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To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:17:33 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

17 September How to Bolster Our Faith PROVERBS 3:5-6 Once we have made up our minds to obey God, we gather our courage around us like a cloak and proceed . . . that is, until something causes us to hesitate and question the wisdom of our decision. Our faith is wavering. What do we do now? Ask yourself questions about God: Has God promised to meet all my needs? Has God given me the Holy Spirit to dwell in me, guide me, and equip me to obey Him? Did God promise to be with me at all times? Is anything too hard for God? Search the Scriptures for answers, and let God's truths fill your mind. Meditate on God's Word. Ask the Lord to help you find Bible verses that relate to what you are facing. Then study the passage and apply its lessons to your personal situation. Recall the Lord's past faithfulness. God by His very nature is faithful, and He always acts true to His character. The Enemy would have us forget all that God has done for us. Assess the situation. Ask, How critical is this decision to myself and others? Is this one of those forks in the road in which my unbelief could cause me or another person a lifetime of regret? Choose to trust the Lord. Make the decision to believe God and obey, no matter how you feel. As you take a step of faith, God will strengthen you through His Spirit and enable you to continue on. Before you know it, your faith will become steady, joy will return, and you will be moving ahead once again. URL:http://www.intouch.org/intouch/site.show_page?p_id=76096&p_devotional_date=09%2F17%2F2004

To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:18:00 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

15 September When Our Faith Wavers JAMES 1:1-8 Our faith is the heart of our Christian life. By faith, we are saved, receive forgiveness for our sins, enjoy a personal relationship with God, and have the assurance of our salvation. By faith, we experience the peace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Through faith, our prayers are answered. Yet our lives and especially our prayers tend to be characterized by doubts and wavering faith. Our faith wavers when: We apply human thinking to our circumstances. Sometimes God is going to require us to do something with which human reasoning disagrees. (Isaiah 55:9) We allow our feelings to overcome our faith. It could be a sense of unworthiness or inadequacy that trips us up. Fear of criticism or failure might cause us to doubt we can do what He asks. We fail to see God at work in our circumstances. Doubts creep in when we have asked Him to take action but nothing appears to be happening. We have guilt over sin, past or present. We cannot operate with strong faith when we are under conviction of sin or dwelling on guilt over past wrongdoing. We listen to the Enemy's lies. Satan is the Father of lies, whose objective is to have us reject God's truth and believe his deception instead. Faith is defined as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). What is the condition of your faith? Do the words "sure" and "certain" describe you? URL:http://www.intouch.org/intouch/site.show_page?p_id=76096&p_devotional_date=09%2F15%2F2004

To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:21:48 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

16 September Building Trust When Faith Falters MARK 9:21-24 Since faith is the core of our Christian experience, the consequences of wavering faith are far-reaching. Vacillating trust can lead us to make wrong decisions. Though we receive an answer to prayer, we might think, I cannot do that. So, instead of asking God to strengthen our faith, we make excuses for why we will not obey. We may choose to postpone our obedience—even indefinitely—in order to do something else we consider just as worthwhile. Partial obedience is still disobedience, and it leads to mistakes. Not only can faltering faith result in poor choices, but it also is costly. The Israelites wandered forty years in the desert because the nation allowed unbelief to overtake their faith. Wavering trust can make us miss out on the blessings of God; it often proves costly to those we love as well. Our confidence will also be affected by shifting faith. When we are spiritually unsteady, we will be shaken by little things—even insignificant matters. Instead of standing firm, we can find our confidence eroding. Then we become less willing to take the risks God is asking of us. Rather than acting with certainty, we will question and doubt what we are hearing from the Lord. We will also find joy diminishing because our wavering faith has led us away from God's will. The inner peace of God that we once enjoyed evaporates as our faith weakens. No matter how unsteady our faith is, God invites us to draw near so He can strengthen our trust in Him. When He does, give Him the glory. URL:http://www.intouch.org/intouch/site.show_page?p_id=76096&p_devotional_date=09%2F16%2F2004

To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:22:07 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

01 September How the Truth Can Set You Free EPHESIANS 1:5-8 Human beings are united in the desire for acceptance and appreciation. Generally speaking, we want our peers to express approval so we can experience the feeling of being accepted. Though Christians know emotions are unreliable indicators of truth, believers fall into this pattern of searching for tangible approval too. Truthfully, one of our most priceless possessions is God's acceptance of us as we are now. Thanks to Jesus Christ, we own a full measure of God's grace. The Father does not say, "When you clean up your life, I'll accept you." Grace plus performance is not a workable formula in God's economy. If being a Spirit-filled believer meant achieving some lofty standard of behavior on our own, we would all wear ourselves out in the attempt. Performance-based faith is a worldly idea. People alter their clothes, habits, finances, and jobs to gain acceptance from peers. The only problem is that the people who like your appearance today won't like it tomorrow. It is true you can't please everybody, but you can please the Lord by recognizing He unconditionally accepts you. We have all the status we need: we are children of God and ambassadors of Jesus Christ, living in the kingdom of light! If we ignore our acceptance by God, then we will end up in the world's vain cycle of constant effort and activity as an attempt to earn the Lord's acknowledgement. Freedom and intimacy are rooted in His freely given acceptance. Instead of shielding ourselves from His judgment, we can bask in God's gracious love. URL:http://www.intouch.org/intouch/site.show_page?p_id=76096&p_devotional_date=09%2F01%2F2004

To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:22:19 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

02 September Freedom—The Christian’s Choice JOHN 8:31-32 Freedom in Christ is a choice. Often we have old feelings of inadequacy and inferiority that we unwittingly carry over into our relationship with God. He wants to cut us loose from the bondage created by a sense that we do not deserve blessings. However, we must choose freedom, just as we chose to receive Christ. We cannot drift into freedom any more than we can drift into salvation. The choice to be liberated from satanic enslavement begins a process that changes our thinking to match God's. Make no mistake—embracing freedom will incur great pressure from the Enemy. Though he cannot steal our salvation, he certainly wants to ruin our witness by crystallizing any feelings of inadequacy. The first step—after committing to freedom—is abiding in the Scriptures. We meditate on God's Word to understand what He says and to apply what we learn. This requires more than a quick read during a busy day. Secondly, we want to be confident of biblical truth, which clearly defines our position as a child of God. As that certainty fills our thoughts, Satan's lies about our inferiority will shatter like glass. Finally, we can claim the truth we have gleaned. When we are confronted by situations that shake our confidence, we can rely upon new thought patterns that are based on scriptural truth. God desires that we reject thoughts of inferiority and replace them with an accurate self-image—as His servant and ambassador! That requires believing the truth and choosing to live by it. URL:http://www.intouch.org/intouch/site.show_page?p_id=76096&p_devotional_date=09%2F02%2F2004

To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:25:11 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

03 September Freedom’s Responsibility ROMANS 12:1-5 Previously, we studied the concept of gaining freedom by knowing God's Word. For us to absorb the truth, we must do more than simply read or even memorize Scripture; it is necessary that we also meditate on it. When we do, the Holy Spirit will teach us to apply biblical principles to our lives. God doesn't simply free us from old negative thought patterns and feelings of inadequacy; He frees us to serve Him with our whole being. When we become overly concerned about whether we are secure enough, what the neighbors think of us, or which things we are lacking, then we have little to give away to anyone else. However, the Lord wants His people pouring their lives into those who are suffering and hurting. His limitless love releases us to accept others in their present condition. Godly freedom carries responsibility. We are accountable to our brothers and sisters who are in need. If we believe that God has liberated us only for ourselves, then we have missed the point, and we are not truly free. The Lord has saved us, equipped us, and armed us with His love so that we can carry out His universal goal: to bring to everyone the good news that Jesus Christ is Lord. In a complete reversal of the world's system, our freedom is rooted in our obedience to God's purpose for our life. We have a choice to accept His love for us, and we must decide whether or not to communicate that love with others. Will you choose to share His love today? URL:http://www.intouch.org/intouch/site.show_page?p_id=76096&p_devotional_date=09%2F03%2F2004

To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:25:28 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

05 September The Power Within Acts 1:8 Spiritual power is the divine energy God is willing to express in and through us and the divine authority needed to carry out the work God has called us to do. We cannot "harness" the power of the Holy Spirit. This power is not just for preachers, evangelists, or people who work in special ministry; rather, it is available to every believer who willingly surrenders moment by moment in submission and obedience to the Holy Spirit. We cannot garner the power of the Spirit in order to use God. Conversely, we experience His power when we surrender to be used by Him. God releases His power through us as we walk in obedience to Him. Three ways He releases His power to us are: Through the fruit of the Spirit. God's power and only God's power enables us to exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, which reveal the character of Christ in us. Through witnessing. Scripture always refers to the power of the Holy Spirit in relationship to witnessing and glorifying God. It is His power through us that emboldens us and carries out the work. Through the work we are called to do. (Zechariah 4:6) God will not place you into a position or ask you to accomplish a task for which He will not fully equip and enable you. URL:http://www.intouch.org/intouch/site.show_page?p_id=76096&p_devotional_date=09%2F05%2F2004

To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:25:42 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

07 September Satan’s Attacks EPHESIANS 6:10-11 The Enemy's attacks against our minds are skillful. By watching how we live, he can determine when and where we are defenseless. While he is not omniscient, he knows just enough to work against us. For instance, he directs our attention to something we want, causing us to get us so wrapped up in perceived needs that we forget the many wonderful things our Father has already provided. Once we have narrowed our focus to getting satisfaction, Satan meets our desire with what he wants us to have—something that will ultimately draw us away from God. By observing us, he knows those moments when we are most likely to say yes to temptation. He will do anything in his power to get our minds off the Lord and will distract us even during prayer. In addition, he understands our emotional temperature and looks for loneliness, tiredness, and other vulnerabilities he can exploit. Satan urges us to "want it now" and tries to hide from view any future consequences. The Enemy works to create doubt in our minds. He wants us to question the truth of the Word, and even to feel unsure about our salvation. Once disbelief sets in, as it did for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1-6), our minds will start rethinking the interpretation of Scripture in order to justify our conduct. While we may be susceptible to the schemes of the Devil, we are not helpless. (2 Timothy 1:7) Our heavenly Father protects us, our Savior intercedes for us, and the Holy Spirit guides us to the Truth.

To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:25:57 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

08 September Satan’s Strategy EPHESIANS 6:12-13 War. When we hear this word, we think of physical combat with armored vehicles, soldiers in uniform, and deadly weapons. Yet there is a spiritual war going on around us that is just as dangerous, one we often ignore or do not understand. We have a powerful Enemy working against us. In fact, the Lord calls him "the god of this age" (2 Corinthians 4:4) because he is the source of evil and wickedness in our world. To overcome Satan's attacks, we must recognize he is a real adversary and hold our ground against him. To stand firm, we must dress for battle. Wear the belt of truth. Because of who our Enemy is—the Father of Lies—we must wear a belt of God's truth to counter his deceit. It is imperative that we make a commitment every day to hold to God's plan, choose God's way, and be obedient, whatever the cost. Just as a belt holds clothing together, our lives are to be encircled and held together by the truth of the Word. Put on the breastplate of righteousness. Like a protective covering, obedience guards us from harm. Since we have an Enemy who prowls around seeking to deceive and destroy (1 Peter 5:8), we are to "suit up" daily in the armor that comes from choosing God's way in our conduct and conversation. With such protection, Satan's arrows of lust, doubt, or fear will not penetrate. Today, safeguard yourself by spending time absorbing God's truths (the belt) and then applying them through obedient action (the breastplate).

To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:26:10 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

09 September Protecting Against Satanic Attack MATTHEW 4:1-11 As soldiers in God's army, we are engaged in spiritual warfare. To hold our ground, we must be arrayed in battle gear every day. Be sure your feet are shod with the gospel of peace. Roman military boots had metal cleats to help soldiers stand firm in battle. Similarly, our spiritual "shoes" provide the solid footing of assurance—we are certain we have peace with God and are safe in Him. (John 10:28) Carry the shield of faith. The most powerful asset we have as believers is our faith. It helps us to resist the Enemy's temptations by thinking, I know I have this need, but I will wait for the Lord to meet it His way and in His time. I trust God. We are well protected behind the shield of faith. Wear the helmet of salvation. The mind is Satan's battlefield; it needs to be conscientiously and effectively guarded. In a spiritual battle, our assurance that we are saved will help repel the Enemy's lies that would cause us to question God or to think contrary to Scripture. With such certainty, our minds can remain steady. Carry the sword of the Spirit. God's Word is both an offensive and defensive weapon. It makes inroads for the Gospel (Hebrews 4:12), and it also protects us. As Jesus proved in the desert temptation, the Devil cannot stand against it. The spiritual battle raging around us is real and fierce. (Ephesians 6:12) We are not in the reserves, waiting to be called up. We are in the war. Soldier of God, are you fully dressed for battle?

To: calgal who wrote (6091)	9/21/2004 12:26:19 AM
From: calgal	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 14396

10 September The Strength to Stand EPHESIANS 3:14-21 We know who our Enemy is, and we are dressed for battle. But we don't feel ready. Our weaknesses seem large and our strength small. To stand firm in this life, we need the power of our living Lord operating within us. To have God's divine power released in us requires serious, sustained prayer. (Ephesians 6:18) When we communicate with the Father, His Holy Spirit will give us discernment so that we can recognize truths about spiritual warfare and gain insight into the Adversary's tactics. (1 Corinthians 2:14) Starting each morning with the Lord lets Him strengthen us to stand steadfastly for Christ, no matter what is in store that day. Prayer is an essential element in our protection against the Devil. If we are prayerless—that is, if we fail to seek God's guidance and neglect to put on His armor by faith every day—then we will be defeated. Our understanding and vision apart from the Lord are too limited and the Enemy is too powerful for us to stand alone. However, Romans 8:37 tells us that with God, we will be more than conquerors. He will make us ready if we draw close to Him through prayer, listen to His instructions, and follow through with obedience. The Enemy despises prayers offered through faith in Jesus Christ because he has no defense against them. Persevering prayer strengthens us. It also crushes Satan's might, and sends him running. (James 4:7) Drop to your knees and watch what happens. URL:http://www.intouch.org/intouch/site.show_page?p_id=76096&p_devotional_date=09%2F10%2F2004