For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11

In the late 1990s, our ministry set out to construct a large church building for our congregation in Riga, Latvia. One of the most important steps in this complex process was creating a foundation that could support the church building, and since the planned structure was massive, the foundation would have to be immense. This also meant it would be very expensive!

The land that our ministry had purchased for this church building was ideal in terms of its location, but the ground itself was composed of peat moss! Peat moss is a beautiful, rich, dark soil, but structurally, it is very unsound. In fact, if we had built on top of it, our building would have sunk down into the soil! So before we could start building our foundation, bulldozers had to come and remove that rich, dark soil.

Day after day, I watched as the crew dug deeper and deeper, trying to find hard ground beneath all that peat moss — until at long last they found hard soil 12 feet deep in the earth! When it was all said and done, 12 feet of peat moss had to be removed from an area the size of a football field. Every day I went to the site to watch as dump trucks loaded with rich, dark peat moss drove away to dump that soil into the river!

When the huge depression for the foundation was finally dug, I climbed down into it and walked from one end to the other. I was so proud of that big hole in the ground! It alone had cost more money than any other project I had ever taken on in my life. However, once the soil was excavated, it was then time to fill the hole with copious amounts of sand and gravel so the concrete foundation could be poured.

Over the course of the next few months, the same dump trucks that had previously carried soil away returned to pour layers upon layers of sand and gravel into that big, expensive hole. Before long, that hole was history! By the time the hole was refilled with rock and sand, our church building had already cost a fortune!

The next step was to build the foundation for our church building. The workers built a wood frame around the perimeter of the building site and then laid steel to reinforce the concrete once it was poured. Once the frame was secure, the concrete trucks arrived and began pouring concrete. That was such an exciting day!

For weeks cement trucks churned sand, water, and cement into concrete, and the workers poured it onto the site. Because there wasn’t a lot of sophisticated construction equipment in the former USSR at that time, everything had to be done by hand. The newly poured concrete had to be carefully smoothed by hand before it dried, and the laborers worked quickly and efficiently to complete each new section before moving on to the next. Everyone involved worked meticulously with an observant eye to ensure no mistakes were made in this important process.

Finally, the day came when all the trucks left, and I could examine our new foundation. At 306 feet long and 108 feet wide, that slab was huge! In fact, it was so big that it took several minutes for me to walk from one end to the other! Soon after, the crew arrived with their noisy grinding machines and literally ground the surface of that foundation until it was nearly as smooth as silk. Then it was time for the next phase — the construction of the building’s steel frame!

However, before they put that steel frame in place, I would drive out to the site early each morning, walk around the foundation, and look at it in wonder. I would think about how it began as an abandoned field of peat moss, and then through a lengthy, elaborate, expensive process, it became our rock-solid foundation.

I loved that foundation! When we started to build it, our ministry didn’t have the money needed to complete it. Day by day, I prayed and believed God for the money to dig that hole, buy the sand and rock, and purchase and pour the concrete. No one appreciated that foundation as much as I did because no one else knew what a miracle it was that we had been able to pay for it. That foundation had been built by faith. It was my miracle foundation!

When the church building was completed, it almost broke my heart when the carpet was laid over that foundation! So much work had gone into building that foundation, and the carpet would completely hide it. In fact, no one would ever even think of the foundation as they walked over it. Everyone who came into that building to worship God would never realize the fortune of sand, rock, and concrete that was beneath their feet, yet it was there whether or not they realized it. Although that foundation was no longer visible to anyone’s sight, it was essential to keeping that building standing strong for many years to come.

Think about it — how often do you walk into a gorgeous building and say, “Wow, what an awesome foundation this building has!” NEVER! When you walk into a new building, you see carpet, tile, wallpaper, light fixtures, and other beautiful cosmetic work, but you don’t see the foundation. You probably don’t even think about the foundation! However, if the foundation isn’t properly put in place, that building won’t last very long. The longevity of the whole building depends on the foundation.

Building a foundation is a hard, elaborate, lengthy, expensive process, but it is extremely important. In First Corinthians 3:11, the apostle Paul wrote about the spiritual foundation he had laid in the church of Corinth. He said, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

The word “foundation” that Paul used in this verse is the Greek word themelios, a compound of the words lithos and tithemi. The word lithos is Greek for stone, and tithemi means to lay something down. When these words are compounded, they form the word themelios, which describes a foundation set in stone that is strong, stable, and enduring.

In addition to describing a physical foundation, the word themelios was also used metaphorically to denote the laying of a moral, theological, or educational foundation in a person’s life. These figurative foundations, just like an actual physical foundation of a building, are all built with enormous effort, intense concentration, and great expense.

When the apostle Paul first entered Corinth, the city was utterly consumed with idolatry and heathenism. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that Corinth was one of the most wicked, perverted cities on the face of the earth at that time. Therefore, for Paul to establish a church in that evil environment, he had to push like a spiritual bulldozer in the Spirit to shove those demonic powers out of the way. Once the spiritual rubbish had been cleared from his path, he then preached the Word in order to establish a firm foundation under the feet of these newly saved Corinthians. Paul’s enormous effort and intense focus produced a foundation under them that would withstand any attack of the enemy — including horrific persecution — and would last for generations!

Whenever Paul left a congregation to establish a church in a new region, a new pastor would follow in his stead to build on top of his work. However, every spiritual foundation that the apostle set beneath a church was rock-solid and needed no improvements. That is why he confidently stated to the Corinthians, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Because of Paul’s hard work, the church in Corinth was set on a firm spiritual foundation that enabled it to become one of the most influential congregations of the Early Church. Although other spiritual leaders followed Paul and contributed their part, a large part of the fruit produced in the Corinthian church can be directly attributed to the talents, energy, and gifts Paul used to establish the foundation for that congregation.

With this in mind, first take a moment to evaluate your own spiritual foundation with the help of the Holy Spirit. Are there any gaps that need to be filled in? Are there “swampy” areas in your mindsets and beliefs that need to be dug out and filled in with solid, Word-based soil? Ask the Lord for wisdom, and the Spirit of God will be faithful to give you all that you need to make sure your foundation is deep, wide, and bedrock-solid so you can build your life high and wide and strong in Him!

Then as you reflect on your life, see if you can think of a person or people who helped build a godly foundation in your life, such as a family member, a friend, a teacher, or a pastor. At the time these individuals were pouring themselves into your life, you might not have even realized the significance of their actions. However, as you look back on all they did, aren’t you grateful for the time and energy they invested in you in order to build a firm foundation in your life?

When I think back on all the people Denise and I have poured ourselves into over the years, it makes me realize how much it means to us when they come back to say thank you for what we did for them. Those expressions of thanks mean so much! Although it is not demanded or expected, it is a wonderful reward to hear that we have touched people’s lives and that our actions helped them get established on a firm foundation.

Have you taken time to thank people for the sacrifices they made to do this very thing for you? For those who invested themselves in you, I recommend that you take time to do something special to express your heartfelt thanksgiving for how they helped you in a pivotal moment of your life.

Never forget that the longevity of a building greatly depends on the foundation. Although laying a spiritual foundation is a hard, elaborate, lengthy process that can come at great cost, it is nevertheless extremely important. If a godly foundation is laid correctly, a person’s life will be well supported, and he will be able to pass the test of time. On the other hand, if a foundation under a person’s life is built too hastily or on shifting soil, that person will not have a firm footing as he proceeds forward in his spiritual walk.

As a closing thought, I encourage you to remember Jesus’ exhortation: “Freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). This means that you should actively seek to build up the spiritual foundation of other people, just as others took the time to help strengthen your foundation. Do everything you can to help build strong foundations in the lives of those around you, even as you ensure that your own foundation is built strong and sure to hold the full weight of all that God has destined you to be!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I want to thank You for loving me so much that You placed people in my life to help build a solid foundation underneath me. Because of what they invested in me, my life is set on a firm foundation. I am so thankful for everything that was graciously done on my behalf! Please help me fortify my own foundation in every area that might need shoring up or strengthening. And I ask that You open my eyes to people around me who need the same kindness and care shown to them. Your Word says “freely ye have received, freely give,” so I know I have a responsibility to give of myself as others gave to me. I want to be a positive influence in someone else’s life, so I ask You, Holy Spirit, to show me how to be the same kind of blessing that others have been to me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I have a strong foundation in God, firmly based on the truth of His Word. And I allow Him to use me to positively influence other people’s lives. I have gifts, talents, abilities, and experience that will help put others on a firm foundation for life. Rather than keep those gifts, talents, abilities and life experiences to myself, I allow God to use these to help other people get started on a firm foundation. Because I allow the Holy Spirit to use me, I am a great blessing to people who are around me. God works through me, and other people’s lives are benefited because I am willing to invest myself in them and in their future.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

Who helped establish a foundation underneath your life? As you look back on your life and recall all that those individuals did to help you in your life and career, are you deeply thankful for their great investment of time and energy to ensure that your life or career was established on a firm foundation?
Have you taken time to thank those people for the sacrifices they made for you? I recommend that you take a few minutes today to write them, to call them, or to do something special to express a heartfelt thanksgiving for what they invested in you at a pivotal moment in life!
Who are you investing yourself in today? If God cared enough for you to send a person into your life that would help you get a firm footing in life, then don’t you think it is right that you should do this for someone else? Who are you helping in life?

Your Redemption Is a Done Deal

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.
— Galatians 3:13

Don’t you wish you could be free from sin and its consequences once and for all? Well, according to Galatians 3:13, you already are! You just haven’t comprehended it yet! Let me give you an illustration of this before we dive into Galatians 3:13.

A friend of mine had a goat that he dearly loved. Very late one night, he received a telephone call from the local police, who informed him that his goat had wandered away from home, had been hit by a car, and now lay dead in a ditch by the side of the road.

My friend was grieved and broken-hearted, but he knew he needed to retrieve the dead goat. When he approached the ditch where the goat lay, he saw that the goat was very much alive! Its legs were bound with rope, which let my friend know that someone had kidnapped the goat and then dumped it in the ditch on the side of the road.

Jubilantly, he leaped into the bottom of the ditch, pulled out his pocketknife, cut the ropes, slapped the goat on its backside, and said, “Get up!” But the goat just lay there with its legs still clinging to each other as if they were still bound with rope. He hit her a second time, then a third time. Then he yelled at her one last time, “Get up!”

My friend mused to himself, Bless this dumb ol’ goat! It’s free and doesn’t even know it! He reached down and pulled apart the goat’s legs; then he lifted it and set it on its feet. Only then did the goat realize it wasn’t bound anymore.

When I heard this story, it made me think about us as believers. We don’t need to get free — we are free! Jesus’ work on the Cross totally purchased our redemption and freedom.

Although Jesus broke the bonds of slavery and the devil has no legal hold on believers anymore, most believers still lay on their sides in the bottom of the ditch, wishing they could get free. The chains that hold them are an illusion, because Jesus already paid the price for their release!

Galatians 3:13 gives us a glorious picture of the redemption Jesus Christ purchased for us. The word “redeem” that Paul used in this verse is derived from the Greek word exagoridzo. It is a compound of the words ex and agoridzo. The word ex is a preposition that means out. The word agoridzo was the Greek word most notably used to describe the slave market — a disgusting place where human beings were bought, sold, and traded like animals.

But when the words ex and agoridzo are compounded together, it pictures a buyer or redeemer who has gone to the slave market to purchase a slave for the solitary purpose of bringing him out of that place of slavery so he can be set free. Therefore, this particular word for “redeem” conveys the thought of permanent removal from captivity.

Exagoridzo is the very word Paul used in Galatians 3:13, where he says, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law….” Because this word is used in connection with Jesus redeeming us from the curse of the law, Paul is telling us plainly that Jesus’ sacrificial death didn’t only pay the penalty for our sin; His death removed us from living under the curse henceforth!

Paul continues to tell us that Jesus’ work of redemption was the reason He came into the world: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4,5).

As you get started on your day, take time to rejoice that God’s purpose in sending Jesus was not only to inspect your condition of slavery and locate you in your depravity — His ultimate plan was to buy you out of that miserable condition and then to place you in His family as His own child. You are forever removed from the curse of sin and the law. God accomplished that plan through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. It’s a done deal!

You’re a purchased possession, bought out of bondage by the Son of God, never to be a slave to sin again. So make a quality decision to walk in the reality of that marvelous fact!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You that my redemption is a done deal! It’s not something I’m trying to get; it’s something You’ve already purchased and accomplished in my life. Help me renew every area of my mind so I can enjoy the liberty You purchased for me. Give me a desire to experience Your freedom in every sphere of my life and a determination to reject any form of bondage that tries to hang on to me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am free! Sin has no more hold on me! Bondages and habits from the past have no more legitimate right to exercise their control over me! I rejoice that God sent Jesus to buy me out of my slavery and place me in His family as His own child. I declare that I am forever removed from the curse of sin. I agree that it’s a done deal!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever felt like that goat, mentally and emotionally paralyzed by the fear of being “kidnapped” by some kind of bondage in your life?

2. How would you act differently if you truly believed that you are no longer under the power of sin and its consequences once and for all?

3. How has the realization of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection changed your opinion of yourself as God’s child?

…Take heed that no man deceive you.
— Matthew 24:4

For those who have a listening ear to the Spirit of God, it is clear that we have entered into the very last part of the last days. As a result, recent decades have brought us face to face with difficult issues, whether we wanted to be confronted with them or not. According to Bible prophecy, things are only going to get more intense as the days pass, because we are living at the end of the age when Jesus, Paul, and Peter all prophesied that society as a whole would be deceived on a massive scale.

Jesus’ disciples had specifically asked Him, “…What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3). In response to that specific question, Jesus identified a list of exact signs that would indicate the very end of the age and His imminent return. Jesus gave many signs, but the first sign Jesus told them about contained a clear warning of a wide-scale deception that would emerge in the last part of the last days — and the need for people to prepare and guard against it. Jesus said, “…Take heed that no man deceive you” (v. 4).

In the original Greek, the words “take heed” were intended to jar and jolt the disciples to get their attention. As they perked up to really listen to what Jesus was telling them, they heard Him warn that as the present age came to a conclusion, an unprecedented deception would attempt to encompass every part of society.

In Matthew 24:4, the word “deceive” is used to depict this period when it will look as if delusion is taking over the world. It is the Greek word planao, which means to lead astray or to wander off course. This word “deceive” could depict a single individual who has wandered far off course, or it could describe a whole nation or nations that have morally veered from the position once held to be true.

Planao depicts a person (or nation) who, although once established on solid ground, is now morally drifting and teetering on the edge of a crooked, dangerous path. This individual has lost his bearings and has drifted off-track. He had already departed, or was in the process of departing, from what he once morally believed. He has begun going cross-grain against all that was once a part of his belief system.

In the years that lapsed between the Old and New Testaments, this same word “deceive” was often used to forecast a wide-scale deception that would one day envelope the earth. It was believed by scholars of that time that this deception would be a precursor to the glorious coming of the Messiah. Furthermore, it was widely held that a deception of this order could occur only as a result of the activity of evil spirits that would work intensely in the earth at the very end of the age. Scholars believed these dark powers would lead the world into deception en masse.

The apostle Paul also confirmed this long-forecasted deception. In Second Thessalonians 2, he described distinct events that would occur on the planet at the very end of the age and continue with greater aggression and intensity. He stated that the world’s population would become so ensnared in deception that they would be controlled by a strong “delusion” (v. 11). The word “delusion” in Greek is plane, a form of planao, the same word used in Matthew 24:4. However, in Second Thessalonians 2:11, the Greek word was translated “delusion” instead of “deception.” But the word planao nonetheless depicts a culture that has strayed so far that it has become beguiled, bewitched, duped, and seduced into believing a lie in place of the truth.

In Second Thessalonians 2:11, the Holy Spirit prophesied through Paul that society in the last days will become supernaturally hoodwinked — that is, it will be ensnared by an unparalleled period of deception on every front. This period of deceitfulness will be so intense that people will believe what is false over what is obviously true, even denying facts and truths that are common sense and that nature itself teaches (see Romans 1:20). This era of worldwide falsehood and deception will occur at the very end of this age and will continue into the time of the Great Tribulation. It will mark a time when wrong belief and delusion will pervade every realm of society. This is the clear teaching of prophetic Scripture about developments that will occur at the conclusion of this age.

Just look at the world around you today. Can you see deception at work? Watch the developments in the news. In a culture where moral standards bend so easily with the times, can you sense we have reached the tipping point where many are being deceived even now, not only in the United States, but also around the globe?

In Matthew 24:4, Jesus accurately foretold this worldwide deception on the earth in the last days and alerted His disciples that it would be a sign that His return was nigh. As we come closer and closer to the very last days of this age, we need to remember Christ’s forewarning of a season in time in which deception would grip the entire world. From all the signs around us, it appears that we are already there.

This is why it is so important that we keep our minds soaked with the Word of God, which renews us to right thinking in a world that has morally slipped in a wrong direction. It is imperative that we put the Word into our hearts — keeping it before our eyes and hearing it with our ears. It’s equally important to verbalize the truth of God’s Word to ourselves and to other believers, thus strengthening the truth in us and between us in a day when truth is slipping away.

Today I sense it’s my responsibility to ask you — what is your level of commitment to your Bible? Is it a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path (Psalm 119:105)? Is it the joy and rejoicing of your heart (Jeremiah 15:16)?

Rather than become victims of the age and spiritual casualties in the Body of Christ, we can hold our Bibles dearer and closer to our hearts and minds than ever before. We can reinforce ourselves against the days in which we live and the days that are forecast as yet to come. So let’s grab hold of the unalterable truths of God’s Word, dig our heels deep into it, and decide that we will stand firm on the truth that never changes, regardless of how society around us changes in the days to come!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I see that the world is slipping into falsehood and delusion on so many fronts, just as You said it would in Matthew 24:4,5. Long-held moral truths are being reconsidered and changed; truths of the Bible are being discounted and laid aside; and it seems that this process is occurring at a faster and faster pace as we come to the close of this age. I ask You to give me the inner courage to stand fast on the Word of God — to embrace it, dig my heels into it, and not sway from the unalterable truths of Scripture, even if the world around me is slipping away from it. Help me to embrace the Bible tighter than ever before and to keep my thoughts in agreement with Your will, regardless of what is happening in the world around me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that I am committed to the eternal, unchangeable truths of God’s Word, regardless of what is happening in society all around me. The world may change what it believes and endorses, but not one word of God’s truth ever changes. I declare that I will wrap my arms around the Word of God, embrace it, and dig my heels into it. I will never surrender my conviction to the truths of the Bible. Holy Spirit, I need Your power and inner fortitude to do this, so I am asking You to reinforce me, along with my other close Christian friends, so we stand by the truth and refuse to be bullied into lowering our standards of believing the deception that is at work in the world in these last days!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

Do you know any believers who have slipped from their firm commitment to the eternal truths taught by the Bible? What has been your response to this slipping away? Have you prayed for them? Have you lovingly spoken to them about the direction they are taking?
Can you think of ways that the moral foundation in the world is changing — and how society is trying to push these changing morals on everyone? What would be one example that stands out in your mind?
What is your personal response to all of this? This is a question that you will definitely have to face in the days to come, so what is your answer right now? Are you going to be bullied or hoodwinked to change your view along with the rest of the world, or are you going to stand on the truth that never changes?

A Picture of Who You Used To Be

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.
— Ephesians 2:2

Do you ever look through old photographs to reminisce about the past? When browsing through those old images, does it ever make you drift back to moments in the past that are precious to you or perhaps not so pleasant? Photographs are reminders of who we were back then, what we once looked like, what we once did, and so on.

Ephesians 2:2 is like looking at a photograph of what you were like before Jesus Christ came into your life. It says, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” The King James Version says, “Wherein in time past.…” But the Greek could be better translated, “Back then.…”

Paul was reminding his readers of what they were like before the grace of God touched their hearts. With this one statement, he reached into his pocketbook, pulled out a stack of old photographs, and began flipping through them, searching for one old photo that would remind them of their past. When Paul wrote Ephesians 2:2, it was like he held that old photo up in the air and said, “Hey, look at this! Do you remember what you looked like back then?”

Then Paul reminds his readers, “Back then…you walked according to the course of this world.” The word “walked” is the Greek word peripateo, a compound of the words peri and pateo. The word peri means around and the word pateo means to walk. When these are joined together, it means to walk around habitually in one general area all the time. The Greek grammar implies that it is a path from which these people cannot deviate. You might say they are trapped on this path — bound to walk it again and again. They are locked in this one general sphere and can’t find their way out by themselves.

The verse goes on to say, “Back then…you walked according to.…” That phrase “according to” is from the Greek word kata, which portrays something that is forceful or dominating. By using this little word, Paul reminds us that before we met the Lord, we “habitually walked around under the dominating influence of this world, unable to alter the path we were taking.” Although unaware of our condition, we were spiritual prisoners that were dominated and manipulated by the influence of a lost society.

But Paul goes on to say, “Back then…you walked according to the course of this world.…” The word “course” is from the Greek word aiona, a word that describes a specific, allotted period of time, such as an age, a specific era, or a generation. It often denotes the influence of a particular generation on a period of time, like a decade, a century, or even a millennium.

The word aiona also denotes the spirit of a period; for instance, the 1920s were typified as “the Roaring Twenties.” The spirit of the 1960s and 1970s was typified as a “rebellious” period because of drug use and the strong reaction against the Vietnam War. Many times in Greek literature, this word aiona carries this same meaning of the spirit of the age.

Then Paul adds the next word: “Back then…you walked according to the course of this world.…” This word “world” in Greek is kosmos, a word that depicts something that is fashioned or ordered. In this verse, it denotes systems and institutions in society, such as fashion, education, or entertainment. Because Paul uses the word kosmos, he paints a picture of people who have no standard like God’s Word by which to live; therefore, they are guided by the constantly changing ethics and whims of the times. Sadly, education, entertainment, and fashion are the forces that guide the lost world.

You could rephrase Ephesians 2:2 this way:

“Don’t you remember what you used to be like? Why, back then you habitually walked around trapped and unable to get off the track you were stuck on — totally unaware that you were being dominated and manipulated by the constantly fluctuating thinking of the day, by the whims of the times, and by whatever society was giving its approval to at that moment….”

That is who you were, but that is not who you are today! Now you are a child of God who has been redeemed, sanctified, and indwelt by the Spirit of God. But think for a moment of all the people you know who still don’t know Jesus Christ. That means they still fit into this category! They are still trapped, unable to get off the treadmill they are stuck on!

Don’t you think it’s time for you to tell those people the Good News about Jesus Christ? Aren’t you glad someone told you? They may not act thrilled when you first approach them, but after a while the message will begin to sink in, and they’ll be so thankful you told them the Good News!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, forgive me for the times I get so busy that I neglect my prayer life. I really want this inconsistency in my life to be broken; I want my prayer life to get stronger and more stable. I realize that when I don’t spend time alone with You, I make it difficult for You to tell me what You want me to know. Inconsistency is a work of the flesh, so I am asking You to help me break this pattern and learn how to make prayer one of the most important pillars of my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare by faith that prayer is a central and significant part of my life. God has great spiritual adventures planned for me, and He wants to reveal them to me during my time of prayer. I am steadfast, immovable, and consistent in my time with God. Nothing is as important to me as those moments I enjoy with Him. As I spend time with Him each day, He refreshes my spirit and enlightens my mind with the knowledge that He wants me to know. My prayer time is a key to the success God is giving me in my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you find yourself praying “at each and every occasion” during the day?

2. How can you remind yourself to pray throughout the day?

3. In what types of situations would it be appropriate to pray the following kinds of prayers: the prayer of faith for your own life, the prayer of thanksgiving, the prayer of intercession, and the prayer of worship?

Likewise, reckon ye also yourself to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
— Romans 6:11

When I received my Social Security card as a young boy, my father said, “Rick, it’s time for you to get a job and learn what it’s like to earn a living.” Like other boys, I had mowed lawns to earn a little money on the side. I had even helped clean the church building on Saturdays for a whopping salary of 25 cents a week! But now that I was 12 years old, it was time for me to get a “real” job. Since I wasn’t old enough to drive, I had to look for someplace to work that was close enough for me to walk there every day, and the only possibility that fit that description was the local cemetery.

So at my father’s urging, I walked to the cemetery to ask the grounds director — a gruff, old man who had run the cemetery for years — if there was any job available for a 12-year-old boy. After interviewing me, he hired me as a lawn boy to mow the graves, edge the tombstones, oversee the flowerbeds, and removed wilted flowers from the graves. Every weekday after school, I walked down the street and through the huge arched entry to the cemetery, pulled the giant industrial lawnmower out of the shed, and went to work mowing graves or trimming the grass that grew up around the tombstones.

Thus, for my first fully paid job — every day after school, five days a week — I found myself working among the dead. And in all the time I worked there, I can’t recall a single instance when I discovered a corpse that had crawled out of his grave because he was tired of being dead! Once the person was dead, it was permanent. When goodbyes were spoken at gravesite rites, they were always final farewells, with everyone present being well aware that the person would never be seen alive again.

I’ve often thought of that when reading Romans 6:11, which says, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The word “reckon” is the Greek word logidzomai, and in this verse, it means to count a deed already done; hence, it simply means that something is reckoned to be so or to be a fact. Thus, the verse carries the idea, “Consider yourself to already be dead to sin — a deed that has already been accomplished, a fact that has already been established, which simply needs your affirmation and recognition.” This is important because it tells us that in the mind of God, whoever you were in the past no longer has any claim to who you are now in Christ. Sin and its stimulating power has been slain by the power of the Cross. In Christ, that old person is absolutely dead.

The word “dead” in Romans 6:11 is the Greek word nekros, which describes a corpse just as real as any corpse in a morgue or a dead body being buried in a cemetery. Its life is gone, and it is nothing more than a hull. Nothing can resuscitate it; no one can breathe life back into it; and there is nothing that can stimulate it back into action again, because it’s dead and its life has been permanently terminated. Hence, this word “dead,” the Greek word nekros, pictures a body that is permanently disconnected to life. Making this even stronger is the fact that Paul said we are dead “indeed” unto sin. The word “indeed” means unquestionably, undeniably, or as a matter of fact. Paul declares this to be an immitigable truth!

Paul continued that we are “dead indeed unto sin.” The word “sin” describes our identities and activities that existed before we surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It involves the sinful nature we were born with, including all of its actions and behaviors that were contrary to God (see Colossians 1:21).

But in Christ, all of “that” has been made dead. In God’s mind, this is not a mere theoretical death. When we came into Christ, God deemed that old identity dead and powerless over us. Now in Him, there is a permanent disconnection to the old person we used to be and to the things we once did. Christ rendered the old man dead and gave us new life!

That is why Paul went on to say, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” My friend, you are not a resuscitated, newly improved version of the person you used to be. That old man is dead, buried, and permanently gone. Who you are right now in Christ is completely brand-new!

So if those old things from your past or former ways of thinking attempt to express themselves again, speak to those voices and remind them that they have lost their power over your life. If they try to wake up and act like they have still have life, your task is to reckon them lifeless — that is, keep them buried, “six feet under,” locked away in a casket that is covered with the grace of God. Never — not for a second — allow your old memories to tell you they have the right to live. Christ has rendered them powerless, and you never have to return to who you were or to what you did.

So remember —
Romans 6:11 could actually be interpreted:

“Consider yourself to already be dead to sin. It’s a deed that has already been accomplished and a fact that has already been established and simply needs your affirmation and recognition.”

Don’t argue with what the Holy Spirit is teaching you about this glorious truth. Throw your arms open, accept it, declare it, and walk free from those things that Christ has utterly and permanently disconnected from you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I sincerely ask You to help me embrace the truth that I’ve been set free from the past and from past behaviors. I am so thankful that Jesus has become the Lord of my life and that He has rendered my old personality, my old character, my old life, to be terminated. I likewise thank You that Christ didn’t just slay my old man, but He has given me a new identity in Christ! Today I declare that I will step forward to embrace who Christ has made me to be and that I am free!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that the past has no power over me. In Christ, I have been made free from the power of sin and its impulses to do wrong. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death; therefore, sin shall not have any dominion over me. I reckon the fleshly nature dead. Therefore, I refuse to allow its impulses to find expression through my body. If the past tries to raise its voice and speak to me, calling out to beckon me to let it assert itself, I will silence it forcefully and vocally by declaring my allegiance to obey Romans 6:11. Christ has set me free, and I declare that I am free indeed! My freedom is not a feeling — it is a reality! I embrace and enforce the truth of the liberty Jesus died to provide for me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

Have you ever really deeply embraced the fact that Christ has liberated you completely from who you used to be? If you really believed that you were free from your past identity and old behaviors, how would that belief affect the way you are living right now?
Do you know any individuals who have recently come to the Lord, but they do not understand that they are new creatures in Christ? Have you taken the time to help them understand that Christ no longer recognizes who they used to be and that they are truly new in Jesus? If you were in their place, wouldn’t you be grateful if someone took the time to explain that Good News to you?

Take Advantage Of All Kinds of Prayer

Praying always with all prayer….
— Ephesians 6:18

If you want to grow in your spiritual walk, you need to make prayer a central part of your life. But in order for prayer to be the great adventure God wants it to be in your life, you must understand that there are all kinds of ways to pray. Don’t get stuck with just one form of prayer! The Bible tells us that there are several kinds of prayer, and you need to learn to use every kind of prayer that’s available to you.

Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying always with all prayer.…” The first thing I want you to notice is that this verse commands us to pray “always.” As noted in the Sparkling Gem for January 4, the word “always” is taken from the Greek phrase en panti kairo. The word en would be better translated at. The word panti means each and every.

You could say that this word panti is an all-encompassing word that embraces everything, including the smallest and most minute of details. The last word in this Greek phrase is the word kairo, the Greek word for times or seasons. When all three of these words are used together in one phrase (en panti kairo) as in Ephesians 6:18, they could be more accurately translated at each and every occasion.

But I want you to notice that this verse goes on to say that you are to pray “with all prayer.” This phrase is taken from the Greek phrase dia pases proseuches and would be better translated “with all kinds of prayer.” To assist the Church in maintaining a victorious position in life, God has given His people various kinds of powerful prayer.

Other translations of Ephesians 6:18 include:

“Use every kind of prayer….” (Goodspeed)
“Pray…with all manner of prayer….” (AMP)
“Pray…with all kinds of prayers….” (NIV)
“Pray…with all kinds of prayers that are available for you to use….” (REV)

Most people don’t realize there are different kinds of prayer. But according to this verse, God has actually made many forms of prayer available to us to use as needed, such as the prayer of faith, the prayer of intercession, the prayer of consecration, and the prayer of agreement.

Sometimes life can be difficult and challenging. For one thing, the devil doesn’t want you to be blessed or successful in your endeavors. So in order to face the inevitable attacks that arise against your marriage, finances, body, job, and career, you must come to realize that prayer is indispensable. You cannot succeed as a Christian without an active and effective prayer life.

No matter how anointed, skilled, or gifted you may be or how bold and courageous you think you are, you simply cannot maintain a victorious position in life apart from prayer. Without prayer, you can be sure of absolute and total defeat. But as you develop a lifestyle of prayer, taking advantage of every form of prayer available to you, you will find that victory is yours in the midst of every challenge!

The various kinds of prayer have all been given to you for your benefit and spiritual growth. So take the time to study the Word and learn how to pray with “all kinds of prayer.” Don’t let this day go by without spending quality time in prayer with the Heavenly Father. There is victory waiting on the other side!

My Prayer for Today

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you find yourself praying “at each and every occasion” during the day?

2. How can you remind yourself to pray throughout the day?

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
— Ephesians 1:7

My father’s father, who is known to me as Grandpa Renner, immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1927. When he left Germany, he left everything behind — his family, his history, and literally any knowledge of his past.

As an immigrant in 1927, Grandpa worked hard to make a new life as a good, godly man. But his previous life in Germany was a subject that was not discussed. Even my father didn’t know much about his father’s previous life in Germany, as it was considered an off-limit conversation. It seemed there was something about his past that he did not want known.

Approximately ten years after Grandpa and Grandma Renner passed away, an elderly friend of Grandma Renner called my mother and said, “I want to tell you something about Mr. Renner that you have a right to know. It’s something confidential that no one has ever told any of you about his life in Germany before he came to America. Please meet me, so I can tell you something secret that you need to know.”

But before my mother could meet this elderly friend of the family, this friend unexpectedly passed away — and when she died, she took to the grave whatever it was that she knew and wanted to tell my mother about my Grandpa Renner. Now many years have passed, and I still know almost nothing of the history of our Renner ancestors or what happened in my grandfather’s previous life in Germany.

Over the years, I’ve wondered what it was about my grandfather’s past that he so meticulously hid. I even tried to unearth information about his life in Germany. But no matter how hard I tried to find information about a “secret” that may have occurred in his earlier life, this information is simply not available. I even hired genealogists who could provide me with legal information from Germany, but their efforts didn’t yield even one clue. Whatever the big secret was — and for whatever reason my Grandpa refused to acknowledge his past — it is something that my family will never know. The last possible link to that knowledge was Grandma Renner’s friend who took that secret information with her to the grave. When her grave was closed, the case was closed forever.

After years of frustration in trying to dig up whatever I could about our family’s secret past and hitting wall after wall, I realized one day that God didn’t intend for us to know that hidden information from the past. Why should I be seeking it out, anyway, since Grandpa didn’t want us to know it? Besides, he had become a blood-cleansed believer, and God didn’t hold it against him, anyway, whatever “it” may have been!

Jesus’ blood utterly wipes away the past. Whatever we did before Christ is buried by God forever. As far as God is concerned, the past is irretrievably gone and forgotten!

In Ephesians 1:7, the apostle Paul stated this glorious truth of forgiveness when he wrote, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” The word “forgive” is the Greek word aphiemi, which means to permanently dismiss, to liberate completely, to discharge, to send away, or to release. It was used in New Testament times to mean to cancel a debt or to release someone from an obligation of a contract, a commitment, or a promise. It means to forfeit any right to hold a person captive to a previous commitment or a wrong he has committed.

So when Paul used this word in Ephesians 1:7 to describe the forgiveness of sins, he was saying that God has permanently dismissed our past sins from us. We are liberated completely from them. He has discharged them from us; He has sent them away; and He has released us from them. The debt we once owed due to past transgressions is canceled, and God has freed us from the guilt of those previous actions. Because the blood of Jesus was shed for the payment of our sin, God has forfeited any right to hold us captive for that which we have already received forgiveness.

Isn’t this what we’re told in Psalm 103:12? It says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

If God said He removed our sins from us as far as the north is from the south, we would eventually meet our sins again, because there is a north pole and a south pole. However, if you go east and you never change direction, you’ll never meet west because you’ll always be going east. Likewise, if you travel west and never change direction, you’ll never meet east because you’ll always be traveling west. East never meets west, and west never meets east — and that’s how far God has removed our sins from us! He has removed your past sins from you forever. In fact, Micah 7:19 declares that once God has dealt with your sins, He throws them into a sea of forgetfulness.

God has put your sins behind His back forever, never to look at them again. He has chosen to release you from those sins completely — as if you never did it. God doesn’t have a poor memory. He could remember if He chose to, but He has chosen to never remember them again. He has thrown them into the depths of the sea, where He will never retrieve them to bring them up to you again.

The “sea of forgetfulness” is clearly where Grandpa Renner’s past ended up. Whatever it was that he wanted forgotten, it was irretrievably removed from memory and from any existing records. And finally I came to understand the power of redemption reflected in our inability to find out anything about my grandfather’s past. If God had put it away, I needed to put it away, too, just as I would want my own past regrets put away and forgotten. So I chose to close the book on that question about Grandpa’s secret past and to never try to reopen it again.

What about you? Since you are in Christ and therefore have received forgiveness from God by the shed blood of Jesus, why do you keep dragging up your past again and again, as if God were reminding you of it? If He has placed your past actions into the sea of forgetfulness, shouldn’t you leave all that past mess where He has left it? Why don’t you make the decision today to leave your past messes in the depths of the sea and allow yourself to be released from them once and for all by the power in the blood of Jesus? That is exactly what God wants you to do!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord Jesus, words fail to express the depth of my gratitude for Your precious blood and for the price You willingly and completely paid to cancel all the debt from my past sin and actions. Your grace toward me is more than I can comprehend, but today I must stop to say THANK YOU for displaying Your amazing grace toward me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am completely forgiven. God has liberated me completely, discharged, sent away, and released me from all of my sin, which He has forgiven. By the blood of Jesus, my debt has been cancelled and I have been released from it. Neither the devil, others, nor I have the right to hold me captive to a previous wrong. I am totally and completely forgiven!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

Do you beat yourself up over things you said or did in the past? What good has it profited you to bring up a sad reminder over and over again?
Consider what would change in your life if you chose to accept total forgiveness and walk away from your past, to never bring it up again. How would this type of freedom affect the way you think and the way you are living?
Have you ever thought about how far the east is from the west and what that tells you about how far God has removed your sins from you?

…take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: for the Holy Spirit shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
— Luke 12:11,12

In Moscow stands the Kremlin — an architectural wonder that is simply breathtaking in terms of beauty. Within this great walled city are palaces, ancient churches, governmental buildings, and the State Armory Museum, a fabulous structure that holds treasures, crowns, diamonds, carriages, and thrones of the Russian state. One throne in particular has captured my attention every time I visit the Armory. It is a gigantic, double-seated throne with a strange opening just behind the seat to the right side.

In 1676, Tsar Alexis Romanov died, leaving his sickly son, Ivan, to inherit the throne. As a result of a number of political manipulations, it was decided that Ivan would be proclaimed Tsar jointly with his ten-year-old brother, Peter. For a brief period of time, both brothers ruled Russia, sitting together on the gigantic, double-seated throne that is now on display in the Armory. Young Ivan sat on the left side of the throne, and his brother Peter sat on the seat to the right. Eventually Ivan proved to be too physically and mentally feeble to rule, so he resigned his position. His brother Peter remained as Tsar and ruled Russia until his death in 1725. Today he is respectfully referred to as Peter the Great because of the great accomplishments and lasting impressions he made during his reign.

But why was there an opening behind the seat where Peter sat upon the throne? That opening was made so Peter’s sister, Sophia, could sit behind the young Tsar and privately provide him with correct responses to questions and comments made to him by visiting dignitaries. As the young Tsar listened to his sister’s words spoken quietly to him through a veil, and as he in turn communicated what he heard to those who approached him, an impression was made that he was intellectually powerful, even at an early age. The truth was, young Peter was brilliant, but his sister, although unseen, was the real power behind the throne.

When I’ve visited the State Armory Museum and looked at that strange opening in the double-seated throne, I’ve pondered the words of Jesus in Luke 12:11,12. Jesus told His disciples what to do when they faced difficult circumstances in which they didn’t know what to say or how to respond: “…Take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: for the Holy Spirit shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”

Notice Jesus said, “…Take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer….” That doesn’t mean Jesus was advocating mindlessness. Rather, He was saying that there is no need for us to be anxious or worried in those moments because the Holy Spirit will be the unseen Presence, advising us what to say.

It would be easy in the natural for us to feel fretful, uneasy, upset, or distraught in those moments of not knowing how to answer. That’s why it’s important to understand that the Greek word for “thought” in this verse is actually Jesus’ prohibition against our being fretful in such moments. We may not always know how to respond to every question put before us or every situation we face. But Jesus is telling us that we have no need to be ill at ease because His Spirit will teach us “in that hour” — that is, in our specific moment of need — exactly what we need to say.

The sister of Peter the Great was an invisible advisor to her brother as she sat behind the strange opening in that double-seated throne. But the Holy Spirit wants to be an infinitely more effective unseen Advisor to you. If you will allow Him to take that position in your life, and if you will determine to learn how to hear and trust His voice, the Holy Spirit will give you answers to the questions and situations you encounter that you’re unable to answer or solve on your own.

So open your heart to the Holy Spirit today, and receive Him as your personal Advisor. As you train your heart to hear what He’s saying to you more and more accurately, He will help you respond with His insight and wisdom to every situation you could ever face in this life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the wonderful ministry of the Holy Spirit. I repent for the times I’ve allowed myself to become fretful and upset because I didn’t know what to do or say. Holy Spirit, I receive and give place to Your ministry as my personal, private, invisible Advisor. I allow You to take this position in my life, and I purpose in my heart to learn to hear and trust Your voice. Thank You for giving me answers to questions and situations that I would be unable to answer or to solve on my own.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that the Holy Spirit is my personal Counselor. In every situation of life, I listen to the voice of the Spirit. He speaks to my heart and mind, and He tells me precisely what I am to say and what I am to do. I am not helpless, confused, or caught off-guard because the Holy Spirit lives within me as my ever-present Helper. With Him inside me to guide me, I am never at a loss for wisdom in critical moments. He is my Helper, my Teacher, my Comforter, and my Advisor!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

Can you recall a moment when you had no answer for a question being put before you — and then suddenly the Holy Spirit showed you what to say and what to do? When was that experience? Is it something you could share with others to encourage them in similar moments?
What questions or situations are you facing right now that you do not naturally know how to answer or how to solve? Have you asked the Holy Spirit to help you?

You Are a Shrine For the Holy Spirit

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
— 1 Corinthians 6:19,20

Russia is a nation with more than one thousand years of Russian Orthodox religious history. One of the greatest signs of this religious history is located right in the heart of Moscow — a gigantic white marble cathedral with golden domes that is called “Christ the Savior.” I’ve traveled the world and seen a lot in my life, but when it comes to decorative architecture, this building is by far one of the most splendid I’ve ever seen. Its interior is highly adorned with ornamentations of gold, silver, and precious stones. It is embellished like no other building I’ve ever seen anywhere else.

When we hear the word “shrine,” this is normally the type of image that passes through our minds. We see arched and vaulted ceilings, marble, granite, gold, silver, hand-carved etchings, and lots and lots of smoke from incense being burned as a part of worship. Shrines are not comfortable places where we’d want to live, but their ornamentation is certainly impressive. A shrine is a beautiful place to visit, but we wouldn’t want to live there!

The Greek word naos is the word for a temple or a highly decorated shrine, like the one illustrated in the story above. This Greek word is the very word the apostle Paul used when he told the Corinthians, “…Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you…?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Because the Corinthians were Greek and had grown up in a classical Greek culture, they had seen temples their entire lives. So when Paul used this word naos, it would have been natural for images like the ones above to flash through their minds. They knew that the word naos always depicted a highly decorated shrine. The temples of their times were beautiful buildings with tall, vaulted ceilings, marble columns, granite floors, hand-carved woodwork overlaid with gold and silver, and burning incense billowing into the air around the front of the altar.

Shrines like the one I described above are imposing and impressive; however, they’re not comfortable. But when the Holy Spirit came into your heart, He made a home that was so comfortable, He was actually happy to come live inside you! He moved in, settled down, and permanently took up residency in your heart — His new home!

You see, when you got saved, the ultimate miracle was performed inside your heart. The Holy Spirit took your spirit, which had been dead in trespasses and sin, and raised it to new life. His work inside you was so glorious that when it was all finished, He declared you to be His own workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). At that moment, your spirit became a marvelous temple of God!

What does all this mean?

When we were born again, we were inwardly created to become a dwelling place of God.
Our bodies are not mere shacks or mud huts; rather, we are inwardly fashioned to be magnificent dwelling places for the Spirit of God.
Because the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, and the grace of God are working inside us, we are inwardly embellished with rich spiritual ornamentation.
Our inner man is now a temple that is so marvelous, no human eye has ever seen anything like it!

If you’ve been dealing with a poor self-image, grab hold of this truth, because this is the greatest self-image booster that exists! Inwardly you are so beautiful and magnificent that Almighty God wanted to live inside you! What kind of home do you think God would require? A shabby shack made of dirt and sticks? No! He has built for Himself a beautiful temple within your heart — and that is who you are right now! Now live like the magnificently decorated cathedral of God’s Spirit that you are!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am so excited to think that You made my heart Your home. It is so overwhelming to think that You want to live inside me. Help me see myself as Your dwelling place and to honor Your Presence inside me by the kind of life I lead. I want to bless You and honor You, so please help me do the right things that bring You the greatest pleasure and joy.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I gratefully acknowledge that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit lives inside me. My heart is not a hotel where He occasionally visits; rather, my heart has become His home. He has invested His power, His gifts, His fruit, and the life of Jesus Christ in me. Inwardly I am highly adorned with the goodness of God. My spirit is so marvelously created in Christ Jesus that God Himself is comfortable to live inside me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Are you living like the magnificently decorated cathedral of God’s Spirit that you are?

2. How can you make use of the rich ornamentation you have on the inside of you: the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, and the grace of God?

3. How would you behave differently if you truly believed that the Holy Spirit has permanently moved into your life and redecorated the place?

It’s Time for You To Lay Aside Every Unnecessary Weight

Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight.…
— Hebrews 12:1

What is it that keeps hindering you from living a life of obedience? Do you struggle with a particular sin, habit, attitude, or fear that keeps you from running your race of faith the way you ought? If so, you probably already know what it is, and I’d guess that you’ve already prayed, prayed, and prayed for victory in overcoming that problem because you really do want to please God.

Every now and then, we all tolerate things in our lives that make it difficult for us to please God. And when we know we’re not pleasing God, we typically aren’t happy with ourselves either. This is one reason that Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “…lay aside every weight….”

The words “lay aside” are taken from the Greek word apotithimi, a compound of the words apo and tithimi. As noted in the Sparkling Gem for January 6, the word apo means away and the word tithimi means to place or to lay something down. When these two words are compounded together, it gives a picture of someone who is laying something down while at the same time he is pushing it far away from himself. It means to lay something down and to push it far away and beyond reach. Thus, this word implies a deliberate decision to make a permanent change of attitude and behavior.

Removing wrong attitudes and actions from our lives will not occur accidentally. We must decide to change — to remove, to lay aside, and to put away attitudes and actions that don’t please God and adversely affect our walk of faith.

Hebrews 12:1 refers to these incorrect attitudes and actions as “weights.” The word “weight” is from the Greek word ogkos — a word that describes a burden or something so heavy and cumbersome that it impedes a runner from running his race as he should.

This word was particularly used in the athletic world to signify the actions of an athlete who would deliberately strip himself of excess weight before participating in a competition. This stripping process included the loss of excess flesh through dieting and exercise. Then on the day of the actual competition, he stripped off nearly all his clothes so no extra weight would slow him down. He had his eye on the prize, so he was determined to strip off all “weight” that might potentially keep him from being the best athlete he could be.

This sends a strong message to us! If we want to please God, satisfy ourselves, and do something significant with our lives, we have to choose to remove anything from our lives that would hinder those objectives.

The athlete of the ancient world didn’t become “unweighted” by accident. He dropped all excess weight on purpose. He dieted; he exercised; and he shed every other unnecessary weight he could find to shed. This stripping process demanded his attention, his decision, and his devotion. It wasn’t going to happen by accident, so he had to initiate the process of removal.

What if those athletes had tried to run their race with loads of extra weight? They certainly wouldn’t have been able to run very far! This is exactly what sinful habits and attitudes do to your walk with the Lord. If you don’t remove them, they will eventually weigh you down and knock you out of your race of faith!

The Holy Spirit is urging you and me to take a good look at our lives and then remove everything that weighs us down and keeps us from a life of obedience. We must be honest with ourselves and with God.

Do you have a habit or a wrong attitude that binds you? Are you plagued by a fear that weighs you down and keeps you from fulfilling your potential in Christ? Make a rock-solid, quality decision today to grab hold of those unnecessary burdens and remove, lay aside, and permanently put them away from your life.

Once you make that decision, you’ll find yourself running your race of faith with much more ease as you press on to victory!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I know that You’re on my side and that You want to help me. So today I’m asking You to help me lay aside the attitudes, negative thought patterns, and bad habits that keep pulling me back down into miserable defeat. I’m exhausted from trying to live for You while dragging along these old weights behind me at the same time. I need to drop them and leave them behind! So today I am asking You to help me make the big break. Help me make this the day I permanently drop all the unnecessary weights that hinder me and walk away from them forever!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I live a life of obedience! Sin, bad habits, negative attitudes, and fear have no influence in my life. Because I am free of these things, I am able to run my race of faith without any hindrances caused by my own actions. Because I want to please God, I do not tolerate things in my life that make it difficult for me to walk by faith or to please God. Absolutely nothing is more important to me than knowing God’s will and doing it in a way that brings pleasure to the Lord!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a “weight” that has been keeping you from running your race with grace and ease lately?

2. How can you strip yourself today of that “weight” so you can stay in the race to win God’s prize for your life?

3. Write down three ways you can please God, satisfy yourself, and do something significant in your life this week.