Genesis 16:13-14
She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.
We serve a God of many names. It is beyond the capability of human speech to adequately describe Him in one simple name. Each time someone met the God of Heaven and earth, they were inspired by the Holy Spirit to refer to Him by a new name.
He was called Jehovah Rapha, “God my Healer;” El Elyon, “God Most High;” and Addonai, “God Almighty”, just to name a few. Here Hagar has just come face to face with a new revelation of her Creator. She knows Him as “The God Who sees me.”
What an awesome thought. This is the God who created the universe, the One who upholds all things by His mighty power, the King of kings that sits enthroned above the earth. Yet in spite of all His glory, He sees me.
Think of it. God does not only see us, He sees me – personally. He knows my joys, hurts, frustrations, victories, and needs. The Lord knows me more intimately than I know myself.
As you go before Him today, acknowledge Him as the One who sees everything about you. This will allow you to rest in His holy presence, knowing that He cares about everything that concerns you. Bask in the assurance of His love for you.
Tags: destiny, encouragement, fellowship, God sees me, God's faithfulness, God's love, God's will, Holy Spirit, names of God, personal, running away, sees everything, trust
Isaiah 2:2-3
In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
When the temple was established in Jerusalem, no gentile could ever enter it, no matter how devout they were. Temple worship was the exclusive right of the nation of Israel.
Things are different now. Because of what Christ has done, all nations may now enter the invisible, holy temple of God. We can now climb the heights to His very presence. What was formerly impossible is now accessible by grace.
It is now possible to sit at the feet of the Lord and allow Him to teach you His ways. Even when the temple was open to Israel, only the priests had that privilege. Now, because of the cross, we can all experience the move of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Make that climb today, to the top, to the mountain of God’s temple. Approach the majestic presence of the Creator of all things. Worship at His feet, for He is worthy to receive it. Wait on Him, for His Spirit to move upon your heart. Lives are forever changed up on that mountain. Let yours be one of them.
Tags: accessible, Bible, calling, changed lives, Christ, Christian, cross, devotion, disciple, encouragement, fellowship, glory, God's temple, higher, holy, Holy Spirit, holy temple, holy worship, intimacy, invisible, Jesus Christ, mountain, power, praise, prayer, presence of the lord, revival, temple, victory
II Kings 1:9-10
Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!'”
Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.
There is a peace that comes from being on a mountaintop, or even a hilltop. It seems easier to seek the Lord in these places. The sights and sounds all combine together to make your spirit more open to God. Elijah was in such a place. He realized that the place of prayer was a place of power before God.
Sometimes, in our Christian walk, we experience a spiritual mountaintop. It is a place where God gives us special clarity about what’s ahead. It is an intimate place with the Lord and usually we don’t want it to end too quickly.
In this verse the king ordered Elijah to come down from his mountaintop. He even sent a contingent of soldiers to move Elijah off of his God-given assignment. Unfortunately for the captain and his men, the power of God worked to remove the distraction from the prophet’s path.
In our daily lives, it is the distractions of society that order us out of the presence of the Lord. We need to learn to remain on the mountain (at least in our hearts). If we can continue our focus on the Lord. Then, even when we must leave the place of prayer, His peace still remains.
Take the time today to find that place of peace with the Lord. Spend quality time in His presence, then continue to meditate upon Him throughout the day.
Tags: Bible, Christian, clarity, devotion, distractions, Elijah, encouragement, enemies, fellowship, intimacy, meditate, mountain, mountaintop, peace, power, power of God, prayer, presence of the lord, spiritual mountaintop, strength, trust, victory
1 Peter 1:15-16
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
To be “holy” means to be “set apart.” It means that we see ourselves as reserved exclusively for God’s use. I am no longer a part of a crowd, headed for destruction. Through Christ, I have been singled out to serve the Lord.
Having a special time and place to meet with the Lord each day, helps to reinforce that mindset. As I make a break with the general population and come away to His presence, a change starts taking place. I am transformed from just a tiny drop in a huge bucket to a unique servant of the Most High God.
It is God’s desire to work in me through my own particular personality, strengths, and weaknesses. He has a calling for my life that no one else can accomplish quite the way I could. There is a destiny and a purpose set-aside just for me. I am special in the eyes of God.
Make that break from the pack today. See yourself as set apart, holy to the Lord. Don’t settle on just being a number or a statistic on somebody’s role somewhere. Start today seeing yourself as God sees you, as a chosen and unique vessel exclusively for the Master’s use. Armed with that knowledge, you can come boldly into the awesome presence of his holiness. Receive from the Lord today all that you need for fulfilling your destiny in Him.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christian, destiny, devotion, disciple, distractions, encouragement, fellowship, God's will, holiness, holy, Holy Spirit, personality, prayer, presence of the lord, purpose, servant, set apart, strengths, transformed, unique, weaknesses
I love the Fourth of July. It’s one of my favorite holidays. Picnics with family, outdoor fun, not to mention fireworks at night. Even more than that, I thank God for a nation where I’m granted the freedom to do all these things without fear.
Galatians 5:13
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
We are called to be free. Freedom is something that God wants for all humanity. Unfortunately, what most people consider freedom is not the real thing. Society thinks that freedom is the ability to do what I want, whenever I want. Their opinion is that freedom means that I can feel good all of the time.
That’s a very selfish definition. Freedom is not all about me. Our founding fathers gave selflessly in the cause for freedom. It was definitely not about their personal good, but the betterment of all that drove them to resist the most powerful nation on earth at that time. Many lost their lives to win this precious gift for us.
There are still those in the armed forces and public safety positions that lay their lives on the line each day, so that we can continue to live free. Freedom is more of a responsibility than a pleasure. I have to put as much into it as I receive from it.
That is what Paul was trying to tell us in the verse above. Freedom is not all about indulging my every desire, but the ability to serve one another unhindered. We need to listen to his exhortation. As believers, we have not only been blessed with our spiritual freedom in Christ, but our physical freedom in the USA.
Let’s live out that freedom responsibly. Not in the granting of our every desire, but in seeking the blessing of all through a life of service. Live free. Be a blessing to all those around you. And thank God for the freedom we share.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, devotion, encouragement, fellowship, fireworks, founding fathers, fourth of July, freedom, God's will, independence day, love, responsibility, serve one another, service, testimony
Mark 1:35-39
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Many times Jesus would leave a house to find a solitary place to pray. Most of the time He would leave while it was still dark. I’m sure that He didn’t even tell anyone He was leaving. It must have been much later when the disciples started their search.
When the disciples finally caught up with Him they rebuked Him for “getting lost.” It is amazing to me that in reply Jesus ignores their complaints and simply tells them what He had heard from the Father – the next step in their ministry to Israel.
Do you need to know the next step in your life? If Jesus needed to seek God in that way, I assume that the same has to be true for us. We desperately need a Word from the Father to complete our task.
Find that peaceful place today. Go before the Lord in the stillness that surrounds you and open up your soul to Him. Spend some time just listening for His still, small voice to your heart. Then answer the call in obedience to His will.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christ, Christian, destiny, devotion, disciple, distractions, encouragement, fellowship, God's will, Holy Spirit, intimacy, Jesus Christ, next step, prayer, presence of the lord, revival, seek God, solitary place, solitude, still small voice, word from God
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
Mark 6:45-47
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land.
As I read the Gospels, I find that Jesus loved the mountains. He went there often to seek solitude and to pray. I don’t think that the disciples ever realized the importance of this part of the Lord’s ministry until after the resurrection.
There were many times where the best thing for Him to do was to dismiss the crowds and to send away His disciples in order to be alone with the Father. This was one of those times. He had just ministered to thousands of people. That can be very draining no matter who you are.
When the Lord took on flesh and blood, He chose to live as one of us. Because of this, Jesus was bound by the same physical limitations that we are. He learned that you cannot just keep giving out to others. You must also take something in that can recharge your own spiritual batteries.
It was in these mountains of prayer that Jesus was able to renew His Spirit. He would seek the Father’s face and by the Spirit, hear the plan for the road ahead. In that way He could fulfill the work He was called to do without burning Himself out doing it.
That needs to be a lesson for us. If Jesus needed this time with the Father, how much more should we be seeking the presence of the Lord in our daily lives. Take the time necessary today to renew and refresh yourself in the presence of the Lord. You will be glad you did.
Tags: Bible, burn out, Christian, devotion, disciple, distractions, encouragement, fellowship, God's will, Holy Spirit, intimacy, Jesus Christ, mountain, mountaintop, overcoming, power, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, recharge, renew, solitude, strength, trust, victory, walk on water
John 4:19-24
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem… Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
The Jews and the Samaritans worshipped God on two different mountains. The woman speaking to Jesus in this verse was starting to get uncomfortable with where the conversation was heading. She thought that she could start an argument about which was the right place. Fortunately the Lord was not distracted from His objective by her question.
Jesus answered that God is Spirit. He knows no physical limitations as to time and place. He explained to the woman that anywhere you worshipped God was the right place. This is a great blessing to us.
Worshipping God is one of the greatest experiences you could have. It doesn’t matter where you set aside the place. The key is that we come into His presence in spirit and in truth. To be alone with the Lord is something you cannot afford to miss.
Take the opportunity today to worship in His presence. Worship Him in spirit and truth, as He calls us to. You will find it to be one of the high points of your day.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, disciple, distractions, encouragement, fellowship, Holy Spirit, holy worship, intimacy, Jesus Christ, mountain, mountaintop, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, spirit and truth, worship
Isaiah 25:6-8
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine – the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.
I remember the first time I thought of buying a freeze-dried meal for hiking. I was at my local hiking store and asked one of the salespeople if this food was any good.
He replied, “It’s like this. At the end of a day of walking up and down mountains for 10 miles, with 35 pounds on your back, it will taste like you’re in a four star restaurant…just don’t try to eat them at home!” It seems that everything tastes better after a hike in the mountains.
God did His best work on Mt. Calvary. When Jesus went to the cross, He destroyed death and opened up the way to the greatest blessing we could imagine – a feast for our weary souls. He is the Bread of Heaven and the Living Water. If we feed on Him we will never hunger and thirst again.
Meditate on these things today as you go throughout your day. God is good. He has a banquet laid out for our souls. All we need to do is spend time with Him to avail ourselves of His bounty.
Tags: banquet, Bible, bread of heaven, Christ, Christian, devotion, encouragement, feast, fellowship, freeze dried, God's faithfulness, hiking food, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, living water, mountain, mountain feast, mountaintop, prayer, presence of the lord, revival, strength, trust
The Spirit and the Word 