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
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
Revelation 1:9-10
I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.
When John wrote this he was in a penal colony on the wilderness island of Patmos. This was not a pleasant island getaway. His only companions were guards and criminals. Survival was a daily issue for him.
Yet, in spite of the harsh surroundings, he took time out of each week to have a special time of worship before the Lord. He called it “The Lord’s Day.” It was a day that he had set aside to hear from God – and God revealed Himself to John.
The result of this time of worship was the book of Revelation. It is the only book of the Bible that guarantees a blessing to any one who reads it and takes it to heart.
It doesn’t matter who you are or what your schedule is like. It is important to regularly set aside some time that is exclusively the Lord’s. This is a time where you put aside your goals for a while in order to hear from Him.
Of all the benefits gained from being a child of God, don’t miss out on the best one. Take time to hear from God. Set aside a day that is the Lord’s day. Even better, use that day to fellowship, worship, and praise with others in the Body of Christ. It will reap great rewards.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, encouragement, fellowship, Holy Spirit, holy worship, Jesus Christ, John, Lord's Day, overcoming, Patmos, praise, prepare, presence of the lord, revelation, schedule, victory
Habakkuk 2:2-3
Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
Spending time with the Lord is always an adventure. You never know when or how God will speak to you. As you seek the Him, you will find more and more that He will speak to you, filling you with revelation. You will hear from Him concerning your personal walk with Him, your home life, your ministry, your career, etc. He may tell you new ventures to launch or old things to cut out of your life. The point is, whenever you hear a clear word from God for your life, write it down!
So often we miss out on God’s best because we forget what we heard, or we alter it along the way. It is good to be able to look back in a journal and see the conversations we’ve had with the Lord. Make a point to have a journal with you as you spend time with the Lord – and use it to record what you have learned.
Keep your eyes and ears open. God will speak to someone who is prepared to listen. Keeping a journal shows that you value the voice of the Lord. If you have never tried it, begin today recording what you learn in your private times with Him. The rewards are well worth the extra effort.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, forgetting, God's will, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, journal, journaling, overcoming, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, record, remember, writing
Luke 24:1-2
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.
I just noticed this gem in the Scripture for the first time. I was reading my Bible this morning and the words seemed to jump out at me. The women who had followed Jesus’ ministry were very faithful to Him. They worked to support the ministry while He was alive.
When Jesus went to the cross, they were devastated. But, they continued to serve Him the best that they could. This verse says that they prepared spices for His body. Because Jesus’ crucifixion took place so close to the Passover, they were not able to go through the normal embalming process when He was placed in the tomb. It was only after the feast was over that they could proceed with it.
This was quite a bit of work on the part of these women. It involved grinding the spices to a fine powder. Then they had to crush a resin in a mortar and pestle. Only after this was done and the spices mixed, could they go to the tomb.
The problem was – all that work was for nothing. Jesus Christ had risen from the dead! Embalming spices were not necessary. The Holy Spirit started to speak to me about our walk with God.
How often do we give up on something – a plan, dream, or ministry – because it doesn’t seem to be working. We just want to put it out of its misery. So we go through all the work of preparing for its demise. Then, to our surprise, God supernaturally brings life to it again.
We need to remember that we serve a God who can raise the dead. Never give up on a God-given dream. It may go through a “death cycle.” But, God is not bound to how things appear on the surface. Don’t waste your time preparing for defeat, when the Lord’s plan is for your victory. Let Him have the final say in your situation.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christian, cross, defeat, devotion, encouragement, faith, giving up, glory, God's faithfulness, God's will, Jesus Christ, overcoming, preparation, prepare, problems, restoration, resurrection, strength, victory
Luke 8:13
“Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.”
Roots and rocks are not a good combination, especially if you are a plant. One of the places that has very rocky soil is the state of Maine. One day, as I was hiking in Maine, I came across a strange sight. It took me a while to figure out what I was seeing.
I was hiking down a mountain on a series of switchbacks that went back and forth across the slope. The ground, which up to that point had been a normal brown color, suddenly had a ten foot wide streak of dark chocolate dirt across the trail.
When my foot hit this new dirt, I began to slide, uncontrollably, downhill. When I was finally able to stop myself, I began to look for the cause of this. What I realized was that a huge tree, that had grown in the dirt on top of a rock, had literally slid down the side of the mountain in a rainstorm the night before. Its roots had not held because they could not get very deep.
I took this as a spiritual lesson to me. If you have no root system, you may grow up for a while. Eventually, however, you will now be able to hang on in the storms of life. To be secure you must be firmly grounded in Christ.
Take the time today to add depth to your root system. Spend time in the presence of the Lord building your relationship with Him. Let Him speak to your heart as you wait upon Him. With the strength you gain from your times with the Lord, you need never fear the road ahead.
Tags: Bible, Christian, depth, devotion, encouragement, faith, God's faithfulness, hang on, Holy Spirit, holy worship, Maine, mountain, overcoming, path, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, rock, rocky soil, rooted, roots, strength, testing
Ephesians 3:17b-19
…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
In this verse Paul is letting us in on a prayer that he frequently sent up to God. It is an interesting prayer because in it Paul is praying for power.
A prayer for power – I’ve heard a lot of those. God’s people are always praying for power. We want the power for healing and miracles. We want the power of the Lord to increase our finances and give us influence with those in authority. We all want the life changing, victorious power of the Holy Spirit to be at work in us. What exactly was Paul’s desire for the power of God to do in their lives?
It is actually something that I never hear the modern church pray for in regards to power. He wanted the supernatural power of God so that they could grasp the love of God. That is how absolutely beyond our experience this love is. It takes the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to grasp it.
So, in short, I cannot love God without knowing God. (God is love) I cannot know God and His love without His power at work in me. He has to reveal His love to me. Why is that so important?
Paul is clear as to why he wants them to know God’s love in a supernatural way. So that they may be filled with the fullness of God. Another interesting thought…I have heard many believers pray for the fullness of God’s power in them. Yet, I never heard them pray for the power to understand and know His love. Maybe that’s why the church in America is not where it should be. We want power without love.
Christ is our example. Power and love in perfect unity and balance. That is what we must seek. Press in to the power. Seek the power to grasp the love of God. Only then will you be truly equipped to walk in the fullness of what God has for you.
Tags: authority, Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, encouragement, established, faith, filled, fullness of God, glory, God's love, God's will, healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, miracles, overcoming, power, prayer, presence of the lord, rooted, victory
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
The Spirit and the Word 