Devotionals

One thing that is happening in this world today is evil.  Satan is stirring the pot of evil and causing all these tensions and turmoils among the people.  In other words, spiritual warfare is among us.  It is real and it is causing more violence than physical warfare.  While both kinds of warfare are incomprehensible, we need to understand that we can be physically alive but be spiritually dead.  We cannot live a life where we are surrounded by all this evil and mayhem.  In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul writes to Timothy explaining that there are people who are going to be boastful and arrogant and selfish.  At the conclusion of verse 5, he tells Timothy to “stay away from people like that.”  Much like how we need to stay away from boastful and puffed up people, we also need to stay away from people who bring about evil.  

In today’s passage, David writes this prayer of deliverance.  In Psalm 140, David starts off by asking and praying for a rescue.  Rescue from what?  Rescue from those who are pouring out and displaying evil and violence.  David is praying from deliverance from these kinds of people.  Not only is he praying for deliverance, but he is also praying for protection.  In verse 4, it says “O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.  Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me.”  David goes on to. Say that God is the only One who listens to me when I cry out.  He is the strong One.  He is the God of deliverance.  In verses 9 following, he prays for his enemies to be defeated by whatever they have planned.  He concludes this psalm by saying that the righteous people are praising His name.  That is what we need to do.  We need to praise Him at all times, no matter what season we are in.  I realize that it is easier said than done, however, God is the only One who will give insight into our situations and how we can move forward instead of dwelling on the things that have occurred.  

I want to challenge you by saying to praise God through all seasons of life.  From the good times, to the bad times, and everything in between, continue to praise God.  He’s got you and He loves you.  He knows what is best for us and what is necessary for us.  When we go through different seasons, it is easy for us to take control of the situation ourselves.  The truth of the matter is that God is always in control.  Do not take away His authority.  To put this in tennis shoes, never kick God out of the driver’s seat.  It never goes well.  He knows the plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11).  Because He has the plans for us, we need to have faith in Him knowing that He is always going to be with us no matter what.  

Psalm 140 (NLT Translation)

1.  O Lord, rescue me from evil people.  Protect me from those who are violent, 2. those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long.  3. Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips.  4. O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.  Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me.  5. The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way.  6. I said to the Lord, “You are my God!”  Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!  7. O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me, you protected me on the day of battle.  8. Lord, do not let evil people have their way.  Do not let their evil schemes succeed, or they will become proud.  9. Let my enemies be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for me.  10. Let burning coals fall down on their heads.  Let them be thrown into the fire or into watery pits from which they can’t escape.  11. Don’t let liars prosper here in our land.  Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.  12. But I know the Lord will help those they prosecute; he will give justice to the poor.  13.  Surely righteous people are praising your name; the godly will live in your presence.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for Your will to be done and not my own.  I know that this world is messy and confusing and pulling us in many different directions, but help us to be rooted in Your word and in Your truth.   Only You know what is to come and You know all things.  Help us to have a solid foundation in You.  Without Your firm foundation, we will crumble like sinking sand.  Help us to not let the evil people come near us nor let the evil spirit known as Satan’s demons have access to our hearts, minds, and souls.  They have no place among us so help us to not give them the access nor the authorization to come into our lives.  You are strong and You will deliver us from evil.  Help us to be prepared and be aware of the enemy’s attacks.  Lord, give us the strength and wisdom to turn away from him and turn towards You without any fear or timidity.  

In Jesus name I pray, amen

In today’s passage, Peter begins by giving praise to God for the gift of being born again. This new inherited life is our faith that is only found through our salvation in Christ Jesus, and it should be something that each one of us not only treasures but wants to share with everyone we meet.

Our faith is what brings us true joy, the joy of the Lord; but our faith is also what moves us through this world’s trials. Pastor Mary taught about this during yesterday’s heartfelt sermon. She mentioned that Jesus did not die to take away our trials, rather He died to take away our sins, and He wants to use our trials and times of suffering to help others experience His eternal love. She also mentioned that the trials we face are designed to get us ready, ready to help others, and ready for when Jesus returns. Peter reminds us that through our faith, God is protecting us up to when He reveals Himself in the last days for all to see.

Friends, we cannot find ourselves, as believers, in despair, we must find ourselves living by faith and sharing the joy of our salvation and Jesus’s eternal love with EVERYONE!

1 Peter 1:3-9 NLT
The Hope of Eternal Life

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the resurrection in Christ that holds Your promise of the gift of eternal life with You. May our faith and hope in You grow as each one of us faces trials. Please continue to be with everyone who was impacted by Hurricane Helene. Help hearts to see the work of Your Family in the midst of such destruction, and to be drawn to You and to the priceless inheritance of spending eternity with You in heaven. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Although some people may think God’s love means no boundaries, in Scripture there are times our sovereign God communicates to a sin-living people and says, “Enough!” Obviously, that reveals a divine boundary has been set by God’s Word. God does not share space with sin; there is no sin within him (1 John 3:5). Therefore, if we really want a relationship with God, we must allow righteousness to be our Master (Mat 6:24). Grace has been given to the humble for this purpose; God opposes the proud (James 4:6). To think there will never be consequences for our sin is the epitome of the spiritual arrogance that leads to death. God IS LOVE, so rejecting him is sin (1 John 4:8).

In Acts 12, Herod Agrippa has successfully killed James [John’s brother] and plans to do the same to Peter until God miraculously helps him escape from prison. Not only does Herod persecute the early church of believers, by his attitudes and actions, he allows the people in his charge to see him as a god with authority and great power for their good.

Think about the statement Peter made in our passage yesterday, ““Do you think God wants us to obey you [human authority] rather than him?” (Acts 4:19). We note a distinct difference in how Peter and Herod Agrippa viewed divine authority—Peter is humble. Certainly, there are consequences to sinful and prideful leadership and we see it in Herod Agrippa’s fate.

Satan always uses people-pleasing leaders to pander to human flesh. Even though leaders may prove untrustworthy, people listen for what they want to hear in order to meet their desires. Such is the case with Herod Agrippa and the people of Jerusalem. The sin against God’s righteous glory always leads to horrendous consequences.

The Truth must be within us; otherwise, we are vulnerable to deception. These days are challenging, but we will only know how to navigate this fallen world when Truth—Jesus—is our Master. By the help of the Spirit, we must tenaciously live in the integrity of Christ who has been made Wisdom for us (1 Cor 1:30). “The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence” (Pro 14:16).

Acts 12:20-25 NLT The Death of Herod Agrippa
20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod’s country for food. The delegates won the support of Blastus, Herod’s personal assistant, 21 and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them. 22 The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”

23 Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.

24 Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.

25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, taking John Mark with them.

Prayer: Lord, today, we humble ourselves before your throne of grace. We pray for mercy and protection each day. Holy Spirit, keep us focused on Jesus the Author of our faith and help us to remain within the divine care of your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spirit-filled and courageous leaders always capture my attention. The boldness and confidence of these leaders to effectively and faithfully witness for the cause of Christ is absolutely inspiring to me. No matter what comes against them, these men and women of faith stay focused on the Truth and never waiver.

During his ministry on earth, Jesus promised to develop this kind of leader—ones who rested in the power of the Holy Spirit—to keep them focused despite their personal weaknesses. Peter and John demonstrated this type of Spirit-led leadership which should not surprised us, because Jesus promised to send the Helper (Acts 1:5).

Peter and John started out their faith journey with Jesus by actually having a default state of fear. They struggled to remain faithful to Jesus; the disciples abandoned him at the cross and hid after his death. This fear continued until the Spirit of God rested like tongues of fire upon them. Pentecost was a day of change. Courage took down fear!

In our passage today, Peter and John are being questioned by the Sanhedrin council, because a lame man—sitting outside the Temple begging for money—experienced healing; he began leaping and praising God (Acts 3:7-8). Peter and John were asked by the Sanhedrin to be silent; no more conversation about the saving grace of Jesus. However, Peter’s response is, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?”

Everyday in this fallen world we have a similar decision to make; who will have the highest authority over our lives. God, the fallen world, or our flesh? Will we ask God for more courage and continue to be a mouthpiece of Truth for the Lord? Or, will we cower in fear, step back, and allow evil to be the loudest voice to the nation? The battle with evil is real! Evil is anything that diminishes life with the Lord by rejecting the Truth of God’s Word. Make sure you listen to the Voice of Truth, because some leaders lie to promote their power.

Peter, John, and the rest of the disciples chose to pray and ask God to increase their courage. Please note they did not ask God to remove the challenges or to stop the political pressure from the Romans or the religious leaders. Instead, they wanted God to change and equip them to champion the challenges. Inspiring leadership! Amen?

Acts 4:13-31 NLT
13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say. 15 So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber [Sanhedrin] and conferred among themselves.

16 “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17 But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18 So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
21 The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God 22 for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.

The Believers Pray for Courage
23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— 25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
‘Why were the nations so angry?
    Why did they waste their time with futile plans?

26 
The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
    the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
    and against his Messiah.’[Anointed One—the Christ]

27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

Prayer: Lord, there is so much going on in our world right now; things that seek to rob us of the peace you died to provide. Your peace is not of this world; it’s supernatural to calm the heart. Thank you for the peace you give—a peace the world cannot taste or understand. Believers can have your peace right now as we face a tropical storm, because you have promised to be with us and protect us. We can have your peace right now in the face of political rhetoric, because we know your Voice and we refuse to follow evil. Help us to take a deep breath and reach for you, Lord! And, while we reach for you, we pray for unbelievers to want you, be willing to turn from sin, and enjoy your peace, as well. In Jesus’ name.

Sometimes it is a wise thing to hesitate in doing or saying something and sometimes it is not. For example, it is wise to pause or hesitate in responding to a feeling of anger; most of the time we will settle down if we simply breathe and refuse to immediately react. In contrast, it is always unwise to hesitate in doing something we know God is calling us to do. We still need prayer, the guidance of the Spirit, and the counsel of mature believers, but we must do what God places before us. God created us and knows what he designed us to be, do, and say to multiply his Kingdom on earth.

In our passage today, the Lord selects Jeremiah to be a prophet for him—a mouthpiece to speak Truth to the nations. God communicates to Jeremiah through a vision. The Lord tells Jeremiah he knew him from the beginning—formed him in his mother’s womb—and his plan was to send Jeremiah with a message no one wanted to hear. Jeremiah heard the Lord’s message, he hesitated to receive God’s call, and responded, “I can’t speak for you!”

Just like Moses and others, Jeremiah found excuses why he could not serve according to God’s will. Jeremiah felt he was too young to speak to the elders and face them with hard truths. While all of this was probably true, this call was not about Jeremiah’s capabilities, it was about God’s plan and desire to save people from brokenness and bondage to sin.

God was going to judge Judah for her idolatry, corrupt leadership, and moral compromise. He was giving them a chance to turn things around. This meant the people needed to know about their sin against God and repent. The Lord promised to be with Jeremiah to accomplish what he could not do in his own strength. Jeremiah was to take a stand, uproot, tear down, and destroy before rebuilding for the honor of Almighty God. The Lord has promised to do the same for believers, today.

When human beings stand against the flow of evil in the world and speak the uncompromising truth of God’s Word, we also serve the Lord in a prophetic capacity. God does not use us because we are perfect or eloquent; however, if we serve as a prophet, everything we share must be judged by comparison with the written Word of God. God simply chooses to use whomever will receive his call to get his message out.

God wants to use us every single day to get his love and Word to people, because his judgment upon the earth is coming. We must be open to God’s will and employ the attitude of Christ the Lord because all things are possible in him (Mat 19:26). Don’t fall into the excuse pit by comparing yourself to others; we are all instruments of God from the womb to the grave in some miraculous way.

So, stay in the Word of God, because God will never send us to do something contrary to the Spirit of Truth who bears witness to our spirits. And share life with other believers, because you will find God’s grace continues to flow for each of us as we place ourselves in his righteous Hands. God will affirm our call through other believers, so we can be positioned for his glory.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 NLT Jeremiah’s Call and First Visions
4 The Lord gave me this message:
5
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
6 “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” 9 Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said,
“Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
10
Today I appoint you to stand up
against nations and kingdoms.
Some you must uproot and tear down,
destroy and overthrow.
Others you must build up
and plant.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for sending us, protecting us, and putting your words in our mouths. We remain open to your daily call, because we desire to be a blessing to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God is never far away; by his design, we are connected to him. Sometimes it is easier to sense God’s Presence more than others, but that is not God being distant. Rather, it is when human beings become too focused on the things of the world to enjoy his supernatural Presence in the present.

This moment, God is with you. However, we can become so distracted by the good, as well as the challenging things in this earthly life, we exchange an awareness of the Eternal for the temporal. Remember, the Kingdom of God is not of this world (John 18:36).

In Psalm 139, David knows he is connected to an all-powerful God; a Shepherd who is present to provide and guide his life into the good and righteous things God has prepared for those who love him (Ps 23; Ro 8:28). Now, that knowledge and assurance does not stop David from occasionally feeling alone. During times of loneliness, David chooses to remain in faith and “know” that God is present with him…maybe just silent for a reason. Perhaps God wants to gain a greater measure of David’s attention. I have wondered if God spiritually sits shiva [seven days/mourning] with his children as he heals the brokenness and loss that tests our faith!

In our passage today, David reflects over the entire span of life in connection to God in order to help us understand the divine Presence. Before you and I were born, God was designing you in your mother’s womb. Sometimes people want to think they are just some blob of random cells, tissue, and we become human when we breathe air at birth. But, friends, we have a heartbeat at 5-6 weeks of gestation and, although a gender is determined at the moment of fertilization, the visible evidence of that human gender starts between 7-12 weeks. An unborn baby is a human being!

David reminds us before birth, we began as God’s design and for his glory. When we are born, our lives have been uniquely laid out in the plan of God. From birth to death, God continues to reveal himself to us as we live out good, as well as challenging days. Finally, at death, we are still in the loving care of God. God’s fingerprints cover the creation and development of every human being, from the womb to the grave, and we must live to bring glory to his name!

Psalm 139:1-18 NLT For the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 
O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
2 
You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 
You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
4 
You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.
5 
You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too great for me to understand!
7 
I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!
8 
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
    if I go down to the grave,[Shoel—house of the dead] you are there.
9 
If I ride the wings of the morning,
    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 
even there your hand will guide me,
    and your strength will support me.
11 
I could ask the darkness to hide me
    and the light around me to become night—
12 
    but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you.
13 
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 
You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.
17 
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
18 
I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me!

Prayer: Lord, please open our spiritual eyes and give us a deep conviction for the Truth, today. The Word reveals that your miraculous hand forms and develops human beings in the womb, and guides human life from the womb to the grave and beyond. Our lives are designed and directed by you as we listen and obey. Thank you for making us all so wonderfully complex. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s devotion picks up from yesterday’s sermon from Pastor Mary. If you were unable to worship with us, or as a reminder, Pastor Mary guided us through another portion of Truth from James in chapter 3, verse 13 through chapter 4, verse 7. Within this passage, James clearly defines the difference between living a faithful life versus living a faithless life. As believers, we should be growing in our faithful life which means growing to reveal more of God’s goodness.

So, how do we grow in God’s goodness?

Well, we humble ourselves as we put the Word of God into our hearts as a guide for our souls, and we do that each day, and we pray. Remember what Pastor Mary said yesterday about humility, it is birthed from the divine wisdom of God. While we are in our daily prayers, we need to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, asking Him to impart His humility and wisdom into every aspect of our daily lives. The Holy Spirit wants God’s wisdom to work through us so we are operating in God’s goodness of being pure, peace loving, gentle, and willing to yield to others all of the time.

As we continue with James today, be sure to focus on how he tells us to “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor” (v. 10). Also, look at how James gives us two additional warnings, or wake-up calls. If we are operating in the Spirit, there is absolutely NO room for us to judge others or for us to be boastful. Keep in mind the Hebrew word for humility that Pastor Mary shared with us yesterday, anavah, which means to occupy your God-given space in the world.

Friends, if we are occupying our God-given space within this world that means we are humbly walking out God’s plan for our lives with His wisdom and not speaking evil or being boastful. We need to think twice today before we allow the enemy any room to move within our hearts or souls and out through our mouths. We belong to Jesus, and we stand firmly against the work of the enemy, today, to try and stifle the work of the Holy Spirit in and through us.

James 4:8-17 (NLT)

8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Warning against Judging Others

11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. 12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

Warning about Self-Confidence

13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Prayer: Jesus, we are so grateful for the work of the Holy Spirit to move within each one of us. Help us to lay down ourselves today, to take on a spirit of humility, as You impart Your wisdom to us. Guide each one of us to be pure, peace loving, gentle, and willing to yield to others all day. We want to look more like You, so put a watch over our mouths and filter everything that comes into our soul realm touches our hearts to be in oneness with You, Jesus. We ask this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

I am a planner; however, no matter how organized my day begins, something unexpected seems to find its way onto my lap of experience. I can only see so much when making my plans, but God is not bound by this natural realm we live in; he sees and views things—past, present, and future—all at once. Think of all the stages and aspects of God’s long-term plan to reveal his existence to his human creation throughout the millenniums. It’s unfathomable; all planned before time began.

In our passage for today, we hear from the Apostle Paul and we are reminded once again about the mysterious scope and expanse of God’s view. God’s plan started long before his Voice was heard at the creation of the heavens and the earth, long before the documentation of humanity’s struggle in relationship with him due to sin, and long before the witnesses experienced the God-Man and Savior—Jesus—in the New Testament.

God knew human beings would sin against his righteous rule, knew they would choose to be their own god rather than bow to his authority, knew their choices would take them into captivity to evil, and knew he would have to bring judgment to gain humanity’s attention. Therefore, God’s plan always included a Rescuer—Himself—to be the blood sacrifice for the sins of the world. God chose a people group and nation to begin his rescue plan; he would be the God of the Jews.

The world was to watch how God took care of his chosen people; blessed and provided for them. God sent the Rescuer first to the Jews; yet, many of the Jews rejected Jesus at his first coming. Because of this rejection, God temporarily handed off the stewardship—of making him known to the world—to the gentiles or non-Jews.

When the Lord Jesus returns at his second coming, the Jews will recognize their Messiah and pick up the torch of God’s plan to make him known. God’s merciful plan has always involved the salvation of his people and he will fulfill his promises to Israel. God has mercifully fulfilled amazing promises for believers already. “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13-14). What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Romans 11:25-32 NLT God’s Mercy Is for Everyone
25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. 26 And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say,
“The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem,
    and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.
27 
And this is my covenant with them,
    that I will take away their sins.”

28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. 30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. 31 Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share [someday] in God’s mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the amazing plan you put into place to save your creation. Although we see in part, we praise you for seeing the whole. Help us, as believers, to continually place our faith in you as we pray for Israel. May every promise you made to them soon be fulfilled. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Because of where we find ourselves as a compromised and deceived nation [struggling to find and follow God’s standard of Truth], I spend a lot of time praying and seeking God for wisdom on how to bring loving and relevant spiritual guidance to the Lord’s people in my care. I have always held the conviction, by the Spirit, God’s plans for Israel and the United States are connected in divine righteousness; we share a vision to be a free society on the pathway to peace by honoring God’s standard and protecting the rights of our citizens.

In fact, history reveals the Jewish nation stood as an example upon which the early American colonists would build. The moral standard God provided Israel proved to produced a more civilized nation; manifesting God’s divine nature of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23 NLT). The righteous fruit of God’s character was produced in government leaders, released in policies, and revealed to individuals, as God was positioned before the people as the righteous Ruler.

This, of course, was always the plan and purpose of God for Israel; to be a righteous fruit-bearing example to other nations (Ex. 19:6). Keep in mind Israel was not more valuable to God than other nations, they were simply the ones chosen to be the model for the mission of God. The message was clear as nations listened: When God was leading the nation, the people would experience true freedom, as well as divine blessing. “The nation whose True God is the Eternal is truly blessed; fortunate are all whom He chooses to inherit His legacy (Ps. 33:12 VOICE).

However, human beings void of a dependent and devoted relationship with God, act upon the sinful attempts of evil to lure them from freedom into bondage. It happens one idolatrous and unrighteous choice against God’s standard at a time. In Scripture, we read about Israel’s struggle to remain devoted to righteous living in a sinful unbelieving world. Foolish choices cost Israel the blessing over and over again, but God still remained faithful to restore her as we saw in our reading from yesterday with the remnant enduring God’s judgment through the Assyrians (Isa. 10:20 NLT). Listen and learn.

In our Old Testament passage, today, Israel once again learns the consequences of compromise. God had position his daughter—the prophet Deborah—to bring guidance to Israel and for forty years they had experienced peace (Jdg. 5:31). However, the people chose to wander from God’s standard once again. In doing so, they lost control of their homeland; the Midianites [a nomadic tribe] were allowed and used by the Lord to oppress Israel for seven years in order to draw his people back to righteousness. Listen and learn.

The Midianites drained Israel’s resources and supplies. Because of Israel’s disobedience to God, they opened the door for the enemy to come in and rob them leaving the entire nation vulnerable to starvation and lack. Here’s some Good News…When the people finally unite and cry out—realizing and repenting from their sin against God—the Lord rescues them by bringing in Gideon [translates “warrior,” “destroyer,” “one who cuts down”] to walk Israel back to God, rid the land of invaders, and move the people out of their barrenness and back into blessing. God chose a very unlikely man, Gideon, and empowered him to become a hero of the faith in delivering Israel. Gideon told the people, “I will not rule over you…the Lord will rule over you” (Jdg. 8:23). Again, may we listen and learn from history.

As I started this post, I will continue and end with my prayers for this nation. This is our wakeup call. Our choices must be to follow the righteous standards of God. Government will not and cannot save us; government was created by God to lead people toward the righteous Ruler (Rom. 13:1 NLT). Oh, we might survive a bit longer with one human leader over another based on God’s will, but friends…Jesus is making us choose whom we will serve and be assured compromising with evil has temporal, as well as eternal consequences.

Judges 6:1-10 NLT Gideon Becomes Israel’s Judge
1 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. 2 The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. 3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel, 4 camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. 5 These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare. 6 So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.

7 When they cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8 the Lord sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt. 9 I rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who oppressed you. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land. 10 I told you, ‘I am the Lord your God. You must not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you now live.’ But you have not listened to me.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for reminding us about Israel and your plan for her and all nations. May we pray for Israel, America, and the world to recognize Jesus Messiah—the Rescuer of the human soul from sin, destruction, and death. There are so many ways to live that seem right in our human minds, but you are the only One who knows the righteous Truth; so we must follow your lead and rule without compromise. We bow before your authority and cry out for mercy. We repent and reach for grace and forgiveness. We pray for you to heal our lands and raise up leadership that will hold fast to your standard of justice; righteousness that leads to true freedom found only in the divine blessing. We praise you, Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

We begin this morning by pausing to recognize and praise the Lord who knows all things; only our self-existent God is Omniscient. I cannot imagine the weight of knowing all things, but it is remarkable to be able to know the One who does. I have to chuckle a bit when people act like know-it-alls; guess they will have a surprise one day when they actually meet the Omniscient One.

God is Truth and he is not hindered, concerned, or confused about who he is or the standard of righteousness he has set for his human creation. He is the Lord—the God of great mystery whom we can never fully understand with our natural minds, but also the God who is as close to us as our very breath. So, we can only imagine how God will one day respond to humanity’s desire and demand for self-autonomy; rather than bow to God’s Omnipotent—all powerful rule. Foolishness for sure!

In our passage today from the Prophet Isaiah, Assyria has been boasting over her military conquest and Israel’s exile. The Assyrians did not realize God was using them to judge Israel and Judah for their apostasy and rejection of God’s moral law. The King of Assyria’s victory over Israel was actually an act of God’s power not Assyrian power. It is unfortunate for the Assyrians, because all the boasting and gloating over their perceived power, was setting them up for a wrath-filled “humbling” from the Lord—God was going to terminate the Assyrian’s existence. Assyria faced God’s wrath first by the decimation of her leadership. Then, civil war finished off the nation.

Yet, hope was found in the remnant of Israel [God’s people] who never set aside their trust. Therefore, God grew that remnant and established his rule with them. There is a reward for remaining faithful to the Lord.

Believers must also be encouraged, because God sent the Righteous One to draw a remnant of people to himself; those willing to surrender to his rule. Christ’s followers are not in danger of God’s judgement, because we live for the King and his eternal Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. No matter what is going on in this world, remain faithful to God, because he has promised to be faithful to his own.

Isaiah 10:12-20 AMP
12 Therefore when the Lord has completed all His work [of chastisement and purification to be executed] on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, it shall be that He will inflict punishment on the fruit [the thoughts, words, and deeds] of the stout and arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the haughtiness of his pride.

13 For [the Assyrian king] has said, I have done it solely by the power of my own hand and wisdom, for I have insight and understanding. I have removed the boundaries of the peoples and have robbed their treasures; and like a bull I have brought down those who sat on thrones and the inhabitants.

14 And my hand has found like a nest the wealth of the people; and as one gathers eggs that are forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved its wing, or that opened its mouth or chirped.

15 Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him who wields it back and forth? As if a rod should wield those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift itself up as if it were not wood [but a man of God]!

16 Therefore will the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send leanness among [the Assyrian’s] fat ones; and instead of his glory or under it He will kindle a burning like the burning of fire.
17 And the Light of Israel shall become a fire and His Holy One a flame, and it will burn and devour [the Assyrian’s] thorns and briers in one day.

18 [The Lord] will consume the glory of the [Assyrian’s] forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body; and it shall be as when a sick man pines away or a standard-bearer faints.

19 And the remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child may make a list of them.

20 And it shall be in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more lean upon him who smote them, but will lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

Prayer: Lord thank you for using all things to bring about your plan and purpose for our salvation. We pray for humble leaders across the globe; those who will bow to your wise, powerful, and righteous rule. As believers, we pray for our hearts to remain faithful as we cling to your righteousness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.