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
Luke 24:1-8
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:’The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'”
Then they remembered his words.
Today is the greatest reason on earth to celebrate.
Let the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ fill your heart, soul, and spirit with the joy that can only come from a life that has been transformed by the power of the resurrection.
Tags: Bible, celebrate, Christ, Christian, devotion, Easter, empty tomb, encouragement, faith, fellowship, God's faithfulness, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, joy, overcoming, power, praise, resurrection, risen, testimony, victory
Matthew 26:45-46
Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
I always stand in awe of how determined Christ was to accomplish the work He was called to do. After His time in the presence of the Father we see no hesitancy or fear. He has set His face toward the path ahead.
I realize that, unlike us, He had no sin nature. However, it is clear that He keenly felt the sting of His mortality. I believe that He also understood clearly the pain that He would have to endure. It was these realizations that brought Him to His knees in the garden.
What I really need to grab hold of is the understanding that it is only in the presence of God that I can receive the strength and determination that it takes to move forward in my life. All of my will power and good intentions will never bring me to my destiny in the Lord. I need help from beyond myself.
Seeking intimacy with the Lord is time well spent. Use this peaceful moment that you have been given to get into that place of safety in God. In that way – just like Jesus – you may leave your time in the wilderness physically drained, but you will be spiritually strong.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christ, Christian, destiny, devotion, encouragement, endurance, faith, fear, God's faithfulness, God's will, Holy Spirit, holy worship, intimacy, Jesus Christ, mortality, path, prepare, presence of the lord, strength
Matthew 26:36-38
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
This is the time in Jesus’ life that leads up to His betrayal and arrest. He knew that the cross was before Him. He came to earth knowing that He was to die for the sins of all people.
When it comes down to the hard choices, knowing your path and walking it out can be very different. Now that the hour was at hand, the Lord needed the strength to see it through. In order to receive what He needed from the Father, Jesus did what He always knew would bring Him an answer. He spent time with God the Father in a private place, far away from any distractions.
This was not to be a time for crowds of people. He even left most of His disciples at the entrance to the garden. The only ones to stay with Him were Peter, James, and John. He would spend the night agonizing over what was ahead.
Let this today be your garden of prayer. God is waiting for you to cry out to Him. Only the Lord can give you the strength you need for the road ahead. Whether you know the dangers or not, let the peace of God rule in you this day. Find your rest in His presence.
Tags: Bible, choices, Christ, Christian, cross, devotion, distractions, encouragement, faith, garden, garden of prayer, Gethsemane, God's will, Jesus Christ, overcoming, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, problems, solitude, strength, trust
Psalm 24:3-6
Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
These are the real mountain-climbers. Those who desire to ascend to the hill of the Lord and to stand in His holy place. Are you one of those who want to stand in this place of power where few have ever been?
To climb a daunting hill requires persistence. Step by step, sometimes just plodding along, you get to the top. This “hill” of the Lord’s presence requires the same kind of consistency.
It is good to know that the access we need has already been granted through the blood of Jesus Christ. That is all the permission we need to enter His holy presence. The daily walk, however, is up to us. We can choose to spend time in His presence – a choice that will reap eternal benefits – or we can ignore it and live for ourselves.
Make that choice today. Spend the extra time that is necessary in the presence of the Lord. Ascend His holy hill in the power of His Spirit. Allow His holiness to draw you further upward than you have ever gone before.
Tags: access, Bible, Christ, Christian, climb, devotion, encouragement, glory, higher, holy hill, Holy Spirit, holy worship, Jesus Christ, mountain, mountaintop, path, presence of the lord, step by step
2 Timothy 1:5
I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Sometimes it’s good to look back over your life to see where God has brought you from. I love to hear a testimony of a changed life. I have known drug addicts, gang members and people from the “underworld” who have given their lives to Christ and were changed by His power. I have met people who have been bound by addictions, hurt by abuse and oppressed under the weight of depression all set free by the blood of Jesus.
It is an encouragement to see the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit at work in the world. I, for one was insulated from most of these issues. I tend to relate more with Timothy. My grandparents were saved soon after they came over to America from Italy. My parents were raised in church, and followed Christ throughout their lives. When I came along, I had no choice – church was where our family went, whenever the doors were open.
Then, one day, at a children’s camp (Camp Woodhaven in West Boylston, MA) I personally received the salvation offered by Jesus Christ. I have tried to follow His leading ever since.
Sometimes I used to feel that I missed out on something, when I would hear the testimonies of how God saved people from an evil life. But when I grew older I realized the blessing of being born into a Christian home. God kept me from some of the things that could have destroyed me. I have a testimony of the Lord’s power to keep and protect a life from the darkness of the world.
So, whether you came to Christ from a life of great sin, or you were raised in church, be grateful to the Lord for His presence in your life. The fact is, we all need a Savior. No one is too far away from His love. Equally, no one is good enough to deserve His love. We all need the power of the cross to set us free. Praise God for His grace that He freely gives to all who seek Him.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, devotion, disciple, encouragement, evil, faith, God's faithfulness, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, praise, protection, sin, testimony, trust, world
Acts 1:9-11
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
(NIV)
Yesterday I shared about the reason we need to know about the return of the Lord. We saw that Jesus taught His disciples that the important thing was being a witness. After explaining all this to the disciples, He rose from the earth and was taken out of their sight. The tragedy is that there are too many Christians around who are just like those disciples. You know them. It’s almost as if their life can be summed up with those words, “WHY ARE YOU LOOKING UP INTO HEAVEN?”
That seems to be their whole outlook on life. Their only goal is to find out when Jesus is coming back. “Lord, is it today? Can somebody tell me? Is it going to be this week?” Their whole Christian life is looking to see when Jesus is coming back. In doing that they miss the main emphasis given to us by Christ, which is “BE A WITNESS.”
What we usually find when we read through the Scripture is that when Jesus or the Apostles talk about the Second Coming of the Lord, the main theme of the teaching is usually about something else. The Return of Christ itself is not their main focus. When we think about it, the main emphasis should be the change that is needed in our lives to prepare us for the return of the Lord. The apostles only seem to use the return of Christ as a side illustration to emphasize the urgency that is needed to spur us on to change our ways.
There are so many people worried about what’s going to happen next. They are always asking, “Am I going to make it?” If that’s you – SNAP OUT OF IT! God is going to see us through. I’ll tell you now how it all ends – we win. All the rest is about how we get there. The end has already been written even though we haven’t reached it yet.
Christ is returning. That is a Scriptural fact. The real issue is what I am doing with this knowledge. Am I sitting back, doing nothing until He comes to get me? Or is it propelling me forward to share God’s love with others? The choice is yours.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, church, devotion, God's will, Jesus Christ, prepare, return of Christ, second coming, testimony
The Bible talks a lot about the return of Christ. Why is that so important to us?
Acts 1:6-8
So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
(NIV)
The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is probably the most talked about subject in all of Christianity. Unfortunately, many believers miss the point of why God put this teaching in the Scripture. Too many people want to know about Christ’s return for the wrong reasons. Some want to know simply to satisfy their curiosity. Others like sensationalism. These are not good reasons to study the Word of God.
As Jesus prepares His disciples for His departure into Heaven, He tells the them to go to Jerusalem and wait there for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When that happens, they will be given all the power that they need to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
As they share this time with the Lord, they ask Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” This was a burning question that they had on their minds. Think of it. Jesus rose from the dead! When Jesus was ministering on earth He was able to feed 5,000 people with just a few loaves and fishes. Just imagine Him leading the army of Israel. The Romans can’t kill him. He can supply all the food they need. He can get money out of a fish’s mouth. How could they lose with a commander like that? The disciples must have decided that now is the time to restore the Kingdom of Israel.
Surprisingly, Jesus tells them that they don’t need to know the Father’s timetable. The most important thing to know is how to be a witness. We know about the Return of Christ in order to be a WITNESS. Why? By knowing the times and seasons, we can better understand the hour in which we are living. We can better understand the closeness of Christ’s return. It is this information that will give us the incentive we need to bring others into the kingdom before it’s too late. That’s why Jesus shares with them the exhortation that they don’t have to worry about the “when”.
You don’t have to be anxious about the day or the hour of His return either. These things are all in the Father’s hands. That’s His job. What you and I need to know is how to be the best witness we can be. We must major on how to bring God’s glory to the earth while we still have that chance.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, church, devotion, encouragement, God's will, Jesus Christ, prepare, return of Christ, second coming, testimony
The Spirit and the Word 