Devotions

NBC News Poll: American fears of war grow.  (July 18, 2017).  “An overwhelming majority of Americans — 76 percent — are worried that the United States will become engaged in a major war in the next four years, according to a new NBC News/SurveyMonkey national security poll.”

That news hit my inbox a few days ago.  The poll said people cite North Korea as the greatest threat.  War is never far from our minds, is it? I am 70 years old, a “baby boomer” born at the end of WWII. Since I was born there have been many wars and conflicts. The world always seems on the brink of another major one. Any reasonable person would be afraid, if not for ourselves, then for our children and grandchildren.

But are we fearing the right thing?  Jesus told those who were close to him, “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” [Luke 12:4-5 NIV]

Man can take away almost everything, our safety and security, our food, clothing and shelter, our very lives, but, man cannot take away our eternity. Only God can do that. We need to make sure that we are fearing correctly!  We need to make sure that our souls are right with God first and foremost.

Father, I pray my heart and soul are right with You. I place my faith in Your Son, Christ Jesus, for salvation both in this life and in the eternity that follows. I commit my life to Your Hands. Amen.

I was talking with one of the men who handles sound on Sunday morning.  He arrived early and we sat for a few minutes and talked while we waited for the worship team to arrive.  Somehow the conversation, which began with discussing preparing our hearts before coming to church so that we might receive from God, got around to the idea that we live in the country that is probably the craziest on the planet.

Many countries are in worse shape, of course. Many are terrorized. Many are dictatorships. But for out and out crazy, I really think we get first prize. Hollywood that dictates social change, celebrities that think they possess the wisdom to tell the rest of the world how to think and live, politicians whose sole goal is to get re-elected, social media, Wall Street–all contribute to the craziness. We have so many issues circling us that to simply name them would take up more space than this devotion has.

As believers in Christ, perhaps the greatest issue can be summed up in Jesus’ words, “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”  [Mark 7:8 NIV]

Jesus had been confronted by the Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law because they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were, by the traditions of the elders, unclean. Jesus reminded them that the religious leaders had set the ways and traditions of men above the commands of God. The religious leaders were focusing on the wrong things. They were following men who led them away from God instead of towards Him.

Oh church, we must search our hearts. Are we also setting the things of men above the things of God? Are we allowing ourselves to be led by others away from our Father, our Savior, our Life?  If so, we must repent and seek out those who are leading with the anointing and power of God’s Spirit.

Father, we repent of allowing the ways of man to invade Your beloved bride. We seek Your forgiveness. We have, as a corporate body of believers in our nation, forgotten Your commands.  Turn us Lord, send revival and lead us in the way everlasting. Amen.

“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.”  That is the way Jesus begins the Parable of the Sower and the Seed in Mark 4. He goes on to cite all the places where that seed might fall.  It can fall along the path, on rocky places, among thorns or on good soil. Jesus tells his listeners also about what happens to the seed in those various places.  Later the disciples ask him to explain the parable to them.  And Jesus begins his explanation with, “The farmer sows the word.”

The focus of this parable, of course, is the harvest that is produced. Natural seed that falls on good soil produces a good harvest. The Word of God sown like seed on “good soil,” on those who hear and accept it, will produce a wonderful crop.  But while the focus is on the seed and what is produced, we should also give attention to the farmer.  His role in this parable is simply to scatter the seed—everywhere. That’s his job.

Beloved, that’s our job also.  We are to scatter the Word everywhere by our words and by our actions—by our very life itself. We aren’t to hold back or be selective or stingy with our “seeds.” It isn’t our job to determine whether the seed will take root and produce a harvest, or simply be choked out. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring seed to harvest.

I am reminded of this truth every Sunday. All kinds of people come to church service. I am to scatter the seed of God’s Word, but it is the work of the Holy Spirit and the hearts of those who receive that will determine if it takes root and produces a harvest.

Father, may I always and in every place be faithful to scatter the seed of Your Word. Amen.

“All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last, under their standards.” [Numbers 2:31 NIV]

There was a particular order in which the tribes of Israel camped and marched in the wilderness.  The tabernacle and ark were always in the center, with tribes in front, on both sides and behind.  The Danites were assigned to be the rearguard.  [Numbers 10:25]

I’m not sure any of want to be assigned to bringing up the rear, especially if a few million people are marching in front of us. I can only imagine what it was like for the Danites back there, eating the dust of people, dodging the droppings of the herds of sheep and cattle.  At the 4^th of July Parade in Middleton there were several horse troops and right behind them was the much needed “pooper scooper” crew. It reminded me of what the Danites must have had to deal with as they brought up the rearguard.

And yet, the rearguard is vitally important.  They make sure the stragglers don’t get left behind. They also make sure that the enemy doesn’t go around and attack from the rear. The rearguard must be just as vigilant as those in the front and on the side, maybe more so. The enemy of our soul seldom comes knocking on the front door declaring his intentions to subdue us, but he will mount an attack from the rear and hope we have left that unguarded.

Our Father God thought it so important to have a rearguard that He Himself promised to be ours! “The LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” [Isa 52:12 NIV]

Father, thank you for being my rearguard. Let me be mindful of the Spirit’s warnings and promptings. Help me to remember that the attacks against my soul are seldom from head on, but will often blindside me or sneak up from behind. I know, Spirit, you send out the warning. Help me to be vigilant in hearing Your alert!  Amen.

I need some time away. I’m tired. Oh, physically, I am fine. I am getting more than 10,000 steps in almost every day, eating right, diabetes under control. A few little aches and pains, but nothing major for a 70-year-old.

Still I am a bit worn emotionally, mentally and maybe even spiritually. I’ve been going strong and recently realized I need to step back and re-charge a bit.  I haven’t taken time away from the pulpit since last year, except for the day the snow storm caused us to cancel Sunday service in January.

Whenever I get like this I am reminded of Jesus’ invitation to His disciples following their missionary adventure when Jesus sent them out two-by-two in Mark 6. When they returned, they filled Him in on everything that happened. Surrounded once again by the crowds that followed Jesus, without even time to eat, Jesus must have sensed that they needed a little “down” time.  “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” [Mark 6:31 NIV]

We have rechargeable 9-volt batteries at the church that I set in the charger station after each service so that they are strong and ready to use in our microphones at the next one. If I fail to do that, the batteries will run dry and our microphones will quit. Without those microphones, it is much harder to “get the Word out.”

Often when things are moving in the Spirit, strong, on-fire, we can forget that to keep it that way we also must “take-in” a charge from the Lord.  If we don’t we will have nothing left to “give-out.”

Father, I need to rest. I need to come away to the quiet place. I need to re-charge. I pray for opportunity to do so.  Amen.

1 Peter 4:10-11: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” [NIV]

This quote from Peter follows a command to love each other deeply and to offer hospitality without grumbling.  He tells us to use whatever gift we have to serve and minister God’s grace in various ways.   Have you thought about the gifts God has given you?

All those “gift tests” tell me that I am primarily an encourager, and secondly a teacher.  Those are the things that motivate me to serve and minister God’s grace in every setting. And of course, the enemy of my soul knowing this often seeks ways to pervert those gifts.  Instead of encouraging, I can find myself enabling.  Instead of teaching, I can find myself drifting into manipulation (a primary trait in the family I grew up in).

So, I try to stay on my guard knowing that it is often our strongest traits and motivations that can be corrupted the easiest.  I try to stay open to the Spirit’s discernment so I can recognize when I’m getting too close to the line, when I’m beginning to move not in the motivation of God, but in the manipulation of my own worldly desires.  It isn’t easy, but oh is it necessary.

Our goal in life is always that “in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”  We should keep that as a plumb line and measure all we say and do against it.

Father, how often, how easily I slip. When I think I am strong is when I am in the most danger of trying to do things in my own worldly ways.  Keep me in line with Your Spirit. Keep my motivations pure so that in all things praise may flow to You.  Amen.

It’s been a difficult week, one in which I’ve had to deal with emotions that I didn’t think I still had. I used to be a very angry person, but I thought that one was conquered.  Apparently, it wasn’t.  I also thought I was a person who gave the benefit of the doubt and didn’t hurt easily.  Apparently, I’m not always.  And I thought I was a person who led with the spirit and mind and made my emotions follow.  Apparently, that’s not completely true either. So back to the drawing board!

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  [Ps 139:23-24 NIV]

I think it is a dangerous prayer to ask God to search us and see if there is anything offensive in us.  Because most certainly He will search, and most certainly He will reveal something offensive – at least in my case that is always true.

I have found that God’s way of searching is often to put us through difficult times. Our reactions then flow to the surface and become quite apparent. That was my week. Difficult situation, I reacted, and it became quite apparent that …I still can be an angry person, I don’t always give the benefit of the doubt, can be hurt easily and I do at times lead with my emotions instead of my spirit.

God knew just how to get me to that place where my need of His Spirit was revealed. He showed me the person I am and the person He wants me to be – and just how far short of that I am.  So now we begin the process of change: acknowledgment first that I need to change, repentance, and finally cooperation with the Spirit of God for that change.

Father, give me the courage I need to acknowledge that I need to change. Give me the wisdom to know how to accomplish that in the power of Your Spirit.  Amen

When July 14 rolls around (as it did yesterday), two things immediately come to mind.  First, it is Bastille Day, French Independence Day–after all, I am French by heritage. The second thing is that it is my former pastor’s birthday.  Pastor Jim, I think, would have turned 70 this year. Still miss him.

Whenever I think of him I recall the great truth he shared; the truth that totally changed my life as a child of God. He would often say, “It is easier to get people to love God than to get people to allow God to love them.”

I write a lot about the love of God for us. Some of you may think I write too much about it. You may think I sound like an old broken record. “God loves you!”  “God loves you!”  “God loves you!”

Well, I am old and I do sound like a broken record.  If there is one truth the enemy of your soul will try to drive out of your life, it is that God does love you. The enemy will bring up your past, your present, even your future. He will try to create doubt in your heart that you are worth God’s time or His concern and care. If he can get you to forget the love God has for you, get you to doubt God’s compassion and mercy, he will drive you to despair in every circumstance and situation in life.

What keeps us strong is not that we love God, it is that He loves us and proved that love at Calvary. So yes, this old broken record will keep reminding you of that great truth I learned from Pastor Jim. God loves you!

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” [2 Thess 2:16-17 NIV]

Of all the benefits I found in David’s song, Psalm 103, two stood out.  The first I wrote about yesterday, God’s wonderful name and character of compassion, grace, patience, love.  God doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, but instead made a way for us to be accepted as sons and daughters of the King. [vs 8-10]

The other one that makes my heart sing with joy is found in verse 17: “…from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him….”

Bob and I have been married 50 years.  For our anniversary celebration, I dug our wedding album out of the closet and put it on display for others to see.  One picture shows me with my maid of honor and my bridesmaids. I must admit, it took me a while to remember the names of two of my bridesmaids.  It was not until I looked at the front of the book where the wedding participants were listed that I remembered who they were.  They were friends 50 years ago, but we lost touch decades ago and even their names disappeared from my remembrance.

Psalm 103 tells me that God is never going to forget my name.  One day, eons into eternity, He is not going to see me, wonder who I am and need to be reminded by looking me up in the Book of Life.  “From everlasting to everlasting” my LORD will know me, love me, with the same intense, grace-giving love that He has had for me since before I was born.

Father, how unbelievable it is that You love me and know me, You know my name, my inmost thoughts and desires.  How unbelievable it is that in spite of all my failings, You not only love me, You want me!  I am blessed beyond belief.  Amen

I hope you Read Psalm 103 yesterday. I hope you found many benefits from God that have followed the course of your life. Two stood out in my heart. I found the first in verses 8-10: “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love…. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” [NIV]

As David writes his song, he remembers Moses’ pursuit of God in Exodus 34.  When God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock and passed in front of him, he declared His name and His character to Moses: “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness ….”

Moses would remind the Israelites of God’s declaration in Number 14:18. David also reminds us in his song. Our God abounds with compassion, grace, patience, and love. Because of that, he does not settle judgment on us immediately—as our sins deserve. Instead He invites us, even pursues us, to partake of the salvation obtained for us by His Son Jesus. He isn’t searching for ways to repay us according to our sins, but instead made a way to shower us with forgiveness and grace.

We must never forget what we truly deserve as sinners—judgment. At the same time, we must always remember God’s benefits that lifted us out of that judgment and made us sons and daughters of the King.

Father, may I never take your compassion, grace, patience, love and faithfulness for granted.  May I always remember that I am but a sinner saved by Your grace and now declared to be a daughter of the King. I can never repay You for all Your benefits to me.  Amen