Devotionals

Daily Reading: 6-23-16

2 Corinthians 13:5-10

What do we gain from recognizing our weaknesses?  Some people may prefer to deny their weaknesses and simply focus on their strengths.  But, Scripture teaches that it is beneficial to examine our weaknesses, because it can grow our faith.  When we are weak—when we have come to the end to our human strength in an area of life—we can use our faith and reach for the eternal inheritance of God’s resources set aside for each one of us in Christ.  God’s divine strength in the midst of our human weakness is noticed by others and we become His witnesses.  Christ is the Anointed One who loves us and brings the resources of heaven in response to our faith; but, we must get into agreement with God’s plan for our lives.  What is that plan?  We are living true to faith when we allow the Holy Spirit to bring restoration to us; continue our growth and maturity in the Lord’s holy character.  Recognizing our weaknesses will cause us to mature in Christ.

In his writings to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul challenges them to spiritually grow up as they live out their faith.  He exhorts them to recognize the areas in their lives that need more of God’s strength and to use their faith to appropriate a righteous change.  Paul was willing to correct those under his leadership for stepping away from the weak areas in their lives that needed to mature by urging them to reach for the strength of God.

Read more

Daily Reading: 6-21-16

Luke 9:37-43 Amplified Bible (AMP)

The Holy Spirit invites us to enter into the presence of God; a sweet place of awareness and understanding that God loves us and is all-powerful over heaven and earth.  In that place, we have no doubts, fears, and are filled with faith and love in our understanding of His goodness.  It is a mountaintop experience with the holy Lord.  Life calls us to an awareness and understanding of holiness, but also allows an awareness and understanding of evil.  The more beauty we experience with the Lord the more ugly evil appears.  Disciples who want intimacy in Christ and to operate in His authority become very aware of the presence of evil.  The Truth (Christ) exposes evil (John 3:20).

Jesus has been with three of His disciples for a mountaintop experience.  During His prayer, Christ is transfigured and the disciples experience an awareness of His extreme holiness.  These three are so amazed they do not want to leave.  Instead, they want to build structures and live on the mountain with the Lord.  I understand that desire; I get it!   But, if Christ’s disciples are going to be effective in revealing the Way of eternal life to a fallen world, we will need to descend the mountain and walk into the valley to confront evil (dead living) with Truth (eternal living).

Read more

Daily Reading: 6-21-16

Ephesians 2:11-22 Tree of Life

Today, we continue our celebration of the Pentecost season of the Church where we recognize the work of the Ruach; the Holy Spirit.  Jesus made a way for all of humanity—Jews and non-Jews or Gentiles—to enjoy fellowship with God and love for one another; no more hostility for our differences because Christ is making us all a part of himself.  Jesus Messiah is the Cornerstone of Peace; he brought together two groups of people with God and began the work of building them up into One body in the Spirit.  

The Jews experienced the nearness of God and His faithful love through moral obedience to the Torah Scriptures and religious ceremonies He set forth, but in Christ they would repent and experience the freedom to really enjoy human life while still pleasing God.  The Gentiles passionately lived out their humanity and knew nothing about a holy God or what pleased Him, but in Christ they would repent and now be free to draw near and learn how to live in His moral standards while still enjoying life.  These two groups of people were given the opportunity to turn to a God-driven life, merge through the Spirit, and become the temple of the Lord; God’s dwelling place.  It is the work of the Spirit to form us into men and woman who bow to Christ’s authority and express holy love.  Now, in Christ, we can all live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).  God desires that no one be excluded, because this life Christ gives is abundant or beyond measure (John 10:10). The Spirit is our Guide.

The Apostle Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus and reminding them of Christ’s purpose to bring people together.  We share One thing in common; the love of the Father, the work of Christ’s cross (repentance/sacrifice) and the power of the Spirit to unite us and make us One so we can enjoy abundant life as a family.  

Read more

Daily Reading: 6-20-16

1 Corinthians 1:18-31  Tree of Life Version (TLV)

There is a phrase that I hear every now and then that really makes me stop and think.  The phrase is, “(So and so) is a self-made individual.”  Self-made or having become successful by one’s own efforts.   Can that be a true statement about anyone if we line it up with the evidence of creation and the Lord’s involvement as the Authority of heaven and earth?  

Our lives, as humans, are temporary and fragile apart from the work of God’s Spirit.  We can have one area of our lives flourishing while another area is tumbling downward faster than we can grab it.  For example, perhaps we are climbing the vocational ladder of success at an exponential rate, but the tapestry of our most personal relationships is unraveling.  We have sacrificed one for the other.  Neither the practice of our religious traditions, nor the advancement of our human intellect can bring the Wisdom for wholeness to our lives.

We need to be God-made individuals in order to be whole and eternally successful.  The Spirit of God is the One who brings wholeness to our lives.  Even though the very concept can seem foolish, we can know true success when we are being lead by the Spirit of Christ.  Wholeness comes through the work of the cross; we follow the sacrificial Christ and we seek His Kingdom first.  That means we do not seek after power and authority through the natural paths of the world.  Instead, we sacrificially offer ourselves to loving others as God brings a greater measure of wholeness to our lives.  It seems backwards, but it is living life forward toward eternity.  Our lives were created to be lived this way, so wholeness is available if we are willing to be God-made.

Read more

Daily Reading: 6-17-16

Galatians 3:15-22  New Living Translation (NLT)

Some times it is difficult to persuade people to look beyond their own perspective on a topic and/or experience just in case there is more to be known beyond a slight turn of the will.  This can be true in our natural understanding or knowledge of the material world and in our spiritual understanding or knowledge of faith.  The point is not necessarily that what is presently known or understood is a bad thing or without purpose; in fact the present knowledge and understanding can be quite beneficial.  The point is there may be something ahead that actually builds upon that present perspective; a point of revelation to be encountered if we are willing to be taught.  Such is the case with the Apostle Paul and his argument with the Galatians that we will read today.  What is the topic of this dialogue?  The “What” is the Law of Moses or specifically the Torah.   

History:  The Jewish leaders managed to make hundreds of rules and rituals (Torah) out of God’s Ten Commandments—moral and ethical standard that is consistent with His Love.  In fact, those rules and rituals (Torah) governed almost every aspect of Jewish life.  It was slavery and self-defeating, because no human could fulfill the Torah Law human’s actually created. lol…  In the Gospels, Jesus confronted this reality all the time, because He revealed to the religious leaders of his time that they had actually broken God’s commands, found “loopholes” and convinced themselves they were obeying the Law while at the same time living self-centered, unrighteous, and greedy lives before the Father (Matthew 23:23-28).  Humanity apart from authentic Love is a manipulating mess that denies the authority of God.  Jesus, the Promise, came as the “descendant” of Abraham to bring forgiveness for humanity’s sinful or selfishly created “loopholes,” as well as the ability to live by the Spirit into newness of life.  Jesus connects us with a new beginning in the Love of God.  Let’s see how Paul explains freedom from the Law…

Read more

Daily Reading: 6-16-16

Romans 2:17-29 New Living Translation (NLT)

Scripture teaches and history reveals that human beings can be deceived into thinking they have a special relationship with God, know His heart, and at the same time terribly misrepresent Him to the world through their actions. We need the Holy Spirit shining the light of Truth on God’s Word to know Father God’s heart; we need the Word (Jesus) and the Spirit operating in our lives in order for us to be one with His heart. God’s Word must be written on our hearts and lovingly lived out each day in the power of the Spirit for us to really represent God.

In our passage this morning, the Apostle Paul is speaking to a group of Jews in Rome who think they are in a position to judge others. Clearly, anyone can set a standard for others, judge them, only to find himself or herself violating that standard with his or her own life. It is only through the mercy and goodness of the Lord that any of us (human beings) are saved from a life of sin and death and reborn into a life of righteousness and eternal living.

Read more

Daily Reading: 6-15-16

Mark 2:1-12 Modern English Version (MEV)

The Word of God brought forth creation and is such an awesome mystery.  It reveals the vital connection between the spiritual and material realms regarding God’s creation and the world in which He placed us.  The spiritual lessons are eternal and always relevant for the material world.  A biblical story is not only about what was going on in the text at a certain time in the past material world.  The Word is eternal and alive, so it transcends time to be partnered and loaded with a spiritual context and relevant lesson for a faith application.  This revelation is imparted to us by the Holy Spirit.  The Word always accomplishes what it is sent to do in our lives, that is why we must invest time in the Word every day.  As humans on a spiritual journey, the Word-Christ-is who connects us to eternal truth about our lives.  In Christ, we walk in our humanity by faith, not by what we see going on around us.

God is teaching me many things lately.  I confessed to the Lord this morning that many of the things He is teaching me are deep for me.  Let’s press in, anyway!  The number four in creation is symbolic of God’s material universe.  For the past four days, I have spent more time than usual listening to the news and what is going on in God’s creation.  The reports about the many happenings in Orlando consume not only the local and national networks, but the international ones, as well.  I usually limit watching the news, because I find the reports burden my heart-the pain others are enduring-which in turn pulls on my soul (mind/will/emotion).  I want to be informed in order to invest myself in prayer for others, but I cannot allow myself to be immersed in the news.  I have to stay focused on Jesus, the Living Word my Source of Peace, and press in through the crowd of doubt to understand what He is presently doing in the center of all His creation because He loves us; rather, than focusing on the violence and display of evil in the world that seeks to distract, impart fear, as well as bring chaos, confusion, and spiritual starvation to humanity.  Fear will always seek to paralyze and hinder our movement and growth as children of faith in God’s Love for His creation.  Satan knows our lives matter to God, so evil seeks to speak deception and keep us away (sin) from opening up the Word our Healer.   As children of faith we may have to grab ahold of one another, go to the mat, and struggle with understanding the things that go on in the material world, but Jesus-the LORD of all creation-will always speak an eternal Word to bring healing that helps us to rise in victory!  Others around us will notice when we have pulled back the barrier of doubt in order to be with Jesus; our lives reflect His glory.

Read more

Daily Reading: 6-14-16

Psalm 130:1-5 New Living Translations (NLT)

The spirit of deception is busy seeking to cause God’s human family to destroy one another. Deception always presents as truth, but it is evil, twisted, misleading, and self-serving at its core; all about personal advantage and power over others.  In contrast, the Spirit of Truth calls us to gather to God, as His children, and grow together as we experience and learn about His love.

My heart is burdened in recognizing the evil deception that drove a young man’s terroristic thoughts and actions to rob the freedom and life from so many innocent people in Orlando this weekend.  It breaks my heart that some people may be so deceived that they think this young man’s actions pleased God.   As well, my heart is burdened by the knowledge that any human being can be a host to evil deception when we do not submit ourselves to and respect God who created us to live in His loving image.  The Holy Spirit is the One who helps us understand the Truth of God’s love and our great need to learn from Him.

I pray for people to turn to God and connect to Love in these difficult days, because Love is the only thing that will sustain us when facing the mountain of deception that evil throws our way.  First Corinthians 13:4-8 reminds us what a person who lives loyal to God’s Love (modeled by Christ) actually exemplifies: Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”  

Read more

Daily Reading: 6-13-16

Galatians 3:1-9 New Living Translations (NLT)

The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of the promises God made to Abraham under the Old Covenant of the Law—(based on perfect performance to God’s standards through human effort).  God promised to make Abraham the faith father of many descendants.   Through Christ’s love, death, and resurrection, humanity is offered the choice to have a right relationship with God and a New Covenant called Grace.  The New Covenant of Grace is built on trusting God to make us righteous; rather, than trying to make ourselves righteous. 

Human beings can always lose their way when it comes to faithfully following God’s Word.  Even though we may love God, we can still wander and lose sight of the big picture associated with God’s heart.   In our lesson, today, the Apostle Paul wants the wandering Galatians to remember the foundation of the church and having a right relationship with God is built on the New Covenant and the work of the Holy Spirit to teach us how to live by faith.

Read more

Daily Reading: 6-10-16

2 Samuel 15:1-12 New Living Translations (NLT)

Since the Garden of Eden, humans have been infiltrated with deception—an egocentric bent or inclination.  It is why we must humble ourselves and draw near to God.  Deception tries to draw us away from God and tempt us to give our authority to the purposes of evil (a supernatural force that produces sin or rotten fruit:  e.g. profound immorality, wickedness, depravity, and corruption).  Only God can liberate us from the power of evil and position us for His divine purpose.  Please remember, we overcome evil with Good (Romans 12:21).

In our study of Revelation this past Wednesday evening, we discussed the rising presence of deceptive evil in the world.  If humans do not draw near to God in order to grow in the Word by the Spirit of Love, we can open ourselves up to controlling and deceptive spirits.  In particular, we discussed the presence of a Jezebel spirit (Jezebel is a name synonymous with an evil and seductive egocentric spirit).  A Jezebel spirit tries to control humans with the purpose of getting the unwitting to live for the kingdom of darkness; rather, than live for the purpose of releasing God’s Love and Goodness.   Some characteristics of a Jezebel spirit present as follows:  accusatory, easily offended, divisive by forming conspiracies against those who seek to release Good, twists communications, constricts the desire to live in integrity, morally unteachable, manipulating, controlling, competitive, and vindictive when others resist being controlled by them.  All we need to do is ask the Spirit to open our eyes and watch the news for a few minutes to see the presence of a Jezebel spirit active in our world. Humans can give authority to supernatural forces that control the soul (mind/will/emotions).  However, we never need to be afraid, we simply must choose to be led by the Spirit of God and resist evil by releasing Good fruit (Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, thoughtfulness, self control. Galatians 5:22). Jesus gives us the authority and power to be victorious for His Kingdom.

In our reading below, David’s son, Absalom, has given power to deception and presents with a Jezebel spirit.  He initiates a conspiracy against his father who seeks to honor God by twisting communications, manipulating, and competing for power and authority.  

Read more