Devotionals Archives

April 6, 2022April 6, 2022

Fight For Your Harvest

³⁶And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.” ³⁷Then Reuben said to his father, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” ³⁸But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.” ~ Genesis 42:36–38

Jacob felt like everything was against him, but in fact, God was for him and was working it all out in his favor. His harvest was near. It was so close that he could almost reach out and touch it. Still, Jacob felt like everything was against him. He felt like he couldn’t win for losing. But the truth of the matter was that God was working it all out, even if he couldn’t see it then. He would see his favorite son Joseph again. The same son he had presumed dead for all of those years.

And that is how it is with us sometimes. Maybe you might feel like that.

Maybe you might feel like every time your ship is on the horizon, the fog swoops in, and you lose sight of it? If that is indeed you, don’t turn and walk away. Or maybe your ship is in the harbor, but a storm is brewing and won’t allow your ship to dock? Let me encourage you, don’t give up. Maybe you are under a spiritual attack? Don’t stop praying. Maybe the enemy is attacking you because it is YOUR harvest time. This is the time for you to put on your armor and go to spiritual war and take that which belongs to you.

Those dreams you’ve dreamed for so long are finally here, and it’s time for you to fight. Don’t give up; Pray up. Seek and cry out to Almighty God. He is your refuge. He will never let you sink. Ask, and you will be given; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened.

Prepare for the Spiritual Warfare that is ahead of you. Remember that every time harvest time was near for the people of Israel, the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the people of the East would come up against them and steal their harvest. And as a reminder, you are no different. God doesn’t love you any more or any less than they. He is a God of love and will deliver you out of every situation.

Keep praying. Keep fighting. If you hold on to God, He will hold on to you and bring you through this time of spiritual attack. He will take you to the other side, and you will reap your harvest.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Fight For Your Harvest.

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Refocus

³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ~ John 8:36^ESV

As Christians, we often declare this statement, ‘Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed.’ We put it in our songs, use it when we’re witnessing, we even put it on our t-shirts and on the back of our cars, but do we really believe it? Jesus asked the question, ‘when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?’ (Luke 18:8) When Jesus was in Nazareth, He could do few miracles because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:58). The Church today looks just like the World. We have the same divorce rate as the World. We have just as much sin as the World. Whole denominations are splitting over sins that were settled as sin from the days of Moses. So then, how can we say we are free?

Faith is a concept that is ever-fleeting in the Church. We don’t believe in miracles anymore. We don’t believe in the supernatural anymore. We no longer even believe that the Bible is without flaw. Our faith is under attack. Daniel, a man that was not the Temple of God with the very Spirit of God dwelling in him, was so righteous that those who wanted him dead knew they couldn’t bring an accusation of evil about him because no one would believe them. We have the Spirit of God dwelling inside of us, yet every little thing trips us up. We no longer have the character of a Saint. Saying that you’re a Christian no longer has any weight to it. Why? The lack of faith.

We can say we believe as much as we want, but how can we believe in someone we know nothing about? We no longer read our Bibles or spend time with God. We no longer seek Him hold heartedly. We know more about Hollywood or deemed conspiracy theories than we do about our own God. Our focus is no longer on God; therefore, our faith has strayed from Him as well.

Our time on this earth is coming to an end. Jesus’ return is soon at hand. The things that seem important now won’t in eternity. Paul referred to the persecution he faced as light affliction compared to what was in store for him. He had his focus on the eternal, so his faith was strong. If we want to start looking like the Church again, our faith needs to return to God. The only way to do that is to change our focus from earthly things to eternal things.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Refocus.

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Let Go of The Past

¹ For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. ² Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? ³ But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. ⁴ For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ~ Hebrews 10:1-4^ESV

In Christ, there should no longer be a reminder of sin. Not that you forget your past sins completely, for Jesus told Peter that when you fall, get back up and strengthen your brother. How could Peter strengthen his brother, who’s struggling, if he doesn’t even remember that he once sinned? No, instead, this verse is saying that in Christ, there is no more condemnation.

Our sins have been forgiven and have been thrown into the sea of forgetfulness. They’ve been blotted out of the books and removed from the mind of God. We’ve been forgiven. There’s no more need for shame and regret in Christ because that’s no longer who you are. You are a new creation in Christ Jesus. You are a whole new person. You’re now being hand-molded by the creator Himself. You’re being transformed by the Spirit of God. You’ve been redeemed, so live as the redeemed. Think as the redeemed. Believe that you are redeemed.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Let Go of The Past.

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How Do You See Him?

¹⁸ Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love. ~ Micah 7:18^ESV

There are those who look at the Bible and say that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament can’t be the same God. They say the God of the Old Testament is a God of blood and war, while the God of the New Testament is a God of peace and love. But they look with veiled eyes. From before man ever sinned, God formed a plan for our redemption. Before the earth was formed and the heavens were stretched out, God was prepared to die for His creation.

There was a time before the Law when evil reigned freely; then, out of His mercy, God gave us the Law. The Law was a shadow of the good things to come, but He knew that the World wasn’t ready for those good things yet, so He only gave us a glimpse. Then 2000 years ago, at the perfect time, God got off of His Throne, set aside His Godliness, and took the form of a man to save the very people that were going to kill Him. God didn’t change; humanity did. We became more and more evil. We ran farther and farther away from Him. We dove deeper and deeper into darkness until our hearts grew so hard that God couldn’t even reach us.

God’s love for us is unlike anything we can ever understand or comprehend. When we look at God, we look at Him how we want to look at Him. Some see Him as an evil, malevolent dictator. Others as a white-bearded old man in the sky. Others see Him as a fairy tale for children. We’re blinded by our own perceptions and biases of who God is.

God is love. That doesn’t mean He won’t bring judgment or punishment. It means that He will do everything He can to redeem you from punishment, except take away your free will to accept it. If you want to know who God truly is, it all starts with seeking Him. Those who seek Him will find Him when they seek Him with all of their heart.

LORD God, please forgive me for looking at You through tainted eyes. Please erase the false narrative I have created for You and replace it with who You are. Show me Your love that I might in return love You, for we don’t love first, but we love because You first loved us. Help me to love You the way You deserve. Please guide me as I run the race You have set before me. Please help me to live my life for You so that others may see You in me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Forgive Yourself

¹⁴ For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, ¹⁵ but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. ~ Matthew 6:14-15^ESV

Sometimes it’s easy to say that this only has one meaning, forgive all people who have done you wrong. But what if that’s not the only purpose of this verse? When we sin, we are hurting ourselves. In fact, Paul even said in his letter to the Corinthians that the sin of sexual immorality is a sin against one’s own body.

Here’s what I’m getting at, if you can’t forgive yourself, how can God forgive you? There’re things in our past that we feel are too horrible for God to forgive. Sometimes we completely run the other direction away from God because we don’t feel good enough to be forgiven. Sometimes we come to God, but we don’t give Him everything, and the past just eats us up inside. According to Jesus, both of these lead to the same place. When we can’t forgive ourselves, we are now, in a sense, rejecting God’s forgiveness because we are now saying we know better than God. We’re saying that His blood can’t wash us clean. We’re saying He’s not all-powerful. We’re saying He’s not enough for us. We don’t mean to say these things but refusing to forgive ourselves is just that. It’s putting your past regrets above God’s love.

No one’s too dirty to be cleaned. No one’s too wretched to receive grace. And no one’s too wicked to be forgiven. God Almighty formed you in your mother’s womb. He knows everything about you, including the number of hairs on your head. He has a great plan for your life. Don’t let your past regrets keep you from the future He has planned for you.

Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for not forgiving myself. Please lift this heavy burden of shame and regret from my shoulders. Please show me who you see when you look at me. Show me who I am in You. Help me to not just know Scriptures of redemption and love but help me to believe them and put them into action. Help me to see and live in Your good and perfect will. In the name of Jesus, I pray, amen.

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Bake The Cake

¹⁴For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’ ~ 1 Kings 17:14

As Elijah the Tishbite was walking through the gate of Zarephath, he saw a widow gathering sticks to go back home and cook her last meal; the famine was that severe. In fact, the famine was so severe that she believed that after cooking and eating the handful of flour that she had, she and her son would lie down and die from starvation. There was no hope.

There was absolutely nothing left for her and her son to eat.

All that the widow had left was a hand full of flour, a little oil, and a little water, nothing else. But Elijah said, make something for me first, and this is what will happen. You will have enough to eat for the rest of the famine.

This was a bold request, backed by an even bolder promise. It might not seem like much, but when you consider that Elijah was asking for her to be all in, I mean there would be nothing left to go around if she complied with the request, then you would understand that it was a great leap of faith on the part of the widow.

It was a matter of trust. She had to have faith in both Elijah, the servant of the LORD -the God of Israel- that he was telling the truth, and the LORD God Himself to do as He said He would do.

It was so much faith coupled with so much obedience that Jesus used her as an example of faith. Faith isn’t something that we’re born with. It’s not natural for us. It’s something we have to plant and grow. Spending time in the Word and in prayer is like watering that seed of faith and giving it sunlight. Sometimes planting that seed of faith is going to take giving up what you feel is your last hope so that God can show you that there is no such thing as hopeless with Him.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Bake The Cake.

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As The Mountains

² As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, from this time forth and forevermore. ~ Psalm 125:2^ESV

The psalmist wrote, “As the mountains surround Jerusalem.” Mountains represent protection. Mountains will break up and weaken the storms. They are protection from bandits and the enemy. Mountains can be used as a lookout as well as a place to encounter the presence of God.

This is a promise from God Himself to us. The Scripture did not say the LORD surrounds the Israelites. It said the LORD surrounds His people. If you are a child of God, this is your promise. If you consider yourself one of His people, reach out and lay hold of this promise.

All of God’s promises are yea and amen. Not one of His good promises has ever failed, nor will any ever fail. God does not say yes now and no later. This is good news. The LORD promises to be a shield and a protection to you and your family. He will give you insight and guard your way. He will rebuke the devourer on your behalf. If you’re going through a storm in your life, He will either break it up and bring you a calm and peace, or He will shield you and protect you as you go through the storm. Be encouraged and rejoice; God is for you.

Father, thank You for Your great mercy. For Your protection and for calming the storm on my behalf. Open my eyes that I might see Your grace, mercy, and protection each day of my life. Show me how to live and dwell in your perfect peace. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Look At The Big Picture

¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ~ Ephesians 6:12

Did you see that? Paul said we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. He did not say we do not wrestle, period. But instead, he said we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.

He wrote that by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And the way it is written, it expects us to be in the wrestling match. So, he is giving direction on who it is that we are to be wrestling against so that we are not wrestling any and everyone.

- It is not the driver that just cut us off that we are wrestling against
- It is not our boss who is a tyrant
- It is not even the world leaders who are blindly led by an unseen hand to impoverish the world and subjugate every man, woman, and child upon the earth.

It’s the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places that we wrestle and war against. We aren’t in a physical fistfight. We’re in a spiritual struggle for our very souls, and the souls of our loved ones, as well as the souls of those around us. So, whether you’re wrestling or not, you are in the ring, and if you do not fight back, you will be pinned, and your harvest will be taken.

You will be left to wonder why you are never ever able to collect a harvest. And you will not be able to realize what’s going on. So, when you’re discouraged or angry at the situation you are currently in, take a step back and look at the big picture. We’re in a spiritual battle for our soul, Jesus may have overcome the world, but the battle isn’t over yet. It’s now our turn to overcome and fight for our souls and the souls of our loved ones.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Look At The Big Picture.

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Thankful For Every Gift

¹⁵Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; ¹⁶and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? ¹⁸Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹And He said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” ~ Luke 17:15-19

Jesus had just healed ten lepers, yet when one returned to Jesus and thanked Him, Jesus told him his faith made him well. Keep in mind the man was already healed, so what healing was Jesus talking about? If we go to the original Greek, we get the word SOZO, which means delivered in every way. The man wasn’t just physically healed; he was emotionally, spiritually, psychologically healed. He wasn’t a Jew, yet because he saw the miracle he received, he went back and thanked Jesus, and he received even more than before.

Sometimes, when we have been in Church for a long time, we forget to be thankful for the little miracles. We forget to take time out for God just to thank Him for all that He’s done for us. We become like the nine Jewish lepers, becoming almost entitled. We forget that God has saved each of us from the same filth. We didn’t deserve it. We weren’t entitled to it. We did nothing to earn it. It was a gift of grace from God, and each and every day is a gift. When we forget to thank God for the little things, we miss out on experiencing the big gifts of God.

LORD God, please forgive me for overlooking Your great unfailing grace and love that I don’t deserve. Thank you for each and every gift, blessing, and miracle that I’ve received, known and unknown. Thank you for keeping me safe each night and waking me up each morning. Thank you for giving me life, and please help me to run the race set before me that I might enjoy eternal life with You one day. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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But of Love

¹⁸There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. ~ 1 John 4:18

We were never created for fear nor in fear. Fear entered the world the moment Adam sinned. We were created in love and for love. Love is our greatest weapon against fear because when we understand the love of God, we understand that we have nothing to fear. So then why is it so hard to not be afraid? Because the enemy knows that if he can get us to be afraid, we stop having faith. And if we stop having faith, then we aren’t dwelling in God’s love. And if we aren’t dwelling in God’s love, then we aren’t saved.

So how do we combat fear? We read our Bibles daily and memorize Scripture so that when we are afraid, we can quote our Scripture. When we pray, we specifically pray about fear and, dare I say, cast out the spirit of fear. For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

LORD God, please strengthen my faith as I read Your Word. Strengthen me in Your love that I might better know who You are. Rebuke the spirit of fear on my behalf in the name of Jesus and set up an impenetrable hedge of protection around me as You once did for Job. Fill my spirit with Your love, power, and sound discernment as You intended me to be. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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