January 3

Today's Reading:  Genesis 1-3; Matthew 1
Today's Thoughts:  Genesis 1:1-8

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.  God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

 Then God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters."  Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.  And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.

  

God is in the business of division. As in creation, He divided whatever was necessary in order to bring order. He divides light and darkness today also. That is why His people are in this world but not of it. God’s children are separated from the world as they are sanctified or set apart for the things of God. As Christians, we think of the Lord as One who wants to make “everything ok” or to bring peace to a given situation. However, the Lord Jesus clearly said that He came to divide. In Matthew 10:34-39: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

 

If you had trouble this holiday seasons with loved ones that do not know the Lord, be at peace in the Lord. It is the work of the Lord in your life that has allowed you to change so much in Him that you feel the division. Your love for your loved ones should not change but your heart’s desire to see them come to Christ will set you apart or divide you from them. Keep praying, keep loving and keep your peace in Jesus for He did not give peace to the world but brought peace to you individually as He set you apart for Him.

Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc., founded by Tonilee Adamson and Bobbye Brooks, embraces a vision to reach the world for Christ by teaching others how to be His daily disciples. Their mission is to evangelize the lost and to re-awaken the saved to live lives empowered by the Word of God and His Holy Spirit, and to teach and to train those who desire to grow, to serve and to have all that God has for them…encouraging everyone to be a daily disciple of Jesus Christ. From Bible studies to daily devotionals to daily radio programs to a comprehensive discipleshipprogram, Bobbye  & Tonilee have a passion to help others apply the Word of God to their lives every day.