All in Daily Devotional
In the church today many feel that there is but one calling and that is to become a pastor, or in another form, a missionary. Today let's contemplate that thought process and ask ourselves if we have received a calling, and determine what it truly is.
This morning I have been studying John 14 and reading a devotional that was based on John 14:14. I have always loved this verse and that Jesus says he will do anything for us... After all, who wouldn’t love a verse that promises us everything? And, all we have to do is keep his commandments… Whoops, wait a minute! How can we, with all our human frailty, be expected to do that? Is He asking the impossible of us? At first blush it appears that He is, but as Paul Harvey used to say… "Now for the rest of the story."
Compassion for others should be in the heart of every Christian; it is one of the central characteristics of Christianity. It is a deep caring for others that is at the very heart of what Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount, and has come to be known to us as the golden rule....
I was reading the thoughts of Pastor E.M. Bounds on praying Holy Prayers this morning, and he made the point that Holy Prayers are not just said, but come from men and women who are whole heartedly devoted to God; entirely separated from sin, and fully separated or consecrated to God. The bible verse we will use as we contemplate this today is Revelation 8:4. Let’s read it together…
"The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand."
Revelation 8:4 ESV
Today is the last day of September and this morning's devotion speaks of the fullness and boldness of prayer. This year is passing by quickly, and we are looking forward expectantly as we wait for Christmas to arrive. We wait on many things of faith during the year, just as the disciples of old did, but let’s focus today on how Jesus told his disciples to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came. They were expected to sit tight, to wait, just as we are expected to wait until we receive those things of prayer that we are anticipating. Our opening scripture today will be Luke 24:49.
While working on a lesson about “The Wings of Eagles and Valleys”, the Holy Spirit spoke to me regarding something unexpected. Scripture began to reveal to me that throughout time people have typically lived in valleys, but seldom atop mountains. It came to me that they would go to the mountain to meet with God as they sought out a quiet, private, and undisturbed, place to meet Him in prayer. I was captured by this concept because most sermons speak of valleys as hard places that are full of trials... but as I studied I found that they are so much more than that. Valleys are where we live. Valleys are where the lakes exist and rivers flow slowly to the sea as they carry and deposit the nutrients and silt washed from the mountains to fields of grain and grapes.
How do we speak of Jesus and avoid speaking of prayer? With just a cursory glimpse into the life of Christ we understand the importance of prayer to Him. And how it fit into His relationship with God. One thing that impresses me about the prayers of Jesus is that they aren't prayers of inactivity. The relationship that He has with the Father isn't one in which He prays and then does nothing. In something as simple as feeding the hungry crowd with fishes and loaves, He prayed, but then He actively trusted in God, broke bread, and gave the food to the hungry...
Protection against sinning; wouldn't we all like an invincible suit of armor, or some impenetrable costume like a super hero wears that could protect us from sin? Well this morning we find that such a covering is real, and it is available to each of us. The Word of God provides us with the defense we need against sin. It even goes a step further and gives us instructions on how to mend ourselves in the event we are injured when caught without the advantage of our protection, or too immature in our faith to protect ourselves. God's word is power and it is invincible but we must clothe ourselves in it.
My personal devotional reading this morning was centered on prayer and the church, and was written by Pastor E.M. Bounds. He wrote "just as prayer generates a love for scriptures and causes people to begin to read the Bible, so does prayer also cause men and women to visit the house of God to hear scriptures explained." So often we think that believers are drawn to praying after having attended church, but that isn’t necessarily true. We are drawn to God, and prayer, in many ways by the Lord Himself, and our hearts are softened to Him as we come to know Him through His Son Jesus Christ… after having heard the gospel of Jesus by any number of ways.
This morning we will contemplate having a thirst and love for the Bible; the written Word of God. Some approach the Holy Bible as if it were like any other piece of literature, but it is far more than that; it is the inspired Word of God and has been influencing man, and his secular literature, from the moment it was first spoken, written, and lived. We have seen evidence of this in man’s poetry, prose, and speech from the moment Adam was formed and it became focal to his thought, and life. But “The Word of God” is much more than this. Do we find ourselves referring to God’s written Word, God, and Jesus Christ, interchangeably as “The Word of God?”
Does God expect us to score 100% when it comes to following His commandments? Maybe He would accept 95% as passing or even grade on a curve as He compares us to others? This is the thought we will contemplate today. Let's begin in the book of James for help with this.
Experiencing religion, and the dichotomy of man, will be our topic of study today. We will explore who we are, and those moments of religious experience that are so important and life changing for us. Moments like our new birth in Christ, baptism, communion, Christening, marriage, foot washing, receiving the Holy Spirit, and all the other experiences of faith that form our lives, as well as our faith, and worship.
Let’s consider the topic of "obeying God out of love" this morning. Love is a powerful emotion and leads us to our greatest heights. But unfortunately, when spurned, it has also causes some of our greatest pains, and failures as well. Fortunately, God never rejects our love or fails to recognize our obedience to His Word that flows from it. He rewards us, just as those of us who are in love do with one another; each longing to fulfill the other's desires, even if doing so comes at the expense of our own comfort or desire.
What does it mean to give ourselves to God? Are we prepared to become fully consecrated? These are questions for us to concentrate on this morning. Presenting ourselves to God and becoming spiritually focused rather than worldly centered. When we do this, our lives are changed and we become an example to others of the perfect will of God... we will reflect those attributes which set us apart as holy and righteous before a world of sin and compromise.
Today let’s concentrate on prayer as the divine pattern for our relationship with God. As I read my devotional message this morning Pastor E.M. Bounds dealt with this subject using these words: "No standard of religion is worth a moment's consideration when it neglects prayer... A life of prayer is the divine rule. This is the pattern, just as our Lord is the one Example that we must follow. Prayer is required for a spiritual life... Our goal should be set not by the opinions of people, not by what they say, but by what the scripture says."