All in Daily Devotion
We talk quite a bit about having new life, or being transformed, as if we have no active part in achieving these things, But both require effort from us. It is true that these are founded on, and sparked by Jesus Christ, but we have a role to play in making our new life happen. In other words, Jesus makes them possible, starts them in motion, and abides in us, but we must accept Him, and working with the Holy Spirit, bring them to life in ourselves.
Why is it that sin is so prevalent in man? How did one sin multiply to fill us so completely? Our obsessions begin with a single glance, and our sins in the same way; what starts out small, and seemingly innocent, grows into something monstrous. Don’t those little sins pick at us until we are covered with tiny sores that eventually join to become one large festering mess?
Do we honor Jesus in all we say and do? Is everything in our life focused on bringing glory to God? What is it that draws us from slumber and makes us eager to face each day? In this time of COVID-19 it is hard to envision our life being as spiritually robust as it once was, but this virus is a bodily scourge, and doesn’t actually attack our spiritual health. When our body is ill, our minds wrought by fever, or our heart sinks in mourning and disillusionment, let the Holy Spirit encourage hope and expectation in our spirit so that we will bring honor to Jesus each day, and glorify God... in both life, and death alike.
What is the value we place on spending an eternity at God’s table with Jesus; or for that matter, for the salvation of our very souls? What earthly price would we be willing to pay so that we could sing out “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty” with the heavenly host forever? Man has sought eternity in thought and word since Adam, and yet when it comes right down to paying the price of our admission, we falter, and chose worldly things over the eternal salvation of our souls. How much is too much for you to pay?
How well are we at bridling our tongues? We might control whether we tell lies, or slander someone, but have we gained control over speaking foul words, profanity, or God forbid, taking the Lord’s name in vain? We know these words, so they have already tainted us to some degree, and we hear them spoken daily in common conversation, so we are tempted to use them ourselves. Since this is one way that a Christian is perceived by those around him, let’s ask ourselves... “Have I dirtied, and stained my cloak of righteousness with the filthy words I speak?”
In scripture we find the concept of judging to be a hard one to grasp; on the one hand we are told to judge all things, and on the other we are told to judge not lest we be judged. Has this difficult question ever presented itself to you? Did you walk away perplexed, and without a good resolution?
No man has seen God, so how is it that we know of Him? Without ever having laid our eyes on Him how do we not only know that He exists, but of His character, and what his will is for us? Knowing God has been the quest of mankind for thousands of years, and through certain men at particular times we have received glimpses into Him. In old testament days it was through Noah, Abraham, Moses, prophets, priests, and the kings, but today we know Him through Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
How often do we pray the Lord’s Prayer? Do we pray it so frequently that we now mouth the words without thinking about each and every one that we are praying, and no longer seek its full meaning with our hearts? Memorization can breed familiarization, and when we become overly familiar with something we tend to lose the intensity of our feeling for it. Favorite scriptures can start out this way; we commit them to memory because we are moved by them, but as the years go by we find ourselves simply reciting them, and no longer visiting their deeper meaning. Do you feel yourself slipping into such familiarity?
Are you feeling out of sorts in this time of COVID-19? You say that you aren’t depressed, and you aren’t anxious, yet you Still feel differently? You say that your energy is gone, you just can’t seem to get started in the morning, and even the good news you hear in life doesn’t seem to be enough? Well, I was listening to a good friend talk about feeling this way yesterday, and it dawned on me that what She was describing was quite simply hopelessness. She was feeling an ebb in her ability to hope, but remember; we serve the God of hope! So I ask that each of us consider this question… “When was the last time I prayed for hope?“
Do you seek God, and follow after Jesus Christ like a runner who sweats and remains nearly out of breath as he runs to stay up with the others in a race, or do you simply run because you must? There are many things that motivate us to seek after God, so ask yourself what it is about finding Him that keeps you running when you are nearly out of breath, seeking when your legs grow weak, and Following after Him when most would faint, or give up from sheer exhaustion. The Church of Christ is full of runners, but what motivates each of them to run?
Do we proudly walk in our faith? Do we claim that our righteousness has made us more worthy than others to receive God’s reward, and to be blessed by Him? No, the truth is that all we are, and everything we might have, has sprung from the grace of God. The story of the Apostle Paul teaches us this more than any other story in the Bible. Paul, a tormenter, and killer of Christians was given the mission to preach the unsearchable riches of the very man he detested and whose followers he had been putting to death... Jesus Christ.
In whom do we trust when we rise to face each morning? In whom do we entrust the safety of our souls when we close our eyes each night? Who Is it that walks with us every step of our day? The world would have us believe that men can lead us, and watch over us, yet there is no strength in their arms, nor wisdom they can employ that we don’t possess ourselves, and we are not enough. God, and Jesus Christ are our true hope, and our certain salvation; in them we find perfect trust, and from them comes our safety, sure passage through life, and every blessing.
When do we feel closest to God? Do we feel Him most when our stomachs are full, our lives are comfortable, and we have plenty of water to quench our thirst? If that were so then why is it that people are most inclined to wander away from Him at times such as this? No, we are most centered before Him when we are experiencing tribulation, and doing the hard things of His will. It is through the lenses of our tears that we see God most clearly, and It is also through them that He looks back at us, finding our soul, and peering deep into our heart... with perfect clarity.
If you are reading this then I want you to know that I am praying for you today. Whether you realize it or not God has called out to you, and is urging you to come to His Son Jesus. Perhaps you don’t think this is true, or maybe you feel that you are so sinful that He would never do such a thing, but He has. As unworthy as you might see yourself He sees your heart, and your good bones, for what you will become, and knows that you will come to glorify Jesus, and knows that He will glorify you in return. Today I pray for you to realize your worthiness, and honor Him.
Faith, it is not visible except in the works that are created by it. Is it possible to love without expressing that love in some tangible manner; a hug, a kiss, a marriage? No, love drives us to show it to one another, and faith is the same. When we have faith in Jesus, and God, we have no option but to show it to them in some manner. What is very interesting is that doing works of faith usually involves loving or doing something good, or merciful, for another person. We express our love for God by allowing Him to see our hearts, but we show our faith in Him by our obedience to his will... by our works.