Psalm 95:3-6
For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
Everything we see in all of creation is the Lord’s. Every mountain, valley, and stream is the work of His hand. It is the incredible variety of the Creator, however, that amazes me. Sometimes when I am driving, I see all the mountains on the horizon, yet no two look the same. Each one can be recognized for its own individual features
Not only that, but the Lord knows each one intimately. Every tree, every trail, and each animal are well known to Him. He created the entire majestic realm of nature for His good pleasure, yet He provides this bounty for our enjoyment as well.
It’s easy to feel close to God when in the presence of His handiwork. When we look at Creation through the eyes of the spirit, it becomes a reflection of the Creator. It gives us insight into the awesome power and love of our God.
Take the time today to thank the Lord for the beauty of the earth. Thank Him that He has allowed us to share in the wonder of it. As you approach the throne of Christ, remember that all the wonders of Creation are but a dim reflection of His eternal majesty.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, creation, Creator, devotion, encouragement, faith, glory, God's love, God's power, hand of God, Holy Spirit, holy worship, Jesus Christ, joy, majesty, mountain, nature, praise, prayer, presence of the lord, stream, valley
Revelation 7:17
“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
This is one of the most interesting Scriptures. The Lamb who is also a Shepherd. What a great illustration of the Christ who took on our weaknesses. He is worthy to lead us, since He has walked where we live.
Christ is our perfect Shepherd. He knows the paths of our lives. He understands the best route to take. He knows when our soul needs rest, refreshment, and nourishment. We must learn to trust Him daily for our every need. We must trust His plan for our lives if we want fulfillment.
I want my life to count for something. Only under the guidance of the “Good Shepherd” will that come to pass.
If I follow the Lord’s plan for my life, then He will lead me to the right places along the way. Yes, sometimes the road will be difficult. But He also knows the rest stops as well. He will bring us to places of refreshment and restoration that we need if we are to make it to the end.
I must learn to trust in His plan for my life. He knows the way a lot better than I do. Once I can acknowledge that, life gets so much more fulfilling.
Whether you have in the past or not – place your life at Jesus’ feet today. Let Him work it out to His glory. Put your expectation in Him to bring you to your destiny.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, fellowship, God's faithfulness, good shepherd, guidance, Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, path, presence of the lord, protection, trust
John 5:28-29
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”
Yesterday’s post talked about Christ as the Giver of spiritual life. But, right along those lines, Christ is also the Giver of resurrection life. In this verse He is giving us insight into His Second Coming. Actually this is the first time Scripture records Him speaking about His return.
Many people who teach about the end-times don’t even bother dealing with this passage. If you think that way, then you’ve missed the whole point. Because this is the first recorded incident in Jesus’ ministry where He mentions the end-times, that makes it important. No, He doesn’t say a lot about it, but what He does say is at the very core of our belief in the Second Coming.
Jesus explains that there is a day coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and will come out – those who have done good will rise to live; those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. Unfortunately, we usually miss this key. It is the foundation stone for everything else that you will learn about the Second Coming of Christ. Everything else that Jesus teaches builds on this.
The cross is our starting point. We come along about 2000 years later. What Jesus is talking about in this passage hasn’t happened yet. The dead are going to rise and there is going to be a time of judgment with the result being either eternal life or eternal condemnation.
We don’t know when it’s coming, but there will be a resurrection day. As far as the disciples were concerned, it wasn’t new to them. Jesus didn’t start with some new doctrine that they had never heard before. You find teaching on the resurrection in the Old Testament. Job testifies, in chapter 19 of his book, that he knew about the day of resurrection.
Even in the Old Testament, believers understood that God was not going to leave His people in the grave. The Pharisees themselves, as a group, believed and taught that one day God would bring about the resurrection of the dead.
The only thing that was new in His teaching was the fact that it will be the voice of Christ that causes the dead to rise. I’m sure that the Pharisees had some choice thoughts on that subject. We, however, are given a foundation upon which to build the rest of the teaching on the return of Christ.
It is the Lord Himself who is our resurrection. It is His voice who will call us from our graves to a place of victory. This is a day we can all look forward to as believers. Knowing this, we can live our lives in the hope that only springs from victory over death. We don’t have to worry about the future. We are safe in the arms of the Lord.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, end times, glory, graves, Holy Spirit, hope, Jesus Christ, Life Giver, protection, resurrection, return of Christ, second coming, victory
John 5:24-25
“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”
It’s obvious that Jesus is talking about spiritual life here, because He says, “has now come”. It was not future, but was being fulfilled in the days that Jesus walked the earth. He was really giving the Pharisees a slap in the face because of their self-righteousness. They were the dead people (spiritually) that Jesus was talking about. He was basically telling them, “Wake up! You’re dead and if you want life, you must believe and obey my words.”
It was time for them to hear and live. Jesus loved them and desired that they would pass over from death into life. Unfortunately, their pride kept them from accepting Christ for who He was. Even today pride is one of the biggest hindrances to the move of God in the church.
I think a big part of our problem is not knowing the real issue. We think that our choice is between God and the devil. We either look at it that way or make it a choice between good and evil. The fact is that neither of those choices are what the Lord put before us. The real choice He gives us is life or death. As a matter of fact, there may be a “good” thing that I do too often, and it results in bringing death to my spiritual walk.
As long as I lower the standard by “trying to be good,” I will never attain to the abundant life in Christ. I must seek to let allow the life of Christ to shine through me. That is what will lift me up to where I should be.
Jesus makes an important point here. It is the basis of our hope and trust in Him. Christ is the Life Giver. This is the foundation for everything else. We must go to Him if we really want to live pleasing to God.
Spend time with the Life Giver today. Let the Holy Spirit impart to you the life that only He can give.
Tags: abundant life, Bible, choice, Christ, Christian, cross, dead, devotion, disciple, encouragement, God's love, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, life, Life Giver, resurrection, spiritual life, victory, wake up
2 Peter 1:17-18
For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
Peter is remembering back to a time when he and two other apostles received a special revelation up on a mountaintop. Jesus was transfigured before their very eyes, taking on the glory that was His from eternity past. He became robed in the majesty that was His before the foundations of the world were established. Peter calls that place the “sacred mountain.”
Where are your sacred mountains? Where are those special places where God’s Word to you changed your life? With me, I remember kneeling next to a bed at a Christian summer camp. There was also a time where God spoke to me about entering full-time ministry. There have been many such times that I can look back on.
The problem I have is that my memory is so short. It is easy for me to forget these deep encounters with God. Unless I record them, I will eventually lose the impact of my meetings with Him. I need to take the time to record these life-changing moments in my journal.
In yesterday’s post I talked about the need to record things. It is especially true when we have life changing encounters with God. These are times that must be kept for our future. To remind us of what we heard. So that when the trials and challenges come, we will remember why we are taking this road. It keeps us on track, spiritually speaking.
It is important that we find a way to remember these special times. Make sure you keep a journal and record your encounters with the Lord. Years later you will be grateful that you did.
Tags: Bible, changed life, Christ, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, glory, God's faithfulness, God's word, Jesus Christ, journal, journaling, mountain, mountaintop, presence of the lord, remember, revelation, testimony, transfiguration
Habakkuk 2:2-3
Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
Spending time with the Lord is always an adventure. You never know when or how God will speak to you. As you seek the Him, you will find more and more that He will speak to you, filling you with revelation. You will hear from Him concerning your personal walk with Him, your home life, your ministry, your career, etc. He may tell you new ventures to launch or old things to cut out of your life. The point is, whenever you hear a clear word from God for your life, write it down!
So often we miss out on God’s best because we forget what we heard, or we alter it along the way. It is good to be able to look back in a journal and see the conversations we’ve had with the Lord. Make a point to have a journal with you as you spend time with the Lord – and use it to record what you have learned.
Keep your eyes and ears open. God will speak to someone who is prepared to listen. Keeping a journal shows that you value the voice of the Lord. If you have never tried it, begin today recording what you learn in your private times with Him. The rewards are well worth the extra effort.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, forgetting, God's will, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, journal, journaling, overcoming, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, record, remember, writing
Ephesians 3:17b-19
…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
In this verse Paul is letting us in on a prayer that he frequently sent up to God. It is an interesting prayer because in it Paul is praying for power.
A prayer for power – I’ve heard a lot of those. God’s people are always praying for power. We want the power for healing and miracles. We want the power of the Lord to increase our finances and give us influence with those in authority. We all want the life changing, victorious power of the Holy Spirit to be at work in us. What exactly was Paul’s desire for the power of God to do in their lives?
It is actually something that I never hear the modern church pray for in regards to power. He wanted the supernatural power of God so that they could grasp the love of God. That is how absolutely beyond our experience this love is. It takes the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to grasp it.
So, in short, I cannot love God without knowing God. (God is love) I cannot know God and His love without His power at work in me. He has to reveal His love to me. Why is that so important?
Paul is clear as to why he wants them to know God’s love in a supernatural way. So that they may be filled with the fullness of God. Another interesting thought…I have heard many believers pray for the fullness of God’s power in them. Yet, I never heard them pray for the power to understand and know His love. Maybe that’s why the church in America is not where it should be. We want power without love.
Christ is our example. Power and love in perfect unity and balance. That is what we must seek. Press in to the power. Seek the power to grasp the love of God. Only then will you be truly equipped to walk in the fullness of what God has for you.
Tags: authority, Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, encouragement, established, faith, filled, fullness of God, glory, God's love, God's will, healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, miracles, overcoming, power, prayer, presence of the lord, rooted, victory
Psalm 42:8
By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.
This is a beautiful picture of the love of God. What does it mean that He directs it? In Hebrew, that word direct is a military term. It means to command. Just like what a general gives to a soldier. God commands His love to reach out to us.
Think about that. His love is under direct orders to show up in our lives. Whether we know it or not, He loves us.
But there is something even more incredible about it. The Scripture say that it is by day that He commands his love. There is something that I have heard many parents say.
“My children are wonderful, especially when they’re asleep!”
I remember when my children were little. It was so easy to feel a warmth and love for them when I watched them asleep in bed. All of the messes, conflicts, and misbehaviors seemed to melt away in those moments.
In that sense it would be easy for God to love us at night, while we are sleeping. But that is not the case. He commands His love by day, when we are awake. While we are up and doing whatever we are doing is when He commands His love to us.
This is a very comforting thought – that God loves us wherever we are and whatever we are doing. It is all based upon His love and not my performance. He commanded His love toward us while we were still His enemies.
Let this truth motivate you to press in to the Presence of the Lord. Spend some quality time with the One who truly wants to be with you. Let His love flow through you and out to a world that is in desperate need of knowing it.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, encouragement, faith, fellowship, God's faithfulness, God's love, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, joy, love, prayer, presence of the lord, sleeping, unconditional
John 5:17-18
Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Jesus and the Pharisees had a hard time getting along. They were the “religious bunch” in Israel at that time. Jesus didn’t seem to tolerate religious people too well. That gets me thinking about the church today. When you talk to some people, they think that being religious is a plus. I wonder how they would feel if they ever met Jesus in person.
In this section of Scripture, persecution is starting to arise because of the things Jesus is saying and doing. The Pharisees don’t like the way Jesus is ignoring their religious traditions. Among other things, He’s healing on the Sabbath. To make matters worse, the Lord makes an announcement that really starts them grumbling. He actually calls God His Father.
The Pharisees were always having a problem with what the Lord said and did. They didn’t like the fact that Jesus made himself out to be God in the flesh. According to Scripture, that’s who the Messiah was meant to be. He couldn’t lie about who He was. Of course, this didn’t sit well with the Pharisees, who enjoyed the esteem and praise of the people. They didn’t want to hear who the Lord was, because it meant that they’d have to submit their will to His.
It seems that religion always gets in the way of a relationship with Christ. We need to step back and take a good look at how we view our connection with God. Do we see it as a set of rules that need to be followed. Or is it about time and intimacy spent with the Lord. Don’t become like the Pharisees. Cultivate the living relationship that Christ wants to have with each of His followers.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, church, devotion, encouragement, fellowship, God the Father, Holy Spirit, holy worship, intimacy, Jesus Christ, Messiah, Pharisees, praise, prayer, presence of the lord, relationship, religion, religious, rules, Sabbath, Scripture
Psalm 41:12
In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.
Here is a concept all but lost in this society. We have no understanding of true integrity. It is not an acting role we can put on in front of people. Integrity can only be seen when the crowds are gone.
For instance, if I were at home, I would never think about throwing a piece of trash on my front lawn. After all, what would the neighbors think. But when I am all alone hiking in the woods, miles from the nearest road, it is so easy to just drop that candy bar wrapper on the ground.
Integrity is not how good you appear in front of people. It is maintaining your same level of discipline even when there is no one else around. It is the ability to live your life knowing that God sees all. He is our constant companion.
Upholding integrity and acknowledging the presence of God are two things that must go hand in hand. It is in these private places that we can cultivate both of these qualities. When we are alone, with no one else around, we must learn to sense the Lord’s Spirit with us. This makes it easier to live for Him when no one is looking.
Spend some quality time with Christ today. Make an effort to acknowledge His presence with you throughout the day. Instead of asking, “What would Jesus do?”, ask, “What would I do if I saw Jesus walking beside me?”
Tags: alone, alone with God, Bible, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, devotion, disciple, encouragement, fellowship, God's will, Holy Spirit, integrity, overcoming, presence of the lord, private
The Spirit and the Word 