John points men to Jesus as the Lamb — the Lamb who would be slain, who would die on the cross to put away sin. Many in that day desired a king, but the message of a dying Savior held no interest. Today men will respect a great teacher, or follow a leader who calls for social reform; but they will reject the gospel of Christ because they have no sense of needing atonement, of needing a substitute to die in their place and take away their sin.

Lessons concerning the Lamb are seen throughout the scriptures. When Abel offered a lamb which was an acceptable sacrifice we see a type of Christ, the Lamb who gave his life for sinners at Calvary. The Lamb was prophesied by Isaiah. The Lamb was identified by John the Baptist. The Lamb is seen glorified as the Apostle John writes in the book of Revelation.

May we on a daily basis follow the admonition to “behold the Lamb”. Behold him as he ministers to the poor and the needy. Behold him as he calms the storm and heals the sick. But most of all, behold him as the Lamb whose death on the cross successfully put away sin forever.

Sinners who look to the slain Lamb find a great hope. Those running the race find strength and encouragement as they look to Jesus and his completed work on the cross. And one day the struggle with sin will be over, all the battles will have been fought, the race will have been run and the redeemed will see him and praise him as the “worthy Lamb”, who was slain and has redeemed us to God by his blood (Revelation 7:9-10).

Join “La Brea S Books And” on Spaces by Wix
— Read on apps.wix.com/place-invites/invite-lp/v2

Tame My Tongue

Words are powerful. As we begin to think about today’s topic: tame my tongue, we are reminded of our humanity. We all fall short of God’s glory and have areas in our lives and language that need to be refined. Our words have the power to dictate many things in our lives. God spoke the world into existence! Words can re-present who we are through our conversations and shift the atmosphere. Proverbs 18:21 teaches us that when our words are unsubmitted to God, our words can breed death. In James chapter 3, we learn that we move in the direction we speak. This chapter also shows that no man alone can tame the tongue. When we accept Jesus into our hearts, the Holy Spirit lives within us, and we are sanctified. We all need the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to help us progress in our hearts so that our words reflect God’s love. Love, kindness, and self-control are fruits of the Spirit that empower us to walk in wisdom and discernment. As you continue to pray and fast on today’s topic, ask yourself, “is my speech edifying and bringing glory to God?” Imagine the impact you can have to re-present God for transformation in Christ by allowing the Holy Spirit to dictate your speech.

Application/ Reflection:

What is God speaking to you about taming your tongue?
What does it look like to invite the Holy Spirit into your language?
How can you re-present God to those around you through your speech?
Prayer:

Lord, I surrender my heart, mind, and mouth to you today. I repent for times when I fell short in how I spoke. I ask and receive your forgiveness and grace to turn away from my sin. I pray that you will increase my awareness of the power in my words. I pray for wisdom to steward my speech in a way that is pleasing to you. Holy Spirit, I need you. I pray that I speak life and encouragement today. I will declare words of love and kindness to encourage and edify myself and those around me. I love you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Teach Me To Love

We never stop learning how to receive and extend God’s love. Sometimes, the commandments to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” or “Love your neighbor as yourself” can sound routine to us. We can quote this verse without understanding the gravity and implications of inwardly understanding and outwardly demonstrating this commandment. The Bible teaches that God is love and that as followers of Christ, we will be recognized by how we love one another. As we seek God first, we can observe, experience, and represent His love. We can only extend the amount of love we receive from God. God is the source of love and light in the world. Since God is love, we are called to be with love and to become love. The depths of God’s goodness and love are impossible for us to comprehend fully. God loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die on the cross to save us. We can share God’s love with the lost and found people in this world from this overflow. Imagine the impact on the lives of others we can have by growing in our understanding and ability to receive and extend God’s love.

Application/ Reflection:

Do you see and treat others through the lens of God’s love?
In what ways do you need to recognize God’s love for you?
How can you extend God’s unconditional love to the people around you?
Prayer:

God, I come to you today asking for a fresh understanding of your love. Thank you for the extravagant love you demonstrated by sending your Son to die for me to forgive my sins. I pray to experience your love tangibly, transforming me to become more like you. Show me how I can better love myself and love those around me. I pray to be a vessel, quick to obey, and show your love to the world! Change the way I love, renew the way I love, transform the way I love. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen!

Walking in Humility & Obedience

Today we are deciding to walk in humility. Humility is defined not as thinking less of yourself but as thinking of yourself less. Humility is taking up your God-given space, nothing more, nothing less. We live in a day and age where it seems counterintuitive to make ourselves smaller. We can sometimes become absorbed in our achievements, dreams, desires, and worries. We may feel we need to promote ourselves to stay relevant, receive credit, or even reach our purpose. The Bible instructs us, as followers of Christ, to remain humble and submitted. We are empowered through the Holy Spirit to become self-aware in our actions and fight against the temptation to walk in pride. Jesus modeled what it looked like to walk in humility by how He lived His life and served others in grace and truth. If anyone had an excuse to be prideful, it was Jesus. He was God! The Bible says in Philippians 2:6, “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.” The next time you feel yourself consumed by your needs or desires, remember to remain humble by magnifying God and putting Him in His rightful place. We surrender by trusting His ways are higher; in turn, we find peace and freedom.

Application/ Reflection:

What is an area you tend to be prideful in?
How does walking in humility magnify God in your life?
What is one thing you can do today to submit to God by walking in humility?
Prayer:

Lord, I thank you for reminding me that you are always in control. I thank you that I can remain open-handed with my worries and my wants, trusting your will for my life. I repent for the ways I have walked in pride. I repent for times when I have been self-centered and missed the mark. As I humble myself today, I pray that you show me grace and favor. I thank you for the relationship I have with you. I pray that your presence and power in my life are magnified as I submit. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.