Devotionals

August 2, 2018

Psalm 78:23-29 New Living Translation (NLT)

As I write this devotion, the wind is blowing past the window and the sound of gentle thunder is echoing in the distance.  It’s peaceful and almost reassuring to my soul as I read our passage today about how the heavens and earth are God’s domain to command.  Our psalm today tells the story of the Israelites and how God took care of them.  He fed them manna and quail to sustain them.  At God’s Word heavenly food rained down and at God’s command the wind changed in direction and actually brought quail to the camp of the Israelites. However, the people who were taken out of slavery so they could experience the abundance in the land of promise, all too quickly forgot the wonders of God and his faithfulness to them. We must guard our hearts so we do not repeat history.

We always have a choice in our relationship with God, because his salvation offer is the same today.  By a declaration of our faith in the work of Christ on the cross, the Lord takes us out of slavery to sin and selfish living.  He calls us to join him on a new journey toward a land of promise where he will become our Provider.  We can rejoice in God’s provision or grumble when he turns in a direction we do not really want to go.  The Christian journey is all about trust and, if we are faithful to follow him, eventually we will look back and see the wisdom of God that has been acting in our behalf.  Stay the course.

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August 1, 2018

Mark 6:35-44  New Living Translation (NLT)

This past Sunday we studied the passage of Jesus feeding the 5,000+ based on the gospel of John.  Our focus was on reaching for God’s love; faith works through love. We may be able to tap into an ever increasing knowledge of God’s Word, but his love can never be measured; it is beyond human comprehension.  We need to use faith.  Jesus leads the disciples to go beyond an awareness of God in order to be a part of a love miracle. The true knowledge of the mysteries of God is found in Christ himself; so, we must connect to Christ.

Today we will be reading the same lesson of Jesus feeding the 5,000+, but the passage is read from the gospel of Mark.  We see some similarities as the disciples struggle with their rational minds when listening to Christ’s challenge to feed the people.  He listens to their rationale, but then he instructs the disciples to find out what resources they actually have among the people; he wants them to find the seed of faith.  Faith is the substance of things we hope for and the evidence of things not yet seen (Heb. 11:1). God always provides seed to multiply, but we must identify it, bring it to him, and expect results (faith).  In this case, the disciples bring five loaves and two fish as food seed.  The Lord then multiples it and feeds the crowds until they are satisfied.  When it comes to your life, pay attention to the provision of spiritual seed you have been given from God.   As long as the earth remains there will be seed time and harvest time.  When planted by faith in the fertile ground of God’s love, your seed will bring abundance. 

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July 31, 2018

Genesis 18:1-4, 6-13 New Living Translation (NLT)

Our passage for today is special to my heart; I have internalized a promise from God for years.  Sometimes it feels like our imparted dreams from God teeter between hope and the impossible.  If you have felt that way, you are in good company with the biblical heroes of the faith.  When God gives a promise, he never tells us how long it will be before it comes to pass.  We have to stand by faith and believe that if the Lord says something is going to take place in our lives, it will.  

In our passage today, Sarah struggles with hearing the Word of the Lord—she is promised a son—because it defies human logic and physical possibilities.  Yet, like Sarah we must wrestle down those mindsets that demand God fit into human knowledge or experience. Love surpasses or goes beyond human knowledge. God is in charge of all things; He is the Creator of Life.  So, if the Lord speaks to your heart, never abort the promise.  Hang onto it and watch for him to bring it to pass in his time. Just as the Lord promised, Sarah had a son, Isaac, a year later.

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July 30,2018

Philippians 4:10-20 New Living Translation (NLT)

God calls all of his children to abide (dwell) in a state of contentment. Contentment is a state of the soul (mind/will/emotions) as human confidence and trust are placed in God’s love.  So, in the midst of life whether we find ourselves in a place of lack or a place of plenty, we are to be content knowing God is our provider and our Source.  In times of lack, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength to endure and await his blessing.  In times of plenty, we can do all things through Christ who gives us more than enough to live so we can be a blessing to others.  Make contentment your goal today.

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July 27,2018

Colossians 3:12-17 The Message (MSG)

On Wednesday, we started a new Bible Study series from the gospel of Matthew.  In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told those listening that God designed human beings to be receivers of the abundance of the Spirit; the inheritance and blessing of the kingdom of heaven.  We must first confess we are poor in spirit in need of God’s Spirit to be satisfied or filled.  Just think about it, we have the privilege of holding within our bodies everything heaven offers with the purpose that we would treasure it on the inside and wear it like clothing on the outside.  We can wear the essence of God’s righteous presence; garments of compassion, kindness, meekness, and love.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Colosse aligns with this same teaching from Jesus Christ.  When we live in the blessing through fellowship with the Lord, we can dress in the wardrobe God picks out for us each day. That challenges my thinking and leads to the question, “Why do you suppose we draw from the closet of our flesh and what we can produce in ourselves, rather than pull out the perfect Tailor made garments?”  Honestly, it is our inclination to dress ourselves based on what we think, how we feel, and what we want.   How will you dress, today?

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July 26, 2018

Colossians 1:9-14 Living Bible (TLB)

I love getting to know people; every person is unique and divinely created by the imagination of God.  I love hearing life stories and I treasure learning about people’s encounters with God.  Those encounters are as unique as each person, because God is limitless in his creativity.  He has fit us with special personalities and gifts that partner perfectly with him in his mission to redeem the world.  That’s why it is so important that we all use our spiritual gifts.  As we pursue God, his heart, and use our gifts for his mission, we can know him better and better.  Press in for more of God, today.

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July 24, 2018

Acts 20:17-24 Living Bible (TLB)

Paul is getting ready to go to Jerusalem; the Spirit of God has placed the journey upon his heart and given him some information about what to expect.  Paul does not know specific reasons for the Lord sending him to Jerusalem, he does know the trip will involve jail time and suffering.  I wonder how many of us reading the passage today can honestly say we would have followed through to make the journey with the information the Spirit gave Paul.  Would you have gone? 

Like Paul, our place as followers and kingdom co-builders with the Master Builder is to go and do exactly what we are told.  It is a privilege to be led in such a fashion for kingdom purposes.  It requires faith to be led into work with Christ, because he gives us the first step and a bit of a vision, but does not play out the whole event for us.  That’s where faith comes in.  Should we choose to follow and participate in the building assignment, what we are given must be enough and the rest is about trust.

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July 23, 2018

Hebrews 13:17, 20-21 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

This week John and I are preparing our home to be tent fumigated; we have dry wood termites in the garage. Snakes, rats, fleas AND termites!  What a fun season this has been! (note sarcasm).   To prepare for the fumigation, we need to clear out all the food items, spices, medications, dog food/treats; we must empty our refrigerator, pantry, and medicine cabinets.  We will do everything they have asked us to do, so we can get the greatest benefit from the gas/chemical application.  I speak to every pest that has tried to make our home their home, “Bye bye! It is finished!”

As we have been watching over our home and have taken steps to clear away all unwanted pest guests, God has been watching over the souls of his children by taking steps to clear away every area hiding the evil pests of sin and selfishness. Psalms 91:2-3 says, “I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress my God in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the annoying pestilence.” As John and I have made our house ready for radical extermination, may the Holy Spirit make all souls ready for the extermination of every trace of evil and help us eagerly embrace his righteous way of living. As a spiritual guide and leader, in Christ, watching over God’s family, I speak to every unrighteous spiritual pest that has tried to make the people of God’s physical bodies their home, “Bye, bye! It is finished!”

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July 19, 2018

Psalm 23:5-6 New Living Translation

So many of my friends are wonderful at bringing people into their homes and making them feel welcomed, valued, and safe; it’s the life fragrance of Jesus.  I thank God all the time for them, because they bring joy to my life.  I want to be like them.   Are you a great host when people come to your home?  

In our final scene of Psalm 23 today (vv. 5-6), we gain a glimpse of The Perfect Host.  In ancient Near Eastern culture, it was customary for the host to anoint his/her guests with fragrant oil and protect them against enemies while in their home.  Clearly, David has knowledge of this custom and understands how a good host must treat guests.  So, David sings a psalm of praise to honor The Perfect Host; the Lord his Shepherd who pursues his heart with unfailing love in order to guide his life and bless him.

Every day we have the opportunity to be lovingly groomed by a Holy God; the One who pursues us and will never leave us.  If we have accepted the work of Christ, he is our Host.  For what purpose is God wanting to groom us?  The answer is to live in his household forever.  While we are making the journey in this temporal world, the Lord is getting us ready–as a perfect Host–by refining our characters, making us holy, and protecting our lives from evil.

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July 18, 2018

Psalm 23:1-4 New Living Translation

Early Tuesday morning, we received a call from our daughter-in-love, Whitney, that our son, Jimmy, was quite ill so she was taking him to the emergency room.  Prayers for Jimmy began and by the time John and I got to the hospital, he was being assessed by an amazing medical team. The Lord was with us; we were comforted by God’s love.  Jimmy needed fluids, medication, and rest; even though he still had symptoms he would be able to go home within hours.  Yet, there was another young man the same age as our son who was brought into the exam room next to us and he had a very different story.  Sadly, he overdosed on IV drug use and died alone.

The Lord promises to lead us along right paths for our lives; however, that promise must be connected to a seeking and surrendered heart.  The paths to which the Lord leads us are never self-destructive; living in a self-destructive way does not bring honor to the name of the Lord.  The Lord always seeks to lead his human children away from those kinds of temptations; the enemy tries to rob, kill, and destroy us, but the Lord protects.  I continue to pray for the loved ones of this deceased young man. May every person struggling with this type of battle open his or her eyes to see God reaching for them; reaching to lovingly guide them and walk this life with them.  He will lead every willing heart into a life of freedom.  Praise his Holy Name!

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