“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tim; 1:12 KJV).

In this verse Paul talks of his faith; he said he believed and was fully persuaded. He was persuaded that God could keep him until Christ’s return in the face of all the persecution and hardship he encountered (2 Cor 11:21-33). Paul was persecuted, beaten, stoned, almost drowned, weary, hungry, cold, and burdened by the concerns for the church but he could say that God delivered him from everything (2 Tim 3:11).

Going back to our text from 2 Timothy above, notice that Paul said I know whom I have believed and that he (God) can keep me. So often our focus is on building our faith for something (e.g. healing) and that is good, we need to do that; but first and foremost, we need to know and trust our God. This means we must know his nature and character.

“God is love” (1 John 4:8), his promises are yes and amen (2 Cor 1:20), he is faithful (1 Cor 1:9) and never changes (Mal 3:6). Nothing is too difficult for God (Luke 1:37); he is our shield and our: “exceedingly great reward” (Gen 15:1). His word is truth and the truth will set you free (John 17:17; John 8:32).

This is just a glimpse of our God; search the word and get to know your awesome all-powerful God.

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Before he started his ministry, Jesus fasted for 40 days and then he was immediately tempted by the devil (Matt 4:1-11). Satan appealed to Jesus’ physical hunger by tempting him to turn stones into bread. Jesus refused this temptation even though he must have been hungry. He countered this and each of the 3 temptations that the devil brought him, with the word of God.

In the second temptation satan tried to appeal to human vanity, suggesting that as Jesus was God’s son, he could throw himself off of the temple and God would rescue him. Again, Jesus countered with the word: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Matt 4:7; KJV). Finally, satan appealed to the lust for power and prestige, offering Jesus authority over all the world if he would worship him (satan). But even at a time of physical weakness, Jesus was rock solid; quoting the word that man should serve and worship only God.

What can we learn from all of this? Well, Jesus was totally obedient to his heavenly Father. Satan will try to attack and tempt us to sin in our weakest moments and in the weakest areas of our lives. How do we put satan in his place? As he lies to us, we counter with the truth of the word. If he tries to talk you out of healing, through thoughts or people, speak those Bible verses on healing.

Jesus defeated satan at the cross and took all power and authority from him (Matt 28:18; Heb 2:14). As Christians we walk in Christ’s victory (1 Cor 15:57). Satan will try to test our resolve but we have to assert our victory by speaking the word. There is power in the word (Heb 4:12).

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 Money can do funny things to people. The word has much to say about money and prosperity and its place in our lives. God wants to prosper us, to provide all of our need: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19; KJV). Notice that the apostle Paul wrote: “according to his riches”, or by his standard; I like that.

However, God wants us to seek him not the blessings; as we seek him, God blesses us (Matt 6:33). So often we can: “ask amiss” (James 4:3), asking out of purely selfish desires; God can’t answer those kinds of prayers. Paul tells us not to trust in riches but to trust God (1 Tim 6:17).  Again, he says: “For the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim 6:10).

That focus on money can keep people from entering the kingdom of God (Mark 10:23-25); can so distract them that it blinds them to the word of God (Matt 13:22). We are not to pursue riches (1 Tim 6:9) but to pursue God. Be content with what you have (1 Tim 6:8) but look to God; he will bless you beyond all you can ask or imagine (Eph 3:20).

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As Jesus died on the cross the veil in the temple was torn by God from top to bottom (Matt 27:51), signifying that Christ’s sacrifice opened the way for us to enter into the very presence of God (Heb 10:19-21).

“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him” (Eph 3:12; KJV). Isn’t it amazing that because of what Jesus did for us on the cross we can come boldly and have free access to God? We find this again in Hebrews 4:16 where we read: "let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace."  The use of the present tense there means we can draw near at any and every time.

Why can we be so bold? It is because we are the: "righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor 5:21) which means we have right standing with God because Jesus paid the price for our sin, praise God.

So, make the most of this privilege today because in the rest of Heb 4:16 we are promised that when we do boldly draw near, then we find mercy and grace and help for every need. That sounds like a good deal to me.

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Before His crucifixion Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him 3 times (Luke 22:31-34). Although Peter adamantly denied that this would happen, he did deny Jesus (Luke 22:54-62). We are often hard on Peter for his denial of Christ but how often do we deny Jesus? How often do we fail or hold back when we have an opportunity to represent Jesus and the Gospel before people?

But the main point I want us to see in this story is Christ’s love, forgiveness and restoration of Peter. After Jesus was raised from the dead, he spent some precious but short moments with his disciples: in that time a priority for him was to restore Peter. He asked Peter 3 times: “lovest thou me more than these?” (John 21:15-17; KJV). The first 2 times he asked he used the Greek word agapao, which is the unconditional God kind of love. Peter could only reply with the Greek word phileo or affection, he did not have a revelation of the God kind of love at that time; that would come later (see Peter’s Epistles). Jesus met Peter where he was at with his third time of asking, “lovest thou me” and also used the word phileo; accepting that Peter loved him to his (Peter’s) fullest understanding of love.

Wow, what love, understanding and forgiveness! Be encouraged to represent Jesus today and seek to love, forgive and restore as he did.

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