Past Daily Devotionals

July 1, 2011

Luke 1:1-17

Sometimes, before you start something new or undertake a new project or system, much preparation is needed to make things ready. You do not just plant seeds into the ground and expect a farm to materialize. You would need to remove stones, till the earth, and set up fences to ward off stray animals and intruders before you could even start the planting process. Young "nations" are having the groundwork of democracy laid down. Only when the people understand what democracy is can a new system of government be established.

God knew this principle and made the necessary arrangements before sending His Son to earth as the Savior of the world. At the time of Jesus' birth, the people of Israel had been without a major or minor prophet for centuries. While there were a few faithful and righteous individuals in Israel, like Zechariah and Elizabeth in today's passage, for the most part God's people had lost their way and had forgotten about their role in redeeming humanity. While they became more spiritually sophisticated on the outside with the development of laws and orders like the Pharisees and Sadducees, they were also too spiritually numb to receive the Messiah. Something had to be done to reawaken them and till the earth of their hearts. For that purpose did God send John into the world.

Just as John prepared the way for Jesus' first coming, so are we supposed to prepare the way for Christ's second coming. Take some time to meditate on this passage and focus particularly on v. 16-17. As it says in those verses; it is our job to bring back many people to God, turn the hearts of fathers toward their children and turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous.

God in heaven, we put our hope in the day when Christ will come again. Help us prepare the way for the second coming of the Lord. Give us your power and Spirit, just as you gave to Elijah and John. Help us to stay blameless and pure that we would be worthy of being used in your service. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you… Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” (James 4:7 & 10)

How do we end the war within our heart? The peace plan in Scripture requires radical action, the spiritual equivalent of heart surgery: "submit yourselves to God— humble yourselves before the Lord." Our response to the sinful nature is not to focus on the evil itself but to direct our attention to God, who brings gracious transformation. Then we discover ways to submit and be humble; we reorient ourselves to God; we acknowledge our sin and seek the purification from God; we demonstrate our understanding of the gravity of sin by mourning its deadly effects. Then, we rest in the confidence that "He will lift us up" and we will have peace. Have you displayed a humble submission to God lately?

O Lord, I return to you and humbly ask that you would deal with me according to your great compassion. If I have spoken an unkind word or acted spitefully, convict me and grant me the humble heart to reconcile that relationship. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Summer means all kinds of wonderful things: flowers and bugs, leisure and fun, cookouts, trips to the campsite or beach, plays in the park, and best of all, vacation. It's time for us to lighten up both our clothing and work schedules. After a long year of school and work, we all need some rest and recreation. True recreation means not only to rest but also "RECREATE.” We take "time off" to rest and to be "re­created." It is actually a very holy and spiritual experience.

Some of us will go overseas and some to a quiet place locally. Others may stay where they are. Wherever we might be, let’s try to be renewed both physically and spiritually during this time of recreation. So we go on summer vacation with Jesus, never from Jesus. While enjoying some “fun” things, allow some time for yourself and your family to deepen your devotional life. That is to faithfully attend church either here at home or elsewhere when you are away, relish the "Word of Life" in Holy Scripture or plunge into private prayer. And don’t forget to include useful and spiritual books in your reading lists during this summer. 

The upcoming summer months can be such a time for rest and recreation. In our restful quiet, the Holy Spirit will work in and around us. Wherever you go, please take this Spirit of Jesus with you.

God bless you even in your “RECREATION”!  Have a great summer!!!

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love.” (Ephesians 3:16-17)

There is tremendous power in love. A tree will grow taller and stronger when its roots grow deep. In the same way, when you are rooted and established in love, you will be stronger and rise higher. But the question is how do we establish ourselves in love? It starts with a choice. When you say "yes" to love, you are saying "yes" to everything God is because God is love! Then, choose to operate in love according to 1 Corinthians 13. That means being patient and kind. It means not seeking your own way, not being jealous or boastful. When you choose love instead of choosing your own way, you are showing the world that God is first place in your life. You are establishing yourself in love. The more you choose to walk in love, the deeper and stronger your roots will grow. Remember, love is the greatest thing, and it is all that will last in eternity. 

Heavenly God, help us to be rooted and established in your love. Show us how to love others the way you love us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

A small child or baby learns new things by watching and copying. They like to mimic every sound or action others do. To them it's not only a fun game, but also an important element of growing up and maturing. Just like little children, we are all still imitators. So many people today end up imitating what they see on TV, in the news and magazines. But the Scripture tells us that we are to be imitators of God and follow God’s example of love. If you need to change your actions today, change what you are imitating. All you have to do is simply change your focus. The more you focus on the Word of God, the more you will imitate Christ. And when you do things God's way, you will get God's results--peace, joy and blessing all the days of your life!

God, I choose to set aside the things of the world and invite you to search my heart and mind. Give me your heart of love and let me be an example of your goodness. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matthew 4:19) 

If Jesus himself were to call you to follow him, eating and sleeping in his presence, listening to his word and teachings, would you? Would you drop everything and follow him? Those who did became fishers of men, "catching" souls for Christ. We marvel and wonder at what this life must have been like but perhaps we romanticize too much about a past that is also our present. No, Christ is no longer physically with us, but his presence and the Holy Spirit are with us all the same. We have the entire Bible, Hebrew Bible, gospels and epistles and prophecy books, all together for our edification and education. We have the power of prayer and a Lord that has promised to be with us until the end of all ages. So would you follow Christ if he were to call you today? Jesus calls to us in the same way he did when he walked this earth. He's looking for good men and women, obedient in spirit and humble in heart, to take the Gospel and build his Kingdom. Will you follow?

Heavenly God, show us your power, bless your people. Move in this world as your Church grows strong. Humble our hearts, give us courage. Lead us into the life of surrender. We are yours! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17)

When Jesus preaches, he's got this understanding and authority of Scripture that no one else has. After all he is the Son of God, but the more important point is that he knows God's heart and mind. He knows the principle upon which the laws are based, and he knows God's character and why God put them in place. When we lose sight of the why and focus solely on the how, it's too easy to become legalistic in our approach to the Law. In the end, we miss the point. Jesus understands the Law, and he has come to fulfill it-because we can't. It is only through Christ's perfect obedience that the requirements of the law will be fulfilled. Only then can we find salvation; it will not be through our achievement, but rather Christ's. Where we have failed, Christ will not. Our salvation is secure. May we learn to obey through sincere understanding.

Dear God, give us minds to understand and hearts to obey. We freely confess that we are sinners and we need your Spirit to help us. We pray that each day spent with you would make us more and more like Christ

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Is there something that you've done in your past that you're not particularly happy about. Have you ever made a choice that you regret and even feel guilty? The good news is that you don't have to live with that burden any longer. You can be free of guilt and condemnation. The Scripture tells us that God's mercies are new every morning. God is not ever going to run out of compassion and forgiveness. God is not ever going to say, "Well, this is the last time I'm going to give you mercy." No, you can have a new beginning every single day! If there is anything from the past that you may still be carrying, take a moment and call on God’s faithfulness and mercy. Ask for forgiveness. Let God refresh and restore your soul right now. Thank God for the work God is doing in your life and enjoy a fresh new beginning today!

Heavenly God, today I call on your mercy and grace. Help me let go of every single weight from the past. Thank you for hearing me and delivering me. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.” (Deuteronomy 28:1-3)

Living in obedience and integrity is the key that unlocks the door to God’s blessing. When you put God and God’s Word first place in your life, the Bible says you'll be blessed in the city and in the country. The Bible goes on to say that you will be so blessed wherever you go and that you will lend and not borrow. Do you see yourself living in that kind of abundance? See, God wants you to have more than enough to meet your needs and be a blessing to the people around you. So make room for God's blessing in your life. Live in obedience to God’s Word. Choose to follow his commands. As you do, you will rise up higher and live the abundant life God has for you!

God in heaven, thank you for your hand of blessing on my life. Help me to put you first in everything I do, walk in integrity and follow your commands so that I can honor you always. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

When you go through disappointments in life, it's easy to get discouraged. Things don't seem to make sense and you think, “Why did this happen to me?”  “Why did my loved one not make it?” “Why did this person treat me wrong?” “Why did I get laid off?” It seems that life is not fair. But we have to understand that even though life is not always fair, God is fair. God promises that God will work all things for our good. So don't just isolate one part of your life and say, “Well, this is not good.” “It's not good that my child got sick.” “It's not good that my relationship didn't work out.” Yes, that's true, but that's just one part of your life. God can see the big picture. That disappointment is not the end. Your life doesn't stop because of one setback. That is simply one piece of your puzzle. There is another piece coming to connect it all because God promises to work all things for your good!

Heavenly God, thank you for working all things for our good. Help us to get rid of any doubt, any frustration, and any confusion over our past. Help us to trust in you and see the big picture as we keep our minds stayed on you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

“As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him calling out, ‘Have mercy on us, Son of David!’ When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith let it be done to you’; and their sight was restored.” (Matthew 9:27-30a)

What is interesting at the beginning of this passage is that the two blind men followed Jesus, calling out to him, but Jesus did not stop to acknowledge them until he had gone indoors. It is almost as though Jesus is ignoring them as a test of their faith, to see how long they would continue to follow and call out to him. When they declare their belief in Jesus, he heals them according to their faith. The blind men went to great lengths to show their faith, and for that they were rewarded. Faith is required for God to move in our lives. We often lose faith when we do not see miracles happening or answers to our prayers. However, we must remember that lacking faith ensures that miracles never happen, so we must break out of the cycle and believe at all times.

Lord, give us great faith that we might see your miracles and wondrous acts in our midst and in the lives of those around us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Daily Devotion

Thursday, July 28, 2011

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7)

There are many fears that people have in this world. The list of documented phobias grows longer every year, with entries such as Islamophobia and Obamaphobia recently joining the list. But out of all the fears that exist in this world, only one is a valid and proper fear for believers to have, and that is the fear of God. By this, of course, it is not meant that people should be terrified of God or of Jesus. The Biblical definition of the fear of the Lord is quite different from the modern definition of fear or phobia. Jesus tells us not to fear those who persecute us (Mt. 10:28). He commands that we do not fear lack of provisions for our lives, for God will provide all that we need (Mt 10:29-30). Fearing God means understanding that our choices and actions have real spiritual consequences to them. Are you wrestling with any fears at the moment? Take time to pray against them and give them up to God. Ask God to replace your fears with faith and to give you a true fear for God alone.

Heavenly God, protect me from those who would harm or attack me. Give me grace to endure persecution for your name's sake. Take away any earthly fears in my heart, and may I fear you alone. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.