Devotions
There is no doubt, wickedness is on the increase in our day. Greed, corruption, deceit, hatred, envy, have become daily themes. Some would argue that these vices have always been there, and indeed they have. However, they are cyclical and right now they are on the increase. These vices are like a mark on the wheel of culture. They go up and then down. In this season the mark is up.
Have you ever wondered about the events that will signal the end of the world? With all the commotion happening across the globe and in our lives, many people are beginning to wonder whether this is it. Is it? I cannot say definitively whether the invasion of locusts in Africa, the global pandemic, the earthquakes in various parts of the world and the general chaos of world systems signal the end. I doubt that there is anyone, except God himself, who can (Matthew 24:36). What I can say is that we should all pay attention. It is definitely a signal (Matthew 24:32). God, in his loving kindness, always sends his children a signal, prior to any judgment (The flood-Genesis 6-8; The Exodus-Exodus 8-12; …).
Have you ever had to wait for something? Waiting is especially difficult when the need is great. Throughout my ministry, there have been times when I have experienced delays and interruptions and could not go forward with a mission that I believed was God-ordained. I had to wait. This 2020 lockdown for instance, has meant that many of us have had to wait. Some have had to wait on employment, unemployment subsidies, mission trips, to re-open businesses, to celebrate birthday parties, graduation parties, weddings, and other family gatherings. Waiting as we can see from the nation’s angst, takes a special kind of grace. Yet, during my times of waiting, I discovered the gift of trust, rest, and spiritual growth (Proverbs 3: 5-6).
In this era of hashtags, taglines, and catchy headlines it is easy to be deceived. Deception is not just reserved for unbelievers; believers are fair game as well. In fact, when it comes to false teachings, philosophies, and ideologies, it is only the Holy Spirit who can help us discern the truth. Writing about false prophets and false teachers, the writer of the gospel of Matthew states in Matthew 24:24, “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Yes, that is right, even God’s very elect can be deceived. That’s you, me, and everyone else who calls Jesus, Lord and Savior.
Let me start with a confession. On more than one occasion, I have ignored my check engine light. Yes, that is the warning system that the experienced car manufacturer deemed necessary, to warn a clueless driver like me, that there might be a possible malfunction in the vehicle. What I have noticed through my years of driving, is that when the light first goes on, my concern is heightened, and I feel a sense of urgency to find out what the problem is and fix it. However, the longer I ignore the light, and the further I drive without a serious consequence, the less urgent it seems to me. Yet clearly, that warning system was installed for a purpose and if that light could speak audibly, it would say, “Hey you! Something is wrong, fix it!”
As I reminisce about my childhood, I am reminded of that warm comforting feeling I got every time I leaned on my mother’s chest. I would listen to her heartbeat, and something about that steady LUBB and DUB sound made me feel completely at ease. No matter what else might have been going on, in that moment of leaning I experienced love, protection, serenity, and certainty. As our world continues to spin faster and faster with distressing headlines and protests and riots and hardships, I have found myself longing for that deep sense of certainty and maybe you have too. But who will you lean on when everyone is in the same boat?
I watched the video of George Floyd’s murder in horror. My heart hurt; for him, for his mother, for all the mother’s who have to relive the horror of their children’s murders, and for all the black people who were reminded once again, in such brutal fashion, that their lives are worthless. And I also hurt for all the well-meaning people (of all races) in this nation, and around the world who find this moment unacceptable and too agonizingly barbaric for words. George Floyd was a child of God, fearfully and wonderfully made, in the image of God (Psalm 139: 14; Genesis 1:27) and he deserved to live. We all deserve to live because we are made in the image of the Almighty God. How can we claim to love God if we hate our brother?
The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 118:6 Have you ever been terrified; utterly and completely terrified? The environment we live in today leaves a lot of room for terror. The whole world seems to be unraveling in slow motion, right before our eyes. The systems we relied on are being systematically deconstructed; the values we held to as a nation and as a world, now sound hollow and shriveled like deflating balloons running out of gas, and pain, hatred and anger smolder dangerously beneath the surface of many human interactions. In times like these, what should a believer do? Fortunately, we do not have to guess. The Bible provides answers to all the dilemmas we face today and will ever face in the future and the Holy Spirit provides the power we need to live peaceful lives despite the storm.
What worries you today? What has robbed you of your peace, and the opportunity to sit at Jesus’ feet? Grab a pen and paper and write down your list: Is it the uncertainty of life surrounding you? Rebellious kids? Homeschooling? The loss of employment? Your shrinking retirement investment? Fear regarding your health as a result of COVID-19? To many Zoom meetings? What is it that keeps you awake at night?
It is Mother’s Day here in America! Today we celebrate all mothers. We celebrate all the women who occupy that maternal role in our lives. We celebrate biological mothers, adoptive mothers, and spiritual mothers. In the midst of this pandemic, our mothers are the bright light, and the sweet fragrance that infuses our lives with gratitude as we remember all that they have done for us and all that they are to us. Today, many will honor their mom in a special way, with a beautiful card, flowers, chocolate, perfume, a special gesture such as breakfast in bed, or with free time, to do whatever she wishes.
The journey to Emmaus was both a physical and spiritual journey. Prior to this journey, so much had happened concerning Jesus, that it is no surprise that the two apostles were talking about these events. In fact, this is exactly what humans do when unusual things happen. We talk, and then talk some more. Right now, the whole world is talking about the Corona Virus; what exactly is it, where did it come from, and when will a cure be found…. Unfortunately, in the midst of talking the apostles failed to recognize, that Jesus had come up and was walking alongside them.
What would you do if you had a lion breathing down your neck? Think about it for moment and be honest. I know what I would do. It’s probably not the sensible thing to do, I would try to evade the lion. I would run from it, hide, or climb a tree. I would do something, anything, to ensure there was sufficient distance between me and the lion. This would be me in the flesh, trying to save my own skin.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many countries into a lockdown situation. Being in lockdown, means that everyone, except for essential services, must stay-at-home. While some may cherish this slow-down to life’s usual frantic pace, there are those who are finding this change of rhythm challenging. The internet is filled with cat-videos, and dog videos and exercise videos and distance learning videos and … you get the drift, as people try to pass the time “till things get back to normal”. I find myself wondering though, what does God expect of me at a time like this?
By now, we’ve all got the corona drill down pat: Wash your hands; Don’t touch your face; Stay at home; If you must go out, keep a safe distance from others; Cough away from people or into your elbow; If you have symptoms, wear a mask, quarantine yourself, then call your doctor. But how many of us are listening to what God is saying?
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1 If you’ve ever gone camping or hiking in some remote wilderness, you will understand that there are unseen dangers in the wilderness. Depending on where you go, you could encounter grizzlies, snakes, lions, or a bad fall with no help nearby. The world as we know it today is an explorer’s paradise, with many tempting scenes just waiting for the lone adventurer.
Have you ever felt inadequate, less than, not enough? I think that many people feel this way at some point in their lives. I remember my own sense of inadequacy when the Lord called me to establish Esther’s Hope Ministries. I balked. The voice inside my head kept reminding me, that I was not enough. I was not experienced enough, educated enough or talented enough to establish and manage a ministry. After much struggle and resistance to the Lord’s bidding, the LORD revealed to me two distinct truths:
If there’s ever been a time when we needed to test the spirits, it is now. We live in an age when we can no longer be gullible and undiscerning. As the writer of this first letter of John points out, false prophets have already gone out into the world. These false prophets are exactly that, false. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15), mimicking the real thing, if we are not careful, we too will be deceived (Matthew 24:24). These are the messengers who say one thing and yet do another, or they say one thing today and the exact opposite the next day. Do not trust them no matter how convincing they sound or no matter how large their following. The bible exhorts us to judge them, not by their “sweet syrupy words” but by their fruit (Matthew 7: 15-20). After all words are cheap.
s too little to feed such a huge crowd, but it’s all I have,” or he may have thought, “If anyone can multiply this food, Jesus can.” I guess we’ll never know what the young man was thinking that day. What we do know are the critical thoughts of the adults around him, “…, but how far will they go among so many?” That crowd was huge, five thousand strong, and the little boy’s offering painfully small. But God! This was the perfect setting for a miracle
From the creation of the world, everything has been in flux. Nothing remains the same. The environment changes, relationships change, societies change, we change, everything changes, except… the character of God. It’s only January and I have run into countless acquaintances and friends who are experiencing painful seasons in their lives. They were looking forward to 2020 with great hope, but circumstances changed swiftly and now despair beckons.
