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
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
Psalm 18:28
You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
(NIV)
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”
Sometimes children’s songs are the most profound. Notice how the song says I’m gonna let it shine, not I’m gonna make it shine. Simply put, I can’t be a light apart from Christ. He is the light of the world.
David said that it is the Lord that kept his lamp burning. It was God who turned his darkness into light. I am only a light as I reflect the light of Christ. As soon as I think it is my goodness lighting up the world around me, I plunge back into darkness.
I need to see myself as the moon. A great source of light and beauty at night. Yet none of it comes from its own glory. The moon only reflects the glory of the sun. In the same way we reflect Christ to the world.
When we take our eyes off of the Lord and begin to think we are so great, it is like a lunar eclipse. Our flesh starts to cast a shadow over the light. Depend upon God for your light today. Then you can be the lamp God intended you to be.
Tags: Bible, Christian, Christian witness, devotion, glory, Jesus Christ, light, presence of the lord, reflect, testimony
II Kings 2:11-12
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart.
It doesn’t happen very often – a supernatural, miraculous, awe-inspiring vision of God. Moses, Mary, Paul, Jacob, Hagar, and Peter, they all got a glimpse into the spirit-world that was life changing.
Chances are you will never experience anything like these people. You may never see chariots and horses of fire. You may never experience the sight of angels ascending and descending. But…as you spend quality time in God’s presence, you are giving Him permission to work in you a life-changing event.
God can speak to you in ways that are as real to you as seeing a chariot of fire. Many people ask me how they can hear from God. I tell them all the same thing – be listening. God knows you personally. The Lord knows exactly what it will take for you to know that you have heard from Him. The Lord has your address, He knows where you live and how to get to you. All you can do is listen and wait.
Be open to His Spirit today. Be ready and listening. Who knows, you may be that one in a million that receives a “sky-opening” vision. But if not, you can still hear something from God that will turn your life around.
Tags: Christian, devotion, glory, God's will, hearing from God, Holy Spirit, presence of the lord, vision
Ephesians 3:12
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Christ bought for us the ability to stand clean before our God. There is now no more guilt, no more condemnation, and no more fear.
When starting a new project or activity, if you know that you are prepared, there is a sense of freedom and confidence. No matter how difficult the task is that you have chosen, there is no fear, only excitement and anticipation.
That’s how it is with the Lord. He has provided us with all that we need to approach the throne of a holy God. Equipped with that knowledge, we can put forth the faith that draws us near to His matchless presence. As His Spirit moves upon ours, we can be free from the worry of shame, humiliation, or judgment.
Spend time with the Lord today. Approach the throne of grace with the confidence that comes from knowing that your sins are forgiven and that you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. Find in His presence the freedom and confidence that God promises to His children. Then take what you receive and live it out in the world around you.
Tags: Christian, condemnation, confidence, devotion, encouragement, fear, freedom, presence of the lord
The Spirit and the Word 