Devotionals

Creator God is the Living Word who leads believers through life. Depending on how long we have know Jesus, we can have many, many amazing experiential pictures of his love in action planted within our minds. According to Scripture, in the beginning the Lord spoke and there was Light and he became the very Light he created in order to open humanity up to a vast picture of his existence, the miraculous grace he offers for living, and to be an example of faith in action.

In our passage today, we can connect the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah with the New Testament gospel of Matthew, because Jesus begins to fulfill the prophet’s picture of Messiah perfectly as he sends his Word to heal a man’s withered hand on the Sabbath (12:9-21). Remember, in our lesson yesterday, God sent Messiah to capture Israel’s attention; to see and embrace his provision through the Son for salvation. Jesus is now the believer’s model of righteousness and the Helper desires to connect us in all the works of his pure love. We just keep on planting more experiential pictures of God’s love and goodness in our minds.

So, if you are struggling today with a life experience that seems overwhelming, please allow your mind to embrace the vastness of God who is not limited by any created thing. If you are open to the righteous ministry of Christ in your behalf, he will guide you through what seems impossible to fix and he will make you and that mess a message you can share. We tend to think God’s faithfulness is only about all the blessings and certainly that is true; but, Christ is not limited like our minds, he knows things before they happen. Therefore, Christ is the Answer to bring healing, wholeness, and leads us to witness to his goodness even in the midst of overwhelming life experiences. He is the Lord of every need!

Isaiah 42:5-9 NLT
5
God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out.
    He created the earth and everything in it.
He gives breath to everyone,
    life to everyone who walks the earth.
And it is he who says,
6 
“I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness.
    I will take you by the hand and guard you,
and I will give you to my people, Israel,
    as a symbol of my covenant with them.
And you will be a light to guide the nations.
7 
    You will open the eyes of the blind.
You will free the captives from prison,
    releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.
8 
“I am the Lord; that is my name!
    I will not give my glory to anyone else,
    nor share my praise with carved idols.
9 
Everything I prophesied has come true,
    and now I will prophesy again.
I will tell you the future before it happens.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for every fulfilled prophecy found in your Word. There are several more yet to be fulfilled, but we know they will happen just as you have spoken. Thank you for opening our spiritual eyes and liberating us from evil’s blinding work. We praise you for every picture Scripture paints of you, because otherwise our minds just can’t comprehend the magnitude of your presence, love, and grace. Be glorified! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

We must never forget God is the true Rescuer from the things that exile His people from His presence [our home]. The Lord rescued Israel from bondage—slavery to the oppressive governing of Egypt. He rescued Israel from exile [a forced journey] imposed by the governing Assyrians and the Babylonians. When God’s people were rescued, God was the Rescuer who came to bring his people back home under His righteous rule. But, let’s not forget it was Israel’s unfaithfulness [unbelief—lack of trust] that caused their exiled situation in the first place. God’s plan for Israel was to be an example to the nations as they lived by faith in Creator God—to be His worshipers.

What can we learn from things like the exile, bondage, and oppressive governing? Honestly, our biggest take away from reading Scripture should be the revelation of God’s stedfast faithfulness for His unfaithful creation. From the beginning of time, God was determined to be creation’s Rescuer by being humanity’s Redeemer. The Messiah was always the planned Way to salvation for Israel (a covenant people who let God’s holiness prevail). God chose to work through an unfaithful Israel to provide revelation and redemption for the nations of the world. For this reason, Israel has historically been in the spotlight, suffered greatly, and continues to suffer, today. Believers must pray for and support Israel, because when we do we are aligning with the plan of God to bring salvation through the Messiah or Christ to not only them, but to an unbelieving global world.

In our passage today, the prophet Isaiah is used by God as a mouthpiece of preparation to reveal to Israel [and to us] the Rescuer and Redeemer is coming to deliver His people from sin. Jesus is that Servant who was sent by the Father to be a Light [revelation] to guide the unbelieving nation of Israel back “home” to God’s presence. He is also the Savior who came as a Light so a lost and unbelieving world could find “home” (Luke 2:28:32; Acts 13:47; Acts 26:22-23).

In spite of the struggles, genuine believers are those who remain faithful in the strength of the Lord by obeying the Word and the Voice of God’s Spirit. We can never remain in God’s presence apart from Jesus, but let’s never forget Jesus is Lord! He takes sinful, unbelieving and selfish humanity who have been separated by sin from His presence, draws them by salvation near to His holiness, and works to transform unfaithful people into worshipers.

Isaiah 49:5-6 GNT
5
Before I was born, the Lord appointed me;
    he made me his servant to bring back his people,
    to bring back the scattered people of Israel.
The Lord gives me honor;
    he is the source of my strength.
6 (A)The Lord said to me,
“I have a greater task for you, my servant.
    Not only will you restore to greatness
    the people of Israel who have survived,
but I will also make you a light to the nations—
    so that all the world may be saved.”

Prayer: Father, we know no weapon formed against believers can prosper, because you hold all authority and power in your righteous Hand. Thank you for your saving work through the nation of Israel and thank you for bringing salvation to the gentiles so we can be the people who also allow you to prevail. We pray Messiah’s peace for Israel and the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I truly had the most wonderful parents when it came to loving me and wanting the best for me. I realize this is not always the case for others and it saddens me when parents miss the opportunity to express God’s tender love for their children. My dad certainly had a tender heart, but he was strict when it came to discipline; he carried high expectations for us. Although he rarely said it, some times when I would ask why I couldn’t do something, he would answer, “Because I said so!” End of discussion.

In our passage today, John wants us to understand the power of obeying the words of Christ, because he is the One who opens the door and pulls back the veil to connect us to the Father who is omnipresent (present everywhere), and omniscient (all-knowing), and omnipotent (all-powerful). What a wonderful and powerful relational CONNECTION! Our heavenly Father, as loving and merciful as he is, says what he means and means what he says. When we honor God’s commands, we are demonstrating our love, respect, and trust in him. God is not double-minded like human beings. We know Christ, as our example, understood the powerful authority behind the words of our heavenly Father which could be translated, “Because I said so!”

I am praying for our hearts—the core of our beings—to be filled with God’s loving presence today, because when we are full we desire to remain in Christ and crave the peace he alone gives our lives. We can trust our Father, his Word, and our Helper.

John 14:18-31 NLT Jesus told his disciples, 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”

23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.

30 “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, 31 but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your promise to make your home in our hearts as we do what you say. And, thank you for the peace you give, because we need it more every day as we live in this fallen world. Holy Spirit, please continue to remind us of your word, and bring us the power we need so we can obey. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I enjoy my walks each day with our sweet little dog, Gracie. She explores everywhere we go with great tail-wagging passion. Even though I typically walk the same path with her, Gracie acts like there is always something new to smell and discover as we walk.

While I was out walking Sunday evening, I noticed a neighbor sitting outside alone. He was deep in thought as he stared up at a beautiful American flag flying majestically in his yard. As soon as I greeted him, a wonderful conversation about life, moral integrity, and concern for our country ensued. It was a great discovery for me as Gracie and I walked.

In our passage today, James teaches us about God’s wisdom; divine wisdom or applied Truth is essential if, as believers, we are going to manage our lives well. For this reason, Jesus has been made Wisdom for believers. We need godly wisdom for our physical health. We need godly wisdom for our emotional well-being. We need godly wisdom for our spiritual wholeness. The righteous fruit of wisdom which James mentions in our passage today, becomes evidence for the world that we follow Christ.

God does not ask us to agree with the world’s way of doing things; however, he does asks us to live in peace as much as possible while standing on the undefiled character and Cornerstone of Christ. The Apostle James encourages us to differentiate between worldly wisdom and divine wisdom: worldly wisdom is controlling and void of God’s influence whereas divine wisdom is void of evil and focuses solely on the abundant and liberating Life Christ offers.

James 3:17-18 AMP
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure [morally and spiritually undefiled], then peace-loving [courteous, considerate], gentle, reasonable [and willing to listen], full of compassion and good fruits. It is unwavering, without [self-righteous] hypocrisy [and self-serving guile]. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness (spiritual maturity) is sown in peace by those who make peace [by actively encouraging goodwill between individuals].

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping us ponder your divine wisdom, today. Through the work of the Spirit, please help us hold fast to godly wisdom, so we can produce the righteous fruit that comes with spiritual maturity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Friends, if we are being completely honest, you and I have found ourselves at moments moving ahead without God’s guidance. When we have done this or will do this, we are operating in our flesh while grieving the guidance of the Holy Spirit. During these times, we are often moving so fast that initially we might not even realize that we are moving without the Holy Spirit, and that is exactly where Satan wants you and me. He wants us to act alone, to leave our relationship with Jesus aside, so his spirit can creep in with worldly desires that he uses to appeal to each of our sinful nature.

If you were not able to worship with us yesterday, please watch Pastor Mary’s sermon because it divinely connects to Paul’s message within today’s devotional passage. Friends, we cannot forget that Jesus is the Vine and as believers, we are connected to Him as the branches, and we cling tightly to that loving connection we need to keep seeking to grow in our relationship with Him. When we do this, the Holy Spirit can work within us to produce righteous fruit within our lives that can then be shared with others. When you and I chose to follow Jesus, we laid down our sinful nature, and Satan absolutely hates that we made that decision. He spends every second looking for moments when he can try and appeal to that in which we left behind. Don’t allow Satan a foothold, cling to your relationship with Jesus, pray all of the time and ask the Holy Spirit to produce more righteous fruit within you. Remember, if what you are doing, saying, thinking, or believing is not in alignment with what Jesus would do, say, think, or have us believe, than Satan is messing with your soul (mind, will, and/or emotions), turn quickly back to Jesus, ask for His forgiveness, seek other believers to pray with and for you, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, and remain in the Word all of the time and ask for wisdom and revelation.

Galatians 5:16-26 (NLT)
Living by the Spirit’s Power

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being our Vine. Help us to remain connected to You and to continue to grow in our personal relationships with You. Holy Spirit, please continue to work within us to produce more righteous fruit and guide our every step. Quicken our spirit to know when we are not in alignment with Jesus and allow the Word to rise up within us. We ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

One thing that I have found out real quick is that there are those who are not going to like the word of God being spoken before them.  In other words, persecution is a real thing.  According to Dictionary.com, the definition of persecution states “A program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate people based on their membership in a religious, ethnic, social, or racial group.”  The more biblical definition states this according to study.com: “mistreatment or ridicule of a person or group based on their religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs.”  Persecution is out there and it is real.  All we need to do is to turn on the television and see all the chaos and madness this world is producing.  Because of it, it is slowly impacting the church.  Not only is there persecution, but there are those who claim that they are a prophet from God but would use that for negative reasons.  This is one of the reasons why cults start and form.  

In today’s passage from Acts 8:9-25, we read about a sorcerer named Simon who people claimed that he was “The Great One-the Power of God” (Acts 8:10).  When Philip came and started telling those in Samaria about the gospel message of Jesus Christ, Simon believed in it so much that he was soon baptized and started to follow Philip wherever he went (Acts 8:13).  Later on in this passage, we see that Simon wanted to be equipped with the Holy Spirit and wanted to perform the same miracles that Philip was performing.  Peter, who basically speaks his mind on more than a few occasions, told Simon that he could not have any part in this whatsoever because his heart was not right with God.  How many times have we been like Simon and wanting to be part of something for the Kingdom and our hearts not being right?  If we, as brothers and sisters in Christ want to be part of Kingdom work, then we have to go under self-examination and see how our hearts are.  If our hearts are not where it should be, then nothing is going to get done.  I challenge  you to not only read Acts 8:9-25, but also go under self-examination to see how your heart is with God.  Make sure that your heart is for Him.  

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I pray for Your family.  You know that we struggle with a lot of different things in our lives.  I pray that we would continue to press forward towards You and not the things of this world.  Help us to grow with You and be more in tuned and engaged with You.  When things begin to surface, help us to not be distracted nor be consumed by the things of this world.  Help us grow each and every day in Your word and in Your wisdom.  

In Jesus name, 

Amen

One thing that I look forward to is coming to church on Sunday.  Not only is it the first day of the week, but it is also a great time to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ but also to surrender our frustrations, our burdens, our struggles, and everything else of that nature up to God.  It’s one thing to do this as an individual but it’s another thing to do this collectively.  Collective worship brings power and a sense of unity to the body.  Where there is unity within the church, the stronger the body will be.  

In today’s passage, the writer David is acknowledging this idea of collective worship in Psalm 22:25-31.  In verse 25, it says “I will praise you in the great assembly.  I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you.”  David is talking about how he will praise God in the great assembly, meaning fellowshipping and collective worship.  In verse 28, it says “For royal power belongs to the Lord.  He rules all the nations.”  This verse gives an absolute statement saying that God has all authority and rules all nations.  Similarly, Jesus says in Matthew 28:18 that all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth.  Clearly, we know who we should worship.  

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Help us to understand Your authority.  Continue to remind us that You are the one who is in charge and in control of everything that goes on.  While man would try to discourage us and making us go in a different direction, help us to stay on track by following Your grace and mercy.  In Jesus name, amen.  

There are going to be times where we are going to have to learn about patience.  Patience is one of the most difficult things that we can learn.  When we are in a situation where patience is presented, it is difficult for us to be patient.  For instance, we need to be patient with other people.  Sometimes, there are going to be people who are going to drive us crazy.  So the question becomes “How can we be patient with them?”  One way we can be patient is to let the Spirit wash over before we have a conversation with them.  It is so important that we are taking the time to learn patience.  

While we need to be patient with others, we also need to be patient with God’s timing.  His timing is far greater than our own timing.  In Micah 7:9, it speaks about how the prophet Micah will be patient as God punishes him for sinning.  How many times has He been patient with us?  In Romans 5:8, it talks about how we God still loves us even while we are still sinners.  So because we are sinners, God shows great patience towards us because He still loves us.  He does not give up on us because we have made a mistake.  In other words, He is very patient with us.  If God is very patent with us, then we need to be patient with others.  Not only patient with others, but also being patient in different seasons throughout our lives.  Things happen for a reason within a season and we need to recognize His plan for us.  

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank You for making us unique in Your eyes.  I pray that as we face different things throughout our lives, help us to be patient.  Not only patient with other people, but also being patient with Your plans for us.  We recognize Your goodness and Your love.  Help us to practice being patient and letting Your love wash over us every single day.  In His name I pray, amen.  

One thing about me is that I can sing. I have enjoyed singing for a while. Whether it was singing in church to participating in musicals and plays, I have enjoyed the concept of singing. Singing is something that brings fulfillment and joy when I feel down. I would sing whenever I had the chance. Whether it was in the car, in the shower, when I’m working at home, at the Music Ministry event on Monday nights, or anything else of that nature, I enjoy singing.

The Bible reminds about this idea of singing, particularly in the book of Psalms. Today, we will look at Psalm 95 in its entirety. In this psalm, the writer is acknowledging the fact that we should sing praises to the Lord. I recognize that when we are facing or in the midst of different seasons in our lives, we usually want to do something different rather than praising God. Here’s the truth that we need to understand: no matter what season we are facing, we need to praise God regardless. It’s easier said than done, however, this is something that we need to do because the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). In Psalm 95:2, it says that we need to come to him with thanksgiving. In different seasons, we may not want to feel thankful because of what we are experiencing. The truth of the matter is that we need to be thankful because the testing of our faith will produce patience (James 1:2). When we sing to the Lord, we are giving thanks to Him for what He has done for us and what He will continue to do for us. It is important that we do sing to the Lord. You may not hit the notes exactly, but we are called to make a joyful noise unto Him (Psalm 100:1-2). When we sing, it fills us up. When we sing, it makes us feel a sense of relief. When we sing, it brings a sense of joy. Remember to sing praises to Him. He loves you and is for you.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for all that You have done in my life. I know that there were some moments and seasons that were challenging, but I thank You for getting me through it. Help me to sing praises to You throughout the duration of my day. I know that I will experience different storms and seasons of hardships, but I know that You are not only the anchor for my soul (Hebrews 6:19), I know that You are the song when I sing. Thank You Jesus for being for me and with me through it all. In His name I pray, amen.

In today’s passage, we see a portion of Peter’s letter to the Church. This letter is written with a great deal of care and love for his brothers and sister in Christ as he seeks to be an encourager of their faith. He knows that they are suffering, and he does not want that suffering to endanger their faith walk, their love for one another, their growing relationship with Jesus, or the Church as a whole. Peter wants his brothers and sister to have confident hope that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose for them (Romans 8:28). He wants them to use their suffering to live obediently to God, to submit their earthly fears and ways of living, and to keep growing closer in relationship, faith, and trust with Jesus.

Having walked with Jesus, Peter understands that every person within the Church must clothe themselves with humility towards one another. All Family members must follow the example that Jesus set for us. Jesus is THE Great Shepherd, and His humble posture towards His Church is the purest example of humility, we too should serve one another. Remember, Jesus went as far as to wash the disciple’s feet. Would you serve your fellow brethren to that level? We need to be sheep that do not go against our Great Shepherd, that honor the earthly shepherds that Jesus placed within our lives and be thankful for His grace because it is given to His humble servants.

1 Peter 5:1-5 (NLT)

Advice for Elders and Young Men

1 And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: 2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.

5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for

“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Peter’s heart to write to Your Church as an encourager for You. Help us to be more humble, to see our brothers and sisters how You see them, and to selflessly love them. We ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.