Mark 2:23
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.
On one of His journeys, the Lord and His disciples passed through a field of grain. As they went through they began to pick and eat some of the heads of wheat. This was something the Law of Moses allowed so that a traveler could have something to eat along the way.
This reminds me of a time when I was hiking a trail up Mt. Everett in southwestern Massachusetts. As I neared the top I suddenly came into a stand of high bush blueberries. Each bush was overflowing with ripe fruit. Without even bending over I was able to grab a handful at a time and pop them into my mouth. What a great snack God had provided!
God always desires to refresh the weary traveler. He provides a bounty in the wilderness. This is especially true along the path of life. God wants to keep your spirit fresh and vibrant.
Our job is to keep our eyes open and to look for these times of refreshing. They could happen anywhere and at any time.
Spend a few moments right now thanking God for His abundant provision. Give Him praise for the times of encouragement you have received in the past. Ask Him to give you a sensitive spirit so that you can recognize the signs of His presence all around you as you continue your journey.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, distractions, encouragement, faith, God's faithfulness, goodness, Holy Spirit, mountain, overcoming, path, presence of the lord, refreshing, traveler
I Kings 19:5-8
Then he [Elijah] lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
While he was on the very edge of despair, Elijah received sustenance from the Lord. As he was running away from the stress in his life, God provided him with supernatural food to sustain him. God knew that the journey before him was too much for his flesh to handle. So, He provided what Elijah needed.
I will let you in on a secret. If you are following God’s plan for your life, then your journey is more than you can take. You will need this supernatural food to strengthen you.
That is why your life experience must have a spiritual side to it. Meeting with God in a quiet place is one of the most powerful, life-changing events you could ever plan for. Don’t neglect your spiritual food.
Take the time to find nourishment for your soul in the Lord’s presence. Cast your burdens upon Him and allow His strength to revive your spirit.
Tags: Bible, Christian, despair, devotion, Elijah, encouragement, enemies, faith, God's faithfulness, God's will, mountain, overcoming, presence of the lord, problems, spiritual food, strength
I Kings 19:3-4
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
Elijah is probably one of the most powerful Old Testament figures. Through him, God performed incredible miracles to turn Israel around. Yet at this point in his life he was ready to throw in the towel. He actually prayed for God to take his life.
What could cause such an uncompromising individual to leave the race? The answer lies in the first line. “Elijah was afraid.” The evil queen, Jezebel, had ordered his arrest and execution. Fear had gripped his heart in spite of the presence of God in his life.
How many times do we lose sight of our calling when faced with the overwhelming problems of life? We need to take the same path that Elijah took – but not the same attitude. We need to run to the place of solitude with God and pour out our heart in prayer.
Just like Elijah, we need to admit our faults and failings. Only the Lord is able to meet the need of our inner man.
Use this time to seek the Lord’s help for the challenges you face. Confess your failures and trials. God stands ready to enfold you in His arms. Allow His strength to work in you the restoration that is needed.
Tags: afraid, attitude, Bible, calling, Christian, devotion, distractions, Elijah, encouragement, enemies, faith, fear, giving up, God's faithfulness, God's will, Jezebel, mountain, mountaintop, overcoming, presence of the lord, problems
Psalm 91:9-13
If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the LORD, who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
One of the major themes throughout the Word of God is, “Fear not!” We can rest assured in the shelter of the Lord. We don’t need to worry over the path ahead. We know that the Lord has everything under control.
But there is a big “if.” If you make the Lord your dwelling place and refuge.
Would someone observing you for the first time say that you seem to live in the presence of God? Is your whole life wrapped up in seeking Him? Is He your refuge and dwelling place? Do you run to Him first in times of trouble?
These are the questions for you to ponder today as you are quiet in the presence of the Lord. If you cannot answer them affirmatively then you need to move closer to God. You need to seek the guidance of His Spirit to show you the path toward intimacy with the Lord.
Even if you can answer yes to the above – your relationship needs constant cultivation in order for it to keep from becoming stagnant. Go to the Lord today for a fresh touch of His presence. Receive what you need to get you through this day victoriously.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, distractions, encouragement, Holy Spirit, holy worship, presence of the lord, protection, testimony, trust
Galatians 6:4-5
Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.
It is the great destroyer of life.
“Why can’t you be like…”
“Why can’t I be like…”
It will rob you of your joy. It will make your life miserable.
I love to hike, but when I first started, it was a very frustrating experience. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the hiking part. But I would be zooming along as fast as my little Italian legs could carry me. Then these other hikers who were all legs (and seemed to be only strolling along) passed me like I was standing still.
The envy that I felt robbed me of the pleasure I should have been experiencing. It was only when I learned to enjoy MY hike that the pleasure returned.
It is the same in our daily lives. We are all different. Don’t compare what someone else is doing to what you are doing. You can always find somebody doing better than you, just as you can always find someone doing worse. Comparing only serves to make you frustrated.
Take some time today to thank God for who you are. Thank Him for your gifts, callings, strengths and weaknesses. They all combine to make you a unique and precious gift in the Body of Christ.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christian, compare, comparing, devotion, encouragement, envy, frustration, gifts, joy, strengths, thankful, unique
Psalm 78:19
They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the desert?
Once again we find that Israel is complaining. They seemed to have spent most of their time angry and grumbling at God. Usually they didn’t even give God the opportunity to prove Himself before they went off on their own tirade.
In this instance they didn’t think that He was capable of feeding them all in the wilderness. They were complaining over what they saw as a short supply of food. God, however, once again proved that He was more than able to abundantly supply their needs.
Hopefully you have enough food as you read this. The truth is that our life is more than just being well fed physically. There is a deeper hunger that natural food, no matter how plentiful, cannot ever satisfy.
The issue I want to deal with today is not food for our body, but food for the soul. As with your body, God is equally able to feed your spiritual man. As we come into His presence each new day we can have a rich feast awaiting our soul. God has already provided everything we need for life and godliness. It is up to us to believe God and pull up to the table.
Spend some quality time with the Lord today. Let Him satisfy your inner hunger. Go your way rejoicing in the goodness and bounty of the Holy Spirit working in you. Find out for yourself that God can truly spread a table in the wilderness.
Tags: Bible, Christian, complaining, desert, devotion, encouragement, God's faithfulness, goodness, presence of the lord, spiritual food, wilderness
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
Lamentations 3:22-24
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
Never get the idea that God is just waiting for us to mess up so that He can strike us down. It is just the opposite. He is looking out for our best. The Lord wants each of us to experience the ultimate fulfillment in life.
To bring this about, He walks with us, guiding us each day – showing us compassion and faithfulness. Let’s face it, if it were God’s goal to judge us, He would not have to wait long for us to make a mistake. Each one of us has a personal history such that if He wanted to, the Lord could lock us in Hell and throw away the key.
The fact is, God has proven His intent through the death and resurrection of Christ. He loved us enough to go to the cross. He wouldn’t have done that if He was intent on condemning us.
Come to God today in a spirit of expectancy. Be ready to hear and obey His plans for your life. Wait on Him in the stillness of trust and dependancy. Spend some time just listening for that still, small voice inside you. It will be well worth your time.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, encouragement, faith, God's faithfulness, God's love, Holy Spirit, holy worship, presence of the lord, trust, wrath
Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
They seem so powerful, so enduring. Their immense size and lofty construction give us the idea that they will last forever. Yet a viewing of the pictures of the Mount St. Helens tragedy illustrates how even a mountain can crumble at any time.
We, as human beings, tend to be impressed very easily. We are quick to use labels such as “always”, “never”, and “forever.” We seem to apply these to the most inappropriate parts of life – governments, economies, relationships, and so many other man-made institutions. The events of September eleventh proved the foolishness of that kind of thinking.
Don’t fall into the trap of assigning eternal value to temporary things. In spite of all this, there is a stable place in the world. Even though the seemingly unshakable can topple, God’s love, His covenant, and His compassion will never fail. They are established, eternal, and unshakable.
Meditate on the Lord’s faithfulness today. Give Him praise for His unchanging and unwavering love – that love which reaches down to us at our point of need. Spend time in the presence of the Eternal One today. Receive from Him what you need to be established in your way.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, encouragement, established, eternal, faith, God's faithfulness, mountain, presence of the lord, temporary, unshakable
Psalm 18:31-33
For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.
There is nothing like the feeling you get when you stand on a high summit overlooking all of creation. It is like you are king (or queen) over all you survey.
It is God’s desire for us to be victorious in life. He wants us to stand on the mountaintop events of our lives and know the thrill of the moment. Realize that the Lord rejoices over our accomplishments.
But during those “peak” experiences – whether an actual mountain or some other achievement – we need to acknowledge the Lord as our source of strength. We must follow the example of the Psalmist. It is obvious that he knows the joys of victory. But he also knows where that victory came from. He gives credit and honor to God as the One who enables him to do these exploits.
Today – look back on your journey and praise God for His hand at work in you. It is He who gives you the strength and guidance that you need to make it to the tops of your personal “mountains.” Show Him your gratefulness for all He has done in your life. In that way you will be prepared for the victories yet to come.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, encouragement, God's faithfulness, gratefulness, mountain, mountaintop, overcoming, trust, victory
The Spirit and the Word 