Monday, August 31, 2020

"Red Letters"

"Red Letters"

"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63

It seems as though the Lord keeps speaking to me through songs for the devotional lately, because there is another song on my heart this morning and it is one I have not thought about or heard in a long time. The song is entitled, "Red Letters". The chorus says, "There is love in the red letters. There is truth in the red letters. There is hope for the hopeless, peace and forgiveness. There is life in the red letters, in the red letters."

Many Bibles have the words of Jesus written in red. The whole Bible, of course, is the word of God but this morning I want to talk about the "red letters"- the words of Jesus Himself. There are many counselors and advisors out there in the world. There is no lack in finding someone who is ready to give you some instruction. There are people who make a living at telling you what you should do and how you should do it- life coaches, financial advisors, therapist, etc. (Some people won't make a move without consulting them.)

While there are those who can give us help and instruction in certain areas of life, none but Jesus have the words of life. He is the Word and He is Life. Therefore, His words are life to us. This is where your true counsel lies. He, and His word, is where you should turn to first. His words are the words you should heed above anyone and everyone else. His words are the words you should obey even when they conflict with the words of men. His word takes precedence over every other word.

We often get in trouble because we don't seek His word or heed His word. He will never lead you astray. He will never lead you in the wrong way- He may lead you in the opposite way that you wanted to go, but His way is always best. He will never lead you on a path of death or destruction. His words bring life, health and peace.

How sad it is when we have to be reminded to go to Jesus and seek the counsel of His words when we are in need and need instruction. For the Christian, going to God's word and seeking His counsel should come naturally. It should be the first place we consider going- not the last.

If you are needing instruction, guidance, help, counsel, wisdom, etc. look at the "red letters" in your Bible- in other words, look to Jesus- you will find the answers you are looking for.

Have a great day. There is life in the red letters.

For further reading:
John 5:39; 1:1,14; 14:6; 17:17
Psalm 119:105, 130,160

Friday, August 28, 2020

"Broken And Spilled Out"

"Broken And Spilled Out"

"And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it." Jeremiah 18:4

I woke up again this morning with yet another song on my heart and mind. "Broken and spilled out just for love of you Jesus. My most precious treasure lavished on Thee. Broken and spilled out and poured at Your feet. In sweet abandon let me be spilled out and used up for Thee."

Are you a broken vessel this morning? The Lord is looking for broken vessels. That is so contrary to what we look for when we are looking for a vessel to hold something- we look for the ones with no cracks or breaks. God doesn't, He wants the broken ones. When we are "broken", then that means that we can't "hold anything"- namely "self"-- emptied of our own selfish desires-- and that's what He is looking for.

The Lord wants to take our brokenness and make us into new vessels fit for His use. He wants to make us into vessels that He can pour His Spirit into and vessels that He can fill with His love. In our vessels (our lives) there is no room for both our will and God's will; our plans and His plans; our life and His life. Just as you can't have sweet and bitter in the same vessel. You can't have clean water and dirty water in the same one. You can't have both morality and immorality, obedience and rebellion, love and hate, forgiveness and unforgiveness all occupying the same vessel. So we must be broken, and continually broken, so that our "self": self will, selfishness, self-centeredness, self desire, self ambition, etc. is unable to stay in our vessels/lives.

Again, are you a broken vessel? Broken to your own self so that He can make you into a new vessel and fill you with Himself?

Have a great day. If you are a broken vessel, that's a good thing because that is what God is looking for.

For further reading:
James 3:11
Luke 5:37,38; 16:13

Thursday, August 27, 2020

"Times Of Life"

"Times Of Life"

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

This morning, again, there has been a song repeating over and over in my heart. The words are, "The God of the mountain, is still God in the valley. When things go wrong, He'll make them right. And the God of the good times, He's still God in the bad times. The God of the day, is still God in the night."

Life is made up of various "times" - we learn this from creation. We learn this through the changing of the seasons- there isn't just one season, there are four. We can look at the landscape and see that it isn't all the same- there are mountainous areas, wildernesses, forests, valleys, the desert, etc. They each are needful and they are all part of this physical life.

We go through spiritual seasons as well. There are times when everything in our lives is wonderful and the blessings are flowing. Then there are times when it looks "dead" with no sign of "life". There are also times when we feel like we are in a valley or on a mountain top.

But regardless of where the "times" of life take us- God doesn't change and He is with us in them all. He is with us on the mountain top. He is with us in the valley. He is with us in the wilderness. He is with us when it feels like the windows of heaven are open and when it feels like they are shut up. He is with us when we face "dry spells" and when the "river" is flooding our lives.

I don't know where you might be this morning. You might be in one of those times when everything is going good and it doesn't feel like it could get any better. Or you might be in one of those times when it feels like it can't get any worse. But wherever you are, you are not alone- God is with you.

Have a great day. God is still God even when things change in your life... and He is still with you.

For further reading:
Malachi 3:6
Matthew 28:20
Psalm 23
Daniel 3:25
Deuteronomy 1:33

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

"Using The Gift"

"Using The Gift"

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

I woke up again this morning with another song going over and over in my thoughts. I want to share one verse that keeps repeating itself. "And all my days are gifts from You I pray I'd use them as You want me to. Use them for You."

Each day we have is a gift we have been given by God-- none of us have been promised this day. How are you going to spend it? On self or on God and others? Are you going to spend it as a "living sacrifice" surrendered wholly and completely to God? Are you going to spend it letting your light shine or hiding it? Are you going to spend it in rebellion against the will of God or in submission to Him? Are you going to spend it in disobedience to His word by living immorally, seeking only your own pleasure and desires? Are you going to spend it showing love or living with hateful attitudes? Are you going to spend it in fear or in faith? Are you going to spend it being led by your emotions and feelings or by the word of God? Are you going to spend it gratifying your flesh or are you going to do those things that build up your spirit and deny your flesh? Are you going to spend it in bitterness, unforgiveness and nursing grudges, or are you going to walk in mercy, grace and forgiveness?

There are probably a hundred more questions like this that I could ask you this morning concerning how you will spend the day, but the answer to each one boils down to choice. We either choose to spend this day our way or God's way. We will choose to either serve Him or serve self. Your choices determine how you will spend it. They also reveal whether you are truly using the gift of this day for Him or not.

Have a great day. If you choose to spend the day on yourself, then you have chosen not to use this gift for Him.

For further reading:
(Song is Hillsong- "You Are My World")
Psalm 103:15
James 4:13-15
Romans 12:1; 8:14
Matthew 5:16

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

"Your Grace Is Enough"

"Your Grace Is Enough"

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Corinthians 12:9a

From the moment my eyes opened this morning a song has been playing in my head. The words that keep repeating themselves are- "Your grace is enough. Your grace is enough. Your grace is enough for me." It doesn't matter if there is a thorn in your flesh. It doesn't matter if you haven't had enough sleep and still have to put in a full day's work. It doesn't matter if your co-workers are lying about you and your boss is taking his problems out on you. It doesn't matter if the bill collectors are harassing you every day. It doesn't matter if your spouse is being inattentive. Whatever you are going through from a "major storm" to having to deal with a "little fox", God's grace is enough to see you through the situation. His grace is enough to strengthen you in the trouble. His grace is enough to help you respond and have an appropriate attitude in what you are facing.

Grace is not just God's unmerited favor- giving us something we don't deserve. It is also His divine influence upon the heart. One way we can say it is that it is the Fruit of the Spirit and its evidence in what we do, what we say, our attitude and how we react to situations and to others. When His nature influences us, we can turn the other cheek; we can bless our enemies; we can pray for those who use us; we can stop returning evil for evil; we can leave vengeance in the hands of the Lord; we can give a soft answer that turns away wrath; we can stand unrelenting in the face of temptation and trials-- we can do all the things that we are commanded to do in such a way where our "doing" it looks like the Lord Himself- instead of us.

Today you may be facing a mountain or perhaps a molehill, you may be facing difficult people, you may be facing unnerving situations, regardless of what you are facing, remember that His grace is enough to see you through and sustain you. Allow His grace to influence your actions, thoughts and attitudes and His nature will become your response and give you peace.

Have a great day. Your grace is enough.

For further reading:
Song of Solomon 2:15
Matthew 5:44
Proverbs 15:1
1 Peter 3:9
Galatians 5:22,23
Romans 12:19

Monday, August 24, 2020

"Prayer Places"

"Prayer Places"

"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Yesterday I was praising the Lord for the privilege of being able to come before Him in prayer. I live on a dead-end road so when I can, I like to walk on the road and pray. I said that because, although there are times when we do need to get on our knees and go into our prayer closet alone with God, I am thankful that He hears our prayers no matter where we are when we pray them. I am thankful that He didn't set certain conditions as to where we should pray-- such as the only prayers He hears would be those we pray in church.

Look with me for a moment at all the places where people prayed in the Bible. Hezekiah turned his face to a wall. Daniel prayed in a lion's den. The three Hebrews prayed in a fiery furnace. Jonah prayed in the belly of a big fish. David prayed laying on his bed. Jesus prayed in a garden. A thief prayed on a cross. Moses prayed on a mountaintop. Joshua prayed on a battlefield. Noah prayed in a boat. Esther prayed in the palace. Joseph prayed in a pit. Nathaniel prayed under a fig tree. Paul prayed in prison. One hundred and twenty prayed in an upper room. And the list goes on.

Where we pray isn't as important to God as the fact that we pray. God loves to commune with us. He loves for us to pray to Him. He loves to hear from us. He wants us to bring our needs, petitions and cares to Him. He delights in answering us when we call. He proved that by making Himself available to us whether we are in a prayer closet or anyway else we choose to call upon Him.

Have a great day. Where you pray is not the issue, the issue is that you pray.

For further reading:
Matthew 6:6
Jeremiah 33:3
Mark 6:46
Luke 11:1
1 Timothy 2:8
Philippians 4:6

Friday, August 21, 2020

"A Jar Of Figs"

"A Jar Of Figs"

"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish." 2 Corinthians 2:15

At times I will smell a bad odor in my house. When I do, I go on the search to find the source. Sometimes the source is easier to find than at other times. One time I kept smelling something in the kitchen that was not very pleasant and could not find what it was. I checked the trash. I looked under the stove top. I put cleaner down the drain. I even tried to look behind the refrigerator. Still I couldn't locate it. But I didn't give up. After a couple of days I finally discovered it. There was a jar of figs sitting on the top shelf in one of the cabinets that had come unsealed. I couldn't see that it had come unsealed because of where it was located. But eventually the contents of the jar began to seep out and drip down to the bottom shelves. Not only could I smell the source of the odor but now I could see it. Once I threw the jar away and cleaned up the mess the odor was gone.

Did you know that there is an "odor" that is emitted from our lives? It is either a pleasant one or a stench. We either "smell" good or we "smell" bad.

What are some of the things that make us "smell good"? These things not only make us "smell good" to God but to the people around us. Praise and worship to God out of a pure heart. Our obedience. Genuine love. Being living sacrifices. Faithfulness. Being trustworthy. These are just a few.

What are some of the things that make us "smell bad"? Again, these things make us "smell bad" to God and other people. Hypocrisy leaves a bad odor around us. Lack of trust in God. Lying. Insincerity- just flattery. Unfaithfulness- to keep our word, to our relationships, to do what is required of us by others. Disobedience. Harboring ill feelings, bitterness, hate and anger. All these are "bad odor causers" in our lives.

Some of the bad smells that come from our lives are easy to discover, some aren't. But if we don't deal with them when we spot them, like my jar of figs, eventually, not only will they be smelled but they will be seen and then everyone will know the source of our "stench".

Which smell comes from your life- good ones that are well pleasing to God and make others want to find the source of the lovely fragrance- or bad ones that are a stench in the nostrils of God and turns others away in disgust from God. You either "smell good" or you "smell bad" and all the "perfume" or "air freshener" in the world, no matter how sweet, costly or pleasant it may be, can't cover up a bad odor. It has to be removed- just like my jar of figs had to be thrown away.

Have a great day. If there is a "bad odor" coming from your life, you can't cover it up, you have to throw the source of it away.

For further reading:
Ecclesiastes 10:1
2 Corinthians 2:16

Thursday, August 20, 2020

"Help In The Storms"

"Help In The Storms"

"And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?" Mark 4:38

Have you ever noticed that you can be "sailing" smoothly through life then all of a sudden a storm seems to come out of no where and threatens to destroy your life? When a storm hits our life and tries to turn our "boat" over, there are four things that we learn from this situation that the disciples found themselves in that we need to put into practice.

1) When you are in a storm, remember that you are not in it alone- Jesus is in the storm with you. "And he was in the hinder part of the ship."

2) Don't just remember that Jesus is with you, but remember WHO He is that is with you. "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, And the wind ceased." (v.39) We tend to forget that He is the All-powerful, Creator of the Universe and that with Him nothing is impossible. The disciples remembered that Jesus was with them- they woke Him up for help- but they forgot WHO Jesus was-- God in the flesh. "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (v. 41) In remembering who He is, also remember that not only is He more powerful than the storms that rage against you, but He is the one who loves you! The disciples accused Him of not caring about them. "They awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?" (v. 38) Never let your situation convince you that He doesn't love you or care about you. If you ever doubt His love for you, just take a look back at the cross. He went to the cross because of His great love for you.

3) Don't hesitate to ask Him for help. "They were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish." (Luke 8:23,24) Never think that what you are going through is too big or too small for Him to handle. Never think that you are going to "bother" Him with your problems. Never think that He is too busy to come to your aid. He is always waiting and ready to help His children when they call. That is why He says for us to ask so that we might receive. And that is why we have not when we ask not.

4) Put your trust and faith in the Lord. "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (v.40) It's one thing to acknowledge His presence and His power to protect and deliver in the storms, but it has to go one step further. You must put your faith in Him-- in the fact that He will do what He says He will do.

Storms of life come, but if we will put into practice these things we will not drown in them.

Have a great day. The All-powerful God who speaks peace to the storms is in the boat with you, so ask for His help because He loves and cares for you.

For further reading:
Romans 5:8
John 3:16
James 4:2
Matthew 7:7
Luke 8:22-25
Mark 4:35-40

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

"Rebellion"

"Rebellion"

"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king." 1 Samuel 15:23

A while back I had a dream that a friend of mine had an out of town friend visiting her and she introduced her to me. The out of town friend and I hit it off well and enjoyed our visit...until. During the conversation she started talking about some things that she was involved in.  The things she was doing were clearly not scriptural.  When I told her that the word of God said it was sin what she was doing, she became "irate". Her whole disposition changed. My friend who introduced me to her told her that her attitude was one of rebellion. I asked her why she was getting mad at me, I wasn't the one that said it, God said it in the Bible. Then I awoke from that dream. 

Just because there are things we want to do and enjoy doing, it doesn't mean that it is all right with God. And when God says, "You shall not", but you do it anyway without regard to what He says, then it is called "rebellion".

Rebellion is not just going on out there in the world, it is happening in the church. Many Christians give very little regard to what God says- like in my dream. They do what they want to do even if God says not to. They place their will above His will and their wants above what He wants. They sacrifice obedience to His commands for the "right" to do what they desire.

The sad part is that they think God is going to overlook it or wink at it. When I was growing up and my daddy said, "No", he meant it and if I disobeyed and did it anyway, I faced the consequences. Do we think God is any different? Do we think that just because He said it He doesn't mean it? He does mean it, and He means for you to obey Him. There is not enough time in this devotional to give all the scriptures and illustrations about how serious God considers obedience. But I will tell you this- when we deliberately disobey because whatever it is is something that we want to do, God calls it rebellion. And God's definition of rebellion is no small matter- He equates it to "witchcraft". And the Bible is plain that those who practice witchcraft have no part with Him- now or in eternity.

So ask yourself the next time you decide to choose what you want over what God wants--- "Is it worth it? Is it worth sacrificing my obedience to God? Is it worth more for me to do this than what I will lose by doing it? Is it worth the consequences?"

Have a great day. You may want to do it, but doesn't what God says matter more to you? If you are a Christian it should, and obeying Him should be your top priority.

For further reading:
Ezekiel 18:20
Mark 14:36
Colossians 3:1-7
Galatians 5:19-21

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

"Looking"

"Looking"

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

"Looking unto Jesus." Who do you look to for help when you are facing problems and difficulties? Who do you look to when you don't know what to do or which direction to turn? Who do you look to when life seems to be getting the best of you, when peace eludes you, when the answers are not easily found?

We tend to look to man- family, friends, government officials, doctors, legal professionals, etc. While God does use people to help us, they are not our Helper. They should never be the first ones that we run to for help. Their counsel should never be heeded above the counsel of God. Our faith and trust should not be grounded in what man can do for us. It should always be in the Lord.

I want to leave you with one thing to think about this morning- to whom are you looking? Is Jesus at the top or bottom of your list of sources of help? Do you look to Him first or last? Do you seek out people or Him for help? Look at your life and take note of where the first place you look is in times of difficulties.

Have a great day. Who are you looking to for help?

For further reading:
Matthew 6:33
Psalm 34:4; 77:2
2 Chronicles 26:5

Monday, August 17, 2020

"Spiritual Peril"

"Spiritual Peril"

"And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean." Ezekiel 44:23

Are we living in a time when Christians don't know the difference between what is right and wrong, holy and profane, clean and unclean? I think we are. We have lost the ability to discern the true from the false. For example, there was a person who came on television (I will not call him a preacher, although he calls himself one) who was "selling" debt cancellation. He supposedly had received an anointing to cancel people's debts. Sadly, he has quiet a following. But he is not the only one who is out there proclaiming a "false gospel" that does not have its roots in God's word.

If ever there was a time when we need to be discerning it is now. We can't believe everything that is spoken just because the message is what we want to hear. The Bible tells us that in the end time "there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matthew 24:24)

Paul warned Timothy "that in the last days perilous times shall come." (2 Timothy 3:1) If you read the rest of the chapter, the perilous times that he is referring to are not only times that are "physically" perilous, but a time of "spiritual" peril as well. I believe we are seeing the fulfillment of Paul's warning. Most Christians don't know the truth of God's word. Many can't rightly divide it. Most don't even know the basics of its teachings. A large majority depend on others to tell them what the Bible says and means because they seldom, if ever, read if for themselves. If you are depending on someone else to tell you what it says, how do you know they are telling you the truth? How do you know that they are rightly dividing it? If you don't ever read it, how do you know that what they are reading to you comes from the Bible and not the morning newspaper?

I thank God for those who He has used to bless my life by helping to teach me His word, but the day of depending on someone else to do it all for us has to come to an end. When you don't know God's word for yourself, you are putting yourself in "spiritual peril". You are opening the door for deception. You can be seduced by a lie. You can be led astray. This is why Paul went on to admonish Timothy to get into God's word and learn the scriptures and continue to live by them.

Have a great day. Make sure that who you are listening to is telling you the rightly divided word of God, and the only way to do that is by reading and studying it for yourself as well.

For further reading:
Mark 13:22
Nehemiah 8:7,8
2 Timothy 3; 2:15

Friday, August 14, 2020

"At War"

"At War"

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." 1 Peter 2:11

As Christians this world is not our home, we are only "passing through". One day we will leave this earth and go to our "real" home- the one that Jesus said He was going to prepare for us. But until that day comes, we are living in the world. And while we are in the world we face battles/wars. The biggest battles that we face are not fought with guns and bullets but with our own flesh.

Why are natural wars fought? Mostly for the purpose of gaining more territory. Wars are the method that one nation, group or people uses to capture the land that is possessed by another nation, group or people. Our own flesh wars against us for that same purpose- it wants to gain "territory" (your soul and body). It is not satisfied until it rules and reigns over our hearts and dictates our lives. The flesh wants to be in charge. It wants to have its way. It wants to give the orders. It doesn't want to be hindered or have anyone or anything stand in its way. It doesn't want to submit to any authority- especially that of the spirit. It wants to take us prisoner and make us its slave.

How do we keep the flesh from "possessing" any territory in our lives? "Abstain from fleshly lusts." The first step to doing that is by remembering that this life is not all there is- there is an eternity that awaits us and that's where our real home is, like we've said. Keep eternity in mind and view. Why? So that you can resist the lusts of the flesh like covetousness and greed, or anything else that desires for more and more that this life has to offer.  Also, because all that you gain here cannot compare to what you would be giving up if you allow the flesh to win and gain your soul as its possession.

Have a great day. Your flesh is trying to conquer you and gain possession of your life; you conquer it instead.

For further reading:
John 14:1-3
Matthew 4:1-10; 16:26
Hebrews 13:5
1 Timothy 6:6,7
1 John 2:15-17

Thursday, August 13, 2020

"Willing And Obedient"

"Willing And Obedient"

"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." Isaiah 1:19

It is one thing to be "willing", it's another to be "willing AND obedient". Jesus even said that the spirit is "willing" but the flesh is weak. (Our weak flesh is not always obedient.) Being willing is not enough. Just being willing doesn't score "brownie points". It takes more than just a willingness, it takes the act of obedience coupled with the willingness to receive the blessing.

Jesus was willing to come to earth and pay the ransom for our sins, but it wasn't paid for and His reason for coming wasn't fulfilled until He humbled Himself and became obedient to the death on the cross. Had He only come to earth but not gone to the cross our salvation never would have been purchased. Mankind would still be lost without hope of eternal life.

When the Lord delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, they were willing to go into the promised land- they were actually excited about it and could hardly wait. But when they heard about the giants in the land, they would not be obedient to the Lord's instructions to go in and possess the land. As a result, a whole generation died in the wilderness having not received the promise. Instead they wandered around in the desert until they died.

Does this sound like you? We all struggle with the obedience factor from time to time. But if we are going to inherit the promises, if we are going to fulfill our destiny, if we are going to step into our God ordained purposes, if the Lord is going to receive the glory that He is due through our lives, then we are going to have to couple our willingness with some obedience.

Have a great day. Willingness has to go hand in hand with obedience in order to receive the blessing.

For further reading:
Matthew 26:41
Hebrews 3:18,19
Deuteronomy 8:20
Philippians 2:7-9

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

"Fresh"

"Fresh"

"They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:23

Is your experience and relationship with the Lord ancient history or current events? Are you living on yesterday's manna or receiving fresh "bread" from Him each day?  Are you hanging on to past revelations or receiving a fresh word from Him today? Are you being sustained by the "touch" of the Lord that you received years ago or is He "touching" your life afresh and anew each day? Are you trying to hold on to the peace that you received in a past situation to see you through a present one, or are you receiving fresh peace for the trials of today?

The only word that comes to mind this morning to describe what I am talking about is "fresh". The dictionary defines fresh as something newly made; recent; not old or stale. God is all about "freshness". He doesn't want us living on yesterday's experiences, revelations, victories or faith. We see the evidence of this through creation. Life is not made up of one long, continual day. It is made up of "days"- many of them. Each one begins in the morning and ends in the evening, then makes room for the next one. It is also made up of seasons. After spring comes summer, then fall and winter. Brand new (fresh) seasons occur periodically. We also saw the evidence of it in God's creation of the world as described in Genesis. God created the world in six days. Each one was distinguished from the other by the morning and evening. On each new day God created something different (something fresh and new)- He did not recreate the same thing over and over each day. One day He created the sun and moon, another day He created the earth, another day He created the animals, another day He created man, and so on.

The point this morning is that God wants you to have fresh experiences with Him daily. What we received in the past was not meant to be our only experience with the Lord. We should always be thankful for what He did for us in the past. We should allow those experiences to teach and train us. We should gain faith from them as well as wisdom, knowledge and understanding. But just like the Israelites in the wilderness, we can't live on yesterday's manna, we must "collect" fresh manna for each new day. The Lord has fresh manna, fresh assignments, fresh commands, fresh experiences, fresh anointing, fresh peace, fresh revelation, fresh truths available for you and He wants to give them to you today.

Have a great day. Would you say that you have a "fresh" or "stale" relationship with the Lord?

For further reading:
Genesis 1
Exodus 16:14-21
Philippians 3:13

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

"Worrier"

"Worrier"

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6

Do you know someone who worries about everything or gets anxious about even the little things? Some people just don't seem to be happy unless they have something to worry about. Perhaps that describes you?

Being anxious opens the door to confusion and robs us of peace. Being anxious is a time and energy waster because all our worrying can't change anything. Worrying will affect your health and cause emotional problems. And most importantly, worrying about the situation shows a lack of trust and faith in God.

It is not God's plan for us to be worriers. It is not part of the abundant life that Jesus came to give us. There will always be situations that arise in our lives that will try to make us fret, be anxious and worry. We will all at some point in time face difficulties and things that are too big for us to handle. But it is not the facing them that is the issue, it's "HOW" we face them that is. Are we going to face them by worrying about them when there is nothing that we can do about them anyway? Or are we going to cast them upon the Lord? Are we going to give them to Him because He is well able to take care of them? Are we going to trust Him with them and believe that He will work the situation out for our good? Which will you choose to do?

Have a great day. Worrying never solved anything, but it does reveal whether your confidence lies in God or not.

For further reading:
Philippians 4:7
Matthew 6:25-30
Psalm 37:7
John 10:10
Romans 8:28
1 Peter 5:7

Monday, August 10, 2020

Bogged Down

"Bogged Down"

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh." Romans 8:12

Have you ever been "bogged down"? The term means to "be stuck"; "cause to slow down"; "grind to a halt.". Years ago we lived on a creek so we spent a lot of time enjoying the sand bar and water. At times you could be walking along on the sand and all of a sudden you would step onto a soft place and bog down- we called these soft spots "quick sand". Once you got in one you would sink to your knees. Getting out was very difficult, especially if it was a large area. You would have to try to pull your leg out and try to make a step with your other leg, and usually it would bog down too. You would have to keep trying to make steps, one after the other, until you could finally get back on solid ground.

There are several things that can bog you down physically- mud, quick sand, snow. People can also get "bogged down" in their thoughts and in their emotions. You can also get bogged down by pressures on your job- added work when you haven't finished the first assignment.

There is another area of being "bogged down" that I want to discuss this morning. It is something that will bog you down spiritually to keep you from advancing in victory, in knowing God's purpose for your life and in fulfilling your destiny. It's your own flesh. Your flesh is like a "boggy" place. It wants to suck you in and get you stuck so that you can't move or go anywhere in your walk and relationship with the Lord.

The more time you spend catering to your flesh, the more time you spend giving into its wants and desires, the more time you spend entertaining it, the more time you spend feeding its appetites, lusts and desires... the more "bogged down" you will become. It is like that quick sand that I described earlier. It will get a strong hold on you and won't let you go- you'll be stuck! And you will have to struggle and work hard to get yourself out. (And believe me, the flesh doesn't let go easily.) The only way that it will let go of its hold is through death. The flesh has to die.

Are you wondering why you feel like you aren't making any progress? Do you feel like you aren't going anywhere and wonder why you are at a stand still? Are you struggling but not advancing? Perhaps it is your flesh that is bogging you down? I described above what we would have to do to get free from the areas of quick sand. To get ourselves free from the flesh that has caused us to get stuck/bogged down is by denying it. The more we deny our flesh, the more freedom from it we have. The more freedom we have from it, the less power it has over us. The less power it has over us, the harder it is to get bogged down. The harder it becomes to get bogged down by the flesh, the easier it is to live in the spirit.

Have a great day. Is your flesh bogging you down? Then get unstuck by denying it, crucifying it and yielding to the Spirit.

For further reading:
Romans 8:13; 6:6,7
Galatians 2:20; 5:16,17,25

Friday, August 7, 2020

"Thy Will"

"Thy Will"

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

"Thy will be done". How often we pray this simple pray. But praying it and saying it is one thing, while meaning and following it is another. It's easy to say, "Let Your will be done", but what happens when the will of God conflicts with our will. What happens when His will takes us in a direction that we would not choose? What happens when His will doesn't line up with our plans and agenda?

When we say, "Thy will be done", we usually mean as long as it takes us to the "palace" not the "pit"; an "oasis" not the "desert"; the "mountain top" not the "valley". But the will of God doesn't always take us into bright, sunny, pleasant places. Remember Jesus was lead into the wilderness by the Spirit. And what about the cross- it was the will of God.

The will of God will often take us into places that we would not choose for ourselves. The places where His will would take us are not always easy- often they are hard. So what do we do then? How easy is it to submit to His will then? Do we surrender to His will or do we totally ignore it and fulfill our own will?

The will of God may not be a pleasant place at the moment, but it is taking us somewhere. For Joseph the pit was the first stepping stone to the palace. For Jesus the wilderness was the place where He got victory over the temptations of the flesh and empowerment for the work He was sent to do. For Jesus the cross, though it looked like a place of death, actually was the place that provided an open door to eternal life.

We need not fear or draw back from the will of God when it takes us into unpleasant places. We just need to submissively follow His will and trust that through it He is working all things together for our good and that even the unpleasant places are stepping stones that take us from glory to glory.

Have a great day. God's will is not always in accordance with our will, but choose to follow His will because it is taking you to a greater plan than you have for yourself.

For further reading:
Matthew 4:1-11; 26:39
2 Corinthians 3:18
Romans 8:28

Thursday, August 6, 2020

"Fearful Times"

"Fearful Times"

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

For the last several months this verse has come up every time I turn around. We did a study on it at our church. My pastor has been preaching from it. I have heard it mentioned at prayer group. It has come up in conversation with others. Several of the preachers on television have mentioned it as well. It has come up through various emails I have received. When you keep hearing something repeated over and over again, you can be sure that the Lord is trying to say something to you.

We have been talking about what a "good" God our Heavenly Father is, so in His goodness toward us He keeps sending this verse to encourage and comfort us. We are living in fearful times. The economy looks bad. People are afraid of losing their jobs. They are afraid of losing their homes and everything they have worked hard to get. They are afraid because of the threat of war. Violence seems to be plaguing the nation- even once quiet, safe communities are experiencing violence. If you take a look around you the condition of the world is getting more fearful each day.  They are afraid of sickness and disease.  

People have experienced fearful times throughout history. But those whose trust and faith were in God had nothing to fear. The Israelites had nothing to fear when the plagues were falling around them in Egypt. Noah had nothing to fear when the flood waters came. Lot and his family had nothing to fear when destruction fell upon the city. Daniel had nothing to fear when facing the lion's den. The three Hebrew boys had nothing to fear when faced with the fiery furnace. The Israelites had nothing to fear though sure destruction was all around them when they were hemmed in between the Red Sea and Pharaoh's army. And you and I have nothing to fear "through the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof". (Psalm 46:2,3) We having nothing to fear because the Lord is our refuge, our present help in times of trouble, because we have the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us, because He is our provider, because His grace is sufficient for whatever comes our way, and as we trust in Him He gives us a peace that will establish our hearts and minds. And when the "spirit of fear" tries to attack us, He has given us everything we need to defeat it- power, love and a sound mind.

We can't stop fearful situations from coming, but we can stop fear from taking us as its prisoner when they do come. We might be in fearful times, but fear doesn't have to be in us. Fear can be rendered powerless in our lives if we will keep our hearts and minds fixed and stayed upon the Lord and upon His wonderful promise to be with us.

Have a great day. Fearful times come, but we don't have to give into the fear. We can have victory over it through Jesus Christ because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.

For further reading:
Psalm 91
Hebrews 13:5
Isaiah 26:3

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

"God Is Good - Part 2"

"God Is Good - Part 2"

"And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." Mark 10:18

In the last Coffee Break I talked about how people accuse God of not being good just because bad things happen. I tried to redirect our focus to the good things that He has bestowed on us- such a waking us up this morning, giving us a roof over our head, food on our table, etc. So, what if someone doesn't have a roof over their head or food to eat, then does that mean that God is not good to them?

I certainly never intend to make it sound as if God's goodness is linked solely to the fact of a person receiving certain physical and material blessings. That is why I want to address the subject again this morning.  The fact of the matter is, God is good, period! He is good even if He never does anything good for us. If He allows bad things to happen, if He never supplies another need, if He never sends us another provision, even if He turned His back upon us, it would not change the fact that HE IS GOOD. Good is His nature, it is who He is- not just what He does.

Can I explain why bad things happen? Can I explain why some seem to be more blessed than others? Can I explain why not all of those who love the Lord don't have a roof over their head, enough food to eat or are suffering for Christ? To be honest, no, I can't. But I do know that it doesn't mean that God is not good and good to us. The greatest act of goodness that God has shown to us, as I said in the last devotional, was that of giving His Son Jesus to pay the ransom and take the punishment for our sins so that we might have the opportunity to receive eternal life.

Just because Joseph was thrown into a pit, didn't mean that God wasn't good or good to him. Just because Daniel was thrown into the lion's den, or the three Hebrews were thrown into the fiery furnace, didn't mean that God had ceased to be good. Just because Stephen was stoned to death for preaching the gospel didn't mean that God was not good. Even when God doesn't do in our lives what we consider as good, it doesn't mean that He is not still good. And even when He doesn't do what we classify as "good", we know that He is working ALL (even what we consider bad) things together for our good.  His goodness is not based on what He does for us or what He gives us.  His goodness is based on Who He is-- He is good!

Have a great day. God is good... period! And the greatest expression of His goodness came through the cross when He gave His own Son for us.

For further reading:
Luke 18:19
Psalm 52:1, 31:19
Isaiah 63:7

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

"God Is Good"

"God Is Good"

"Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." Psalm 73:1

Many people accuse God of not being good by saying, "If He is good, then why does He allow bad things to happen? If He is good why are there wars and violence? If God is good where is He when evil seems to be prevailing?" They just want to focus on the bad and negative. Just because bad things happen doesn't mean that God is not good or that He has ceased to be good. This morning I want to draw your attention to some areas where we see the goodness of God.

Did you wake up this morning? It was the goodness of God that woke you up. Do you have a roof over your head, shoes on your feet, food to eat? Then you are a recipient of God's goodness. It was the goodness of God that did not wipe all of mankind out of existence when Adam disobeyed Him by eating the forbidden fruit.

The greatest expression of God's goodness was the cross. Mankind blew it when Adam sinned, yet God in His goodness and love toward us, sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so that we could have another chance to have eternal life and a relationship with Him.

If a person would just take the time to look at the good things that the Lord has done in their life, instead of focusing on the bad, they would find that God's goodness towards them far out weighs any accusation that He is anything but good. Today, take time to count the ways that God has been good to you. You will find that it's too many to count.

Have a great day. God is still good even when bad things happen.

For further reading:
Psalm 52:1
Romans 2:4
Lamentations 3:22
James 1:17

Monday, August 3, 2020

"It Comes From Him"

"It Comes From Him"

"But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee." 1 Chronicles 29:14

I believe one of the reasons why David was a man after God's own heart was because David understood something that I think we have perhaps forgotten. David knew that all he had belonged to God. He knew that everything that he gave to God was because God had given it to him. David knew that his strength came from God. He knew that whatever victory he had received was not because of his own might or power but because God gave him the victory. David knew that whatever work was accomplished through him it was because God was enabling him to do it.

David never took the credit for anything. He knew that without the Lord he had nothing and could do nothing. We later saw this same attitude in our beloved Savior Jesus. He acknowledged that without God He could do nothing. He always pointed to the Father as His strength, provider and the One who did the works.

We may be gifted. We may have certain abilities. We may have received victories. We may have financial, material or spiritual blessings, but they all came from God. Who is it that gives us the power to get wealth? The Lord. Who is it that gives us hind's feet in high places? The Lord. Who is it that gives us wisdom, a word in season, strength when we are weak, supplies all our needs and gives us our daily bread? The Lord, the Lord, the Lord. Who calms the raging storms in our lives, quenches the fire in the trials, parts the sea so that we can reach the other side, shuts the mouth of the accuser? Again, the Lord.

We need not ever forget that everything we have and everything we have been blessed to have, has not come through the works of our own hands, through our skill, through our abilities, but it comes from God who so graciously gives us all that we need, when we need it.

Have a great day. All things come from God. We have nothing that He hasn't given to us.

For further reading:
John 3:27; 5:19,30; 15:5; 14:10
Psalm 100:3
Habakkuk 3:19