Isaiah 55:12-13
“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.”
We have the power to transform our world. It would be an amazing thing if we could see this verse happening as we going about our daily tasks.
I have mentioned that I enjoy hiking on the Appalachian Trail. There is a portion of this trail in Pennsylvania that traverses a barren, polluted wasteland. It became that way because of the carelessness of man’s industry. Nothing grows there, and you cannot drink the water. You just want to get through it as quickly as possible. It is an ugly scar on the earth.
What a joy it would be to see it blossom with new life before our very eyes. Unfortunately, the literal fulfillment of this verse will have to wait for the coming of Jesus Christ to establish His kingdom on earth.
The good news is that there is another way to bring this verse to life. We can fulfill this every day in the area of our attitude. That is what makes all the difference in our outlook. It can change our whole view of the world around us.
If we are always looking for problems, disappointments, and sorrows, we will see plenty of them in this world. But, on the other hand, if we are looking to see God’s Spirit at work, opportunities for ministry and things to praise God for – this attitude will transform our world. We will see it change from thorn bushes and roadblocks to myrtle trees and singing mountains.
Transform your world today. Renew your attitude in the presence of the Lord. Let Him realign your focus so that you see His goodness and grace, instead of your problems.
Tags: attitude, barren, Bible, blossom, calling, Christian, devotion, disappointment, distractions, encouragement, faith, focus, goodness, joy, opportunity, outlook, overcoming, pollution, praise, prepare, presence of the lord, problems, sorrow, transformation
A lot of people are going to churches to “worship” today. How much of it is truly worship? What is worship?
Philippians 3:3
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh.
There is a chorus by Hillsong –
“Standing here, in Your presence, thinking of the good things You have done.
Waiting here, patiently, just to here Your still small voice again.
Holy, righteous, faithful til the end, Savior, Healer, Redeemer, and Friend.
I will worship you for who You are, I will worship you for who You are, I will worship you for who You are – Jesus!”
This is the essence of worship. Not clapping, shouting, preaching or praying. It is simply standing in the presence of a holy God and acknowledging who He is. Most of the time worship is done in silence.
Praise is public and exciting. Worship is one on one with the God of the universe. It is where I humble myself before Him and offer Him the glory that is due Him. The Greek word used for worship in the New Testament literally means to lean forward like you do when you are about to kiss someone.
It is a time of intimacy with God. Worship is coming into the presence of God, and meeting with Him spirit to Spirit. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo, Sunday morning experience. Press into that intimate place with God. Truly enter the spirit of worship and let your inner man find the fulfillment you were created for.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, church, devotion, encouragement, fellowship, glory, God's love, Hillsong, holy God, Holy Spirit, holy worship, intimacy, praise, prayer, presence of the lord, Sunday morning
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
1 Samuel 9:3-4
Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
This sounds like a pretty boring passage of Scripture. All we see is Saul, wandering in the wilderness, looking for some lost donkeys. Did you ever have a day like that? It just seemed like you spent the day spinning your wheels and nothing was accomplished.
I’m glad that’s not all there is to the story. As Saul worked at this seemingly mundane task, God worked out His plan. The Lord used this boring day to orchestrate a meeting between Saul and the prophet Samuel. Little did Saul know that Samuel was looking for a king for the nation of Israel. It was through the searching for lost donkeys that Saul met Samuel and was soon anointed king.
You may think you are only working in an office, or keeping a house clean, or attending a class. God, on the other hand, may have more in mind for you than you think. Keep your heart and your eyes open. Maybe He has a meeting planned for you during the day that will change the direction of your life. To prepare for this “divine appointment”, all you can do is stay focused on Him, and let the Holy Spirit guide you.
Allow the Lord to prepare you for the day ahead. You must seek His wisdom for the days that are before you. Only the Lord has access to the map that will lead to your destiny in His will. Only when you seek His guidance will you be ready for whatever He has in store for you.
Tags: Bible, boring day, calling, Christian, destiny, devotion, disciple, divine appointment, donkeys, encouragement, faith, God's will, higher, Holy Spirit, overcoming, prayer, prepare, spinning your wheels
Isaiah 42:10-11
Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. Let the desert and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops.
Being on a mountaintop always gives me an exhilarating feeling. It is hard thing to describe all the sensations that accompany it. I cannot fully express them to someone who has never seen the clouds blowing by beneath their feet, or felt the wind whipping over the peak, or stood in awe to see the breathtaking landscape spread out before them. Just being there evokes such a feeling on the inside that I want to burst out in praise to my God.
Sometimes, when I am alone on a peak, I will sing or pray out loud to the Lord. At those times, the presence of the Spirit of God is undeniable. I challenge you to look for those opportunities. We must seek out the times when God makes His presence especially real to us.
Maybe you have never heard yourself pray, praise God, or sing out loud before. Don’t let timidity stop you from experiencing a breakthrough in your Christian walk. Try it out the next time you find yourself alone in God’s presence, even if it feels a little uncomfortable at first. You will find that there is an awesome revelation of God when you praise Him audibly. Experience it for yourself. See the joy and freedom that fills your heart as you open up in His amazing presence.
If this has helped you, write me a comment about what you experienced.
Tags: awe, Bible, breakthrough, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, fear, fellowship, freedom, higher, Holy Spirit, holy worship, joy, mountain, mountaintop, out loud, overcoming, power, praise, presence of the lord, shout, shout to the Lord, victory
Joshua 14:10-12
“Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”
You would think some young soldier spoke these words. The hill country of Israel is rough terrain. It was especially tough because they had to battle fierce giants for the possession of it. But Caleb, the man who spoke up, was 85 years old. That’s not the perception we usually have of “Senior Citizens.”
I am glad that there is no age limit in the Kingdom of God. We need to see that we will not be put out to pasture when we reach a certain age. God can and does use anyone who is willing – no matter their age, background, or weaknesses.
This is a great principle to lay hold of. It does give us some responsibilities, however. Knowing that we are useful to God throughout our entire lives, we must harden our faith now. We must be prepared so that when we reach our elder years, we will continue on spiritually stronger than when we started.
Take the time this day to establish the path of your life in the direction God has for you. Commit your future to the Lord and purpose in your heart to finish the race strong. If you’re already an elder in the body of Christ, don’t look at yourself as a has been. The type of work that you do for the Lord may change, but you are still a vital part of the Kingdom of God.
Tags: age limit, Bible, calling, Christian, church, devotion, disciple, elder, elderly, encouragement, faith, faithful, God's faithfulness, God's will, later years, mountain, overcoming, prepare, senior citizen, strength, useful
Proverbs 10:2
Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.
This sounds like an oxymoron. A treasure that’s of no value. How does that work? I guess it all depends upon your perspective.
In the natural realm, any treasure is good and valuable, no matter how it’s gotten. That’s the trouble with us humans, we can’t see the big picture. We look at what will make us feel good right now. That’s why so many people in our generation have clawed and fought their way up the corporate ladder, only to find out it was leaning against the wrong wall.
We get trapped in the love of money and excuse it away.
“I’m doing this for you, so you can be comfortable.”
“This extra job is only temporary.”
It is only after we have lost those people who are dear to us that we start to question if it was worth it.
Righteousness – a life lived with God’s priorities in view, delivers us from death. No, not the grave, but from a living death. Living your life in God’s will for you will keep your relationships from dying. It will keep you from an unfulfilled life. Then, in your later years, you can look back with no regrets.
After all, what is value? We are eternal beings. Only a miniscule part of our existence will be lived in this life. As wonderful as money seems right now, it is only an illusion.
Don’t get me wrong, I need money to get by, the same as everyone else. But money has no eternal value. It is only good for life on this planet. I need to be storing up eternal wealth. That’s where righteousness comes in. It will last throughout the ages to come.
As I said, it all comes down to perspective. What is important to you? Better yet, what is going to be important to you one million years from today? Remember, there will come a day when things that you highly valued will suddenly become worthless. And things that you didn’t care about will suddenly become of supreme importance.
Start planning now for your life in eternity. It will reap the greatest profit you could ever hope to achieve.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, eternal, eternity, God's will, life and death, money, overcoming, perspective, prepare, righteousness, treasure, valuable, value, wealth, worth
1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
I have learned many valuable spiritual lessons as I have been hiking. One of those lessons has to do with bears.
I praise God that I live on the East Coast. When I hike, I don’t have to contend with grizzly, Kodiak, or polar bears. Only cute, little (comparatively), vegetarian, black bears. Well, as many people are aware of, even black bears can be nuisances. Usually it’s the fault of a human. When we leave our food and trash out, we encourage them to hang around. They will then prowl around looking for something to devour. Hmm…sounds familiar.
A lot of the time we encourage the enemy to attack us. We do it by trying to live in both kingdoms. We try to get God’s blessing using the world’s methods. Or we try to use God’s power to satisfy our lust for material gain. These things signal the enemy to hang around hoping for a free handout.
It is time for us to “clean up our camp.” Seek God today. Is there anything that needs to be put back in order in your life? Christ will give you the wisdom, strength, and courage you need to overcome in this area. Turn it over to Him. Don’t give the enemy a free handout. Use this time to take back any foothold that you have given him in your life.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devil, devotion, distractions, encouragement, enemies, enemy, Holy Spirit, overcoming, praise, problems, protection, spiritual attack, victory
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 4:4-7
Now he [Jesus] had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”
It is interesting to see that The Lord took on Himself the same physical limitations that we have. When He exerted Himself in the heat of the day, it produced hunger and thirst in Him. He knows what we go through.
Walking the road to Sychar made Jesus thirsty. In the part of the world the Lord walked in, the heat could get downright oppressive. Water drawn from deep down in a well was cold and refreshing. Jesus knew that His body needed that kind of a lift.
I was on a hike once where I ran out of water. It was a hot day and I began to dehydrate as I tried to get to the next source of water. I remember the pain as my muscles started cramping up, and each step was painful. It felt like Heaven on earth when I finally arrived at a tiny trickle of water across the trail that I could use to rehydrate my body and fill my canteens.
Of course, as important as water is to our physical well-being, there is a deeper truth. As He continued talking to the woman, Jesus related the need to spiritual water. Think about how thirsty you get when you walk under the blazing sun. You can then understand how thirsty your soul must get traveling through this world filled with problems. You need to do something that offers spiritual refreshment.
Spending time in the Word and listening to the Lord, is like a cold drink to your soul. Refresh your inner man today. Take a nice long drink at the well of the Lord.
Tags: Bible, Christian, cross, dehydrate, devotion, disciple, distractions, drink, encouragement, faith, Holy Spirit, holy worship, listening, overcoming, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, soul, spiritual drink, thirsty, well, woman at the well
The Spirit and the Word 