Psalm 18:30
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
Many people talk about the shield of faith. Unfortunately there are few who actually pick it up and use it. It requires more than just a mental assent to the Word of God. It requires a walk with the God of the Word.
We must first realize that His Word is flawless. There is no trickery or deceit in Him. He says what He means and means what He says. I must hold God’s Word above the word of any other.
But it doesn’t stop there, even though most Christians think that is enough to lay hold of the shield. There’s more.
If His Word is flawless, and if I believe that Word, then I will walk the way that Word teaches without hesitation. I will believe that God’s way is perfect and live accordingly. It is simple logic. If I don’t do what the book says, then I don’t trust the book completely.
It is the first half of this verse that is the foundation for the second half. If I believe God’s Word and walk in His way then am I protected by His shield.
Spend some time with the God of the Word today. Prayerfully meditate upon what He says. Let the mind of the Lord renew your mind. Let His desire change the way you live your life. Then you can expect His shield to protect your path.
Tags: armor of God, believing, Bible, Christian, devotion, encouragement, faith, God's word, meditate, overcoming, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, protection, shield of faith, trust, victory
2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Thousands of people start new things each day. A new diet, hiking the Appalachian Trail or an exercise program just to name a few. It is a sad fact that most of them never finish what they have started. They had good intentions. They started strong and were eager to take on the new challenge. But somewhere along the way they fizzled out before the finish line.
Think about an athletic event like the Olympics. Nobody remembers how the race started, only the finish. The winner may have started at the back of the pack – it doesn’t matter – it is the strong finisher who gets the gold medal. We need to pick up the attitude that says, “No matter the obstacles, I’m finishing strong.”
What counts in God’s economy is not how you start, but how you finish. Whether it’s in athletics or in our walk with the Lord, we need the persistence to keep going even when we would much rather quit. It doesn’t take any special ability to drop out of the race. Most people never finish half of what they start. Find out what is important to the Lord in your life and commit yourself to finishing it.
We need God’s strength to keep going. Seek His power for your life today. Seek the Lord’s wisdom to know if there is some area of your life that you have quit that you should now pick up and bring to the finish line. Take the time needed to get this area of your life back in line.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christian, devotion, distractions, encouragement, finish, finishing strong, God's will, good intentions, Holy Spirit, overcoming, path, persistence, power, quit, run the race, start, strength
Luke 24:1-8
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, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:’The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'”
Then they remembered his words.
Today is the greatest reason on earth to celebrate.
Let the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ fill your heart, soul, and spirit with the joy that can only come from a life that has been transformed by the power of the resurrection.
Tags: Bible, celebrate, Christ, Christian, devotion, Easter, empty tomb, encouragement, faith, fellowship, God's faithfulness, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, joy, overcoming, power, praise, resurrection, risen, testimony, victory
Matthew 26:36-38
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
This is the time in Jesus’ life that leads up to His betrayal and arrest. He knew that the cross was before Him. He came to earth knowing that He was to die for the sins of all people.
When it comes down to the hard choices, knowing your path and walking it out can be very different. Now that the hour was at hand, the Lord needed the strength to see it through. In order to receive what He needed from the Father, Jesus did what He always knew would bring Him an answer. He spent time with God the Father in a private place, far away from any distractions.
This was not to be a time for crowds of people. He even left most of His disciples at the entrance to the garden. The only ones to stay with Him were Peter, James, and John. He would spend the night agonizing over what was ahead.
Let this today be your garden of prayer. God is waiting for you to cry out to Him. Only the Lord can give you the strength you need for the road ahead. Whether you know the dangers or not, let the peace of God rule in you this day. Find your rest in His presence.
Tags: Bible, choices, Christ, Christian, cross, devotion, distractions, encouragement, faith, garden, garden of prayer, Gethsemane, God's will, Jesus Christ, overcoming, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, problems, solitude, strength, trust
Jeremiah 12:5
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?”
God calls us to do greater things with Him than we could have ever done without Him. We can go above and beyond our abilities, because of His strength working in us. In this section of Scripture, Jeremiah is complaining about why the wicked prosper. It was upsetting him to the point that it was affecting his work for God.
Sometimes we get distracted by the lack of commitment that we see in others. What God tells him applies to us as well. God’s reply to Jeremiah is that if you are turned aside that easily – just by looking at what others are doing (or not doing) – then you will really be thrown off when you see how high I’ve actually called you to go.
It’s like the person who says that their dream is to walk the Appalachian Trail, yet all the while they complain about the number of stairs leading to their front door. Take some time to refocus your sights on the high calling God has for you. And remember, if you let the small stuff get you down, you will never move on to the great things.
Take the time to refocus your thoughts in the presence of the Lord. Let His plan for you fill your vision. In this way you will not be distracted from completing the assignment God has for you.
Tags: above and beyond, Bible, Christian, commitment, complain, complaining, devotion, disciple, distractions, encouragement, God's faithfulness, God's will, greater things, higher, Holy Spirit, Jeremiah, overcoming, presence of the lord, problems, strength
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
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
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 