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Hands and Feet

09 Dec

Hands and Feet

Matthew 18:11-13   For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

“Well, I am gonna just sit right here. I am comfortable, and that might cause me to be uncomfortable.” That statement could apply in many contexts to many different situations in our lives. Think of how many times you have not made a move because a move will always involve change. We can tend to get content; we fear change; we get lazy. To step out into the unknown is where faith is. Hebrews 11:Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We can seem to justify by many, and any, means the reasoning behind remaining idle. Satan provides the excuses for sitting still, for that keeps us from experiencing Christ in those situations.

This morning in my prayer time I had the words “hands and feet” on my mind. We are to be the hands and feet of Christ in the motion of going out and spreading the Gospel. We are not to remain idle, or to simply serve ourselves, but to share with those that Christ puts before us. Do you think it is a coincidence that God has put that person before you; and that you are feeling that tug to share? This is a time when you deny yourself and your fear; you step out in faith to share your faith. Hebrews 13:16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. The acts of sharing your faith is the acts that please God. The idleness and denial of sharing your faith pains the Holy Spirit living inside of you. Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Idleness is a sin, in fact a great sin to be honest. When the Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation from the visions he experienced; idleness is directly addressed in a terrifying scripture. Revelation 3:15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. This scripture should terrify you. You cannot sit in the comfort of your religion in a pew on Sunday. You cannot grieve the Holy Spirit and not share your faith. You cannot remain idle and not live out your faith; you must let your faith in Christ take you where you would not go on your own. Be the hands and feet of Jesus, and live out your faith in Him.

 
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Posted by on December 9, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Focus on today

26 Nov

Focus on today

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Most of the time my anxieties center around the pressures of life; the worries of tomorrow. I can seem to handle the stresses of the day, but it may be the worry of the stress of tomorrow that get to me. If it is mostly about tomorrow, then it is fully out of my control. I am not guaranteed tomorrow, so why should I waste today worrying about what I cannot control? This were Satan has his victory in these battles; he robs us of our joy of today. Matthew 6:25-34 speaks directly to these types of anxiety. 25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

How many todays are lost in the worry of tomorrows? God places you in a circle of influence; a setting for you to have possible joy for they day. He may place someone before you that needs to hear of Him; that needs that encouraging word that you can give them of your faith in Christ. That person that may be able to relate to your testimony, they may be walking directly in the struggles you have faced with the strength now in Christ; you can now share that with them. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Everything we face today we now face with Christ. We must continually seek Christ to tap into this strength; we cannot rely upon our own.

I am trying really hard to seek God for help in this area of my life right now. I have come to describe my anxiety/depression as the Apostle Paul did as, “ my thorn in the flesh”.  Paul pled for God to take it from him, but God let it stay to keep Paul humble, and to keep Paul’s eyes on God. 2 Corinthians 10:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. When you are in the middle of worry, get into the center of it with the strength of God.

 
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Posted by on November 26, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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It ain’t that bad

04 Nov

It ain’t that bad

Acts 9:16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

This week, last night, this morning, God is opening my eyes through my heart. It has been a tough week of closed doors and realizations. It has been a time in my life I am seeing those around me hurting. Last night in study I came to this scripture above, and the textbook listed Paul’s testimony of these sufferings for Christ. The list humbled me. I have not yet suffered for Christ; I have barely become uncomfortable. This morning in prayer that realization was even more clearly put to me. In all my trials I still have all the necessities and more luxuries than I will ever need. The luxury list has been shrinking, and with it has come a cleansing feeling of the removal of “stuff” that does not truly matter.

Saul had been persecuting Christians even unto death before his Damascus road experience. Christ had come to him in a literal blinding light; Saul could not see but knew he had seen Christ and spoken to Him. Saul had been led to town where he waited for Ananias to come as a messenger of the Lord to restore his sight. That blindness for three days was the beginning of sufferings for the soon to be renamed the great Apostle Paul. The rest of Paul’s life was solely focused on preaching Christ alone. 1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The once great Saul; a great educated, wise man in all the laws of the church; had been humbled by Christ on that road. Saul had realized how small he was, and how great Christ is.

Paul’s life changed at the moment his suffering began. Paul went from being a great leader; resting on his wisdom and the power granted to him; to a person focused on the power of Christ alone. He knew his every day rested in Christ’s hands. It humbled him in this realization and he focused his ministry on Christ’s power alone. 1 Corinthians 2:3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. When we suffer as children of God, there may be an underlying purpose behind it; to point us to God. In all these trials of life, may we move to becoming focused on God; on the reward of eternity with Him. To hear what we should all strive to hear upon meeting Him. Matthew 25:21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

 
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Posted by on November 4, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Discipline

17 Oct

Discipline

Hebrews 12:9-10  Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.

As a parent it pains me when I see my words of discipline move my boys to tears. They are both strong willed like their parents, and many times it takes a strong tone to grab their attention to understanding they are wrong. “Yelling” might be the best term that it elevates to sometimes. Typically I am the one who feels the worst, and an apology and explanation of the discipline are given. That is where the true lessons are learned. I thank God for the early work He did in me on my temper from early in my walk with Him. I would not have wanted to carry that rage the world brings, as a dad, without the peace as a child of God I have now.

We all have heard, and most likely have all felt like God was punishing us at times. We may have known exactly what it was for, as it came on the heels of sin. We may wonder why we are enduring extended correction, and we may have lost what He pressed on us was wrong earlier. Was the sin so deeply hidden, that denial has taken place? Was the sin of the past ever confessed? Was there a plea and acceptance of forgiveness? If God keeps stirring in your heart that sin, take it before God. That conviction of sin is an assurance of Salvation. That inner pain that you feel is a discipline of itself. 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. If you can knowingly sin and not feel the weight of that sin press down on you; you have a much bigger problem of eternal consequence at hand.

We all sin. We all were born into sin as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden. Yes, you ultimately lie in their genealogy, and as their descendants live in the consequence of their action. God will punish you for your sin as your father for your time here. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” All these corrections are to mold us into the image of His Son, and to draw us near to Him. Just as we discipline our children to show them the err of their ways; and to help them avoid the pain in the future. If you question God’s discipline, go before Him in prayer for clarity, confession, and forgiveness of your sin He brings before you.

 
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Posted by on October 17, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Everything

07 Oct

Everything

John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

This morning as I sat down my mind was blank. I don’t mean I did not have a topic I felt led to write about, I mean my mind was BLANK. Not overloaded with the pressures of the day; it just felt like it had not awoken yet. As I stumbled through a prayer, I closed with AM….not Amen…I laughed. I many times do word searches on the computer so I researched nothing; which came up 280 times in the Bible, 119 in the New Testament. Narrowing it down by adding the word without brought up John 15:5; a verse I know well; my mind awakened.

I shared my part of my testimony yesterday and how the backbone of it is rooted in pride. A typical male, independent, strong physically and mentally; I had the mindset of I can do anything I put my mind to. God decided to take out His hammer and take a few blows at my pride. He took a swing at my business, and then at my physical strength. Both were hard hits and both took me to my knees. On my knees I began to look up, and to draw in to Him. There is nothing in your life that has not either been given to, or allowed by God. Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. Your life is filtered through God’s Sovereignty.

A quote we have all heard this presidential race is the one of “you did not build that”. When we begin to understand our lives are filtered through God’s hands, there comes a peace to life. If He is truly in control, why are we to worry? Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? All the daily struggles in life, all the big struggles in life, can be God trying to get your attention. It can be Satan trying to draw your attention away from God. Read the book of Job. It will shed a new light on the struggles you face. Every day is an opportunity in whatever you face to draw closer to God. Your nothing, can become your everything, when you seek Him in all.

 
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Posted by on October 7, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Jehovah – Jireh – The Lord will provide

05 Oct

Jehovah – Jireh – The Lord will provide

Genesis 22:11-14   11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of The Lord it shall be provided.”

Yesterday was an absolutely incredible day as a child of God. I saw God directly bless me and a friend of mine with God’s perfect timing. It was a day of humbling spiritual highs and confirmations on a day when we both needed it dearly. I am really struggling with school, and the day before I had poured my heart out to God in a plea: “In my study this week it has been so hard trying to focus on God’s Will for my life. I had a heartfelt plea this morning with God for clarity. I so desire to be in the center of God’s path, that it pains me.” Yesterday that prayer was answered by a customer who had been blessed and wanted to bless me. His gift was almost the exact amount needed for next semesters classes. Only a few hours later did I answer a phone call from Liberty Univ. wanting to discuss my upcoming semester and registration. I was at a loss for words. I shared my story with them of these God orchestrated coincidences; and as the young man said, he had received a huge blessing from hearing of God’s work in my life yesterday.

There is nothing special about me. All of God’s blessings are available to you too. All you must do is to live your life for Him. Matthew 6:33 Seek Ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. When all else in your life seems to be failing; when all around you is out of control; when all you see is a world that is full of desire for stuff and sin; God is using these things to get your attention. When you begin to see how far this world is from God, you may be getting a glimpse of how He sees it. He may be showing you a glimpse of your life. We all sin, we all fail, and we all can rest in God’s grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

God may take you to a place in your life that you don’t want to be. God may take you down, to lift you up. When your life is full of blessings, many times we don’t recognize where they came from. When we are at the bottom, the only place to look is up. I was really struggling the last couple days wondering if I was really on the right path. Satan had crept into my thoughts and placed doubt. I had a heartfelt plea to God for clarity. God sent me His answer 24hrs later by His messengers. Thank you Jesus.

 
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Posted by on October 5, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Dirt or Gold?

29 Sep

Dirt or Gold?

2nd Corinthians 4:8-10   We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed– always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

God knows our struggles even before we go to Him in prayer. He desires for us to come to Him in these struggles and prayers to draw closer to Him; to grow that relationship deeper. The world presses in with its busyness, problems, and demands that every day life bring. These daily trials bring about the mental strains that breed stress and anxieties. These are all tools of Satan to keep us from focused on God. These inner battles can affect outward circumstances, and the daily grind becomes inwardly overbearing. There must be a crutch to keep us from falling. I pray that crutch for you is Christ. 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

It has been a rough week in many ways; I could pour out a lengthy explanation, but it is no worse than what you are facing yourselves; it is called life. But when my mind starts to wonder, when it struggles with the strain, I have to turn my attention back to Christ. There is nothing here that truly matters; for it will all fade away; I live with eternity in mind. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) All of struggles that life brings, all of the pain that life brings, is temporary. The roads of today’s despair will become streets paved with gold. Revelation 21:21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Paul has told us of being the light in this dark world in the verses prior. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. These strains of daily life can become on of your best witnessing tools for Christ to those lost around you. They see the strains you are under and yet how you can handle them differently. The natural inclination is to ask how or why you handle them differently. There is the open door through the darkness to let His light shine through.

 
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Posted by on September 29, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Upward climb

27 Sep

Upward climb

Matthew 10:38-39  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

My best friend (aka:adopted big brother) ends a chapter in his life today, and turns the page on a new chapter tomorrow as a pastor of a church. He stepped out of a successful career and has endured many large trials over the past few years following God’s plan for his life. Even in this new chapter he is going where we might see as unfitting, but he knows God sees him there, and that is where he must go. God has used him in my life over the past 4-5 years to teach me obedience. A special bond and deep friendship has developed in seeing God work in the acts of that obedience.

Why would God call you to where you were comfortable? How could God be glorified if it just seemed to “fit in” to your abilities and lifestyle? Following God will always require change. That change begins at Salvation with a new heart, and the lifestyle you lead before Him should remain in the past. Becoming a disciple of Christ requires these acts of obedience; Romans 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?(ESV). God created you for a relationship with Him, but He requires an obedient heart in that relationship. You are rewarded for that obedience here with a peace and joy living in His Will for your life.

The steps of obedience lead up the ladder of a heavenly relationship. You must obey on the first step, to move to the next step closer to Him. The next step may be more difficult; may be requiring more sacrifice; may be requiring less of you and more of Him. Each step brings you closer to Him, and the ability to hear His voice becomes clearer. John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. Christ spoke of these steps of obedience in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Each step of obedience draws you closer to Christ. Matthew 25:21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ The testing of your faith climbing the steps of obedience is the only way you will ever move your relationship forward with the One who created you for it. Seek, listen, and obey.

 
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Posted by on September 27, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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I wanna know more

23 Sep

I wanna know more

2 Peter 1:2-4  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,  by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Has your life changed since you came to know Christ? Has their been a desire to know more, to seek Him out in prayer and His Word? Are you hungry for the wisdom that you hear so much about? It is all available to you, and it all began with your faith. The faith that you had in the saving power of Christ is the same faith that begins your walk into the pursuit and understanding of the things about Him. The first step of faith began your walk, and the next steps are leading you away from sin and down the path to eternal paradise.

Wisdom is the understanding of the things God reveals to you; knowledge is the application of that wisdom. Peter lays out the steps of your path in these next scriptures. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. Giving God our best (all diligence); is a desire to lead a better life; to take into application the wisdom that we are gaining in our prayer time and His Word. This knowledge leads you closer to Christ every day and He begins to reveal Himself to you more and more. Look at the promise of verse 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The growth of your faith and wisdom is directly related to your pursuit of God. This world will provide you every distraction imaginable to keep you from dedicating your life to God. Satan will entice you with an ulterior motive in those distractions, but recognize that The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10). Satan is only out to rob you of what God has promised you, and the more time you spend seeking God and the things of God, the more clearly you can discern Satan’s tactics. That knowledge will provide you a peace in an out of control world, and a light unto your path to eternal paradise.

 
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Posted by on September 23, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Wait for it….wait for it

12 Sep

Wait for it….wait for it

Philippians 4:6-8 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.

Why should I pray about that decision? If I gather all the facts, analyze the possible outcomes, I should be able to make an educated decision. I should be able to use the resources I have to make the best possible decision. I….I….I….. where in there is God? I have looming over me now big things as I am sure many of you do also. Possibly those game changers of life, or where you move your next chess piece in this game of life. Do you rest on your ability alone, or do you seek  wisdom from others at all? Very rarely is a prideful spirit rewarded in the end.

God is there for you to seek in His Word and in prayer for any decision you make. Those impulse decisions feel good for the moment; many times until the first payment comes due. But slowing down and truly seeking God for help with them requires a heart prepared to hear and heed His voice. Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. A heart that is concerned with the outer appearance of the worlds perspective is not a heart that is transformed by the inward direction of God. A heart that seeks God’s Will for their lives is a heart that slows down and waits on His moves. Waiting is a graduate level Christian walk in a world bent on the immediate satisfaction.

When we makes steps on our own without going to God, we have many times moved outside of His Will for our lives. He may be wanting to see if we will seek and wait on Him so that He may reward us with a blessing that we realize came from Him. We all want a sign in the sky that says “Here is your answer from God”. The great prophet Elijah had just called down fire from heaven, only to flee for his life and hide in a cave. He was at the end of his rope. He too wanted that sign from God and the earth shook all around him in display.  But;“ and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:12). Hearing God’s voice to you will be in the quiet times you spend with Him and through circumstances He places in your path that speak directly to what He showed you in that time. Seek Him and set your heart for Him in whatever you face, and be prepared to be obedient to what He shows you.

 
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Posted by on September 12, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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