Genesis 12:4-6
So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
The story of Abram’s life always amazes me. The Word of God was not in written form yet, so he had no Bible. He had nothing written, upon which to base his trust of God. Yet, with open arms, he received the promise of God as the path for his life.
Not only was he convinced of the Lord’s faithfulness himself, but it spilled over. A whole host of others were willing to put their future into the hands of his God based solely upon Abram’s word. Two whole households moved to a new country in response to the call of God.
Is your faith that evident? Are there people that have trusted God based upon your word and the testimony of your life? We need to walk in the things we believe. Our faith needs to be seen and felt by those around us.
We have the written Word of God. We have thousands of years of history to view the faithfulness of God. How can we ever doubt Him?
If you have never made a decision to set the Word of God as the path for your life, today is the day for you. Spend time, today, placing your destiny firmly in the hands of the Lord.
Tags: Abraham, Abram, Bible, calling, Christian witness, destiny, faith, God's faithfulness, God's will, promise of God, trust, word of God
Genesis 12:1-3
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
I sometimes wonder what might have been running through Abram’s mind as he was listening to the Lord? These are some incredible promises that he was given. God says that He will make Abram’s family into a great nation. He also promises to make Abram famous and to bestow a blessing upon whoever helps him.
But the toughest part, at least for me, would be to step out based on this simple statement. Our first reaction today is: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t.”
We need to be more like Abram. We must stop assigning God the role of the Madison Avenue hustler, whose only goal is to get your money into his pocket by selling you something you don’t need.
God knows and wants only the best for our lives. His Word contains everything we need for an abundant life. All we need to do is to accept it as true. If we embrace God’s Word as truth, then we will not be afraid to step out on it.
Spend some time today meditating upon the truth of God’s Word to you. Maybe there are some things you have never obeyed because of fear. Use this day to settle the matter before God.
Tags: Abraham, Abram, abundant life, blessing, destiny, devotion, disciple, faith, God's faithfulness, God's will, promise, promises, trust
Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
In this passage, the Word of God is compared to a double-edged sword. The Word of God is sharp enough to cut through all your barriers to get to the real you. It knows where you live. It will find you and you cannot hide from it. People try to run from the Word, but it catches up with them.
Once the Word of God is sown into your heart it’s inescapable. As we walk through our everyday lives, we find that the world is alive with testimonies to God’s truth. The Word of God opens your eyes to them all around you. The Holy Spirit can speak sermons to you throughout the day.
Once activated in a person’s life, the Word cannot be stopped. It will achieve that for which God empowered it. Just think of the effect it will have if we yield to its power. If I line my ways up with God’s ways, I will see a greater degree of transformation taking place in a shorter time.
Don’t fight it. Let the Word of the Lord do its work in your life. Don’t go a day without prayerfully reading a portion of Scripture. After you’ve done that, then meditate on it throughout the day. It is life-changing. Apply it to your life, and see the difference it will make.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, encouragement, God's will, God's word, Holy Spirit, meditate, meditation, power, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, Scripture, strength, sword, testimony, transformation, trust, victory, word, word of God
Exodus 15:22-25
Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them.
When walking through the desert, water is a great necessity. The effects of dehydration can be severe. In the above verse, Israel found themselves having to trust God for their most basic needs.
Sometimes in life we go through wilderness experiences. In the natural we can plan ahead to have the necessary food and water. But in our life-journey we occasionally run into unexpected droughts. These are the times we must trust God to feed our souls.
Grumbling and complaining about the situation that we find ourselves in is not the way out. The solution is to walk in faith. We know God will not fail us – He will see us through. Why then would we want to wallow in self pity, when in reality, that only makes matters worse?
You must seek the Lord, especially if you are going through a hard time right now. Spend some time in His presence, and obtain spiritual refreshment. Let Him strengthen your inner man. Renew yourself before His throne. In that way you will always have an abundant supply, no matter how bad the situation.
Tags: Bible, Christian, complaining, destiny, devotion, distractions, drought, encouragement, faith, fear, God's faithfulness, grumbling, overcoming, power, prayer, presence of the lord, problems, refresh, renewal, revival, self pity, spiritual, strength, trust, victory, wilderness
II Kings 1:9-10
Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!'”
Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.
There is a peace that comes from being on a mountaintop, or even a hilltop. It seems easier to seek the Lord in these places. The sights and sounds all combine together to make your spirit more open to God. Elijah was in such a place. He realized that the place of prayer was a place of power before God.
Sometimes, in our Christian walk, we experience a spiritual mountaintop. It is a place where God gives us special clarity about what’s ahead. It is an intimate place with the Lord and usually we don’t want it to end too quickly.
In this verse the king ordered Elijah to come down from his mountaintop. He even sent a contingent of soldiers to move Elijah off of his God-given assignment. Unfortunately for the captain and his men, the power of God worked to remove the distraction from the prophet’s path.
In our daily lives, it is the distractions of society that order us out of the presence of the Lord. We need to learn to remain on the mountain (at least in our hearts). If we can continue our focus on the Lord. Then, even when we must leave the place of prayer, His peace still remains.
Take the time today to find that place of peace with the Lord. Spend quality time in His presence, then continue to meditate upon Him throughout the day.
Tags: Bible, Christian, clarity, devotion, distractions, Elijah, encouragement, enemies, fellowship, intimacy, meditate, mountain, mountaintop, peace, power, power of God, prayer, presence of the lord, spiritual mountaintop, strength, trust, victory
Luke 8:22-25
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
Being out in the open water in a storm is very risky. Even with all the modern equipment that boaters have today, it is no easy thing to navigate in a raging storm.
In this passage, the disciples are crossing a lake and a huge squall engulfs them. The wind is against them and the waves are filling the boat. Imagine their terror when they realize they’re not going to make it.
Yet all the while, Jesus was with them. That was a factor that, apparently, none of them considered to be important. When they woke Him, Jesus showed Himself to be in control of the forces of nature.
Never forget that truth in your times of struggle. The Lord is in control of the winds and the waves. We have got to remember that, even when the road ahead seems hopeless. I can rest assured that nothing will touch my life, except that which will help me. I need never fear for the future.
Remember to place yourself in His care each and every day. The Lord has already walked the road ahead and is well able to bring you through. Trust His wisdom and grace to handle each situation that arises.
Tags: assurance, Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, enemies, faith, fear, forces of nature, God's faithfulness, God's wisdom, grace, hope, Jesus Christ, overcoming, problems, protection, storm, struggle, trust, victory, wind
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
Mark 6:45-47
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land.
As I read the Gospels, I find that Jesus loved the mountains. He went there often to seek solitude and to pray. I don’t think that the disciples ever realized the importance of this part of the Lord’s ministry until after the resurrection.
There were many times where the best thing for Him to do was to dismiss the crowds and to send away His disciples in order to be alone with the Father. This was one of those times. He had just ministered to thousands of people. That can be very draining no matter who you are.
When the Lord took on flesh and blood, He chose to live as one of us. Because of this, Jesus was bound by the same physical limitations that we are. He learned that you cannot just keep giving out to others. You must also take something in that can recharge your own spiritual batteries.
It was in these mountains of prayer that Jesus was able to renew His Spirit. He would seek the Father’s face and by the Spirit, hear the plan for the road ahead. In that way He could fulfill the work He was called to do without burning Himself out doing it.
That needs to be a lesson for us. If Jesus needed this time with the Father, how much more should we be seeking the presence of the Lord in our daily lives. Take the time necessary today to renew and refresh yourself in the presence of the Lord. You will be glad you did.
Tags: Bible, burn out, Christian, devotion, disciple, distractions, encouragement, fellowship, God's will, Holy Spirit, intimacy, Jesus Christ, mountain, mountaintop, overcoming, power, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, recharge, renew, solitude, strength, trust, victory, walk on water
Joshua 8:30, 34-35
Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel…
Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law – the blessings and the curses – just as it is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the aliens who lived among them.
Moses left instructions for the Children of Israel to complete after he died. Joshua was to take them to Mt. Ebal. As they came into that area they were to climb the sides of two mountains that faced each other.
The words of the entire law of Moses were then to be read aloud to them. In this way they were to hear the law again and reaffirm their commitment to God and to His law.
It is always important to review what God has called us to. From time to time we must come to a point in our lives where we can remember what was spoken to us. Then, with faith rekindled, we reaffirm our commitment to see it through. Sometimes all that is called for is a quiet, out of the way place to review where we have been and where we are going.
Is there some unfinished business between you and the Lord? Go to Him today. Let Him know, once more, that you are standing firm and will see your calling accomplished. If you have been ignoring it, now would be a good time to pick it back up again. Take some quality time today to talk with God.
Tags: Bible, Christian, destiny, devotion, disciple, encouragement, faith, God's will, Holy Spirit, intimacy, Joshua, Moses, mountain, overcoming, praise, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, reaffirm, remember, testimony, trust, unfinished business, victory
The Spirit and the Word 