Devotionals

Intro: Do you need reminders? When John and I were getting ready for vacation, I had notes all over the place to remind me of things I needed to perform, purchase, and pack. It would be wonderful if I could make a mental note of important things and it would be there when I needed to recall it; however, with so much going on this past month, I was pretty sure that was not going to happen. So, I took some practical measures and left written notes. (laugh with me)

Today, in our passage from the gospel of John, Jesus tells his disciples he will send the Holy Spirit who will remind them of his teachings. The disciple’s part will be to obey the commands of God, because the indwelling Spirit will lead them into the truth; connect Christ’s disciples with the Word of God. The disciples have been eyewitnesses of Christ’s life, but the Holy Spirit will now help them remember so they can write about everything they have witnessed from a unified yet unique perspective. We are blessed to have the Spirit bringing clarity and helping us with the truth, as well. By the Spirit, we can know God’s will, remember God’s Word, so we can quickly realign our lives when we forget or get off track. (so much better than a note, right?)

John 14:25-26 NLT
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.

Prayer: Lord, I am so grateful for the many reminders you bring me each day, so I can remain in fellowship with you. Holy Spirit, please continue to remind me about Christ’s commands, teachings, nature, and character, so I know when I am heading in a wrong direction. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: The same; but different. When it comes to things of the Spirit there is unity and diversity. When the Spirit moves, we witness gracious endowments that lead to powerful results. The Spirit is always the same and the work of making us new creations is the same. Yet, we remain wonderfully unique and the gifts the Spirit bestows are fresh and different, as well. Every gift given by the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Truth—is for the unity and diversity of the Church—the spiritual family—in the world.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul clarifies the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, because counterfeit gifts are surfacing and deceiving people. The spiritual gifts from God unite us with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, as well as with one another. The same Giver: “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ” (Eph. 4:5-13). But, different gifts: God pours out his powerful anointing in very diverse yet individual ways according to His will. It is the work of the Spirit to glorify and exalt Jesus, as well as grow believers in His holy nature and character. We must receive those gifts and allow the Spirit to direct us. When the Church righteously welcomes the gifts of the Spirit, powerful things happen in hearts and lives.

You have been given a spiritual gift(s). If you have not identified yours, then it is time for you to do so. Connect2Christ Church will be offering an opportunity for you to discover yours this summer; and I will be waiting to help you exercise it for the health of the spiritual family. Please plan to sign up soon.

1 Corinthians 12:4-13 NLT  
4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

One Body with Many Parts
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, please unite all believers in your Spirit of Truth; help us to welcome the diverse gifts you have individually chosen just for us. Every gift is an expression of your beautiful and perfect love. That is why we must grow in your character and nature to see the fullness of those supernatural gifts in action through our human lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In Psalm 29, David does an amazing job of connecting the strength and power of a storm to the voice of God. This is a song of praise to the Lord for His splendor and holiness.

The first two verses begin with David addressing heaven and calling for all heavenly beings to Honor the LORD for the glory of His Name, a Name that is repeated eighteen times in these eleven verses. Friends, throughout scripture we are called to glorify God in all that we do, not just in worship and in service, but in every aspect of who we are and what God calls us to do.

In verses three through nine David uses imagery of a thunderstorm to reveal to us the glory and power of the God we serve. The fact that His voice is loud like thunder shouldn’t scare those who know His voice and are living a life of faithful obedience to His call. “For the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has a day of reckoning. He will punish the proud and mighty and bring down everything that is exalted. He will cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon and all the might oaks of Bashan.” (Isaiah 2:12-13) We serve a God Who is sovereign and there is no other God except Him, so all who falsely stand in His place over His Creation will eventually be shattered.

In verses ten and eleven David reveals how God has made his glory known to us, not through His loud thunderous voice in judgment, but rather through the Prince of Peace Who by baptismal water and Spirit we are given the opportunity to be saved. Friends, one day we will each stand to be judged. I envision this moment will be between just me and Jesus, and I won’t be able to refer to anyone who He has blessed my physical life with along the way. As it is just us, and I stand in judgement of my walking life, my prayer is that my Master (Creator, Jesus), will say: “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!” (Matthew 25:23).

Psalm 29

A psalm of David.

1 Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings;
honor the Lord for his glory and strength.
2 Honor the Lord for the glory of his name.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.
The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;
he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
with bolts of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks
and strips the forests bare.
In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”

10 The Lord rules over the floodwaters.
The Lord reigns as king forever.
11 The Lord gives his people strength.
The Lord blesses them with peace.

Prayer: Jesus, please forgive me for my sins. I need the Holy Spirit to help guide me every day, so I am becoming more and more obedient to Your Word in my daily life. I want to be walking with You and walking out the plan You have prepared for me. I know this will prepare me for when You call me Home and when I stand before You in judgement. On that day, I long to hear You say, “well done”. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his famous 95 Theses (statements) on the door of a Roman Catholic Church in Wittenberg, Germany which was the spark of the Reformation movement across Europe and beyond.  Luther was a great example about evangelism.  While he was opposed to the Catholic denomination which was the prominent  religion at the time, he discovered the truth of God and how powerful evangelism is.  If he had the courage to defy or resist a dominant religion to share the truth of Jesus, then we should have the same courage to tell others about Jesus as well.  In Romans 1:16-17, Paul says “16. For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ.  It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes-the Jew first and also the Gentile.  17. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight.  This is accomplished from start to finish by faith.  As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’”  Verse 17 refers to what was mentioned in Habakkuk 2:4.  Here’s a question: are we not ashamed of the gospel?  If we are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, then why don’t we share it as often as we should?  Perhaps it is because we don’t want to be embarrassed when we are among the social presence.  It doesn’t matter what the world says about you.  What matters is what God says about you.  He says that you are loved and accepted.  That is what truly matters.  If you know that you are loved by Jesus, then why don’t we share with other that same love?  

Challenge 

Think about where you stand with God.  What I mean is think about how your relationship is with God.  On most social media platforms like Facebook, would have a relationship status.  When it comes to your relationship with God, how do you sit?  Would you say that its strong?  It’s complicated?  Or single?  In other words, how active is your relationship with God?  If it’s not where it’s supposed to be, I would encourage you to keep building and maintain your relationship with God.  Keep your faith in God strong so that you will be able to withstand the pressures of the world.  

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I pray for Your continuous strength and wisdom as we continue to do the things that You have called us to.  As we grow Your Kingdom, let us not be ashamed of it.  Instead, let us embrace it and let Your word shine before others so that the darkness will flee and Your light will shine through.  In Jesus name I pray, amen. 

Intro: Discouragement—a response to something we have hoped for but has not manifest—always seeks to diminish the believer’s confident trust in God. The word discouragement comes from the root word courage. It is the enemy who releases a spirit of discouragement to tempt us to set aside our trust in the only One who can fulfill our hopes. We can lose our courage when we face things that seem insurmountable; but that is the very time we must remember God’s faithfulness and the promises he has given us.

We can also become discouraged when we place our hopes in the responses of people; sometimes we want recognition or the attention of people who ignore or minimize us. We cannot place our hope in people the way we can in God; people may mean well but still wrestle a sin nature. God is holy and can be completely trusted, so let’s keep God the focus of our hope.

There are many places in Scripture where God reminds his genuine worshipers to take courage in his promises, because discouragement is a warning light for us to ask the Spirit to stoke the fire in our souls (Ps 27:14; 31:24; 2 Chronicles 32:7; Deuteronomy 31:6). Believers obediently serve Christ whether or not there are quick answers or instant gratification. Whether we find ourselves on the spiritual mountaintop or in the darkest valley, God is with us ready to supply the resources of heaven as we activate our faith in the Truth.

In our passage, today, from Paul’s letter to Timothy, we are reminded to celebrate the life Christ has given us through the resurrection. Believers can know new life in the salvation that comes from God; a life with focus, wisdom, direction, and power…a courageous life connected to God through the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul courageously places his trust in Christ as he suffers in prison and as he faces his death. He calls Timothy to remain confident in Christ and follow his example of trust. Paul wants Timothy to remember the Spirit and Truth entrusted to him is a precious treasure to be guarded. May you have courage, today!

2 Timothy 1:12-13 NLT
12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.

13 Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. 14 Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.

Prayer: Lord, if Paul, through the power of the Spirit, can remain courageous during his unjust imprisonment and threat of death, we can cast down the discouragement that tries to sway us from keeping our trust in you. Whether we face uplifting times or defeating times, we will stay focused on your holy nature and promises. Holy Spirit, for those who are struggling to fight off discouragement today, please stir their souls with faith, hope, and love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Do you struggle with self-discipline? The Bible defines self-discipline as having the ability to control one’s thoughts, emotions, words, and actions. Self-discipline reveals lordship—basically to exercise power over one’s self. Discipline has to do with the training we gain from the Holy Spirit who guides us into living the Truth—like Christ. We need help training our thoughts, emotions, verbal expressions, and actions in order to stay focused on the power and love of God to save us moment by moment from our innate selfishness. If there is no self-discipline happening in our lives, we are not disciples of the Lord of lords.

The opposite of living with self-discipline is to live a self-indulgent lifestyle; a life lived to please our selfish and sinful natures or flesh. Our present culture is demanding this form of “liberty;” freedom from exercising self-discipline and it is making its way into the Church. This is a very twisted and evil view of liberty that carries no spiritual truth for the Christian and does not belong in genuine disciples.

This false idea of God-given liberty is really indulging self-rule—which leads us into bondage and satan’s plan. When we stand, declare “liberty in Christ,” and live like nothing in us has to change because of grace, we are simply not willing to allow our flesh to suffer for the sake of Christ. The spiritual liberty believers have been given in Christ allows us to live, serve, and proclaim the Lord’s holy purposes for his human creation. The fruit of self-discipline [self-control] reveals and empowers Christ in us (Heb 12:5-6).

In our passage today, Paul has been imprisoned and appears to be awaiting death. Persecution seems to be intensifying for those preaching the gospel of salvation and self-discipline; more and more believers in the early Church are being arrested for sharing their faith in the power of God to transform sinful humanity. So, Paul takes this time to encourage Timothy; to remind him God will provide the strength they each need through the Holy Spirit to remain faithful as they proclaim victory in the Living God who takes an old nature and makes it new (2 Cor 5:17). I encourage you today to invite the Spirit to guide you into a greater measure of self-discipline, because beautiful and righteous fruit will feed your soul.

2 Timothy 1:8-12 NLT
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. 11 And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.

12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him [what he has entrusted to me] until the day of his return.

Prayer: Lord, without the Spirit, it can be difficult for your disciples to share the truth of the salvation you offer. So, please pour more of your Spirit upon your disciples, so we can boldly proclaim genuine liberty and be witnesses of the truth with our changed lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Water is an essential element for the survival of all living things; it protects organs and tissues. Water carries nutrients and oxygen to our cells, brings lubrication to our joints, and helps our kidneys and liver flush all the toxins out of our bodies. As our physical bodies need water from the earth, our spiritual beings need the Living Water [Holy Spirit] from heaven.

In our passage today, Israel is celebrating the Festival of Shelters—a seven day autumn harvest festival held in Jerusalem about six months after Passover. During the first seven days of the Festival, the people erect temporary shelters/tents to symbolize Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness. For those seven festival days, a water ceremony—water is poured over the altar—reminds Israel how God provided springs of water in the desert to sustain their lives. At the climax of the Festival—eighth day—instead of pouring water over the altar, the people pray and asked God to send rain. So, when Jesus shouts to the crowd, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!” he connects himself as the Source of this water for which they are praying.

Drought can be a frequent occurrence in Israel; especially during the autumn months. The rivers and springs do not run all year round, so the people would pray for rainfall that could be caught in their cisterns/wells. Jesus wanted the people to know the Source of Living Water—the Holy Spirit—whom he promised to send from heaven. Spiritual drought is a real condition, but Jesus has the remedy. For believers, we are called to come to the Lord in prayer and drink of the water that leads to eternal life and blessing. For those thirsty believers, please drink of the Spirit, today!

John 7:37-39 NLT Jesus Promises Living Water
37 On the last day, the climax of the festival [Festival of Shelters], Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit who satisfies our spiritual thirst with sufficient tastes of grace and eternal life with you. We are so very blessed by your love and goodness toward us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Our nine-month-old granddaughter is starting to baby talk. Like many infants, her favorite word thus far is “dada.” Of course, our son smiles all over when she says it and reaches for him. He basks in the glory of her identity as his beautiful child.

When we accept Christ as our Savior for the forgiveness of our sin against God, as the reborn of God, we receive the Holy Spirit as a Gift. When we welcome the Spirit and obediently follow his guidance for our lives, we become heirs to all God has promised to those who “belong” to Jesus. We share in the glory of the One and Only firstborn Son.

The Spirit affirms our identity as a son or daughter of Father God. The Holy Spirit brings the power of the Living God to our lives, so we can know what pleases our Abba [Aramaic Father]. Abba signifies the close, intimate relationship of a father and his child, as well as the childlike trust that a young child puts in his or her “daddy.” When believers pray and ask for security and the power of God to hold us and move in our behalf, we are crying out, “Abba!”

In our passage today from the Apostle Paul, we are reminded when we do not know how to pray about something, the Holy Spirit prays through us for the will of God. We do not have to cope with our problems alone; God desires to be our Helper. So, do not be afraid to ask God for what you need, because even if you cannot articulate perfectly, the Spirit knows God’s plan for you, is speaking it to Abba, and ready to act in your behalf. Holiness is God’s Way for you.

Romans 8:26-27 NLT 26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank you for the Gift of the Holy Spirit who helps me with all things in my life including the content and power of my prayers. Holy Spirit, I honor you for making my prayers align with Abba’s holy plans for blessing me and others. I believe you have only good things in store for me and the promises you are holding—waiting for me to ask and receive—are for your glory. May everything the Spirit prays for me, be manifest in Jesus’ name. Amen.

On this Memorial Day, we thank Jesus for the many men and women who have paid the ultimate price for defending our county with the loss of their lives; and we ask for their families and friends to be supernaturally covered and filled by the Holy Spirit.

Today’s passage about “The Future Glory” fits well with it being Memorial Day. We have all asked the question “why” about trials, sorrow, pain, and death at some point in our lives. In Romans 8, Paul helps us to understand that all of God’s creation, including you and me, have been subjected to God’s curse on sin from the very beginning when Adan and Eve sinned in the garden (Gen 3). Although there is no way that we can deliver ourselves from sins, Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sins to be forgiven and the Holy Spirit is our helper in our times of weakness until Jesus returns. When Jesus returns “No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him. And they will see His face, and His Name will be written on their foreheads.” (Rev 22:3-4)

As you and I look forward to Jesus’ return, we know that there will be suffering, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” (v. 28) Please take note, that this Truth is “for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” which means this is for believers, and as believers we must allow the Holy Spirit to guide us through our times of suffering and do it with God’s grace which covers us. We have to stay fully connected to Jesus to experience His future glory, we must stand firm with Him when times and circumstances get tough, because the enemy is waiting for a time of weakness. Remember what Peter says in 1 Peter 2:11: “Dear friends, I warn you as ‘temporary residents and foreigners’ to keep away from worldly desires that way war against your very souls.” Our earthly lives are but a vapor, here today and can vanish tomorrow (James 4:14) so we must stay away from those things of this world that pull us away from Jesus and stand with Him and ready through faith and hopeful for His return and for our Homecoming.

Romans 8:18-30 NLT

The Future Glory
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the brave men and women who have, are, and will stand to protect our county. Please bless the families and friends who have lost someone in service. May they see Your love and comfort even within their great loss. Help all of us to see how You are moving for our good even in tough times. Keep us rooted in You, growing in our relationship by Your Word, and protect our souls from the enemy of this world. We want to be prepared for Your return. We ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

What people don’t know about evangelism is that it requires active listening and active participation. Sometimes, people would assume or are under the impression that all you have to do is just show up and expect for things to happen. This is not the case at all. Unfortunately, people today are having this thing called “inattentional blindness” as well as “inattentional deafness.” What this means is that people have the tendency to see what they want to see and hear what they really want to hear. Much like the world today, people are twisting the words out of other’s mouth and I believe that it is one of the many reasons why there is so much propaganda today. People are trying to please other people. Jesus didn’t call to please others. Instead, He has called us to go. Go and share the good news to all people, all nations, all nationalities, etc. In James 1:19, it says “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” Notice part A of this passage where it says “You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak…”. In other words, God has given us two ears and one mouth which means that we ought to be listening more than we talk. As of lately, people have two mouths and one ear, which is the indication that we talk more than we listen. When we are evangelizing and declaring the word, it’s important for us to be listening to the Spirit so that we know what to declare to the people.

Challenge
Think about yourselves for a moment: do you see yourself as a talker or a listener? Let me ask it in another way: are you a participant or a spectator? I challenge you to think about where you sit in the Kingdom of God. If you want to be a participant in the Kingdom of God, then I challenge you to examine yourselves and ask yourself: what do you see?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray for Your continuous strength and wisdom as we continue to do the things that You have called us to. As we grow Your Kingdom, let us not be ashamed of it. Instead, let us embrace it and let Your word shine before others so that the darkness will flee and Your light will shine through. In Jesus name I pray, amen.