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    Believe 365-Day Devotional: What I Believe. Who I Am Becoming.
    Believe 365-Day Devotional: What I Believe. Who I Am Becoming.
    Believe 365-Day Devotional: What I Believe. Who I Am Becoming.
    Ebook813 pages9 hours

    Believe 365-Day Devotional: What I Believe. Who I Am Becoming.

    By Randy Frazee and Rozanne Frazee

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    About this ebook

    Go from knowing the story of the Bible to living it.

    God invites us to be shaped through His Word. And so we look to Scripture and spend devotional time searching for answers to these three crucial questions: What do I believe? What should I do? Who am I becoming?

    Let God guide you in thinking, acting, and becoming like Jesus through these 365 powerful devotions. Randy and Rozanne Frazee walk you through the key beliefs, practices, and virtues of the Christian faith, and help you along the journey to renew your mind, practice your faith, and be transformed—to live more like Jesus.

    This devotional is a great standalone devotional or a wonderful companion to the Believe campaign.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan
    Release dateDec 1, 2015
    ISBN9780310359807
    Author

    Randy Frazee

    Randy Frazee is a pastor at Westside Family Church in Kansas City. A frontrunner and innovator in spiritual formation and biblical community, Randy is the architect of The Story and Believe church engagement campaign. He is also the author of The Heart of the Story; Think, Act, Be Like Jesus; What Happens After You Die; His Mighty Strength; The Connecting Church 2.0; and The Christian Life Profile Assessment. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Rozanne, for more than forty years. They have four children and two grandchildren, with more on the way! To learn more about his work and ministry go to randyfrazee.com.

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      Believe 365-Day Devotional - Randy Frazee

      images/img-1-1.jpg

      ZONDERVAN

      Believe 365-Day Devotional

      Copyright © 2015 Randy and Rozanne Frazee

      Requests for information should be addressed to:

      Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

      ePub Edition © January 2016: ISBN 978-0-310-35980-7

      All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

      Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

      Cover design: Extra Credit Projects

      15 16 17 18 19 20 21 /RRD/ 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

      To Max and Denalyn Lucado . . . your devotion to Jesus and your desire to become more like him inspires us.

      CONTENTS

      DAY 1: INTRODUCTION: THE JOURNEY OF BELIEVE

      PART 1: THINK: WHAT DO I BELIEVE?

      THE TEN KEYS OF THINK

      DAY 2: LEARNING TO THINK LIKE JESUS

      DAY 3: GOD

      DAY 4: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 5: SALVATION

      DAY 6: THE BIBLE

      DAY 7: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 8: CHURCH

      DAY 9: HUMANITY

      DAY 10: COMPASSION

      DAY 11: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 12: ETERNITY

      DAY 13: GOD

      DAY 14: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 15: SALVATION

      DAY 16: THE BIBLE

      DAY 17: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 18: CHURCH

      DAY 19: HUMANITY

      DAY 20: COMPASSION

      DAY 21: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 22: ETERNITY

      DAY 23: GOD

      DAY 24: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 25: SALVATION

      DAY 26: THE BIBLE

      DAY 27: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 28: CHURCH

      DAY 29: HUMANITY

      DAY 30: COMPASSION

      DAY 31: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 32: ETERNITY

      DAY 33: GOD

      DAY 34: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 35: SALVATION

      DAY 36: THE BIBLE

      DAY 37: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 38: CHURCH

      DAY 39: HUMANITY

      DAY 40: COMPASSION

      DAY 41: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 42: ETERNITY

      DAY 43: GOD

      DAY 44: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 45: SALVATION

      DAY 46: THE BIBLE

      DAY 47: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 48: CHURCH

      DAY 49: HUMANITY

      DAY 50: COMPASSION

      DAY 51: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 52: ETERNITY

      DAY 53: GOD

      DAY 54: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 55: SALVATION

      DAY 56: THE BIBLE

      DAY 57: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 58: CHURCH

      DAY 59: HUMANITY

      DAY 60: COMPASSION

      DAY 61: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 62: ETERNITY

      DAY 63: GOD

      DAY 64: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 65: SALVATION

      DAY 66: THE BIBLE

      DAY 67: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 68: CHURCH

      DAY 69: HUMANITY

      DAY 70: COMPASSION

      DAY 71: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 72: ETERNITY

      DAY 73: GOD

      DAY 74: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 75: SALVATION

      DAY 76: THE BIBLE

      DAY 77: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 78: CHURCH

      DAY 79: HUMANITY

      DAY 80: COMPASSION

      DAY 81: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 82: ETERNITY

      DAY 83: GOD

      DAY 84: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 85: SALVATION

      DAY 86: THE BIBLE

      DAY 87: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 88: CHURCH

      DAY 89: HUMANITY

      DAY 90: COMPASSION

      DAY 91: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 92: ETERNITY

      DAY 93: GOD

      DAY 94: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 95: SALVATION

      DAY 96: THE BIBLE

      DAY 97: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 98: CHURCH

      DAY 99: HUMANITY

      DAY 100: COMPASSION

      DAY 101: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 102: ETERNITY

      DAY 103: GOD

      DAY 104: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 105: SALVATION

      DAY 106: THE BIBLE

      DAY 107: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 108: CHURCH

      DAY 109: HUMANITY

      DAY 110: COMPASSION

      DAY 111: STEWARDSHIP

      DAY 112: ETERNITY

      DAY 113: SALVATION

      DAY 114: PERSONAL GOD

      DAY 115: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 116: CHURCH

      DAY 117: HUMANITY

      DAY 118: SALVATION

      DAY 119: IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      DAY 120: COMPASSION

      PART 2: ACT: WHAT SHOULD I DO?

      THE TEN KEYS OF ACT

      DAY 121: LEARNING TO ACT LIKE JESUS

      DAY 122: WORSHIP

      DAY 123: PRAYER

      DAY 124: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 125: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 126: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 127: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 128: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 129: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 130: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 131: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 132: WORSHIP

      DAY 133: PRAYER

      DAY 134: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 135: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 136: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 137: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 138: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 139: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 140: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 141: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 142: WORSHIP

      DAY 143: PRAYER

      DAY 144: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 145: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 146: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 147: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 148: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 149: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 150: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 151: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 152: WORSHIP

      DAY 153: PRAYER

      DAY 154: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 155: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 156: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 157: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 158: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 159: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 160: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 161: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 162: WORSHIP

      DAY 163: PRAYER

      DAY 164: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 165: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 166: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 167: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 168: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 169: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 170: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 171: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 172: WORSHIP

      DAY 173: PRAYER

      DAY 174: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 175: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 176: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 177: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 178: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 179: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 180: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 181: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 182: WORSHIP

      DAY 183: PRAYER

      DAY 184: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 185: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 186: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 187: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 188: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 189: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 190: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 191: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 192: WORSHIP

      DAY 193: PRAYER

      DAY 194: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 195: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 196: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 197: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 198: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 199: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 200: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 201: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 202: WORSHIP

      DAY 203: PRAYER

      DAY 204: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 205: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 206: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 207: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 208: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 209: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 210: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 211: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 212: WORSHIP

      DAY 213: PRAYER

      DAY 214: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 215: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 216: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 217: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 218: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 219: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 220: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 221: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 222: WORSHIP

      DAY 223: PRAYER

      DAY 224: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 225: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 226: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 227: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 228: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 229: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 230: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 231: SHARING MY FAITH

      DAY 232: WORSHIP

      DAY 233: PRAYER

      DAY 234: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 235: SINGLE-MINDEDNESS

      DAY 236: TOTAL SURRENDER

      DAY 237: PRAYER

      DAY 238: BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

      DAY 239: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      DAY 240: BIBLE STUDY

      DAY 241: OFFERING MY TIME

      DAY 242: GIVING MY RESOURCES

      DAY 243: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

      PART 3: BE: WHO AM I BECOMING?

      THE TEN KEYS OF BE

      DAY 244: LEARNING TO BE LIKE JESUS

      DAY 245: LOVE

      DAY 246: JOY

      DAY 247: PEACE

      DAY 248: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 249: HOPE

      DAY 250: PATIENCE

      DAY 251: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 252: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 253: GENTLENESS

      DAY 254: HUMILITY

      DAY 255: LOVE

      DAY 256: JOY

      DAY 257: PEACE

      DAY 258: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 259: HOPE

      DAY 260: PATIENCE

      DAY 261: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 262: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 263: GENTLENESS

      DAY 264: HUMILITY

      DAY 265: LOVE

      DAY 266: JOY

      DAY 267: PEACE

      DAY 268: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 269: HOPE

      DAY 270: PATIENCE

      DAY 271: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 272: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 273: GENTLENESS

      DAY 274: HUMILITY

      DAY 275: LOVE

      DAY 276: JOY

      DAY 277: PEACE

      DAY 278: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 279: HOPE

      DAY 280: PATIENCE

      DAY 281: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 282: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 283: GENTLENESS

      DAY 284: HUMILITY

      DAY 285: LOVE

      DAY 286: JOY

      DAY 287: PEACE

      DAY 288: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 289: HOPE

      DAY 290: PATIENCE

      DAY 291: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 292: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 293: GENTLENESS

      DAY 294: HUMILITY

      DAY 295: LOVE

      DAY 296: JOY

      DAY 297: PEACE

      DAY 298: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 299: HOPE

      DAY 300: PATIENCE

      DAY 301: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 302: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 303: GENTLENESS

      DAY 304: HUMILITY

      DAY 305: LOVE

      DAY 306: JOY

      DAY 307: PEACE

      DAY 308: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 309: HOPE

      DAY 310: PATIENCE

      DAY 311: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 312: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 313: GENTLENESS

      DAY 314: HUMILITY

      DAY 315: LOVE

      DAY 316: JOY

      DAY 317: PEACE

      DAY 318: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 319: HOPE

      DAY 320: PATIENCE

      DAY 321: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 322: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 323: GENTLENESS

      DAY 324: HUMILITY

      DAY 325: LOVE

      DAY 326: JOY

      DAY 327: PEACE

      DAY 328: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 329: HOPE

      DAY 330: PATIENCE

      DAY 331: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 332: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 333: GENTLENESS

      DAY 334: HUMILITY

      DAY 335: LOVE

      DAY 336: JOY

      DAY 337: PEACE

      DAY 338: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 339: HOPE

      DAY 340: PATIENCE

      DAY 341: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 342: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 343: GENTLENESS

      DAY 344: HUMILITY

      DAY 345: LOVE

      DAY 346: JOY

      DAY 347: PEACE

      DAY 348: SELF-CONTROL

      DAY 349: HOPE

      DAY 350: PATIENCE

      DAY 351: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 352: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 353: GENTLENESS

      DAY 354: HUMILITY

      DAY 355: LOVE

      DAY 356: JOY

      DAY 357: PEACE

      DAY 358: PATIENCE

      DAY 359: KINDNESS/GOODNESS

      DAY 360: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 361: JOY

      DAY 362: PEACE

      DAY 363: FAITHFULNESS

      DAY 364: GENTLENESS

      DAY 365: HUMILITY

      DAY 366: THE POWER OF BELIEVE

      NOTES

      SCRIPTURE INDEX

      TOPICAL INDEX

      The devotional you hold in your hand has a simple but profound framework. It is designed to help you think more like Jesus, act more like Jesus, and be more like Jesus. As you embark on this journey through the thirty key ideas of the Bible, it is our conviction that a person who knows what they believe and why, and who practices that faith in concert with the indwelling presence of God, will most definitely be on their way to becoming more like Jesus. It is not only our conviction; it is our prayer for you.

      images/img-12-1.jpg

      BELIEFS

      PRACTICES

      VIRTUES

      images/img-12-1.jpg

      DAY 1

      INTRODUCTION: THE JOURNEY OF BELIEVE

      If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.

      ‘If you can’? said Jesus. Everything is possible for one who believes.

      Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!

      MARK 9:22–24

      Jesus declares with authority, Everything is possible for one who believes. Truly believing the key ideas of the God found in the Bible is a powerful proposition, isn’t it? Throughout the teaching of Jesus, and the whole Bible for that matter, we are encouraged to believe not just in our heads but also in our hearts. We are invited to believe these powerful truths not only as the right answers but also as a way of life. When we do, everything is possible.

      The journey of belief actually begins with the confession of unbelief. As you turn the page and peer into the key beliefs, practices, and virtues of the Christian faith, turn to God with a willingness to be honest with him. Like the man in Mark 9, tell him where you are in the form of a prayer request: I do believe some things, Lord, but would you help me overcome what I am struggling to believe? If you do, he will.

      Then, watch out, because everything is possible for the one who believes.

      PART 1: THINK

      What Do I Believe?

      images/img-9-1.jpg

      THE TEN KEYS OF THINK

      God

      Personal God

      Salvation

      The Bible

      Identity in Christ

      Church

      Humanity

      Compassion

      Stewardship

      Eternity

      images/img-12-1.jpg

      DAY 2

      LEARNING TO THINK LIKE JESUS

      Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is.

      ROMANS 12:2

      Can you remember the first time you donned a pair of polarized sunglasses? If you’re like me, you took them off and put them back on several times because you couldn’t believe the difference they made in what you saw. Cutting down on glare gives objects clarity and makes colors more vivid.

      As Christians, what we believe—or the internal lens of our mind—impacts how we live and who we become. For example: If you view God as personal and involved in your daily life, you will experience more joy. If you see people as God sees them (belief in humanity), you will become gentler toward others. If you believe that everything you are and own belong to God (belief in stewardship), you will more naturally offer your time and resources to help others.

      Jesus desires to give us new internal lenses by transforming our minds. He does this as we firmly establish ourselves in what we believe.

      You have begun a journey of renewing your mind. As you meditate on what you believe, you will adopt a worldview that profoundly reduces glare and reveals clarity about how you should act to become more like Jesus. Soon others will notice the vivid difference. Hopefully you will too!

      images/img-12-1.jpg

      DAY 3

      GOD

      May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

      2 CORINTHIANS 13:14

      When you face a mirror, your reflection appears. It can be a lonely experience that can send you straight to the gym to shed extra pounds or to your makeup bag to cover blemishes. Your flaws glare at you. Stepping in front of the mirror of life, you may have a similar experience. You notice your weaknesses and think, I can’t.

      You were created in God’s image to live in community—you were never meant to do life alone. God is a community of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They move and breathe together. You cannot know the love of the Father without experiencing the grace of Jesus and the fellowship of his Spirit. Jesus said, Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9). As it is with the nature of God, so it is with the nature of humanity.

      When you live in community, your strengths come together with others’ and your weaknesses are shored up. That united group of people reflects God’s perfect image.

      Step in front of life’s mirror alone, and a human reflection appears. Step in front of the mirror surrounded by your community, and God appears.

      I BELIEVE THE GOD OF THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY TRUE GOD—FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT.

      images/img-12-1.jpg

      DAY 4

      PERSONAL GOD

      I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

      PSALM 121:1–2

      Are you in a valley right now, facing a mountain you didn’t expect? Maybe that mountain seems so overwhelming you can’t imagine being on top, let alone getting to the other side. Is God really with you? Does he care about your struggle?

      Imagine taking a deep breath and stepping back so that you can see not just the mountain you are facing but the entire range of mountains. The psalmist prompts you then to look even higher than the massif to the one who created it. You will find your help there.

      This psalmist later reminds you in verse 5, The LORD watches over you. He is the shade at your right hand. He’s as close as your shadow. Like your shadow, he will be with you every step of the way. He doesn’t want you to take even one step alone.

      Can’t even muster the strength to look up? Your loving heavenly Father is close enough to place his strong hands under your chin and help you lift your eyes to him.

      I BELIEVE GOD IS INVOLVED IN AND CARES ABOUT MY DAILY LIFE.

      images/img-12-1.jpg

      DAY 5

      SALVATION

      It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

      EPHESIANS 2:8–9

      Vincent Ardolino watched the Twin Towers explode from his little tugboat in New York Harbor on 9/11. Minutes later, as the towers fell, people swarmed the pier, desperate to vacate the island. Roads, subways, trains, bridges—everything was shut down. The only escape? The water. Many of them leaped in, fearing for their lives.

      Vincent urgently turned the prow of his boat toward the island as his wife exclaimed, What if there’s another attack?! His response was, If I only rescue one person, that’s one less person who will suffer and die. Joined by every boat on the water, Vincent became involved in the greatest sea evacuation since World War II, when 339,000 soldiers were rescued over the span of nine days in Dunkirk. On 9/11, 500,000 civilians were rescued in less than nine hours through the grace gift of these captains. Each person jumping into a boat accepted the gracious gift of a rescue, putting their faith in the boat and its captain.

      Jesus offers you the only boat leaving the island of death. You need only jump in with faith and trust him, the Captain.

      I BELIEVE A PERSON COMES INTO A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BY GOD’S GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.

      images/img-12-1.jpg

      DAY 6

      THE BIBLE

      All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

      2 TIMOTHY 3:16–17

      Remember the first time you walked outside in the winter as a child and saw your breath? Perhaps you leaned too close to a window and saw moisture appear as you exhaled. The oxygen we breathe in becomes carbon dioxide in our lungs. These gases are both invisible, but as we exhale, the carbon dioxide mixes with water vapor, and because cold air has less water vapor than the warm air from our lungs, it produces fog.

      But what happens when God exhales? The word for God-breathed in 2 Timothy is theopneustos, and it gives us a clue. Theo means God; pneustos means spirit or breath. The first time we see God exhaling is in Genesis when he is breathing life into the nostrils of Adam. In 2 Timothy we again see him breathing out, but instead of fog, God’s spirit or breath becomes words on the tips of men’s pens. Those words bring life to all who study them.

      Next time you see your breath on a cold day, remember God exhaled and created words for us to live by. We call it the Bible.

      I BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD AND HAS THE RIGHT TO COMMAND MY BELIEF AND ACTION.

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      DAY 7

      IDENTITY IN CHRIST

      To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

      JOHN 1:12

      The words It’s a boy! at the birth of our second child brought Rozanne and me tremendous joy. We already had a girl; now we had a boy. Life was perfect—until we noticed that our baby boy was missing his left hand and forearm. Immediately questions flashed through our minds. Sports? How would the kindergarteners treat him? Where would his wedding ring go? Never mind marriage; what girl would love him with so many men out there with two hands? And the most alarming question: Would we love him? Nurses swaddled our little David and laid him in our arms. And in that moment our greatest fear evaporated. We loved him; there was nothing he had to do to earn our love. He was our son.

      Our actions make us feel that God could never love us. The truth is, he loves us not because of what we’ve done, but because of what he has done. He loves us because of who we are—his children.

      Today David is a successful attorney and has a beautiful wife who loves him dearly. He played sports better than most kids with two hands! While that brings us great joy, it isn’t why we love him. We love him because he’s our son.

      God feels the same about you!

      I BELIEVE I AM SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE OF MY POSITION AS A CHILD OF GOD.

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      DAY 8

      CHURCH

      Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

      EPHESIANS 4:15

      What mother tells her child to chew a pill that is meant to be swallowed? Most likely the child would promptly spit out the pill because of its bitter taste. A thoughtful mother smashes the pill and smothers it in applesauce so the pill goes down easier. Wisdom tells her that if her child spits it out, the healing benefit will be lost.

      God calls us to challenge each other to spiritual growth, but if the challenge comes without love, it’s the same as chewing a pill that’s meant to be swallowed. As a wise believer, you should surround yourself with a few trusted friends who, beyond the shadow of a doubt, love you while your spiritual temperature is normal. Whenever you begin to experience a rise in your spiritual temperature, you can give them permission to challenge you in love.

      We all falter from time to time. By preemptively choosing loving believers to monitor your spiritual temperature, you ensure that the truth you have to swallow will be given to you in love. You will also be able to follow their example if and when you need to give the pill of tough love to someone else.

      I BELIEVE THE CHURCH IS GOD’S PRIMARY WAY TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSES ON EARTH.

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      DAY 9

      HUMANITY

      For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

      JOHN 3:16

      Most Americans claim they are Christian. They aren’t Muslim, Jewish, or Hindu; they were raised in church or attend church, and they try to live by the golden rule.

      Nicodemus was no different. He was one of the spiritual leaders—in our world, he’d be teaching the adult Sunday school class and serving on the elder board. Nicodemus had memorized all the laws and tried to live out each one. Secretly approaching Jesus, he was sure Jesus would assure him he had done everything needed to gain a relationship with God. After all, he had been working for this his whole life. And that is when Jesus said the words above, from the most famous verse in the Bible. They were spoken not to a person outside the church, but to one of its leaders.

      Many people attempt to live good lives, working hard to make sure they secure an eternal relationship with their Creator. Like Nicodemus, however, they have missed the one thing they need to gain access to a true relationship with God. God wants nothing more than to be in relationship with you, but unless you accept the free gift of his Son, you cannot enter into it.

      I BELIEVE ALL PEOPLE ARE LOVED BY GOD AND NEED JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR.

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      DAY 10

      COMPASSION

      Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

      PSALM 82:3–4

      Freddy was a classmate of mine in junior high school. He had a condition referred to (at the time) as water on the brain. The excess fluid around his skull created an oversize and awkward head for Freddy. Junior high school is an awful place to be different. Immature people create the worst possible names for our apparent weaknesses. Freddy was called Watermelon Head.

      One day between classes in a hallway filled with people, a group of boys started picking on Freddy. They called him names and shoved him around. This was the same year I became a Christian. Something was stirring in me, something that wasn’t there before—or perhaps I should say Someone.

      I felt compelled to go and stand between Freddy and the bullies. But in the end, I did nothing. Forty years later I still think about this incident. As a new, immature Christian, I failed Freddy, and he took the abuse with no advocate. I am so sorry, Freddy. With God’s forgiveness granted, I wake up each day praying for the courage to defend, to uphold the cause, and to rescue the Freddys God puts in my life.

      I BELIEVE GOD CALLS ALL CHRISTIANS TO SHOW COMPASSION TO PEOPLE IN NEED.

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      DAY 11

      STEWARDSHIP

      Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

      1 PETER 4:9

      Every house hunter or renovator on HGTV at some point during the show exclaims something like, Now I can see myself entertaining here! Or, This backyard would be great for having friends over for barbecuing, or, This kitchen will be awesome for hosting! Apparently everyone wants to entertain, but they’re just one major move or remodel away from actually pulling it off.

      In Scripture, hospitality appears in the form of a command, not a suggestion. Do not forget to show hospitality (Hebrews 13:2). Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality (Romans 12:13). Whether we live in an apartment or house, a mansion or cottage, whether it needs to be remodeled or is brand-new, our homes are gifts from God, and he expects us to share them willingly and cheerfully with others.

      Your home belongs to him as much as your heart does. When you see yourself as the manager of your home instead of the owner, the doors of your home will open much more easily.

      Jesus doesn’t want you to wait until your house is perfect before you open it up and share it with others.

      I BELIEVE EVERYTHING I AM AND EVERYTHING I OWN BELONG TO GOD.

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      DAY 12

      ETERNITY

      Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

      JOHN 14:1–2

      After twenty-two years of living in Texas, we were moving. Leaving behind our life troubled our hearts. Our new bungalow in Chicago needed some work before we moved in, so Randy headed north, determined to prepare the house for our family. As

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