1 00:00:02,650 --> 00:00:04,189 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,860 --> 00:00:14,050 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're so glad to have 3 00:00:14,090 --> 00:00:18,290 Speaker 2: you listening. I'm Lynette Kittle, and today's topic is, What 4 00:00:18,329 --> 00:00:21,549 Speaker 2: Do You Believe? We'll be right back after a brief 5 00:00:21,610 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 2: message from our sponsor. What do you believe? Written and 6 00:00:37,620 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 2: read by Lynette Kittle. You believe that there is one God. Good. 7 00:00:42,460 --> 00:00:47,900 Speaker 2: Even the demons believe that and shudder. James 2.19 What 8 00:00:47,940 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 2: we believe about God is critical, vital, and relevant, determining 9 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,930 Speaker 2: how we live our daily lives and also determining our 10 00:00:57,990 --> 00:01:02,150 Speaker 2: eternal futures. It's wise for us to ask, Do we 11 00:01:02,190 --> 00:01:05,710 Speaker 2: believe in God or do we believe God? because there 12 00:01:05,810 --> 00:01:08,810 Speaker 2: is a difference. The first is believing there is a 13 00:01:08,830 --> 00:01:12,310 Speaker 2: God which is good and a start. The second is 14 00:01:12,390 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 2: our believing God, meaning we believe what He says is true. 15 00:01:18,100 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 2: The difference they each make in our lives is evident too. 16 00:01:21,819 --> 00:01:24,500 Speaker 2: Believing there is a God doesn't mean we believe Him 17 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,300 Speaker 2: and live out His words in our lives, while believing 18 00:01:28,380 --> 00:01:35,140 Speaker 2: Him changes us. As 2 Corinthians 5.17 describes, Therefore, if 19 00:01:35,300 --> 00:01:39,030 Speaker 2: anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come, the 20 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:43,050 Speaker 2: old has gone, the new is here. It's not difficult 21 00:01:43,150 --> 00:01:45,570 Speaker 2: either for others to see what we truly believe in 22 00:01:45,650 --> 00:01:49,910 Speaker 2: our lives. For example, if we believe what health experts 23 00:01:49,990 --> 00:01:53,490 Speaker 2: tell us about how to live our lives, then we exercise, 24 00:01:53,780 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 2: eat healthily, and live according to healthy principles. So it 25 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:04,060 Speaker 2: is if we believe God, we'll live according to His word, incorporating, practicing, 26 00:02:04,220 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 2: and living out his godly principles in our lives. In 27 00:02:08,419 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 2: Luke 4, 33-34, a demon recognizes who Jesus truly is. 28 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 2: In the synagogue, there was a man possessed by a demon, 29 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,150 Speaker 2: an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of 30 00:02:21,210 --> 00:02:24,310 Speaker 2: his voice, Go away! What do you want with us, 31 00:02:24,430 --> 00:02:28,790 Speaker 2: Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I 32 00:02:28,830 --> 00:02:32,410 Speaker 2: know who you are, the Holy One of God. Even 33 00:02:32,490 --> 00:02:36,510 Speaker 2: a demon identified and believed Jesus. Yet it's through putting 34 00:02:36,570 --> 00:02:40,809 Speaker 2: our faith in him and believing his word that saves us. 35 00:02:41,610 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 2: The Apostle Paul describes in Romans 4.3, What does scripture say? 36 00:02:47,020 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 2: Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. 37 00:02:52,860 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 2: Faith is critical as Hebrews 11.6 explains. And without faith 38 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,139 Speaker 2: it is impossible to please God. because anyone who comes 39 00:03:01,180 --> 00:03:04,619 Speaker 2: to him must believe that he exists and that he 40 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:11,180 Speaker 2: rewards those who earnestly seek him. Paul wrote in Acts 16.31, 41 00:03:11,180 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 2: They replied, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will 42 00:03:14,540 --> 00:03:19,590 Speaker 2: be saved, you and your household. The believing in Paul 43 00:03:19,669 --> 00:03:22,850 Speaker 2: is referring to is more than just believing God exists. 44 00:03:23,590 --> 00:03:28,210 Speaker 2: It's believing him rooted in faith that changes us. Many 45 00:03:28,250 --> 00:03:31,610 Speaker 2: people in the world acknowledge Jesus, yet do not believe 46 00:03:31,650 --> 00:03:35,580 Speaker 2: what he says. Jesus answered, I am the way and 47 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,740 Speaker 2: the truth and the life. No one comes to the 48 00:03:38,780 --> 00:03:46,050 Speaker 2: Father except through me. John 14.6 Unbelief disguises itself in 49 00:03:46,110 --> 00:03:49,850 Speaker 2: many ways, and one way is by people thinking they believe, 50 00:03:50,330 --> 00:03:53,570 Speaker 2: while in their hearts they really don't, which is evident 51 00:03:53,630 --> 00:03:57,230 Speaker 2: in the way they live that they don't believe. When 52 00:03:57,270 --> 00:04:01,470 Speaker 2: we truly believe God, our lives reveal it. It's undeniable. 53 00:04:01,950 --> 00:04:04,790 Speaker 2: But if no one knows or sees, then we want 54 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,580 Speaker 2: to revisit what we truly believe. As Hebrews 3.12 warns, 55 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:12,860 Speaker 2: See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you 56 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 2: has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the 57 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 2: living God. If we're saying we believe God, yet making 58 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:25,790 Speaker 2: decisions based on our own and others' human reasoning, living 59 00:04:25,850 --> 00:04:29,380 Speaker 2: how we see fit, Along with treating others the way 60 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 2: we believe they deserve, our actions are revealing a heart 61 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 2: that doesn't believe God. When we believe Him, our lives 62 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:42,289 Speaker 2: reflect what our hearts truly believe. Proverbs 27.19 reveals, Believing 63 00:04:42,310 --> 00:04:44,110 Speaker 2: God shows in the ways we think, how we choose 64 00:04:44,130 --> 00:04:46,849 Speaker 2: to live, and especially by the way we love others. 65 00:04:56,550 --> 00:05:02,270 Speaker 2: Jesus tells us in John 13, 34-35, A new command 66 00:05:02,450 --> 00:05:05,830 Speaker 2: I give you, love one another, as I have loved you, 67 00:05:05,950 --> 00:05:09,190 Speaker 2: so you must love one another. By this everyone will 68 00:05:09,230 --> 00:05:12,730 Speaker 2: know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. 69 00:05:13,810 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 2: Intersecting Faith in Life Do you believe God? So much so, 70 00:05:19,460 --> 00:05:22,380 Speaker 2: that it's evident in your life, if not, ask God 71 00:05:22,420 --> 00:05:25,100 Speaker 2: to help you believe Him, to believe the truth of 72 00:05:25,140 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 2: His word, so that your life changes. Further reading, how 73 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 2: reading the Bible keeps us from believing false teaching. 74 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,330 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 75 00:05:40,350 --> 00:05:42,450 Speaker 1: you heard today, we want to make sure you know 76 00:05:42,510 --> 00:05:46,450 Speaker 1: about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. When you follow 77 00:05:46,490 --> 00:05:49,810 Speaker 1: Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get 78 00:05:49,850 --> 00:05:52,969 Speaker 1: a brand new prayer and devotional each day so your 79 00:05:52,990 --> 00:05:56,620 Speaker 1: days begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to 80 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,420 Speaker 1: grow in prayer or start your day with your heart 81 00:05:59,500 --> 00:06:03,580 Speaker 1: focused on the right things, search for Your Daily Prayer 82 00:06:03,940 --> 00:06:06,789 Speaker 1: in your favorite podcast app and be sure to follow 83 00:06:06,830 --> 00:06:09,750 Speaker 1: the show so you get a new prayer delivered straight 84 00:06:09,810 --> 00:06:11,230 Speaker 1: to you each morning. 85 00:06:18,350 --> 00:06:21,810 Speaker 3: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 86 00:06:21,870 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 3: something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly 87 00:06:25,620 --> 00:06:28,500 Speaker 3: newsletter built for people who want to go a little 88 00:06:28,540 --> 00:06:34,380 Speaker 3: deeper in their faith. Think devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations, 89 00:06:34,540 --> 00:06:37,679 Speaker 3: and a little community all in one place. No ads, 90 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:40,460 Speaker 3: just good content. This one means a lot to us. 91 00:06:40,860 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 3: We built The Good Word based on the audience survey 92 00:06:43,860 --> 00:06:46,050 Speaker 3: so many of you filled out a few months back. 93 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:48,919 Speaker 3: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So 94 00:06:48,980 --> 00:06:51,919 Speaker 3: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to 95 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 3: the link in the show notes and join our community today. 96 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:55,740 Speaker 3: We'd love to have you.