Devotionals

Today we will be looking at the last six verses of Acts 27. As a reminder, Paul is a prisoner who is being taken, by boat, to Rome where he will face trial before Caesar. Up to this point, 276 people had been sailing for days with great difficulty and they had lost a lot of time due to bad weather. Paul spoke up to the ship’s officers, “’Men,’ he said, ‘I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on – shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.’” (v.10) Since there were prisoners on board, like Paul, the officer in charge of the prisoners, listened to the ship’s captain and to the owner and not to Paul. They ended up in a great storm at sea with gale-force winds that required cargo and gear to be thrown overboard, like Paul had predicted. Paul called the crew together and told them that they should have listened to him, Paul went on to say: “But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.” (v.22-25) Paul goes on to guide the commanding officer and the soldiers, and he even breaks bread, much like Jesus did with the disciples, giving great thanks to God before everyone on the ship and in the midst of the storm. That brings us to today’s passage, where we see what takes place next, and how God remains true to His Word, and everyone escaped safely to shore.

When you are in the midst of one of life’s great storms, do you rest peacefully in God’s loving care, listening for His guidance, and allow Him to bring you through the storm? Or do you panic and try to do things your own way?

Here’s another question, in the midst of your most recent storm, did you find yourself giving thanks to God and bringing others to Him, like Paul did when he broke bread? Or did you isolate yourself and not share about the goodness of the God that you serve?

Many times, within our storms we question “why God” because we want Him to stop the storm. Right? Think about it, God could have stopped Paul from being arrested, he could have stopped the storm, he could have stopped the shipwreck, and the list goes on and on. But, when we patiently wait until the end of the chapter, we see that God spares everyone’s life. Think about this, if you could sit and talk to all 276 people who were on that ship, how many would share a testimony from that storm that forever changed their lives and brought them to a relationship with “Paul’s God” and saved their lives for all Eternity!

Acts 27:39-44 (NLT)

39 When morning dawned, they didn’t recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get to shore by running the ship aground. 40 So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore. 41 But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart.
42 The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn’t swim ashore and escape. 43 But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn’t let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. 44 The others held on to planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.

Prayer: Jesus, please help me to be more like Paul when I am in the midst of life’s storms. You did not leave Paul during these many storms, and I trust that You will not leave me. Help me to see You within each storm, to praise You for the lessons that need to be learned, and to glorify and share Your Holy Name no matter what I am walking through in this life, because I am living for Eternity with You now, Jesus. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Last week, I spoke about about evangelism and how it is one of those things that we think about in church but we don’t really act on it.  In other words, it is something that we say and not do.  Unfortunately, this is the lifestyle that people tend to live by.  We say one thing but we do the opposite.  This should not be the case when it comes to evangelism.  In both Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15, Jesus tells us to not only go and make disciples of all nations, but we also need to share the gospel to all creation.  In Matthew 28:19, it speaks about baptizing people into the name of Jesus.  When you see the word “into” followed by “the name,” that means being in the possession.  In this case when you see the phrase, “into the name of Jesus,” it is talking about being in the possession of Christ.  When it comes to evangelism and Kingdom work, it requires people.  In order for the harvest to produce and grow, it requires farmers to plant the seeds.  As mentioned before last week, it is the church’s responsibility for those seeds to be planted.  We, ourselves, cannot physically save people.  Once the gospel seed is planted, then it is the work of the Holy Spirit to let the seed grow.  In 1 Corinthians 3:6-8, it says “6. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.  7. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering.  What’s important is that God make the seed grow.  8. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose.  And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.”  

Challenge 

Think about people who you know and pray for them.  Reach out to them and let them know that you are thinking about them.  I can tell you that it will make their day.  

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: How patient are you? Every time I read Scripture, I have to confess how very patient God is with his human creation; how patient he is with me. The Lord epitomizes the word “long-suffering” in spite of the trouble and disorder on earth caused by human beings. When we think about human corruption or the sinful state of people, we may be tempted to focus only upon our present culture. However, that would be a terrible mistake and a dangerous one, as well. Biblical history is important to know, because it reveals the wickedness of human beings, as well as what happens when God’s patience has been push too far.

In our passage from Genesis today, God said to Noah it was time to get in the boat; the flood was coming in seven days, because the wickedness on earth had become consistently and totally evil (Gen 6:5; 7:1). God sent Noah to be a preacher of righteousness; announcing to the people they needed to leave evil and turn to God, but his announcements were rejected (2 Peter 2:5). Therefore, God promised to keep Noah and his family safe in the ark which is a picture of the salvation we can have in Christ (Gen 6:22).

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his followers something important to remember about his Second Coming. “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People did not realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes” (Mat 24:37-39). We need to wake up and seek God with all our hearts; to live ready in Christ’s righteousness. We have been warned there is a limit to God’s patience.

Genesis 7:1-5 NLT The Flood Covers the Earth
1 When everything was ready, the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the boat with all your family, for among all the people of the earth, I can see that you alone are righteous. 2 Take with you seven pairs—male and female—of each animal I have approved for eating and for sacrifice, and take one pair of each of the others. 3 Also take seven pairs of every kind of bird. There must be a male and a female in each pair to ensure that all life will survive on the earth after the flood. 4 Seven days from now I will make the rains pour down on the earth. And it will rain for forty days and forty nights, until I have wiped from the earth all the living things I have created.”
5 So Noah did everything as the Lord commanded him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the unfathomable patience you continue to extend to your human creation. Help us to heed the warnings in your Word and live ready for your return. It does not matter if your return is near or far; Holy Spirit, help us to live in a way that honors you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Every human being requires restoration—the act of returning to our original created state. Restoration means we must be willing to embrace God’s purpose for us while on earth, to increase in our knowledge of him, and to bear the righteous fruit of Christ’s character and nature. Therefore, confession is an ongoing way of living as we move toward the restoration God requires. Lastly, true confession brings with it a desire to stop living in a way we know is wrong. God is not mocked; whatever we sow into or plant, we will reap or harvest (Gal 6:7). God knows our hearts, so we must be transparent with him and ourselves to experience restoration.

In our passage today, the psalmist is singing about the victory that has followed a great battle. He testifies to God’s love and faithfulness in the midst of a terrible fight. When we find ourselves in spiritual battles, we are encouraged to pray, confess our sin and need for restoration, because God listens to the prayers of the humble. If you are fighting a battle and growing weary, continue to pray and press on forward, because God is your Rescuer and Restorer. He is faithful to love you and bring good change to your life.

Psalm 66:8-20 NLT
16 
Come and listen, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell you what he did for me.
17 
For I cried out to him for help,
    praising him as I spoke.
18 
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened.
19 
But God did listen!
    He paid attention to my prayer.
20 
Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
    or withdraw his unfailing love from me.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for bringing restoration to the lives of your children. Thank you for not leaving us broken or troubled. Instead, you lift us from sin and death, bring healing for our souls, and lead us into life abundant and free. We place our trust in you as we confess our need for the restoration only you can bring. Many of your children need a miracle, today, Lord. Please hear our prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro:  Yesterday, we started our reading in Proverbs and discovered how wisdom is asking God to help us see life from his perspective and then choosing to follow him on the path of Truth. Our passage continues in chapter three by drawing our attention to the importance of having both divine wisdom [giving God his proper place in our lives/proper perspective] and divine understanding [knowledge of the Holy One/His ways and character] (Pro 9:10).

Wisdom is like eating ripe righteous fruit from the tree of life.  From the beginning of time, God created us to feed on his wisdom. The Bible really connects humanity and how we are to live in wisdom which is to live in Christ the Way, the Truth, and the Life with God.  When we ask for wisdom and understanding, our lives experience a greater measure of harmony and peace, because God created us to conform to his righteousness; this is the desire of his heart for us.

Proverbs 3:13-18 NLV 13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding. 14 For it is better than getting silver and fine gold. 15 She is worth more than stones of great worth. Nothing you can wish for compares with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand. Riches and honor are in her left hand. 17 Her ways are pleasing, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her. Happy are all who hold her near.

Prayer:  Lord, our hearts long to be filled with your wisdom and understanding.  May we allow  these precious gifts to grow us in your character and in your likeness.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Intro: It would be a natural tendency to think we know what is right or wrong for our lives and call it wisdom, but in reality any inclination or decision that does not have Christ at the center of it is biblically questionable. Wisdom is learning to see life from God’s perspective and trusting him to guide us as we follow. For the children of God, wisdom is associated with godly human conduct—the character of Christ—who “for our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself” (1 Cor 1:30).

Preceding our passage today from the Wisdom Book of Proverbs, God calls to his children, “Store my commands in your heart” (v. 1). God does not call us to memorize his commands, but rather to make his commands an integral part of our being so we are ready to act on them. In our verses that follow, we learn the path of wisdom is the embodiment of God’s Word. If we honor God as the Source of all we have and seek his will in all we do, God will reward and bless the wisdom we demonstrate—an obedient Christ follower receiving God’s covenant blessings.

Proverbs 3:5-9 NLT
5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
6 
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.
7 
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 
Then you will have healing for your body
    and strength for your bones.
9 
Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the best part of everything you produce.
10
Then he will fill your barns with grain,
    and your vats will overflow with good wine.

Prayer: Lord, information swirls all around us and we can find ourselves grabbing ahold of what impresses us, but void of wisdom. Help us to discern wisely and live to honor your character and name. You are the Source of all things, so thank you for being our Helper and our Provider. May how we live bring you glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you were not able to attend yesterday’s time of worship, Pastor Mary used a great visual that applies perfectly to today’s devotion (the image below is an example). First, she held up a red paper heart that had “Me” written on both sides. She explained that when we focus on ourselves and our problems, we forget to focus on God; thus, we allow the enemy in to work on our hearts. As she explained this, she tore the heart into pieces, because let’s face it, the enemy seeks to break our hearts and to leave us broken. Then, Pastor Mary held up another heart that had “Me” written on one side and “God” on the other side. She explained that when we focus on God to take care of us and our problems, He holds our hearts in wholeness and He works to heal and restore them.

God does not get angry with us when we cry out to Him, or when we are honest with Him because He wants us to seek Him at all times. We must remember that this natural world is fleeting, but what Jesus has for us in the supernatural is eternal and available to us now. We need to get to the point where we are instantaneously sharing the good, bad, and ugly with Jesus. Our focus needs to be on God first and foremost all of the time and in all circumstances. We need to be listening for God’s voice, following Him, and obeying His Word. As His people, if we want to be prepared for His return, we need to be in constant communion with Him now, we cannot wait until it’s too late.

Psalm 102:1-17 (NLT)

A prayer of one overwhelmed with trouble, pouring out problems before the Lord.

1 Lord, hear my prayer!
Listen to my plea!
2 Don’t turn away from me
in my time of distress.
Bend down to listen,
and answer me quickly when I call to you.
3 For my days disappear like smoke,
and my bones burn like red-hot coals.
4 My heart is sick, withered like grass,
and I have lost my appetite.
5 Because of my groaning,
I am reduced to skin and bones.
6 I am like an owl in the desert,
like a little owl in a far-off wilderness.
7 I lie awake,
lonely as a solitary bird on the roof.
8 My enemies taunt me day after day.
They mock and curse me.
9 I eat ashes for food.
My tears run down into my drink
10 because of your anger and wrath.
For you have picked me up and thrown me out.
11 My life passes as swiftly as the evening shadows.
I am withering away like grass.

12 But you, O Lord, will sit on your throne forever.
Your fame will endure to every generation.
13 You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem —
and now is the time to pity her,
now is the time you promised to help.
14 For your people love every stone in her walls
and cherish even the dust in her streets.
15 Then the nations will tremble before the Lord.
The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory.
16 For the Lord will rebuild Jerusalem.
He will appear in his glory.
17 He will listen to the prayers of the destitute.
He will not reject their pleas.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for never leaving my side. Holy Spirit, help to open my spiritual ears to hear from the Father and guide me with heavenly wisdom so I may keep on the narrow path that the Father has for me. I do not want to remain in places of despair, rather I want the joy of the Lord to rise up within me. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Evangelism is one of those things that we don’t really think about until we are in church listening to a message about evangelism.  In other words, we hear it in the church but we really don’t do anything outside the building.  Evangelism is something that Jesus called us to do.  In the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus says “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (NLT Translation).  Mark 16:15 says that we need to go and preach the gospel to all nations.  In order for us to do that, then we need to be prepared to do that.  That’s the responsibility of the church.  How do I know that? In Ephesians 4:12, Paul reminds the church in Ephesus their responsibility for the people.  He says “Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ.”  Where there is responsibility, there is also accountability.  The local church is responsible for getting their people equipped with what they need to go and share the gospel to all people.  While we share the gospel with others, we cannot be ashamed of it because it is the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings salvation (Romans 1:16).  

Here’s what we need to do: ask God for strength.  While it may not be an easy thing to do, but it is something that is essential to grow the kingdom of God.  Not only ask Him for strength but also for wisdom and guidance.  He said that He is always going to be with you.  No matter where you go, He is always going to be there by your side because He loves you.  

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: It is not unusual for the Lord to lead his children out of the familiar and into the unfamiliar, because this is how we grow. Sometimes, we are called by the Lord out of the familiar yet unhealthy habits or places, because if we stay we will self-slaughter. Still other times, we may be called out of the familiar in order to stretch our faith, trust, and endurance. Out of divine design, venturing into the unfamiliar requires a devotion to the Lord, because it is not a “comfy” journey spiritually, emotionally, or physically.

In our passage today, the Lord calls Abram to leave the familiar, but within that call and suffering there are many promises. If Abram will move toward the unfamiliar, God will provide the grace needed for he and his family to live a blessed life—offering such abundance they will be able to bless others. But there is more. God promises to share his goodness (cup of salvation) or his curses (cup of wrath) with the world one day depending on how others treat his people. Abram is renamed Abraham by God when he was called to be the father of multitudes. Jesus is the true offspring of Abraham; the blessed One of Abraham’s covenant. We are heirs of Abraham’s blessing, because of Jesus.

Genesis 12:1-3 NLT The Call of Abram
12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

Prayer: Lord, when we face the unfamiliar we get anxious and try to figure out how things will work out. Yet, we know we must walk by faith and not by sight. Thank you for blessing us and making us a blessing. Thank you, as well, for dealing with those in the world who would mistreat us as your children. You will have the final say, so we trust you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: The glorious kingdom realm is God’s eternal domain; everything concerning the kingdom or dwelling within it belongs to the Lord. Therefore, God is free to pour his goodness and favor out upon his followers and leaders as he pleases. Scripture reminds us again and again, God views rewards for leadership from a very different perspective than the world. In God’s kingdom, a true leader is humble and quick to serve others—no task too small if God requires it—because he or she loves and values people the way God does. A genuine leader—as a follower of Christ—should model for others the proper attitude followed by humble action.

In our passage today, the mother of James and John requests the honor of her sons sitting next to Jesus in his glorious Kingdom. In all fairness to James and John, Jesus has just shared a previous teaching with his disciples about what to expect when the world is made new and he sits upon his glorious throne. Jesus tells his followers they will sit with him on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Mat 19:28). All by itself, the vision Jesus sets forth in that verse sounds attractive (Mat 19:28). Yet, we find out in the verses that follow, such places of honor—ones greatly rewarded by the Father—are for those who suffer for the sake of righteousness (Mat 19:29-30). For the greatest, suffering and reward go together.

Matthew 20:20-28 NLT Jesus Teaches about Serving Others
20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.
25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Prayer: Lord, please groom us to be servant leaders for your kingdom. Help us to push away from worldly ambition, so we can bring glory to your name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.