Devotions: Beyond the Physical

My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:26 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

I memorized this verse as a college freshman. And though it was then with the intent of turning my focus from boys to God, it has returned often in other times of need. Our flesh and hearts will fail. Even as a “young” 30something, I know that full well. We cannot depend on our bodies, nor should our bodies or physical appearance be our main focus. What matters is our inner person, our soul and spirit. Our physical bodies will eventually die and decay. Our physical appearance will come to nothing. But our souls and spirits will continue on. What good is a pretty face and body covering an ugly heart? We should depend rather on God. He supplies our real strength and vitality. He is our inheritance, everything we have in this life and the next. We will always have God, and many times we will only have God. But He is all we need. Of course we need to take care of our bodies, for God gave them into our care to carry about His will, but they should not become our god, only a tool to use for the true God. Remember, as we come to the New Year, where your focus and priorities should be. Realign your heart with God’s and seek His will for your life. Most importantly, seek to grow your inner person, to cultivate and perfect it to the image of Christ!

Devotions: Take HEART!

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The way we keep from being discouraged by aging is by keeping an eternal perspective. Though physical trials can be very difficult (we have had a rash of various illness and ailments here for the last few months) they are temporary. They usually do not last a lifetime, and even if they do they will not continue beyond this life. We still have eternity to look forward to, which will be perfect and without disease or illness or pain. The suffering we experience in this life is nothing compared to the glory we will have in heaven. Consequently, it also pales in comparison to the suffering to be experienced in eternity by those who reject Christ. Where is eternity for you and for those whom you love?

Yet there is even more to keep us going than the simple knowledge that this too shall pass. The trials we go through here are growing in us a maturity that will result in greatness to come. We share in Christ’s suffering but we also share in His glory. If we will but look upon our suffering as a matter of course, and work through it with the hope and trust that God’s will is best and He will get us through, that He is our protector and healer. We need to keep our eyes on the things of God! We need to focus on Him and not on ourselves or our circumstances! The only difference between a victim and a victor is perspective. And we cannot be victorious in this life if we maintain the status of victim. We need to leave our pity party and live for God! I mean this not as a “woe is me, it doesn’t matter so I’ll just move on”, but in the full assurance that God is sovereign and good. He is everything we need no matter what we think or want. We need to be fully satisfied with God and what He has for us. If we will have that view, we will grow and mature, we will gain an inner beauty and strength that will withstand any trial, and draw many to wonder. This life is not about us, it is about God, about living for Him, about our lifelong journey of seeking Him, and one day coming to that “pot of gold” at the end: heaven! Take heart!

Devotions: The Upside of Aging

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 

2 Corinthians 4:16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

                                                                                         

The previous verses talk about how we have in ourselves the light and hope of God. We have proof of His salvation and love within us through His Spirit. We have assurance of His promises, not only through the Bible, but also through our own lives and experiences. Because of these things, we do not lose heart. Even though our bodies are decaying and growing older, we know this is not the end. We have God’s promise of eternal life, which is not an earthly half hearted promise but one of surety. We have full conviction of it. The process of aging is natural, normal, and unavoidable. It is impossible to keep oneself young forever for we must all die one day, the end of age. The quest for physical youth is deceptive. Why spend so much time, money, and worry on something we cannot change? Something which will not last no matter what we do? Rather than focusing on aging physically, our focus should be on how we age spiritually and emotionally. Even though our bodies decay, we can still gain a strength and beauty from within which is far more attractive and long lived than the physical. If we seek God daily, deeply, we will be renewed within and gain a fountain of life and vitality that no physical drug, herb or lotion could rival. Don’t lose heart at the deterioration of your earthly body. Thank God that when you are weakest, then you are strong! Seek God’s strength and vitality! Seek His renewal!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I hope your day is merry and bright! Hope on over to my facebook page for a short Christmas, video message.

Devotions: The Coming of Peace

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.

Luke 2:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The angels made this declaration to the shepherds when Jesus was born. They proclaimed the long awaited Savior who brought peace to all men! Peace has been offered to all, but it is only accepted by some. We cannot have that peace if we don’t accept it, if we do not surrender our lives to God. That is the only way to have true peace, it starts with God. That is why Jesus came. He is the only way to God, to that peace. He wants us to have it, but we have to accept Him first. Have you accepted His offer of peace? 

Devotions: Announcement of Peace

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to zion, "your god reigns!"

Isaiah 52:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The announcement of peace is always worth celebrating, whether it is the end of a war, the beginning of reconciliation, or the reach of an agreement. Think of the rejoicing that comes at the end of war. Imagine how much greater the rejoicing at the announcement of eternal peace! Jesus brought that eternal peace when he came as a baby, to live and die for our sin so that we could be reconciled to God. That is what Christmas is about, the peace Jesus came to bring to mankind. Before then (and still without Christ), we were all at war or at odds with God, none of us had any hope for our future or peace in our lives or with God, but Christ brought that to all who would accept it. Many announced that peace; the angels, John the Baptist, Jesus Himself, and many others before and after Him. Is that peace something you experience? Do you have peace with God and in your relationships? If not, what will you do about it?

Devotions: Need for Peace

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is his ear so dull that it cannot hear. but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your god, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Isaiah 59:1-2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Without Jesus’ sacrifice, without salvation, there is no peace. We may have a semblance of peace in our earthly relationships but we cannot have peace with God outside of Jesus’ cleansing blood. It’s not that God is not capable of peace or reconciliation with us, He is, that is what Christmas is all about; Jesus coming to die on the cross, to bring about that peace and reconciliation. But we have to accept His sacrifice, we have to submit our lives to Him, repent of our sin and turn toward God, giving up everything to follow Him. Merely believing that Jesus is God and died for our sins is not enough. True saving faith requires submission to God and results in the transformation of our hearts. Even after we are saved, our sin can still put a barrier between us and God. That is why it is so important to repent as soon as we realize we have sinned, and to ask God to show us sin we do not recognize, so that we can keep our relationship with God clear. Seek God’s peace, but first seek His salvation!

Abide in the Vine

We have talked about the Fruit of the Spirit for the past few months, and each week boiled down to the same ultimate principle. We would probably all agree that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control are important to have in our lives. We may even try to pursue some of them, but are we doing what is necessary to obtain them? What is the most effective, and really the only, way to grow spiritual fruit?

Devotions: The Joy of Christmas!

The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Luke 2:20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

 The shepherds heard the angels’ proclamation of the birth of the Savior and witnessed Christ as a child. They fully believed that He was the Son of God. They saw the fulfillment of prophecy and that realization caused them to glorify and praise God. It brought them joy! It should also bring us joy. What we have read in the Bible is true, God loved us so much that He sent His Son to ransom us from sin and death so that we could be forever with Him. That should be cause for greater joy that our lives could contain! Take some time to consider what you actually believe. If you believe all of this is true but it doesn’t bring you joy, consider why. What does the birth of your Savior mean to you?

Devotions: The Joy of Salvation

Therefore you will joyously draw water
From the springs of salvation.

Isaiah 12:3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Salvation and righteousness were not meant to be an end to fun, a dreary life of rules and an endless list of do’s and don’ts. True salvation, which results in righteous living, brings lasting joy! Getting to do whatever we want may be gratifying for the moment, but it does not bring true satisfaction or contentment. Selfish living actually destroys contentment because it never satisfies. We are always left wanting more. But salvation brings true joy because it is eternally satisfying to the point that it is all we want. When we are consumed with desire for the world, the spiritual seems dry and boring. But once we are immersed in the Spirit we see how empty and destructive the world really is. Nothing can satisfy like God because we were made to be filled with God. Only He can give us true joy and satisfaction, and that only comes through salvation; through accepting Jesus as God, accepting His sacrifice for our sins, acknowledging our own sin and need for a Savior, and committing our lives to Him as Lord. That is the secret to true joy! Christmas is the introduction of that joy to the world! It was the prelude to salvation!

Devotions: Joy to the World!

O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord,
Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God
And a great King above all gods

Psalm 95:1-3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

One of the most popular songs at Christmas time is “Joy to the World.” Probably everyone has heard it. But what does it mean? “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” Do we really feel or express joy at the coming of Jesus? Do we even know why we should be joyful at Christmas? The song goes on to explain why we should have joy at Christmas, and always. The Lord has come to earth! He is no longer a distant deity with whom we have no contact or relationship. He came to earth so that He could share in our humanity, so that He would understand everything we go through. He is the King of the World, rightful Lord of everything, and we must acknowledge His Lordship over our lives or we deny who He truly is. We need to prepare room in our hearts for Him. He did not come just to dwell on earth for a few years and then leave. He came to dwell in us forever. He came to repair our estrangement so that we could have a relationship with Him and He could live in us. He brought us the joy of salvation and righteousness, the joy of relationship with Him! That is the joy of Christmas! Let us shout joyfully to all who hear!

The Fruit of Self-Control

The idea of self control is fairly simple and obvious. Biblically, it is: the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp.his sensual appetites. Synonyms would be temperance or moderation. Everyone knows what it is, but few practice it, especially in our American culture of “me first” and “whatever makes me happy.” Is self control really that important? Is it really a bad thing to have seconds at dessert, or 20 pairs of shoes? If it is important, does it really require the Holy Spirit?

Devotions: God's Christmas Gift

for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

This is the good news of Christmas! This is why Jesus came to earth! He came to be our Savior, saving us from sin (in this life) and death (in the next.) This is God’s great rescue plan for all mankind! He planned, from the first sin, to send Jesus at the right time to make the ultimate sacrifice to save us from bondage to our sin so that we could be reconciled with God and spend eternity with Him. The catch is that we must accept this gift. It is offered to everyone, but only accepted by a few. In order for this sacrifice to do us any good, we must believe in it and Him first. What good does a gift card to McDonald’s do if the recipient doesn’t believe McDonald’s exists? And even if they believe it exists, it still isn’t useful or worth anything unless they use it. We must not only believe but accept His ability to save us from our sin. We must acknowledge our sin and turn away from it, committing to sin no longer. And when we do sin again, we must acknowledge our guilt and turn away from it again. He has given us the power and ability to resist, to live a righteous life, free from sin. That is His Christmas gift! Will you accept it?

Devotions: A Sacrifice of Love

As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The servant here is Jesus, He is the servant of God the Father. Even though He is equal with God, He willingly serves and obeys the Father. What He sees through His anguish is His life as Shepherd of His sheep, who know His voice and follow Him. He loves His sheep so much that He lays down His life to save them. The “knowledge” which justifies the many is, again, His sacrifice to save us from our sin. Because of the sin of Adam, we are all born spiritually dead, enslaved to sin and separated from God. And because we begin sinful, nothing we could do would ever justify us. Our best efforts would still be worthless. So Jesus came to earth, born as a baby, lived as a man, and died and was raised, in order to pay the penalty for our sin. If we were on trial before God, we would be condemned because of our sin, but then Jesus would step in and show the scars on His hands and feet as proof that He had already paid the penalty or sentence we deserved. Because of this we (as believers) would then be declared justified and righteous before God, because of Jesus’ blood covering us. He suffered the anguish of punishment we deserved. He bore the penalty we owed. He loved us so much that He willingly went through that, for us. That is what Christmas is about; the greatest love we could ever know, greater than we could ever fathom. God sent His love as a sacrifice for us. Remember that as you celebrate Christmas, let it remind you of the immense love God has for you!

Devotions: God's Sign of Love

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good.  For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.

Isaiah 7:14-16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Israel was in bad shape for many years. They had terrible kings who led the people to worship false gods, practice witchcraft and human sacrifice, and generally destroyed the country. As a result of turning away from God, they were conquered and exiled to Babylon. Isaiah foretold all of this long before it happened. Most refused to believe what he said, but some were distraught at the prophecy. The beauty of this is that while God was telling them in advance the horrible destruction that would befall, He also gave them a glimmer of hope which showed His love for His people. While He willingly gave them over to slavery and allowed great tragedy, even before it happened He had already planned for a way to save them. The exiles returned from Babylon after 70 years, but they remained under foreign rule for centuries. God gave them a sign to show not only His sovereignty but also His love for them. He disciplines as any loving father does, but after the discipline, He lovingly welcomes back His child and gives the opportunity for reconciliation. Jesus is that reconciliation. Without Him, we are permanently alienated from God because of our sin, with no hope of ever making it right. But God loved us so much that He made a way for us to be made right with Him, even though we could never deserve it. Jesus is the sign of God’s love for us! Remember that as we begin to celebrate His birth!

The Fruit of Gentleness

Gentleness seems to be more of a personality trait than anything. We all know some people who seem to be very gentle by nature, and many people who are not gentle at all. It really doesn’t seem to have as much to do with a person’s faith as it does their disposition. Is gentleness really something we all can and should have? Can those who are by nature harsh or rough become gentle?

Devotions: Hope Fulfilled

then he took Him [Jesus] into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

“Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

Luke 2:28-32 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

[added]

Simeon, a prophet in Jerusalem, was waiting for the Messiah whom God told him he would see before he died. When Jesus’ parents brought Him to the temple to be presented to God, Simeon saw Him and knew He was the Christ. Filled with the Spirit He spoke these words. Yesterday we looked at a prophecy pointing toward the Messiah, this was the fruition of that prophecy. It is hope fulfilled! The hope of salvation is no longer something in the future, it is here and now to be had for the asking! That is what Christmas is about; the coming of the hope and salvation of the world!

Devotions: Sure Hope

Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain?
Or can the heavens grant showers?
Is it not You, O Lord our God?
Therefore we hope in You,
For You are the one who has done all these things.

Jeremiah 14:22 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

God is the Giver of every good gift and the Provider of our every need. He has created everything in existence and nothing happens outside of His control. That is why our hope in Him is never disappointed. He will never fail us. He will never let us down. Best of all, He is our salvation. We have no hope of being saved from our sinful state or the sentence of death on our own. Nothing we could do would save us. It is only through the grace of God that we have any hope of being saved. But that is not the world’s kind of hope, that “oh it might happen someday.” We can have full surety of our salvation. He does not disappoint! Those of the Old Testament looked forward to the hope of His salvation, knowing that one day God would give a way for His people to be saved. And He did that through the birth, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Look to Him for salvation, accept His gift, and put your hope in Him!

Devotions: Hope in God

My soul, wait in silence for God only,
For my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

Psalm 62:5-6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Hope: the feeling that what we wish for will come true. During this advent season, hopes are higher and lower than any other time of the year. There are such high expectations, but they are often let down. That is probably why depression rates are highest during the holidays. There is so much we want and wish for, and often we are disappointed by those closest to us. Therein lies the problem; our hope is in things, or people, and not in God. We should hope only in God, for He is the only One who will not disappoint us. The trick is that we hope in Him rather than hoping for things from Him. If we are hoping for Him to give us something, then we are still hoping in things rather than God. He needs to be the object of our hope. He alone is our refuge, a place to take shelter. He alone is our stronghold, a place of safety. He alone is our salvation. If our hope is in Him, we will not be shaken. This does not mean that we cannot want things, but we should not want them more than we want God. If we do, then we will be disappointed. Hope in God and His salvation. Seek Him and find security!

The Fruit of Faithfulness

Faithfulness. It seems pretty straight forward. While it is not always practiced, it is generally seen as something that is important in all relationships. The actual definition of faithfulness as used in the New Testament is: conviction of truth (belief) regarding our relationship with God, and includes the idea of trust and fervor, which brings confidence. It also has a note of fidelity, (character of one who can be relied on). Matthew Henry defines it as: “fidelity, justice, and honesty, in what we profess and promise to others.” Basically, it just means faith and loyalty. Does that really require the Spirit? Isn’t faith something that happens when we believe, something we have or exercise ourselves?

Devotions: Thanksgiving!

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

We have so much to be thankful for, every one of us. Sure we all have troubles and life isn’t as it should be, but there is so much that we do have. We have life! We have God! We have salvation and redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus! We can look forward to eternity with Him rather than spending it in Hell like we deserve. That alone is enough to fill our whole lives with praise. If we have trouble finding something for which to be thankful, it is because we aren’t looking, because we are focusing on what is wrong and what we don’t have rather than focusing on what we do have. God has given us everything we need. He has given us love we don’t deserve. He has forgiven our sins. He has blessed us with so much that we don’t deserve. Take some time today to count your blessings, offer a prayer of thanks to God and share your gratitude with the world!

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Devotions: Every Good Gift

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

James 1:17 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Every good thing comes from God, not only that, it is all a gift because we deserve nothing good. We are all born sinful and unworthy of God. But He is gracious, He gives us gifts we do not deserve, and paid the penalty of our sin which we owed. He is not a God who is stingy or unkind. He is a God who loves to give the perfect gift and stores up good things to give us, not to withhold them but to give them at just the right time. He is the best Father we could ever have, and infinitely better than even the best earthly father because He does not change, He is not selfish, He does not have favorites. He has given us so much which we take for granted. If we would only stop and count our blessings, look at everything we have as a gift rather than something we are due, we would be so much more grateful and content. Determine today to look at life as if everything was a gift, rather than something you deserved, and you will develop a heart of gratitude! We have so much for which to be thankful!

Devotions: Give Thanks In Everything

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

How often is gratitude our default response? When times are good and we have nothing of which to complain it is easy enough, but when times are hard? One look at social media shows that we are quickly becoming a society of complainers and grumblers. And even though we are the wealthiest, most blessed society of the world, still we complain. Yet we know nothing of true suffering as most of the world population. This tendency to complain comes from a self-centered, greedy nature. We want what we want when we want it. But this is not a godly perspective or desire to have. Rather than complaining about every little thing that doesn’t go exactly according to plan, we should give thanks in everything. Really? Give thanks when I get a flat tire, or when someone messes up my order, or when my coffee spills down my front? Yes. We are to complain about nothing because complaining shows that we are discontent with what we have, yet everything good is a gift from God, and He is in control of our lives, watching over our every step. Complaining shows that we are not content with God and what He has given us. That does not mean that we should give thanks for the bad things, but in the midst of them we should still thank God. The previous two verses say to pray continually and rejoice always. These are God’s will for us, to live in prayer, praise and gratefulness. God knows what we are going through, but if we are focused on Him, praying for His help, praising Him for His goodness and thanking Him for His many provisions etc., the troubles will not seem so bad and it will be a great witness to those around us. It is natural to complain, so when we instead choose to praise God and be thankful it shows that there is something different about us, that there is more to being a Christian than going to church. It shows that we have a God we can trust in and out. We should count our blessings and be continually thankful year round, not just in November. If you have trouble being grateful, thankful, and trusting God, is the God in whom you believe worthy of that? Do you instead believe in a God of your own making rather than the Almighty Creator and Provider of the Universe? Take some time to consider if you have somehow made God smaller, into something you want rather than Who He really is. Study God’s character as shown in the Bible. Believe in a God worth trusting, praising and thanking. Be a person of gratitude!

The Fruit of Goodness

Being good is a fairly simple concept. There are a lot of people who “do good”, quite a few whom we would even call “good”. Goodness seems pretty common, even among other religions and those of no religion. In fact, it unfortunately seems more common among non-Christians. Is goodness really a fruit of the Spirit? Is it really something that requires God? Isn’t it something that just happens fairly naturally to most people? Aren’t all people basically good?

Devotions: God's Good Work

 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Philippians 2:13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Part of God’s good plan for us is to work in us, helping us to grow in godliness and mature our salvation. That requires obedience, not just when we have some pastor or teacher with us to see we are doing right, but always, even when we are alone. God does not work in us only when there is another person there to see it. He is always at work in us, so we must do our part and make obedience a lifestyle and habit. We also need to work out our salvation. This does not mean that we earn our salvation by working. We already have salvation, now we must prove and grow our salvation. When we are hired for a job, we do not stop working once we receive our employment, rather we begin working once we receive our employment and our work proves our loyalty to that job. We need to work continually and diligently, just as God does, to perfect our faith and become more like Him. We need to remember that we are to please Him who is able to destroy the soul, not those who are mortal as we are. That fear (reverence) should inspire and encourage us to that diligence. Awe of God should be the only motive necessary to cause us to seek maturity and perfection. Again, it is God who works in us; He is working along side us, helping us in our endeavors to perfection. He gives us the ability and the desire to do this work. He doesn’t just expect us to do it on our own; He knows that we can’t. It is through His grace that we have that ability and desire, that we have any merit at all. It pleases Him to have be like Him. His good plan involves His good pleasure and delight in us, His creation. But we cannot please Him if we reject His grace and instead strive to be like the world. We need to accept His grace and His gift and strive to join Him in the work of perfecting us. Remember the great motivation we have in His love! Seek Him and seek godliness!

Devotions: God's Good Plans

‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’

Jeremiah 29:11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

In the midst of chaos and adversity, it is easy to wonder if God is really in control, or if He knows what He is doing, or if He even cares. Jeremiah had many such wonderings. He foretold and personally witnessed the horrific overthrow and destruction of Jerusalem, and their subsequent exile. They were God’s chosen people and yet He allowed evil men to do terrible things to them. But God reassured Jeremiah, and the Jews, that He did know what He was doing, it was all part of His plan. Stopping there one might question His love or intentions. If God’s plan is for horrible things to happen to me, what proof is there of His love? But God doesn’t stop there. He goes on to describe His plans for His people, plans for welfare not calamity, plans for a future and hope. Welfare here literally means completeness, soundness or peace. God intended to restore His people to their home, to make them whole and complete again, to have peace. He planned for them to have a good future full of hope, but also to have that hope. He didn’t plan to make them hope for something they would never get. He planned to give them what they hoped for, a Savior. Then they would have the fulfillment of their hopes, they would have hope in their hands and hearts. Sometimes God’s plan for us involves going through horrible events and tragedies, but that does not negate His love or goodness. Those situations have a purpose, to make us complete and whole. They cause us to turn to God, to cling to Him and go deeper into His presence than we ever would if life was easy. The only way we can be completely whole or have peace is to be made complete in Christ, but we have to seek Him deeply. That depth only comes through trials. So while difficulties are part of God’s plans for us, they have a purpose, to make us better, to draw us closer to Him. Seek that purpose, seek a deeper relationship with Him, and experience His wholeness, peace and hope!

Devotions: The Flavor of Christ

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

Matthew 5:13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Anyone who has cooked (or eaten another’s cooking) knows not only the value but also the absolute necessity of salt. Even when making sweet things like candy, salt is necessary. Salt is not the flavor itself, but it helps bring out the flavor whatever that may be. Salt is also a good preservative, causing food to last longer than it would otherwise. But in order to be of most benefit, salt must be broken up and separated. Nothing ruins a good meal like a bite full of salt. In the same way, we as Christians are the salt of humanity. We spread the (preserving) Good News of salvation and eternal life. It is necessary for life to have any true meaning or fulfillment. But to do that, we must leave our own comfortable circle of Christians and go into the world. If the only people we encounter are already believers, we miss our full potential. Remember, too much salt at once is repulsive. Unless a person is actively seeking God by coming to church, meeting up with a whole bunch of Christians can be wasted effort. In the same way, throwing too much doctrine at a person who doesn’t know the basics, or being too abrasive in our attitude and approach, can also be a deterrent. In order to be useful we must go out and serve the world, sharing the Good News of salvation. But beware not to become flavorless, for then we will be worse off than if we stayed in a big lump. To lose our flavor is to become like the world, to compromise. The “flavor” of our salt is Christ. We must be Christ to the world, but if we are too much like the world they won’t taste any Christ in us. We will lose our flavor and be useless. We need to be full of the flavor of Jesus, out among the world and share the preserving truth of the Gospel!

The Fruit of Kindness

Kindness is something that I think we would all agree is important, but we mostly encourage it in children and don’t often think of addressing it to adults. “Random acts of kindness” refresh our hope in humanity, but it is not something we actively pursue ourselves. Often, kindness is merely thought of as little more than being polite, but as with all virtues it goes much deeper. Kindness should come from the heart which can only be changed by God.

Devotions: The Blessing of Hearing

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Revelation 1:3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Revelation has always been a “scary” book for me. It has always carried an apprehension with it which I avoided as much as possible. The idea of the horrible things to come was not one on which I wanted to dwell. So this blessing always confused me, because I never felt any blessing from reading that book. But I recently went through a study which opened my eyes to the beauty of Revelation. Yes it is about God’s wrath on a sinful world which refuses to accept Him, but it is also evidence of His patience and love, His grace and mercy, His unwillingness to let any perish. He has already and will give every possible opportunity for the world to come to know Him. It has become for me a cry from Jesus saying, “Come to Me! Turn to Me! Won’t you listen!” But there is an added blessing which this verse reveals. The key is in “hearing” and heeding or obeying what is written. Revelation is a warning to us, to the world, of what will come if we do not repent and turn to Him. We need to be mindful of that warning. We need to hear or absorb what is said and respond to it accordingly. It is not enough to read it and never think about it again. We need to let it sink into our hearts and transform us. We need to apply what we read and not be like the man who looked in a mirror and then forgot what he looked like when he turned away. This is possibly one of the most important messages of the Bible. Hear the word of God and heed it! Listen to His call for repentance and salvation and respond to it! Do not wait too long or you may run out of time, for the time is near! I implore you; hear, heed and be blessed!

Devotions: The Blessings of Imitation

If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

1 Peter 4:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

This verse is almost identical to other verses I have already covered, but it carries a promise that is so beautiful I thought it worth repeating. Being reviled (hated, loathed, despised) is not something anyone wants to encounter. But we must remember that when we are reviled for our faith that it is His Name which is being reviled, not us. They are hating what they see of Him in us. We should also remember that they did worse to Him, and if they didn’t hate us, that would be proof that they don’t see Him in us. That very act of hate toward us is reassurance that we are imitating Christ. But we must be careful that what they hate is true Christ-likeness and not our own arrogance or prejudice. There are many Christians who are hated because they are unloving or hateful themselves. But if we are hated because of our faith and godliness then we are blessed because the Spirit of God is on us. We carry God in us, who is actively and continually working to perfect us and make us like Him. We carry in us proof of our reward to come, hope of the glory of God in eternity. Take heart! Remember the goal and glory awaiting us and for Whom you suffer, and be blessed!

Devotions: The Blessings of Doing

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:25 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

This perfect law, the law of liberty, is not a license to do whatever we want, or to ignore the law set down in the Old Testament. This liberty is freedom from the law of sin and death, freedom from bondage to Satan, and also freedom from salvation by works and sacrifices. We no longer need to sacrifice an animal to obtain forgiveness for every sin we commit. We are no longer enslaved to sin and the desires of our bodies. We are no longer subject to death as punishment for our sin. We are free to live godly lives. Since we are not saved by what we do, should we then return to sin now that we have been freed from it? Not by any means! Christ died to save us from sin, and if we then knowingly return to that sin we reject His sacrifice for our sin, to free us from that sin. We are not freed from obedience but freed from bondage to sin and works. We must still obey the law, but now we are free to obey out of love, as loyal subjects, not as robots who have no choice and no hope. That is what it means by being a “forgetful hearer.” Some hear the word and believe, but then turn from the truth which has freed them and return to sin. Or they think that they must obey in order to be accepted, forgetting the gift of grace which none can earn. Instead we must abide by that law of liberty, the law of love for God and His ways, and actively do it rather than forgetting Him who freed us. If we abide by His law, live in it, and actively do it, then everything we do will be blessed. That does not mean that we will never lose our jobs, or be ridiculed, or that we will always have worldly success, but that we are blessed in or while we do them. We will not have the sorrow of sin to weigh us down, or the regret of wrong actions. Following this law keeps us on the right path and relatively free from error. It is not a promise for lack of hardship but of blessing in the hardship. Seek to abide by and live in the law of liberty which frees us from sin so that you may follow God, and be blessed!

The Fruit of Patience

Patience is a virtue…I do not possess. I don’t know how many times I have said that, or heard others repeat it. Patience is difficult, and what is worse, it seems to require trials in order to acquire it. Patience is not natural to anyone. Watch a child who has to wait for…anything. It is not only something we have to learn, but it is also something we can only gain from God. The whole mentality of the world is that we can and should “have it NOW!” Even though in most things we can see that patience is the better way, for instance, waiting for the cake to bake all the way instead of taking it out too soon, or waiting for the coffee to cool before we drink it. Impatience usually “burns” us, one way or another. How can we gain more patience?

Devotions: The Blessings of Perseverance

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 1:12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

This is an example of the great difference between being blessed and being happy. Trials are not happy in any way. But we are blessed if we persevere or endure through the trials we are given. This involves more than just existing, but having faith in God, not giving up or giving in to despair. And when we do falter, doubt or become depressed, we do not stay there, but rather get back up and move on in trust and hope in God. We continue to live as God would have us regardless of our circumstances. The Bible says that we are blessed because it is proof of the Spirit of God in us. Approval refers to “passing the test”. When we get to heaven God will judge each by their deeds and reward accordingly. There we shall receive the crown of glory for our perseverance. That is the promised reward for those who love God, but those who love God will persevere because they have God as their hope and strength. So take heart when troubles come your way. If you love God, and it is your desire to live for Him, you will endure because of your love for Him. He will help you and give you the strength you need to make it. And at the end you will be richly rewarded. Persevere and be blessed!

Devotions: The Greatest Blessing!

When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

Luke 14:15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

After hearing Jesus’ instruction, someone with Him made this declaration. Truly this is the greatest blessing we could ever receive! To be included in the marriage feast of the Lamb (to which this is referring) is a sign of salvation, favor and blessing. Once we arrive at that place, we will be there forever. That is the beginning of eternity for us! What a joyous, blessed future! Even though life on earth may be difficult and painful, it will only be a blink of an eye, a forgotten bad dream, when we come to the marriage feast. Do not be like those who came before, who were invited but gave excuses not to accept the invitation, or those who came but refused to wear the wedding garments given. These two examples are of people who put off considering salvation until later in life and missed their chance, thinking that it wasn’t important, or tried to come through their own way instead of the plan of salvation which God has laid out. Now is the only time we know we have, don’t wait! It is eternally important, don’t ignore it! Jesus is the only way to the Father; we must accept His plan of salvation rather than trying to be good enough on our own or through our own ideas. Come to Him now, through the saving blood of Jesus, and be blessed!

Devotions: The Blessing of Selflessness

But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.

Luke 14:13-14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

This is another teaching of Jesus, while He was a guest at someone’s house. He said earlier that we should not entertain those who are wealthy or friends of ours, because they are in a position to return the favor. But instead we should entertain those who have no way to repay, for then our reward will be in heaven. We have two options for guests: the poor and needy, or the rich and familiar. We also have two options for reward which correspond to the previous choice: heavenly or earthly. This is not saying that we should never have our friends and family over for dinner, but that we will be blessed when we entertain the lowly. When we entertain our friends, we will likely receive an invitation from them, and we will have our reward. But when we entertain those who are incapable of giving us anything back, we will receive our reward in heaven, which will be much greater than any earthly reward. When this world ends and the dead are raised to life, God will reward each for their deeds, good or bad. That reward will be eternal and vastly greater than anything we could have here. So while entertaining those who are needy or disabled may not be as enjoyable as having our friends, we will be blessed for helping those who can give nothing back. It is that selfless act which is rewarded because we gave when we didn’t have to, when we would not gain from it, desiring to help others rather than meeting our own needs and desires. Our motive in this should not be for that reward, but for the benefit of those we are helping. Nothing motivated by selfishness will be rewarded. And that is the whole point in this lesson; a motive of serving self vs. serving others. So when you have some free time consider who you could entertain? A foster child, a family struggling to get by, an elderly couple, sick or disabled people at a nearby nursing home or hospital. They could be from your church or school, people you pass after work or at the store. Entertain the less fortunate and be blessed!

The Fruit of Peace

Peace is a popular topic in our world. People talk about having peace on earth, peace between nations, world peace. They flash the “peace” symbol to show they are in favor of peace or to encourage others to seek peace. But the world’s peace falls short. The world’s peace is merely a lack of conflict. But in a world of sinful beings, there will always be conflict. No two humans can be in any kind of relationship without reaching conflict at some point. We cannot expect a lack of conflict among countries and societies when there is no lack of conflict within our families and even within ourselves. That, I think, points to true peace and the cause of all conflict.

Devotions: The Blessings of Faithfulness

Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

Luke 12:43 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

It may seem odd to compare us as Christians to slaves. But the truth is that all humans are slaves; either slaves to God as Christians, or slaves to Satan through sin. We are all bound to the one whom we serve. But God is a good master, the best we could find. His duties and burdens are light and easy to bear if we bear them out of love and gratitude. The principle of this section (of which this verse is in the middle) is that if we are to be entrusted with the true riches of eternity, we must be faithful with what little earthly riches we possess. If we are faithful with little, we will be faithful with much and will therefore be entrusted with much. But if we are not faithful with the little we have, we betray the true unfaithfulness and irresponsibility of our hearts which shows that we will be even more unfaithful with greater riches if they were given to us. We need to prove ourselves faithful, reliable and diligent. Then we will be blessed!

Devotions: The Blessing of Alertness

Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.

Luke 12:37 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

This blessing is in the middle of a warning Jesus gave instructing us to be ready to meet Him, whether that comes after death or at His return makes no difference. He likens it to a servant who is waiting at home for his master to return. The servant who is diligent and faithful while the master is gone will receive his reward when the master returns. The master will in turn serve the servant when he has fulfilled his mission. Note that we should not be working only so that we can receive the reward, counting down the days until we can “retire” from serving God. That is the product of impure motives and selfish love. The point of being alert is to be diligent and sincere to the end. We don’t know when Jesus will return or when we will die, likely it will be when we least expect it and so will not be on guard. We need to serve Him genuinely out of love and gratitude so that we are always doing that work and will be found true no matter when it happens. The key to this is in the genuine love of our hearts. If our hearts are focused on getting what we think we deserve and looking out for ourselves then we will be found wanting, unprepared and unworthy. But if our hearts are focused on genuinely serving Him, then we will always be doing the work which pleases Him and we will be ready at any time. The reward is great, but it requires a genuine heart devoted to serving God. Be ready, serve sincerely and be blessed!

Devotions: The Blessing of Hearing

But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

Luke 11:28 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

This was Jesus responding to a woman who cried out as He passed, “Blessed is the womb that bore you.” It is our instinct to honor and bless what we see rather than what causes what is seen (praising rain instead of the Rainmaker etc.) or to give honor to those who were merely an instrument instead of the One who worked through that person. While it is good to respect and honor those who are godly, we need to be careful that we don’t cross the line to idolatry. God is the only one worthy of praise and no person or thing should receive the praise He is due. Of course it is a blessing to be used by God, which Mary did, but the focus should be on the fact that we hear and observe or obey, not on us as people. That is where the blessing comes from, obedience to God, and not from us. It may seem like splitting hairs, but there is a profound difference. Saying that we are blessed for who we are or what we have done implies that the blessing comes from us which breeds pride and conceit, believing that we had something to do with it. But really we are blessed when we obey God because all blessings come from God. It is similar to attributing deity to the creature rather than the Creator. Nothing in ourselves is worth praising, nor brings about any blessing. It is all from and because of God. Mary heard the word of God and obeyed it, but she was blessed because of her open heart and obedience, not because of herself as a person. She has no reason to be revered above any other human whom God uses for His great work. Examine your life. Are you open to the word of God so that you willingly obey Him? Do you seek His word to know how to live? Hear the word of God, obey it and be blessed!

The Fruit Of Joy

Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness is based on circumstances, but joy is based on posture and focus. Happiness is a lack of trouble, but joy is satisfaction, contentment and peace in the midst of trouble. True joy is based on God and His truth about Who He is and what He says about us. As with all virtues, joy is something that we should pursue and strive for, partly by correcting our perspective. But joy is also a fruit of the Spirit. It is a product of our walk with God. It is that aspect which I want to discuss.

Devotions: The Blessings of Connection

Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.”

Luke 10:23-24 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Jesus said this after sending seventy of His disciples out to minister, and they returned with reports of great miracles and authority even over demons because of His name. They had authority over everything because of His power in them. Many of the saints in the Old Testament wished to see Jesus, to see the Kingdom of God on earth, but they died before it happened. The disciples were blessed because they saw the glory and magnificence of God’s power first hand. What they saw gave them joy to overlook the minor difficulties and inconveniences of their journey. They witnessed the beginning of the over thrown kingdom of Satan in the hearts of men. They had a foretaste of the glory that was to come. The blessings and honor we receive, as sharers in the Good News of Christ, are greater than even the saints of old experienced because of what Christ has done. We have the grace and redemption of Christ! We have His power and authority! How blessed are we!!!

Devotions: The Blessings of Being Faithful

Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

Matthew 24:45-46 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

This comes at the end of a passage where Jesus talks about His return. His caution is that we must be ready. We must not be like the slave who says “oh my master won’t be home for days” and begins to mistreat others, slack off and behave immorally. The master will come on a day the slave does not expect and the slave will be severely punished for his unfaithfulness and sin. Instead we should expect His coming always. We should be faithful and responsible in everything (for those who are faithful with a little will be faithful with much, but those who are unfaithful with a little will be unfaithful with much.) We need to be wise, building our lives on the Rock of Christ and using what He has given us in a way that will honor Him. We need to be prepared, to have our hearts ready at all times. We need to take care of those around us, those He has put in our sphere of influence. We should never be caught in sin, or with unrepented sin in our hearts. We should always be acting in a way that will glorify God, with our “accounts” settled. For we will all be judged according to what we have done, for our motives and thoughts as well as our deeds. And we should be active. We should not sit around or live to please ourselves but work whole-heartedly in what God has for us. We should live in such a way that when He comes He will say “well done, good and faithful.” The blessing from this comes in the following verse which says that the master will put him in charge of everything. We will be called trustworthy. We will be honored by God when we get to heaven. Think of it, not only will we be in heaven with God for all eternity, but we will receive specific honor from Him! Be faithful, wise and active in service to God, and be blessed!