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Seasons with God
~ May your time with God this week be filled with the loving presence of your heavenly Father.
The seasons of the year created by the powerful hands of our heavenly Father speak of the need to slow down, stop, and reflect. Times of reflection create space for God’s Spirit to speak, helping us remember what he has done, making us aware of what he is doing, and stirring our hearts for what he wants to do next. God loves to use a change in season to remind us to center our lives around his pervasive works. Whether it be a change in jobs, weather, moving, or the approaching of a new year, it’s crucial that we make space for God to speak to us and prepare us for the wonderful things he has planned.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-5 illustrates this principle in saying:
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”
“A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.”
“A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.”
“A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.”
“A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.”
“A time to embrace and a time to turn away.”
The best place to begin reflection is in remembering. I don’t know whether this year was one filled with heartache or laughter for you. I don’t know whether you experienced loss or new beginnings. I don’t know whether you cried tears of joy or sadness. But your heavenly Father does. And it’s in quiet remembrance that He wants to comfort you, rejoice with you, and wrap you in His arms. It’s in remembrance that He wants to bring about healing, grace, love, and perspective. Take time today to remember.
Next, take time to ask the Holy Spirit for revelation on the present. Just as seasons help us to remember the past, they beg of us to live in the present. God is doing a mighty work in and around you right now. This is a time for faith and deep encounters with the transforming love of God. This is a time to savor the beauty of the current and to rest in the goodness of the immediate. God is present to meet with you, love you, and fill you. He has strength, grace, comfort, and joy for you if you will make space to receive the fullness of what He wants to give.
Take time today to savor.
Lastly, God longs to fill you with hope and expectancy for His future plans. The new year, filled with its possibilities and new beginnings, is quickly approaching. Your heavenly Father, who dwells in all of eternity, longs to prepare you for what is to come. He longs to lay a foundation for your year with a fresh revelation of His love, faithfulness, and presence. He longs to fill you with hope and desires that He will see through to fruition. Take time today to allow Him to prepare you for all next year holds.
May your time in prayer be marked by clarity and revelation in the Holy Spirit as you engage in these practices.
May Galatians 6:7-10 stir within you a commitment to fully engage in the season in which God has you:
“Don’t be misled [deceived] — you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So, let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone — especially to those in the family of faith.”
_________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/seasons-with-god-2023/
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Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
2 Corinthians 9:10 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Developing Godly Habits
~ God blesses those who persevere, working hard to carry out His will.
Picture this: In a field nestled among rolling hills, a hardworking farmer toils day after day, sowing seeds and nurturing tender plants. From dawn till dusk, he tends to the crops, knowing that lazy hands yield no harvest. With unwavering faith and persistence, the farmer trusts that the output of labor will be rewarded.
Proverbs 10:4 tells us, “Poor is one who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” This proverb is about more than material wealth; it speaks to the richness of a diligent life. As a bountiful harvest results from industrious labor, so our life is shaped by our habits — the choices we make day after day.
Through prayer and obedience, we align ourselves with God’s plans instead of our own. This is how we cultivate habits grounded in His Word. This kind of diligence goes hand in hand with stewardship of our time, talents, relationships, and resources. Wisely using such things for God’s glory will bring a good return for His kingdom.
As we approach 2024, let’s prayerfully evaluate our habits:
• Are we using our time purposefully?
• Are we nurturing relationships that honor God?
• Are we faithfully stewarding our resources?
Seek God’s guidance and make intentional choices that align with His will.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/developing-godly-habits
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Jesus: Lord of Salvation
~ Jesus lives in every believer through His powerful Spirit.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25
Throughout human history, God has initiated a relationship with the people He created. Though He often seemed far away, He consistently revealed Himself in personal encounters and even came to be in the Israelites’ midst (in a pillar of cloud and fire, the tabernacle, and the temple). But eventually, God’s presence — in the form of His own Son — came as a man to live among humankind.
Before Jesus was born, He was given two names:
Immanuel means “God with us,” which speaks of Jesus’ identity. He lived on earth, walked among men, and suffered the weaknesses of humanity. Yet He also displayed the power of almighty God as He healed the sick, calmed the sea, and raised the dead.
Jesus means “The Lord is salvation,” which describes His purpose — to save us from sin by means of His death on our behalf. Jesus took on a human body to offer Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind.
Although Jesus is no longer physically on earth, He is still “God with us.” He lives in you through the Holy Spirit, and He has the power to deliver you from any bondage. No sinful habit, painful past, doubt, guilt, or struggle is too difficult for our Savior to overcome.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/jesus-lord-of-salvation
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Carrying the Presence of Christ
~ As you practice sensitivity, God will be faithful to show up and move in amazing ways. May this Christmas season be blessed beyond measure as you seek to show the world His love.
We have the privilege as Jesus’ disciples of carrying his presence with us into the world. God in his love has chosen to use us as agents of awakening. He’s commissioned us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them…” (Matthew 28:19). And in 1 John 4:15-17 we gain an insight into the way in which God would have us make disciples:
“All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So, we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.”
“As He is, so also are we in this world.”
What a powerful statement! God’s plan for the world is to form and fashion us into those who reflect His goodness to others. The hope of the world rests in Jesus’ mercy and grace as proclaimed through our lives. And the only way in which we carry Jesus with us into the world is by abiding in God and allowing Him to abide in us.
Do you know that you can abide in God? And not just in spending time alone with him! 1 John 4 teaches us that when we abide in love, when we love others, we are abiding in him. You see, abiding in God requires us to be where he is. It requires us to yield to his leadership and heart that we might join Him throughout our day where He is already at work. Sometimes abiding requires time spent in solitude, the Word, and worship. Other times abiding requires action.
• Where is God at work in your midst today?
• Who is He pursuing and how can you join Him?
• Who is He drawing to Himself and how can you help Him?
If you want to be with God today, join Him in seeing His kingdom of love advance. If you want to abide in the presence of Jesus, decide to live like Him, empowered by His Spirit. God in His power and grace has created you for a specific purpose to reveal a specific aspect of His heart to the world. Simply choose to let Him in to all you are and do today that your day might be filled with His life-giving presence. Choose to carry His wisdom, love, and grace into relationship with others that in your communication, emotions, and actions you would proclaim His character.
Take time today to find rest and purpose in the presence of Christ.
In 1 John 2:6 John writes, “Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.”
• What good are words or desires if we don’t put action to them?
• What does all our talk mean if we never do something about it?
The kingdom of God is one that doesn’t separate faith and works. James writes, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18). Choose today to put action to what’s in your heart. Don’t hold back your love for others. Don’t refrain from encouraging and loving other people, even if it’s abnormal behavior for you. Step into situations and bring the presence and will of Christ.
May your day be marked by the powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit to love others as Jesus did.
_________________
~ excerpt from an article by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/carrying-the-presence-of-christ-2023/
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The Geese
There was once a man who didn't believe in the incarnation of Christ or the spiritual meaning of Christmas, and was skeptical about God.
He and his family lived in a farm community. His wife was a devout believer and diligently raised her children in her faith. He sometimes gave her a hard time about her faith and mocked her observance of Christmas. "It's all nonsense - why would God lower himself and become a human like us?! It's such a ridiculous story!" he said.
One snowy day the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.
Then he heard a loud thump, something hitting against the window. And another thump. He looked outside but couldn't see. So he ventured outside to see. In the field near his house he saw, of all the strangest things, a flock of geese! They were apparently flying to look for a warmer area down south, but had been caught in the snow storm.
The storm had become too blinding and violent for the geese to fly or see their way. They were stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles.
He had compassion for them and wanted to help them. He thought to himself, "The barn would be a great place for them to stay! It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm."
So he opened the barn doors for them. He waited, watching them, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But they didn't notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. He moved closer toward them to get their attention, but they just moved away from him out of fear. He went into the house and came back out with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread trail to the barn. They still didn't catch on.
Starting to get frustrated, he went over and tried to shoo them toward the barn. They panicked and scattered into every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where there was warmth, safety and shelter.
Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed, "Why don't they follow me? Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm? How can I possibly get them into the one place to save them?" He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. He said to himself, "How can I possibly save them? The only way would be for me to become like those geese. If only I could become like one of them! Then I could save them! They would follow me and I would lead them to safety."
At that moment, he stopped and considered what he had just said. The words reverberated in his mind: "If only I could become like one of them - then I could save them." And then, at last, he understood God's heart towards mankind, and he fell on his knees in the snow and worshipped Him.
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We beheld His Glory, the Glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of Grace and Truth!" ~ John 1:14
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." ~ John 3:16
_________________
~ published by: The Daily Encourager
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1 💖
The Mighty God of Jacob
"Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of the righteous be delivered?"
"But the LORD says, “The captives of warriors will be released, and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved. For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children."
"I will feed your enemies with their own flesh. They will be drunk with rivers of their own blood. All the world will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel."
~ Isaiah 49:24-26
Amen.
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Solitude with Emmanuel
~ May you be encouraged and motivated today to get truly alone with the Father in these days.
One of the greatest privileges of the Christian faith is solitude with God. Engaging in solitude with our Creator is a life-giving celebration of His heart. Our God isn’t after what we can do for Him. He’s all about being with His people in restored, unhindered relationship.
Isaiah 7:14 prophesies about the birth of Christ saying:
“Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Immanuel means, “God with us.” How amazing is it that the King of heaven and earth would desire to be called “God with us” and that our Creator would want to be known as one who would write Himself into the story of His creation in such a way as to be tangibly, truly present.
When we take time to get alone with the Father apart from any other agenda, to simply open our hearts and be with Him, we declare to ourselves and to God that our lives are centered around Him. When we make space to hold off on questions (and reading, learning, and growing) to simply rest in His nearness, we discover that God is far better and far more loving than we ever could have guessed [or imagined].
Solitude with God is a place of abundant joy. It’s a place of peace and encounter that no other spiritual discipline can bring. It’s a source of perspective and freedom in times typically marked by frivolous pursuits and stress. And it’s a cornerstone of Christian spirituality: a pursuit of God that casts aside every ulterior motive to simply and purely be with God.
John 1:14 says:
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The heart of Jesus is marked by grace and truth. He sees you as you are. He knows exactly what you need. Take time to discover the grace of God to speak to you as you simply open your heart and listen. Trust in His perfect love and leadership by sitting at His feet and letting Him say everything, or nothing at all. Fix your eyes on Jesus today and enjoy the simplicity of solitude.
May your heart be filled with peace and joy as you encounter Emmanuel, God with us.
One of the greatest markers in my life for how I’m doing, is how consistently I am getting time to simply enjoy God. Loving and being loved by God is foundational to every other aspect of the Christian life. It’s only in experiencing God’s love that I can effectively love others. It’s only in enjoying God that I am able to fully enjoy family and friends. Sometimes the simplest of things are the most powerful. May your heart be light today as you find joy in the simplicity of solitude with God.
_________________
~ from an article by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/solitude-with-emmanuel-2023/
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The Reason for the Season
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." ~ Luke 2:11
A recent poll revealed that almost half of all Americans surveyed choose Christmas as their favorite Holiday. The wintery season, with or without snow, has come to hold a beloved place in the hearts of most people around the nation. For many, the cold (or cooler) weather, accompanied with the white and colored lights that decorate neighborhoods, causes a nostalgic feeling that brings memories of warmth and joy. Families look forward to the time-honored traditions of trimming the tree, wrapping special gifts and baking sweet treats. Christmas carols play over the speakers in the grocery store and in our car, putting us in a Christmas mode.
Although many of our beloved traditions came to America only a couple of centuries ago, other countries have celebrated Christmas in a similar manner for a lot longer. And of course, the history of Christmas dates back to that quiet night in a cold, smelly stable, 2000 years ago, when our Savior came to this world to bring us hope and salvation.
Even in a world where many still reject Jesus as Savior, the word "Christmas" brings honor to the one whose name is uttered. It is hard to say, "Merry Christmas" to someone without saying "Christ". It's hard to sing "Silent Night" without giving reference to the events of that 'Holy Night'. And the star (or Angel) atop the tree still announces the birth of Christ so long ago. So, you see, the reason for this beloved season and all the joy it brings is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ!
This Season, as you go about in the "hustle and bustle" of the holiday, let's make sure our focus stays on the real reason for the celebration, giving honor to the birthday Joy-giver. Let the words "Merry CHRISTmas" ring true to all those you wish it to!
Suggested Prayer: Dear Lord, as we head into this very busy Holiday season, help me to keep focus on the fact that this most popular celebration was made to bring glory to you. Help me make you the priority – the Reason for the Season! In Jesus' name, Amen.
_________________
~ by Dick Innes (https://www.actsweb.org)
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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Jesus, the Light
~ Our Savior came to illuminate our lives and enable us to shine for Him in a dark world.
Scripture Reading: John 1:4-5; John 1:9
In the Bible, God’s first spoken words are “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). O Oriens, the next antiphon from “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” is translated “O Dayspring.” Originally meaning the dawn of a new day, the term refers to the illuminating presence that God’s Word brought to the dark and formless world.
The same language describes the new creation that the Lord brings to us. John says that in Jesus — the eternal Word — is life, which is the “Light of mankind that shines in the darkness” (John 1:4-5). The other Gospel writers don’t miss the connection either. When Jesus moves to Capernaum after John the Baptist’s arrest, Matthew recalls Isaiah’s prophecy about the light coming to a dark place. People “sitting in darkness … sitting in the land and shadow of death” were visited by that light (Matthew 4:16).
Though parts of the world remain in shadow, we know that the Light has come — and He shines brighter than any sun. Today, ask God to illuminate every corner of your life “to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). And remember: As we “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7), we receive God’s forgiveness and are reconciled to Him. Then He makes us shine in a dark world.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/jesus-the-light
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Entertaining Angels
“Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” ~ Hebrews 13:1
We often think life in the plains is mundane, boring, or uneventful. If we measure our behavior on what gains us the praise of fickle mankind, we can easily overlook things like hospitality, simple acts of kindness.
When, instead, we chose these everyday behaviors, they are neither boring nor meaningless. They delight the angels. They bring heaven into applause.
Chapter 13 of Hebrews begins with an admonition to love one another. It implores hospitality, remembering prisoners, healthy marriage, and stewarding good character. All of these things are fascinating to the heavenly hosts. To watch us exercise a life of faith, trusting in God, taking what is unseen and bringing it into vision.
We may not know it, but the angels are tuned in. They are watching from Heaven. And they are watching from Earth. Our choices are powerful and awe-inspiring. They have an effect (and a reward) in the heavenly realm.
The author of Hebrews reminds us the angels are witnesses on our account. Celebrating our choices the way a soccer fan does when his team scores a goal. Rooting us on in the kindness we show to one another. Amazed by the incredible opportunity we have and astonished when we take advantage of it exactly the way God designed. It is our great opportunity.
Let’s give the angels something to cheer about.
__________________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net/devotional/entertaining-angels/
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The Importance of Drawing Near
~ Even as believers filled with the Holy Spirit, we can choose to live as if God is still far off. So, may we choose to open our hearts to the living God that we might experience fullness of joy in His loving presence.
James 4:8 contains a profound promise of God. Scripture says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” For a while I thought this verse seemed backwards. Doesn’t God do the drawing? Isn’t God the one who’s constantly pursuing us?
After diving deeper into the meaning of James 4:8 I discovered an important truth that’s foundational to living in communion with God: the door of God’s heart is always open to us. His love is always for us. His presence is always available. The Father turned away from Jesus as our sins rested squarely on His shoulders ensuring He would never have to turn away from us.
To draw near to God is to simply open our hearts to what was always available. It’s not that God ever withholds His presence from us. It’s that He never forces us to abide in Him. If we want to go our own way, He willingly and patiently waits for us. And the moment that we turn our hearts back to Him, He is there to fill us with a revelation of His loving nearness and unwavering devotion.
In his book, “The Pursuit of God”, A. W. Tozer describes two veils. The first veil was the veil between the Holy of Holies and the world that was torn at the death of Jesus, signifying the availability of God’s manifest presence to all. The second veil is the veil of our own hearts that’s our decision to tear by God’s grace.
Whether it’s the effects of sin and shame or a lack of understanding what’s available to us in Christ, all of us have the ability to veil places in our hearts. All of us can shield our beliefs about our identity, our possessions, or our relationships from the abiding presence of Jesus and live apart from communion with Him. We all have the ability at any given moment to go our own way and miss out on abundant life.
But the truth is that the Christian life isn’t about our ability to abide in God perfectly, but about God’s grace to draw near to us in response to repentance. God has no expectation that we would live this life perfectly. He remembers our frame and knows we are dust (Psalm 103:14). What He desires from us is to allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate any parts of our lives that aren’t His that we would be quick to repent and enjoy His grace-filled presence once again. God is not angry with you for veiling your heart. He knows better than you do the reasons you aren’t letting Him fully in. His heart is filled with the fullness of compassion for you that you might live to experience His grace rather than strive and condemn yourself for your imperfection.
Take time today to rend the veil of your own heart, draw near to God, and experience the glory of His manifest presence.
May Hebrews 10:19-22 provide joy and hope to your heart as you seek to draw near to your heavenly Father:
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”
___________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-importance-of-drawing-near-2023/
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Our Trials
~ Trouble is part of life, but God always provides what we need in order to endure.
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9
Some people have the wrong idea about the Christian life. Once they become believers, they expect smooth sailing. However, Jesus made it clear that we’ll all face troubles. His own life was no exception — He endured false accusation, rejection, betrayal, and separation from His Father.
As His followers, we too can expect difficulty. Some problems arise from the fallen nature of the world, while others result from spiritual warfare. And we can cause our own heartache from ignorance or sin. There’s also another possibility — sometimes God Himself brings trials. While it’s difficult to accept this, the Lord never allows hardship unless He has a beautiful purpose. And He always gives us strength to endure.
Remember, God permits struggles for our benefit. Perhaps they are to purify and grow us for greater service. Maybe He’s testing our endurance and devotion, or He might be revealing His sustaining power. This side of heaven, we may never know the cause or purpose of each challenge. But we can trust God’s ability to deliver and mature us.
What trials are you facing?
Jesus understands your pain and longs to be the One you cling to through good times and bad. You can choose to look elsewhere for comfort, or you can use your hardship as an opportunity to connect with God.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/our-trials
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The Sacrificial King
~ As we look to Jesus this week to celebrate who He is and what He has done, may you find life-giving hope and foundational joy.
It’s impossible to separate the birth of Christ from the purpose of His coming. John 3:16-17 tells us:
"For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.”
As we take time today to look at the heart of a God who would sacrifice His own life that we might find life through Him, let’s open our hearts to receive a fresh encounter with His real, available love.
Jesus’ coming was entirely a love-motivated decision — “For God so loved the world.”
So great is the depth of His love for His wayward crown of creation that He became man Himself to live the life none of us ever could. So vast is His affection for us that He took the pain and shame we were due and offered up His life as a ransom for ours. Truly there is no greater love than the sacrifice of our King.
• Have you stopped recently to acknowledge how intentionally God pursues you?
• Have you stopped to marvel at the lengths to which He will go simply to have your heart?
In the hustle and bustle of this Christmas season, may we not look past the greatest gift we have. May we not skip over the reality of God’s love for us to get to the next thing on the calendar. Instead, may we take time every day to let sink in the simple truth that God became man entirely for our sakes. God Himself, who has no beginning, no limit, no weakness, and deserves no pain, took on flesh in pursuit of a deeper, richer, and entirely restored relationship with you and me.
The love of Jesus we celebrate at Christmastime is a sacrificial love. He didn’t just give Himself sacrificially on the cross. Every day of His life was another day given up for our sakes. Every tear, pang of hunger, and wound He suffered throughout His life He experienced not because He had to, but because He chose to out of love for us. Imagine leaving the perfection of heaven to come to earth. Imagine leaving unhindered, face-to-face connection with the heavenly Father and becoming an infant. Imagine allowing a mother and father to take care of you when you are God Himself whose very existence has never known a beginning.
In this season of celebration may we take time to remember the loving, life-giving sacrifice of the King we worship. May we center our hearts and lives around Him. May we give Him the adoration and praise He deserves. And may this Christmas season change our lives forever as we respond to the continual pursuit of our loving God by offering Him our hearts in return.
In Philippians 3:12 Paul writes:
“Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.”
As a believer, Christ has made you His own. You were bought with a price only Jesus could pay. May this season be marked by the love and joy that can only come from true communion with Jesus, our sacrificial King.
_________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-sacrificial-king-2023/
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Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, [Jesus] is able to help those who are being tempted.
Hebrews 2:18
Responding to Hardship
~ Trials are an opportunity to see God work on our behalf in ways we can’t imagine.
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-19
When you are going through a trial, what’s your first response? Do you want to run away as quickly as possible to escape it? Though that’s a normal feeling, God has a different way. It is not the trials in our life that develop or destroy us, but rather our response to those hardships. How, then, should we react when difficulties feel overwhelming?
• First, trust God:
God wants His children to believe His Word and reflect on ways He’s been faithful in the past. He assures us that He limits our trials [or temptations] and enables us to endure.
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it." ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13
• Second, persevere:
Even when we don’t understand and the pain seems too much to bear, we shouldn’t quit. We’re to continue seeking the Lord through His Word and prayer. So, let’s cling to hope in Christ and praise Him in the midst of the pain.
• Third, remember the Lord is in control:
He allows adversity for a reason and demonstrates His sustaining power through it. Even though the pain might feel intolerable, God will never leave our side. Scripture compares our growth to gold, which is refined through fire.
"These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So, when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." ~ 1 Peter 1:7
We will encounter difficulties — sometimes intense and painful trials that seem too much for us. Yet we can rely on our heavenly Father to deliver and guide us in ways we could never imagine. He doesn’t expect that we endure on our own, but He does want us to respond with faith.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/responding-to-hardship
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Ending Well
~ Life is a gift — ask God to help you spend your time on what matters.
Scripture Reading: Luke 12:15-21
Today’s passage is about a rich man who made poor use of his days. Assuming a lot of time remained, he left the Lord out of his plans and let materialism guide him.
Paul, on the other hand, knew life was short and made the most of it. He gave to others until his final days. His letters from prison illustrate this — despite knowing he would soon face death; Paul devoted his time and energy to instructing fellow believers and praying for them. He recognized the value of time spent encouraging Christians to do everything as if for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24). This is important even when our task seems unrelated to the church. Kingdom work isn’t just for missionaries and pastors; God calls us all to different fields and assignments.
The apostle also knew that the Christian life encompasses struggles. And he was realistic about his own imperfections (Romans 7:5-25). This meant that to make the best use of his time, he needed to persevere, keep faith in God’s promises, and rely on divine power for victory. And indeed, at the end of his life, Paul was able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).
Life is a gift. Every one of us has a limited number of days on this earth. How will you utilize your time so you can look back and, with Paul, confidently say that you ended well?
___________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/ending-well-2
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The Savior King
~ As we explore the gift of Jesus this advent season, today we’ll dig into what it means for Him to be our Savior King.
Sometimes as believers we’ve known Jesus to be our Savior for so long that we fail to dive in to all it means for us and thereby miss out on all the wonderful fruit salvation is meant to bear in our lives.
Jesus died, not just to usher us into heaven at our death, but that we might find salvation from the things of this life that don’t flow from the heart and hands of the Father. God’s will is that we would walk in fullness of life all the days of our life (John 10:10). He has peace for us instead of anxiety (2 Thessalonians 3:16). He has an eternal purpose for us instead of frivolous pursuits (Ephesians 2:10). He longs to fill our hands with good gifts instead of the fruit of anxious toil (James 1:17). And He has a new nature and newness of life instead of the sins and cares of who we were before Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
So, the questions in response to God’s Truth become:
• What are you waiting for?
• What’s holding you back from all of these amazing things God has for you?
• What’s keeping you from walking in newness of life today?
Experiencing the fruit of salvation begins with a clear revelation of what God does and doesn’t want for you. Without faith to hold on to the promises of God, we easily fall victim to the lies and temptations of the enemy. Now that Satan has no hold over our eternal destiny, his pursuit is robbing us of all that’s available to us in God that he might both hurt us and the heart of God.
But we serve a King who was not only Savior on the day of Calvary, but comes to us each day offering us salvation from the things of the world. The Holy Spirit inside each of us has the will and ability to deliver us from anything not found in the will of God that Jesus’ sacrifice might bear its full fruit in our lives. And in spending time in dedicated communion with God, studying the Scripture to find what’s been allotted as our portion in Jesus, and seeking to follow the moment-to-moment leadership of the Holy Spirit, we find the power we need to experience all God has for us.
Seek today to understand God’s heart for you. Look for promises you can hold on to about His character and will. And in response to a revelation of God’s will, have faith and vision to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit into fullness of life. May today be marked by the life-giving fruit of salvation in Jesus.
God is a god of the journey. He doesn’t expect perfection from us. He knows we are dust. He’s just after your heart that you might go through this life together. Don’t miss out on opportunities for relationship by running from the heart of God when you realize your own imperfection. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to experience grace by trying to hide your sin. Allow God into everything you are and do. Find joy in experiencing right now the eternal relationship afforded you by your Savior King.
_________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-savior-king-2023/
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Jesus - The King of Kings
~ Allow this victorious King to settle your heart and mind today as you experience His presence. Revel in His power and might. And worship Him as the worthy King that He is.
The fate of so many nations has historically rested on the strength of its leaders. From Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great to King David, we look to kings as the catalyst for either victory or defeat, success or failure.
Scripture tells us in Revelation 19:16 that we as the people of God find our fate in the One True King. Scripture says, “On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
Isaiah 9:6-7 says:
"For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this."
This Christmas season we celebrate the truth that our lives are hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3). Our fate is wrapped up in His. Our victory and success is assured because our King sits enthroned on the heavens. He is high and lifted up, and His heart is filled with steadfast love for us, His bride.
If your future feels uncertain, if your heart is filled with anxiety, look no further than your Savior on whose robe and thigh is written, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” If the furthest thing from your heart seems to be peace, look to Jesus, whom Scripture calls, “Prince of Peace.” If you feel heavy and burdened from the weight and weariness of this world, look to God, our “Wonderful Counselor.”
God’s desire is to be near to you this season. His purpose is to pull you in closely to Him and remind you that you are His and He will never let you go. Sometimes all we need to get through the day is a little perspective. Sometimes all we need to experience victory over our current circumstances is to remember that Jesus has already won us.
Take time today to bring your cares and weights to the feet of the “King of kings.” Allow Him to declare over you both His unceasing affection and limitless power. May you find abundant peace today in the person of Jesus.
You and I are made to look to someone or something for leadership. We aren’t created to rule our own lives. If we don’t look to Jesus, we will undoubtedly look to this world, which only has the power to lead us away from abundant life in God.
• Where are your eyes set today?
• What are you looking to for provision, peace, and life?
Fix your eyes on Jesus today, the “founder and perfecter” of our faith, that you might find transcendent peace and steadfast hope (Hebrews 12:1-2). May your day be filled with all the goodness of one who serves the “King of kings.”
________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-king-of-kings-2023/
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A Revolutionary Announcement
~ Do you believe all things are possible with God?
Scripture Reading: Acts 2:38-47
Early accounts of the Lord’s resurrection were treated like idle tales told by desperate individuals. In a way, that’s understandable since most people struggle to believe the impossible. But Pentecost was a new day.
History was made as each person in the crowd heard the gospel in his or her own language (Acts 2:1-11). The assembled throng knew of the Lord and His miracles. Some of those present may have been skeptics who’d joined in shouting, “Crucify Him!” (Matthew 27:22). Yet Peter boldly stated, “God raised [Jesus] from the dead” (Acts 2:24). Here was one of Jesus’ own followers claiming that the Christ couldn’t be held down by death’s power.
The revival sparked by the Holy Spirit that day resulted in 3,000 new believers who underwent baptism — a public declaration that Jesus died for their sins, rose again, and ascended into heaven. They changed communities as they lived out the gospel message of compassion and love. The revolution they started spread across the world and is still going on.
The day of Pentecost is a reminder of God’s sovereignty and grace — He ensures that all people open to the gospel will receive it in a language they can understand.
Do you want to be transformed by Jesus’ saving grace?
Take a moment to share your thoughts and feelings with Him now.
_______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/a-revolutionary-announcement
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In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:4-5 ♥️
The Depth of God's Love for Us
~ Today we’ll dive into Jesus’ desire for us to know the Father’s great love.
There is no force more powerful than the love our heavenly Father has for us, His children. His love can move mountains, stop the roaring seas, heal broken bones and wounded hearts, transform lives, and set free those held captive by sin and shame. So great is His love for you and me that He sent His only Son to die that we might live through Him. And in John 17:25-26, Jesus makes an unfathomable statement about how great the depth of God’s love is for us:
“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know You, but I do; and these disciples know You sent Me. I have revealed You to them, and I will continue to do so. Then Your love for Me will be in them, and I will be in them.”
Do you know that God loves you the way He loves Jesus? His heart is full of affection for you. Jesus always prays perfectly in line with the will of the Father because they are one. So, when Jesus prays for God to love us with the same love He has been given, His prayer is in perfect alignment with the heart of our Father.
Romans 8:37-39 says:
“No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!”
Through the death of Christ, the barrier between us and relationship with God was torn in two. The wrath of God was satisfied with Jesus’ death, and now we can experience the full depth of His love. Through Christ, we have been made new so that we can finally walk in unhindered fellowship and oneness with a holy, perfect God.
God loves you simply because He loves you. You don’t have to work for His affection. You don’t have to set yourself straight before God can pour out His love over you. The father in the prodigal son story ran out to meet his son before anything had ever been set right. He didn’t know his son was there to apologize. He didn’t care. He simply wanted to love his child. Your heavenly Father feels the same way about you. He longs to love you. He longs to fill you with love to overflowing. He longs for us to experience this love and oneness just as Jesus did when He walked the earth.
As you enter into Prayer, open up your heart and allow God’s grace to settle in. Allow Him to free you from works-based religion and guide you to a lifestyle of relationship. God is not an angry taskmaster who shows affection only when you succeed. He is a loving Father who will always love you. Take time to receive the depth of His love for you today. Allow His love to heal you, transform you, free you, and lead you to the abundant life He has always longed to give.
May the whole of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer be true in your life. May you come into the fullness of what Jesus died to give you. May your life be a wonderful reflection of His love. And may you experience the depth of His love for you in every season. You are a child of the Most High, loving God. He will never leave you nor forsake you. His love is powerful, real, and available. May your day be full of joy, peace, and purpose in light of God’s glorious grace.
_________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-depth-of-god's-love-for-us-2023/
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Decorating For Christmas
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." ~ Ecclesiastes 3:11
Around the first week of December, I am ready to adorn the house with Christmas decorations. I drag out boxes and bins filled with decorations of years gone by, and then go shopping to purchase new ones. Some of the most precious items are those saved from yesteryear, now treasured for the very memories they hold within. They are placed in one room and then another, reminding me of this most special time of year. The tree lights always seem to be a hassle, but worth the effort when night time arrives and the shimmer of tiny lights fill the room.
However beautiful and meaningful those Christmas decorations are, they cannot compare with those of God. Have you noticed how He trimmed the world? He hung the stars and moon against the dark sky, so we could enjoy their light. He gave us color galore in the form of four seasons. He gave us the sun to make things grow and to warm our aching bones. He ornamented our world with animals to love and people to form tender relationships with. He gave us a heart to seek after Him. He decorated the heart of each of His children with the most beautiful adornment of all. He has wrapped our hearts in His love, and sent us the Christ child, so that we would never be separated from the Father.
I pray this Christmas season, as I continue to add to my household decorations, I will remember God's decorations, and thank Him for them.
_______________
~ by Marion Smith
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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Sunday Morning “Rabbit-Hole”
While reading Isaiah 38 this morning, I was compelled to do a little online research concerning God’s sign to king Hezekiah of turning the sun's shadow back in time by 10 degrees/steps (either on a sundial or physical steps used to record time) – approximately 40 minutes. This would add the missing time from the approximate day (23 hours 20 minutes – as allegedly determined by a NASA study in the 1960’s) when God caused the sun to stand still (recorded in Joshua 10) in order for Joshua to defeat the Amorites in battle. And thus bring the earth back into perfect alignment. My study further found reference to an “extended night” legend passed down through New Zealand historical culture, which would lead credence to the Biblical account of the sun standing still on the opposite side of the world.
My online research led me to the (somewhat unorthodox) writings of “Dionysius the Areopagite”, which in turn led me to a website containing links to many early Church writers titled “Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts”. The page links are a plethora of historical research, interpretations, commentaries, and opinions by early era theologians, philosophers, and eyewitness accounts. The elaborate collaboration of works is found from the below link:
https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/index.htm
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The Glory of God in Man
~ May your heart and mind be open to God’s truth and will for your life today as we seek Him together.
As disciples of Jesus, we are being fashioned into His likeness that we might be reflections of His glory. Jesus prays in John 17:22-24:
“I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one. I am in them and You are in Me. May they be made completely one, so the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me. Father, I desire those You have given Me to be with Me where I am. Then they will see My glory, which You have given Me because You loved Me before the world’s foundation.”
Through the power of Christ’s death, we are now filled with His very Spirit who is working constantly to fashion us into Christians in the truest sense of the word. To be a Christian is literally to be “a little Christ.” We are meant to be marked by similarity to the one whom we serve and love. Our lives are to be filled with His love. Our minds are to be transformed by His words. And our hearts are to be devoted to serving Him alone.
2 Corinthians 3:18 says:
“So, all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord — who is the Spirit — makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.”
Through the death of Jesus, we can come before God with unveiled face. Jesus came to declare the truth about who our Father is and to clear the path to restored intimacy between humanity and our Creator. And as we devote our lives to seeking the face of our heavenly Father, we will naturally become like Him.
God’s desire is that we would live with the same freedom, intimacy, power, authority, and good works as Jesus. He sent His Son to die that we might be clothed from the inside out with Christ Himself, thereby affording us a new life, nature, and identity. You are not the person you were before salvation. When you were filled with the Spirit of God, you were filled with the very glory of God, the image of Christ engraved upon your heart.
And while this concept of becoming like Christ often sounds heady and theological, it couldn’t be of greater practical importance. It couldn’t be more vital for us to believe and pursue the life given to us by the grace of God. Being transformed into the image of Jesus has powerful and practical implications for you and Me. When you spend time with the Father, He desires to love you with the love He has shown Christ, a tangible and transformational love. He longs to set you free from the bonds of worldliness and sin. He longs to empower you and lead you to a life of purpose, miracles, and good works filled with the love of God Himself. And He longs to lead you to a destiny laid before you since the foundation of the world.
Take time to seek the face of God today. Come before Him with unveiled face and allow Him to reveal to you the imprint of Christ upon your heart. Allow the Spirit to show you the purpose for which you were created. And receive the love of God that has the power to transform you into the very image of Jesus Christ, your Lord and example.
The death of Christ has more powerful implications than you or I will ever know this side of heaven. God has truly paved the way for us to live a life of incredible abundance. He offers us a life greater than we will find in anything of the world. May you pursue all the wealth of relationship available to you by the blood of Jesus. May you be transformed into His reflection on the earth. And may others come to know Him by the depth of His love in you.
_________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-glory-of-god-in-man-2023/
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Peace in the Stillness
~ If you are feeling overwhelmed today, spend some time with your heavenly Father to find serenity.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 131:1-2
Think about the last time you walked into an arcade or theme park. What was the experience like? Probably a thousand things vied for your attention, including bright flashing lights, cacophonous music, and crowded walkways. In all likelihood, it was hard to focus (and impossible to have a conversation).
Everyday life can also feel like that sometimes — too much input and not enough time to process everything that’s going on. It’s no wonder that we struggle to hear the Lord’s “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12) in all of it! Jesus faced this same problem, which is why He made sure to get away and spend time with His Father (Mark 1:35).
Psalm 46:10 calls us to stillness: “Stop striving and know that I am God.” To enjoy this continuous inner peace, we must periodically pause everything and let our soul become aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence. In today’s reading, David described it as being like a “weaned child” at perfect rest in his mother’s arms.
Intentionally slowing down can be difficult to do, but experiencing the serenity and rest God provides is a gift well worth seeking.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/peace-in-the-stillness
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“Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
Revelation 12:12
Now you know why things are the way they are on earth. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV).
The Joy of the Lord
~ Jesus is a joyful King, and we find in His High Priestly Prayer that He desires that His people would be filled with His joy too.
Jesus came to bring about the fullness of joy in man. Often, we see Christians who are not exhibiting a lifestyle of joy, and therefore we assume God is not a happy God. We see all the darkness that surrounds and assume that God is most often angry or sad. But in John 17:13 Jesus prayed to the Father, “But now I am coming to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”
Jesus’ prayer in John 17:13 demonstrates two important, life-changing truths for you and me today. First, Jesus had joy. We could not have His joy fulfilled in us if He doesn’t have joy to start with. And the whole of Scripture supports the Truth that within God dwells the fullness of joy.
Psalm 16:11 says:
“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.”
And Galatians 5:22 tells us that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. The God whom you have been filled with at salvation longs to produce the fruit of joy in your life. He longs to make you a joyful person from the inside out, that your joy wouldn’t be based on circumstances or the fleeting whims of the world.
Second, John 17 tells us that we can have the joy of Jesus for ourselves. The God of joy longs to fill you to overflowing with satisfaction and hope. He longs to make your joy abundant and transcendent of the good or bad around you. God is joyful because it’s a part of His nature. And He longs for it to be the same with you.
• Do you believe that God is a joyful god?
• Have you experienced how happy He is?
• Have you met with Him and encountered the joy and peace in His heart toward you?
Zephaniah 3:17 says:
“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
God longs to meet with you today and fill you with joy to overflowing. In Romans 15:13 Paul prays:
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Joy is available to you today as you believe. There is hope in the Holy Spirit.
Come to God today with all your cares and burdens. Lay them at His feet and allow Him to fill you with peace and joy where only heaviness abounded. God longs to set you free from the burdens of anxiety. He longs to lead you to a life of happiness and freedom in the Spirit. As you enter into prayer, choose to commit to God anything that has been weighing you down. Come before Him with faith that He will shepherd you to greener pastures as you offer Him your heart and follow His guidance.
Oftentimes we allow ourselves to be continually downcast rather than fighting for the joy available to us in God. Joy is a vital part of the Christian life. We are not made to carry burdens that steal our joy and keep us from the abundant life Jesus died to give us.
Psalm 16:6 says:
“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”
God has plans to lead you to a life filled with the fullness of joy. May you pursue all the wonders and blessings God has in store for you today through the powerful sacrifice of Jesus. Amen.
________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-joy-of-the-lord-2023/
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The One Who Lifts Your Head
~ God will provide all you need for the challenges you face — trust Him and be brave!
Scripture Reading: Joshua 1:1-9
When God charged him to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, Joshua was fully aware of just how daunting the task before him was. Yet he was determined to obey God no matter what. Whatever doubts and fears the young man faced in his heart and mind, he ultimately took up the mantle of leadership with courage. He placed his faith in God, who had never let the people down. And Joshua fully expected the Lord to be true to His word again.
Whatever challenge you’re up against, God says the same words to you that He lovingly spoke over His servant in today’s passage: “Be strong and very courageous” (v. 7). Joshua’s bravery was based upon years of seeing God’s faithfulness. Whether you’ve been a Christian for five minutes or 50 years, you can have the same confidence.
The Lord is sufficient to meet your needs. He is your “refuge and strength, a very ready help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Rely upon Him in all things, and like David, you can boldly say, “You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head … The Lord sustains me. I will not be afraid” (Psalm 3:3; Psalm 3:5-6).
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-one-who-lifts-your-head
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Heavenly-Minded Prayers
~ Be sure that you are asking God for what's most important in your life and the lives of those you love.
Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:9-14
We belong to Jesus, and our home is not of this world. Do our prayers reflect that?
The Lord wants us to talk to Him about our day and bring our personal requests, but He desires that we pray for kingdom concerns, too — prayers for others’ salvation and for the spiritual growth of His children.
Let’s look at Paul’s prayers:
They were Christ-centered and kingdom-related — that people know Jesus, pattern their life after Him, and carry out God’s will. The apostle yearned for believers to be filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding and to walk in a worthy manner. He prayed that they would please the Lord, be fruitful, and increase in their knowledge of God. Finally, he asked that they be strengthened with the Spirit’s power and exhibit steadfastness and patience. Our God delights to answer such prayers because they are all part of what He desires for us.
Paul wasn’t ignoring the people’s physical and emotional needs. Rather, he knew that God’s answers to these prayers in Colossians 1 were the way believers would triumph in the situations facing them. Then they would have strength to persevere and be good witnesses during difficult times.
Take steps now to make your prayer life more heavenly-minded than earthbound. Start by praying today’s verses for yourself and people you know.
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/heavenly-minded-prayers
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The Authority of King Jesus
~ As we dive deeply into the riches of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, may your heart be awakened and your life be transformed by the riches of God’s love.
John 17:1-2 marks the beginning of one of the most powerful passages in all of Scripture. Jesus prays to the Father and says:
“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify You, since You have given Him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom You have given Him.”
Jesus knows that His time on the earth is coming to a close. He knows that He must sacrifice His life so that the door to restored relationship with the Father would be flung open to all who would put their faith in Him.
What good news it is that the Father has given the Son “authority over all flesh.” You and I serve the one true King of all mankind. Jesus is King of all the earth. And our King is one who would ask the Father to send Him to die that we might live. Our King willfully lays down His life for us who have done nothing to deserve His kindness.
Colossians 1:15-20 says:
“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see — such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him. He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together."
"Christ is also the Head of the church, which is His body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So, He is first in everything. For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”
And later Paul writes in Colossians 2:13-15:
“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross.”
• What does it mean for us today to serve the High King in whom all authority and kindness dwells?
• What would life look like if we would submit ourselves to His authority completely?
All of creation answers to His name. All of humanity will one day bow before Him.
• But what would your life look like if you made the decision today to willfully lay down your life in response to His lordship?
• What would it look like to crown Him as King of your plans, efforts, emotions, relationships, finances, past, present, and future?
You were not created to be the king of your own life. You were not created to bear the burden of doing life apart from the lordship of Jesus Christ. And you will never know true peace, joy, purpose, and love until you submit all you are to all God is.
Take time in prayer to meditate on the authority and power of Jesus. Thank Him for His loving sacrifice and crown Him King of your life today.
To take authority over your own life is to pluck yourself out of a life filled with the unimaginable graces of God. God will not bless that which is not His will. He waits patiently day after day for us to simply choose to submit ourselves to Him and follow. He longs for the day when we will stop submitting to our own pride, yield ourselves to Him, and discover the wealth of life available to us in Him alone. May you have the courage and humility to surrender to God and follow Him today.
Amen.
_________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-authority-of-king-jesus-2023/
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“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11 ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️
Vision for Eternity
~ May you be newly envisioned and encouraged today as you’re reminded of the world that is to come through Christ our King.
To be a true person of vision is to live this life in light of eternity. Without a real revelation of eternity, this life will be marked by hopelessness and a sense of aimless wandering. Only when our destination comes into view can we rightly see the circumstances strewn along the journey of this life.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says:
“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
To look to eternity requires us to trust. Our minds are finite. In the only world we’ve ever known, life is marked by a beginning and end, by birth and death. But in Scripture we discover that God is the Maker of life and the Conqueror of death. We discover that in Jesus we are promised eternal life in unhindered, unveiled communion with our Creator.
To live with vision for eternity is to trust that things are not as they will be and to surrender the entirety of this life with hope for the next. When we live seeking satisfaction from the things of the world, we live as if heaven didn’t exist and God didn’t usher in His kingdom through Jesus. The things of this world only have value in the Giver of all good gifts. So, our possessions, relationships, and work only have value here because they are a shadow of what is to come when all things are made new.
Having vision for eternity should lead us to create boundaries around everything in this life. It should lead us to a lifestyle of surrender that our hearts might never become tied to that which is fleeting and can never fully satisfy. It should lead us to a lifestyle of fully enjoying the things God has given us, all the while knowing the things of this life are merely a shadow in comparison to what is to come.
• Do you feel tied to the things of your life today?
• Do you feel as if your possessions, relationships, and work owns you, rather than you enjoying them to the glory of God?
• Are you seeking to find total satisfaction in the things of the world, or are you finding peace in the hope of heaven?
Take time today in prayer to surrender your life again to Jesus. Allow God to cut away any ties you have to that which is chaining your heart to this world. And find abundant joy and peace in the freedom that comes from living in light of eternity.
In Galatians 5:16 Paul writes:
“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
When you take time to enjoy God every day and seek to live in communion with the Holy Spirit, He will faithfully guide you away from the things of the world and into fullness of joy in Him. May you find comfort and hope in connection with the living God today as you seek to live with vision for eternity.
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~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/vision-for-eternity-2023/
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From the Pastor’s Heart – December 2023
~ Discover the true identity of our Savior.
What a wonderful time of year! For those of us who are alive in Christ, the very air sparkles with excitement as we look forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior and King. We hope you’ll enjoy reading these seasonal words from Dr. Stanley below.
Let’s reflect with him on the true identity of our wonderful Lord.
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The most important question every person must answer is: “Who is Jesus?”
When He was with His disciples, He asked this same question: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13). They gave Him several opinions they’d heard — all of which were wrong. So He then asked, “But who do you yourselves say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (vv. 15-17). Jesus said the future apostle was blessed because God alone, not human reasoning, had revealed the correct answer to him.
I want to give you a glimpse of the real Jesus, not based on man’s opinions, but on God’s Word.
So let’s begin with His birth:
I once drove by a church at Christmastime and saw a sign in front that read, “Just Another Baby.” Let me tell you, Jesus was anything but an ordinary baby. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in a virgin’s womb — God’s Son in human flesh (Luke 1:26-35).
His birth was prophesied 700 years prior. Even the location was predicted: “But as for you Bethlehem Ephrathah … from you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel, His times of coming forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity” (Micah 5:2). Just think about that — the Son of God existed eternally and was the Creator of all things, yet He entered His own created world as a helpless baby.
Second, let’s consider the names He was given and what they say about Him:
An angel told Joseph to name Him “Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The prophets said He would be called Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus is the God-man who came to walk among us and be our Savior.
Isn’t it amazing the emotions that the name Jesus stirs up in human hearts? To believers it’s the sweetest name ever heard, but to others it’s offensive. Some believe and embrace the Savior while others revile and hate Him.
But because of His perfect obedience, love, and sacrifice, “God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). One day, at the name of Jesus every knee will bow either in loving submission or dread (Philippians 2:9-11). It all depends on how we respond to Jesus in this life.
Third, let’s examine Christ’s claims:
Jesus caused much consternation among the religious leaders because He declared Himself equal with God, saying, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). There’s no room to downsize Jesus to a mere prophet or a wise teacher. Based on His own words, He either had to be the Son of God — or a notorious fraud and liar.
Christ’s divine identity was authenticated by both the angel Gabriel and the heavenly Father (Luke 1:35; Matthew 3:17). In addition, Jesus proved it by doing things that only God could do — calming the sea, multiplying food to feed an enormous crowd, healing the sick, and raising the dead.
Finally, let’s consider Jesus’ ministry and purpose:
Why did the Father send the Son to earth? It wasn’t just to teach and heal people, or even to reveal who God is in a more understandable way. His main purpose was to save His people from their sins by dying on the cross and suffering the penalty they deserved so they could be forgiven and declared righteous (Matthew 20:28).
• Is this the Jesus you know?
• Or do you need to make some adjustments in your understanding of Him?
• Do you need to encounter Him in a deeper, fuller way — in prayer and by participating in His body, the church?
What you believe about the most remarkable Man who ever walked on earth determines your eternal destiny.
If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your heart will rejoice whenever you hear His name. But if you don’t, turn to Him now in faith and receive His gift.
Receive eternal life.
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Have Dr. Stanley’s words filled you with thoughtful consideration about Christ Jesus? We hope your heart will be encouraged to rejoice this month. We’re blessed by your companionship on the journey of faith, and wish you a truly wonderful Christmas. May it be filled with reverent joy and deep peace. Till next time, God bless you.
For His Glory,
Your Friends at In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/from-pastors-heart/december-2023
•
The War in Israel
~ the following three sections are excerpts from a recently released book by Jim Denison.
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Why is there such animosity toward the nation of Israel?
One of the shocking consequences of Hamas’s October 7 invasion of Israel has been the rise of antisemitism in the weeks following. According to a recent report from the Anti-Defamation League, for example, antisemitic incidents in the United States rose about 400 percent in the two weeks after Hamas’s atrocities.
Antisemitism around the world has escalated to constitute an “existential threat” in the weeks since Hamas slaughtered 1,200 Israeli civilians and wounded more than 3,300. Antisemitism in the US had already escalated last year to the highest recorded level. Now CNN reports that a “new wave of antisemitism threatens to rock an already unstable world.”
Nowhere has opposition to Israel been more evident than on America’s college campuses. Hundreds of protests against Israel’s response to the October 7 invasion have been staged by students across the country. As one example, Cornell University canceled classes after death threats were posted toward Jewish students.
• What is behind these campus movements and the larger rise of antisemitism in our day?
• How can we respond in ways that are both truthful and redemptive?
• Did the Jews steal the land from the Palestinians?
The first reason for opposition to Israel is the claim that the Jewish state is an “occupier” and “colonizer” of land it stole in 1948 from its rightful Palestinian owners.
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations claimed that Israel is an “occupying power” and thus does not have the right to self-defense. The International Court of Justice issued an opinion in 2004 that Israel is in fact an “occupier” of Palestinian lands in Gaza and the West Bank. We continue to hear this claim in the news and at pro-Palestinian rallies.
So, did Israel steal its land from its rightful Palestinian owners?
Based on the history of the land as described in Chapter 1, four facts are important:
• First, the original “owners” of the land were the Canaanites from whom the Jews conquered the land under Joshua. Their descendants now live in Lebanon and bear no genealogical relationship to the current-day Palestinians.
• Second, present-day Palestinians are descendants of the Arabs who first conquered the land in AD 640, not the Philistines for whom the region is named. They took the land from the Jews and Christians who lived there prior to their conquest.
• Third, the Jews never abandoned the land and repopulated it alongside Arab Palestinians across recent centuries.
• Fourth, an autonomous nation called Palestine would have been created by the United Nations Partition Plan in 1947, an arrangement Jewish leaders accepted, but Arab leaders rejected.
Thus, Israel did not steal the land from its rightful Palestinian owners. If anything, the Palestinians’ ancestors stole it from the Jews who were there prior to AD 640.
Israel maintains no presence in Gaza, so it cannot be “colonizing” the region. It granted the PA limited autonomy of the West Bank in 1993, though some Jewish settlements greatly complicate the Palestinian quest for ownership of this area.
In short, while Israel continues to be accused on college campuses and elsewhere of being an “occupying colonizer,” this is not true.
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Hamas and the Palestinians
We will discuss Hamas in greater detail in Chapter 5. For now, let’s note that this political party gained control of Gaza in 2007. It was founded in 1987 and published its official charter in 1988, calling for the destruction of Israel and raising “the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine.” Its founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, stated that “reconciliation with the Jews is a crime” and claimed that Israel “must disappear from the map.”
Hamas believes that the Qur’an requires Muslims to defend Islam by attacking Israel and anyone who supports the Jewish people (cf. Qur’an 2:190; 9:5). It views the Jewish people as “apes and swine” (Qur’an 5:60; see 2:65; 7:166). Since Israel is a democracy, Hamas considers its citizens to be complicit in an “attack” on Islam.
As a result, Hamas did not see the October 7 invasion as an assault on innocent civilians. It believes it is defending the Palestinian people and the Muslim world from their oppressors. Many of the pro-Palestinian protesters across US college campuses agree.
However, it is actually Hamas who is the enemy of the Palestinian people.
The terrorists hide their munitions and fighters in a vast network of tunnels beneath homes, schools, mosques, and hospitals used by Palestinian civilians. This way, for Israel to destroy these tunnels, it must destroy civilian structures under which they are located.
Hamas has turned hospitals into command-and-control centers for its militants and hides its soldiers among the civilian population.
In these and other ways, it continues to violate the rules of war as prescribed by the Geneva Convention and other humanitarian laws.
While more than half of the civilians in Gaza are impoverished, several of Hamas’s leaders live in Qatar, more than a thousand miles from Gaza; some are estimated to be billionaires. After their 2014 conflict with Hamas, Israeli officials estimated that the average tunnel built by Hamas required enough construction supplies to build eighty-six homes, seven mosques, six schools, or nineteen medical clinics. Hamas continues to steal fuel, medical supplies, and provisions intended for the civilian population.
As a result, the Wall Street Journal editorial board stated: “Palestinian lives matter, except to Hamas.” Referencing Israel’s challenge in destroying Hamas while protecting civilians in Gaza, the article notes:
"Blaming Israel for these civilian casualties amounts to denying the Jewish state its right to self-defense. It means that Hamas can launch attacks on Israel with the goal of slaughtering women and children, but Israel can’t attack Hamas in Gaza because civilians might be unintentional casualties. It means Hamas would retain a terrorist sanctuary from which it can attack Israel whenever it has the means and opportunity."
No other country on earth would agree to the terms of defensive engagement that much of the world wants to impose on Israel.
To summarize:
Israel’s incursion into Gaza is not an oppression of the Palestinian People — it is a military response to the atrocities of October 7 necessary to preserve the Jewish state and its future. When civilians are harmed as a result, this is the fault of Hamas. The terrorists started this conflict, and they are continuing it while hiding behind Palestinians and using them as human shields.
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By supporting Hamas – you are supportive of the following actions by Hamas on 10/7/2023:
“Babies, women, the elderly were dragged outside of their homes, were taken hostage. Civilians were shot and most were massacred in cold blood walking on the streets. This is something that, I mean, is truly unprecedented.”
This is how Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan described the surprise attack Hamas launched on Israel by air, land, and sea on October 7, 2023. “This is our 9/11,” he added.
A spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces said, “We have had the worst day in Israeli history when it comes to casualties. . . . In American terms, this is a Pearl Harbor and a 9/11 all together.”
After the invasion by Hamas’s terrorists, forensic teams were dispatched to document their atrocities. A reserve officer serving with these observers said, “We’ve seen dismembered bodies with their arms and feet chopped off, people that were beheaded, a child that was beheaded.” Multiple cases of rape were found by examination of the bodies.
A physician who is also an observant Muslim arrived on the scene on October 19 to spend ten days as a human rights observer. She reported: “One word continually came to mind: genocide. No matter how it emerges, the monster is easy to recognize. As a doctor, I had a rare and panoramic view of the aftermath: the targeted people’s long, agonizing journey to death.” She noted, “Hamas tortured and immolated its victims, including children, pregnant women, and the unborn.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken later described what authorities found in one home attacked by the terrorists: “A family of four. A young boy and girl, six and eight years old, and their parents around the breakfast table. The father’s eye gouged out in front of his kids. The mother’s breast cut off, the girl’s foot amputated, the boy’s fingers cut off — before they were executed. And then their executioners sat down and had a meal. That is what this society is dealing with.”
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~ excerpts from: "The War in Israel", by Jim Denison, PHD
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/emcl7ei3qf
•
Vision for Others
~ Today may we learn how to serve people in a healthy, intentional way with good boundaries and vision.
One of the greatest joys in life is the gift of serving others. Often in the busyness of work, family, and society we draw boundaries around ourselves so tightly that we don’t make room to love others well. God’s desire is to shepherd us to a place of inward abundance, not only that we might live in the fullness of life, but also that we would be empowered to give of ourselves to others.
Philippians 2:4-8 says:
“Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross.”
In His humble, loving sacrifice, Jesus set before us the perfect example of loving others. God might not call all of us to physically die for the sakes of others, but He absolutely leads us to a lifestyle of dying to self that we might live for the kingdom of God. Loving others always requires sacrifice. The gift of love is never free. But in pursuing a lifestyle of looking to the interests of others we’ll discover an eternal purpose more fulfilling than any fruit selfishness could produce.
Often, in reading or hearing exhortations centered around serving others, I find myself feeling more and more weighed down. I know that I’m called to love people. I know that I’m called to give of myself. And in response to these emotions, I typically engage in a few more activities, find myself empty and burnt out, and subsequently give up on the notion of living sacrificially. But after years of going through this cycle I realized that I was giving, not from a place of love, but out of coercion. I was giving, not as a response to receiving the unconditional love of my heavenly father, but to earn the affection of a Christian community that often admires actions over motives.
But we serve a God who looks at the heart. The call of God on our lives to love others well is designed to flow from a place of fullness and satisfaction. God doesn’t ask us to give what we don’t have. If you’re not in a place of health and abundance, the first step is to ask for the leadership of the Holy Spirit in how He wants to shepherd you to a place of restoration and rejuvenation. The world doesn’t need burnt-out givers. God doesn’t ask us to die to ourselves if we don’t have life to begin with.
God has amazing plans to use you to further His kingdom today. And those plans are filled with acts of love and sacrifice. But before you can love others, you need to know that you are loved. Before you can sacrifice for others, you need to know that Jesus sacrificed for you to a far greater measure than you could ever hope to reciprocate. And in response to God’s love and sacrifice, ask Him for ways you can love others well. Create boundaries in your life in which you can consistently give of yourself. Seek to look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
May you find profound joy and purpose in loving others today in response to God’s great love for you.
Inward abundance and rest aren’t always necessarily marked by the emotions of happiness or a feeling of energy. Sometimes God asks us to give even when we’re weary. Just as Paul walked back into Lystra after being stoned to continue sharing the gospel, we have to get up after being knocked down. Inward abundance is living with an unshakable and unbroken sense of God’s love. It’s experiencing transcendent joy that can only come from a God whose goodness surpasses the quality of our circumstances. If you will seek to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit you will know when it’s time to rest and time to act. You will know when it’s time to retreat with Him and time to go out. His leadership will not fail you and His grace will always sustain you. Inquire of the Lord today and discover both restoration and purpose in His steadfast love.
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~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/vision-for-others-2023/
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A Kingdom-Focused Prayer Meeting
~ Are you praying for God's will to be done on earth?
Scripture Reading: Acts 1:11-14
Jesus talked a lot about prayer. He taught its importance not only by His words but also through His actions. At times His prayers were spoken publicly; sometimes He withdrew from the crowds to be alone with the Father. Jesus also spoke of the power of united prayer (Matthew 18:19-20).
If our church gatherings and small groups were to offer heavenly-minded petitions on a consistent basis, what would our prayer meetings be like? There would be greater focus on God and His kingdom. More of us would praise Him for who He is, express godly sorrow for our sinful ways (2 Corinthians 7:10), and speak of our gratitude for all He has done. Our voices would be lifted in praise as we witnessed people coming to the Lord, pride giving way to humility, and insensitivity being replaced by love. We’d rejoice in our glimpses of God’s work in and through our local churches. And we’d be beseeching our Father for others’ salvation and for believers’ spiritual growth.
How excited we would be to see God answer our prayers. Some of us would find it easier to testify about our Savior, others would be filled with His peace when facing trials, and still others would have the strength to stand firm. Imagine our church, filled to overflowing and becoming the “house of prayer” Jesus said we are meant to be (Matthew 21:13).
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/a-kingdom-focused-prayer-meeting
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Vision for Yourself
~ How do we set ourselves up for success emotionally, physically and spiritually?
For a long time, I believed that all God wanted from me was more. I feared He would lead me to more work, more giving, more sacrifice, and less fun. I viewed fun and God as mutually exclusive, as if He was the great cosmic killjoy who only wanted me to sing, fast, pray, and evangelize.
Wrapped up in all my misconceptions was a very me-centric point of view. I thought if I didn’t work my fingers to the bone day in and day out for the kingdom that God’s will wasn’t going to be accomplished. It’s as if I believed that I was a savior, the sole hope of the world. And all these misconceptions led to a constant weight I couldn’t seem to shake. But Isaiah 55:10-11 says:
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my Word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."
The truth is that God absolutely has good works laid out before me every single day. He has a plan for me that will impact eternity. But His chief desire in everything He asks of me is that we would do it together. He doesn’t need me. He wants me. He is not a taskmaster, and I am not His slave. Rather, He calls himself my heavenly Father, and I am to see myself as His son, a coheir with Christ.
God doesn’t desire me to lift a finger if it’s not out of love for Him. He doesn’t need or want any of my works birthed out of a place of striving. He doesn’t need or want petty activity, reluctant yeses, programmed words, or burnt-out offerings. Allow the full impact of 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 to hit your heart today. Read it slowly. Allow it to shift your perception of the heart of God:
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."
In response to the truth of God’s Word, we need to have vision for ourselves. We need to set boundaries around our own emotional, physical, and spiritual health. We need to allow God to minister to our weary hearts, shift our perspectives on work, and empower us to live a life marked by inward abundance.
• What do you need today to enjoy life?
• What can you do with God rather than for God?
• What would He use to fill you up to a state of overflowing rather than running on empty?
As you enter into a time of prayer, may you find freedom today from the mentality of a slave and live with the joy and peace of a child of the One, True God.
The best boundary for maintaining a sense of health is a having a weekly sabbath. Genesis 2:3 tells us, “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.” To rest is holy. It’s a declaration to yourself and the world that life is about far more than work. It’s a reminder that work is just a way that we live in relationship with God. May you find grace and courage to live in line with the culture of God’s kingdom as you set boundaries around what you need in order to live an abundant life.
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~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/vision-for-yourself-2023/
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The Parables of the Lost Sheep and Coin
~ In today’s devotional, the last in our series on the parables, we’ll be looking at the parables of the lost sheep and coin.
If the core of Jesus’ teachings on the gospel could be summed up in two stories, they would be the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Both stories illustrate one crucially important truth: God pursues us. Both clearly display God’s heart for us in that He willingly and passionately comes down to meet and help us wherever we are. As we look at these important parables today, open your heart and allow the reality of God’s pursuit of you to “transform” the way you relate to Him and stir up your desires to seek His face in return.
Jesus says in Luke 15:4-7 –
“What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.”
Then Jesus teaches in verses 8-10 –
“Or what woman who has 10 silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she finds it, she calls her women friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’ I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
Jesus tells two parables to re-emphasize a perspective-shattering truth. The One, True God, the King of kings and Lord of lords, so values us that He leaves everything behind to pursue relationship with us. So great is God’s desire for restored relationship with you that He came down off his throne, left transcendent perfection, and lived His earthly life in total service to us, thereby leading Him to an unjustified and sacrificial death.
• Has the reality of that truth been fully realized in your heart?
• Has both the grandeur and love of our God hit home to the point that the depth of God’s love is your chief reality?
Too often we pass by the core message of the gospel because we have heard it before, and we don’t allow it to stretch past our mind into our heart. It’s when truth rests in our heart, impacts our emotions, and becomes real to us that it transforms our life. You were the helpless and lost sheep. You were the coin that was so valuable God worked and searched until He had it back in His possession. You are of the highest value to the only One who truly decides the essence of worth. Don’t let that truth pass you by today. Instead, grab hold of it, reflect on it, and wrestle with it until it becomes the foundation for every decision, thought, and action in your life.
Let’s respond to the depth of God’s pursuit with our own. Let’s allow God to bring every part of our lives entirely into His possession. Let’s be the reward of Jesus’ sacrifice. In Psalm 27:8 David says, “You have said, ‘Seek My face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.'” God is calling out to you, saying, “Seek My face.” He waits patiently for your reply, excited at the notion that you would live your life receiving the abundance made available to you by Jesus’ sacrifice.
Spend time in prayer meditating on God’s pursuit of you and responding to Him by daily seeking His face.
The chief characteristic that marks those who live life in the Spirit is their continual pursuit of God. Psalm 34:10 promises us that “those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” God will always respond to your pursuit of Him because His greatest desire is relationship with you. You don’t have to be scared to seek Him, wondering if you will find Him to be real and responsive. He’s already promised that to you. Take Hebrews 11:6 and live your life in obedience to His Word. Have faith and believe that He “exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” May you discover a deeper reality of His nearness, love, and pursuit of you today as your respond to God’s Word in faith.
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~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-parables-of-the-lost-sheep-and-coin-2023/
•
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
~ As we dig into this rich, beautiful parable, may our hearts and minds be enlightened. Take a moment even now to ask God to give you fresh revelation.
Jesus tells a beautiful parable of the Kingdom of God in Matthew 13:31-32. He teaches us:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
Trees are beautiful pictures of God’s ability to take what we view as weak or insignificant, a seed, and make a magnificent and life-giving creation out of it. And Matthew 13 reveals how trees can be viewed as pictures of the very kingdom of their Creator. It’s remarkable that God would begin His kingdom small and grow it by His faithful stewardship into a beautiful and life-giving creation.
God took the seed of the death of one man, Jesus, to create a beautiful tree of salvation for all of humanity.
John 3:17 says:
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”
Our heavenly Father’s wrath over our sin poured out on Jesus allowed God to free the rest of us from eternal condemnation. And through the seed of Jesus’ death, God has been creating a powerful and eternal global movement, bringing people to restored relationship with Himself across thousands of years. Just as the mustard seed grows large enough to become a tree in which birds make their home, the kingdom of God has transferred our citizenship to a new home with Him.
Philippians 3:20 says: “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
John 15:19 says: “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
The Kingdom of God established through Christ has saved us from slavery to this world and ransomed us back into restored relationship with our heavenly Father.
Not only does the parable describe the incredible expanse of God’s kingdom from a few to many, it can also illustrate the seed of salvation planted within each of us that God intends to grow into a beautiful and fruit-bearing tree.
Luke 17:21 says: “The Kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
God’s kingdom is not built of brick and mortar, but of human hearts.
And 1 Peter 2:2 commands us: “Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it.”
God’s desire is to water the seed of salvation He’s planted in us with the Spirit and the Word. He longs to mold and shape us into the likeness of Jesus, that we might live lives that bear incredible life-giving fruit.
Hosea 14:4-7 illustrates God’s heart beautifully when it says:
“The Lord says, ‘Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; My love will know no bounds, for My anger will be gone forever. I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. Its branches will spread out like beautiful olive trees, as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon. My people will again live under my shade. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines. They will be as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon.”
God wants to constantly steward this gift of salvation in each of us, as He does with the global advancement of His Kingdom, that we might bear the wonderful fruit of the Spirit in every area of our lives.
And God is so patient with us. The earth illustrates His patience. Trees grow year after year, season to season by His faithful stewardship. Flowers never begin as beautiful as they are in full bloom. The earth is constantly undergoing abundant transformation as God’s creation grows and changes. You and I are no different. God’s plan has always been to mold us into beautiful pictures of His love. He’s always longed to fashion us until we walk in full, restored relationship with Him. And by the life and death of Christ, He’s paved the way for His desires to come to fruition. All that’s left is for us to engage fully in this wonderful process He’s created for us. Engage in the growth He longs to birth in you by spending time in His presence and His Word. Allow His gaze to transform you into His likeness. Live in obedience to the Word, and allow it to lead you to an un-conformed life in this world. Follow the guidance of the Spirit as He brings healing to your heart and fruit in your life.
Spend time in prayer allowing God to work in your heart today.
How great is God’s love for us that He doesn’t leave us where we are, but is always transforming us! In the blink of an eye, God sees who we’ve been, who we are, and who we will be. He knows your form, how He’s created you, and what you were born to do. The more time you spend allowing Him to transform you, the more you will understand yourself. May you discover and engage with all that your heavenly Father wants to do in you through His love today.
__________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-parable-of-the-mustard-seed-2023/
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The Parable of the Good Shepherd
Have you ever experienced a sense of grand perspective where you realize your smallness in comparison to the earth’s grandeur? Have you ever contemplated your small stature in light of how colossal the universe is? Every now and then, when I get a sense of my smallness, I am overcome by the fear of being lost. I think, “Who will show me my path in this seemingly increasing world? Who will guide me through the various trials and changes that will undoubtedly come my way? Who will help me?”
One of my favorite metaphors in Scripture is God as the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the most equipped guide we could ever have. He holds all of creation in the palm of His hand, and yet He knows the number of hairs on our head. He is the God of the gigantic and a lover of every little detail about us. And He longs to lead us to safe pasture. As we look at the parable of God as the Good Shepherd today, allow your faith and affections to be stirred by God’s promise to guide you into the matchless life He has in store for you.
John 10:14-15 says:
“I am the good Shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep.”
Jesus paved the way for us to enter into the most amazing pasture of all: the very presence of the living God. He laid down His life as our Good Shepherd that we might eat of the fruit of His death and resurrection. But God didn’t only lead us to heaven; He continually leads us as our Good Shepherd day in and day out.
In the famous Psalm 23 David writes:
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I will not be in need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul; He guides me along the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
God’s staff is meant to comfort us. As our Good Shepherd He promises to lead us daily to the plans He has for us. That doesn’t always mean that we will be led out of “the valley of the shadow of death,” but that in the valley He will be with us. Our great comfort is the fact that God will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). As Psalm 139:9-10 says, “If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.” God is with us in times of trouble. He will protect us, provide for us, and lead us to still waters.
God longs to guide you today.
• What trouble is before you?
• Where do you need guidance?
• Where do you need help?
God promises to be your Good Shepherd. You have the most high God on your side. You can trust in His leadership. Jesus was faithful to come and die so that you might have eternal life. He is faithful to lead you to heaven, and He will certainly lead you through whatever trial you are going through now.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6
Your God is a trustworthy Shepherd. Enter into prayer with expectancy that He will guide you perfectly in His perfect timing. Cast your cares on Him and trust Him. Allow Him to “guide you on the right paths” as you follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
“Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus — the great Shepherd of the sheep — with the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with all that is good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Glory belongs to Him forever and ever. Amen.” ~ Hebrews 13:20-21
________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-parable-of-the-good-shepherd-2023/
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The Parable of the Prodigal Son
There isn’t a single passage of Scripture that better illustrates the heart of our heavenly Father than the parable of the prodigal son. So as to not miss any of the details of this life-changing passage, open your heart to the Spirit as you read it in its entirety:
“Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So, his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.”
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” So, he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’”
“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So, the party began.”
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’
“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’” (Luke 15:11-32)
The life-changing core of the gospel is that when we feel far from God, He is never far from us. The moment we turn back toward Him, He runs out to meet us. The moment we lower ourselves in response to our sin, He exalts us, calls us His child, and throws a party in our honor.
Sometimes the most important truths are the simple ones. Sometimes the very word we need most is the truth we’ve heard thousands of times. My prayer for you today is that you wouldn’t extend yourself past the foundation of the gospel. God’s desire is that we would linger in the revelation of the aftermath of Jesus’ work, that through His life, death, and resurrection we have been raised to newness of life (Romans 6:4). Get lost today in the profound grace of your loving God. Of no work of your own, you have been set free from the bonds of this earth and brought back into the fold of your loving heavenly Father. Through the sacrifice of King Jesus, you have been crowned as a co-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).
Take time today to simply rest in the foundational truth of the gospel. Run toward God with all humility and allow your heart to be raised up as He exalts you. Humble yourself in light of His majesty and allow Him to pour out a joy over you like you have never felt before. God has every reason to condemn you, but out of His overwhelming love He has chosen to call you His beloved child. Meditate on this life-changing truth and respond to His love with the offering of your life.
There is nothing you could do that could separate you from the love of your heavenly Father. The prodigal son sinned against his father in the worst way a son could. And still the father ran out to meet him at first glance of his son’s return. Your heavenly Father runs to meet you anytime you turn toward Him. Don’t let the enemy spread lies to you that you are too dirty for God, or that you have to fix yourself before you can spend time in His presence. Your relationship with God is based completely on grace, not on works. He loves you because He loves you, not because of what you do. Go out today in the knowledge that you are eternally loved by your heavenly Father. And may His love spur you toward a life lived in the abundance of restored relationship.
________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-parable-of-the-prodigal-son-2023/
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The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
~ May we today begin a fresh revival of humility in the church as we humble ourselves before God in prayer and honest worship. I want to encourage you to be open and vulnerable as you approach the Lord today.
The ministry of Jesus was one of life-giving transformation. His life, death, and resurrection ushered in a completely new way of relating to God: the way of grace. One of the best examples of Jesus shifting paradigms comes in His parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
Luke 18:10-14 says:
“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people — cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give You a tenth of my income.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Let’s open our hearts and allow the Spirit to guide us to live life more like the tax collector than the Pharisee. Let’s allow Him to lead us to a life lived in the new covenant of grace.
In the time of Jesus, God’s people were completely starved for relationship with Him. Judaism had become a religion of regulations rather than relationship. God’s people believed that their lives were totally based on their works, placing the religious Pharisees at the top of the totem pole stretching up to God. The Pharisees believed they were justified before God because of their works, as if they could earn their way into right standing with God. So, imagine the shock of Jesus’ listeners when He says that the tax collector, the most hated of all Jews, went home justified before the Lord as the result of his humility. Imagine the shock and anger of the Pharisees in learning that all they had worked for, all the rules and regulations they had lived by, actually placed them lower in stature than any other Jew in the sight of God.
The parable of the Pharisee and tax collector offers amazing news for each of us. The principle Jesus teaches here in Luke 18 is that the greatest posture of our heart is one of humility, not perfection. The way to God is not one of works, but of grace. Jesus teaches that whatever weakness you have, whatever sin you struggle with, all God asks of you is that you come before Him and ask for His mercy. All He requires of you is a repentant heart.
You see, the Lord is always after your heart. All the works of the Pharisees were birthed out of their own pride. In their egotism they thought they could earn relationship with the one, true, and holy God. All of their religious deeds were done not out of their love for God, but out of their love for their own reputation. However, the tax collector had nothing to boast about. He lived his life robbing his own people to fill the pockets of the Romans who enslaved them. He was made wealthy by stealing from his own people. But in his desperation, he cried out to God for help, and God heard his cry.
Know that God hears your cry today when it comes out of the reality of your need for Him. He answers your need for forgiveness and relationship with the overwhelming power of His presence.
So, ask yourself today:
• What do you value most?
• Do you value your own reputation or God’s opinion?
• Are you living in light of God’s grace or trying to earn it?
• Are you going through the motions of religion in order to earn your way into relationship with God, or are you living in response to the wealth of love you’ve freely received in Christ?
Wherever you are, know that it is never too late to come before your heavenly Father in humility. It is never too late to repent of any area in which pride has been your motivation and decide to live your life on the foundation of grace. It is never too late to posture your heart to receive the depths of love and mercy your heavenly Father longs to give you. Christ came to usher in the path of grace, not of works. He came so that you might live in His strength, not your own. The price of His mercy is a humble heart because humility is the key that unlocks the depths of your soul to receive the free gift of His grace. God won’t fill what you believe is already full. He won’t help where you don’t truly believe you need Him. But if you’ll cry out to Him and ask Him for His mercy for your sin and His love to satisfy your need, He will fill your life with the gift of His unending presence.
Posture your heart like that of the tax collector as you pray. Follow his model of humility and find satisfaction for the places of your heart that are in need of God’s love.
Christ’s Humility and Exaltation
Philippians 2:3-7 says:
“Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead, He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross.”
If God Himself lived His life in total humility, then we must follow His example in order to walk in the favor and abundance God longs to bestow on us. Look to Christ as your example, and discover God’s desire to exalt you as you bow yourself before Him as your Lord and King.
________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-parable-of-the-pharisee-and-the-tax-collector-2023/
•
The Parable of the Lamp on a Stand
~ As we continue to look at the profound, life-transforming concepts Jesus shared through parables, today we’ll focus on the parable of the lamp on a stand.
Reading Matthew 5:14-15 used to stress me out. Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.” How can we with all our mistakes, misgivings, and failures be “the light of the world?” How could God in all His wisdom choose to use us to reveal Jesus, the only hope of eternal salvation, to a lost and dying world?
As I grow in my knowledge of God’s heart, I grow in the revelation of His desire to use me. Passages like Matthew 5:14-15 used to focus my attention on my own sin and darkness rather than God’s grace and love. But faithfully in His love, He guides my thoughts to what matters: the overwhelming reality of the Holy Spirit transforming me into the image of the God who created me. Today, let’s allow the Spirit and the Word to transform the way we view ourselves and how God in His infinite wisdom would use us to change the world.
Ephesians 2:10 says:
“For we are His [God’s] creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.”
At salvation your identity changed. You are now “created in Christ Jesus.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 says it this way:
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
You are a new creation not by your own doing, but by the powerful finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross. At salvation your sins were wiped away, cast off as far as the east is from the west. Such was the transformation that took place in your heart at salvation that you could be filled with God Himself.
Jesus says in John 14:16-17:
“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of Truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you.”
God Himself “dwells with you” and through salvation now lives inside you.
Passages like the parable of the lamp on a stand used to stress me out because I didn’t understand what God wanted to reveal through me to the world. I used to think God wanted to reveal perfection in me, that I had to act perfectly to demonstrate Christ. What I didn’t realize is that the greatest revelation I could give a broken and needy world is that God, through the immeasurable depth of His love, meets me in my brokenness and continually makes me whole. I realized that God, only by His grace, is taking what was lost, weak, selfish, and lonely and is filling me with unimaginable love and security through restored relationship with Him. God doesn’t want you to reveal perfection. He wants to reveal the fact that in your imperfection He has loved you from the beginning with an everlasting love.
Because you are weak and in need of God, you are the absolute best person to lead others to Jesus. If you act like you have everything together, as if nothing is wrong, then those distant from God will have no reason to believe God desires relationship with them. But in revealing your imperfection, in being honest and real with those around you, you will offer hope to a world that has none. You will reveal the core of the gospel: that God has incredible works prepared for those who simply come to Him in need and cry out for His help. In your imperfection you are a perfect example of Jesus’ love that comes only by grace.
God desires to shine the light of His love through you today in powerful ways. He longs to reveal to others how deeply He has loved you in His grace. He has incredible plans in store for you if you will simply be real with a world that desperately needs relationship with their Creator. Have the courage to be yourself and to be honest and vulnerable. Honesty is all your heavenly Father asks of you. In your honesty, God will reveal a greater love than this world has ever known. In the reality of who you are, God will shine forth hope, guiding those who are lost to the safe shores of restored relationship with Him. May you find peace in the fact that God longs to use you. May you find purpose in the works He has set before you to do. And may you find joy in the revelation of God’s immeasurable love poured out on you through His grace.
_______________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-parable-of-the-lamp-on-a-stand-2023/
•
Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Thanksgiving Day is about uniting all of the American people in the same day annually - to stop what we are doing - and to give the Lord God praise and thanks for all that He has done for us. Secular society would have us believe that it is about the early pilgrims having a feast with the Native American peoples - but that is merely a distraction to attempt to turn our focus away from God, and His gracious mercy upon us as a nation and people.
Although the first President of the United States - George Washington - had the first Day of Thanksgiving, it was not established as an annual Day of Thanksgiving until the sixteenth President - Abraham Lincoln - proclaimed it as a national event. The following is President Lincoln's proclamation:
"It is the duty of nations as well as of men to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scripture and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord."
"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us."
"It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."
It is worth noting that President Lincoln established the Day of Thanksgiving during the worst period (to date) of the United States of America - the Civil War in 1863. Let this also be a reminder to us - that no matter how dark or bleak our current situation would seem - we are to give God thanks for all that He has brought us through, and to trust Him to bring us through this day, and all future days that are ahead of us.
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