February 1

“It is possible to spend your whole life knowing about the truths of God and never experiencing any of them.  Simply knowing about the truths of God does not mean that they have become part of your life...Some people allow themselves to come under the influence of ungodly thinking to the point that God’s Word makes no difference to them.”  H. Blackaby, Experiencing God Day-By-Day, 2/1

“Standing on the Promises of God” is the song going through my mind as I sit here wondering what it is I’m to write today.  I’m also marveling how everything has changed for me since I’ve been writing these devotionals--the books God has put into my hands to change my thinking; the opening up of His scriptures to me; the experiences He’s provided and the truth I’ve heard in each one of them; and now, the way in which I view scripture.  Blackaby has expressed what God has been showing me--that I’d allowed myself to come under the influence of ungodly thinking to the point that God’s Word made no difference to me.  Just like my father came under the influence of alcohol and in doing so all that he’d learned when he was saved made no difference to him.  Because I’d seen all this in my father’s life I was determined not to come under the influence of alcohol.  But little did I understand that I also needed to make sure I didn’t allow myself to come under the influence of something else--for instance, needing the good opinion of others!  If it hadn’t been that, however, I’m sure it would have been something else.  That is why rather than even try to fight the battle with the enemy, we must let God fight it.  In my attempt to fight it I set all sorts of rules and regulations for myself to keep so that I wouldn’t fall, when all I needed was to stay hidden in Christ and let Him fight the battles.  

Now I understand!  Now I know it is in reading scripture so that I can get to know God and then believing His promises for me that gives me access, by faith in the goodness of God, to His help in every need so that I don’t fall.

“Now these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come.  Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”  1 Corinthians 10:11,12