Dan Gould

Author: dgould77

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 10

    “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.” v.4 (NLT)

    Every Christian has 3 main weapons to fight off the enemy! However, many Christians don’t ever take a stand and use the weapons that have been given effectively.  But these weapons are powerful when used in the way they were meant to be used. So lets take a closer look at these three things that have been given so we can take a stand against the evil one, have confidence as believers, and have boldness to share our faith with others around us.

    1.  The Word of God – AKA Sword of the Spirit

    We have been given a sword that many never carry or know how to use.  Instead, it sits at home collecting dust because it is rarely picked up.  This sword I am referring to is the Bible.  It is described as being “alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (Hebrews 4:12)  The Bible is powerful in the hands of a Christ Follower that reads it, meditates on it, and memorizes it!

    2.  Prayer

    We have the ability to call on Heaven at anytime.  Sadly, our prayer time consist of meal time prayers or times when we have come to the end of our rope and offer up a prayer as a last resort. But when we look at how prayer was used by the people of God in the Bible, we see powerful things that happened when God’s people committed to prayer. Somewhere in the mix, or the busyness of the day we have lost the importance of and the power of prayer. James says that, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” When we pray, God listens.  When we pray, we no longer look to our own power but we draw from the power given by the Holy Spirit.  Prayer may be one of the most simple yet difficult things a Christian can do. But when done in a Biblical way, Biblical results happen!

    3.  Personal Testimony

    One of the greatest tools that a Christian has is their personal testimony of what Christ has done in their life.  Now, it seems that the only testimonies we hear are the extreme ones. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard someone say that their testimony isn’t that good. Listen, if you have surrendered your life to Jesus, you have a testimony and it is good! Why, because you once were dead, and now you are alive … THAT’S A TESTIMONY! Let me remind you of Jesus words in Revelation 12:11, “And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.” Simply put, you have a story, don’t cheapen it, don’t discredit it, but simply share it. God will use it. The only way it can’t be used is if you keep silent!

    Today, Spend some time reading Scripture, praying, and preparing your story so when the opportunity arrises, you are prepared for what ever come your way!

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 9

    “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’” v.7

    Paul says this two times within these two chapters.  It must be important for us to understand and to begin to apply as we live out the Gospel advancing the Kingdom of God.  So, instead of writing something new, let’s think through this again today because giving is such an important part of a Christ Followers life.

    Giving is a testimony to the faith of a believer.  How and where you spend your money reveals where your heart is. It’s often said, “Show me you check book and I will tell you where your heart is.” When we give, we are giving back to God for the advancement of His Kingdom on this earth.  It allows the church to accomplish the task of reaching people for Christ, Baptizing new believers, Discipling Committed Christ Followers, and Equipping the Church to lead.  By giving, we help the church extend its ministry and influence in culture.

    Today, are you a giver? How can you begin to give from what you have and/or increase your giving according to what you have?

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 8

    “Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.” v.12 (NLT)

    Giving is a testimony to the faith of a believer.  How and where you spend your money reveals where your heart is. It’s often said, “Show me you check book and I will tell you where your heart is.” When we give, we are giving back to God for the advancement of His Kingdom on this earth.  It allows the church to accomplish the task of reaching people for Christ, Baptizing new believers, Discipleing Committed Christ Followers, and Equipping the Church to lead.  By giving, we help the church extend its ministry and influence in culture.

    Today, are you a giver? How can you begin to give from what you have and/or increase your giving according to what you have?

     

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 7

    “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.” v.10 (NLT)

    We have all experienced sadness, but not all of us have experienced brokenness! Brokenness, causes us to see ourselves in a way that exposes who we really are.  Brokenness causes us to look outside ourselves, realizing that we have a need that can not be met my things, others, or ourselves.  In times of brokenness we see who we are in light of who God is.  It reveals our sinfulness and His Holiness.  It causes us to repent from sin and seek forgiveness and moves us into a great knowledge and experience of Gods Love for us.

    However, many times we don’t allow ourselves to have a sense of brokenness.  Brokenness goes against everything we have been programmed to believe by our society.  Work hard, don’t cry, you can do anything you put your mind to, and you can live happily ever after.  Out fear of failure, and fear of what others might think, say, or do, and our own pride keeps many of us from expressing and experiencing true brokenness thus causing us to harden our heart toward God.

    Therefore here is the question, When the real you is exposed, how do you respond?

    Today, lets pray that God would give us a sense of brokenness for the things that break His Heart! This is the only way we will truly change because we rely on His strength, mercy, grace, and forgiveness instead of relying on ourselves.

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 6

    “We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry.” v.3 (NLT)

    People are watching!!! How you live impacts how they interpret what you believe, and what they believe about what you believe! Now this doesn’t mean we need to walk around on eggshells hoping we don’t mess up, but it does mean that as Christ Followers we begin to express on the outside the things we believe on the inside. This is where we put our faith in action and others can see Jesus by the way we live.

    Today, don’t let the things you say or do cause someone else to stumble and/or discredit the work of Christ in you and potentially in them!

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 5

    “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” v.20

    Every-time I read this i get the chills of excitement and the chills of fear.  I am excited that I get to represent Christ to the world, but then I think about the magnitude of that statement and the responsibility I have to represent Him.  It’s often said that people won’t read the Bible but they will read your life! It leaves us asking the question, what are people really seeing in me.  I’m not talking about the things i say I believe, I am talking about the day-to-day me, what do they see, and as they read my life, am I representing Christ in a worthy way? This is the question, this is the calling, and this is the challenge that every Christ Follower should evaluate their life on.

    Today, How will you represent Christ? What will others see from your life today? Will they see Christ by you actions, your words, your convictions, your attitude, and your service?

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 4

    “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” v.18 (NLT)

    It’s easy to get caught up in worldly drama! But what about those issues that need serious attention, like illness, disease, death, emergencies? What are we supposed to do in these times, are we supposed to ignore them? NO! These things will happen because we live in a fallen sinful world, but when we experience them it’s important to keep our focus on the promises of God and not the earthy calamity!

    I wish we could say that we will never experience hard times but we know that’s not the case.  But when we do experience these hardships we can turn to Jesus for comfort, peace, and wisdom.  Don’t let an earthly challenge discourage you and keep you from focusing on Heavenly promises.  One day, all these things will end and we will experience His Eternal Kingdom where there is no more pain, drama, or calamity!

    Today, stay focused on Jesus and don’t get caught up in the hype of a situation.  Ask Him for wisdom, peace, and comfort!

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 3

    “For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” v.17 (NLT)

    Think about this simple yet difficult verse.  It’s simple because we read it and feel good about being free but we forget a very important fact about freedom! Freedom has a price tag!  It cost Jesus his life! He chose to die so He could purchase our freedom with his death!  Sadly, we have the idea that being freed from the things sin likes to keep us trapped with, is going to be easy. The fight against sin is difficult, it’s messy, but it can only be won with full trust and obedience in the Holy Spirit!  However, if the fight get to intense, to severe, and seems to be one we can’t win, we tend to make excuses, we start to justify our sin, and sometimes we will go to the extreme and even say that God made us that way.

    It is vitally important that we understand that Sin is serious, and until we are able to recognize sins death grip on us and this world, we will never be able to truly experience the freedom found in the Holy Spirit! The only way we can begin to live in the freedom the Spirit provides is to begin to realize that we are sinners in need of a Savior, begin to fight against temptation and our own sinfulness through the power of the Holy Spirit, and build our life around the things of God written in the Bible.  Until we become obedient to His Word, we won’t truly experience the freedom Christ offers and the Holy Spirit empowers.

    Today, where do you need to be set free? Are you willing to go to battle for your freedom or will you let earthly desires keep you trapped by sins death grip?

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 2

    “Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.” v. 15 (NLT)

    We’ve all had encounters with people who smell good and unfortunately people who smell bad.  In fact, we are so self-conscious about this that we try our best to smell the best we can.  However, this same desire to smell good for others, doesn’t transfer to us having a good aroma to God.  In fact, what may send a beautiful aroma towards Heaven, may be a stench in the nostrils of friends, family, or strangers. It causes us to evaluate who we will try to live for!  Our life is either pleasing to God, or unpleasing to Him. When we live by the power of the Holy Spirit, being like Christ in word and action, it pleases the Father in Heaven! But when we live in our own power, trying to please ourselves or our friends, hiding our identity in Christ or representing him just with words and not actions, it does sot please our Father in Heaven.  In fact, the Bible says that we become a stench in the nostril of God!  So here is the question, what aroma will you put off today? Will you live in a way that is pleasing to God or live in a way that is pleasing to the world around you?  The choice is your!

    Today, will you put on the aroma of Christ so you can send a pleasing smell toward Heaven, one that the Father will enjoy and take delight in?

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 1

    “For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” v.5 (NLT)

    As Christians in America it’s hard for us to fully understand the magnitude of persecution.  The fear of being made fun of or mocked causes many of us to stay silent. We try to spin it, and it may even sound good to others around us, but if we compared it to the persecution of Christians in others parts of the World, we would feel foolish for even thinking we had it rough!

    Regardless of the type of persecution, the Bible says that we will be persecuted because He (Jesus) was persecuted.  We may try to avoid it, but there are sure to be times that it is unavoidable.  In fact there will be times that if we do avoid it, we will denounce our faith in Christ! But when we endure it by stepping out in Faith, the Comfort of Christ is there to  embrace us!  It’s a type of comfort we will never feel until we step out of our comfort zones to live boldly for Christ regardless of the persecution we may face.

    Today, will you live for Christ regardless of the persecution you may face if you are found out? If someone asks about your faith, will you blow it off or boldly declare and speak of what Christ has done for you and offers to do for them?