There are newborn Christians who need gentle care and to be fed with milk, the basic truths of God’s Word. A new Christian is often carnal, because he has not yet learned many truths from the Word of God.

Our Spiritual Heritage in Christ | Joel Osteen | #ChristianLife

This truth of living in the abundance of God is based on the fact that we have been made kings and lords of all by the great love of God.

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans 8:16–17). We are heirs of God, joint heirs with Jesus.

There are three things that will keep us from knowing that we are lords of all—laziness, indifference, and a preoccupation with the world.

If you continue as a child in your thinking, if you are uninformed in your spirit, if you are lazy and indifferent, if you are preoccupied with the things of this world, you will live as a slave to sin and self and not function as a king in this life.

Why do we have the Holy Spirit living within us? “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12).

The Holy Spirit dwells within us that we may understand the things that God has freely given to us. He wants to teach us the truths of the Word of God so that Satan will not be able to rob us of the blessings and abundance God has for us in this life.

The Holy Spirit desires that we might fully know what God has provided for us.

When you are born into the family of God through the Holy Spirit, you are like a newborn baby. You have no spiritual past. Your sins and failures are gone and not remembered.

You are a new creature in Christ Jesus. There is no past with God. Forget yesterday, and the yesterday before that! Forget it! God has wiped it away!

1 Corinthians 3:1–3 tells that there are three kinds of Christians: “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?”

There are newborn Christians who need gentle care and to be fed with “milk,” the basic truths of God’s Word. A new Christian is often carnal, because he has not yet learned many truths from the Word of God.

Carnal Christians walk as men and women who are not ruled by the Spirit of God, whereas spiritual Christians are.

Many believers are involved in questionable activities that keep them in a worldly or carnal state.

If we only knew the power of looking at something with our eyes or hearing something with our ears, registering that with our brains, and sending it down to our spirits, we would be more careful to guard our eyes and our ears.

Far too many believers remain trapped in a life of constant carnality, which in the Corinthians’ situation manifested itself in envy, strife, and divisions, because they were still slaves of sin.

Most of us know what it feels like to be betrayed, rejected, or forgotten. We have heard the whispering voice of the enemy telling us that we have been treated badly, and there is no reason for us to maintain a steady sense of faith.

Have you ever been in a difficult situation and felt tempted to disobey God because life had become too hard for you to endure? At some point, we all have had our backs against the wall of disappointment or heartache.

Most of us know what it feels like to be betrayed, rejected, or forgotten. We have heard the whispering voice of the enemy telling us that we have been treated badly, and there is no reason for us to maintain a steady sense of faith.

After all, God would understand if we protested what was. Adversity always reveals the true nature of our character. Daniel was steady in his faith. Though he had been wrongly accused, he did not dwell on this. Instead, he set the focus of his heart on the Lord.

Not once do we read that he frantically cried out to God. Certainly, he had the motivation to do this, but that did not fit the nature and character of Daniel’s life.

He knew that God was aware of his circumstances, and while he did not know what would happen next, he was willing to trust God for the outcome because he had an unshakable promise buried deep within his heart.

He believed that God would protect him even in times of grave trouble. But should he die, Daniel knew that he would stand in God’s presence and see His glory.

Daniel had an eternal perspective. His focus had never been on the wishes or desires of men. He obeyed those in authority over him. However, he refused to worship anyone other than the Lord.

God honored his faithfulness by preserving his life. Notice that God did not prevent His prophet from spending a night in the lions’ den. He allowed Daniel to be tested, and He allows the same thing to happen in our lives to bring us to the same point that he reached: God is ever faithful, and when we trust Him, He will solve every problem we face.

He could have become paralyzed with fear. Not only was his life on the line, but his future was too. Darius had signed a decree. The only person or thing that was to be worshiped was the king himself.

Daniel, however, did what he normally did— he worshiped the Lord and no one else. His faith was tried in the crucible of adversity. God used this situation to purify Daniel’s faith, and there will be times when He does the same thing in our lives.

He stretches us and allows us to face difficulty— not to terrify us—but to strengthen us and purify us so we will become a reflection of His hope to others.

Have you ever felt like Moses, David, or Job? You have come to a point in your life where you want to say, “Lord, this problem is too great for me—too vast, too heavy, and too hurtful.

Have you ever felt like Moses, David, or Job? You have come to a point in your life where you want to say, “Lord, this problem is too great for me—too vast, too heavy, and too hurtful.

I can’t handle it alone.” This was where Moses found himself—wondering how he would continue at such a stiff pace with such an unwilling group of people. Numbers 11 outlines the nation of Israel’s decline in the area of morale.

With the excitement of their escape from Egypt behind them, they began to think about what they had done and the inconveniences of living on the road. This is when they began to complain and murmur against Moses and the Lord. God was not pleased with their actions or words. He had provided their freedom from slavery, but they wanted even more.

Even more devastating, they really did not want anyone to tell them what they could or could not do.

Moses became so depressed by the actions of the people that he actually told the Lord, “If You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness” (Num. 11:15).

The bottom line is, Moses wanted to die! And he needed to let go and allow God to take control of his life and circumstances. There will be times in each one of our lives when God gives us a task to do that appears far too great for us to handle.

At first, prideful thoughts can tempt us to think we can handle the job no matter how great the challenge may seem. However, God did not create us to work independently of Him. We can do nothing apart from Him.

If you want to reach your full potential, allow God to have the problems that you are facing. Surrender them to Him. It may seem simple when written in black and white, but it is rare. Many people believe they have given their problems to God, but they have not.

They lay them down only to pick them up again. How do you know when you are still carrying a burden or a problem? Usually, you know by the weight of the burden.

If it is heavy to the point of being destructive, you must stop and ask God to show you if He wants you to bear this load on your own.

Earlier, we mentioned how Jesus instructed His followers with these words, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28–30).

The Savior wanted the people to give their burdens to Him. In New Testament times, a yoke was used to couple animals together so they could work more effectively. Jesus used this term with a positive application. He is teaching us that His yoke is easy, light, and much more productive.

When we share our burdens with Him, He comes alongside us and lifts the yoke up so that it is not weighing us down. But if we insist on shouldering the weight alone, we will fall and not get up. Everything boils down to a matter of trust. Do you trust God with your problem, your future, and your immediate circumstances?

The poets imagined that Envy dwelt in a dark cave, being pale and thin, hiding in the corner, never rejoicing except in the misfortune of others, and hurting himself continually.

Are You Jealous or Envious? By D.L. Moody

Go and do something kind for the person of whom you are jealous. That’s the way to cure jealousy. It will kill it. Jealousy is a devil and a horrid monster.

The poets imagined that Envy dwelt in a dark cave, being pale and thin, hiding in the corner, never rejoicing except in the misfortune of others, and hurting himself continually.

There’s a fable of an eagle which could outfly another, and the other didn’t like it. The latter saw a sportsman one day and said to him, “I wish you would bring down that eagle.”

The sportsman replied that he would if he only had some feathers to put into his arrow. So the eagle pulled one out of his wing. The arrow was shot but didn’t quite reach the rival eagle. It was flying too high.

The envious eagle pulled out more feathers and kept pulling them out until he lost so many that he couldn’t fly. Then the sportsman turned around and killed him. If you are jealous, the only one you can hurt is yourself.

There were two businessmen with a longstanding rivalry between them that included many bitter feelings. Then one of them was converted.

He went to his minister and said, “I’m still jealous of that man and don’t know how to overcome it.”

The minister replied, “Well, if a man comes into your store to buy goods, and you cannot supply him, just send him over to your neighbor.”

He said, “I wouldn’t like to do that.”
“Well,” the minister said, “you do it and you will kill jealousy.”
He said he would.

When a customer came into his store for goods which he did not have, he told him to go across the street to his neighbor’s store. After some time, the other man began to send his customers over to this man’s store, and the breach was healed.

If a man has lost hope, he is out of communion with God; he doesn’t have the Spirit of God resting upon him for service. He may be a son of God but be disheartened so that God cannot use him.

The Triumphs of HopeBy D.L. Moody

In Romans 15:13 the apostle Paul said, And believing, the God of hope fills you with all joy and peace that ye may abound in hope by the virtue [power] of the Holy Spirit.

I have observed throughout different parts of the country how difficult it is for God to use people who have lost hope. Wherever I found a worker in God’s vineyard who had lost hope, I found a man or woman who was not very useful.

Consider these workers. Let your mind think about the past for a moment. Can you remember a man or woman who had lost hope, but whom God used to build His kingdom? I do not believe there are many.

Hope is very important in the church; the work of the Holy Spirit is to impart hope. Let Him come into some churches where no conversions have taken place for a few years, and let Him convert a score of people. Watch and see how hopeful the church becomes at once.

He imparts hope; a man filled with the Spirit of God will be very hopeful. He will be looking to the future, and he knows it is bright, because the God of all grace is able to do great things. So it is very important that we have hope.

If a man has lost hope, he is out of communion with God; he doesn’t have the Spirit of God resting upon him for service. He may be a son of God but be disheartened so that God cannot use him.

Some years ago, I was quite discouraged in my work, and I was ready to hang my harp on the willow. I was cast down and depressed for weeks, when one Monday morning a friend who had a very large Bible class came into my study.

I used to examine the notes of his Sunday school lessons, which were equal to a sermon.

He came to me this morning and said, “Well, what did you preach about yesterday?”

I told him and then said, “What did you preach about?”
He said he preached about Noah. “Did you ever preach about Noah?”
“No, I never preached about Noah.”
“Did you ever study his character?”
“No, I never studied his life particularly.”
“Well,” he said, “he is a most wonderful character. It will do you good. You ought to study that character.”

When he left, I took my Bible and read about Noah. Then it came over me – Noah worked 120 years and never had a convert, but he did not get discouraged. I said, “Well, I shouldn’t be discouraged,” and I closed my Bible, got up, and walked downtown.

The cloud had passed.
I went to the noon prayer meeting and heard of a little town in the country where they had taken a hundred young converts into the church. I asked myself, I wonder what Noah would have given if he could have heard that; and yet he worked one hundred and twenty years and didn’t get discouraged.

Right then a man across the aisle got up and said, “My friends, would you pray for me? I think I’m lost.”

I thought to myself, I wonder what Noah would have given to hear that. He never heard a man say, “Would you pray for me? I think I am lost.” Yet he didn’t get discouraged! Oh, children of God, let’s not get discouraged; let’s ask God to forgive us, if we have been discouraged and cast down; let’s ask God to give us hope that we may always be hopeful.

It does me good sometimes to meet some people and take hold of their hands because they are so hopeful.

But other people throw a gloom over me because they are always cast down and looking at the dark side – at the obstacles and difficulties that are in the way.

The prodigal offers no gift or explanation. All he offers is the smell of pigs and a rehearsed apology: “Father, I have sinned against God and against you.

Our Heavenly Father Gives Grace. By Max Lucado

Come with me to God’s living room.

Sit in the chair that was made for you and warm your hands by the fire which never fades. . . . Stand at the mantel and study the painting which hangs above it.
Your Father treasures the portrait. He has hung it where all can see. . ..

Captured in the portrait is a tender scene of a father and a son. Behind them is a great house on a hill. Beneath their feet is a narrow path. Down from the house the father has run. Up the trail the son has trudged. The two have met, here, at the gate.

We can’t see the face of the son; it’s buried in the chest of his father. No, we can’t see his face, but we can see his tattered robe and stringy hair. We can see the mud on the back of his legs, the filth on his shoulders and the empty purse on the ground.

At one time the purse was full of money. At one time the boy was full of pride. But that was a dozen taverns ago. Now both the purse and the pride are depleted.

The prodigal offers no gift or explanation. All he offers is the smell of pigs and a rehearsed apology: “Father, I have sinned against God and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21 NCV).

Though we can’t see the boy’s face in the painting, we can’t miss the father’s. Look at the tears glistening on the leathered cheeks, the smile shining through the silver beard. One arm holds the boy up so he won’t fall, the other holds the boy close so he won’t doubt.

“Hurry!” he shouts. “Bring the best clothes and put them on him. Also, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get our fat calf and kill it so we can have a feast and celebrate.

My son was dead, but now he is alive again! He was lost but now he is found!” (Luke 15:22–24 NCV). . . .

Gaze at this painting and be reminded of your God: It is right to call him Holy; we speak truth when we call him King. But if you want to touch his heart, use the name he loves to hear. Call him Father.

—The Great House of God