God Alone

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

“Come, come my friend. Get your god right here!” That’s what a vendor told our group as we walked past a gift shop on a recent trip to Turkey. We were at Pergamum, one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor mentioned in the book of the Revelation [2:12-17]. I was intrigued, so I stopped for just a moment, and sure enough, he had gods galore; little wooden statues, hundreds of them, representing a variety of so-called gods. 

In biblical times, and our own, people believed in a variety of gods - sun gods, moon gods, rain gods, war gods, et al. Paul was troubled at the many gods worshipped in Greece when he was in Athens, and later, Corinth [see Acts 17:16]. That’s why it is important to get it right about the GOD you say you serve. 

The Old and New Testaments emphasize the uniqueness of God — the One who is God by nature, not granted godhood at the whim of man. He is “above all,” emphasizing His sovereignty. He is “through all,” emphasizing His providential care. He is “in all,” emphasizing His personal, indwelling presence [Ephesians 4:6].

In His self-revelation to mankind, God revealed His uniqueness. And while there are many, here are just two examples:

Today, recognize and keep in mind that the LORD is God in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other [Deuteronomy 4: 39].

I am Yahweh, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will strengthen you, though you do not know Me, so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is no one but Me [Isaiah 45:5-6].

The God of the Bible (the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) is the only God deserving our worship. Like the Psalmist said, He’s the one we worship when we “enter His gates;” Acknowledge that Yahweh is God. He made us, and we are His—His people, the sheep of His pasture [Psalm 100:3].

When we revere God alone, we will be a powerful witness to the world.

There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for Him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life. 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

One, and Only One

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

“How many times do I have to tell you?” As a kid, how many times did you hear that one? As my Dad would say, “If I’ve heard it twice, I’ve heard it once.” (I think he got that from Yogi Berra.)

One—Unity. When God designed the “church,” He did so with unity in mind. Everything about the church is based on the unity of the believers. Paul understood it so well. When he wrote to the Ephesian Christ followers, he spoke about that oneness. In fact, in three verses in chapter 4, he used the word “one” seven times [4-6].

How many bodies are there? One.

How many Spirits are there? One.

How many hopes are there? One.

How many Lords are there? One.

How many faiths are there? One. 

How many baptisms are there? One.

How many Gods are there? One.

Now, any thinking person would say, “Wait a minute, there are many gods, many faiths, many spirits, etc,” and they would be right. But there is only ONE that matters. 

Let’s take the Body of Christ for example. How many Bodies of Christ are there? There isn’t a Baptist body, and a Methodist body, and a Calvary Chapel body, and a non-denominational body. Likewise, there isn’t a Covenant body, and a Pentecostal body, and a Calvinist body. Furthermore, there isn’t a U.S. body, and a Chinese body, and and African body. There is only one Body of Christ, THE Church!

Listen to this description by Paul to the Galatian Christ followers: “There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise” [Galatians 3:28-29]. 

The simple truth of Scripture is that if you are a Christ follower, you become one with every other Christ follower. Individually, we must live as a temple of the Holy Spirit [see 1 Corinthians 6:19], but collectively, the Holy Spirit is building a dwelling place for God, and each of us is part of the structure: “And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit,” Paul told the Ephesian Christ followers” [2:22].

Why are we one and only one? Because the One Spirit, who placed us [baptized] into the One Body [of Christ] dwells in us. He has given us one and only one hope at our calling, eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Christians are part of the same Body, with the same Spirit.

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6

Above and Beyond

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

By way of design, I usually write these devotions and then end them with an appropriate passage of Scripture. But today, I’ve chosen to quote the passage first thing…

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Will you do yourself a favor and reflect on those words for a moment or two, especially “able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think…” What an amazing description of the Lord’s ability to work in the life of a Christ follower!

But the truth is, we too often focus on what we want God to do around us, i.e. fix this problem, change that situation. If only He would do that, my life would be so much better. I believe with all my heart that He can change circumstances, but I also believe there is something bigger and better, He can change us.

Changing us is a matter of transformation from the inside out, and is typically a slow process; like a tree, it takes time to grow and mature its fruit. It takes time! That’s why we must exercise faith and patience. He is at work even when we don’t see immediate results. Why are we in such a rush anyway? God isn’t, and to top it off, He never gives up on growing us into the likeness of His dear Son, Jesus. 

God has a plan for your life and is working to achieve it, that’s true. But He also has an overarching goal — to conform every Christ follower to the image of Jesus Christ. That takes time and effort. It means living life with all its struggles and heartaches and, even when it doesn’t make sense to us, having complete confidence that God is doing exactly what needs to be done. 

Can you see it? The Lord is working in you. As you read His Word, look for the qualities He considers precious. Ask Him to transform you by working them out in your life. And then, be amazed at the realization that He is able to do “above and beyond” what you asked or imagined! 

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

No Excuses, Just Say YES!

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

When God opens a door of opportunity for you to serve Him, just say, “Yes.” Unfortunately, some Christ followers don’t respond that way. It could be something like being too busy, or not feeling qualified, or, God forbid, being too lazy. Sometimes, a Christ follower will close a door him/herself by some knee-jerk reaction before they have discovered if God wants them to go through it or not. 

Perhaps you’ve never thought of it this way, but in a sense, it is a form of idolatry—bowing down to your self-interest instead of bowing in submission to God. 

You need not worry about your qualifications. God takes care of that by uniquely gifting His servants according to His will. Furthermore, He saved us and gave us the Scriptures to bolster our ability to work for Him [see Ephesians 2:10; 2 Timothy 3:16-17]. “No” just doesn’t cut it; it doesn’t work. 

So do as the Psalmist said and, “Serve the Lord with gladness” [Psalm 100:2]. Serve Him as a godly parent. Serve Him as a friend who listens to those who are around you. Serve Him as a godly student on campus who refuses to go the way of the crowd. Don’t restrict what God can do through a willing helper. He will give you sufficient power and grace to overcome any human limitation. 

Not enough courage? That’s OK. God can heal you of anything! You have the Holy Spirit whose power was great enough to raise Jesus from the dead. That knowledge alone should help you overcome any fear.

Laying aside our excuses is the wisest thing we can do in serving the Lord. 

There’s an old Gospel song that says…

I’ll say, “Yes, Lord, yes,” to Your will and to Your way

I’ll say, “Yes, Lord, yes,” I will trust You and obey

When God’s Spirit speaks to me

With my whole heart I’ll agree

And my answer will be, “Yes, Lord, yes!”

He saved us not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. He poured out this Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by His grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-8

Pray, He is Faithful

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

I have been reading the Old Testament Prophets for the last several months. I have found myself particularly drawn to Jeremiah’s lament - Lamentations. I can’t think of another book that takes a reader from despair to hope so seamlessly. Despair came at the hand of the cruel Babylonians as its army crushed Jerusalem [chapter 2]. Hope came through the great affirmation of God’s enduring faithfulness to His people [3:22-23]. 

At first glance, one might think that God did not hear Jeremiah’s lament because it seems so negative. For anyone who comes to that conclusion, I’d ask you to read it again. There is hope because God keeps His covenant with His people.

Lamentations closes with a prayer, and right off we see that Jeremiah believed the relationship between God and Judah remained, even though it was severely strained by the sins of the people. And think about it for a moment, if the possibility of reconciliation were not possible, what’s the point of his prayer? God’s covenant relationship was strained, certainly. Snuffed out, NEVER!

That is the point of the prayer’s conclusion. “Bring us back…unless You have rejected us” [5:21-22]. Jeremiah’s prayer hinged on one little word, unless. It’s not a condition as some might think. It really points to God’s faithfulness. Jeremiah was profoundly aware of the blessing to Abraham’s seed forever [Genesis 12:1-3]. Now, he’s talking with God about it. “You’re not going back on Your word, are You? You haven’t forgotten Your promise, have You? You’re not willing to abandon us now, so unless You’ve reneged on Your promise, bring us back!” 

Prayer is a vital sign that our relationship with God is secure. When we call out to God, praying with sincerity, acknowledging our sins, resting in His mercy, it demonstrates we are in His hand. It is hopeful. We are not defined by our past or present sins but have “bright hope for tomorrow.” Yes, it’s confidence that the best is yet to come. 

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

Great is thy faithfulness

Great is thy faithfulness

All I have needed thy hand hath provided

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

LORD, restore us to Yourself, so we may return; renew our days as in former times, unless You have completely rejected us and are intensely angry with us. Lamentations 5:21-22

He Is Lord

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

"He is Lord." We sing it, and sometimes say it, but do we believe it and live it? Some consider those words to be the first confession of the early Christ followers [see Romans 10:9]. In the Apostolic Age, many were killed when they confessed it, refusing to say, “Caesar is Lord.” Jesus is the Lord of Christ followers for the simple reason He purchased us; therefore, we owe Him our allegiance. 

The Apostle Paul taught this using the ancient slave market to make his point. In his time, slaves were bought and sold daily. When a slave was purchased, he came under the full authority of the master who bought him. That’s the idea of Christ’s lordship. He owns us because He purchased us by paying the ransom price—His precious blood [1 Peter 1:17-19]. But unlike cruel slave masters, the Lord’s “yoke is easy,” and His “burden is light” [Matthew 11:28-30].

It’s one thing to say that Jesus is your Savior, it’s quite a different thing to say He is your Lord. But please hear me, it borders heresy to believe that Jesus could be your Savior without being your Lord as well. We must confess that Jesus is Lord not only with our mouths, but also with our lives—proving He is your Lord by doing His will. To think otherwise is foolishness. Jesus taught us that great truth when He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven” [Matthew 7:21].

One of my Bible College professors was fond of saying, “We are not at our own disposal. As slaves, we do not have the right to live according to our own pleasure.” That’s the way of the unregenerate. They are determined to live by their own rules, to pursue self-fulfillment at any cost. As Christ followers, we are determined to live God’s way, and repent when we fail to do so. If you sing, or say, “He is Lord,” then live in obedience under His lordship. 

You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.  1 Corinthians 6:19b-20

The House of the Lord

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Question: If you could visit any place, where would it be? I’ve been to about 60 countries and can tell you there are some awesome places on this sphere we call Earth. If you like beaches, you might choose Trunk Bay on St. John’s Island in the Caribbean, or North Shore’s Waimea Bay on O’ahu. If you’re a history fanatic, you might choose Athens, Rome, Jerusalem, Versailles or Berlin. Nature lovers might choose the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, the Swiss Alps, or Death Valley. For those most adventurous of you, how about an out-of-this-world experience, like a trip to Mars!

When King David pondered this, he had a deeper thought in mind. He would choose to be in “the house of the Lord,” (at that time, a tent Tabernacle) for one day than nearly three years any place else (a thousand days).

No wonder he was a man after God’s heart. He would choose to be with the Lord in the place where people can enjoy God’s special presence, where the human heart is truly satiated. He would rather be a door keeper there than to live in a tent of the ungodly. John Calvin writes, “He would rather be cast into a common and unhonored place, provided he were among the people of God, than exalted to the highest rank of honor among unbelievers.” 

Those who choose worldly things just don’t understand why someone would choose this. Why would anyone want a lowly position with God rather than the prestige of their culture, they ask. The Psalmist responds, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly [Psalm 84:11]. We’re blessed beyond measure [84:12].

Now I’ll ask it again, where in the world would you like to be?

What we do for Christ has eternal value. The last stanza of the famous poem, Only One Life, by Charles Studd says, 

Only one life twill soon be passed, 

Only what’s done for Christ will last. 

The world is alluring, sure, but it is fleeting and will pass away. But God’s household will remain. 

Better a day in Your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be at the door of the house of my God than to live in the tents of wicked people.  Psalm 84:10

Amazing Grace

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Wherever Paul traveled, he wrote and spoke extensively about grace — God’s undeserved favor. He was fully aware of the controlling power of sin - by his own admission, he was the worst of sinners [1 Timothy 1:15] - and the freedom that comes through faith in Christ [Romans 5:1; 8:1].

That freedom breaks the power that sin has over us, and we become spiritually alive. Our new life is comparable to receiving a heart transplant [Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 5:17], changing citizenship [Philippians 3:20], and moving to a new country [Colossians 1:13].

God’s grace is the most powerful, life-changing force in the world today. If it were a commodity being sold, who in this world could afford it? That’s right, no one. That’s why God offers His grace as a free gift. We are saved by grace through faith [Ephesians 2:8]. Our life is removed from the mire of sin and placed on the immovable Rock, Jesus Christ [1 Corinthians 10:4]. From then on, we live in the everlasting grace He has provided us.

“Amazing Grace! how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”

And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification. Since by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.  Romans 5:15-18

Stand for Truth

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

I’m neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet. I don’t speak prophetically. But it doesn’t take prophetic credentials to understand that the world is putting pressure on Christians and Christianity like never before. We see it more outside of our great country, but don’t think for a minute that we are, or will be, exempt from demonic hatred. 

In history past, some have been martyred for their faith, while others were willing to hold tenaciously to the truth despite threats to their lives and livelihood. While not losing their lives, they had the same single-minded devotion to Christ that the martyrs had. 

Allow me to tell you about one such character, Athanasius. He was the bishop of Alexandria.

He battled the heresy of Arianism, named after a well known theologian in the church. Arias taught that the Son of God was not fully God, but a godlike creature—God’s first creation. According to Arianism, “there was a time when the Son was not.” However, Athanasius continued declaring that the Son is homoousious (the same essence) with the Father, therefore fully God in His own right.

Holding to that truth came at a cost. His bishopric lasted 45 years (from 328-373), of which over 17 were spent in exiles ordered by four different Roman rulers.

I am grateful for his strong defense of orthodoxy. He stood against heretics in the church and the power of Rome, thereby helping us understand what Scripture teaches about Jesus.

I hope this short eDevotion will encourage you to stand for the truth of God’s Word even if it is costly. I am praying to that end. Keep a loose grip on the things of this world that you never abandon your first love, Jesus—God in human flesh!

If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. John 15:18

Medicinal Joy

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

People unfamiliar with the Bible are likely to be familiar with the first half of Proverbs 17:22 - A joyful heart is good medicine. Not too long ago, I read a study that said cheerful people live longer than perpetually grumpy or unhappy people. Studies come out with that kind of message all the time. 

Research confirms what God’s people have known for ages. There are benefits for those who live joyfully. I’m not talking about frivolity or party-time, and I’m certainly not referring to an attitude that ignores the difficulties of life. Concerning this Proverb, Matthew Henry wrote that a joyful heart “means a heart rejoicing in God, and serving him with gladness, and then taking the comfort of outward enjoyments and particularly that of pleasant conversation.” In other words, medicinal joy is found first in the Lord and then in the simple pleasures of life.

The second half of the Proverbs indicates there is an opposite of a joyful heart: “a broken spirit [that] dries up the bones [bones referring to the whole person]. A joyful heart is beneficial to the whole person, a broken spirit is not—it wrings you up and dries you out.

There is no pretense in a joyful heart. It doesn’t pretend all is well. It will grieve at the appropriate times [see Ecclesiastes 3:1-4; 7:2], all the while possessing a deep, enduring peace. A joyful heart is not always characterized with a smile, but even while experiencing difficult circumstances, it is confident that an “absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory” is being prepared for it [2 Corinthians 4:17].

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

The School of Faith

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Jesus was the Master Teacher. He spent a little over 3 years with His disciples, and a lot of His teaching was about faith. Think about it for a moment, they had Jesus for an instructor and the Holy Scriptures as a textbook. They would certainly need faith for the tasks ahead of them.

He used a variety of teaching methods, sometimes giving them verbal instructions, and sometimes dramatic demonstrations; like healing the sick, casting out demons, feeding thousands of people with only a handful of ingredients, calming an angry sea. He even tested them from time to time to see if they got it—that He was the announced Messiah of Israel. 

At times, it seems like they got it, and at other times, they failed miserably. Like the time Jesus calmed the sea and then asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” [Mark 4:40]. His objective was to firmly establish their faith. They would need faith to accomplish the tasks He would assign them to do.

We need faith because God has things He wants us to do as well. And trust me on this, you don’t have to wait until you have “great faith” in order to accomplish the godly tasks before you. Since you are growing in Christ, so is your faith. Therefore, He uses us only to the degree that we trust Him.

An ever-growing faith is essential in the life of a Christ follower. And just as He did with the disciples, He still uses two primary means to develop our faith: Scriptures and tests. We must believe what the Scriptures tell us about God; who He is and what He can do, especially about the Savior He sent. And tests are designed to stretch us, and cause us to rely on God instead of ourselves. 

It’s the beginning of a new year. Have faith in God.

Then Peter remembered and said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that You cursed is withered.” Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God.” Mark 11:21-22

His Presence - Priceless

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

As this New Year begins, let’s be wise to reexamine our hearts with regards to prayer. Maybe a couple of questions will get us thinking in the right direction. First, do you pray regularly? Second, do you hurry through your prayer time in order to get to other things? 

If those questions hit close to home, then I have two words for you: Safeguard, and Stillness. When I think of safeguarding time to pray, my first thoughts go to Jesus. He was constantly surrounded by people as He went through His day. Yet He also understood that after intense periods of ministry, He needed solitude and seclusion so that He could rest in the Spirit, focus on His Father, and build up His strength. Even when people clamored for Him, He safeguarded His prayer time, knowing that His ministry would flow from it.

What may be even harder than safeguarding your time, is what you do with it. Often we say a quick, cute prayer then turn again to the work at hand. That’s where stillness comes to bear. A passage in Psalms makes it clear, “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” [Psalm 46:10 NASB]. Many translations say, “Be still.” 

That’s great advice. Stop everything! Simply let your soul be aware of God’s presence. The Psalmist described it as a “weaned child,” perfectly at rest and happy in its Mother’s arms. 

Safeguard and Stillness. If you make these a priority in prayer, you will reap vast benefits. Sure, it’s a challenge. But when you quiet yourself before the Lord, and spend precious time with Him, you’ll be amazed to discover how much you need His presence. It is a priceless gift!

LORD, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I do not get involved with things too great or too difficult for me. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself like a little weaned child with its mother; I am like a little child. Psalm 131:1-2 [HCSB]

A Worthy Walk

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

When I was a kid, my brother and I would sing duets from time to time in church. He was really good. Me, not so much. We sang a lot of Southern Gospel songs, one of which was Keep Walking. The chorus went like this:

You’ve got to keep walking, keep walking

Walking in the light of the Lord

You’ll get to heaven someday

Better get in the right way

Walking in the light of the Lord

© James Thomas Tucker, Tennessee Music Co.

Walking is a term in the New Testament that represents the Christian life. It simply means your day-by-day lifestyle or conduct. We’re not left to imagine what that walk is to be like. There are many references to it. We are to walk…

In newness of life - Romans 6:4

According to His commandments - 2 John 6

In good works - Ephesians 2:10

In pleasing God - 1 Thessalonians 4:1

(to name a few)

My attention is drawn to a statement by Paul to the Ephesian Christ followers - to “walk worthy” of your calling. Is that even possible? I must say, “Yes,” but only as you yield to the strength given to you by the Holy Spirit. Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they may “be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit” [Ephesians 3:16], and “filled with all the fullness of God” [3:19]. In other words, we must live by divine resources, not grit our teeth and try really hard!

You’ll never walk worthy by merely attending a Sunday Worship Service. And, it’s impossible to walk worthy without prayer and Bible Study. If that is your lifestyle, and you have an inkling of a desire to walk worthy, you will be a very frustrated Christ follower. 

It’s a New Year. I can think of no greater desire than to walk worthy. Commit your day-by-day life to Christ. Trust in His strength. Besides, why would you want to motor through life on your own power when you can live by the power of God? You can walk worthy, but it is possible only by depending on God’s resources.

Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1 [HCSB]

Straight Paths

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Wisdom, the book of Provers explains, is often based on simple observations of the world around us. For example, in chapter 6 it says we can observe the ant and gain wisdom. I’ve stated it rather mildly, though. What we actually read is, “Go to the ant, you slacker!” [6:6 HCSB]. Or, “Go to the ant, you sluggard!” [NIV, KJV]. But nature is not only way it says we gain wisdom. In fact, true wisdom only begins with a knowledge of the Holy; “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding”  [9:10]. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 is one of the many passages that makes this crystal clear. It calls for more that intellectual acknowledgment of God. In all things we are to trust Him wholeheartedly. The idea here is to walk with the Lord and let His wisdom come to bear as we motor through life.

To “not lean on your own understanding,” makes for straight paths. Matthew Henry commented, “Those that put themselves under a divine guidance shall always have the benefit of it. God will give them that wisdom which is profitable to direct, so that they shall not turn aside into the by-paths of sin, and then will himself so wisely order the event that it shall be … for their good. Those that faithfully follow the pillar of cloud and fire shall find that though it may lead them about it leads them the right way and will bring them to Canaan at last.”

Let’s be honest here. The paths of life often seem winding and bumpy — to us, that is. But with God, the paths are straight and smooth because they take us exactly where He wants us to be. That circuitous path, with all its twists and turns, was perfectly straight in the mind of the Lord. We must acknowledge Him in all of our ways, and let His wisdom come to bear, in order to see that. 

The next time you feel as if you are wandering, remember that if you are trusting in God, He is guiding you on His straight path.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6 [NIV]

The Spirit Filled Mind

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

If I said to you, “Watch out, there’s a war going on,” you’d probably say, “Well duh, and name off a number of cities or countries where groups of people are clashing at this very moment. That’s true, but its not the war I’m thinking about. I’m referring to a spiritual war that rages for the control of our minds. My concern is that many Christ followers don’t recognize the devastation that is caused when we fail to win the battle for the mind. It inevitably leads to a life of defeat.

It’s a shame that so many Christ followers live in defeat, especially since we have received every spiritual blessing when we have Christ [see Ephesians 1:3]. That’s because Christ, when He ascended to the right hand of God the Father Almighty, sent the Holy Spirit not only to be with us, but to live in us. 

He is like a spiritual trainer who helps to build up our minds to see that, with Christ, we are greater than the enemy [1 John 4:4], to help us focus on the right things [see Philippians 4:8], to chose the best [see Matthew 5:3-11], to reject the ungodly [see Galatians 5:19-21] — and so much more!

The Spirit filled life begins with God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to all who make Christ their Savior and Lord. It continues as we diligently resist temptation and yield to His control. 

It’s the beginning of a new year, so treat yourself with a gift. Get rid of that stubborn, independent mind and take on the Spirit filled mind, the yielded-to-God kind of mind. The longer we are led by the Spirit, the more sensitive we are to His warnings about temptation, and the greater our strength to win the battle for the mind.

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.  Romans 8:5-8 [HCSB]

A Man After God’s Heart

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

When I go to Arizona, one of my favorite things to do is to go to Tombstone and Boot Hill. Boot Hill is an old cemetery. While many of the graves are marked with only stick crosses or stones, there are some very interesting headstones.

One headstone reads:

Here lies Salty O’Tate

Hanged by mistake

He was right

We were wrong

We strung him up

And now he’s gone

Another reads:

Here lies Les Moore

4 slugs from a 44

No Les

No Moore

It’s not uncommon to read things like “Devoted Brother and Friend,” or “Loving Mother” on headstones today. But thinking ahead, what would you want someone to read etched on your tombstone? What epitaph would summarize the best part of your life?

In the book of Acts, we discover how King David was remembered. Paul preached a sermon to a Jewish group and mentioned David, a man well known to that audience. He went on to say that God removed one king and replaced him with another, David, “a man after My own heart.”

What a remarkable statement!

But what does it mean actually? Commentators wax eloquently on what it means to have a heart like David’s, but I’ve found God’s comment on it to be the best. God said, “He will do everything I want him to do!”

Simple, yet profound. Whatever God wanted of David, he was all in. The question of the day is “What about you?” What would it take for you to be called a man or woman after God’s heart? Would it require the removal of some activities or behaviors? Would it require something to be added? 

It’s the beginning of a New Year. There’s no better time to start making adjustments in your life than right now. Ask God for help. Be committed to make this epitaph the goal of your life.

After removing Saul, [God] made David their king. He testified concerning him: “I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” Acts 13:22