Devotionals Archives

September 7, 2022September 6, 2022

Don’t Believe Their False Hope

¹⁶Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. ¹⁷They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’” ~ Jeremiah 23:16-17

Solomon states in Ecclesiastes 1:9 that there is nothing new under the sun. The more I read the Bible and compare it to the things I see and hear in the world today, the more I agree with him. During the time of Jeremiah, the prophets told the people who hated the Word of God and who refused to obey His commands that all would be well with them. In other words, they not only endorsed the sin of these people, but they convinced the people God did as well.

The leaders and shepherds of the Church today are no different. They shout arrogant statements to justify sin, such as, “My Jesus loves everybody.” And “You were born this way. God makes no mistakes.” And “Only God can judge.” And “I don’t need a Bible to have a relationship with God.” They tell their followers as well as the entire Church that we have no right to judge anyone. But I ask you unless you judge a tree by its fruit, how will you know if you are eating a lemon or an orange? We’ve corrupted not only the Church but the Word of God by which we aimlessly seek to defend and justify sin.

And just as the prophets of old brought vain hope, so do our shepherds and leaders today. Death has been warned from before Eve was even created. If you sin, then you will die. This isn’t a new radical belief. This is the Law of Nature established before Heaven and Earth were created on that first day. The idea of sin being who you are; therefore, you must accept it is a new radical belief resurfacing from ancient times. From the very first sin. For as the Serpent whispered into Eve’s ear, “You shall not die…” So did the Prophets say to the people, “You shall not die…” during the time of Jeremiah. And so have the leaders and shepherds of the Church shout and proclaim from the rooftops, “You shall not die..” But don’t believe their false hope. Don’t believe their lie. For sin doesn’t just lead to a physical death, but an everlasting spiritual one. A spiritual death that doesn’t cease nor ease, that only causes calamity and destruction upon its victim.

The straight and narrow path isn’t easy. It isn’t a relaxing walk. It’s a race. It’s an obstacle course that you run with all of your might, unable to stop in the middle lest you be disqualified, as you carry a cross and chase after the forerunner who has already completed the race. Jesus didn’t promise us an easy life. Nor did He promise us the world. Jesus promised us Eternal Life and rest if we follow Him. The world may look luring and inviting, but once you have the light to open your eyes in the darkness, the evil can no longer disguise itself as good. Cling to the Word of God and your relationship with Christ so that it might go well with you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Believe Their False Hope.

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Don’t Be Like Nazareth

¹ He went away from there and came to His hometown, and His disciples followed Him. ²And on the Sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to Him? How are such mighty works done by His hands? ³Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. ⁴And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” ⁵And He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶And He marveled because of their unbelief. ~ Mark 6:1–6

Jesus’ whole experience in His hometown can be summed up in one sentence, “They took offense at Him.” Maybe it was jealousy; maybe it was something else. Nevertheless, those hometown folks took offense and stepped into a period of spiritual darkness since they would not let the light of Jesus shine upon them. Their love had grown cold. Therefore, their faith had dwindled as well, leaving them without any kind of discernment that their Messiah and their Healer was standing before them. Because of their lack of unbelief, Jesus, in turn could do few miracles there. This isn’t a lack of the power of God.

This isn’t a lack of Jesus’ faith; this is the lack of faith people have in God, as well as the love that they have for their God. I was recently reading a Church’s website that stated that one of the codes that they live and work by, is by the code they have labeled: “We think inside the box.” This is given with the short explanation of “It’s about: Embracing Limitation” On the surface, this sounds good. It sounds like they are embracing a chapter out of Paul’s book on humility, but this isn’t humility. This is limiting God by embracing our limitations. But we must remember when we are weak, then we are strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). Therefore, we must embrace the strength of God, not the weakness of man. Our God isn’t limited; He doesn’t work in the realm of possibilities or maybes. God works and dwells in the realm of the impossible and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Therefore, don’t be like those in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth who refused to believe that Jesus was more than just your average carpenter. Jesus was, is, and always will be God made flesh. He was, is, and always will be the Light of the World, for He lives through us who are the light of the world. So, let your light shine before men that they may see your good works, and praise your Father in Heaven.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Be Like Nazareth.

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Run To Rest

⁸We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:8-18

Today we are awarded a day of rest for all of our hard work throughout the year. So, Happy Labor Day to all of you. Christ is famous for promising a similar reward for our hard work as Christians. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus promises that He will give rest to all that come to Him, but what most of us don’t realize is that Jesus isn’t talking about in this life. Both the author of the book of Hebrews and Paul refer to this life as a race that has been set before us.

In a race, there are no breaks. There are no rests. We have to run with endurance, as the author of the book of Hebrews puts it in Hebrews 12:1-3. But don’t be discouraged. We are promised that the LORD will renew us on wings of eagles, and we will run, yet we won’t grow weary (Isaiah 40:30-31). Paul says that even though his body may be getting older and starting to fail, his spirit was renewed each day (2 Corinthians 4:16).

We aren’t running a physical race but a spiritual race. And when we’ve finished the race set before us, the LORD Jesus Himself will give us rest. Our Labor Day may not be here on the earth physically yet, but it’s coming. One day we will receive a new body that will never grow weary again, and we will become imperishable. We will receive rest that will last longer than one day. We’ll receive an eternity of rest and peace as a reward for running the race set before us.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Run To Rest.

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Don’t Believe The Lie

¹⁷The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. ¹⁸The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. ¹⁹The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; ~ Psalms 34:17-19

Every 40 seconds, someone dies from suicide (World Health Organization statistic). Many of these are bible-believing Christians who couldn’t find hope in this world and thought it would be better if they were dead. So many believe that the only way they will ever find peace is if they take their own lives. As a Church, we have failed to address this and find a way to help those who struggle with anxiety, depression, and suicide. Suicide is a worldwide problem. There could be a number of reasons why someone commits suicide, but we believe they all stem from one root: self-hatred.

Self-hatred can be planted because of the loss of a job, leading to hopelessness or feeling useless or worthless. It can also be because of traumatic experiences, leaving one to feel worthless, disgusting, or all alone. Such as bullying, rape, sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental or emotional abuse, and much more life-altering events such as divorce, death of a loved one, and loss of a job that leave a person feeling as if suicide is the only way to find peace. But is that the truth?

I believe that the Scripture is plain in explaining that suicide doesn’t save the person from their pain, nor does ease that pain. Instead, it adds to it, for if our bodies are not our own, then how can we commit suicide and it be counted as anything other than murder? I don’t say that to discourage, hurt, or cause anyone pain. I say this in hopes that you may have hope, for there is no hope in believing a lie, but in believing the Truth, there is nothing but hope. God has promised that if His people turn from their sin and cry out to Him, then He will not only forgive their sins but comfort them and give them peace. God promises that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can withstand. And if Christ has overcome all, that has to include suicidal thoughts, depression, and anxiety.

Verses of Encouragement and Hope

Here are a few verses to quote when you are being mentally attacked by the spirit of suicide, depression, or anxiety, for you can overcome anything and everything through Jesus Christ. You can overcome. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Keep fighting.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. ¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. ¹⁹The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;
Psalms 34:17-19

¹³For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psalms 139:13-14

¹¹For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for [good] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹²Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. ¹³You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13

²⁶But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ²⁷Peace I [Jesus] leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:26-27

³³I [Jesus] have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

¹³ I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, ⁷casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
2 Peter 5:6-7

If you need immediate help, call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, for free, confidential help. Click here for a list of crisis centers around the world provided by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

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Accept His Ticket

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ~ John 3:16

John 3:16 is one of the most well-known and most beloved verses of all time. It plainly tells us that it is those who believe, meaning accept what Jesus did for them on Calvary, that will be saved. If you do not accept Jesus, you will perish. You cannot have it both ways. Either there is only one way, or there are several ways.

According to the creator of the entire universe, there is only one way to God. There is only one way to salvation. That’s Jesus. Why? Because Jesus is the only one that paid the price. Jesus is the only one that gave His life as a sacrifice. It’s only Jesus that took our sin upon Himself and overcame the entire world. To say that there are more ways would be to say that Jesus’ sacrifice wasn’t necessary and was, in fact, meaningless.

Jesus is the only way because He is the only one who took our sin upon Himself. Don’t take His sacrifice for granted. Don’t teach others to take His sacrifice for granted. None that takes Jesus’ sacrifice for granted will receive life. There’s no way to entire Heaven if you received to accept the ticket to enter.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Accept His Ticket.

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Let The Word Pierce Your Ears

⁷He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ ~ Revelation 2:7

In John’s vision, he saw Jesus in all of His glory, honor, power, and majesty. In this vision, Jesus spoke to seven angels of seven Churches. At the end of each letter to the seven Churches, Jesus said, ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.’ Jesus is saying, “If you hear my words, then allow them to pierce through your ears that you might listen to them.” Jesus didn’t leave us blind and without a guide. He sent His Spirit from the time of the early Church that they might record all that they saw and heard while following Christ so that we today might know of Him.

Unless we hear and listen to the Spirit as He speaks to us through the Scriptures or through another, we will perish. For faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ. Unless we seek the Truth, we won’t find it. God can try to reach us through the Bible, prophets, preachers, apostles, teachers, etc., all day, every day, but unless we open our ears to His words, His words cannot change us. If His words cannot change us, then they cannot save us. We then become like those who killed Stephen, for they closed their ears so that his words might not pierce their hearts, and they know the Truth.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Let The Word Pierce Your Ears.

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Seek The Truth

¹²Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” ¹³He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. ¹⁴Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” ~ Matthew 15:12–14

Jesus said there are blind guides leading the blind into a pit. What does that mean? There are teachers out there who don’t understand what they are teaching. In fact, they don’t understand that their teaching is inaccurate and erroneous. Jesus said that they, being blind, meaning they don’t fully understand the word of God or what they are teaching (although they think they do), will lead others who are like themselves into a pit.

It doesn’t sound like they will accidentally stumble into the Promise Land. It doesn’t sound like they will accidentally stumble into Heaven. No, they will fall into a pit. Why? Because every tree that our Father has not planted will be rooted up. Every tree that will not bear fruit will be uprooted. This is why we have to be careful with who we listen to. Listen is why we have to be like the Bereans and check what everyone says versus what the Word of God says. That’s why we have to ask questions until we have the Truth. Not our own truth or someone else’s truth, but the only Truth. God’s Truth. This is the only Truth that matters.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek The Truth.

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Lead Them Through The Dark

²For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3

According to Jesus, not everyone will be saved. In fact, Jesus says that some will not escape. But escape what? Escape the sudden destruction that is coming on all people who have rejected the LORD Jesus. That is why it’s so important that we tell everyone that the return of Christ is near. We should be either going or sending missionaries to places like China and the middle east so that they might be saved.

Those of us who have heard and accepted the Gospel are charged with the responsibility of bringing the Good News to a dead and dying world. Why? Because only those that can see can lead the blind into the sight of Christ. Only those that can hear can lead the deaf into the voice of Christ. Even Christ Himself tells us to share the Good News with others so that they might be saved. Christ is no longer here physically on earth. He spiritually lives in us and through us. Therefore, we are now the light in the darkness. We are now the ones that must lead others to Christ.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Lead Them Through The Dark.

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Mourn In Its Season

¹ For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: ²a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; ³a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

For everything, there is a season. Nothing happens randomly. Nothing happens out of its season and doesn’t fail. As humans, it’s easy to say that this is Truth, but it’s much harder to act like it is Truth. When we live out of the season that we have to be in, we begin to die inside. Sometimes, we completely refuse to live in the season we have to live in in order to get through our situation, and our spirit dies within us. And sometimes, depending on circumstances, we even die physically because of it.

So many of us struggle with grief because we either don’t want to face it or we don’t know how to face it. Because of this, the suicide rate goes up with each generation. Many of us don’t mourn because we’re afraid to. Many of us don’t laugh because we feel like we can’t because of our grief. It almost feels like we are stomping on the grave of a loved one if we move forward with our lives. It almost feels like if we laugh or enjoy life, we’re doing something wrong because they’re no longer with us. Mourning is necessary. Something both spiritually and physically is released and comforted when we go through our season of mourning. It isn’t easy to mourn, but always remember that it’s just for a season because after you have mourned, God will comfort you and fill you with joy. Many of us miss out on the joy of the LORD because we refuse to mourn. Don’t miss out on joy. Don’t miss out on dancing. Don’t miss out on living because you are in mourning.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Mourn In Its Season.

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Tell All

²⁰Then He began to denounce the cities where most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. ²¹“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²²But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” ~ Matthew 11:20–24

Many believe that Jesus saved everyone that He spoke to. That He had a 100% salvation rate, but Jesus had to call out entire cities because they saw the good works of Jesus but refused to repent. They refused to tell anyone else about the Good News of Christ. And that is exactly what is happening now in our time.

Instead of taking the Good News to those who have not heard, we keep the Gospel to ourselves, claiming, “Ah, they’ll be okay because a Good God doesn’t expect me to go and tell them the Good News, so He can’t hold them guilty for me not doing my Christian job.”

My question is, are you taking the Good News to everyone in the world? Why do you think Paul worked so hard at evangelizing the whole world? Because without it, people are doomed. So, the responsibility is on us to tell them, but lazy Christians refuse to go into all the world and preach the Good News. I don’t mean go into the most remote places of the world and become a missionary; not everyone is called to do that. I’m talking about those who don’t share the Good News with anyone. Especially those who claim that sharing the Good News is toxic and/or the problem with the Church today. Accepting and believing the Good News of Christ is the only way to Salvation. Unless we share that Good News, people won’t hear, and if they can’t hear, then they can’t believe.

We only have this one life to share the Gospel with as many people as possible. Don’t let someone else pay for you not taking the time to tell them about Christ. Don’t let the world convince you that Christ is offensive or politically incorrect when it’s only through Christ that we can be saved. For it’s only Christ that has overcome the world.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Tell All.

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Tag: Devotionals

Don’t Believe Their False Hope

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Don’t Be Like Nazareth

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Run To Rest

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