Mark 6:51-52
Then he [Jesus] climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
The weather is something you and I can’t control. Every part of the USA has some kind of natural dangers that occur regularly. Whether it’s tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, or mudslides, there is no way to stop it once it starts. Most of what you encounter in these conditions is out of your hands, all you can do is prepare for it, and do your best to survive through it.
Even worse, are the spiritual and emotional storms that we face. Many times they come upon us with no warning at all. These upheavals can sometimes ruin the rest of our lives.
The good news is that no matter what you face in life, you’re never alone. When the disciples struggled to cross the lake they were never out of the Lord’s protection. It is good to know that when danger arises, He can walk on water to rescue you. Only He has the power to still the storm you’re going through and never break a sweat.
The trouble with the disciples was that they had not understood all that they saw in Jesus up until that point. Scripture says that their hearts were still hard. They should have been able to expect the Lord to show up when they needed Him. Instead they end up completely amazed that they were able to survive the ordeal.
Remember that the Lord can make a way for you when the path seems hopeless. Never forget to acknowledge His protective care over your life. Even in your darkest time, expect the Lord to show up and guide you to safe haven. Yield to Him today and let Him direct you to your destiny in Him.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, danger, destiny, devotion, disciple, distractions, earthquake, emotional, encouragement, faith, fear, God's faithfulness, God's love, Holy Spirit, hurricane, Jesus Christ, mudslide, overcoming, prepare, problems, protection, spiritual, storm, strength, tornado, trust, victory, weather
Mark 6:48-50
He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
In yesterday’s post, we saw that after sending the disciples off and dismissing the crowds, Jesus went up on a mountainside to pray and seek the Father. The disciples didn’t know that He could be up there praying and watching over them at the same time.
We sometimes think that God isn’t watching. Or maybe He’s ignoring us. The truth is that the Lord not only knows where you are, but He also knows the quickest route to get to you. There seemed to be no way for Jesus to be in a position to help the disciples. That is, until He started walking across the water.
He took the quickest path to the boat. Remember, the things that keep us down don’t bind the Lord. He knows how to show up in your time of need. The disciples weren’t looking for Him to appear. As a matter of fact, it seems that they were more afraid of the Lord walking on the water than they were of the storm.
If you are going through a storm today, don’t be afraid, Christ is nearby and ready to help you. Be in position to receive His help. Don’t fear His solution more than your problem. Put your life in His hands this day.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, disciple, distractions, encouragement, faith, fear, God's faithfulness, help, Jesus Christ, overcoming, presence of the lord, problems, storm, strength, trust, victory
Psalm 42:5-8
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you…Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.
We all have times during which we get downcast. Confusion, weariness, and depression all come knocking at our door from time to time. If we give in, we lose without a fight.
There is one bright hope through it all – that is if we can remember to place God into the equation. When we merely focus in on the problem, it is easy to forget what God is able to do on our behalf.
It seems that whenever I meditate upon what the Lord has done for me in the past, I once again realize how good God really is. In this mindset I am aware of His presence to a greater degree than at any other time. It is very easy, then, to put God back in control of my situation.
Don’t waste the opportunity that your time with the Lord offers for the refreshing of your spirit. Use this time to strengthen your fellowship with Christ. Remember the victories He has brought you through in the past. He is still on the throne. He is well able to meet your need today.
Take those things that are burdening you down and turn them over to the One who can truly meet all your needs. Then you will be able to leave that downcast spirit at the foot of the cross and come away with a fresh and healthy new attitude.
Tags: Bible, burdens, Christ, Christian, confusion, cross, depression, devotion, disciple, distractions, downcast, encouragement, faith, glory, God's faithfulness, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, overcoming, power, praise, prayer, presence of the lord, problems, remember God, trust, victory, weariness
1 Peter 5:5-6
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
I am so thankful to God that I was raised in a Christian home. Because of that, I was able to accept the Gospel message at an early age. (See my previous “Testimony” post) That being said, there is a truth that all those in my condition need to learn. Just because I grew up going to church doesn’t mean that I had no use for the life transforming power of God in me.
I need Christ to work on me the same as everybody else – maybe even more so, because my problems were below the surface. Let me explain…
From my earliest memories, I was attending Sunday School at my church. I was also at church whenever the doors were open. That’s how my parents operated. Speaking of my parents, they were the type that always made sure that I had learned my “memory verse” for the week – BEFORE Sunday. There was only one other person in my class who had to do that. The rest just waited for him or me to go first, and then they repeated what we said.
I loved learning the Bible and soaked it in like a sponge. Ultimately, I became very knowledgeable in the Word of God. And that’s where it started to go downhill. When a question was asked by the teacher, I always knew the answer and raised my hand. Sometimes the teacher would call on me and I would receive the satisfaction of being correct.
Of course, teachers didn’t want the same person answering all the questions. So I was the one who jumped around with my hand up going, “Ou – ou – ou. Call on me. I know it.” When I saw that didn’t work, I resorted to yelling out the answer without the teacher calling on me. Needless to say, the teacher’s reaction didn’t boost my ego as I had intended.
Then it struck me. I came up with a new strategy. I never raised my hand again. I let all the other students answer the questions UNTIL there was a question that no one could answer. Only then would I raise my hand and invariably give the right answer. I became the class expert. The one they went to at the last resort.
Without me ever knowing, the sin of pride had taken root in me. The same sin that caused Satan to fall had now taken over my life. That’s where it started, but I have had to battle it ever since. Thank God for the power of the Holy Spirit that gives me victory over it today. It’s the sin that will always pop up when I least expect it. I need the Savior’s power as a constant part of my life. I cannot be who I am without Him.
Just because I grew up in church doesn’t make me invulnerable to sin. I need the power of the Holy Spirit just like anyone else. I can truly say that without His hand on me, I would never have made it to where I am today. Thank You, Jesus, for your life-changing power!
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, devotion, disciple, encouragement, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, overcoming, power of God, pride, problems, self-righteous, self-satisfaction, sin of pride, strength, testimony, trust, victory
Job 38:22-27
“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail, which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle? What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth? Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm, to water a land where no man lives, a desert with no one in it, to satisfy a desolate wasteland and make it sprout with grass?”
When my wife and I were first married, we lived in a house by a lake. When thunderstorms would come through, you could see them getting closer from miles away. I would love to shut all the lights in the house and sit on the front porch to watch them.
Then, when we moved to Maryland, we lived in a townhouse. I had to walk a couple of blocks to a playground for an open view to the west. I could watch the storms from there. Usually, I was able to time it pretty well – I knew exactly when to start running home so I would make it before the downpour hit.
I do enjoy watching a thunderstorm approach – it reminds me that there are things in this world beyond our control. It is easy to see that truth illustrated by the weather. In society, where electricity, cars, and computers put the illusion of control at our fingertips, it is harder to grasp that concept. Usually we only realize how frail we are when something breaks down or a natural disaster occurs.
We need to place our whole lives in God’s hands. Only then will we be secure from the storms of life. We can then watch the approach with the confidence that comes from knowing that we are safely sheltered in His unshakable arms. Whether you have done it in the past or not, today would be a good day to go before God and place your whole life in His care – you will be glad that you did.
Tags: Bible, Christian, control, devotion, disciple, distractions, downpour, encouragement, faith, fear, God's faithfulness, God's hands, God's protection, overcoming, prayer, prepare, problems, protection, storms, thunderstorms, trust, victory, weather
Jesus was arrested, just before the crucifixion. Then He was taken to the high priest for questioning. At this point in the narrative Luke makes an interesting comment about Peter.
Luke 22:54
Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.
This is the same Peter who said he would die with Christ, if necessary. The one who was always so outspoken about his faith in the Lord. Yet, here he is seen shrinking back into the shadows.
This begs the question about our walk with Jesus. We are always so quick to point out that we follow Christ. What does that mean to you? The real question is, “How closely are you following?” Peter was following Him, but far enough away so that it wasn’t obvious that he was with the Lord.
So often we don’t want it to be seen that we are different from the world. We want to blend in with society. We don’t want to get too radical in our Christian walk. Is that the way it’s supposed to be?
I believe that if we’re going to follow Christ, then we must live openly for Him. Even the most casual observer should be able to recognize that there is a difference in how we go about our daily routines.
People aren’t shy at all about using foul language, or other ungodly activity. Christians, on the other hand, are so worried about “offending” anyone. We should not be afraid of praying or talking about Christ in public. We need to stop following Him at a distance.
Tags: Bible, blending in, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, devotion, disciple, distance, encouragement, fear, following, following Jesus, God's will, Jesus Christ, overcoming, prayer, problems, public prayer, shrinking back, shy, testimony, trust, victory, walk with Jesus
Psalm 22:4-5
In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
Today is the day set aside to honor our fathers. We should especially look to the godly men who exemplified the Christian walk to us. Those who went before us, leading the way.
Many of them had to walk through troubled times – be it economic, physical, or social. Some had to go through the dangers of war, while others had to struggle for equality. We must look to those whose strength came from the hand of God working in them. They set for us an example of diligence and perseverance. Let the legacy they left for us speak to our hearts and equip us for our race.
But even greater than their contribution to us, is the God that they served. He is the ultimate Father that we look to. When we look back and see what was accomplished by our God through the cooperation of our fathers, it gives us hope. We need that same level of faith that they had.
God is still on the throne. The same God who brought our fathers through their trials will safely lead us to victory. His love for us was proven in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We must never forget where our help comes from.
Look to the faith of our fathers. Then, as we follow their example, put that faith in the God of our fathers. He will work in us the same way He worked in them.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, Christian walk, Christian witness, devotion, disciple, encouragement, example, faith, father, Father's Day, fathers, God of our fathers, God's faithfulness, God's love, Jesus Christ, legacy, prepare, problems, strength, testimony, trust, victory
Psalm 65:9-12
You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness.
Most people don’t like dark, rainy days. Too many of them in a row tends to bring on depression. In the same way we don’t like trouble and testing. We even call days of trial “dark days.”
No one is exempt from testing, however. We must all face our own particular trials. But remember, as we face resistance, we gain strength.
If I want to have a beautiful lawn or garden, then it must be watered. Rain is a part of the cycle of life. We may not like it, but we need it to survive. There are many drought ravaged parts of the world that would do anything for a rainy weather pattern.
It is the same with our inner life. The only way to strengthen our faith is through difficulties. There is no other course. Testing is the spiritual rain that waters the seed we have planted in our hearts.
The end result of all this is abundance – abundant faith, abundant strength, and abundant victory. Nobody likes problems, but if we face them without complaining and with the realization that they will strengthen us, it will help keep our focus on the Lord and our joy intact.
Tags: abundance, abundant life, Bible, calling, Christian, devotion, encouragement, faith, God's will, Holy Spirit, joy, problems, rain, rainy days, resistance, spirituality, strength, test, testing, trouble, victory
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
It is not always easy to press on. Sometimes it is an effort just to put one foot in front of the other. Hikers and joggers have learned to just keep moving forward. There have been times when I was hiking that, because of injury or pain, I have felt like giving up. It is in times like those that I had to keep telling myself, “As long as you keep taking each step, you will come to the end of the trail.”
It is the same thing in life. It is usually not the big things that knock us down, but the continual monotony of our daily lives, day after day, week after week. It is the constant grind that saps our strength and weakens our spirit.
In order to overcome, we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. We know that if we keep to His course for our lives, we will come out with His result. We will lay hold of the prize for which He has called us.
Don’t give up. Go to the Lord today and ask for His strength for the road ahead. Don’t live a day without allowing His renewing Spirit to work in your life.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christ, Christian, daily grind, devotion, disciple, effort, encouragement, faith, giving up, glory, God's faithfulness, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, monotony, move forward, overcoming, path, prayer, press on, problems, renew, renewal, strength, trust, victory
Romans 8:22-23
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Whenever we exert ourselves we are given signs of the mortality of our bodies. Sometimes every muscle and ligament is crying out to be fixed. The weight of a heavy box, playing sports, pushing a lawnmower, or the wrong turn of an ankle – it all causes us to experience pain and stiffness.
I have some good news for you. The day is going to come when this is no longer true. Jesus Christ is going to return soon for His people. When He appears we will trade this body in for a new one – a perfect one. We will have a body like Christ had after His resurrection.
As a part of creation we are all in a state of decay. The best humanity can hope for is to hold off the inevitable as long as possible. But the “Blessed Hope” of the church is that those of us in Christ will arise with a resurrected body just like Jesus had. We will no longer be shackled with the pain of mortality.
Praise God today for the future expectation of glory that we have as believers. Thank Him for the perfected body that is in store for you. You can also meditate on this as you go through the day, especially if you’re feeling some aches in your body, knowing that it’s only a temporary condition.
Tags: aches, Bible, blessed hope, Christ, Christian, decay, devotion, encouragement, expectation, glory, Jesus Christ, mortality, overcoming, pains, problems, resurrection, return of Christ, stiffness, victory
The Spirit and the Word 