Devotionals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Romans 8:18-30 NLT

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

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

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

Intro: One word this morning for you to think about as you read: relationships—the state of being related by kindred, affinity, or other alliance. God cares so much about relationships he gave us 10 commands so we would take care of them. In fact, by God’s design, everything about redemption—price paid by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins—flows through the starting point of relationship.

We are to love God relationally—to connect with him personally as our Creator and Lord. To know him in this way is to have eternal life (Jo 3:16). Jesus brings us into a new relationship with God, so we can receive communication from his Spirit and choose to follow divine direction into a deeper measure of his love. Believers—those in right relationship with God through Christ—now have the honor and responsibility to be led by the Spirit. We can know we belong to God by the inward witness of the Holy Spirit (Ro 5:5).

Therefore, we are to love others relationally, because we identify as our Father’s children. Saying we know God, but do not treat our relationships with others—family, friends, work, church, other acquaintances—as an essential point of sharing God’s relational love is to completely miss the gospel. We choose to love through our relationships, because God first loved us in relationship (1 Jo 4:19). And remember, when the Kingdom comes up against God’s spiritual enemies, great pressure is the result. We will feel the spiritual pressure in ourselves and relationships. Therefore, we must pray for the Spirit to help us stay the course in commitment and Love. If you are feeling pressure in your relationships with others, just remember human flesh is at war with the Spirit (Gal 5:17). Pray and ask the Spirit to be your Helper and Guide; then, follow in obedience because Love never fails.

Romans 8:14-17 NLT
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for bringing your children into divine relationship with you, so we know how to handle ourselves and our relationships in the world. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us to represent you relationally to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: This weekend in the United States, we will celebrate Memorial Day—a time to honor and mourn our fallen [killed in battle] military heroes who fought for our freedom. To celebrate the holiday many will enjoy family gatherings, visit flag-dressed cemeteries, and attend parades. Many people will choose to wear red to remember the field of red poppies growing where so many soldiers died during WWI. A poem, In Flanders Field, written by Col. John McCrae tells of a wall of red poppies covering the wheat fields of war. Memorial Day (aka Decoration Day) is a true celebration of sacrificial love. Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). He should know because Jesus, the Son of God, not only said it; like our fallen heroes, he did it.

As well, many Christians will celebrate Pentecost this weekend—the descent of the Holy Spirit—third person of the Trinity—to help fallen [subject to sin] humanity to experience spiritual freedom from sin, as well as affirm the Church’s mission to represent Christ and his work of salvation in the world. To celebrate the holiday many will gather to share food; invite neighbors and even strangers to share in the harvest feast. Many will wear red to remember the joy and the fire of the Holy Spirit that descended upon the apostles (Acts 2:1-4). The Holy Spirit is the source of revelation, wisdom, and power and he has chosen to live in those who believe in the work of Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension. The Apostle Paul proclaims, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Cor 3:16).

In our passage today from the psalter, we are reminded about the nation God cares for and protects with the divine life of the Spirit. When God’s love and principles for living rule a nation, it flourishes. God’s presence, in that nation, serves as the protection for its people; let’s remember even military might is directed by God. May the leaders of this amazing country—the United States of America—remember who is ultimately in control and will be descending once again to re-establish the rule of his world.

Psalm 33:12-22 NLT
12
What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord,
    whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.
13 
The Lord looks down from heaven
    and sees the whole human race.
14 
From his throne he observes
    all who live on the earth.
15 
He made their hearts,
    so he understands everything they do.
16 
The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
    nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
17 
Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
    for all its strength, it cannot save you.
18 
But the Lord watches over those who fear him,
    those who rely on his unfailing love.
19 
He rescues them from death
    and keeps them alive in times of famine.
20 
We put our hope in the Lord.
    He is our help and our shield.
21 
In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name.
22 
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
    for our hope is in you alone.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the salvation and eternal life Jesus provides and for the work of the Holy Spirit to set us free from sin and death. We trust your love and care for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Our words can paint a picture for others of things we have seen and experienced. When I go on vacation, I take fewer pictures than most people; I journal notes and pick up brochures. I want others to experience more than just an image; I want to tell them about what I saw, the affect he had on my thoughts, and how the experience made me feel. For example, last year I took some pictures of Multnomah Falls in Oregan, but when I told people about my experience I took them through the sound of the falling water, the smell of the trees, the hike through the eleven switchbacks to the top that pushed me physically, and the awe inspiring view from the top of the Falls that reminded me of our amazing Creator.

Such is the case when Jesus—the Word of God—came from heaven. He had been there so he was trustworthy to explain to all those who would listen about the holy character, nature, and glory of the Father, the beauty of the angelic beings, the treasure stored there, the dwelling places he would prepare for his children, as well as the existence of God’s Kingdom filled with righteousness, peace and joy. A picture would never be able to communicate all that!

In our passage today, the apostle John wants us to remember the Spirit of God was upon Jesus; he moved with unlimited, love, power, and authority. Deliverance and salvation for those who would listen to him was made available. Jesus imparts God’s life—eternal life—to us and we can enjoy discovering all that Jesus saw and experienced of heaven. If we truly understand Jesus knows of what he speaks, we will run to him for guidance and obey his direction for our lives, while we look forward to our own actual experience of heaven.

John 3:31-36 NLT
31 “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. 32 He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! 33 Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. 34 For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. 36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for sharing what you know, so we can be prepared for the future with you. We have nothing to fear, because you always prepare us with lessons and verbal pictures. All glory to you, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: We live in the last days—the age of Grace for salvation. Humanity, as a whole, enjoys the goodness of God whether we are friends with Him or enemies. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike (Mat 5:45). God has chosen to love His human family and share divine goodness with them in ways that help them turn toward salvation in Christ. However, there is coming a day when the friends of God will be separated from His enemies; at which time the goodness God has been sharing with the whole world will turn to judgment against sin. Therefore, we must press into God’s love and serve him wholeheartedly, because there are many people who still need to meet the Savior we are to represent.

During this time of Grace, God is forming and raising up servant leaders—those who seek to follow Christ’s example in order to bring glory to God’s name. Every Christian is called and gifted to be a servant leader; it is essential for us to all pray and work together, as well as reach out as a diverse spiritual family in one accord to our community. Today is your opportunity to live for God and make a difference in eternity.

1 Peter 4:7-11 The VOICE
7 We are coming to the end of all things, so be serious and keep your wits about you in order to pray more forcefully. 8 Most of all, love each other steadily and unselfishly, because love makes up for many faults. 9 Show hospitality to each other without complaint. 10 Use whatever gift you’ve received for the good of one another so that you can show yourselves to be good stewards of God’s grace in all its varieties. 11 If you’re called upon to talk, speak as though God put the words in your mouth; if you’re called upon to serve others, serve as though you had the strength of God behind you. In these ways, God may be glorified in all you do through Jesus the Anointed, to whom belongs glory and power, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer: Lord, please give your children a passion for prayer and help us to get out of the church building and start living to increase God’s eternal family. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in The Cost of Discipleship, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him to come and die”. For a Christian, this quote should speak to the core of a person’s salvation and redemption. How when a person allows Jesus into their heart, and when they truly turn to Him through salvation, that person’s old life of habits and of sinful living need to die, because now that person is redeemed and should be choosing to live in the new life that Christ offers. Is living the new life in Christ easy? No, it takes obedience and focus on wanting to grow in a thriving relationship with Christ.

Prior to today’s passage, Peter ended chapter 3 with Suffering for Doing Good, we must “Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!” (3:17) Peter goes on in chapter 4 to help us see how we are now to be Living for God. He wants us to realize that Jesus changed and continuously is changing us from the inside out. The old person who we once were is no longer alive, because Jesus saved us from that wasted dead life that we once entertained.

Friends, we cannot go back to our dead living, we must stay the course with Jesus and live in the new life that only He can offer and we must focus on growing ever so close to Him each day.

1 Peter 4:1-6 (NLT)

Living for God

1 So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. 2 You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. 3 You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.

4 Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. 5 But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead. 6 That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for what You endured so that I might be forgiven and truly live. Help me, Lord, to keep living for You. Please use me to bring more people into Your Kingdom. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: In our passage for today, the Apostle Paul restates that all humanity begins life spiritually dead—governed by the devil—because of sin and disobedience to God. Therefore, a turning toward God in obedience for salvation—by grace through faith in Christ—is necessary. That is why the devil is busy trying to lure people to serve him through the pleasures of the flesh. The flesh is hostile to God (Ro 8:7). A person either chooses salvation in Christ [the One who takes humanity from death into life] or by default will serve the devil—“the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God” (Eph 2:2).

To be spared the judgment of God, we must connect to Christ and be united to his sinless life. In Christ, sin no longer has power over the believer. We can live with a new nature—a righteous One. But, let’s be real about the fact that as long as we live in these bodies of flesh we will feel like sinning; yet, to serve Christ we must deny the flesh that power. The Living Christ is the only One who can help us overcome our sinful nature. Aren’t you grateful for Jesus? Have a blessed weekend!

Ephesians 2:1-7 NLT Made Alive with Christ
1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the work of your grace and kindness by making every believer alive with Christ. May we wholeheartedly serve you today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Have you ever noticed that your mind can wander when you are reading something even if it is important? You can find yourself turning the pages, but you cannot remember the details of what you have read, because your mind was focused elsewhere. This is important to remember as we read and seek to comprehend the Word of God. We must stay focused on the Spirit’s work of making us in Christ’s image. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Tim 3:16). We need to approach the Word of God with prayer and expectation, because transformation will always be Christ’s goal for us.

In our passage today, even though the disciples had studied the Torah and the sacred writings, they did not truly comprehended the prophesied work of Messiah. The prophets wrote about his suffering for the forgiveness of sins in order to offer believers reconciliation with the Father, but when he chose to ascend back to heaven it baffled them. So, Jesus opens the disciple’s minds to receive the truth, promises to send the Holy Spirit to give them power, and then commissions them to go and preach that truth in his name.

As believers, if we are going to proclaim Christ’s message in his name, we must stay focused on Christ and how he wants to lead our lives. We are called to live the gospel message by honoring Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In this way, we become witnesses to the transformation Jesus alone can bring our lives. He is transforming you in his holiness, so stay the course and look for the blessings to follow.

Luke 24:44-53 NLT 44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations [all peoples], beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The Ascension
50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for opening our minds so we can comprehend your will and plan for our lives. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit who bears witness to the Truth when we read or hear the Word. Please bring righteous transformation and growth to our lives; we are dependent upon you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.