Archive for the ‘Devotions’ Category

  • 08 May

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    WHAT IS WRONG IS WRONG

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    “But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.”
    Colossians 3:25

    This portion of the Word of God is teaching about the relationship between servants and masters. Servants are taught to obey their masters with the right heart attitude, serving as unto the Lord and not unto men. The servant who thus performs his duty is promised a just reward from the Lord. God will righteously reward those who are faithful in their service and obey Him and others. However, those who do not obey will also be compensated. The context ends with our text, “But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done.” Wrongs that are not properly made right will result in definite retribution.

    We should all be thankful that Christ died on the cross for our sins, that we might be forgiven through the mercy of God the moment we trust Christ as Savior. We are
    likewise promised that when we sin, after we are born again, we can confess that sin to God and receive His gracious forgiveness. However, the same Bible that reveals these glorious truths also teaches us that God is a just Judge, and God Almighty will one day judge wrongs that are not made right. One day, we will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and give account for the deeds that we have done.

    Too many people choose to ignore this aspect of God’s justice. They live as though they can disobey God’s Word and never suffer any consequences or chastisement. Many seem to believe that God is always ready to reward good deeds, but is somehow unconcerned about “he that doeth wrong.” But the Bible teaches otherwise. The same
    God who rewards the doing of right, also rewards the doing of wrong. One may do wrong and somehow avoid being detected by others, “But he that doeth wrong shall
    receive for the wrong which he hath done.” God sees everyone and everything, and He will punish for acts of rebellion, regardless of who it is. “There is no respect of persons” with God.

    The fact that God recognizes and blesses the right choices and also judges wrong actions should motivate us to live in such a way as to please Him. We ought to be reminded that sin is serious and must be dealt with properly. Galatians 6:7 tells us, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

  • 07 May

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    WHO AM I?

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    “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
    Exodus 3:10, 11

    This was a monumental task for Moses. God was sending him to Pharaoh to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. God’s people had been in slavery in Egypt for over four hundred years. For the last forty years, Moses had been living in seclusion, faithfully tending the sheep of Jethro, his father-in-law. The words of Moses ["Who am I?"] indicate his complete lack of confidence in his ability. Some forty years earlier, Moses had offered himself to these Israelites as a deliverer, but that was met with frustration, and he was exiled to Midian. In Midian, Moses learned humility and was now filled with complete distrust of his own fitness for this assignment.

    Moses said to God, “Who am I?” The Egyptians were a powerful people, led by a great king with a formidable army. The Israelites were a poor people, their bondage was great, and they offered no military might. Moses was a poor shepherd who had previously been rejected by these same countrymen. Why would God want to use him? What did Moses possess that would make him a viable candidate for such a position? His qualification is found in the following verse where the Lord answers Moses with the words, “Certainly I will be with thee” (Exodus 3:12).

    As we think about our own place in God’s great plan, we have offered the same question at times, “Who am I?” Have we not felt the inadequacies of our own limited resources and wondered how it might be possible for us to fulfill that which God has commanded us to do? Like Moses, we can remember the past when we have tried and failed. We wonder how it might be different from what it was then. What an encouragement we find in the life and leadership of Moses! Moses felt utterly incapable that God was able to use Him.

    Because we feel insufficient for a task does not make us unqualified. Our sufficiency is in God. As a matter of fact, it is more often our feeling of being capable that would disqualify us. “Who am I?” We are children of the living God, and He is the One that makes us able to do His great work.

  • 06 May

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    WHAT IS THAT TO THEE?

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    “Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.”
    John 21:22

    The context that precedes our verse has Jesus repeatedly asking Peter if he loved Him, and charging Peter with the assignment of feeding His sheep. Jesus then told Peter that he would glorify God by His death, and the Lord said to him, “Follow thou me.” Peter then turned to John and said to Jesus, “what shall this man do?”(21) Our text records Jesus’ response. “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.”

    Although His words were very direct, Jesus was not being disrespectful or sarcastic to Peter. He was teaching Peter an important lesson about His will, a lesson that we all should seek to engraft into our own understanding. Peter had just been called to follow Jesus and was then informed that one day he would be martyred for His Lord. If Peter were called upon to die, would John face the same? Jesus said, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?” God’s will is not the same for every one of His children. Some will suffer more than others. Some will appear to have it easier than others. It was God’s will that Peter give his life for the Savior. Knowing this, Peter immediately wanted to know what the future held for John. But it was not for Peter to be concerned with God’s will for John.

    Many have felt the same way. We have wondered if others have endured the same things we have endured. It is all too common for us to compare our experiences with others. Has it been harder for me than for my fellow Christians? WHAT IS THAT TO THEE? It is not wise to try to make certain that God’s will for one person is equal to His will for another. God is the sovereign Judge and He does all things well. He knows what is best for each of us. He knows what will bring the most glory to Himself.

    The failure to understand this can lead to serious spiritual problems. We all have probably known Christians who have struggled with bitterness because it seemed that
    their problems were more severe than their friend’s problems. It is not our business to make these kinds of comparisons. We are taught to accept God’s will for our lives and thank Him as we appropriate His sufficient grace. Whatever God’s will is for others, we can know that God is perfectly wise in allowing it. We can trust God while following His will for us.

  • 05 May

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    NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT

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    “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
    II Corinthians 6:2

    The Savior has come. Salvation has been provided for us by Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross and His resurrection. “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” God wants men to be clear about this. He is ready to have mercy, to hear our prayers, and to show compassion to mankind. There is truly NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT.

    We must learn to recognize and walk in the reality that God deals with us in the present. He is presently all that He has ever been. Psalm 46:1 says He is “a very present help in trouble.” It is common for some to spend too much time on the past and future, without attention to the reality of the now. For instance, many are plagued with the memory or regret of past failures or mistakes, even in cases where these sins have been confessed. Because they have a tendency to live in the past, they assume that God is likewise focused on what occurred in days gone by. However, the Bible makes it clear that when God forgives, He does not hold it against us. In Jeremiah 31:34, God says, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” If God is able to forget our past and concentrate on the present, we ought to attempt to do the same.

    Also, the God that has worked mightily on behalf of His people in history is the same today and forever. There is nothing that God is not able to do. We limit God’s power in our lives when we think of Him in terms of being able to work wonders in the past, but think He is powerless in the present. Our faith in God is based on the sound truth that “he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). He is presently all that we need.

    Another application of this lesson has to do with our future. As God’s children, our future is bright. We have been promised everlasting life in the wonder of Heaven. There we will see Him in His glory. We sing songs that refer to the victory and worship that will permeate our eternal home. As marvelous as this is, and every bit true, we cannot live in the future. God is everything now that He will be then. We do not live in the past or the future. Now is our time to live and serve, and there is NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT.

  • 04 May

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    SHOW ME THY WAY

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    “Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.”
    Exodus 33:13

    This was such a critical moment in the history of Israel’s journeys, as well as, a defining moment in Moses’ leadership. In the chapter previous to this, while Moses was with God on the mount receiving His commandments, the people, along with Aaron, built and began to worship a golden calf. Moses earnestly interceded on behalf of the nation he loved. Thousands were killed in the judgment that followed. At this strategic hour, Moses needed direction and affirmation from God. Wouldn’t we all? As part of this dialogue, Moses asked that God would “shew me now thy way.”

    As the leader of this great congregation of people, Moses was aware of how necessary it was that God would reveal His way for them. Moses stood in need of precise direction from his Leader. We all have this in common. We desperately need for God to show us His way. This is a daily and hourly need, but the need becomes more acute in times of crises. We need God’s way. We sometimes find ourselves in great dilemmas because we do not know or do not follow God’s way. Unfortunately, it is quite common for people to give little thought to God’s way until they run into problems. Our way will eventually lead us into danger or destruction.

    We need God’s way in our homes and families. We need His way in our churches. We need to lead in His way, and we need to follow in His way. We need His way in our personal habits and relationships, as well as in our daily occupations. There is something greatly encouraging in this. It is comforting to know that God has a way. God has not left us without purpose or direction. He has not left us to find or to create our own way. He has given us His Word that we might know His way.

    We also know that because He has provided a way for us, God wants to make that way known to us. Moses knew that God had a way and that the Lord would make it known.
    He knew that God could provide the wisdom, counsel, and direction to lead this people out of their problems and into God’s way. We can have this same confidence that God wants to lead us and show us His way. Like Moses, it is wise for us to pray, “shew me now thy way.”

  • 03 May

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    THY SLEEP SHALL BE SWEET

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    “When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.”
    Proverbs 3:24

    This is such a precious and practical promise from God’s reservoir of truth, “thy sleep shall be sweet.” When God created man, He designed us to require rest. Men are to be laborers, but we all need our rest. Jesus was a diligent worker, but He also needed His rest. At the well of Sychar, Jesus was “wearied with his journey” (John 4:6), and sat down. The Bible tells us that once, when the disciples were in a storm and fearful for their lives, “as they sailed he fell asleep” (Luke 8:23). This is a great picture for us to consider. The disciples were stressful and anxious, and yet Jesus was getting His rest.

    Most of us have experienced times when problems and anxieties have interrupted our rest and robbed us of the sleep we need. There may be times of exception when God awakens us in order that we might pray or spend time in His Word, but as a rule, “thy sleep shall be sweet.” What causes us to be so stressful that we are not able to rest as we should? In Proverbs 3, the general subject of the passage has to do with taking heed to God’s Word. It teaches us that obedience to the Word of God gives peace, faith in God’s Word gives direction, having God’s wisdom brings happiness, and following God brings enjoyment of rest.

    Truthfully, we must admit that there are times when our spiritual negligence is the cause of restlessness. When we are not living in obedience to God’s Word, when we are not living by faith and trusting Him completely, when we are not applying the wisdom of God to our circumstances, we may be sacrificing the blessing of peaceful rest. We know that there may be exceptions to this, but as a rule, we know this is true and most of us can testify to it. When we are not trusting the Lord, the tendency is to worry and fret. When we are not making decisions based on God’s wisdom, the end result will not be rest.

    If God’s Word is not guiding our paths and influencing our thoughts, our minds will not be filled with His peace. When His grace is not controlling our conduct, we may be prone to bitterness or other unhealthy spiritual conditions. One has to wonder how many professing Christians who rely on medication to get a good night’s rest might be healed by applying these principles and appropriating God’s promises.

  • 02 May

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    LET THIS SINK IN

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    “Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.”
    Luke 9:44

    In this verse, Jesus is alerting the disciples to pay close attention to His upcoming announcement. This declaration was of supreme importance, having to do with His coming appointment with betrayal and death at Calvary. There was no information more important to receive and remember than this. He prefaces His disclosure with the words, “Let these sayings sink down into your ears.” He was asking them to give Him their undivided attention. He wanted them to listen clearly and deliberately, not carelessly and casually. Jesus knew how difficult it would be for the disciples to understand and accept what was in the future for Him. In spite of Jesus’ repeated declarations of His pending death, the disciples never really comprehended what was going to happen.

    We all have this tendency not to listen as closely as we should at times. I know that I have found myself not listening as carefully as I should have been, and later regretted it. This underscores the importance of deliberate listening. “Selective listening” is a term that might describe our hearing habits. We listen more carefully to some things because we have a greater interest in the subject or the speaker. But we listen less intently to things we may not be as concerned about. I have been amazed at times when it is obvious that people are keenly concentrating on some report of scandal or misfortune, but seem unconcerned when hearing about some great doctrinal truth.

    We need to learn to discipline ourselves to be good listeners, especially when it comes to the Word of God and matters of eternal significance. The mind is a great gift from God, but we are responsible to keep it focused on the things it needs to hear. We cannot afford to miss the messages God has for us through His Word and through those He has stationed to teach it to us. It is our responsibility to remove distractions and resist the tendency to allow our minds to wander. There may be times when it is especially hard to hear, perhaps because it is something we have never heard before or something that we do not want to know, or even something that contradicts what we have previously believed. When God speaks to us from His Word, we need to “Let these sayings sink down into your ears.”

  • 01 May

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    SPEAK NO MORE OF THIS MATTER

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    “I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.”
    Deuteronomy 3:25, 26

    Moses was truly one of the greatest leaders of all time and a faithful servant of the Lord, yet the people provoked Moses at the waters of Meribah. The Israelites were without water and rebelled against Moses, complaining and criticizing him for their difficulties. God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would be given for the people. In his frustration and anger, Moses smote the rock instead of speaking to it, as God had instructed him. God then told Moses he would not be able to bring the Israelites into Canaan.

    Our text begins with Moses rehearsing how he pled with God to allow him to enter the Promised Land: “I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.” Imagine how much Moses wanted to see this mission completed and the Israelites occupy their inheritance. He had led them out of their Egyptian bondage, and spent forty years with them in the wilderness. But God’s judgment was sure. Moses recorded, “the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.”

    The Lord told Moses to drop the issue, and “speak no more unto me of this matter.” This should alert us all that there are times to appeal and there are times to “drop it.” This is true in our prayers to God, as well as our petitions to others. We must be willing to accept God’s decisions, as well as the judgments of those God places in our lives to lead us. Parents can become frustrated by children who do not take “no” for an answer and continually ask for that which has already been denied. However, adults can be just as determined, even with God.

    We need to be sensitive to the Lord and submissive as well. Sometimes He may not allow us to go somewhere or do something that we wish to do. However we have to be
    willing to accept His will. There may be times when we continue to complain and plead with God when it would be better to SPEAK NO MORE OF THIS MATTER.

  • 30 Apr

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    TRUST AND OBEY

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    “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”
    Psalm 37:3

    If ever there were a single verse of Scripture that summarized the general responsibility of the Christian life, this could be it. We are to “Trust in the LORD, and do good.” We are to live by faith and do that which we know to do. We are always to rely upon God, trusting in Him entirely, yet never ceasing to obey His commands and principles.

    Daniel B. Towner was present in a testimony service in 1886 when a man, reportedly knowing little of the great doctrines of the Bible, stood to speak. He finished his testimony by saying, “I’m not quite sure-but I’m going to trust and I’m going to obey.” Mr. Towner wrote down the man’s words and shared them with John Sammis. The result was one of the most beloved hymns of all time, “Trust and Obey.” This is great advice for the youngest child of God and also for the most mature saint.

    There are two duties in this text, each with equal importance, both faith and obedience. As with many such verses, there is also a clear progression. Although obedience is critical, everything begins with faith. In the matter of salvation, one can never work his way to Heaven. We are born again when we “Trust in the LORD.” That regenerating work will manifest itself in the desire and ability to “do good.” There is also a clear balance for godly living in this profound and inspired statement. It presents the absolute necessity of both faith and obedience. Of course, faith is not passive; but living faith will result in obedience to Christ. At the same time, the effort to “do good” is not in conflict with faith, or a replacement for it.

    In the Christian life, faith and works complement each other. We have all witnessed the imbalance of those who claim to be relying on God, and yet they are unwilling to obey the commands of the Word of God. We have also known those who were zealously committed to doing what they perceived to be right, but without the essential presence of faith and dependence upon God. You have probably heard the familiar saying which embodies this principle, “Pray as if everything depends on God, and work as though everything depends on you.” The remainder of this text promises great blessing for those who will “Trust in the LORD, and do good.”

  • 29 Apr

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    IT IS GOOD TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD

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    “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.”
    Psalm 73:28

    The seventy-third Psalm, like many of the Psalms, records some of the common struggles we all encounter. This is one of the reasons we appreciate the Psalms so much; we can identify with the emotions and difficulties of the writer. In this Psalm, the writer acknowledges that the prosperity of the wicked troubled him, and he even questioned whether his personal devotion was in vain. When the writer finally got into God’s presence about the issue, he understood that he had been foolish to have such an attitude. Finally, he closes the Psalm with our text verse, saying, “It is good for me to draw near to God.” It is so true. “It is good for me to draw near to God.”

    Isn’t it a great joy to know that we can draw near to God? The only way that we can approach our Holy God is through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Thank God that a way has been made for us to draw near. Imagine a sinful man being able to approach the holy presence of God. Only through the blood of Christ is it possible. But, because of our faith in Christ and the fact that the blood has been applied to our lives, we can draw near to Him.

    It is another amazing thing that we would want to draw near to God. This too is the result of His work of grace in our lives. Before Jesus came, we had no interest in being near to God. To the contrary, we would distance ourselves from everything that was holy and righteous. But now, all that is changed. Like the newly converted demoniac from Gadara, we want to be near our Lord.

    We need to draw near to Him. First, we need to because we owe it to Him to show our love to Him. He has shown His love for us in many ways, but none greater than His death for us at Calvary. He wants us to love Him supremely. Secondly, we need to draw near to God because there is something about the fallen nature of man that is inclined to drift away from God’s perfect place for us. Because we are naturally prone to slackness in our devotion, we must discipline ourselves to habitually draw near to Him.

    Our text instructs us on the way to draw near to God. “I have put my trust in the Lord GOD.” We draw near to Him by faith. By faith, knowing He loves us and wants us near, knowing the way has been provided for us, we daily draw near to Him.

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