Devotions

In Paul first letter to the Thessalonians, He praised his converts for their Christian walk, the way they had embraced the Gospel as the true word of God, the way their faith produced works, their love prompted labor and the way they had endured persecution. He instructed them how to live to please God, and they were living just that way.

Even though these young converts were living to please God and doing a good job of it, Paul wanted them not to settle for where they were but to press on in their walk with Christ. In 4:1 he praises them for the good job they are doing and then goes on, “Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.”  [v1 NLT]

They are to become even more dedicated, even more sensitive to the ways of God. They are to sharpen their commitment. They are to win more spiritual victories. They are to move into a stronger relationship with their God. They are to be more steadfast, more resolute in the face of persecution. This isn’t just a mere continuation of what they were already doing; it was an expansion and deepening of their passion to follow Christ.

At the end of the previous chapter, Paul had prayed for these young believers, “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.” Increase and overflow. Abound more and more. [3:12 NLT]

This life in Christ is described as a “walk.”  That signifies to me that we are never to rest on our laurels, never to grow so satisfied, so content, that we stop, but always strive to press onward in Christ, abounding more and more.

I am always touched by the way Paul ministered to the young converts in Thessalonica. In 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 2, Paul writes, “As you know, like a father with his own children, we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” [vs 11-12 NLT]

What a beautiful picture of both godly fatherhood and godly ministry. First setting an example of holiness, righteousness, and blamelessness. Then encouraging, comforting, and urging others to live lives worthy of God.

The highest calling of every Christian is to live a life worthy of the God who called them. So often we lose track of that. We think our calling is to a specific talent or work, but in truth, our calling is to live our lives worthy of God in every way. Whatever we do, whatever we say, wherever we go, it is always with the thought to be worthy of God.

Paul is encouraged upon seeing their steadfastness even amid the persecution that arose because of their decision to follow Christ. The one who first preached the Gospel to them by encouraging, comforting, and urging them to a worthy life, is now receiving back from them encouragement, comfort and an urging to press on even more in his own ministry.

“For now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord. How can we thank God for you in return for all the joy we experience before our God because of you.” [3:6-9 NLT]

There is something beautiful about the exchange of encouragement that happens when we lift and help others along in their Christian walk – what we receive back strengthens us in our own walk.

Potential. What a great word! It means something that can develop or become actual. It’s a promise of good things to come. I think of the word potential when I read the letter of Paul to the Thessalonians. It’s a lovely little letter, sometimes overlooked because of its simplicity.

When Paul wrote the letter it was not to correct any great theological error nor to rebuke a great sin. Instead, Paul wrote it from the heart of thanksgiving. At a time in his life when there was little encouragement, messengers came from Thessalonica with word that his converts there were continuing steadfastly in the Gospel he had brought them. Paul wrote this letter to encourage them to fulfill their potential “to life lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”  [I Thessalonians 2:7]

I remember a passage from a song my kids used to sing, “I am a promise, I am a possibility, I am a promise, with a capital ‘P.’ I am a great big bundle of potentiality!”

Each of us is a great big bundle of potentiality. God has promised to not only begin a work in us, but to complete it. God’s promise is our potentiality. Because He said he would do a work in us, and that He would complete that work, we have potential that is truly supernatural; supernatural because it originates and finishes in Him.

As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he expressed his thanksgiving for what God had begun to do in them since their conversion. He also however, set out a path for them to walk to fulfill their potential and see the completion of God’s work in their lives.

I don’t know about you, but even at almost 80 years old I’d like to see the potential God has placed in me mature and become a complete work. Walk with me through Thessalonians, and remember, you are a “great big bundle of potentiality!”

I was reminded recently that there is a great difference between talent and character. Jesus touched on that subject in the Sermon on the Mount.

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit…. just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” [Matthew 7:15-17, 20 NLT]

We live in a society that glorifies talent. We are enamored of those who have the talent to do exploits the majority of us cannot do. We put talent on the highest pedestal, and we pay highly for the privilege of watching them exercise their talent.

But there is a vast difference between possessing talent and possessing character. Character involves traits such as honesty, compassion, courage, patience, generosity, responsibility, and accountability—and more. Those traits seem to be harder to develop than talent and seem far more susceptible to corruption.

Jesus said we are to identify people according to their fruit – to their character. It is their actions which speak far louder than their talent.

“By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.”  [1 Corinthians 6:14 NIV]

The three greatest words ever spoken are “He is Risen.” The closing chapters of Matthew, Mark and Luke all declare that truth! By His power God raised the Lord from the dead. It is not just a past tense event; it is a present and future tense event also. He was Raised. He is Risen. He will forever be Risen!

Just as Jesus told His disciples, He was raised from the dead on the third day. The Jewish ruling class and the Roman authorities had crucified Him and buried Him, but they could not keep Him there. Death could not hold Him. On the third day that tomb was emptied by the power of God.

He is Risen. Now Jesus sits at the right hand of God, making intercession for His own.

He will forever be Risen! One day, the Book of Revelations says, death and the grave will be gone; the tempter of our souls will be gone and all that will remain is the Lord God Almighty.

And yes, along with the Father, the Son and the Spirit, there will be not just the angelic host, but a host of mankind from all tribes and tongues and nations. The glorious promise of the Risen Lord is that to all who believe in Him, He will grant eternal life … resurrection power.

We will, through His power, be forever raised from our graves also.  That is God’s promise to us. That is God’s power to us. Amen & Amen

“Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.” [Psalm 103 NLT]

That was the desire of David as he wrote this song, to remember the benefits of the Lord. The first benefit David remembered was that the Lord forgives all our sins. The second is that the Lord heals all our diseases.

Centuries before Jesus walked this earth, the prophet Isaiah painted a picture of the work of the Messiah in Isaiah 52 and 53, the passage of the suffering servant. He wrote, “by His stripes [wounds] we are healed.”  [53:5]

One of the first things about Jesus that is noted in the Gospels is that “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.”  [Matt 4:23 NIV]

He was concerned with the healing of the people he encountered. Today, as He sits at the right hand of God, He is the source of all healing. He heals physically. He heals emotionally. He heals spiritually.  I remember my former pastor always said, disease cannot win, even if it kills us, it will not win. We have an eternal healing in Christ.

I have seen physical healing that was only accomplished through His divine touch. I have seen emotional healing that could only have been fulfilled by His power. I have experienced spiritual healing that will last eternally in Him.

I remember. Praise the Lord O my soul … forget not all his benefits … [He] heals all my diseases. Amen

This is Easter week. It seems early this year, April 5. February seemed to fly by and March is following suit. I want to spend this time before Easter preparing my heart.

As I was reading in Psalm 103 this morning, the opening words struck me. “Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.” [vs 1-2 NLT]

Then David begins to list the benefits he did not want to forget. As I read David’s words, I began to do the same, to list the benefits I do not want to forget, the benefits I received because of the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary. David begins his remembrance with “He forgives all my sins.”

David understood what it was like to have sin forgiven. The law given by Moses made provision for unintentional sins, but there were no provisions for intentional ones. The intentional sin is what David referred to in Psalm 51:14 as “bloodguilt.” It was the sin of David with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. There was no provision in the law, yet David knew God’s mercy and the forgiveness of even bloodguilt. He desired to remember that forgiveness.

I, too, remember forgiveness. John wrote: “because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.” [1 John 2:12 NLT]

Because of what Christ did on the cross, I remember the One who forgives all my sins. Jesus from His cross asked God’s forgiveness for the very ones that were crucifying Him. And He provided, through His sacrifice that day, the forgiveness I need for even my grievous sins.

Praise the Lord, O my soul … forget not all his benefits … the forgiveness of all my sins.

The enemies of God were marching against Judah and its king Jehoshaphat. Their goal was to kill and destroy the king and the people he led. Jehoshaphat was powerless to do anything about it, and he knew it.  He couldn’t muster an army big enough to face this enemy. He was going to be annihilated.

Jehoshaphat saw a real enemy advancing upon him. As Christians we don’t often see our enemies with our physical eyes, but they are real, nonetheless. [2 Corinthians 10:3-4]

Jehoshaphat’s enemies were a vast army set against the nation of Judah. Jehoshaphat’s first response was to call the nation together and to seek the presence of the Lord. “All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.” They stood, waiting for the Lord, waiting for His response and they were not disappointed.

The Spirit of the Lord God Almighty before whom they stood waiting, descended upon Jahaziel and he proclaimed, “This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.  For the battle is not yours, but God’s …. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem…. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’” [2 Chronicles 20:13-17]

The Lord’s word to Jehoshaphat was simple. You do your part and I’ll do my part. Jehoshaphat’s part was to march against his enemies, to take up a position and to stand firm. He was to “go out to face them.”  He wasn’t to run, or surrender, or hide. He was to take up a position squarely in their path. God’s part was to bring about their deliverance for the battle was not theirs but God’s.

How often do I find myself retreating or hiding rather than facing the enemy. How often do I just surrender to feelings of discouragement or fear. How often do I analyze, rationalize, or allow doubt into my heart as I see the enemies of my soul advancing against me. Yet God’s message is clear, take up your position squarely in their path and watch the deliverance of the Lord.  After all, it is only when we are facing the enemy that we can actually see God’s victory.

Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” [NIV]

Jesus was gentle, humble, meek, but He was not weak. There is a Scripture in Isaiah that reminds of both the strength and the gentleness of Jesus the Christ. Isaiah 42 begins, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on the earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.”

God’s chosen Messiah, Jesus the Christ, will bring justice to this earth. In strength He will not falter or fail, He will not become discouraged. Nothing on earth is strong enough to hinder His goal to bring all things back where they belong. Nothing in heaven or hell is strong enough to stand in His way or deter Him.   Nothing, no principalities, no powers, no rulers in heavenly places, can oppose Him and succeed.

Yet even amid all that, strength is seen in gentleness. A bruised reed, a person barely hanging on by a thread, He will not break but will in gentleness make them whole again. A smoldering wick He will not snuff out. Even those souls that are hurt, barely alive, damaged almost to the point of destruction, He will make whole again, will restore, will transform into bright shining lights set high upon a hill.

Jesus treats people a lot better than we treat them. He is gentle and humble, bringing rest for souls. Oh Lord Jesus, let us be like you in ever-increasing measure. 

I decided after wandering through Romans 12 that I would wander through 1 Samuel. Chapter 12 is the prophet Samuel’s Farewell Address. Israel had asked for a king, which displeased Samuel. Prior to that they had been governed by judges and prophets. Now they wanted to be like all the other nations around them and have a king. So, at God’s direction, Samuel anointed Israel’s first, Saul.

Samuel was an old man now. He had served the LORD since he was a young boy. He invited the nation Israel to testify against him about his tenure as their leader.

Within that section, he asks them as series of questions. Several times he begins his questions, “Have I ever …?” and the people responded, “No, you have never ….” [1 Samuel 12:1-5 NLT]

Samuel’s question haunted me for a little while. I don’t know if I would ever have the courage to ask, “Have I ever …?” I know the mistakes I have made. I know there are those who could probably testify against me about something.

Then the Holy Spirit rose up in my heart and reminded me that when I surrendered my heart to my Savior and LORD, Christ Jesus, He set me free from sin and shame. He created a new person in me. He forgave my sins and He promised that He would never hold those things against me. People may be able to “testify” against me, but my Father God never will. Praise God!