Subject: Devotional - How We Deceive Ourselves – Michael Edwards

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Wishing You a Very Blessed New Year Filled with Jesus, Family and Friends!

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 ESV

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... in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their sins against them... 2 Cor 5:19

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Today's Devotional

Stop Deceiving Yourself in 2024 
Michael Edwards

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:19-27 ESV

James lists several things God states we should do, for our own good. In verse 22, he makes his main point. If we are just reading the Word but not doing what it says, we are deceiving ourselves. We are not going to truly benefit from the Word if we do not do the Word. In many places, Paul tells us to put God’s teaching into practice for our own benefit and other writers emphasize this too.

Instead of focusing on how much or how little of the Word we read this New Year, we could commit to putting it into practice one point at a time until it becomes second nature. One of these might be a great start:

…have faith and do not doubt… Matt 21:21 ESV

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isa 26:3 ESV, (see Phil 4:8 too)

…walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor 5:7 ESV

May this New Year be our blessed year of total transformation as we do God’s Word.

Contact Michael
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(Copy and print out for use.)

The steps to share your faith without fear – no confrontation. Pray and then get them alone.
Ask these five questions to help discover their personal spiritual condition.

Do you have any kind of spiritual belief?
To you, who is Jesus?
Do you think there is a heaven and a hell?
If you died right now, where would you go?
If what you believe were not true, would you want to know it?

Listen to their answers in a calm and open way. You are asking their permission to share Christ with the last question. If they say no, you can drop it – no confrontation. You have still done the work of Christ and offered the truth.

Here are a series of five Bible verses to ask the lost person to read aloud if you have their permission. Let them read them and remain silent. After each verse they read, ask them what it says to them. If they misunderstand, ask them to read it again until they admit the truth in the verse.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 ESV

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 ESV

if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.… Romans 10:9-10 BSB

Then ask them a series of five questions that summarizes the truth of the verses and lead the lost person to the point of decision.

Are you a sinner?
Do you want forgiveness for your sins?
Do you believe Jesus died on the cross for you and rose again?
Are you willing to surrender yourself to Christ?
Are you ready to invite Jesus into your heart and into your life?

Lead them in the Sinner's Prayer if they are ready to make a decision. Stay in touch and get them discipled or connect them with a local fellowship or small group for future growth.

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