Devotions
The storming of the Capitol building in Washington DC, this past week was shocking. It caused the whole world to pause and take notice. Many people understood that if this could happen in America, then it could happen anywhere. Following the rampage, you may be experiencing a lot of mixed emotions. Perhaps, you feel bewildered, disoriented, lost, sad, unclear, uncertain, and even afraid. The foundations we thought would hold firm have crumbled and fear has come to roost.
God is With You!
The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”
As a new year begins, many might be wondering what is in store for them. Others are hoping for a return to what was. These words spoken by the prophet Zephaniah encourage us not to look back or wonder helplessly about the future but to look forward with certain anticipation of God’s perfect plan for us. God’s plan assures us of his Presence, his delight, and his joy. We can be certain that no matter what transpires in this New Year, he is with us.
God is with you, as “a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24b).
God delights in you as he waits to claim you as his future bride ((Isaiah 62:4b).
God rejoices over you with singing as a loving parent cradles and sings over a child, he loves.
(Isaiah 66:13)
As God rejoices in us, we can rejoice in him knowing that we are no longer under any condemnation but are reconciled to Him through the death of his Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And we can give thanks and be glad as we face the future in the knowledge that our God is good, and his mercy endures forever (Psalm 118:1).
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your ever-loving Presence in my life. Thank you for the assurance of your protection over me. I commit this New Year to you. Guide me Holy Spirit and teach me to abide in you. AMEN!
There is a right time for everything under the sun (Ecclesiastes 3: 1a). The writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes makes this truth plain to every believer. Sometimes we are impatient in our timing and sometimes we are slackers, but God is always on time. Every word, every prophecy, and every revelation happens in the fullness of his time. Often in our folly we try to manipulate God through prayer and other means, insisting on our own outcomes, only to discover that God is Sovereign over every situation in our lives and he does what he has purposed based on his divine and perfect will for us.
Thank you God for the sun, the moon, the stars, the sky, the earth with its rich vegetation, the deep mysterious forests, the majestic blue ocean, the lakes and rivers teeming with sea-life, the birds of the air, and the vast array of animals of every size and color. Who are we that you care for us?
In most cases, a crisis is something that draws humanity together. Consider the terrorist attacks of 9/11 or the many floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters that have occurred in our lifetime, humanity banded together, time and again and got through it. 2020 is different. Almost every major crisis, has driven a wedge between people and groups of people. Family members have been split apart by politics; social classes have been driven further apart by the economy; COVID-19 has created division between those who wear masks and those who do not, and even the church has not been spared. There are schisms between those who believe COVID is real and infectious, and those who feel that their faith will protect them…, and on and on it goes.
Mother Teresa was well known for living a life that exuded the love of Jesus Christ and for making powerful statements about love. One that comes to mind today, states: “It’s not about how much you do, but how much love you put into what you do that counts. ”This sentiment echoes the words of the apostle Paul to the Corinthian church. The greatest spiritual attribute any of us could ever have is love.
Our Father, you alone are Sovereign over all the affairs under heaven and on earth. No one can thwart your divine plans (Job 42:2; Isaiah 14:27).
Before time was you were and after time is passed, you will be, eternal God. Indeed, as your word says, you are the Alpha and the Omega (Rev 22:13), the one and only true God and we worship you, O King of Glory.
Lord we bow before your throne today to ask for your forgiveness. We, your people who are called by your name have created a mess down here, O LORD. We have participated in tearing the heart of our nation (2 Chronicles 7:14).
In her book the Armor of God, Priscilla Shirer, notes that many people tend to see everyday problems in non-spiritual terms, and because of that we often seek non-spiritual solutions. What we fail to understand is that the devil is real, and spiritual warfare is the occupation of every born-again believer. As one preacher put it, “As it is in the natural, so it is in the spiritual.”
Gardeners are familiar with that anticipatory period of waiting between planting the seed and seeing signs of the first shoot peeking through the soil, and then waiting some more before the crop is ready for harvest. During the waiting period, the plant roots go deep, reaching for the moist, nutrient rich soil below. During this time, the growing plant becomes sturdy and strong and more likely to survive any harsh elements above ground. All the gardener can do is wait, and hope.
It has been quite a while since the COVID-19 pandemic descended on our world, wreaking untold upheaval upon humanity. Perhaps you have been personally impacted by the death of a loved one, the loss of income, the onset of depression due to prolonged isolation, or in some other negative way. In times, like these, it can be difficult to see the goodness of God.
Sir Winston Churchill once said: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” In Exodus Chapter 1 and 2, we read of a terrible and horrifying story about a king who exhibited paranoia and spread baseless fear among his people. He was a king without love. He was the kind of king who cunningly set out to destroy the Hebrews who lived in Egypt. According to the story this new king, who came to power in Egypt, “knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done (Exodus 1:8b).” He did not do any fact finding, or ask any questions, instead he gave in to his primal instinct and decided to oppress the Israelites who lived in Egypt. He then gave an order of genocide. He instructed that all the Hebrew male children should be killed, for the mere reason that they had grown too numerous.
In challenging times like these, God expects the believer to rise up to the challenge of discipleship. But how can the believer live the life God intended with all the mounting pressures swirling around? Wherever you turn, there is temptation: temptation to judge, temptation to criticize, temptation to share misinformation and outright lies…you name it, it is there. I do not know about you, but quite often, I feel inadequate to live the Christian life. No matter how hard I try to be perfect, failure is a daily theme.
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.
