Tag: Devotionals

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Can You Discern The Times?

Luke 19:41-44 NIV
[41] As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it [42] and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. [43] The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. [44] They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

Towards the end of Jesus’ ministry He weeps or mourns for Jerusalem. He ended His thought with “because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” Jesus, the Word of God, gave prophecy after prophecy about His first coming. He gave signs and miracles to look for, yet His own people rejected Him. His own people missed their opportunity to worship God in the flesh, why? Because they didn’t know, nor could they recognize the time of His visitation.

Jesus is coming back. He’s coming for His people. He’s coming with signs and prophecies fulfilled just as He did the first time. This now begs a very important question: do you know the time of your visitation? Do you know the signs that proceed His coming? The prophecies that need to be fulfilled? Do you know when to look up for your redemption draweth nigh? Or will you be like the Israelites 2000 years ago and miss the second coming of Christ?

Casting Crowns has a song called “While You Were Sleeping.” The first verse starts with how Bethlehem had no room for the Messiah to be born in Him. The second verse then goes to how Jerusalem crucified Him. Then the third and final verse they asked America “will you be sleeping?” Will you be asleep and miss the second coming of Christ as Israel missed the first?

Jesus is coming back real soon. He’s coming in a time the majority will not be ready for. Not because He wants to catch people unaware but the world and the church alike are falling into a deeper and deeper sleep allowing for evil to run more and more rampant. The LORD God set a specific time for the coming of Jesus. The Father set a perfect time to rescue His people from the evil of this world. It’s up to us to get ready. To discern the times. So, I’ll ask you one more time, will you be like the Israelites of Jesus’ day or will you be ready for His return?

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His Justice

15 So people will be brought low and everyone humbled, the eyes of the arrogant humbled. 16 But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by His justice, and the holy God will be proved holy by His righteous acts. ~ Isaiah 5:15-16

God said that people will be brought low, but God will be exalted by His Justice. Now what exactly does that mean?

I believe the problem of understanding that is that we get the God of the Old Testament confused with the God of the New Testament. We believe Him to be two entirely different Gods. Or at least two entirely different personalities. But that is an incorrect belief and gross misinterpretation of Scripture. God said that He is the LORD God Almighty and He does not change.

So, the God of the O.T. is the same God of the N.T. He did not change His personality nor His ways. His laws are the same, for the soul that sinneth, it shall die. But every soul that accepts the sacrifice of Jesus Christ will live.
We have life because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Be blessed in the LORD.

Father, help me to always remember and put my faith in Your Son, Jesus of Nazareth. And it’s in His mighty Name that I pray, amen.

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Find True Joy

Psalms 16:11 NIV

[11] You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

I started selling on a new site and I’ve been pretty successful on it, so far. My first weekend I had 17 or so packages to go out. Now, this is the most packages I’ve ever had to send out at once. It was pretty cool. The mail lady was like “Wait. What?” Made me feel pretty proud of myself. But I never had that many again. The next pick up was only 5. The mail lady noticed and said something along the lines of “Huh… thought it’d be more…” Now I’ve noticed a bit of a look when I bring out my packages and it started to get to me.

See, that first weekend had a lot of packages but there wasn’t as many sales as the smaller packages. Those items were too large to pack together so they each needed individual boxes. I didn’t even make money on those several large boxes of items I lost money on them. But because it looked good on the outside it seemed like I was going backwards. But it was quite the opposite.

I ended up selling out of all of my inventory in just 5 days. The items were small so several items could fit in one box. My box count went down but my sales and profits both skyrocketed. The crazy part is that the subtle looks that I was getting actually started to discourage me. Then it hit me. My pride was hurt.

I was getting a good amount of sales both online and local pickups, but because the box count went down I was feeling defeated.

When we focus on what boosts our pride instead of how much we’ve been blessed by God, we begin to lose our joy. The LORD is our source of joy not random encounters with strangers, not how much we make, not how well we’re doing financially. God is our one and only source of joy. The moment we allow anything but God to be our source of joy is the moment we lose joy all together and trade it in for happiness.

Happiness is based on our emotions, feelings, surroundings, environment, other people, but joy that is based on the LORD. That isn’t shaken when it’s rooted in Him. That isn’t shaken when we build on the Rock.

When little things that are truly insignificant in the grand scheme of things bring you down, ask yourself “in whom or in what do I find my joy?”

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Find True Joy.

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Go Through The Word

1 Samuel 3:7 NIV
[7] Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

It says, Samuel did not yet know the LORD because the Word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. Did you catch that? In order to get to the LORD, you have to first receive the Word. The Word of the LORD was, is, and always will be Jesus (John 1). Even in the Old Testament before the new covenant the Son was the gateway to the LORD God. The Son was the gateway to the Trinity.

Jesus doesn’t just say He is the door for no reason. He doesn’t just claim to be the way to the Father just to do it. Jesus, the Word, has, is, and always will be the only path to eternal life. It’s the Word that changes us and therefore, it’s the Word that ushers us into the presence of the LORD. It’s what gives us an audience with God Almighty.

If you’re struggling to feel the presence of the LORD or see Him affect and change your life, start in His Word. Get to know who He is and what He has for you. Get to know His likes and dislikes. His characteristics. Get to know Him, just as you get to know a new friend, and watch your life change.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Go Through The Word.

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Fight To Be Humble

Luke 18:9-14 NIV

[9] To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: [10] “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ [13]  “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ [14]  “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

A proud heart won’t pray sincerely. But the poor in spirit pray like the tax collector in Luke 18:13: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” That man, Jesus said, went home justified. Why? Because humility always gets heaven’s attention.

God always elevates the humble, but he humbles the proud. When God elevates us, it isn’t always physically in front of others so that they can see. Sometimes it’s spiritually. Sometimes it’s not in this life. God however, is always faithful. God doesn’t forget us.

Therefore, don’t think more of yourself than you ought. Never think yourself better than others. In this world pride will try to keep us from what God has in store for us, but if we remain humble, completely and entirely submitting ourselves to Him, then He is faithful to reward us with greater things than we could ever hope or imagine.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Fight To Be Humble. 

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Live Humbly

Matthew 5:3 NIV

[3]  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus made the kingdom of heaven is accessible now through faith in Him as the ultimate sacrifice (1 Corinthians 5:7-8), and then will be fully realized when He returns to make all things new.

Therefore, we don’t have to wait for the physical manifestation of God’s kingdom of heaven to enjoy its royal decrees and privileges, such as:

  • No weapon formed against us will prosper, and we will refute every tongue that accuses us (Isaiah 54:17)
  • By His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24)
  • He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deut. 31:6; Heb 13:5)
  • We will renew our strength and we soar on eagles’ wings (Isaiah 40:31)

But here is the thing, Jesus only promises this kingdom to the “poor in spirit”—those who humbly acknowledge their need for God’s grace by fully submitting to His authority, as I described with the Greek term ptōchos meaning to bow down timidly and the Hebrew concept of “afflicting” one’s soul (ʿānâ with ně·p̄ěš) (Leviticus 16:29-30).

Matthew 5:3 is a promise to those who live humbly, seeking God’s forgiveness, as foreshadowed in the Day of Atonement when the high priest made atonement for Israel’s sins.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Live Humbly.

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Follow His Voice

John 10:4-5 ESV
[4] When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. [5] A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

I always knew this verse, but never really understood how it was possible. Jesus tells us that His sheep know His voice and will not follow a stranger but will flee from a stranger. I never really understood until the other day, and then it clicked in my head. My mom was upstairs calling my dog, who was downstairs. She called and called and called, but my dog refused to come, so I got up, walked to where my mom was and called my dog. I immediately heard footsteps and saw her fluffy tail bouncing up the stairs.

A little while later my dad and I were talking about the situation, and he told me that when she heard her name called she would stop listen then keep walking. She did that until she heard my voice. Then she stopped immediately, turned around, and ran up the stairs.

See, even though my dog knows my mom’s voice, because she isn’t her leader (if you will) she refused to listen. She just kept going. Now, when she’s in the mood to listen (she’s a husky… need I say more…) she’ll listen to my mom, but when she’s not in the mood to listen or she doesn’t feel like obeying she’ll ignore anyone who isn’t me. Why? Because I’m her leader.

When we half-heartedly follow Jesus, when He calls to us our flesh will take over and we’ll keep doing whatever it is we want. Our spiritman that keeps us in check will be overpowered by the flesh and we won’t follow His instruction. But when we wholeheartedly follow Christ, we feel every tug, hear every whisper, and see every sign. We follow the path set before us.

Our relationship with God is determined by how much time we spend with Him. Do you spend time in prayer? Fasting? Worship? Reading and studying your Bible? Do you spend time with the LORD? The first thing my dog hears in the morning is my voice. The last thing she hears at night is my voice. Can you say the same about God? Do you make sure He’s the first and last of your day?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Follow His Voice.

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Live Poor In Spirit

Matthew 5:3 NIV

[3]  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus promised the Kingdom of Heaven to the poor in Spirit. How does one become poor in spirit? By praying, fasting, and seeking God’s kingdom with a heart that’s fully surrendered—referred to as “crucifying” selfish desires, as Paul says in Galatians 5:24—those who are “poor in spirit” are promised a life connected to God now and forever.

This means living daily with the humility to admit our need for Jesus, who died and rose again to forgive our sins, and trusting Him as our LORD and Savior.

Those who live this way, seeking God’s kingdom with a sincere and repentant heart, receive the promise of the “kingdom of heaven,” a life filled with God’s presence now, along with all the privileges that it comes with, as well as the hope of eternity with Him in a perfect, future world.

Peace.  Love. Go Forth and Live Poor In Spirit. 

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Show Your Thankfulness

Romans 5:8 (ESV)

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

There is nothing that we can do to cause God to love us more. He loved us so very much that He gave His only begotten Son as a sacrifice so that we might be saved.

As Charles Finney taught, God’s love and grace are gifts that are not earned, but they demand a response of faith and obedience, aligning with the humility of being “poor in spirit” and Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17-19).

Therefore, show God how grateful and thankful you are for His love, mercy, and grace by honoring Him with your actions. By loving by the law of Christ: loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and loving your neighbor as yourself.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Show Your Thankfulness.

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Beware The Easy Path

Matthew 7:13-14 NIV

[13]  “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. [14] But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

I recently went back and watched the Land Before Time movie series for the first time in over 20 years. It had been so long, it was like I was watching it for the first time. And as I watched I realized that the teachings of the Bible will always be seen in everything, whether we want them or not. For instance, these kids got separated from their parents and had to make a long journey by themselves to the meeting place.

So, as they’re going along they reach a split in the journey, if you will. One tells them they have to go one way the other says to go another way. Why the disagreement? Because the one leading was taking them through a path the rest deemed too difficult when there was a perfectly good easy path next to it. Why did he choose that path? Because that was the way his mother had told him to go.

So, what happens? They split from the leader and follow another one down the easy path. The issue? It leads them to tar. To lava. To unforeseen dangers. The path the leader was taking them was rougher. It would take more work and effort but it was the safest way. It was the most reliable. The best way to go.

The life God has called us to isn’t an easy one. It’s a rough one. It’s one of denying our flesh. Picking up our cross and carrying it. It’s one of rejection from the world. Sometimes, it’s even lonely. But it’s the only path to Christ. It’s the only path to salvation. No it Isn’t easy, but won’t lead you to destruction.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Beware The Easy Path.

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