Devotionals

Revelation 20:7-10 (The VOICE)
7 When the 1,000 years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison. 8 And he will crawl out of the abyss in order to deceive the nations located at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog as Ezekiel described them, in order to rally them together for one final battle. They are in number as the grains of sand on the shore. 9 They marched in unholy array over the expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. As they laid siege to the city, fire rained down from heaven and incinerated them. 10 And the devil who had deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown; and the unholy trio will be tortured day and night throughout the ages.

William Shakespeare once said, “Better is not good enough; the best is yet to come!” I absolutely believe the best is yet to come! I believe, “No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard and it has never occurred to the human heart all the things God prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Evil must finally be defeated and that will definitely make things better. However, that alone is not good enough. Enjoying the glorious presence of our Lord sitting on his righteous throne ruling the heavens and the earth for the joy of his people…that IS the best yet to come!”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your promise to finally put an end to Satan and his evil spirits. One day, Satan will cease to be able to raise his head and attack your faithful sons and daughters. Glory to you who sits upon the throne. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Revelation 20:1-3 Binding Satan
1 Then I saw a mighty angel descending from the heavenly realm, holding a heavy chain and a key—the key of the deep [abyss], 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent known as the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 The mighty angel threw him into the pit, locked it, and sealed it so that he could no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years were over. (After that he must be loosed for a brief time.)

Years ago, our neighbors had a cat named Waffle, who loved to prowl around our house; he often laid near the doors. Every now and then one of the Haleys would inadvertently not latch the door securely and, in time, the door would open with the slightest breeze. More than once, I found Waffle inside our house making himself at home. The door was open, so there was nothing to stop him from entering.

As we read our passage today, we must remember the Lord bound Satan at the time of Christ’s death and resurrection to protect his family. For the believer, Satan is a defeated foe as long as we do not open the door to him. Sin opens the door for Satan; if you open the door he is going to enter your “house.” That is why Jesus reminds us to be quick to repent. Jesus then forgives us and shuts the door once again on Satan’s unlawful entry. “Your enemy the devil is prowling around outside like a roaring lion, just waiting and hoping for the chance to devour someone” (1 Peter 5:8). Let’s keep the door shut the way Jesus commands.

Prayer: Lord thank you for protecting me. Holy Spirit, help me run from sin keeping the spiritual door locked. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 138:1-3 (The Message)
1-3 Thank you! Everything in me says “Thank you!”
    Angels listen as I sing my thanks.
I kneel in worship facing your holy temple
    and say it again: “Thank you!”
Thank you for your love,
    thank you for your faithfulness;
Most holy is your name,
    most holy is your Word.
The moment I called out, you stepped in;
    you made my life large with strength.

Prayers and praises of gratitude are the proper responses to all that God has done in our lives. In our passage today, David is overwhelmed with the faithfulness of God to bless him just because God loves him. From the moment David responds to God’s call for relationship, God blesses and empowers David and makes his “life large with strength.” God has certainly done that in my life; his beautiful presence dwelling with me and his favor surrounding me. When my life aligns with God’s Word, he reveals his holy character and releases his abundant love to me. “To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything” (Thomas Merton). I am blessed beyond measure, today.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for bringing your holy presence to my life as your Word finds room to dwell in my soul. Please continue to make my life large with your strength. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mark 4:21-25 (TPT) Parable of the Lamp
21 He also gave them this parable: “No one lights a lamp only to place it under a basket or under the bed. It is meant to be placed on a lampstand. 22 For there is nothing that is hidden that won’t be disclosed, and there is no secret that won’t be brought out into the light! 23 If you understand what I’m saying, you need to respond!”[do what the Word tells you]

24 Then he said to them, “Be diligent to understand the meaning behind everything you hear, for as you do, more understanding will be given to you. And according to your longing to understand,[live in the truth] much more will be added to you. 25 For those who listen with open hearts will receive more revelation. But those who don’t listen with open hearts will lose what little they think they have!”[we must have an open heart to receive the truth of God.]

Do you long to live in the truth of God? That has always been the Father’s pure desire for us as his human creation. He wanted truth for us so much that in the Old Testament God gave the Torah as a lamp to give light on how Israel was to live if they wanted fellowship with him. Satan deceived with lies, but God was faithful to reveal the truth. In the New Testament, God gave the living Torah, his Son the Light of the world, so we would have a perfect human example to follow. Jesus gathered more and more disciples around him and taught them how to live in the truth. “Jesus explained, ‘I am the Way, I am the Truth, [true reality] and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father [our destination] except through union with me [we must connect to Christ through faith]. To know me is to know my Father too’” (John 14:6).

In our passage today, Jesus shares a parable; a story that explains with examples from every day life the truth about the Kingdom. The parables not only challenged Jesus’ listeners, they have the power to challenge us today as readers of the Word. We must pay attention to what we hear from Scripture and ask the Spirit to bring understanding on how it should influence the way we live. The Spirit desires to bring the truth about our God out into the open. Jesus tells just enough to get his listeners to seek God in order to learn more about the mysteries of life. The Word becomes like a seed that sits in the soil of our hearts and eventually grows into spiritual fruit as we seek to apply the truth to our lives. Then, we go out and tell others the Good News.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for bringing the Light of truth to my heart. With every Word I read, help me to listen for the mysteries you want to reveal to my heart about your will and purpose for me. I long to live in your truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Peter 4:12-19 (TPT) Suffering and Glory
12 Beloved friends, if life gets extremely difficult, with many tests [fiery trials], don’t be bewildered as though something strange were overwhelming you [because these things are your communion in the inheritance]. 13 Instead, continue to rejoice, for you, in a measure, have shared in the sufferings of the Anointed One so that you can share in the revelation of his glory and celebrate with even greater gladness! [after we pass through the suffering]. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are greatly blessed, because the Spirit of glory and power, who is the Spirit of God, rests upon you.

15 Let none of you merit suffering as a murderer, or thief, or criminal, or as one who meddles in the affairs of others. 16 If you suffer for being a Christian, don’t consider it a disgrace but a privilege. Glorify God because you carry the Anointed One’s name. 17 For the time is ripe for judgment to begin in God’s own household. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate of those who refuse to obey the gospel of God?

18 And:
If the righteous are barely saved,[harvested to salvation]
    what will become of the wicked and godless?
19 So then, those who suffer for following God’s will should enfold their lives into the Creator, who will never fail them, and continue to always do what is right.

In our passage today, Peter wants us to look at tests and trials as proof of our connection to Christ; we are experiencing the sufferings we share in our communion with him. We carry his name AND his anointing. When we suffer for living righteously in Christ’s love, we glorify God ‘in’ our suffering as opposed to glorifying God ‘for’ our suffering; these are two very different prepositions. God uses these times of suffering not to punish us but to refine and purify us; to bring us into his glory which should lead us to rejoice. God’s glory has the supernatural power to transform us into the image of his Son. We must never forget our Creator is faithful and he will always supply the grace we need each day as we grow and develop.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the privilege of bearing your name and sharing your anointing. Help me to look beyond times of testing and trials to see the transformation you are offering me in the Spirit. New Covenant power and glory awaits me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-7
You’re God-Taught
4 1-3 One final word, friends. We ask you—urge is more like it—that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance. You know the guidelines we laid out for you from the Master Jesus. God wants you to live a pure life. Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity.

4-5 Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God.

6-7 Don’t run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. Their concerns are God’s concerns, and hewill take care of them. We’ve warned you about this before. God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful—as beautiful on the inside as the outside.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul reminds the believers in Thessalonica of their call as Christ’s followers to live in a way that pleases God; to live in a spirited dance to the guidelines for a pure life laid out by Christ. Grace was not given so God’s family could be covered while we live sinful like the world. Grace is for salvation from sin and the power to live on the outside the new life we have received on the inside.

Christians are those who are committed to live in Christ. We can all say we accept the work of Christ for salvation and eternal life, but that is only true when we actually follow Christ toward holiness with the Holy Spirit. This is what it means to “know” God. This is the definition of a Christian—we invite the Spirit to make us in Christ’s likeness by following his teachings.

This Sunday we begin our celebration of Christ’s first advent, but we also wait and watch with great hope for his second advent when he returns for his followers. Is our greatest hope for Christ to find us living each day in a spirited dance for his glory?

Prayer: Lord, when you come back for your spiritual family, may I be dancing with hope and living each day in your power and under your holy gaze. In your second coming, may you break through the eastern sky and see your reflection in your family…please Lord in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Colossians 3:17 The Message
Let every detail in your lives – words, actions, whatever – be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

We have probably all heard the saying “it’s all in the details!” It basically means that many times small things matter as much as big things; sometimes small details matter more. That may not always be true in the world’s perspective or culture, but it is certainly true in God’s kingdom economy. The Spirit of the Lord is in the big and small details of your life and he is working everything out for your highest and best. The details hold your blessings, so be grateful for how God diligently and divinely directs your paths. As believers, if we fail to become grateful in word and action, we will lean toward bitterness. Honor to God and gratitude for his care is like a guardrail protecting us from the ditch of bitterness. May seem like a small detail not worth sweating about to some folks, but is it?

You may not understand it all nor celebrate the sacrifices you have been called to make, but you can still be grateful for your life and purpose in God’s story. God’s plans are higher than your plans, because his thoughts are higher than your thoughts. God wants our baby steps of contented faith to grow into leaps of courageous evil-conquering faith. Evil has certainly been busy in 2020, and we have been called to make some leaps we never saw coming.

So, this Thanksgiving Day, put on a spirit of gratitude; give him glory. God blesses us all the time; his very presence in us is the greatest blessing we will ever experience. The Lord is in the righteous details, my friends, and he is making you into a trophy of his grace every step of the way. Happy Thanksgiving!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the many, many blessings you have poured into my life this year alone. I’m so grateful for the details of your love and care. Let my words and actions be done in Jesus’ name as you direct my steps. Amen.

Psalm 7:14-15
14–15 Look how the wicked conceive their evil schemes.
They go into labor with their lies and give birth to trouble.
They dig a pit for others to fall into,
not knowing that they will be the very ones
who will fall into their own pit of failure.
16 For you, God, will see to it that every pit-digger
who works to trap and harm others
will be trapped and harmed by his own treachery.
17 But I will give all my thanks to you, Lord,
for you make everything right in the end.
I will sing my highest praise to the God of the Highest Place.

In our passage today, King David praises God for dealing with the pit-diggers in his life. Other biblical leaders found themselves dealing with wicked schemers, too. Joseph had to deal with his brothers, as well as Potiphar’s wife. Esther had to deal with Haman. Jesus had to deal with the Pharisees.

Have you experienced the work of pit-diggers?The pit-diggers are those who seek to trap others, but their desire to destroy will backfire in time. They will come face-to-face with God and he will turn the tables to make things right for his chosen ones. All the lying, cheating and scheming the wicked do will only bring themselves trouble with God. Give thanks to the Lord, today, for he faithfully deals with the work of the wicked. Sing praises of gratitude for the Lord knows how to make things right in your life.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for protecting me from wicked pit-diggers. I know you will see they are trapped by their own wicked devices. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 28:6-9
6 But may your name be blessed and built up!
For you have answered my passionate cry for mercy.
7 You are my strength and my shield from every danger.
When I fully trust in you, help is on the way.
I jump for joy and burst forth with ecstatic, passionate praise!
I will sing songs of what you mean to me!
8 You will be the inner strength of all your people,
the mighty protector of all,
the saving strength for all your anointed ones.
9 Keep protecting and cherishing your chosen ones; in you they will never fall.
Like a shepherd going before us, keep leading us forward, forever carrying us in your arms!

In our passage today, King David reminds us about the importance of our actions to invoke the powerful presence of God. David sings of God’s provision “when” he fully trusts the Lord. The word “when” is a very powerful conjunction in Scripture; it means “every time that…”. Every time that we place our trust in Christ, the Anointed One, to get us through something difficult, we are assured that help is on the way. We must choose to trust the Lord over all other people or things. He desires to be the Helper for his chosen ones. So, as you venture into your day, remember any time you approach something that challenges you take time to bow, pray, and place your trust in Christ. He is your saving strength!

Prayer: Lord, I need your saving strength everyday, so I fully place my trust in you, today. Protect me and my family; be our Shepherd and carry us in your arms. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

2 Timothy 2:8-13

8 But make Jesus, the Anointed One, your focus in life and ministry. For he came to earth as the descendant of David and rose from the dead, according to the revelation of the gospel that God has given me. 9 This is the reason I am persecuted and imprisoned by evildoers, enduring the suffering of these chains—but the Word of God can never be chained! 10 I endure all these hardships for the benefit of the chosen ones in Christ so that they may also discover the overcoming life that is in Jesus Christ, and experience a glory that lasts forever!
11 You can trust these words:
If we were joined with him in his death, then we are joined with him in his life! 12 If we are joined with him in his sufferings, then we will reign together with him in his triumph. But if we disregard him, then he will also disregard us. 13 But even if we are faithless, he will still be full of faith, for he never wavers in his faithfulness to us!

We all crave the freedom to make our own choices, but sometimes the choices we must make for the sake of Christ the Anointed One are actually really hard or even painful. Christ may lead us into difficult situations to make choices that help us, as his followers, better understand and experience his life on earth. We may face persecution for our choices if we are committed to shine for the glory of God as the “chosen ones.”

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to preach the revelation of the gospel so the chosen ones might know the life of Christ. Who are the chosen ones? They are the people who allow Christ, the righteous Lord, room [to rule] in their hearts. They are the ones who know the word of God is life and are willing to face the persecution and death of their flesh or sinful nature in order to glorify the rule of Christ in their lives. They are the ones who understand to disobey the word of God is to deny Christ. Lastly, they know by the Spirit their destiny in Christ is to become the living word of God to others in the world.

Prayer: Lord, please make my life a testimony of your presence living in me. Thank you for choosing me to reflect the living word. Help me to obey your word and to be faithful to my destiny, because you are always faithful. In Jesus’ name. Amen.