Day 243: What Do You See?

The Daily Word: Monday, August 31^st, 2020
Job 37:1-39:30
2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10
Psalm 44:9-26
Proverbs 22:13
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
…while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. – 2 Cor. 4:18

Paul and Timothy did not, “look at the things which are seen.” Instead, they looked at things unseen. How do you look at something you can’t see?

Most of us look with our eyes; but Paul and Timothy looked with their hearts. When Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus, he prayed that the eyes of their hearts would be “enlightened” (Eph. 1:18). Paul was praying that the early church would not measure success by what they could see, but by what was taking place in the unseen realm. He was asking them to count spiritual victories (i.e. souls saved) instead of physical ones. He was praying they wouldn’t care about what the world wanted to see, but only about what God asked them to do!

There is a spiritual realm all around you that is far more real than what you see with your eyes. There are angels “ascending and descending” from heaven to earth (Gen. 28:12). There are “horses and chariots of fire” all around you waiting to do battle on your behalf (2 Kings 6:17). Don’t measure your success by what you can see. I don’t know what you’re facing today, but do your best not to look with your natural eyes at the things you see! Instead, ask God to show you “the things which are not seen.” Ask Him to show you how He is going to battle on your behalf. As you open the eyes of your heart, He will bring you to victory in Jesus’ name!

Prayer:

Father, help me to see the things which are not seen. Show me what You want me to see! Tell me what You want me to do. I know there is a whole spiritual realm that You are willing to open for me if I will just ask. Help me to see in the spirit, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.
See commentary from this day in 2018.
See commentary from this day in 2019.

Day 242: You Must Wait

The Daily Word: Sunday, August 30^th, 2020
Job 34:1-36:33
2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Psalm 44:1-8
Proverbs 22:10-12
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Although you say you do not see Him, yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him. – Job 35:14

Whenever we don’t see an answer to our prayers, we typically assume the remedy is action. What should I pray that I haven’t prayed before? What religious ritual can I employ that I have not used before? What should I do?

What if you don’t have to do anything? God is not motivated to action by your inability to wait. He is not enticed to move on your behalf by your keeping busy! Even when you feel like you don’t “see Hm” (v. 14), it doesn’t mean He’s not there. God is always listening, and He always has the answer. You cannot receive what you need from any other source but Him; so you just have to wait until He is ready to speak!

Do you need an answer from God? Wait! That is the only way to get what you need. You don’t need to do something else to convince Him to speak. You just need to wait until He is ready to talk.

Prayer:

Father, help me to wait well. I know waiting and refusing to act unilaterally is one of the ways I demonstrate my reliance on You. I will wait until You’re ready to speak, in Jesus’ name!

Day 241: Powerful Humility

The Daily Word: Saturday, August 29^th, 2020
Job 31:1-33:33
2 Corinthians 3:1-18
Psalm 43:1-5
Proverbs 22:8-9
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. – 2 Cor. 3:5-6

The Apostle Paul had a powerful ministry. He spoke, “…not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration for the Spirit and of power…” (1 Cor. 2:4). People were miraculously healed everywhere Paul went. “Even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them” (Acts 19:12)! Everywhere Paul went, sick people were healed, oppressed people were made free, and Jesus was glorified.

Do you know how Paul got to be so powerful? He stayed humble. He confessed to the entire church that his sufficiency – and the power in his ministry – had nothing to do with him, and everything to do with God working through him!

Do you want your ministry to be more powerful? Trust in yourself less, and trust in God more! We are insufficient; but in Him there is no insufficiency.

Prayer:

Father, keep me humble! I pray I would never think I have things figured out on my own. I pray I would never trust in myself – my thoughts and my plans – instead of trusting in You. I am insufficient; but You are everything I need in Jesus’ name!

Day 240: Debt-Free Living!

The Daily Word: Friday, August 28^th, 2020
Job 28:1-30:31
2 Corinthians 2:12-17
Psalm 42:1-11
Proverbs 22:7
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. – Prov. 22:7

When you borrow money, you are “servant” to the lender. “Servant” is the Hebrew ebed (Strong’s H5650), which can also be translated as slave. Have you ever wondered why it doesn’t feel good to be in debt? When you are in financial debt, you have made yourself a slave to the lender!

Did you know that being in debt is not part of God’s promise? Yes, lending can provide powerful financial leverage in certain situations. But God’s promise over you is that you shall “lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow” (Deut. 28:12). He wants you debt free! God wants you to be a slave to no man, and a servant to no one but Him!

So what should you do if you’re in debt? Pray. The first step to change is understanding God’s will. You don’t have to be a slave to debt until the day you die! Ask God to help you, and He will. He will give you faith to get out of debt, and He will give you strategies to get your financial life on the right track. After all, He is married to you (Jer. 3:14)! So your debt is His debt, and God will not be a servant to anyone.

Prayer:

Father, I believe it is Your will for me and my family to live 100% debt free! I receive that as Your will over my life, and I pray You would help me get there in Jesus’ name. I am asking You for faith to be debt free, and strategies to get me there!

Day 239: What Would God Say to You?

The Daily Word: Thursday, August 27^th, 2020
Job 23:1-27:23
2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11
Psalm 41:1-13
Proverbs 22:5-6
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say to me. – Job 23:5

If you met God face to face, what would He say to you? Would He be disappointed? Would He be pleased? What if I told you there was a way to know what God would say to you before you meet Him face to face, which we all will, at the end of your life?

If you know Jesus, God will have only one thing to declare over you:

“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” – Matt. 3:17

God declared those words over Jesus right after He was baptized. Jesus had yet to perform a single miracle. He hadn’t done anything worthy of praise! Yet God loved Him. God was pleased in Him: not because of His performance, but because of His identity!

And when you are “hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3), God feels exactly the same way about you. When you receive Jesus, His blood separates you from your sin, “as far as the east is from the west” (Ps. 103:12). When you believe in Jesus and are led by His Spirit you have become a child of God (Rom. 8:14).

So what would God say to you? Repent and be saved, and you won’t have to wonder anymore.

Prayer:

Jesus, I give my life to you! I am far from perfect in my behavior; but Your Cross has made me perfect by faith. Today I receive the salvation that comes in Jesus’ name!

Day 238: Trust In God

The Daily Word: Wednesday, August 26^th, 2020
Job 20:1-22:30
2 Corinthians 1:1-11
Psalm 40:11-17
Proverbs 22:2-4
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead… – 2 Cor. 1:9

Paul and Timothy were having a tough go at it. They ran into “trouble” in Asia: they were, “…burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that [they] despaired even of life” (v. 8). So what did they do when things weren’t going right and they didn’t know how they were going to make it? They trusted in God.

Trusting in yourself is a death sentence. But trusting in God is a guarantee of Resurrection life. God raises the dead; not you! So don’t trust you to get yourself out of a situation that seems beyond repair. Instead, trust Him.

Whatever you are going through: God will get you through it. Trust Him! And He will bring you back to life.

Prayer:

Lord, I pray that I would trust You more, and myself less, every single day. I cannot accomplish Resurrection on my own! But You can accomplish Resurrection through me, in Jesus’ name.

Day 237: Be A Comforter

The Daily Word: Tuesday, August 25^th, 2020
Job 16:1-19:29
1 Corinthians 16:1-24
Psalm 40:1-10
Proverbs 22:1
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Then Job answered and said: “I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all!” – Job 16:1-2

Job’s friends were “miserable comforters.” They were absolutely unhelpful! When tragedy struck unexpectedly in their friend Job’s life, they came to help. But instead, they hurt him even more. What did they do that was so damaging?

1) They talked too much.

Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? – v. 3

Their words were empty platitudes. They used a lot of words but didn’t say much! Job didn’t need someone to fix his situation; he simply needed someone to help bear the pain. He needed someone to listen instead of speaking.

2) They thought it was Job’s fault.

I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you; – v. 4

Job’s friends assumed that Job had done something to deserve the mess he was in! So instead of comforting him, they criticized him. Thinking bad things only happen to bad people and good things only happen to good people is known as retribution theology. That is not the gospel!

Don’t be like job’s friends. Don’t be miserable comforters! Talk less and listen more. Fight your need to explain why something happened and bury your tendency to blame other people. God needs you to comfort others well. Will you answer the call?

Prayer:

Father, make me a good comforter. I want to listen well, and provide the peace and hope other people need. I ask that Your Holy Spirit would empower me to do it, in Jesus’ name!

Day 236: Die Daily

The Daily Word: Monday, August 24^th, 2020
Job 12:1-15:35
1 Corinthians 15:29-58
Psalm 39:1-13
Proverbs 21:30-31
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. – 1 Cor. 15:31

Here is an encouraging thought to start your day: part of being a Christian means you get to “die daily!” I know it doesn’t sound encouraging at first; but when you see what it means to “die daily,” I promise you will be encouraged!

Throughout 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is talking about the difference between life on earth and life in heaven. When we die on earth, we will be resurrected for eternity in heaven. We will be given new, incorruptible bodies (vv. 52-53). We will no longer be ensnared by the effects of sin and death because of the victorious resurrection we have in Christ (vv. 56-57)!

But you don’t have to wait until you die to experience resurrection life. You can start the process now. You can choose to “die daily.” Every single day, you can make a conscious and concerted effort to put God’s needs, plans, and purposes ahead of your own. You can lay down your own wants and desires and pick up His! And in return, God will allow you to experience the Kingdom of Heaven – resurrection power! – right here on earth.

Die to self, and come alive to God. If you want to really live, you must first choose to die!

Prayer:

Father, give me the strength and determination I need to die daily! Today I am choosing to die to myself, so that I can finally come alive in You. I know that resurrection life is impossible apart from You; so I choose the life that can only happen when I give You my full heart, in Jesus’ name!

Day 235: Are You Standing?

The Daily Word: Sunday, August 23^rd, 2020
Job 8:1-11:20
1 Corinthians 15:1-28
Psalm 38:1-22
Proverbs 21:28-29
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand… – 1 Cor. 15:1

Knowing the gospel is different from standing in the gospel. The gospel is the good news that, “…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3). Jesus died in your place on the Cross! He took on the punishment that you deserve for your sin, so that you could receive the reward that only He deserves for His righteousness. And the answer to any problem or obstacle you could ever face in your life is the same: stand in the gospel.

Do you wake up tired? Stand in the gospel! Remind yourself that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Rom. 8:11). Do you struggle with sin? Stand in the gospel! Remind yourself that Jesus died so you could have His Spirit living in you, helping you to make the right choices. Do you need help in your friendships or your marriage? Stand in the gospel! Remind yourself that Jesus died to, “…draw all peoples to [Himself]” (Jn. 12:32), and that the only way to love others better is to love Jesus more.

The gospel is the answer. The good news is the breath of fresh air that you desperately need! Don’t just dip in your toe. Stand in the gospel, and receive resurrection life.

Prayer:

Father, I will remind myself of the gospel as many times as it takes until my eyes are fixed on Jesus. I don’t need anything or anyone else! I need Jesus, and Him alone, in Jesus’ name.

Day 234: Don’t Say It!

The Daily Word: Saturday, August 22^nd, 2020
Job 4:1-7:21
1 Corinthians 14:18-40
Psalm 37:30-40
Proverbs 21:27
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: “If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?” – Job 4:1-2

Job was in pain. And Eliphaz – Job’s friend – wanted to fix it! So he started talking. He had no idea what he was talking about! But he assumed the solution to his friend’s problem would be to offer suggestions instead of keeping quiet.

From our vantage point, we know that Eliphaz was dead wrong.[1] He should have kept his mouth shut! But he just could not, “…withhold himself from speaking” (v. 2). He actually made his friend’s pain worse, not better, because he felt like he had to say something.

Do you know someone in pain? Don’t say it! Keep it to yourself. When someone needs comfort, resist the urge to say something. Be with them, and silently bear their burden with them. Listen instead of speaking. Your words may not be worth much; but your presence is worth everything.

“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath…” – Jas. 1:19

Prayer:

Father, make me a comforter. I pray You would give me the emotional resources required to help other people as they walk through their pain! Help me to see what You see, so I can say what You want me to say, in Jesus’ name.

[1] “And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, ‘My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.’” – Job 42:7

No more posts.