Devotionals

Intro: The biblical definition of confuse is: to mix or blend things so that they cannot be distinguished. Therefore, confusion is associated with a lack of clarity, misunderstanding of the truth, and a state of disorder. According to Scripture, God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (1 Cor 14:33). So, confusion is the work of evil; it is sent by the enemy to divide, separate, and destroy the Truth. Because of sin, the world is confused about God and his authority to set the standard for his human creation.

Even though the world is confused by sin, believers can live in the clarity of the Truth. The Holy Spirit lives in believers and convicts us of sin—gives us a new way to think—so we do not make a practice of what we know is unrighteous. True, we all sin, but because of the light of Christ and his Word, we know what grieves God and we quickly repent and seek to live separated from those things the enemy uses to bring confusion. Remember, obedience to God thwarts the work of evil.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul asks the believers in Ephesus to stop sinning: any thought, word, or action that does not conform to God’s will. Now, you might think no believer would be all right with lying, stealing, or acting out their rage or lust; however, Paul has to correct the believers because they are, in fact, acting just like unbelievers.

This can happen when we grieve the Holy Spirit by not honoring his conviction in our hearts. When we choose to grieve the Spirit, we open a spiritual door and confusion enters to harden our hearts and darken our minds. Things that were once clear are now distorted. So, Paul releases the following challenge to the early believers as a warning: Get rid of your evil behavior…and imitate God in everything you do (Eph 4:31, 5:1). Such a great reminder for us, as well.

Ephesians 4:17-5:2 NLT Living as Children of Light
17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles [unbelievers] do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own,[put his seal/mark on you] guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Living in the Light
5 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Prayer: Lord, please help us to listen and obey the convicting work of the Spirit. We want the Holy Spirit to guide us, so we do not fall into a state of confusion over things you make clear in your Word. We want our lives to glorify you as we choose to live in the truth. So, please help us live in the Light. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sanctification is a Biblical term that means: to make holy, to set apart, or to live according to God’s design and purpose. As believers, you and I choose to follow Jesus, so God graciously sanctifies our new lives by freeing us from sin. Thus, God calls us to shift our free will towards living out our new lives according to His design and purpose rather than for our own worldly desires and pleasures. Please note that sanctification is an ongoing process. It is impossible for anyone to sanctify themselves or anyone else, as only God can make us holy; and we must choose to keep Jesus at the center of our lives, so we can actively call on the Holy Spirit to help guide our every step as we walk out God’s intended plan for our future.

As you may recall from yesterday’s sermon, Pastor Mary held up three words: Hopeful, Helpless, & Ability. Without Jesus we are Helpless, with Jesus, He offers us the Ability to choose to be Hopeful. Remember, to sanctify is to set apart, which means that you and I, as believers, are priceless in the eyes of our Father. I don’t know about you, but that gives me the greatest hope! It also means, that I have a great responsibility because in this place of being highly valued by the Father, which is far greater than any high level this world can offer me, God gives me the ability to live in a way that honors His Name for His Kingdom and for my life. God knows that I now live for Him, that He is at the center of my life, and that I place Him above everything and everyone else within my life. It is within this growing relationship and right standing with Jesus, that I can be the best version of me, because I get to be who God created me to be as a daughter of the Most High, which makes me a better earthly daughter, wife, mother, family member, and friend. I know that worldly desires and pleasures are fleeting, and nothing is worth taking the place of the everlasting relationship that I have with Jesus, absolutely nothing.

“When God lives and breathes in you (and He does, as surely as He did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With His Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!” (Romans 8) Friends, we have to choose Jesus over worldly desires and pleasures for our soul and our bodies. The devil will never stop tempting us. Remember, the King of all of Creation, created you and me, and His plan for us is the highest and best, more than any fleeting worldly plan that the devil can ever offer us. That means we have the ability, through Christ Jesus, to remain hopeful and to cast down helplessness at the foot of His cross.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (NASB)

Sanctification and Love

1 Finally then, brothers and sisters, we request and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel even more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 and that no one violate the rights and take advantage of his brother or sister in the matter, because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you previously and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore, the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being the highest example of how we are to walk out a holy life. Holy Spirit, we need You, all of the time, to help guide our steps. Please keep us moving on the plan that God has for our lives. May we be guided by Your wisdom to know when the devil seeks to tempt us with worldly desires and pleasures; and may we be quick to turn from those places and turn to You, Jesus. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Last week, we looked at Charles Grandison Finney (1792-1876) who played a big role within evangelism.  As we continue to navigate and examine different people who played a part in growing the Kingdom of God, it is important to understand that times were different when it came to spreading the good news of Jesus.  Some people were open to receive His gospel message and wanting to grow in their faith, while some were the exact opposite and wanted nothing to do with it whatsoever.  There was a movement known as the Jesus Movement which took place from the 1960s through the 1970s.  During this time, lots of people made their name within evangelizing as well as worship music.  This week, we will look at several different people first through the Jesus Movement.  This movement originated in San Francisco during the Baby Boomer Revival era between 1965 through 1985, and the movement specifically went between the 1960s and 1970s.  One man who began or initiated the Jesus Movement was Jack Sparks.  He started as a statistics professor and then he established the Christian World Liberation Front (CWLF).  Since then, there have been other people who have contributed to this specific movement.  One of those people was Chuck Smith.  He was a preacher at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California and one of the things that he started to do was baptizing people in the Pacific Ocean and more than 200 young people confessed Jesus as the Savior and Lord.  

Challenge 

I want to challenge you to think about what it means to step out in faith.  I remember watching an episode of the TV series “The Chosen” and there was a scene where Matthew and Philip are having a dialogue about what it means to be on the outside of the circle.  This stuck out to me because so often we want to be included and inside the circle, but sometimes it is good for us to be on the outside of the circle.  Here’s what I’m saying: you can step out in faith without stepping into the circle.  In other words, we cannot be conformed to the patterns of this world, but instead we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).  I want to challenge you to step out in faith but don’t step in the circle.  When we start doing this, we will begin to see what God is trying to reveal to us and what we need to do to stay in tuned or in lined with Him.  

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: On July 1st, John and I celebrated forty-five years of marriage. Yikes! Where did the time go? Over a lovely dinner, we reminisced about the many challenging experiences we had shared, as well as the joy of things we accomplished together. People who know us well will testify to how different John and I are in our natural inclinations, likes, and dislikes, but we are deeply connected by our commitment to God and to one another. Only with God could two young self-focused people like us come together and learn to become one in Christ’s love. (Please don’t ask me or John about the pain-scale involved in that process! lol!)

In Scripture, the word commitment communicates “giving over” something of value to another person. As well, commitment brings with it the responsibility to “practice” a certain pursuit. For example, when we marry, we are “giving over” [surrendering] our singleness [focused only on what is good for self] and now joining into a relational bond that considers what is best for two people.

In our passage today, David speaks about his commitment to becoming one with God’s Word. David knows only God can give him the right perspective and guidance for life in this dark world. It is through his Word that God initiates a relationship with us. God brings wisdom to our lives, so we can navigate the challenges effectively and learn to love one another the way God loves us. For the believer, Christ is our Bridegroom; through the Holy Spirit, we become one with him in flesh. We are the recipients of Christ’s affection and we are invited to focus our affections wholly on him. Let’s follow the Light of the World, today.

Psalm 119:105-106 VOICE
105
Your word is a lamp for my steps;
    it lights the path before me.
106 
I have taken an oath and confirmed it:
    I pledge to do what You say is right and just.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for initiating a relationship with your children. Help us to keep our focus on you and to remain committed to following your Word. Holy Spirit, we want to become One with Christ in your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: I love sitting around a campfire or fire pit. There is something so mesmerizing for me about a “controlled fire.” As a child growing up in Michigan, I would sit and sometimes sleep near the fire place, because the glow and warmth of it was comforting to me. Now that I live in Florida with 90 degree temperatures, I have a fireplace that puts off zero heat and I can still enjoy the glow before me! lol! When scripture portrays God as a pillar of fire, a bush of fire, a fiery furnace, fire on the mountain at Sinai, tongues of fire, or even a consuming fire it is a comfort, because fire reminds me of the glorious and holy presence of God revealed to humanity. Sin may not be safe in the fire of God, but as his daughter in Christ I am.

In our passage today, while shepherding near Sinai, Moses is drawn to a blazing fire nestled inside a bush which remarkably is not destroyed. This ground around the fire is holy and this will be the first of several times Moses encounters the revealed Word of the Lord at Sinai. With his sandals off, Moses speaks with the Angel of the Lord around the fire—I love this picture. The Lord knows Moses’ name and has a plan for his life as they chat there. Through this experience, Moses has no doubt that God is holy and powerful, requires respect, and is not of this world. God pursues Moses and makes a commitment to deliver his people from oppression and evil.

God is love and he pursue us with a passion to enjoy fellowship. Because of the redeeming work of Christ, we can boldly approach the throne of our gracious God (Heb 4:16). Today, may we turn to our Pursuer, take off the sandals that carries the residue of the world, bow in complete respect to our Creator, enter the holy presence of our loving Father, and find there is no one like the Lord!

Exodus 3:1-6 NLT Moses and the Burning Bush
1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”

4 When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

“Here I am!” Moses replied.

5 “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 6 I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for our fireside lesson from Moses. Please continue to pursue us, heal us, sanctify us, and reveal yourself to us as your sons and daughters. We need and want you, Lord. Be our Comforter and warm us in your glorious presence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Last Sunday, I shared about the dangers of pride to our relationship with Christ and how destructive a lack of empathy is to our relationship with others. Certainly, the struggle to fight against this sin is real and we must seek the power of the Spirit to help us maintain a humble attitude, so we can produce righteous actions. Living our lives in a spirit of humility is a struggle even though Jesus made it look easy.

In our passage today, Jesus is getting ready to share a Passover meal with his disciples. It is not an ordinary Passover; it is a set up for salvation and every aspect of the evening reveals the love of God to redeem the world. The events of the evening are permeated with profound spiritual lessons that touch the lives of the disciples, as well as the lives of believers throughout time.

Judas chooses to be led by evil; no surprise, because a betrayal is necessary and Jesus came to destroy the work of Satan (Gen 3:15; Zech 11:12-13). Our scripture teaches Jesus knew the timing for his return to heaven had arrived; no surprise, because it was prophesied (Dan 7:13-14). Jesus knew the Father had given him the power he needed to bring salvation to earth; no surprise, because Jesus is the Passover Lamb to be slain and this is the time (Ex 12:21-27). What is a surprise is how difficult humility is for human beings even when we are told serving brings joy to our souls.

John 13:1-17 GNT Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
1 It was now the day before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. He had always loved those in the world who were his own, and he loved them to the very end.

2 Jesus and his disciples were at supper. The Devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, the thought of betraying Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him complete power; he knew that he had come from God and was going to God. 4 So he rose from the table, took off his outer garment, and tied a towel around his waist. 5 Then he poured some water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Are you going to wash my feet, Lord?”

7 Jesus answered him, “You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later.”

8 Peter declared, “Never at any time will you wash my feet!”
“If I do not wash your feet,” Jesus answered, “you will no longer be my disciple.”

9 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, do not wash only my feet, then! Wash my hands and head, too!”

10 Jesus said, “Those who have taken a bath are completely clean and do not have to wash themselves, except for their feet. All of you are clean—all except one.” (11 Jesus already knew who was going to betray him; that is why he said, “All of you, except one, are clean.”)

12 After Jesus had washed their feet, he put his outer garment back on and returned to his place at the table. “Do you understand what I have just done to you?” he asked. 13 “You call me Teacher and Lord, and it is right that you do so, because that is what I am. 14 I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for you. 16 I am telling you the truth: no slaves are greater than their master, and no messengers are greater than the one who sent them. 17 Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your perfect example of humility. You humbled yourself and left the glory of heaven in order to save us. You humbled yourself by washing the sin off from us through your cleansing Word of Truth. You humbled yourself to die for our sin on the cross even though you were innocent and pure. Thank you for your love! So, Lord, please help us assume a humble posture and put on a servant’s heart to minister to others, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: God values everyone; he desires for all of humanity to humbly enter into a personal relationship with him so he can express his healing love for them; all things are made whole in God’s presence. God is the Creator, Provider, Savior, and Sustainer of Life and humanity is called to enter into his godly presence and plan for our well-being/wholeness. Every believer has been gifted and equipped by and through God to be a blessing within creation, so we certainly have something to add to the whole picture as we love God and one another. This world was never created to function without God filling our hearts and directing our paths (Pro 3:5-6). I want to remind you, today, God loves you!

If we are going to succeed as a human race, we are going to need to lose our arrogance and pride, because it is a form of self-worship or idolatry. No person is better than another; we are all sinners who need God’s love and salvation. So, may we gain some wisdom and reject prideful arrogance, because God resists the proud (Pro 3:34). Having godly aspirations for our lives is good, but selfish ambitions that are only focused on our personal advantage is prideful and will rob us of the contentment God offers his children.

In our passage today, David reminds us to have a proper vision of the chain of command put in place by God. Some things only God knows; therefore, his standard should not be questioned. When humanity goes too far into sin, biblical history reminds us God will wean us from our self-sufficiency and self-focus and help us see things from a higher perspective. This is called discipline and it is painful, but necessary if we are going to learn dependence upon God. May we all choose to be weaned from self, because only then will we truly value others and see life more clearly. Trusting in God’s plan is required.
Psalm 131 GNT A Prayer of Humble Trust
1 
Lord, I have given up my pride
    and turned away from my arrogance.
I am not concerned with great matters
    or with subjects too difficult for me.
2 
Instead, I am content and at peace.
As a child lies quietly in its mother’s arms,
    so my heart is quiet within me.
3 
Israel, trust in the Lord
    now and forever!

Prayer: Lord, please continue to help me assume a humble posture before you and others. Please help us as your children to put on grace and reflect your righteous attitude and conduct. We know contentment is only found in living out your plan. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In today’s passage, Paul is very clear in his reminder to us that God truly hates sin. We must remember “God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus He has created us for a life of good deeds, which He has already prepared for us to do.” (Eph 2:10)

Friends, when you and I sin we are walking in unrighteous ways, which is extremely upsetting to our Righteous Father because He knows that we know better. As believers we should be super concerned that sin suppresses God’s Truth in and for us. God has made His Truth obvious to us through His Word, and He has made it visually clear through His creation that is us and that is all around us. We must remain rooted in His Word, living a life for Christ and not for sin as we are to “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.” (Phil 4:4)

Romans 1:18-25 NLT
God’s Anger at Sin

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for today’s honest Truth from our brother, Paul, about sin. Forgive us for when we minimize sin and allow it to take root over You in our lives. Cleanse us, Lord, and help us to walk closely with You today, and each day that follows. We want to be ready to serve Your Heavenly Kingdom, but we must be living for Your Kingdom now. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Last week, we looked at Ira David Sankey who was with Dwight Moody for thirty  years in the world of evangelism.  He was different because he was a worship leader for Moody and they worked together for a long time.  This week, we are looking at an individual named Charles Grandison Finney (1792-1876).  Finney was part of the Sunday School Revivals from 1820 through 1850.  What was interesting about his story is that he was a lawyer before he became an evangelist.  On August 10, 1821, he went away to pray and he was convinced to leave his law practice to preach the gospel across America.  He started off at a Presbyterian church in 1824 and then served at the Congregational Church twelve years later.  He once held a revival that lasted for five months at Third Presbyterian Church in New York.  While this was something amazing, some people were not very happy with what he was doing.  There were some disputes between Finney and the pastor, but he continued to do what he was called to do.  When he went to a Methodist church, he had what is commonly referred to as “the altar call.”  He thought of this when people were going up to participate in communion.  One of the things that he was very controversial was that he was really big in remodeling church sanctuaries.  Anytime he would go to a new church, he would inform the trustees that the pulpit area need to be remodeled.  One reason is because the sanctuary would become very crowded when he would appear and he wanted the people to have room and space for them to come in and receive the Holy Spirit.  Throughout his time up in Rochester, NY, the revival up there spread to 1500 towns and villages up through the New England area and more than 100,000 people gave their lives to the Lord.  

Challenge

I want to challenge you to think about what it means to step out in faith.  I remember watching an episode of the TV series “The Chosen” and there was a scene where Matthew and Philip are having a dialogue about what it means to be on the outside of the circle.  This stuck out to me because so often we want to be included and inside the circle, but sometimes it is good for us to be on the outside of the circle.  Here’s what I’m saying: you can step out in faith without stepping into the circle.  In other words, we cannot be conformed to the patterns of this world, but instead we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).  I want to challenge you to step out in faith but don’t step in the circle.  When we start doing this, we will begin to see what God is trying to reveal to us and what we need to do to stay in tuned or in lined with Him.  

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: When we have a right relationship with God through Christ and are seeking to be led by the Spirit, every day brings along little spiritual victories even if we are not aware of them. Our faith is active and moving. God is good and with Christ as Lord of our lives, we are filled with his presence and that makes believers more than conquerors in the world.

Believers are on the same page when it comes to Christ’s authority and victorious Kingdom living; we all must come with childlike faith and trust. Every victory, whether small or large, is important to God and makes a difference for the Kingdom. The only thing that can stand in our way of experiencing miraculous victories is spiritual pride. Do you have childlike faith?

Leading up to our passage today, seventy-two disciples return from a mission directed by the Lord. The disciples had been sent out to other towns in pairs—as lambs among wolves—to heal the sick and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now’ (Luke 10:8). They followed Jesus’ instructions. The disciples return filled with joy over the victories they had over demons, because Jesus had given them authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:18). Although Jesus rejoices with them, he wants them to focus on what should fill them with the greatest joy: their names are registered in heaven” (Luke 10:17-18).

In our passage today, Jesus takes time to pray and thank the Father for allowing the childlike to experience the power of the Kingdom. Jesus thanks the Father for his plan, because everyone who knows the Son can be victorious. Truly, if we did not have childlike faith, we would never go out and mingle with wolves, would we?

Luke 10:21-24 NLT Jesus’ Prayer of Thanksgiving
21 At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
22 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
23 Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. 24 I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving believers the privilege of joining you in ministry to the world. Help us live each day with childlike faith, knowing every day can bring the Kingdom closer to earth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.