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 Olympics are quickly approaching. Are you going to watch it? If so, what excites you about it?
1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
One of the biggest things about the Olympics, that draws us in, is that it only happens every 4 years. For many athletes it is a once in a lifetime chance to show what they’re capable of accomplishing. It is this all or nothing, “go for the gold” attitude that brings fans to their feet in applause for the victors.
I have never heard any competitor say, “I just wanted to run on the Olympic track. That’s good enough for me. I don’t need to give my best.” That would be the craziest thing ever. No one would want to watch that athlete.
Yet, in the Christian walk, how often do we see this attitude.
“I’m saved and going to Heaven. That’s good enough for me.”
These believers will go to church on Sunday. But they don’t want to inconvenience themselves for God or His work. There is no passion in their walk. There is no drive or vision for what the Lord can do in and through them.
We need to take inventory of ourselves. What kind of a runner am I? Am I content to just sit back and let others win the prize? Or do I want to give it everything I have within me?
We need to pick up the “Olympic spirit” in our spiritual walk. Go for the gold. Let the Holy Spirit inspire you to accomplish great things for God. Through Him, we can do above and beyond all we could ever imagine that we could do. Be that victorious believer, who runs the race from a heart on fire for Christ.
Tags: athlete, Bible, calling, Christian, church, destiny, devotion, drive, encouragement, go for the gold, God's will, higher, Holy Spirit, Olympics, overcoming, passion, power, prepare, prize, runner, spiritual walk, strength, take inventory, victory, vision
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
Mark 13:14
“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”
Jesus was giving His disciples a prophetic word concerning what they would be facing in the years ahead. He was explaining to them about the fall of Jerusalem and the desecration of the temple. He told them that when they see these things occur it was time to head for the hills, as the city would not be safe any longer.
“Fee to the mountains” is still good advice today. When sin and the “abominations” of life start to weaken you, you must find a refuge for rest and relief. You have to find a place to be alone with God. Your faith and strength need to be restored in His presence.
Throughout Scripture we are exhorted to enter the mountains of God. We need to seek a mountaintop experience with the Lord. This is quality time, not just rattling off a list of needs and wants. It is spending a while just listening to Him. That is probably the hardest thing for any Christian to accomplish – spending time in silence. In some cases it may be just as hard as scaling a tall mountain.
It is in the quiet places that your spirit can be renewed and refreshed. You can put the noise of society behind you and hear the voice of Christ calling you to a higher walk. Spend that quality time before Him today. In His presence is all you need for life and godliness. If you will flee to His side, you will have all the strength you need to continue on and face your battles victoriously.
Tags: alone with God, Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, distractions, encouragement, faith, God's will, higher, Holy Spirit, intimacy, mountain, mountaintop, mountaintop experience, overcoming, presence of the lord, refresh, relief, renew, rest, restoration, revival, strength, trust, victory
The Spirit and the Word 