Daily (almost) Devotional

March 27th, 2023

Exodus 4:15 (NASB)

15 “And you are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do.

Sometimes we feel alone in our work. We get discouraged and wonder where our help is. God knows. He knows our limitations and He knows our fears. He has the ability to bring into the work those who can, and are willing, to help and to see the work done.

Moses was not a speaker, he didn’t want that job, so God moved his brother Aaron to be his voice. God spoke to two brothers, separated by miles and years and brought them together to deliver His people.

If God can do this, he can bring whatever help you, or I, need. We need to trust Him and seek Him when things seem too hard. Nothing is too hard for Him and He knows where to bring our help from.

Pray for each other and ask God to open our eyes so that we might see and accept the help when it comes.

Love you all,

March 24th, 2023

John 6:15 (NASB) Jesus therefore perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force, to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

What do we do when we are faced with trials and great temptations? How do we instinctively react to difficulties. Psychologists talk about our fight or flight tendencies. When we face things that threaten us we either run away or fight. We need to think differently. We no longer run away. We run to Christ. We run to prayer. We run to peace and security in Him.

When Christ faced this trial, he went away alone. He went to pray. There is strength in this private communion with God. Don’t let the troubles of this world overwhelm you. Whatever it is we can step away from the world and draw close to God and let Him comfort, strengthen and direct us.

Let us pray for each other as we seek to be more like Jesus. Not just in what we teach, but more importantly, how we act in times of trouble.

Love you all,

March 23, 2023

Ezra 1:5 (NASB) Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.

When was the last time your heart was stirred by the Spirit of God? We spend a lot of time just going through life. We lack passion and commitment. We just get by. We may even believe that this is how things have to be. We can’t do any better. We can’t overcome this latest obstacle. The enemy is too strong for us. We are just captives in an evil and godless world.

It cannot be any worse for us than for Ezra’s people, yet they were moved by God and they moved.

I pray that we can allow our hearts to become more sensitive to the whispers of God in our lives and that when we hear, we will act. I don’t know what battle you are fighting or what obstacle is between you and God’s best life for you, but I do know that God is greater.

If we will listen and then trust God when He speaks, we will be moved and we may even move mountains.

Love you all,

March 22nd, 2023

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (NASB) Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;

Something positive this morning. Pray for us. Pray for everyone that is busy in the work of reaching our world for Christ. We pray that the Word would spread. We pray that others will hear and respond. We pray that in the process of this that the Lord would be glorified. As we lift up the gospel message, God is glorified. As people come to Christ, God is glorified. As believers become more holy and devoted, God is glorified. As we become more united in our worship and work, God is glorified.

It really is all about Him. Everything we do should point the world to the Word and in turn to the saving knowledge it brings. There is a reminder here that the readers of this verse have been the recipients of this amazing gift of God. We have been given this gift, let us pray, as Paul asks, that others in turn my receive it too and glorify God with us.

Love you all,

March 21st, 2023

Lamentations 1:1 (NASB)

1:1 How lonely sits the city

That was full of people!

She has become like a widow

Who was once great among the nations!

She who was a princess among the provinces

Has become a forced laborer!

This is a bit of a sad reflection this morning. The United States was once referred to as the New Camelot. We were the source of good and providence for the world. Up until recently our farmers literally fed the world. Russia, Europe and Africa were dependent on American grain. We built amazing buildings, cars and technology. We were the world leaders in nearly all categories.

Something changed. Maybe we got lazy, or maybe just distracted. No, we are not the country we once were.

But God.

I love that phrase. But God still desires to bless you. He still desires to see you prosper in this world. He can still take whatever situation you, or I, or our country is in and turn it around and cause us to be that light on a hill to our world again.

God sees where we are and the lamentation of Jeremiah is heard by Him. If we continue to lift our voices to Him, if we turn our hearts back to Him. He will hear us and He will come to our aid.

Take heart then and realize that no matter how it looks, God is fully in control and He loves you.

Love you all,

March 20th, 2023

Luke 11:39 (NASB): 39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness.

Thinking on how we take care of ourselves. We have a tendency to stress over our outward appearance. We want to look good for others. We want to be seen as acceptable to those around us both in the church and in the world. It reminds me, I like to keep coffee in a thermos. Funny thing, I don’t really care what the outside looks like so long as it keeps coffee fresh and hot. If I don’t clean the inside it will mold and get bitter and unhealthy. Our lives are like that. I am not saying to skip the shower and dress poorly, but if we haven’t taken the time to care for what really matters, our heart, mind and soul, we are just putting on airs.

Focus on what matters and make sure your heart is turned to, and aligned with, the mind of Christ.

Love you all,

March 17th, 2023

Amos 1:11 (NASB)

11 Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Edom and for four

I will not revoke its punishment,

Because he pursued his brother with the sword,

While he stifled his compassion;

His anger also tore continually,

And he maintained his fury forever.

A time of self reflection. There really are things that God requires punishment for. When we look at what He says, its not about food or days or rituals. It nearly always boils down to attitude. When He confronts Edom He calls them out for their fury (intense anger realized) and their lack of compassion.

How am I doing today? How are you doing today? These are two ways of saying the same thing. We cannot say, “I am not angry, I just don’t care.” That shows and intense lack of compassion. We have to care and we have to find a way to forgive and carry on. Jesus states that we will be forgiven as we forgive. That is a dangerous statement.

“Lord, let me have a forgiving heart and let me not harbor anger.”

Love you all,

March 16, 2023:

Hebrews 1:1–2 (NASB) 1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

God spoke. That alone should give us both pause and assurance. God has been speaking throughout history. He spoke in ways that people could process and understand. Each time He spoke it was tailored for the people and for the moment.

Does He still speak? Yes, this same passage says that He has spoken through His Son, Jesus Christ. That message remains and we are the heirs of that message. We have been given an amazing gift of God. This isn’t just a message from some ancient human being, it is a word from the creator of all things.

These words we can trust. What we have been given was spoken and written in the power of the one who designed and spoke into being all that is in our world.

What do we do with this? We lean into it. We won’t always understand immediately and we won’t always know what to do with this knowledge when it first comes to us, but the same Holy Spirit that moved the writers to put it in print will enable us to both understand and to act on what we have heard and read.

God spoke, God speaks. Are we listening?

Love you all,

March 15th, 2023

2 Peter 1:16 (NASB)

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

What is our greatest tool in our service to Christ? How can we reach those around us with the truth of the Gospel?

If we follow Peter’s example, we will stick with the basics. It is not about fancy theatrics or well spun stories that we imagine will get others to listen. It is about the simple message of the gospel, Jesus Christ came to earth, and died on a cross because He loves us and wants to have a relationship with us that we could not even conceive of in our own minds or achieve in our own power. It is the message of what He has done in our lives and how He has changed us and continues to transform us.

We don’t have to embellish anything, we just have to speak the truth of Christ’s work on the cross and in our lives.

Oh, this only works if you know Him. We cannot be a witness of something we have not experienced. Peter said they spoke of what they had seen. Make sure you have accepted the sacrifice of Christ and then be bold about declaring it.

Love you all,

March 14, 2023

Luke 4:4 (NASB)

4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

What is my go-to response when difficulties come? What do I refer to when tough decisions are at hand? When I don’t understand the world and where it is going, where do I turn?

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, he was faced with the normal temptations that face all men. Yes, they were carried to an extreme, but they are still our weaknesses in this world. His response should be our response. “It is written…”

We cannot respond to troubles, trials and temptations with “It is written.” unless we know what is written. If we have not invested in putting God’s word permanently in our hearts we will be fumbling for responses when we should be confidently standing on it.

For this morning, know that the answers to our questions are in His word, and He will honor all of His promises. Make it a point to know His word and by knowing it, know Him and be strong and steadfast in a shifting world.

Love you all,

March 13, 2023

Matthew 19:30 (NASB)

30 “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.

We usually want to be first, well, unless it is the line for getting a tetanus shot.

We like the idea of some recognition of our value. We like being recognized and lauded for our achievements. It feels good emotionally when others display their appreciation.

We shy away from the difficult things. We don’t want to be looked down upon as a servant or just another worker. We want to be the leader but that isn’t how the Christian walk works.

We have been called to be servants and we may be surprised at how it all shakes out. The ones we thought would be set on high thrones in eternity, may not be there and the “lowly” ones whom we disparage, perhaps not with our words but in our hearts, may be sitting in those places of respect.

We need to be careful what we desire. We should be desiring a place of service over a place of honor.

Pray that we can find our aprons and set ourselves to the work and let God determine the reward.

By His Grace,

March 10th 2023

1 Timothy 1:3 (NASB) “As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus, in order that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines,…” (emphasis mine)

We usually focus on all of the things that follow this verse. I just want to ponder two words. “remain on.” Some are called to go and to do amazing things in far away places. They come back with amazing stories and testimonies. It can be very romantic. We dream of being the hero in the battle of our world for Christ. But, sometimes the hero is the one who remains.

A few are called travel far. Many, most, are called to remain. We are called to plant roots and be a force for Christ that cannot be moved. There are many things that cannot be done on a two week mission trip, or even a two year one. Some things require they day in and day out routine of teaching and living a life worth imitating over years of service. Those we are reaching need to know that we are in it for the long haul and we are willing, even eager, to remain and to serve where we are.

So, rather than dreaming about what we could have done somewhere else, let us seek to serve where we are and make a difference, right here where God has planted us.

Love you all,

March 9th

Romans 4:3 (NASB)
³ For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS."

A good question for today, “Am I righteous?”

If we look at the outward man, the resounding answer is no, absolutely not. There is no way that any man can be found right before God through works. There is no way possible for us to earn favor with God.

We can do all of the right things, avoid all of the wrong things, but in the end we are human and we are flawed and we all fail. Even if we fail in the smallest thing, our right-ness (my word) is nothing before God.

But, Good News, the Good News, Jesus came and died that we might be made right by believing on Him. He knew that we could never live up to a holy standard and He came so that He could make us right by His blood.

So, “Am I righteous?”

Yes, by the grace of God I am even when I fail and even when I fall because He holds me and keeps me in Himself.

Love you all, have a positive day, full of right-ness.

March 8th

Titus 2:1 (NASB) But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.

We have a tendency to be judgmental. There are a lot of people today with a lot of issues. We could spend the majority of our time trying to figure out how to fix them. After all, isn’t it our place?

No, we were not placed here to correct everyone else. If we spend all of our time looking at what is wrong with others and trying to get them to concede their errors, we will have little time to pursue truth.

This is one of the great distractions. There are many false teachers and false teachings. We cannot fall into the trap of defensive Christianity. Rather than responding to, and correcting everything we see, whether on-line, or in life, we need to focus on truth.

The truth doesn’t change and if we stand on it, all of the other things will fall in line. Focus on learning, and then teaching truth, to whoever will listen.

Perhaps we would do well to stick with the basics, “I preach Christ, and him crucified.”

Love you all,

March 7th

Joel 2:28–29 (NASB)

28 “And it will come about after this

That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;

And your sons and daughters will prophesy,

Your old men will dream dreams,

Your young men will see visions.

29 “And even on the male and female servants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

The Day of the Lord

Do you dream dreams? Do you hear and feel the prompting of the Spirit in your life?

Sometimes we get the sense that hearing from God is for other people, professional Christians and those ultra holy ones. We tell ourselves that God doesn’t work that way anymore.

Two things this morning, maybe three. God still speaks. God is at work in His world and He wants to work with and through His people. He speaks through the Word, through other believers and yes through dreams and visions. He speaks to everyone who is willing to listen. Not just the elites, and the “pretty” people. We often stop quoting this passage before we get to the end. Even slaves get the Spirit. Even the least of these can receive the Spirit of God.

God is speaking, are we listening?

God is working, are we working with Him?

By His Grace,

March 6th

Joel 2:13 (NASB)

13 … Now return to the Lord your God,

For He is gracious and compassionate,

Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, …

In the midst of insurmountable loss, this was the message of God through Joel to the people.

In short, “Come home to me.”

God wants us. Not what we can do or what we can give Him. He just wants us, our attention, our faithfulness, our love, our trust, our worship. When the most difficult times come people respond in two ways. They run from God in anger and frustration, or the run to him in repentance and with hope.

How are you going to respond when trouble comes? My prayer is that we might run to Him who holds all things. He can bring peace to our hearts and help in our times of trouble.

By His Grace,

March 5th

Good Morning,

Luke 7:47-49

Are you committed? What are you committed to? As we get a glimpse of God’s love for us and the sacrifice that Christ made for us, our commitment rises. Perhaps our lack of commitment stems from our not seeing Christ’s gift to us for what it is.

I look forward to seeing everyone this morning as we renew our commitments as we walk to the cross..

By His Grace,

Morning of 4 March 2023

Luke 10:2 (NASB)

2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

This is a call to prayer. We are summoned by God and commanded to pray for help in reaching the world with the hope of the gospel. We are to pray for helpers. This is not a prayer that God might send someone else to do the work that He has called us to. It is a prayer for people to come alongside us as we minister and evangelize.

This is made clear in the following verses that begin with “Go.” We are to be active in the work of sharing the gospel with those around us. Jesus knows that this is a huge undertaking and we will grow weary so we are to pray that God would raise up help for us.

Don’t delegate what God has given you to do and at the same time be quick to ask for aid in the mission.

Love you all,

Morning of 2 March 2023

2 Peter 1:8 (NASB) For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What is the end result of striving for moral excellence in faith and knowledge. We get a new sense of the love of Christ in us, but we also become useful. I desire to be useful. I don’t want to see my life as wasted.

We all want a sense of purpose, and we want to know we make a difference. This verse is a blessed reminder that if we strive for the things mentioned, we will be useful and productive. By following closely in the steps of Christ we become productive parts of the Kingdom of God.

Join me as I strive to see this verse fulfilled in my life.

Love you all,