Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
What you can see makes a big difference in your attitude. Once, while I was hiking, I spent a night in the lean-to on the top of Glastonbury mountain in Vermont. I was told that you could see all the way to Massachusetts from the shelter. Unfortunately, the night I was there it was thick fog and rain. The shelter felt closed in and miserable.
Of course I also remember hiking up Mount Katahdin in Maine. The day of that trip was crystal clear. From the top you could see to the horizon in all directions. It was life-changing.
What made the difference? Obviously it was the view. It is the same in life. How far ahead you look determines your attitude. There are some people who don’t look beyond what is right in front of them now. They want the quick fix. They’re only looking for the “feel good” experience.
If we want the best that life can offer, then we must take God’s advice. We must view the eternal rather than the temporary. We must live today knowing that we will exist a million years from this day. Not only that, but we must ask ourselves what will be important a million years from today. This allows us to live in this moment with a view of eternity.
As you go before God today, ask Him to increase your vision. Let Him work in you to see the eternal over the temporary. Make it your goal to live for that which will never fade away.
Tags: attitude, Bible, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, eternity, feel good, glory, hiking, Holy Spirit, mountain, mountaintop, prepare, quick fix, temporary, vision
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
Exodus 3:4-6
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
Yesterday I posted about the “burning bush” experience that God wants us to have with Him. Today I want to take it a step further. The first thing I notice, is that God did not reveal Himself until He knew that He had Moses attention.
Sometimes I like to go out hiking or camping in the woods. While I’m there, I usually take the time to pray and seek the Lord. The reason I love to meet with God in the wilderness is that there are no distractions.
We live in a world where there’s a whirlwind of activity around us. We desperately need to take the time and get alone with God in a solitary place. Only then will God have the freedom to speak with us on the level He desires.
The next thing is that God instructs Moses to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. God wants nothing to insulate Moses from His holiness. So often we want a buffer between us and God. We want the Pastor to pray for us and tell us what to do. The truth is that we need to see ourselves as holy – set apart for the exclusive use of God.
Take the time right now to bask in the holiness of the Lord. Begin to see yourself as set apart for His plan. Lay down your desires upon the altar of God. In that way you are opening the door for a “burning bush” of your own.
Tags: alone with God, attention, Bible, burning bush, camping, Christian, devotion, distractions, encouragement, fellowship, glory, God's faithfulness, hiking, holiness, holy ground, Holy Spirit, holy worship, Moses, prayer, presence of the lord, set apart, wilderness
Exodus 3:1-3
Now Moses was tending the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up.”
This is a very familiar portion of the Word of God. Every Sunday School student knows about Moses and the burning bush. Here we see Moses going through the normal routine of an average day. Then, out of nowhere, God shows up and absolutely revolutionizes his life.
What may surprise you is that God desires us all to have “burning bush” experiences. We serve a God who always desires fellowship with his children. If you are listening, there will be times of deep intimacy between you and the Lord. These are times when you have a special moment with the Lord.
You also need to understand that these times are few and far between. However, they are times when the Spirit of God speaks to you so clearly that you can almost hear Him with your physical ears.
The important thing to remember is that we need to keep our eyes open for these times of special clarity in our walk with God. We cannot afford to miss them – they are life changing.
Spend some time, today, in quiet reverence before the Lord. Let Him know that you are willing to listen to His voice. Allow Him to share His heart with yours.
Tags: Bible, burning bush, Christian, clarity, devotion, distractions, encouragement, fellowship, glory, God's faithfulness, Holy Spirit, holy worship, intimacy, life changing, presence of the lord, reverence
Psalm 46:4-6
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
Yesterday I posted about the fact that there is nothing certain in this world. Our trust, hope, and expectations must abide elsewhere. We need to fix our eyes on the heavenly kingdom.
No matter what kind of trouble this world faces, the power of God remains secure. The river of life will never fail. If we remain in Christ, then the things that shake this world around us will not affect our walk.
Rising gas prices, economic failures, terrorist threats, and global warming are just a few of the issues that have nations in turmoil. Through it all, the kingdom of God is still secure. No matter what happens I know that the grace of the Lord can still reach me. I can come to this river at any time for sustenance and refreshment.
We can face the uncertainty of life without fear. This only comes from the knowledge that our feet are securely in a kingdom that is not of this world.
Spend time meditating upon the faithfulness of God. Think about the times He has brought you through the difficulties you have faced in the past. This should inspire praise and worship before Him. Then, take your future and commit it into the Lord’s hands. Only then will you have true security.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, encouragement, faith, fear, glory, God's faithfulness, grace of God, heavenly kingdom, Holy Spirit, hope, praise, presence of the lord, problems, protection, security, strength, trouble, trust
Psalm 36:5-6
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.
The majesty of nature is indescribable. I have taken pictures and videos of mountains, lakes, and rivers that have left me breathless. Yet when I return home and look at them, they don’t come close to the experience of actually being there. Nothing gives you the sense of wonder like standing in the wild and experiencing the real thing.
It is the same with God’s love, His faithfulness, His righteousness, and His justice. You can read about it in the Bible. You can tell about how God has poured them into your life. Yet, until someone actually experiences these things for themselves, they will never really understand the full impact.
God is a person. He can be described and read about. But there is only one way to fully appreciate His awesome majesty. You must come face to face with Him for yourself.
Take the time to enter the presence of the Lord. Worship and praise Him for who He is and what He has done in your life. Let His majesty overwhelm you the same as a view of mountains and lakes. Experience God today in the beauty of His holiness.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, experience, glory, God's faithfulness, Holy Spirit, holy worship, majesty, mountain, presence of the lord
Faith is not a one-time thing. It is a way of living.
Romans 4:12
And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
(NIV)
The word footsteps in this passage actually means a path that was created by many people walking the same way over time. Over and over again there were men and women who followed the same path of faith that Abraham used.
God is not a respecter of persons. He doesn’t ask everybody to do something different. He requires the same from all of us – faith. We must learn to trust God in all things, just like Abraham had to. Each new generation of believers can see where others have walked before.
Sure, the technology changes. We use new words and have new concerns to deal with. But our God doesn’t change. The same God who took care of Abraham in the wilderness, is the God who will see us through the challenges of the times we live in. Only He knows the end from the beginning and can safely take us through to an abundant life.
Think about it! This path of faith that we are walking is the same path that Abraham trod thousands of years ago. Over time, with each new believer adding their steps, the path has become clearer and clearer. It led them to see the glory of God and it will take us to the same location.
How unfortunate that so many believers don’t look at the path in that way. They think it is too narrow and constrictive. They want to see more than just the view from this trail. We must keep reminding ourselves that this path is the one that can truly lead us to the abundant life. If it brought Abraham there, then with God’s help, I can reach that destination as well.
Tags: Abraham, abundant life, Bible, challenges, Christian, devotion, disciple, faith, footsteps, glory, overcoming, path, trust
Have you seen anything awesome lately?
Psalm 47:2
How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
(NIV)
I have been thinking lately about our language. Particularly, the words we use. Words that have become commonplace in our everyday speech patterns. I wonder about them. Now I want to give my humble opinion about what I call God words. These are words that really can only be applied to God and His works.
The first I thought about was the word awesome. It’s a word I hear used all the time – about everything.
“Awesome cookies.”
“That movie was awesome.”
“You did awesome on that test.”
Is that really how this word should be used? I looked it up in the dictionary. Under awesome it said, “Inspiring awe.” That didn’t help too much. What’s awe? The dictionary said, “Reverential fear, dread mixed with veneration.” Now tell me, does that really describe a cookie?
I am reminded of a trip I took as a chaperone of high school students. Some of them were city kids who had never been away from home. At one point we took them to see the Grand Canyon. When the view suddenly opened up, there was silence. These students who were always laughing and joking about everything were standing there with their mouths dropped open, unable to speak. That is awe.
The next time you hear or use the word awesome, let it remind you of its true meaning and the awesome God that we serve.
Tags: awe, awesome, Bible, Christian, devotion, glory, Grand Canyon, language, presence of the lord, reverence, words
Proverbs 31:18
She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
(NIV)
This verse really emphasizes the true purpose of a lamp. If the sun is shining brightly, and your house has a lot of windows, there is no need for a lamp. Turning a lamp on at that point is a waste of energy, and you probably wouldn’t even notice that it was on.
The time that a lamp is needed is after the sun goes down. When you light a lamp in a dark room, there is no hiding it. As a matter of fact, even a small light can have that effect. I have been in a hotel room where the tiny red light on the smoke detector has kept me awake for hours!
The darker it gets, the more the light is needed. That is true in the spirit as well. We live in a dark society – spiritually speaking. And it seems to be getting darker and darker with each passing day. That tells me that there is a reason God has us here in this place, at this time in history.
So many people spend their lifetimes trying to find purpose. That should be no problem at all for the Christian. We are to shine the light of Christ wherever we are. That is our destiny. To light up the darkness of this world.
Therefore, I need to spend quality time in the presence of the Source of that light. If I am to adequately reflect Christ, then I need to abide in Him. Spend time with the Lord today. Let His joy, strength, and purpose flood your soul. Then allow His light to spill out to all those around you who need to come into His light.
Tags: Bible, bright, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, darkness, devotion, glory, Jesus Christ, lamp, light, presence of the lord, reflect, testimony, world
Exodus 27:20
“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning.”
(NIV)
Hopefully, all believers want to be a light for Christ in this dark world. What trips us up is the fact that it doesn’t just happen. Left to myself I would do nothing worthy of the Lord’s glory.
It follows the same principle as in the verse above. If Israel wanted the lamps in the tabernacle to continue to burn brightly, they had to be tended to. It was not just a once a week task. Olives had to be picked and crushed for their oil. The oil had to be filtered for clarity. The wicks had to be changed when they had burned down. The oil level in the lamps needed to be monitored frequently.
In the same way, hearing a sermon and singing some songs once a week is not enough to keep us burning bright for the Lord. It is a daily task to tend to the needs of our spirits. We need the solid food of the Word of God. We need the living water of the presence of God. We need to be meditating on His Word throughout the day. These are the things that keep the lamp going.
As I said in my post yesterday, it is not my light that is shining. But that doesn’t mean I have no part to play. Unless the lamp is prepared, there will be no place in me for the light of Christ to ignite. Keep your lamp in good condition. Give the fire of the Lord a ready home to light up your world.
Tags: Bible, burning, Christian, Christian witness, darkness, devotion, glory, Jesus Christ, lamp, light, oil, prepare, presence of the lord, testimony, world
The Spirit and the Word 