RSS

Tag Archives: religion

Daily Walk

23 Jun

Daily Walk

James 4:13-14  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

It has been a crazy long week working over 12hr days in this 90 degree heat. On top of that, the hours I put in on both sides of work eventually catch up with me. God knew I needed the rest and granted me a couple extra hours this morning – Thank You Jesus. As I awoke Satan creeps in telling me I failed my ‘obligation’ (literally used that word) with God, and reminding me of my ‘to do’ list for today. He wants me to skip my time this morning with God. Last night one of the last sermons I heard was about someones last moments in an argument, and then an unexpected death. We never know when it will come, but what will be our last thoughts we carry into heaven? What will we put before a repent heart, a loving heart, a dedicated heart? Don’t carry the load of sin on your heart for any amount of time, for He will carry it for you. Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

We all have our ‘to do’ list, and we all have our plans for the future, but we must realize our future is NOT in our hands. God holds our every breath in His hands, and there is nothing that we can do to change that. We are to honor our bodies as the temples they are, but even that honor we place on them does not mean we control them. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” Spending time with God daily will allow you to refocus and understand that wherever you are, that is where He has placed or allowed you to be. The more time with Him will give you the ability to understand the importance and the peace of knowing He is in control. That peace will allow you to move forward with your plans; but knowing God may change the direction to fit His. Proverbs 4:26 Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 23, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Tags: , , , , ,

You can do this

22 Jun

You can do this

1 Corinthians 1: 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

The Apostle Paul was speaking to the church at Corinth, and encouraging those who were believing in Christ in these scriptures. They were ‘going against’ what the world was preaching or questioning;  stepping out in faith and seeing God there. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Paul was very well educated and easily could have rested on his worldly wisdom and preached from that authority. He also realized that was what the world expected, and the power of the Gospel lied in the power of what Christ had done at the Cross. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Why can’t God use you too? Do you believe in the power of the Cross; and the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the Good News that He has come to save the world? The faith that you have will go against the ‘proof’ or ‘tangible’ that the world demands. But you don’t have to rest on your wisdom as Paul was speaking of; just rest on the message that Christ brings. Your testimony and the change that Christ has brought into your life is the power that God has given you. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. Do not ever be afraid to share your faith from the feeling of fear from a lack of wisdom. God has given you the ability for just the right word at just the right time for those He has called. Your faith may fall on deaf ears sometimes, but to not be discouraged. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 22, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Can I help you?

21 Jun

Can I help you?

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

Someone near you, someone placed in your presence, is in need. Need of _______________. The blank could be filled in by countless means, but do YOU fill in the blank? Is that desire in your heart to help those in need, to show love and compassion toward those around you? It may be easy to talk the talk, but do we act and walk the walk? All these situations are placed before us by God to gauge our hearts by our reactions. If we preach love, yet deny helping those in need, we are preaching a false gospel and our hearts are not right with God. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things . If you deny that tug in your heart when it comes time to help by filling in the blank above, you could be denying God.

There is great comfort and assurance of the heart that moves forward in these deeds. The reaching out to offer help is the first step of acting in the love we possess. That going out of our comfort zone is where we meet God on the field of discipleship. When they see the love of Christ in us by these selfless acts of kindness. We may be a light that they needed in a very dark time through a simple act of kindness. Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. You may be the only Bible someone has ever opened, but you may also be the reason they open the Bible. Reach out today and simply show an act of the love you possess, and spread the love of Christ in doing so. You will gain even more than you give, for your heart will be right with God. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 21, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Tags: , , , , ,

In the middle

20 Jun

In the middle

James 3:13-18 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

I have a lot of ‘big picture’ things going on in my life right now. It all can be overwhelming, and the tasks and decisions that lie ahead weigh heavily on my mind. The earthly way will tell us to take the road that brings self gratification at the least cost, but is that the path God would take? James in the scriptures above was speaking to Jewish Christians in the early church, and dealing with many of whom were likely self seeking in their works in the church. The sin of pride had likely crept in and was causing turmoil and confusion in the church. When we are looking for wisdom, the way to look is by bowing our heads, swallowing our pride, and seeking God.

The height of your pride will determine the depth of your confusion, for a humble heart is the ballast upon where you find God in the center. In other words the higher you elevate yourself, the farther you will fall. 1 Timothy 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Seeing God and hearing from God all come with spending time with God. The more time you spend, the easier it is to hear His voice. Satan will creep in and the confusion will come, but that confusion is not from God, and you must just press in closer to God for discernment. 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace.

The time is now to cultivate that relationship with God. The depth of that relationship will prepare you for the days of confusion and when the trials and turmoils come. Start today, for you do not know what tomorrow may hold, if it comes.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 20, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Supreme Commander

19 Jun

Supreme Commander

Joshua 5:13-15 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

I expect most of us have heard the Biblical story as children of when Joshua and his army marched around the city of Jericho seven times. Then on the seventh time the priest blew their trumpets, and the warriors shouted, and the cities walls came crumbling down. There is not another victory in the battles of history that can claim that method. But before that battle Joshua had a divine encounter, or a Christophany; a vision of the preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ in these verses above. Joshua was probably in prayer or meditation and became aware of someone near him. But in His courage as a leader he approached the figure that had His sword drawn to ask if he was a friend or foe. Imagine his surprise at His realization of to Whom he was speaking.

Christ was giving Joshua a glimpse into the spiritual world and the armies of heaven were being lead by the Supreme commander. Another verse that speaks of these glimpses is found in 2 Kings 6:16-17 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. This invisible world is all around us every day, and many times there is a warfare that surrounds us on that plain which we cannot see, but feel. Countless stories in the Bible speak of this warfare, and the story of Job is another. If we are believers in Christ, followers of Christ, and seeking the things of Christ; then Christ is our Supreme commander of His angelic armies on our behalf also. You are not alone in this thing called life; but you may rest in His assurance that He has a plan, and it is all under His control. If you proclaim Christ as your Savior and fall under His command, you will ultimately rest in eternal victory because the victory is assured in the Word of God.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 19, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Tags: , ,

Early morning peace

18 Jun

Early morning peace

Matthew 6:6-7   But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

As I sat down here early this morning mentally and physically tired from a long week in many ways, I felt peace in my secret place. I always start my day in a dark room in prayer with only the first light of morn creeping in. Some mornings like today, I search for what to say, even stumbling through my quiet time. Satan can creep in our thoughts even in those times of prayer with feelings of inability or inadequacy. But that is Satan, and God knows your thoughts even before you ask Him. Matthew 6:8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. God just wants you to honor and seek Him daily; that relationship is what He created you for.

The busyness of the world rises with the sun, and the peace of the world flees. Gathering your thoughts in time with God in prayer and His Word will prepare you for the day greater than anything else. It is your personal alone time with God, reading His love letter to you, and praying for His guidance for the day to come. Even when we don’t know what to say, the Holy Spirit inside us communicates as our liaison. Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

This practice of early morning devotion will change your life as nothing else can promise or deliver. Time alone in a secret place with God and His Word will prepare you for the day and the troubles of the day that lie ahead. Following the principle of Matthew 6:33 (Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you) will seem to allow all of the other things of life to fall into place. If you seek God and the things of God first, what you placed before God will seen to have less value, and the lens by which you view them will be filtered and focus changed.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 18, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Heavenly Father

17 Jun

Heavenly Father

Matthew 6:26 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?

As I searched for “Heavenly Father” this morning I was led to Matthew 6. That is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, and so much of it speaks to our relationship with God, our Heavenly Father. It covers prayer, fasting, forgiveness, deeds, and the last 1/3 is about worry. It speaks of how we should not worry when we place our faith in Him. I openly struggle with anxiety and find myself returning much to this chapter. The entire chapters spine is our relationship with our Heavenly Father and how to pursue it. This is a “how to” book on developing an eternal relationship with God, and the value you have in His eyes when you honor Him with your faith and focus.

The love we feel for our earthy fathers should be small compared to our love for our Heavenly Father. He is the One whom gave us them. We all love our dads, and today is a special day to honor them. I have a Godly father Jim who has tried his best to point me to Christ all his life, and even in my rebellion he still tried. It is through the power of prayer and God’s grace that I returned home. I am including a link to Matthew 6 below, that I believe would be a great way to honor you Heavenly Father today, by spending time in His Word, and hopefully prayer.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/nkjv/matthew/6.html

2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 17, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Are you the feeble one in the herd?

16 Jun

Are you the feeble one in the herd?

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

You are the prey. You are the one hunted by the devil as a roaring lion seeking to destroy your soul. How does a lion typically hunt? By seeking out the weakest in a herd and pouncing on them by taking advantages of their weakness. Satan’s entire focus is on destroying your faith and your soul, and he will go to great lengths to accomplish it. Matthew Henry said, “It was the faith of these people that Satan aimed at; if he could overturn their faith, and draw them into apostasy, then he knew he should gain his point, and ruin their souls; therefore, to destroy their faith, he raises bitter persecutions, and sets the grand potentates of the world against them.” It can cast a different light on your life if you reflect on the strength of your faith in the herd, and the lion stalking you daily to take advantage of that weakness. “To this end he is unwearied and restless in his malicious endeavours; for he always, night and day, goes about studying and contriving whom he may ensnare to their eternal ruin.”

In 1 Peter 5:5-7,  Peter was speaking of how to clothe ourselves in humility, and of how God grants grace to that. Satan’s fall was greatly related to pride and that sin is a strong weapon is his arsenal against us. 1 Timothy 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. We are not told to flee the devil, but to resist him. We resist him by strengthening our faith in prayer and time in God’s Word. God’s Word becomes our only offensive weapon to guard ourselves when Satan attacks. These attacks will come when you are at your weakest point; after being beat down he whispers in your ear thoughts of pity, doubt, inadequacies,  fear, and the list could go on. The power of God through the strength of your faith measured by your humility and submission to God and His Word, will cause the devil to flee from you. James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Do not find yourself the weakest in the herd, but feed yourself and strengthen yourself on God and His Word daily.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 16, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Tags: , , , , ,

At least I didn’t……

15 Jun

At least I didn’t……

Galatians 6:1-5 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.

As I read some of my daily scripture feeds, I came to Galatians 6 above. I thought of how it would be good to write about helping one another. Then I spent time studying this scripture and God shed a different light on it; one that we all fall guilty to – comparing ourselves to one another.

There is a part of all of us rooted in pride that will compare ourselves to our neighbor. “Well at least I didn’t do what they did…..” is the typical thought. Our pride is elevated and many times we rest on that rock that will crumble. These scriptures speak directly too that. When we see someone that has been overtaken in sin, we must first protect ourselves. This is done in much prayer and seeking God’s Word for guidance. We must approach them in love, but not in pride, for that pride will lead to our fall also. As in verse 3, For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself; Paul speaks directly to that. My pastor once told of God speaking to him saying “the other mans sins are just more visible”.

But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. We should consistently self examine and surround ourselves with Godly influences and true friends that will approach us and tell us the truth. The immediate conviction of sin in your heart is an assurance of Salvation. If you are knowingly in habitual sin, finding comfort in that sin, and you are not denying a tug on your heart to stop that sin; your problem is much larger than that sin alone. Get on your knees and repent from your heart for a cleansing of your heart and forgiveness of your sin.  For each one shall bear his own load. We are responsible for ourselves and will answer to God for every thought, word, and deed in the future. My prayer is that you are seen by Him through the clear lens of Christ’s paid debt, and not the stained glass of pride.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 15, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Can WE pray together?

14 Jun

Can WE pray together?

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

The past couple of days I have been blanketed in prayer. Asking and receiving individual prayers for my father’s surgery, and together as deacons in prayers for the church body. The verse above is in the context of church discipline, but the promise of the assurance is what we rest on. A basic principle of Salvation is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit living inside of us. The third person of the Trinity dwells inside you; your heart and soul belong to Christ. Therefore simply when we gather together in God’s name, especially in prayer, He is with us.

Matthew Henry puts it so well: “They are hereby encouraged with an assurance of the presence of Christ; There am I in the midst of them. By his common presence he is in all places, as God; but this is a promise of his special presence. Where his saints are, his sanctuary is, and there he will dwell; it is his rest it is his walk (Rev. 2:1 ); he is in the midst of them, to quicken and strengthen them, to refresh and comfort them, as the sun in the midst of the universe. He is in the midst of them, that is, in their hearts; it is a spiritual presence, the presence of Christ’s Spirit with their spirits, that is here intended. There am I, not only I will be there, but I am there; as if he came first, is ready before them, they shall find him there; he repeated this promise at parting ch. 28:20 ), Lo, I am with you always. Note, The presence of Christ in the assemblies of Christians is promised, and may in faith be prayed for and depended on; There am I”

Christianity is not a solo religion. It is meant to be gathered together in both worship and prayer. You are truly missing God’s blessings if you are not spending time with other believers in prayer. Don’t wait until you have a plea for help to God; spend time praising God together for the blessings of the day. Be bold and reach out to someone today and pray together. That may be an answer to their prayer; wanting someone to pray with.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 14, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Tags: , , , , ,

← Older posts
Newer posts →