Written by TWFYT
Wednesday November 4
"I don't mean to say that I have...reached perfection." Philippians 3:12 NLT
Nowhere does the Bible equate sinlessness with perfection. Paul said, "I don't mean to say that I have...reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me." Our Lord knew that as fallible humans, we would occasionally fall short of His requirements. Therefore, He put a stopgap measure in place to deal with it. John said, "I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous" (1Jn 2:1 NLT). Jesus was the only person who walked in human flesh who could claim perfection; therefore, He is the only one who is "truly righteous." God is never surprised or shocked when we fall. He is all-knowing; He knows what we will do long before we do it. Neither is He disappointed by our action, because to be disappointed is to experience an unmet expectation. In spite of our deeds, God stands ready to forgive us the moment we repent (see Neh 9:17). Also, when we come to understand that failure can be a key tool in our spiritual and emotional development, we will stop self-flogging and guilt-tripping. Instead, we will embrace the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, ask and accept God's forgiveness, and move forward. Rather than asking, "How could this have happened to me?" or "Will I ever be fit for His service?" we need to stop and ask ourselves, "What lessons does God want me to learn from this?"
Wednesday November 4
"I don't mean to say that I have...reached perfection." Philippians 3:12 NLT
Nowhere does the Bible equate sinlessness with perfection. Paul said, "I don't mean to say that I have...reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me." Our Lord knew that as fallible humans, we would occasionally fall short of His requirements. Therefore, He put a stopgap measure in place to deal with it. John said, "I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous" (1Jn 2:1 NLT). Jesus was the only person who walked in human flesh who could claim perfection; therefore, He is the only one who is "truly righteous." God is never surprised or shocked when we fall. He is all-knowing; He knows what we will do long before we do it. Neither is He disappointed by our action, because to be disappointed is to experience an unmet expectation. In spite of our deeds, God stands ready to forgive us the moment we repent (see Neh 9:17). Also, when we come to understand that failure can be a key tool in our spiritual and emotional development, we will stop self-flogging and guilt-tripping. Instead, we will embrace the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, ask and accept God's forgiveness, and move forward. Rather than asking, "How could this have happened to me?" or "Will I ever be fit for His service?" we need to stop and ask ourselves, "What lessons does God want me to learn from this?"
Posted in Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2026
January
MAKE PRAYER YOUR FIRST PRIORITYBIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (2)BIBLE READING; THEY KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (3)LIVING IN THE PROMISED LANDWHEN YOUR MATE STRUGGLES WITH INSECURITYKEEP PERSEVERING AND REFUSE TO QUITSHOW YOUR APPRECIATIONCOUNT YOUR BLESSINGSTHE "DOWNSIDE" OF IMMORALITYHAVE YOU BEEN WRONGED? FORGIVE"KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON"BE SENSITIVE TO GOD'S PRESENCEA PRAYER FOR GOD-CONFIDENCELIVE FROM "GLORY TO GLORY"ABOUNDING GRACEPREVAILING PRAYERTHE FIRST BEATITUDETHE SECOND BEATITUDETHE THIRD BEATITUDETHE FOURTH BEATITUDETHE FIFTH BEATITUDETHE SIXTH BEATITUDETHE SEVENTH BEATITUDETHE EIGHTH BEATITUDEBE CONTENTYOU ARE A STEWARDDEMONSTRATING GOD'S KINGDOM WHERE YOU LIVEAVOID COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERSHE'S LOOKING FOR LABORERSKNOWING AND ENJOYING YOUR INHERITANCE
February
HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (1)HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (2)HEALING FOR YOUR MINDHUMBLE YOURSELF, AND TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHTYOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCELIVE ON PURPOSE, FOR A PURPOSEHOW TO "RENEW" YOUR MINDFIGHT FOR YOUR MARRIAGETRUE REPENTANCE BRINGS RESTORATION"I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME"RESPONSIBILITY AND THE "ABILITY TO RESPOND"MEDITATE AND ASSIMILATECLICK THE SAVE BUTTONBE CONFIDENT OF GOD'S LOVE FOR YOUGOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (1)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (2)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (3)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (4)PRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODHEALING FOR ANXIETYEXPERIENCING GOD'S PEACETHE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS OF LEADERSHIPSTAY TRUE TO THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORDLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODOVERCOMING ENVYRELY ON GOD, NOT YOURSELFPAID IN FULLTRY FOR RECONCILIATION
March
HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (1)HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (2)EMBRACE "THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD"CONFIDANTS, CONSTITUENTS, COMRADESIT CAME TO PASS—NOT STAYLIVE FOR A CAUSE GREATER THAN YOURSELFFREE FROM GUILT AND CONDEMNATIONPRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODJUST PLAY YOUR PARTYOU ARE AN AGENT OF RECONCILIATIONLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODWHEN YOU LONG FOR COMPANIONSHIPTHE WHOLE WORLD MUST HEAR GOD'S WORDWILL YOU HEAR CHRIST, OR THE CRISIS?LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (1)YOU CAN OUTGROW THE PROBLEMGOD WILL GIVE YOU KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDINGLIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (2)THE WAY UP IS DOWNTHE WORST FAILURE...IS FAILURE TO TRYARE YOU WASHING YOUR NETS?"OVERNIGHT SUCCES" USUALLY TAKES MANY YEARSYOU HAVE FULL FORGIVENESSKNOW WHO YOU AREHE'S THE GOD OF NEW BEGINNINGSGOD IS "AT WORK IN YOU"OVERCOMING WORKAHOLISMTHE TOUCH OF HIS HANDCHRIST CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULTRY FASTINGGOD IS WORKING IN YOU, WITH YOU, AND THROUGH YOUASK GOD FOR A DREAMTODAY GOD IS "WITH YOU"