or steal purity. Only lust and selfishness do that. If you love someone, your love renders useless the command not to kill. I don’t need to be reminded not to kill people if I love them. When you love someone, you won’t steal from him either. Therefore you don’t need to be told not to steal. Nor will you covet what someone else has when you love him.

Love doesn’t replace the law; it fulfills the law. Through love, you can fulfill God’s love.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 292). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Christ came to fulfill the Law. His greatest commandments; to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself (Mat 22:37-39), summarize all of God's law. So the key to obeying God's law is love. We show love to God by honoring and pleasing Him. We do this by obeying His commands as given to us in scripture. We show love to our neighbors by serving them and ministering to their needs. If we are loving them, we will not commit adultery, we will not murder them, we will not steal from them, we will not covet what they possess (Rom 13:9). If we love our neighbor as ourselves, we are fulfilling God's law.

Applications: Focus on love. The Holy Spirit has filled your heart with God's love, so tap into that resource and demonstrate love back to others. Look for opportunities to serve and minister to those around you: resolve any conflicts you may have, give financially to someone in need, pray for our govenment leaders, pray for your enemies, write a letter to someone you care about, call an old friend you haven't spoken to for a while. These are just a few examples of how to express our love for others. Be like Christ and fulfill the Law by showing complete devotion to God, and by expressing love for others.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a heart and mind focused on love. Pray for a more complete understanding of God's will as revealed in scripture, so that I would fully obey His commands, and that I would please Him and glorify Him. Pray that I would seek out opportunities to serve others throughout the day and to express love for them. Pray that I would humbly put their interests before my own (Eph 2:4).

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An Assignment On Love

Know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.

Ephesians 3:19

To pay the debt of love, we can all do several things. Here are some suggestions:

Mend a quarrel.
Call a friend you haven’t seen for a long time.
Replace a suspicion with a trust.
Remove any bitterness in your life.
Write a surprise letter to someone who loves you.
Tell someone you know well how much he or she means to you.
Keep a promise.
Ask God to forgive someone who did something wrong to you, and forget the wrongdoing.
Don’t be overly demanding on the other members of your family.
Express thanks to others throughout the day.
Tell someone you love that you care.
Pray for one of your enemies.
Send a check to someone who has a need.
Ask God to help you to love the way Jesus loved.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 291). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Part of getting closer to Christ is comprehending His love and to be filled up with the fullness of God. As believers, our inner beings are filled with the Holy Spirit. "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and God's Spirit lives in you?" (1 Cor 3:16). Through faith, Christ himself dwells in your heart (Eph 3:17). He gives us the power, rooted and established in our love for Him, to understand how vast His love for us is. Only with this power can we know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. Intellectually we cannot fully grasp the extent of God's power and majesty, of His divine attributes, but spiritually we can experience the greatness of God in our lives when we are filled with the fullness of God. To be filled with God's fullness is to be totally dominated by the Lord with nothing left of self. This is the goal we are longing for, to become completely like Christ from the inside out.

Applications: Get to know the love of Christ. Practicing love for others will help you to understand Christ's love for us. There are many ways to practice love for others, but the first step is to stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about the interests of others. Show love by serving and ministering to the needs of others. The fullness of God is fully expressed only in Christ (Col 2:9,10). If Christ is in you and the Holy Spirit is empowering you, then you can be made complete. All the fullness of God is available to us if we submit and give complete control of our lives to the Holy Spirit. We must deny ourselves, we must empty ourselves of self-love, self-esteem, self-worship and instead live entirely for Christ by faith and love.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a desire to understand the vastness of Christ's love for us. Pray for a desire to be filled with the fullness of God. Pray for the Holy Spirit to empower me towards a life dedicated to God's will, a life a humble service to God and to others. Pray that I would deny myself and take up my cross daily to follow Christ (Luke 9:23).

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An Inexhaustible Reservoir

You have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren.

1 Peter 1:22

As Christians we have a great responsibility to love others, but how do we fulfill it? By understanding our resource.

Love is available to us, and it’s our fault if we don’t tap the necessary resource. We are to submit to the Spirit and learn how to love. We must purify our hearts by confessing our sin and realize the urgency of attracting others to Christ through our love. We are to make a conscious choice to love others, fellowship with other believers, and concentrate on others rather than ourselves. And we must consider the effect of loving others. Love given is inevitably returned.

When God saved you, He made you a new creation with the capacity to fulfill the debt of love. The reservoir of love is inexhaustible. You have the privilege of representing God in the world by loving others as He loved them and receiving love in return.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 290). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Holy living requires purification. "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word" (Ps 119:9). It is obedience to God’s Word which refines character and purifies the soul. A purified life allows one to have a caring relationship with God’s other children, to love them wholly and sincerely. True, sacrificial love can come only from a changed heart, from one whose motives are pure, and who seeks to give more than he takes. "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" (1 Tim 1:5). All evil thoughts and feelings must be removed from your heart before you can be capable of loving others deeply and wholeheartedly.

Applications: Sincere love involves selfless sacrifice. That kind of love can only come from a pure and humble heart. By sacrificing his life, Christ demonstrated for us the ultimate self-sacrificial love. Follow Christ's example and give of yourself sacrificially. Purify your heart by obeying God's word. "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you" (James 1:21). Make a conscious effort to sincerely love other believers; to serve them, to fellowship with them, and to put their needs before your own.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith so that I can love biblically. Pray for purification of my soul by careful study of scripture and obedience to God's Word. Pray that I would make an effort to show love to members of the family of believers.

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A Conscious Choice

Above all things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Colossians 3:14

All believers need to make a conscious choice to love others. Some time ago I counseled a couple who had been struggling seriously in their marriage for quite a while. I shared with them that they needed to make a conscious choice to love each other. They had to train themselves to love at times when they felt angry or taken advantage of. They needed to replace rudeness and unkind words with love.

Two days after our talk, the husband called me and said, “I just wanted to let you know that each time a problem arises, we are endeavoring to do all we can in the Spirit of God to make a conscious choice to love, make peace, and show kindness no matter what the price to our own ego might be.” Choosing to be kind to others and forgive them is a factor in learning how to love. The Holy Spirit enables you to do that when you train your mind and make a commitment to obey the Lord.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 289). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Biblical love is not just an emotion. It is an action. It is a willful, conscious act. Emotions and feelings are often influence by our circumstances and our surroundings. Therefore they can be affected and corrupted by the sinful, fallen world we live in. Our emotions can deceive us and mislead us. God calls us to "put on love". This is an action we can take regardless of how we feel. By choosing to love others, to show kindness and forgiveness even to your enemies, you honor and please God by your obedience. "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift" (Mat 5:23-24). God desires obedience above worship, especially hypocritical worship. How can you worship and show love to God if you are not loving your neighbor? "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen" (1 John 4:20).

Applications: In all circumstances, in all situations, in everything, love your neighbor. Do not just wait until your "feel" like loving them, because the feeling may not come, especially if you are in conflict with someone. Instead, make "love" a conscious choice. Make it an action that you can take regardless of how you feel. If you are in conflict with someone, seek reconciliation. Humbly seek to resolve your differences, but in any case, look to minister to them and show them kindness. Love your neighbor. This is a command from God, so we must must do it no matter how we feel.

Prayer Subjects: Pray that love for my neighbor would be ingrained in my heart. Pray that I would have a heartfelt desire to love others. Pray that I would alway put obedience to God's commands above superficial worship. Pray that the Holy Spirit would teach me and empower me to love biblically in a God honoring and pleasing manner.

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Submit To The Spirit

The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:5

You need to give the Holy Spirit complete control over your life. You can either hold onto feelings of bitterness, anxiety, and hatred toward someone, or you can yield them to the Spirit of God. When you submit to the Holy Spirit, He takes over your life and replaces bitterness with love and vengeance with affection. Paul said, “Concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another” (1 Thes 4:9).

The capacity to love others is available within you; you just need to understand the resource. If you submit to the Holy Spirit, He will teach you how to love.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 288). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: As believers, the Holy Spirit is always with us. The Holy Spirit is our guide, He is our power source, He is our teacher, and He is our constant companion. "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you" (John 14:16-17). If we submit our lives to the Holy Spirit, if we deny ourselves and allow God to be sovereign, then He will teach us to love in spirit and in truth. Because the Holy Spirit has poured the love of God into our hearts, we have the capacity to love others within us. The Holy Spirit will teach us to love everyone sacrificially, ministering to their needs, teaching God's truth, and serving others.

Applications: To truly love everyone the way we should, we must give the Holy Spirit complete control of our lives. Then He can teach us how to minister to their needs, He can teach us God's truth, He can empower us to serve others, and He can inspire us to humble ourselves and love sacrificially. It is only by God's grace that we can love our enemies. If we were to rely on our own will, we would only have anger, bitterness, and resentment toward them. But the Holy Spirit has poured God's love in our heart. With God's love and the Holy Spirits guidance, we can truly love others as ourselves.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for humility in regard to others. Pray that I would consider the needs of others before my own, even the needs of my enemies. Pray that the Holy Spirit would fill my heart with love and that He would guide me and teach me how to love others biblically.

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Demonstrating Love

Walk in love.

Ephesians 5:2

What is love? How do you demonstrate it? To be able to practice love, you need to know what it is biblically. Throughout Scripture, love is characterized as an action.

First of all, love teaches the truth to others (Eph 4:15) and ministers to their needs (Heb 6:10). It sets an example by serving others and stimulating them to grow (Gal 5:13). It covers other people’s faults (1 Pet 4:8) and forgives (Eph 4:32). Love also endures the problems and idiosyncrasies of others (1 Cor 13:7) and sacrifices on their behalf (John 15:13-14).

Self–sacrificial love gives spiritual truth, help, and concern to those in need. We owe everyone that kind of love and should not owe anything else. That’s the heart of Christian living; it’s the magnet that attracts the world.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 287). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: What is biblical love? It is not just an emotion. Love is a willful act. It is ministering to needs, teaching the truth, serving others. Love stimulates spiritual growth, it forgives, it sacrifices for others. This is the kind of love that we owe to others and that we should demonstrate in our lives. Christ was the perfect example of someone who demonstrated love to everyone. His example is the one we must follow.

Applications: Love everyone. Demonstrate love in everything you do. Live a life of sacrificial love. Truly walk in love. Christ loved us and gave himself up for us all. He made the ultimate sacrifice and paid our penalty. If we are to call ourselves Christ's disciples, we must follow His example and demonstrate sacrificial love to everyone. We must be willing to forfeit everything to serve others and to minster to their needs. "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Pet 4:10).

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a willingness to surrender all for love. Pray that I would not be passive about love, but that I would take action and express love to everyone around me. Pray that I would demonstrate a self-sacrificial love that minsters to those in need, teaches spiritual truth, and serves others.

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The Debt Of Love

Owe no one anything except to love one another.

Romans 13:8

Christians owe love to everyone in society. Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Our love to one another applies first of all to fellow believers, our brothers and sisters in Christ.

But one another also applies to unbelievers—all unbelievers, not just those who are likeable and friendly. Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you” (Mat 5:44). The apostle Paul said, “Let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal 6:10).

Love should be a distinctive trait in your life. You owe the debt to everyone, so make sure you show love to everyone so you will be known as someone who loves “one another fervently with a pure heart” (1 Pet 1:22).

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 286). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Love your neighbor as yourself (Mat 22:39). This was Jesus' second commandment to us. We have no shortage of love for ourselves, but we rarely love our neighbors nearly enough. We owe much love to everybody, not just fellow believers, but everyone around us. We must love our family and friends, but we must also love our enemies, those who hate you and curse you. As disciples of Christ, we must seek to fulfill God's law and "he who loves another has fulfilled the law" (Rom 13:8). "Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom 13:10).

Applications: Love must become an integral part of your life. You should always to seeking to fulfill God's law, and the way to do that, is by loving our neighbors. Although at times it may be difficult to love those who do not return your love, we still owe the debt of love to everyone. You must "love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you" (Mat 5:44). Then you will be fulfilling God's law and living as a true follower of Christ.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a heart to love everyone. Pray for the love of God to fill me, so that I would faithfully and willingly love my enemies as myself. Pray that I would seek out opportunities to good to everyone, especially fellow believers.

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Hope In The Battle

With the mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 7:25

Since Christians are called to obedience and the new nature longs to obey, what do you do when you are tempted to disobey? For one thing, you have the power of the Holy Spirit in you (Rom 8:2), who enables you to do the will of God. But Paul also describes the reality of our ongoing battle with the flesh in Romans 7. He says, “I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind” (Rom 7:23).

The sin principle in our humanness wars against our desire to obey. Every Christian fights that battle. Your humanness wars against the new creation that delights in the law of God. What gives us hope is that the longer we fight the battle, the more victorious we will be. So thank the Lord for continuing His work to deliver you and give you victory each day from sin.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 285). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Although we, who are in Christ, are new creations (2 Cor 5:17), we still live in carnal, sinful, bodies of flesh. With our minds we follow the Holy Spirit and strive towards righteousness, but our bodies still lean towards temptation and sin. When we were justified, our eternal souls were redeemed and freed from the ultimate penalty of death and separation from God. However, our mortal bodies, which inhabit this world of sin, are like jars of clay (2 Cor 4:7), unworthy vessels, fragile and weak. During our lifetimes, as we undergo sanctification, there is a constant battle between our spiritual inner beings and our sinful outer nature (Rom 7:14-23). Only when we reach final glorification will we be completely free of sin, but in the meantime, with the power of the Holy Spirit and Christ in us, we will strive against sin's power and towards God's righteousness.

Applications: Continually strive against sin and towards righteousness. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in you, to sanctify you, to empower you to grow spiritually. As we continue to battle against sin, we know that we can put to death our sinful nature, if Christ is in us (Rom 8:10). Let us set our minds on serving God and obeying Him. "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires" (Rom 8:5).

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a mind set on serving God's will. Pray for strength and perseverance in the battle against sin. Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to enable me to grow spiritually and to learn to obey and fulfill God's law.

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Bound To Obey

That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:4

Some people believe that since we are saved by grace and are no longer under the law, then we are no longer bound to the law. That’s true in this sense: we are not bound to the penalty of the law. Since we came to Christ, the law no longer has power to condemn or execute us. However, we are bound to its precepts, for God has not changed His morality.

The apostle Paul said, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom 8:1-3). The sacrifice of Christ freed us from the penalty of the law—He died in our place. So we are free from the law only in the sense that it cannot condemn us, yet we are still commanded to obey its precepts.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 284). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: It is true that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. But that does not mean that the old testament Law has been invalidated. In fact, Christ Himself said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Mat 5:17). The law is based on the holy and righteous nature of God. It was revealed to man through the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:1-21) and Christ's Greatest Commandments (Mat 22:34-40). God calls us to be Holy as He is Holy, so we are still bound to obey His moral law, but by Christ's grace and mercy, we have been freed from the penalty of the law. We are filled by the Holy Spirit who has written the law on our hearts (Jer 31:33) and who has empowered us to fulfill and obey it.

Applications: We shouldn't blindly follow traditions and ceremonial laws for the sake of pleasing men, or outwardly appearing righteous. But we are still under the law's authority, because the law comes from God and is based on His holy and righteous nature. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are now able to follow and obey God's law. We can now lead lives pleasing and honoring to God. Every Christian can now manifest the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. Because we have been freed from the penalty of sin, we can now live as willing bond-servants of Christ and of righteousness.

Prayer Subjects: Pray that I would be a willing servant of Christ and of righteousness. Pray that I would no longer follow the law out of fear of it's penalty, but that the Holy Spirit, would empower me to grow spiritually and obey God's law in truth and in love. Pray that I would continue to study God's word and that I would please and honor Him by walking according to His law.

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A Desire To Obey

Though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.

Romans 6:17

If I were to define the Christian life with one word, I would choose the word obedience. Obedience, power, blessing, and joy are four legs to the same chair; they are essential elements of the Christian life. Without obedience, there will be no power, blessing, or joy in our lives.

One key distinction between a true Christian and someone who merely professes to be a Christian is a heartfelt desire to obey God. For a Christian, obedience is a sweet, hopeful, and encouraging word. It ought to be a welcome expression of the deepest desire of your heart. If you are willing to obey God, and your desire to do so comes out of love not fear, that is a good indication that you are a true child of God.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 283). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Obedience sounds difficult and burdensome. The word conjures up images of hardship, fear, forced servitude. But in fact, as Christians, our obedience to Christ should be a hearfelt desire. It should be a welcome, encouraging word expressing our love for Christ and our longing to be in Him and to have Him in us. Obedience to Christ is not troublesome, "For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" (Mat 11:30). Though we were once slaves to sin (and obeyed sin), by now obeying God's word, we have been made "slaves to righteousness" (Rom 6:18). We have been freed from our slavery to sin, which leads to death.

Applications: Christ died for sins, once for all. He paid the penalty, so that we would not have to. We are united with Christ in His death and His ressurection, so we have been freed from slavery to sin (Rom 6:6-7). We should consider ourselves "dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Rom 6:11). We should regard our old sinful nature as dead. Because we are in Christ and Christ is in us, we are no longer obligated to seek out sinful cravings, lusts, and desires. Instead we should develop and cultivate a wholehearted desire to obey God and His teachings. If we love God, then we will obey Him (John 14:15).

Prayer Subjects: Pray that I would truly have put my old sinful nature to death. Pray that I would completely and wholeheartedly seek to obey God. Pray that I would be a willing servant of Christ, my Lord and Master, and no longer a slave to sin.

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Tarnishing The Image

Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:44-45

When I was a little boy, a friend and I once got into trouble when we were caught stealing some things from a store. The police took us to the city jail. At the time, my father was out playing golf with some deacons from our church. He was notified about what had happened and came to the jail thinking a mistake had been made. Then he had to explain to the deacons what his son was doing in jail.

When I got home, my mother was crying because she thought I would never do such a thing. Someone told me, “Johnny MacArthur, have you forgotten who your father is?” I never forgot that statement. I owed something to my father. He had given me my very life, and I was happy to be his son. I’m also glad to be my heavenly Father’s son, so it’s only right that I manifest something of His character.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 282). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: It is a commandment that you are to honor your father and mother. Your earthly father provides your material needs. He clothes you and feeds you and loves you. But more importantly he disciplines and teaches you in love. Your earthly father is an imperfect, sinful man, but yet he does all these good things for you. Then how much more should you honor your heavenly Father? "How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!" (Mat 7:11). As sons and daughters of God, let us honor Him by first loving Him, but by then also loving all of your neighbors. Not just your family and friends, but your enemies; those who hate you, persecute you, and curse you as well. "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" (Mat 7:12).

Applications: Honor and love your Father in heaven. Practice that love by submitting to His will and obeying His command. Honor and love Him by loving your neighbors. That means everyone around you, not just the ones you like. Also, do not be passive in your love, ' love those who love you' and 'don't do to others what you don't want done to you', but be active in your love. Take the initiative and serve others. Show them the kind of active mercy and grace that God shows us every day. "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Mat 5:16).

Prayer Subjects: Pray that I would take the initiative in doing good to others. Pray that I would demonstrate active goodness and mercy, the kind of love God shows to us every day. Pray that I would seek out good and merciful actions I can take today.

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God's Divine Purpose

He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.

Ephesians 1:4

While Israel was still wandering in the desert of Sinai, Moses told them, “The Lord did not set His love on you or choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deu 7:7-8). God did not choose the Jews because of who they were but because of who He is.

The same is true of God’s choosing believers. He chooses solely on the basis of His divine will, purpose, and love. There’s nothing you did to earn or gain salvation; it’s all of God. Be thankful that He chose you from before the foundations of the world.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 281). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: God chooses who will be saved for His own purposes, for His own glory. His decision was made before time began and is not based on anything except His own divine, sovereign will. Nothing we do, or don't do, can change His mind. This should humble us, knowing that we are saved only because of His mercy (Tit 3:5), but it should also reassure us, knowing that our salvation is secure and cannot be lost (John 10:28). Knowing that we are saved should also inspire us to want to honor and please God. We should want to grow spiritually and become more Christ-like. We should want to be Holy because He is Holy. We should want to be an active part of God's "good, pleasing, and perfect will" (Rom 12:2).

Applications: Humble yourself and seek to understand God's will. Nothing that God does is done by accident. It is by God's will that you were saved, so study scripture diligently and carefully to understand His divine will and your part in it. Seek to honor and please God, by your love and obedience. This is the way to fulfill your primary purpose, which is to glorify God.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a better understanding of God's will and my part in fulfilling that will. Pray for a desire to honor and please God. Pray with humility and thanksgiving for God grace and mercy in choosing me.

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The Called Of God

Those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

The New Testament epistles use the terms called and calling in reference to the sovereign, regenerating work of God in a believer’s heart that brings him to new life in Christ. All the called of God are chosen and redeemed by Him and are ultimately glorified. He has securely predestined them to be His children and to be conformed to the image of His Son.

Although human faith is essential if we are to be among the called, it is even more essential that God initiate our calling to salvation. God’s choice not only precedes man’s choice but makes man’s choice possible and effective. “‘No one can come to Me [Christ] unless it has been granted to him by My Father’” (John 6:65).

Primarily, God’s call to the redeemed is once and for all. But secondarily, it continues until the Christian is finally glorified. That ought to thrill us and motivate us to emulate Paul’s resolve to “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14).

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 280). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: We are incredibly privileged to be the 'called of God'. It means that God has chosen us to be lifted up from the misery of our sinful, depraved existance. By God's grace we have been shown mercy, and we have been given new hearts of flesh, new lives in Christ. We have been adopted as God's children. But once we are called, we cannot continue to live our lives in the same way as before. We are "called according to His purpose", so by His good providence, God will use every circumstance, every situation in our lives to teach us and to conform us to Christ's image. Once we answer God's call and are justified, we must start on the path of discipleship, of following Christ. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit and we must follow the path of sanctification, leading ultimately to glorification.

Applications: God's call is sovereign and it is effectual. Those who are called have been chosen to fulfill God's purposes. Nothing that we do can earn the right to be called, and nothing that we do can resist God's call once He has made it. But once we are called, we must live our lives for Him and not for ourselves, because the 'called of God' are 'those who love Him'. Those who love Him are those who are obedient to His will and to His commands (John 14:21). So as one of the called of God, love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength (Mat 12:30), and demonstrate this love by obeying His commands (1 John 5:3). Then you will be fulfilling God's purpose for you, being conformed to the likeness of His Son.

Prayer Subjects: Pray that I would be thankful for God's mercy and grace. Pray that I would be thankful for the privilege of being adopted into God's family. Pray that I would not take that privilege for granted and that I would live my life for the purpose of glorifying God and following Christ. Pray that I would boldly proclaim the gospel, so God's calling to His redeemed people would continue to be spread to the ends of the earth.

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Characteristics Of Love For God

This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more.

Philippians 1:9, niv

Genuine love for God has many facets. Here is a list of the most important ones.

• It longs for personal communion with God (Ps 42:1-2; 73:25).


• It trusts in God’s power to protect His own (Ps 31:23).


• It is characterized by peace that only God can impart (Ps 119:165; John 14:27).


• It is sensitive to God’s will and His honor (Ps 69:9).


• It loves the people God loves (1 John 4:7-8, 20-21).


• It hates what God hates (1 John 2:15).


• It longs for the Second Coming of Christ (2 Tim 4:8).

Finally, and most important, it is marked by obedience to God (John 14:21; 1 John 5:1-2).

We are able to love God and manifest these facets only because He first loved us (1 John 4:7, 10, 19). Do you love God?

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 279). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: A love for God needs to be our greatest passion. Love is one of God's communicable attributes, and when we love Him, we are reflecting back some of His love for us. In fact, he loved us so much, that while we were still His enemies, He sent His son to die for us (Rom 5:8). Our love for God must be marked by obedience to Him and communion with Him. We must desire to love Him more and more, but we must love with knowledge and discernment. Genuine love is rooting in the truth of Scripture. Love is not blind, but perceptive, and it examines carefully to distinguish between right and wrong. As we grow closer to Him through biblical knowledge, we will learn to love what God loves, and hate what God hates. We will become sensitive to His will and seek to fulfill it.

Applications: The greatest spiritual gift is love (1 Cor 13:13). Faith and Hope are of this world, but Love is eternal. It is an attribute of God, it is part of who He is. In the same way, because we are made in His image, love is a part of who we are. We cannot help but love, but too often we love only ourselves. We must learn to deny ourselves, and love God and love others instead. Loving God, praising and cherishing Him, must be our greatest desire. We must seek to glorify and honor Him in all that we do. It must be our one consuming passion.

Prayer Subjects: Pray that I would be singlemindedly focused on loving God. Pray that I would not love anything else before God (Deu 5:7), that I would not practice idolatry. Pray that I would grow in biblical wisdom and knowledge so that I would obediently follow God's will and love what He loves and hate what He hates.

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Love For God

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” This is the first commandment.

Mark 12:30

In addition to the words of Jesus in today’s verse, other New Testament books make it clear that believers are to love God. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, quoting from the prophet Isaiah, “‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him’” (1 Cor 2:9). Elsewhere the apostle refers to Christians as “those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Eph 6:24).

Sincere love for God is the first mark of genuine saving faith. That is true “because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:5). In view of all this, it’s no accident that Paul lists love as the first aspect of the Spirit’s fruit (Gal 5:22).

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 278). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Christ summed up The Law into just two commandments. The first is to love God completely, entirely, absolutely, totally, genuinely with all of your being and the second is to love all men genuinely as well. What does God require of us? What were we made for? We were made to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We were made to please Him and to love Him. "What does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deu 10:12). A genuine and sincere love for God comes from the Holy Spirit who poured it into our hearts (Rom 5:5), but that kind of love can only come from God's children, who have faith and who are in Christ.

Applications: God's laws are not difficult to keep. They can all be summarized into two basic principals: love God and love others. If you keep these commands, then you will be following The Law and all The Commandments. Make your daily decisions in keeping with these two principals, take the course of action which best demonstrates love for God and love for others, and you will be pleasing and glorifying Him.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill my heart with the love of God. Pray that I would meditate on these principals of love and remember them, so that they would guide my thoughts, my words, and my actions. Pray that God's grace would manifest itself in me as works and deeds which demonstrate a genuine love for God and for others.

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Can Suffering Be Good?

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

We often don’t pause to consider that God can turn the evil of suffering into a lesson for good, a lesson we can use to grow spiritually. Sometimes suffering in the form of persecution comes simply because we do not want to compromise our faithfulness to the Lord. Many other times it is merely the common pain, hardship, disease, and conflicts resulting from sin’s corruption of the world.

Sometimes, however, God does bring suffering as a means to discipline us when we fall into a pattern of sin. That’s what happened to Ananias and Sapphira in the early church (see Acts 5:1-11). Similarly, God punished some members of the Corinthian church for their flagrant sins (1 Cor 11:29-30).

Whatever the case, you do not have to view suffering as bad. It can teach you kindness, sympathy, humility, compassion, patience, and gentleness. Most important, God can use suffering in unique ways to draw you closer to Him.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 277). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Suffering is not necessarily bad. In our limited view we may see it that way, but in God's infinite, eternal view, there is always a good reason for it. Sometimes we suffer for Christ's sake, because we won't compromise on biblical and moral issues, but to be Christ's followers, we must be willing to deny ourselves and take up our crosses daily (Luke 9:23). Other times the hardships and difficulties we think of as suffering are merely the result of sin in this fallen world. And sometimes God allows or even ordains suffering in our lives as a means of disciplining and teaching us. We may need rebuke and correction for sin in our lives, or God may want to teach us kindness, sympathy, humility, compassion, patience, or gentleness. In any case, at all times, we should trust in the sovereignty of God and view everything He allows as good.

Applications: Look at everything which happens in your life as a part of God's great plan. Trust in God's sovereignty and His goodness, that everything which He ordains, whether joyful or painful, is ultimately for good. From our limited perspective we may not understand the reasons for suffering in the world, but we should seek to learn from it. If you have sin in your life, God may be disciplining you, so that you would repent and return to Him. Or God may be teaching you to show love and mercy to others, as He has shown it to us. God can also use suffering to bring us closer to Him because He truly is the Father of mercy and God of comfort (Isa 66:13).

Prayer Subjects: Pray that I would have the wisdom to learn from the suffering I endure in my life and the suffering I see in the world around me. Pray that I would not look to blame God, or to excuse Him from responsibility in suffering, but that I would understand that it is all ultimately in His control and in His plan. Pray that I would be submissive and willing to be used by God for His purposes and that I would obey His commands in fulfilling His plan.

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Is Evil Ever Good?

You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.

Genesis 50:20

As difficult as it is to accept or many times even recognize, God sometimes allows evil things to work for the good of believers. Many of the things you do or that happen to you are either evil or, at best, worthless. Yet the Lord in His infinite wisdom and power can and does turn the worst of such things to your ultimate good.

The famous account of Daniel in the lions’ den is a great illustration of how evil can be turned into good. When Daniel did not substitute worship of King Darius for worship of the true God, the king ordered him thrown into the pit of lions. When the lions would not harm him, Daniel declared to Darius, “‘O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you’” (Dan 6:21-22). Daniel was such a testimony to the king of how God could use evil for good that he happily released Daniel and gave praise to the Lord.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 276). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: We must understand that God is omniscient and we are not. God is Holy and we are not. What we think of as good and evil are limited compared to the infinite, eternal viewpoint of God. His ways are higher than our ways (Isa 55:9). We cannot stand in judgement of His motives. We simply must have faith that ultimately, anything that we perceive as evil is being used by God to work for our good. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Rom 8:28).

Applications: We must trust in the Lord in all things. In every circumstance, whether we see it as positive or negative, it is part of God's sovereign will. We may not see it at the time, but in the end, if God allows it, then it is good. We should follow Paul's example and learn to be content in every situation, knowing that Christ empowers us to persevere through anything. "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil 4:11-13).

Prayer Subjects: Pray for contentment in whatever circumstance I am in. Pray for the peace of God to guard my heart and mind (Phil 4:7), so that I would continue to present a positive testimony to the power of God in my life to those around me. Pray that I would not question God's plans or motives, but that I would simply trust Him and obey Him in love.

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Ministers To One Another

Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.

Hebrews 10:24

God wants His children to minister His good to one another. Paul the apostle, as he opened his letter to the Roman believers, assured them that he was eager to visit them not only to minister to them, but to be ministered to by them: “…that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me” (Rom 1:12). Before that, he had described Timothy and himself to the Corinthians as “fellow workers for your joy” (2 Cor 1:24).

If you’re truly a follower of Christ, it should be both an obligation and a joy for you to encourage other believers toward love and good works, as today’s verse instructs.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 275). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: God did not create us to be alone. God provided Adam with a suitable helper because "It is not good for the man to be alone" (Gen 2:18). All believers are brothers and sisters adopted into the family of God. And as a family, we must love one another and minister to one another. We must all be "suitable helpers" to each other. The church, the family of believers is also like a body. We are the body of Christ with Him as our head (1 Cor 12:27). Each part is essential and must do it's part for the body to function properly. No member can say to another "I don't need you", and in fact without all the members of the church coming together and serving one another, the body is not complete.

Applications: Recognize that you need God's help and the help of fellow believers in order to grow spiritually. No one can do it on their own. Do not look to be served, but instead look to minister to others. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). Seek to assist and care for your brothers and sisters in Christ. "Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interests of others" (Phil 2:4). If every member does his part, then we will all minister to each other, and we will all be ministered to as well.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a spirit of fellowship and cooperation with fellow believers. Pray for humility so that I would seek to be a servant to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray that I would humbly seek to serve and minister to others, looking for nothing in return, only seeking to glorify God. Pray that "as [I] have opportunity, let [me] do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers" (Gal 6:10).

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The Intrinsically Good

Whatever things are of good report,if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:8

Almost by definition, certain things in the spiritual realm are good. First, God Himself is good. “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Rom 2:4).

Second, God’s Word is good and works for our good. Paul told the Ephesian elders, “‘I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified’” (Acts 20:32).

Third, God’s holy angels are good and are there to support believers. The writer of Hebrews affirms this with the rhetorical question, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14).

These are truths not only worth meditating on but, in view of their realities, living out.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 274). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: God Himself is good and everything good comes from Him. If we are to seek fellowship with Him, then we must spend time loving and getting to know Him. We must seek to become like Him, to be conformed to Christ's image. In order to do that we must study, memorize, and meditate on the good things He provides, especially the good commands and instructions God has given us in His word. We must live out these biblical principals by demonstrating what is "of good report", that which is virtuous and highly regarded, such as love, patience, and kindness (1 Cor 13:4).

Applications: Study what is good. Study God's word and memorize it and meditate on it. This is how you can grow closer to God. It is by spending time communicating with God, through prayer and bible study, that we have fellowship with Him. Focus your life on living out what you learn from scripture and bearing forth the spiritual fruit which comes from your loving, personal relationship with God.

Prayer Subjects: Pray that I would concentrate on the goodness which comes from God. Pray that I would learn more about Him, and in doing so, that I would become closer to Him. Pray that I would focus and meditate fully on the good, biblical principals I have gleaned from scripture and I would apply what I learn to my daily life.

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The Goodness Of God's Faithfulness

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

The goodness of God’s faithfulness to believers is apparent, because even when we are unfaithful to Him, He remains faithful to us. The prophet Micah rejoiced in God’s faithfulness, exulting, “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy” (Mic 7:18).

Whenever you’re in need, you can rely on the faithfulness of God’s promises, such as these: “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him” (Ps 91:15); “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19).

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 273). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Because God is omnipresent, eternal, and immutable, He is unfailingly faithful. He does not lie and He does not change His mind; He acts on His declarations and He keeps His promises (Num 23:19). Even when heaven and earth pass away, He and His word will remain (Luke 21:33). We can count of God to be faithful, even when we are not (Rom 3:3-4). We may continually fail in our faithfulness to Him, but we must not fail to have faith in Him. When we are in need, as believers we can rely on God in His goodness, to provide for us. Every good promise God makes will be fulfilled, not one of them will fail (Jos 23:14).

Applications: Trust in the Lord and praise Him. His faithfulness is unfailing and infinite. "For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD" (Ps 117:2). Do not worry about about worldly things, but instead concentrate on pleasing and loving God as He loves you. Trust God to remain faithful, even when you are not. Just be sure to be faithful about having faith in Him. You only need a little faith (Luke 17:6) as long as that faith is placed in Christ as your Lord and Savior. Then you can be assured that God shall provide for your needs according to His good will.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for trust and love and faith in God. Pray that I would strive to be faithful to God in my love, devotion, and service to Him, just as He is unfailingly faithful to me. Pray that I would have confidence in His promise to provide for my needs according to His will, so that I could then concentrate on first seeking His kingdom and His righteousness (Mat 6:33).

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The Goodness Of God's Wisdom

This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.

Isaiah 28:29

The most direct way we see the goodness of God’s wisdom is when He shares it with us. The apostle Paul prayed that He would grant to believers in Ephesus and everywhere “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Eph 1:17). He expressed similar sentiments in his letter to the Colossians: “We…do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col 1:9); “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col 3:16).

How are you doing in utilizing the goodness of God’s wisdom?

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 272). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Like God Himself, God's wisdom is good and His ways are never wrong. "Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? The fear of the Lord--that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding" (Job 28:20, 28). We receive God's wisdom through the bible by learning His will and obeying His commandments. Every lesson, every principal, every instruction taught to us by the bible is good and perfect. True wisdom comes from knowing that God's ways are flawless and complete, and then faithfully following them (Isa 55:8-9).

Applications: Let God "fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Col 1:9). Learn God's commands by studying the bible, then obey those commands out of your love for Him. "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him" (John 14:21). Turn away from the "worldly wisdom" that is born out of envy and selfish ambition because this is "earthly, unspiritual, of the devil" (James 3:15). Turn instead to "wisdom that comes from heaven" which is "first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere" (James 3:17). Then you will be see the goodness of God's wisdom.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill me with spiritual wisdom and understanding. Pray that I would submit to God and obey His commands because I love Him and I want to honor and please Him. Pray for humility, so I would not seek wisdom which satisfies selfish desires, but instead let me seek the wisdom that comes from heaven. Pray that I would love God, but also that I would respect and fear Him, because "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps 111:10).

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The Goodness Of God's Power

The Lord is slow to anger and great in power.

Nahum 1:3

God’s power, one of His primary attributes, is often on display for our good. It supports us in our troubles and strengthens our spiritual life. Near the end of his life, Moses told God’s people, “‘The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms’” (Deut 33:27).

In His parting words to the disciples, just prior to His ascension, Jesus promised, “‘But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’” (Acts 1:8).

Whether our outward circumstances are favorable or unfavorable, these and other divine promises about God’s power are there for us to claim.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 271). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Because God is holy, He cannot ignore sin. He is a loving God, so He is slow to anger and patiently gives us the opportunity to be saved from His wrath, but eventually, His enemies will be destroyed. Christ paid the penalty for our sins, and those who repent and have faith in Him as their Lord and Savior become God's adopted children. Those who reject Him and cling to their own pride or other false idols are God's advesaries. The Lord will not withhold justice from them, and great is His power for vengeance.

Applications: God is all powerful, omnipotent, and He can use that power in many ways. Be sure that you have accepted God's gift of grace and that Christ is your Lord and Master, so that God's power would not be used against you. Instead, seek to obey God and further His kingdom. Then God's Spirit will empower you on toward Christ-likeness and in fulfilling God's plans. You will receive power from the Holy Spirit to be witnesses throughout the world, to spread the gospel, to bring the word of God to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Prayer Subjects: Pray for me to be submissive and obedient to God. Pray that I would be a proper conduit for God's power to spread the gospel message to those in the world who are lost, to those who are the enemies of God. Pray thanksgiving for God's wonderful gifts of mercy and grace upon me, who is so undeserving.

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When Does Good Come?

All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

Psalm 25:10

After delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, God continually guided them through the harsh obstacles of the Sinai desert. Moses reminded them: “‘[God] led you through the great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water…that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end’” (Deut 8:15-16).

That illustration, along with many others from Scripture, clearly demonstrates that the Lord often delays the good He has promised to His own. God certainly didn’t lead the Israelites through forty years of challenging tests only to bring them to an evil end. Instead, He brought them good, even though He used a large amount of discipline and refining to accomplish it.

As Christians, we also can expect temporal hardships before realizing the final glory God has waiting for us. Paul reminds us that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor 4:17).

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 270). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Even though we have been justified, we still sin. We still live in this fallen world and we still occupy our fleshly, sinful bodies. We strive through sanctification to achieve glorification when we will no longer sin, but in the meantime, God must teach us and discipline us when we transgress. Sometimes, even when we have not knowingly sinned, we may still suffer adversity and persecution as Christ's disciples (John 15:20). In either case, eventually we will receive good from God by His mercy and grace, if we have faith in Him and obey His commandments.

Applications: We can study scripture and learn to follow Christ, or we can follow our own way and suffer the consequences. God's children will obey His commands, or like children, they will be disciplined by their loving Father in Heaven. Remain faithful to keep God's commandments and obey His word. Repent and be humble and God will teach and guide you in justice. He will teach of His way (Ps 25:8-9).

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a heart to obey God's commands. Pray for a repentant heart and humility so that God can guide me and teach me to follow in His way. Pray that I would keep His covenants and testimonies so He would show me mercy and truth and I would become a respectful and submissive child of God.

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God's Providence

All things work together for good to those who love God.

Romans 8:28

God regularly and consistently takes all that He allows to happen to Christians, even what seems to them to be the worst things, and turns those events ultimately into blessings. That is divine providence at work.

No matter what your situation—happy, prosperous, and easy; or sad, painful, and difficult—through it all, God works to do what is ultimately best and most blessed for you.

In His providence, the Lord uses “all things,” circumstances that are evil and harmful as well as those that are good and helpful, to mold you into the kind of person He wants you to be. When you struggle with life, just remember what God promised the apostle Paul, “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness’” (2 Cor 12:9). That pledge is for you as well.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 269). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: God is good. He is never the author of evil, nor does he cause evil to occur. God is also sovereign. He ultimately controls all things, so all circumstances that believers find themselves in, will ultimately be for their benefit. Everything which occurs in our Christian lives, good or evil, will through divine providence be turned into blessings, or lessons which will mature us spiritually, or opportunities to bless others. Regardless, everything which happens to us as God's children, is under God's control. And by God's providence it is all ultimately for our own good, so that we might "be conformed to the likeness of His Son" (Rom 8:29).

Applications: God does not cause the evil in our lives. We have only ourselves to blame. In every circumstance, every temptation, God gives us an escape route. "But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Cor 10:13). But so often we ignore His way and seek our own way instead. It is the consequences of our disobedience that we often think of as suffering, but even then, God will use it for our benefit in the end.

Prayer Subjects: Pray for a heart of thanksgiving in every circumstance. Pray that I would thank God for and welcome bad times as well as good with equal contentment. Pray that I would be discerning in the moral choices I make, and that I would choose God's way, not my own. Pray that I would willingly take the escape route God has provided instead of inviting needless suffering.

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Security Has No Limits

He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him.

Hebrews 7:25

The extent of your security as a believer is as limitless as its certainty is absolute. In fact, the expression “to the uttermost” in today’s verse literally means “completely,” or “forever.” The security of salvation is utterly comprehensive, without qualifications or limits.

The Father’s infallible decree of security for Christians was graciously and completely carried out through the work of His Son at Calvary (see 1 John 2:1). And that security is strong enough to last throughout your entire life on earth, until you are in the presence of the Lord. The apostle Jude offers this encouraging benediction, which you can always count on: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 268). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: The assurance of your salvation was secured once for all, by Christ at Calvary. His sacrifice and propitiation was complete. It washes away all sin from His redeemed people. It is a salvation we can have total and absolute confidence in. If we place our faith and our trust in Christ, we can count on God's redemptive grace to work in us and spiritually mature us towards sanctification through our entire lives.

Applications: Place all of your faith and trust in God. It is God's love that saved us and it is His unfailing strength which will sustain us. "Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfullness" (Lam 3:22-23). Allow the Holy Spirit to empower you and work synergistically with Him to grow you towards Christ-likeness.

Prayer Subjects: Pray that my faith and trust in God would be as complete as the security we have in God's power for our salvation. Pray that I would seek to share that security with those around me. Pray that I would not be timid, but that I would boldly proclaim the gospel "because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Rom 1:16).

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God The Guarantor

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

John 10:29

Sadly, many believers throughout church history, including many today, have refused to believe that God guarantees their eternal security. Such denial derives from the erroneous conviction that salvation is a cooperative endeavor between people and God. Such reasoning says that an almighty God will not fail to do His part, but that a fallible Christian might fail to do his part.

But belief in what Scripture says about salvation—that it comes from a sovereign God alone—will lead you to the confidence that your salvation is secure. If salvation is all of God, then you can know with certainty that He will not fail to secure it. Anyone who is truly God’s child need never fear losing his citizenship in heaven. And if that describes you, you can surely trust Christ’s words from today’s verse that “no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 267). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: Salvation is truly a free gift from God. It is not earned, it is not something we have to "pay back". It is solely the work of a sovereign and omnipotent God. The Father has chosen us, and given us to Christ. God's decision is absolute and it is final. Once we have been justified by true repentence and a genuine faith in Christ as our Lord and Savior, we need not fear losing our salvation. Therefore we can be assured that nothing that we do, or fail to do, will change our redeemed status. "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5-7).

Applications: Do not waste time or effort worrying about "losing your salvation". Concentrate instead upon glorifying and obeying the God whom you love. If you made a true profession of faith in Christ as your Lord and Savior, then the Holy Spirit will empower you do grow spiritually toward Christ-likeness. You will want to turn away from temptation and sin, and you will want to submit and obey God in love, if Christ is in you. However, be sure to examine yourselves for spiritual fruit, making sure that you are in Christ and He is in you (2 Cor 13:5; John 15:5).

Prayer Subjects: Pray for peace and contentment regarding my salvation. Pray that I would remain in Christ and He would remain in me, so that I would bear forth the fruit of repentance and the fruit of redemption. Pray that I would ever be thankful for God's gift of grace and that I would praise and honor Him for His wonderful attributes.

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Eternal Security Is Sure

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

John 10:28

Today’s verse is a wonderful promise from the Lord Jesus Himself that the believer’s salvation is forever secure in Him. Furthermore, the first three words of Romans 8:28, “And we know,” express the absolute certainty you can have, verified by the Holy Spirit, that you will never lose your salvation.

Based on divinely revealed authority, the apostle Paul asserts to the Roman church and to us that, as Christians, we can know beyond all doubt that we are secure in God’s hands. As you walk with Him, He will display His glory in your salvation and work out everything in your sanctification for your ultimate blessing.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 266). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Lessons Learned: God is omnipotent and perfect and faithful. He has power to always keep His promises, so we can have faith and trust Him, without anxiety to always care for us (Rom 4:20-21; 1 Pet 5:7). If we have truly repented and given ourselves over to Christ, then we can have full assurance of salvation. This assurance does not depend on our abilities, but instead our security is found in the ability of the Great Shepherd, Christ, to defend and protect His flock. God, the creator is greater than all, so no one can take away those whom God chooses to keep (John 10:29).

Applications: Give thanks to God for the gift of eternal life. Give thanks that He is omnipotent and faithful, so that we can have peace of mind, secure in our salvation. But do not just give thanks shallowly and superficially with meaningless talk. Give true, heartfelt thanks with submission and obedience to His commands that conveys your love for Him. "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:18).

Prayer Subjects: Pray that I would always be grateful for the gift of Grace. Pray that I would never take it for granted, but also that I would never forget about it and doubt God's power. Pray for a consistent yearning to love and honor God, by repenting of my sins and by serving and obeying Him.

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