I John 2:6
Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
This is one of the toughest assignments we could ever have been given. It could take someone his whole life just to get started. Fear, pride and other things will keep some from accepting the gift of salvation until they are much older. Personally, I’m glad I accepted Christ at a young age.
In this verse, however, John is not talking about our initial conversion to Christ, but rather our ongoing walk with Him. There are many aspects of this walk that I have heard people talk about. Loving one another, sharing the good news, and praying for the sick are just a few.
From what I’ve seen there is a major part of Jesus’ life that most Christians never even hear about, let alone imitate. I am talking about the many times that Jesus went to a solitary place just to be alone with the Father. It was during these times that He received the strength and guidance needed to fulfill His public ministry.
So, in my opinion, if Jesus needed this in His life, if He felt He couldn’t complete His call without it, then who am I to think I can get by without these private times in the Lord’s presence. That is why I put together these devotions. I want as many believers as are able, to experience this incredible meeting of them and God in that secret place.
Spend time in the Father’s presence today. Find there what your soul needs to carry on.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christ, Christian, destiny, devotion, disciple, encouragement, fellowship, God's will, guidance, Holy Spirit, holy worship, intimacy, Jesus Christ, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, revival, solitary place, strength, walk like Jesus
The Olympics are quickly approaching. Are you going to watch it? If so, what excites you about it?
1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
One of the biggest things about the Olympics, that draws us in, is that it only happens every 4 years. For many athletes it is a once in a lifetime chance to show what they’re capable of accomplishing. It is this all or nothing, “go for the gold” attitude that brings fans to their feet in applause for the victors.
I have never heard any competitor say, “I just wanted to run on the Olympic track. That’s good enough for me. I don’t need to give my best.” That would be the craziest thing ever. No one would want to watch that athlete.
Yet, in the Christian walk, how often do we see this attitude.
“I’m saved and going to Heaven. That’s good enough for me.”
These believers will go to church on Sunday. But they don’t want to inconvenience themselves for God or His work. There is no passion in their walk. There is no drive or vision for what the Lord can do in and through them.
We need to take inventory of ourselves. What kind of a runner am I? Am I content to just sit back and let others win the prize? Or do I want to give it everything I have within me?
We need to pick up the “Olympic spirit” in our spiritual walk. Go for the gold. Let the Holy Spirit inspire you to accomplish great things for God. Through Him, we can do above and beyond all we could ever imagine that we could do. Be that victorious believer, who runs the race from a heart on fire for Christ.
Tags: athlete, Bible, calling, Christian, church, destiny, devotion, drive, encouragement, go for the gold, God's will, higher, Holy Spirit, Olympics, overcoming, passion, power, prepare, prize, runner, spiritual walk, strength, take inventory, victory, vision
Luke 9:28-32
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
This was a life-changing event in the eyes of the apostles. As Jesus prayed on the mountain, His appearance changed. For a brief instance He clothed Himself with the glory that was His throughout eternity.
It is God’s desire to do a similar work in us. When we receive a word from the Lord we are changed. We see what we could become – what we are truly called to be in Christ. In that moment we get a glimpse of the glory that could be evident in our lives.
This is our portion and our heritage in God. It could happen if we would only take the time to free ourselves from the cares and distractions of everyday life. By doing so we would enter a realm where God could speak to us in such a way as to change us forever.
Enter that life-changing presence today. Submit to the power of the Lord’s Word to you. Be transformed at His feet. Then descend the mountain – forever changed.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christ, Christian, destiny, devotion, encouragement, faith, glory, God's will, God's word, Holy Spirit, intimacy, Jesus Christ, life changing, mountain, mountaintop, overcoming, prayer, presence of the lord
God has given you many precious promises. Some are in the Scripture, while others are more personal – between God and you. How real are they to you?
Deuteronomy 34:1-2
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land – from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea.
Sometimes, when you’re alone with God, He will take you for a mountaintop view of the promise. Maybe it will deal with your calling, career, family, relationships, or some other area of your life. At that point you will see clearly what He has in store for you, even if He doesn’t always show the path by which He will take you there.
It is always God’s will to share His plans with His people, the problem is, we are not always listening. The Lord waits until He has our undivided attention so that He can speak to us clearly and without distraction.
He wants to show you a glimpse of His plan for you. It will encourage you and strengthen you for the road ahead. Always be ready for these moments of clarity. Unfortunately, these times are few and far between in our lives. Missing the chance that the Lord offers will hurt your progress, but responding to His call will affect the rest of your life.
Use your time wisely. Spend quality time in His presence, listening for His voice. Seek to know His will for your life.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christian, destiny, devotion, distractions, encouragement, God's faithfulness, God's voice, God's will, higher, Holy Spirit, listening, listening heart, mountain, mountaintop, overcoming, path, power, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, promise, promises, strength, trust, undivided attention
Exodus 4:19-20
Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead.” So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
Moses had been away from his adopted home in Egypt for a long while. But in this time of his life, God was calling him to go back. He had a mission from God – to set his people free. Even so, it still required a wilderness journey.
Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to leave a comfortable place. Many people have had to move for various reasons. I have had to make a move a few times. It’s not that tough to pack up and fill boxes. But when the moving truck is all loaded and you are looking into an empty house or apartment – a subtle transformation occurs.
Suddenly, without warning, the place that you’ve called home for this part of your life is no longer yours. Now you’re on the road and headed for a new destination.
We may be very content where our life is right now. Then, when God calls us to a higher level, we can never be satisfied this way again. Remember that we need to be a people who are packed and ready to go. This world is not our home and the things of this world will never truly fulfill us.
When you go before the Lord today reiterate to Him your total commitment to following His path for your life – no matter where it leads. Thank Him for your destiny in Him. Then be open and listening for any course changes He may speak to you this day.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christian, comfortable, content, course change, destination, destiny, devotion, disciple, encouragement, faith, higher, move, overcoming, path, prepare, satisfied, trust
1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”
In this passage, the prophet Samuel is rebuking King Saul. He had disobeyed a direct command of God for “religious” reasons. Saul said that he was going to give God a sacrifice instead. In his rebuke, Samuel gives us a principle that we would do well to remember.
Obedience to God is always better than any sacrifice we can make. It doesn’t matter whether you’re putting money in an offering plate or offering up a “sacrifice of praise.” Obedience trumps sacrifice every time.
The reason is that sacrifice can be manipulated. It can be motivated by self-will or arrogance. Obedience, on the other hand, honors God by putting Him directly in the center of what we’re doing. Usually, total obedience to God can only be accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Not only is God the focus, but He is also the One who strengthens us.
A good example of this is Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. As He cried out to God He said, “If it is Your will, take this cup [dying on the cross] from me.” Then He told the Father that it was not His own will that was important, but the Father’s. The Lord’s prayer that day was in accordance with the principle of Samuel. What Jesus wanted didn’t matter – it was the Father’s will that was supreme.
Our “cup” and God’s will are two totally different things until we allow the Lord to merge them. Our highest goal should be to know God’s will and obey it. More than any other part of our lives, this is our highest call.
Tags: arrogance, Bible, calling, Christ, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, Garden of Gethsemane, God's will, highest call, honor God, obedience, offering, praise, prayer, prepare, sacrifice, self-will
Psalm 72:3
The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.
I have always thought this was an interesting verse. It tells us that the mountains will bring God’s people prosperity, the fruit of righteousness.
How can a mountain “bring” anything? It can’t unless we do something first. If it is to be an abundant harvest of crops, then the mountainside or hillside must be cultivated, planted, and harvested. If it is to be a spiritual harvest, then we must climb the mountain by prayer and intimacy with the Lord. Either way it will require an effort on our part.
The mountain cannot do it alone. We are expected to initiate the blessing. People talk about “mountaintop experiences”, but I don’t think they fully understand them. They think it’s just a happy time in their life. That’s not quite it. A spiritual mountaintop is a place of clarity in your walk with God. It is a time when you see that way ahead and have a renewed vision for your destiny. This is the basis of true prosperity.
Seek out these mountaintop times with the Lord. Find a quiet time and place to prepare your soul to hear from the Lord. You can be changed in His life-giving presence. You can receive a new abundance in your life that you have never known before.
Spend time with the Lord today. Have a “mountaintop” experience. Come down from that place refreshed and renewed in your inner man.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christian, clarity, devotion, distractions, encouragement, glory, God's will, harvest, higher, Holy Spirit, intimacy, intimacy with God, mountain, mountaintop, power, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, prosperity, revival, spiritual mountain, victory, vision
Psalm 65:9-12
You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness.
Most people don’t like dark, rainy days. Too many of them in a row tends to bring on depression. In the same way we don’t like trouble and testing. We even call days of trial “dark days.”
No one is exempt from testing, however. We must all face our own particular trials. But remember, as we face resistance, we gain strength.
If I want to have a beautiful lawn or garden, then it must be watered. Rain is a part of the cycle of life. We may not like it, but we need it to survive. There are many drought ravaged parts of the world that would do anything for a rainy weather pattern.
It is the same with our inner life. The only way to strengthen our faith is through difficulties. There is no other course. Testing is the spiritual rain that waters the seed we have planted in our hearts.
The end result of all this is abundance – abundant faith, abundant strength, and abundant victory. Nobody likes problems, but if we face them without complaining and with the realization that they will strengthen us, it will help keep our focus on the Lord and our joy intact.
Tags: abundance, abundant life, Bible, calling, Christian, devotion, encouragement, faith, God's will, Holy Spirit, joy, problems, rain, rainy days, resistance, spirituality, strength, test, testing, trouble, victory
Mark 16:12-13
Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
After His resurrection, Jesus appears to His disciples at various times and in different ways. In this verse He shows up as a man walking in the country. He wanted to meet with these disciples in a quiet, unhurried setting.
Please realize that as you go through your daily routine, Christ can appear at any time. By His Spirit He speaks, guides, clarifies and corrects. You need to be expecting to hear from Him.
When the disciples returned from their trip, no one believed that they had seen Christ. Even today it is hard for some to think that you can meet with with Christ during the hustle and bustle of everyday life. They think you have to be in a church or in your “prayer closet” for the Holy Spirit to speak to you. The simple fact is, the Lord will show up anyplace there is a listening heart.
Listen for His voice today. We know that He will be found by those who earnestly seek Him. Do what it takes to quiet yourself before Him. That is how you prepare yourself to hear from the Lord.
Spend time in His presence as you walk out your day. Let Him guide you by His hand. Keep your spiritual ears open to His Word for you.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christ, Christian, church, daily routine, devotion, encouragement, fellowship, God's will, Holy Spirit, holy worship, intimacy, Jesus Christ, listening heart, prayer closet, prepare, presence of the lord, resurrection
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
It is not always easy to press on. Sometimes it is an effort just to put one foot in front of the other. Hikers and joggers have learned to just keep moving forward. There have been times when I was hiking that, because of injury or pain, I have felt like giving up. It is in times like those that I had to keep telling myself, “As long as you keep taking each step, you will come to the end of the trail.”
It is the same thing in life. It is usually not the big things that knock us down, but the continual monotony of our daily lives, day after day, week after week. It is the constant grind that saps our strength and weakens our spirit.
In order to overcome, we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. We know that if we keep to His course for our lives, we will come out with His result. We will lay hold of the prize for which He has called us.
Don’t give up. Go to the Lord today and ask for His strength for the road ahead. Don’t live a day without allowing His renewing Spirit to work in your life.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christ, Christian, daily grind, devotion, disciple, effort, encouragement, faith, giving up, glory, God's faithfulness, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, monotony, move forward, overcoming, path, prayer, press on, problems, renew, renewal, strength, trust, victory
The Spirit and the Word 