DEVOTION
FOR MAY 10, 2008
JUDGES 10:1-10
GOD FREES YOU AND GIVES YOU THE
CHOICE --
TO STAY FREE OR RETURN TO SLAVERY!
1
After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, the
son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in the
mountains of Ephraim. 2 He judged Israel twenty-three years; and he
died and was buried in Shamir.
3 After him arose Jair, a Gileadite;
and he judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 Now he had thirty sons who
rode on thirty donkeys; they also had thirty towns, which are called
“Havoth Jair” to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 5
And Jair died and was buried in Camon.
6 Then the children of Israel again
did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals and the
Ashtoreths, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab,
the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines;
and they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him. 7 So the anger of
the LORD was hot against Israel; and He sold them into the hands of
the Philistines and into the hands of the people of Ammon. 8 From
that year they harassed and oppressed the children of Israel for
eighteen years—all the children of Israel who were on the
other side of the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, in Gilead. 9
Moreover the people of Ammon crossed over the Jordan to fight
against Judah also, against Benjamin, and against the house of
Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.
10 And the children of Israel cried
out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against You, because we
have both forsaken our God and served the Baals!” JUDGES 10:1-10
(NKJV)
When you study the Bible and come to
a passage like the one for this Devotion, do you read the first few
words and then skip some pages where you might read something other
than who was the Judge or the King and what battles they fought and
either won or lost? Many people do. I agree with you that it
is hard to read and study something that seems to have no message
for our life today. However, as hard as it might be, there is a
good chance that when we skip over pages we are missing some strong
truth or teaching that God wants us to have. I will be the first to
admit that there are some things in the Bible that I have no idea
why they are there and what meaning they have for my life. I do,
know that someday, now or in Heaven, all of these hidden truths and
teachings will be revealed to me.
Just because we can’t understand
something, it is not a reason to skip over it. In fact, it may be a
good reason to read the passages more often and to pray that the
message might be revealed to you and that you can find meaning for
your life today.
Here are a few thoughts on these
verses from Judges 10. The first 4 verses say a few words about the
two Judges who followed Abimelech. If you go back and read Chapter
9, you will see how under Abimelech, the Children of Israel turned
against God and were soon in slavery to their enemies after some
battles.
In verse 5 we are told that after
the death of the second Judge, the people once again turned against
God and served the false gods. Did you recognize some of the names
of those false gods or the people who were the victors over the
people of Israel? After the 45 years of Freedom that was theirs
after the slavery during the time of Abimelech, the Children of
Israel chose to go back to slavery by turning against God. From here
through verse 9 we read of the anger of God, and in verse 10 we hear
the Children of Israel calling out for forgiveness.
You are going to have to get your
Bible and read on if you want to know how God responded to their
plea. Maybe you should read it even if you are not curious.
Here is what I suggest these verses
have to say to us and our lives today: While battles rage
throughout our world, there are other battles that we are fighting.
Like the repeated wars of the Children of Israel, these battles have
also been fought over and over. As we think of some of these, let us
just remember that the Children of Israel, while being faithful
followers of God, saw some things in the lives of other peoples that
appealed to them but were against the laws of God.
Foreclosures have been filed at
increasingly high numbers and have had an effect on people of all
economic levels. This is not a new disaster. It has been repeated
over and over again. In the old Western movies, often times the
villain was the evil businessman who would go to all extremes to
take property away from a struggling land owner. In the Movie "IT’S
A WONDERFUL LIFE,” foreclosure is the villain. In the Depression of
the 30’s many farmers lost their land and people in towns lost their
homes and businesses. Those were difficult times for the ones who
lost and it took years for many of them to overcome and be free
again. Some never did. Like the Children of Israel and their
captivity, over the years people have been captive by the lure of
better things, and in seeking more than they could afford, they lost
it all.
Time after time, the Children of
Israel wandered away from God into captivity. Each time they came
back to Him and were free, they were free to continue in freedom or
to return to slavery. Time after time, many people today are in
captivity to high interest loans, high gas prices, alcohol, drugs,
power, the good life, self gratification and on and on. We don’t
have to be captive; we can turn to God and ask Him to help us to be
free.
Just remember that when God frees you
from any kind of captivity, he does not promise to keep you from
going back to the same captivity. That's up to you, as when God
frees you, He gives you the choice to remain free or to return to
captivity.
WE PRAY: LORD, JESUS I come to You because only in You can I
be free from the many things that hold me captive in my life. You
shed Your Blood and paid the only price that could redeem me. Lord,
I also pray that when you help me to be free that You would send the
Holy Spirit upon me that I might have the guidance and strength that
I need to remain free. AMEN
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
Select one burden in your life that
is there because you have used poor judgment and have done something
that you should not have done. Pray about it daily and sincerely,
and then be prepared to follow as God leads. You may not like the
way He leads and the way He leads may be a real struggle, so also
ask for the strength that you will need to follow Him.
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DEVOTION
FOR SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2008
Psalm 55:22
GIVE YOUR BURDENS TO GOD! IT CAN BE HARD TO DO.
“Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain
you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22
(NKJV)
We all carry burdens; many of them are heavy. We want to get rid of them,
but often do not know what to do. We go to others with our burdens and
others bring theirs to us, but often we don’t know how to respond and
neither do they. Pastors have many people come to them with their
burdens, but often fail in their response. I know that in the early days
of my ministry, I struggled when people came to me. Some times I tried to
help them but failed miserably. Other times I used phrases such as “Cast
your burden on the Lord” or “Take it to the Lord in prayer” or even Jesus
said, “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden” and I failed
miserably.
The problem is that we don’t know how to cast, we don’t know what to do
when we take it to God and we don’t know how to leave our burdens with the
Lord.
This passage from Psalm 55 can be a big help if we know how to cast.
First of all we have to make sure we think in terms of “to cast” and not
“cast away.” A castaway is either something that is thrown out because it
is unwanted, or becomes separated from where it belongs, such as the
people in Gilligan's Island, who were castaways from where they had been
with others. Both of these types of castaways are either lost or forsaken
or both. When Psalm 55 uses the word “Cast” it is not in the sense of
cast away.
The best way to understand how to cast your burdens is to imitate a person
fishing. Here there are different types of casting. The type that is
helpful here is when you cast out and allow the line to sink to the bottom
and then LEAVE IT THERE. During my College years, I would sometimes go to
the Elkhorn or Papio Rivers (Better described sometimes as creeks). I
would cast my bait, let it sink to the bottom, and LEAVE IT THERE. While I
would be holding on to the line, waiting for a bite, I would take one of
the textbooks and read the material for the class the next day.
When I cast the line into the river, I had no idea where it was if a
bobber was not attached. I did not know if it landed in weeds, near a
sunken log, if it was very deep, and most of all, if there were any fish
near by. What I did know is that there were fish in the river. I still
had control of the line, I had NOT cast it away. Many times hours might
go by and no bites on the line. Often I would go home without a single
fish. But did I give up? No, I kept casting the line and I kept going
back with the faith that one day I would catch a fish.
This is what “Cast your burden on the Lord” is all about. Here you use a
prayer line to God. You don’t know where it will land, but you do know
that God is there. This is called FAITH. When fishing, the fish wants
the bait. When casting burdens, God wants faith. This faith will lead you
to cast it out in prayer, time after time, day after day, with the
assurance that God will receive it, just as the fish will take the bait.
While the fish will tug on your line and you might have to struggle to get
the fish to shore, God will tug on your heart and you will sense the
strong pull of the love of God as He leads you and helps you to be free of
that burden or care.
The angler has a strong faith that when the hook and bait are cast into
the water, a fish will take it sooner or later. if we only had that same
faith as we cast our burdens upon the Lord. The angler takes great pride
in telling others of the catch. if only we would dare to take such pride
in telling others of how God took our burden upon Himself when Jesus went
to the Cross.
GIVE YOUR BURDEN TO GOD -- IT CAN BE HARD TO DO! Just put them on a
prayer line, cast them out and
LEAVE IT THERE.
WE PRAY: LORD GOD, HEAVENLY FATHER, I come to you with many burdens
that are getting heavy to carry. You have invited me to bring them to
You. Lord, I lay them before you. Lord, I believe that you will lift
these burdens from me and will lead me in the way to overcome them.
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
Don’t wait for tomorrow. Take one burden to God today and tomorrow and
each day after that. Then, in faith, wait until you feel God’s tug on
your heart as He begins to lead you to the release of your burden. Pray
about it daily, Leave it there, He will hear you and you will feel the
tug that will call you to respond in Faith in Him and and Love for Him.
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DEVOTION
FOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 , 2008
ST. JOHN 2:1-10
DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU
1 On the third day there was a wedding
in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus
and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of
wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”
4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My
hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner
of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7
Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them
up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to
the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast
had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came
from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the
feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the
beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk,
then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” St. John 2:1-10
(NKJV)
I enjoy reading or listening to Sermons based on Bible verses and Bible
Stories that are familiar to everyone. I enjoy this because it is good to
hear them over and over again, but even more, at times there is a word, a
phrase or an interpretation that I have not thought of before. Sometimes
these interpretations are a little far out and it is easy to reject them,
other times they are worth thinking about and comparing them with what I
believe the text says.
Recently I was listening to a local radio broadcast of the Sunday Worship
Service from the First Church of the Nazarene in Napoleon, OH. The Pastor
had chosen the Miracle at the Wedding Cana for his Sermon Text. I was
ready to listen to yet another story of the miracle and that it was the
first miracle attributed to Jesus. But I didn’t get that. At least I don’t
think that I did. As the Pastor began I heard him use the phrase-”Do what
He tells you. Then a few sentences later i heard him repeat those words
that Mary said to the servant, “Do what He tells you” or in the words of
the translation that I use, “Whatever He says to you, Do it.” After that,
I don’t remember anything else that the Pastor said. I was so taken by the
powerful meaning of those words. Words that I had read so many times,
passed over them when I was preaching, now came alive. -- DO WHAT HE TELLS
YOU!
The servant had probably been standing there listening to what was going
on. He could have heard Mary talking to Jesus about the wine. When Mary
spoke to the servant and said, DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU, he had no idea what
Jesus was going to ask. He may have thought that Jesus knew of a neighbor
who had some wine, and was going to be sent to get it. My guess is that
when Jesus told him to fill the waterpots with water, he must have been
confused. Even so, when he did as he was told, I am sure that he was just
as amazed at the results as was the master of the feast when he tasted the
new wine.
A related story from the Old Testament. A powerful person from a
neighboring country comes to the prophet to be healed of his leprosy. The
prophet tells him to go and wash in the river that was right near by. The
powerful person rejects this as he says his rivers at home are much better
than these, why dd he waste his time coming all this way? Fortunately he
had with him someone who took him aside and said, “Look, you came all this
way to be healed of your leprosy, why don’t you DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU TO
DO?” He did and he was healed.
We dare not forget the Feeding of the Five Thousand. The people were
hungry and there was no food except for a few loaves bread and a few fish.
Bring them to me, Jesus said. What good will that little do when there are
so many. When they DID WHAT HE TOLD THEM TO DO, all of the people were fed
and there were baskets of food left over.
As we think of Mary’s instructions to the servant, we need to consider how
we react when Jesus tells us to do something. Do we respond, That is
impossible, or That does not apply today, or I don’t have time, or that
does not interest me, or whatever excuse you might choose to use.
God’s Word is filled with things He tells us to do and things He tells us
not to do. Why do we ignore Him so often. Like St. Paul, why do we do the
things we should not do and do not do the things that we should?
If the servant had not filled the water pots, there might not have been
wine. If the powerful man had not gone in the river he was told to enter,
he would not have been healed. If the bread and fish had not been brought
to Jesus, the people would have gone hungry.
If we do not DO WHAT HE TELLS US TO DO what hope do we have?
WE PRAY: Lord, sometimes the things you ask me to do or not do seem to be
so unfair or impossible. Send your Holy Spirit upon me that my eyes, my
ears and my heart might be opened to see and hear what you want me to do.
Then fill me with the power and courage that I need to do it even if
others mock me and laugh at me as they did to Noah. AMEN
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
As you daily read the Bible, keep two
lists. One list of things God wants you to do and the other of things that
he tells you not to do. Set the DO NOT list aside and concentrate on the
DO list. Select one simple thing on the Do list and begin to do it. Every
day or at the most a week add another DO. After doing this for few weeks,
go to the DO NOT list and you may be surprised that you can cross off some
of those because DOING WHAT HE TELLS YOU TO DO will change your way of
living for the better.
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DEVOTION
FOR FEBRUARY 13, 2008
ISAIAH 60:19 -22
WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE?
19 "The sun shall no longer be your light by day,
Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will
be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.
20 Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw
itself; For the LORD will be your everlasting light, And the days of
your mourning shall be ended.
21 Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land
forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be
glorified.
22 A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong
nation.
I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time." Isaiah 60:19-22 (NKJV)
As a Pastor, I have been asked many times, "WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE?" At
times I wonder why more people don’t ask the question. Is it because
they really are not interested and just don’t care? Is it because when
they have asked the question in the past they have either been brushed
off by a Pastor saying they will find out when they get there or has
given some answer in fancy words that they cannot understand.
I hope that none of those reasons are the cause of never seeking an
answer again. As Christians we must seek through prayer, devotions and
Bible Study to discover what God has revealed to us about Heaven. Any
person who believes that Jesus died for his or her sins should have the
desire to know what God has said about heaven and also should be able to
share those beautiful answers with any who ask.
In September, it will be 50 years since I entered Wartburg Seminary in
Dubuque, Iowa. The Rev. Dr. Julius Bodensieck made a statement in a
class on the New Testament that I have never forgotten. He taught the
New Testament many, many years. One morning as he was teaching, he told
us that as he was reading the Bible in preparation for that day’s
lesson, he understood for the first time what a particular passage
meant, I thought to myself, is that possible? It was not many years
before I discovered that for myself.
I have done things with Isaiah 60 before but never have verses 19-22
given me such insight into WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE? These answers come from
the Words of God, given through Isaiah, the Prophet.
Verse 19 - We will no longer need the sun nor the moon for light. Isaiah
does not say here what will happen to the sun and the moon, just that
they will not be needed. The Everlasting Light, the Glory of the Lord
will provide the brilliance of light that we need, We get a glimpse of
the brightness of this light in the Christmas Gospel with the Shepherds
on the hillside. "And the Glory of the Lord shone round about them and
they were sore afraid." How bright that light must be. In Heaven that
Light will not just come and go away. Isaiah tells us that it will be an
Everlasting Light and THE GLORY OF GOD WILL BE OURS.
VERSE 20 - Here we are told that it will be a steady, eternal light, It
will not rise and set like the sun and moon. Even though it is not so
stated, it gives me the idea that in my Heavenly Body, I will not become
tired and thus have no need for darkness in which to sleep. Commentators
suggest that the days of mourning will be ended because the Bridegroom
will have returned and all are rejoicing. Christ as the returning
Bridegroom is mentioned in the New Testament.
Verse 21 - I really like this one -- All the people who are there will
be righteous. No longer will we have to worry about the sinful acts of
man for all who believe in Him, keep His Commandments and follow in His
Name will become righteous when washed in the Blood of the Sacrificed
Christ. Not only that, but the righteous will inherit everything that
God planted and created and as we enjoy them we will be glorifying God.
Verse 22 - There will be nothing known to man on earth that can begin to
describe how the small flock of believers in the triune God could become
such a strong nation. As Christians who live our faith, we are often
looked upon as being behind the times and cast aside. At times in the
past, the present and the future believers face persecution. But fear
not, the believers of God will become the mighty heavenly nation. If we
ask, Lord when will that be? We may not be happy about it, but we must
in faith accept and rejoice in His answer: "I, the Lord, will hasten it
in its time." St. Paul says this in another way, "In a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, we shall all be changed," When it happens, the Lord
will hasten it and there will no longer be time to prepare.
WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, thank you for this brief glimpse of Heaven. I
know that all I need do is believe, follow and walk as you would have me
walk. I know that I don’t need proof, but thank you for the brief
glimpses that are found in your Holy Word. AMEN
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
There
is nothing in our life that is more important for us to do than to
prepare for the Lord’s return. Not only prepare ourselves but also help
others to prepare. Recommit yourself to a time of prayer and Bible
Study. When you Read the Bible in a year or when you study selected
verses, pray before you read the first word, pray when you come to a
word or a thought that you don’t understand or don’t agree with, and
then pray after you have read the last word in your study for the day.
--back to top--
DEVOTION FOR
SUNDAY
& MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10 & 11 , 2008
ISAIAH 60:15-18
YOUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT!
15 “ Whereas you have been forsaken and
hated, So that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal
excellence, A joy of many generations.
16 You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, And milk the breast of kings;
You shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior And your Redeemer, the
Mighty One of Jacob.
17 “ Instead of bronze I will bring gold, Instead of iron I will bring
silver,
Instead of wood, bronze, And instead of stones, iron. I will also make
your officers peace, And your magistrates righteousness.
18 Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, Neither wasting nor
destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation,
And your gates Praise. Isaiah 60:15-18 (NKJV)
As these prophetic words of Isaiah are heard by the Children of Israel at
the time and read by us today, the amazing thing is that we can relate to
them in our lives today, the people who heard could relate to them then,
and all who have ever heard or read these words can see glimpses of the
bright future that is theirs and ours.
Verse 15 describes the Children of Israel as being forsaken and hated
because they held fast to the Word and Laws of God. Other people would
have nothing to do with them, entered into battle with them, and often the
gates of the city would be closed to keep these enemies out. Not a very
pleasant future. Even though it is not spoken in so many words, the true
follower of God today is also hated and forsaken. Many Christians have
lost friends because of their stand on what God would have them do. Jesus
has said that His followers are to be IN the world and not OF the world
for the Kingdom of God is not OF the world; it is far different. Have you
ever failed to take a stand and say that God would not approve of whatever
it is? Have you failed to take this stand because you knew you were in the
minority and that others would disapprove of you, maybe even eliminate you
from their circle of friendship? I am sorry to say that I have and at that
point I became of the world and guilty of whatever it was that I was
afraid to speak out against. There have also been times when I have stood
up for my faith, taken a chance of losing a friend in the hope of gaining
one who will travel with me on the way to eternity. That is being IN the
world.
At the close of this verse come these wonderful words of prophecy, “I will
make you an eternal excellence, A joy of many generations.” We have to be
careful here that we don’t just read these words and say that everything
is okay. We must remember that these Words of prophecy are spoken to those
Children of Israel who have remained faithful through the many years of
battles, of being hated, of being despised, and being considered by their
enemies as the scum of the earth. Is my faith, Is your faith, built
solidly on the firm foundation of God and his Word? If so, you have the
BRIGHT FUTURE of an eternal excellence. EXCELLENCE is the best there is.
ETERNAL is billions of times longer than we can ever imagine. The prophecy
to the faithful is then a never ending excellence with God. Now, to me,
that is a BRIGHT FUTURE.
The remaining verses speak of the joys of that eternal excellence. The
highlight of these joys is found in words that might be overlooked in a
casual reading, “You shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior And your
Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Eyes might be led to the gold instead
of bronze and the silver instead of wood, but these gifts would not be
possible if it were not for those words in quotes. The important words in
that quote are “YOU SHALL KNOW.” I think you know why I say that these
words are important. As we walk on earth, we can only say I believe. Here
the prophet Isaiah says that when we enter into that Eternal Excellence,
we will take that giant step from believing (Faith is the assurance of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.) to knowing, to being
in the Real Presence of my LORD, my SAVIOR, my REDEEMER, the MIGHTY ONE OF
JACOB. What could be better than that?
If you accept the invitation of Jesus to take up His Cross and follow Him,
YOUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT!
WE PRAY: Lord Jesus, as I walk through this world of sin, as I face
disappointments, depression, and even rebuke for standing up for my faith,
please send your Holy Spirit upon me to strengthen me that I may always
look and walk through life to that Eternal Excellence. Guide me, Lord, to
that bright future in your Eternal Excellence. AMEN
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
Do you know how God really expects you to live? Search out as many Old and
New Testament Passages that speak of what God expects from you as you Live
in Him and For Him. When you discover ways of your life that do not meet
God’s standards, choose one that will be easy to change. Then do it. Don’t
worry about what others will say, only about what God would have you do.
--back to top--
DEVOTION
FOR SUNDAY-MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2008
ISAIAH 60:10-14
THE INVITING OPEN DOOR
10 "The
sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, And their kings shall
minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, But in My favor I have
had mercy on you.
11
Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut
day or night, That men may bring to you the wealth of the
Gentiles, And their kings in procession.
12 For
the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, And
those nations shall be utterly ruined.
13 "
The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, The cypress, the pine, and the
box tree together, To beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I will
make the place of My feet glorious.
14 Also
the sons of those who afflicted you Shall come bowing to you, And all
those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet;
And they shall call you The City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of
Israel. Isaiah 60:10-14 (NKJV)
This
continuing prophecy of Isaiah has as much meaning for us today as it did
for the Children of God who heard these words. Jerusalem did not have a
reputation of being a pretty place. The barren hillsides allowed the hot
dusty winds to blow into the city. The people of the city were looked
down upon because of their allegiance to God and were bypassed by others
as indicated in the opening verse of this Chapter.
What
hope this prophecy gave to the people! They knew far too well of the
wrath that God had sent upon them for disobeying Him. When they heard
Isaiah's prophetic words of God saying, "For in My wrath I struck you,
but in My favor I have had mercy on you." What joy this must have
brought to them. It was even more fantastic to hear that God was
going to have mercy on them.
Their
gates would always be open, inviting others to enter. They no longer
needed to fear those who would enter the open gates. The inviting open
door would welcome those bringing the wealth of the Gentiles with their
kings leading the procession.
Not
only that, those who will not come to Holy City of Zion will perish and
their cities will be totally ruined.
It is
not only the City that will be welcoming but also the hills surrounding
it. Those barren hills and the city itself will have the beauty of the
trees from Lebanon that will make the glorious place where God dwells in
the midst of them.
To top
it all off, even those who had afflicted the Children of Israel will
come and bow before them which acknowledges that this is the City of the
Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
We must
remember that prophecies were not just for the Old Testament people;
they are for us today as well. Meditate on these things.
Is it
possible that we are living under the wrath of God? If we are not, I
wonder why not? Certainly in so many, many ways we have turned away from
what God would have us do. This reminds us that even though we may have
displeased God, He does nor forsake us, just waits for us to make the
decision to return to Him.
When we
live a life in which it is evident that God is Living in the midst of
us, people and nations that have turned against us or have sought to
destroy us, are moved and touched by the glow of the Glory of God. They
are drawn to it when the glow of the Glory of God shines for from you.
Don’t hide it, don’t be ashamed of it, as that familiar children’s song
goes, LET IT SHINE, LET IT SHINE, LET IT SHINE!
God’s
Wrath is real, but so is His Mercy. His Mercy is not earned. It is only
given to those who commit their lives to Him and live that commitment
regardless of what others might think.
THE
INVITING OPEN DOOR to the Heavenly City awaits those who seek to worship
Him and glorify Him. All others will be turned away, shall be ruined,
and perish in eternal Death. May we get our lives in line with what God
would have them be and eagerly look forward to entering those inviting
gates. May our lives be such that we can be an open, inviting door that
others will want to enter to join with us as we head toward the open
Gates of Heaven.
WE
PRAY:
Open now thy gates of beauty,
Zion, let me enter there,
Where my soul in joyful duty
Waits for Him Who answers prayer.
Oh,
how blessèd is this place,
Filled with solace, light and grace!
"Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty" from
cyberhymnal.org
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
When
company is going to arrive, we often scurry about cleaning the house,
fixing things that are broken, anything to make it more pleasant for our
guests. If you desire to have people enter the inviting Open door to
your faith, what do you need to do to cause it to represent God’s Love
even more than it does now?
--back to top--
DEVOTION
FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 2008
ISAIAH 60:5-9
LOOK AND SEE WHAT IS COMING!
5 Then
you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy;
Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of
the Gentiles shall come to you.
6 The
multitude of camels shall cover your land,The dromedaries of
Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold
and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the LORD.
7 All
the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, The rams of
Nebaioth shall minister to you; They shall ascend with acceptance on My
altar, And I will glorify the house of My glory.
8 " Who
are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their
roosts?
9
Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish
will come first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and
their gold with them, To the name of the LORD your God, And to the Holy
One of Israel, Because He has glorified you. Isaiah 60:5-9 (NKJV)
LOOK AND SEE WHAT IS COMING can best describe
this next section of Isaiah 60. In this part of the prophecy, Isaiah is
telling the people that what they have been looking for for so long will
soon be in their presence. He is talking about the material things, as
people will be able to understand this. Then later he can move from this
to the prophecy of what is to come. I, as well as many other
Pastors, also use this to help people understand the Scriptures.
In verse 5, "the abundance of the sea shall
be turned to you" is very good news. On first reading you might
think that it refers to the fishermen having record catches to provide
food, but this is not what the reference implies. The abundance of the
seas, in this case, is the merchandise on the ships that for years has
bypassed them and taken those desired products to other distant lands.
All of the goods on those ships shall be turned to you; that is, the
ships shall turn from their normal course and turn toward the ports of
your land. How excited the people must have been. They probably watched
for days, maybe weeks or months, for the first sighting of those ships
arriving, first as a dot on the distant seas, then growing larger and
larger as they drew nearer to port. This would be of even greater
excitement than the Day after Thanksgiving and the Day after Christmas
sales or even hearing that the hard to get item has come into a store.
The excitement is greater because the abundance, the wealth of the
Gentiles, is something they may have heard about, but have not had
before.
In verses 6 and 7 we find the description of
what is seen when this abundance arrives from the seas. The multitude of
camels and the dromedaries (young camels) are the means of transporting
the goods that arrive from the seas as well as from neighboring
countries. When it says they covered the land, it gives us a very good
picture of line after line of laden camels bringing these long wanted
items from afar. The people probably watched intently as these goods as
well as the flocks of animals passed by.
It is in these verses that the prophecy is
seen. The goods, the gold, the incense, the flocks are all being brought
to glorify God. They are brought to the altar, not to be sacrificed but
to be dedicated to the Glory of God. This is rather important because
the people needed to know, and so do we, that these treasures first need
to be given to the Glory of God. We are not told how they are used. A
part of faith is to believe that God will use what we give to Him in the
way that is best for us. It is like the words of a hymn that many know,
"We give Thee but Thine own, whate’er the gift may be, All that we have
is Thine alone, A trust O Lord, from Thee."
In verses 8 and 9 we can, with the prophet
Isaiah, LOOK AND SEE WHAT IS COMING. As the ships draw nearer,
their white sails can be seen and it looks like clouds hovering over the
water and wafting toward the shore. As they draw closer, the doves are
seen flying to the ships to make their nests as if they are going home.
All of the people, and all that they have, are coming home to give glory
to the Redeemer. The people have been waiting for the Redeemer for so
long that they leave everything they can’t bring and travel by land an
by sea. You almost get the sense that these people who have held to the
faith of the coming Messiah, are magnetically drawn to Him.
Only part of this prophecy has been fulfilled
and we celebrate that part in this Epiphany Season. The shepherds came
from the hillsides, the Wise Men came from the East and throughout the
life of Jesus on earth, people came from all over to see Him, to hear
Him, to worship Him, and to give Him Glory. They all came, the lame, the
blind, the deaf, those with illnesses--both physical and demon
possessed.
The prophecy remains to be fulfilled again.
Only one question remains. LOOK FOR WHAT IS COMING AGAIN! If it
comes today, will you be looking for it and be present to witness it?
WE PRAY: Help me to always be looking for those
clouds on which you will descend to us. You have given to us the words
of prophecy through Isaiah and other prophets. You have given us the
Words of Jesus, your only Begotten Son and His disciples. Help me to
turn to them and be prepared at all times for your return. AMEN.
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE
DEVOTION
This suggestion is different than others I have
offered as it only applies to a small part of the Devotion. The prophet
looked toward the sea and saw what looked like clouds moving across the
water toward the shore This had meaning for him. The suggestion is that
each day you take time to look at the environment. Watch the clouds as
they flow through the sky, the wind as it rustles through the trees, the
trash as it moves about the ground or through the air, the birds and
other creatures as they go through their daily life. Just look and in a
quiet few moments, allow God to speak to you through His Creation.
--back to top--
DEVOTION
FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2008
ISAIAH 60:1-4
YOUR LIGHT HAS COME
1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the
glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the
people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon
you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of
your rising.
4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see They all gather together, they
come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be
nursed at your side. Isaiah 60:1-4 (NKJV)
The Epiphany Season of the Church Year began on Sunday and lasts until Ash
Wednesday. This year the Season is short because of the early date of
Easter in 2008. The text for today’s Devotion was the Old Testament Lesson
for the Festival of the Epiphany.
1 “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is
risen upon you.” Isaiah speaks to the City of Zion, the Children of
Israel, who have been living in a world of darkness. Not an absence of
Light, but a world covered and shrouded with the darkness of sin. His
prophetic words tell the people of God to get up because their Light has
come and that Light is the Glory of the Lord that shines upon them.
Think about this in terms of our world today. Even though we have just
celebrated the Festival of the Epiphany, of Jesus Christ the Light of the
World, our world is still filled with sin. An act of sin is the basis of
most news stories. An act of sin is the cause of most problems in our
world. I even believe that the sin of greed is the cause of unemployment
and poverty. We sometimes become depressed amid all of the darkness of sin
that surrounds us. You need not be. You can live in the light because YOUR
LIGHT HAS COME.
2 “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the
people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon
you.” When Isaiah speaks these words, the Children of Israel know exactly
what he is talking about. Do you know what Isaiah is referring to here?
The children of Israel knew because the Word of God was passed down from
adults to children, generation after generation. Today, most parents will
teach their children all about sports and other activities in which their
children can excel, but the teachings of God seems to be unimportant. To
make matters worse, we can’t find enough Sunday School teachers and in far
too many places, a Sunday School Class is such that there is not enough
time to really teach a lesson, and in addition, is not held during the
summer or on Holiday weekends.
The Children of Israel knew that it was a message of hope when Isaiah said
“darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the people and Glory
shall be seen upon you.” The reference is to Exodus 10:21-22. This is the
ninth plague where darkness covered the earth for days. The darkness was
so deep that people could not see each other face to face. YET, at the
same time there was light in the homes of the Children of Israel. In this
world filled with the darkness of sin, there is still LIGHT in the homes
and lives of those who believe and follow Jesus Christ, the Light of the
World. We need more hearts and lives that are illuminated by Jesus. You
can live in that LIGHT because YOUR LIGHT HAS COME.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of
your rising. 4 “ Lift up your eyes all around, and see They all gather
together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your
daughters shall be nursed at your side.
This is what would be the result of the Children of Israel living in the
Light. Out of the darkness of sin would come the Gentiles seeking to
know the God of Israel. I would like to think that this is also a Prophecy
of the Wise Men coming to the manger at Bethlehem, but I am not sure if it
is or not. Isaiah tells them to look around and see all of the people who
are drawn to the LIGHT of the Glory of God. What joy there must have been
for the Israelites to even see some of their sons and daughters returning
to the faith. What power that light had and has today. That same powerful
light has the power to bring people from all areas of life, from
terrorism, from crime, from apathy, and Yes, even your son, daughter,
husband, wife, father, mother, neighbor, and friend, if that Light can be
welcomed into more and more lives. The hope can become a reality because
YOUR LIGHT HAS COME.
WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, fill me with the light of your Holy
Spirit. Then lead me. The world is filled with the darkness of sin, may I
be a Beacon that leads people out of the darkness to live in your Light.
Amen
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
There are so many ways in which we can share the Light of the Love of
Jesus. In your time of prayer at the close of the day, consider these
words as you conclude your prayer, Lord I ask that tomorrow you will lead
me to the place where your Light can shine from me into the life of one
who so desperately needs to know you and your love. AMEN.
--back to top--
THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS
DEVOTION
FOR SUNDAY & MONDAY, JANUARY 6 & 7, 2008
ST. MATTHEW 2:9-12
JESUS CHRIST, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
9 When they heard the king, they departed;
and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them,
till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw
the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had
come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and
fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures,
they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to
Herod, they departed for their own country another way. St. Matthew 2:9-12
(NKJV)
The rest of the story of the Wise Men is well known and is often portrayed
in Sunday School Christmas Programs. It is often extra special if the
Three Wise Men sing, “WE THREE KINGS” no matter the quality of their
voices, good or bad.
On this Twelfth Day of Christmas we celebrate the Festival of the
Epiphany. I don’t know how it is today but in years past the Episcopal
Church led the way in the celebration of this Festival. It is possible
that they have followed other groups in phasing out these Services when
they fall on weekdays. If so, that is too bad.
The Bright Star of Bethlehem led the Wise Men to the Christ Child. When
they left, the were told in a dream not to go back and report to Herod, so
they returned to their home country another way.
We don’t know much more about the Wise Men. We can probably be fairly sure
that they told the story of their journey and of the Christ Child over and
over again. Every time they told the story, the Light of Jesus had the
opportunity to shine in more and more hearts.
Years later, people would speak of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.
What would have happened if the Shepherds, the Wise Men or any of the
others who came to the manger never told a single person about what they
had experienced? More importantly, what would happen today if everyone who
went to worship never said another word about God until they returned to
worship the next time? This is not a far out question; it really happens
today, possibly more times than not.
In some church buildings there is a sign by the door, please remember to
turn off the lights. Far, far too many turn off the Light of Jesus in
their life, but often forget to turn off the lights in the church
Through Baptism, the Light of Jesus shines within us. We have been given a
choice. We can hide the Light that is within us and join the followers of
darkness to our eternal death. We can let the Light of Jesus shine
brightly through our words, our actions, our decisions, so they will draw
others to follow us to the joys of Eternal Life in the Light and the Glory
of God.
WE PRAY:
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us Thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. AMEN.
“BRIGHTEST AND BEST
OF THE SONS OF THE MORNING” from cyberhymnal.org
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
There is darkness in the loneliness of a
nursing home,
There is darkness in a tent on the battlefield,
There is darkness in the lives of those who mourn,
There is darkness in the lives of those who are ill,
There is darkness in a quiet campus dormitory room.
There is darkness in the life of a person who has lost his or her job.
There is darkness in the lives of so many.
Where will you take the Light of Christ? AND WHEN?
--back to top--
THE ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS
DEVOTION
FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 2008
St. Matthew 2:3-8
WHY DO YOU SEEK JESUS
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief
priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the
Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by
the prophet:
6 ‘ But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”[a]
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from
them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and
said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have
found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
St. Matthew 2:3-8 (NKJV)
Early in my ministry I learned that often there can be two different
reasons why someone asks a question. At a meeting of the County
Ministerial Association, the local Captain (Pastor) of the Salvation Army
Church was presenting the program for the day. His topic dealt with the
people who come to the church asking for financial help. He told us that
if they were people we knew and could be of assistance to go ahead and
help if we could. He went on to say that if you don’t know them, don’t
help them; send them to us. He said that when people ask for help, they
could be asking for two different reasons. Some really need food or gas to
survive the day and reach a destination where relatives are waiting to
help them. Some really need the gas to drive different places seeking a
job. THEN there are some who say they want money for food or gas but they
will spend it for drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, or just to keep
from working. There are also those who ask for gas money who are wanted by
the law. In the last two cases, you could be in trouble for aiding and
abetting if a crime would be committed.
That is a long illustration, and here is how it applies to our Devotion.
The Wise Men wanted to know where Jesus was born so they could go and
Worship Him.
Herod wanted to know where Jesus was born so he could go and kill Him.
What questions do you have about this Jesus born in Bethlehem? Why do you
ask them? Do you ask them because you truly and deeply want to know,
understand, and experience the overwhelming Love that God has shown to you
by sending His Son? OR do you ask them to try to find a way to get around
doing that which God would have you to do? There is a major difference.
The Wise Men asked the question for the Right reason. They received their
answer and went on to bask in the Glory of the Newborn King.
Herod asked the question for the wrong reason and went on to the suffering
that eventually will come upon all who turn away from Almighty God.
WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, send your Holy Spirit upon me that I might
have the courage and wisdom to ask the right questions for the right
reasons. May your daily answers to my daily questions lead me through the
troubles and pitfalls of this world to the Joy of arriving at Your Throne
of Grace and Mercy. AMEN
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
Consider a question that you may have asked God over and over again. Did
you ask that question wanting a certain answer? Did you ask that question
for your own benefit or for the benefit of others? Did you ask that
question truly believing that God’s answer is the only right answer. If it
is a question concerning health, then these are very tough questions, but
they need to be asked, and they need to be prayed about.
--back to top--
THE TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS
DEVOTION
FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2008
MATTHEW 2:2
THEY STOPPED TO ASK
2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the
Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
ST. MATTHEW 2:2 (NKJV)
There is a story that is meant to be humorous that finds its way into
Inboxes...often more than once. The story suggests that if it had been
Three Wise Women, it would have turned out better for three reasons. One
of the reasons given is that the women would have gotten there earlier
because they would have stopped to asked directions.
It is too bad that the person who wrote this was not familiar with the
Biblical account. The Wise Men did stop and ask directions. Do you know
why they stopped to ask directions when they were doing well just
following the Bright Star? This is just speculation on my part. I believe
that the Wise Men traveled at night because of the extreme heat of the
day. In addition, I believe that they came in sight of Jerusalem during
the daylight and continued on there. Because it was day, the star was not
shining and they wanted to continue on, so they stopped and asked, “Where
is He who has been born King of the Jews?”
On this the Tenth Day of Christmas, as well as every day, it is important
that we stop and ask. Note that I did not add any words after the
word, ask. We all are on a journey to an Unknown Place to see Jesus, but
we are also at different stages of that Journey. On our Journey, it does
not seem to matter if we are male or female; not many stop and ask. This
is nothing to be ashamed of as long as we recognize it and take steps to
ask so that we do know the way to continue our journey.
If we fast forward and listen and hear the Christ Child who grew to
Manhood as He speaks and tells the disciples that He is going to go and
prepare a place for them in His Father’s house of many mansions and that
they will know the way. The disciples could have done what many do --
continued on with their lives and maybe asking each other, what did Jesus
mean, we don’t know where He is going? Thomas did the right thing. Right
then, while Jesus was there, Thomas asked. “We don’t know where you are
going and how can we know the way?” Jesus responded, “I am the way, the
truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me.”
The Wise Men asked, “Where is He?” and they received an answer.
Thomas asked, “How can we know the way?” and he received an answer.
If you ask whatever question you have, Jesus will answer because He is the
only One who can lead you to your Heavenly Home.
The Wise Men received an answer and acted upon it.
Thomas and the disciples received an answer and acted upon it.
You will receive an answer, will you act upon it?
WE PRAY:
Ask what thou wilt, believing heart,
The answering time will come;
Pray and believe—that is thy part,
The answering time will come. AMEN
(first
verse of “THE ANSWERING TIME WILL COME” from cyberhymnal.org)
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
One of the directions we often need is to get those things out of our
lives that keep us from yielding ourselves to God. We all have these
blockages and know what some of them are. Select one of them and pray
daily for directions from Jesus that you will be able to remove that
blockage from your road to Eternity.
--back to top--
THE NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS
DEVOTION
FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2008
ST. MATTHEW 2:1
A JOURNEY TO AN UNKNOWN PLACE
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in
the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to
Jerusalem.
ST. MATTHEW 2:1 (NKJV)
Mystery tours are popular today as they have been for years. People who
plan tours announce a mystery tour and it is not long before all the
tickets are sold. Church organizations find such tours a great way to
build relationships as members have the opportunity to get to know each
other as they ride along to an unknown place.
The Three Wise Men went on the Greatest Mystery Tour of all Mystery Tours.
There was a great difference between the Tour of the Magi and the tours of
today. The only thing in common was the fact that neither tour group knew
their destination. The Wise Men did not have any idea when they would
return to their home; today we know the exact hour. The Wise Men did not
know where they would sleep or eat; today it is known that reservations
will have been made for places to eat or sleep as needed. The most
important difference is that today’s tour group has a Driver who knows
exactly where they are going while none of the Wise Men had any idea where
they would go after they reached Jerusalem.
Many, many people are also going on a Mystery Tour -- A JOURNEY TO AN
UNKNOWN PLACE. It is a journey similar to that of the Wise Men. The Wise
Men saw a bright star and tried to follow it. People today hear of a
Heaven and an Eternal Life and try their best to figure out how to get
there.
Neither the Wise Men of old or people of today need to worry. The Wise Men
had the Star which would lead them to the Christ Child, while we have the
Christ Child who later said, “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE, NO ONE
COMES UNTO THE FATHER EXCEPT BY ME.”
During these Twelve Days of Christmas, each of us continues on our
individual JOURNEY TO AN UNKNOWN PLACE. Follow the Christ Child. He
will lead you there.
WE PRAY:
Lead me gently home, Father,
Lead me gently home,
In life’s darkest hours, Father,
When life’s troubles come;
Keep my feet from wand’ring,
Lest from Thee I roam,
Lest I fall upon the wayside,
Lead me gently home. AMEN
“LEAD ME GENTLY
HOME, FATHER.” from cyberhymnal.org
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
In your daily Bible Study time, make notes when you read something that
Jesus says about Heaven. Do this for several weeks. From time to time
review the notes that you have written.
--back to top--
THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS
DEVOTION
FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2008
St. John 1:16-18
HIS FULLNESS NEVER DIMINISHES
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and
grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and
truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The
only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
St. John 1:16-18 (NKJV)
Today we return to the Gospel of St. John after observing the Day of the
Circumcision and Naming of Jesus. When John the Baptist spoke these words
it was probably 33 years after the Birth of Jesus. These verses follow the
verse where John attests to the Birth of Jesus when he said, "And the Word
became flesh and dwelt among us."
Now read what John tells the people.
Of His fullness we have all received. At first thought, this may not seem
to make sense, yet it is very important to our understanding of Jesus. The
act of being full is one thing, but fullness is even greater. When a water
reservoir is full, there is plenty to drink. When it drops below the full
level, then people begin to worry. This has been the case in Atlanta the
last few weeks. Fullness, on the other hand, is more than full. It is full
all of the time no matter how much is taken out; it is constantly being
refilled and that refilling process cannot be stopped. In this case, it is
the fullness of grace. John reminds them that they have all received grace
and grace, and Jesus is still filled with it. This grace and mercy is what
we seek when we turn to God in prayer. Jesus is not just full of grace, he
has a fullness of it and will never run out no matter how much He so
freely and gladly gives away.
The people have lived under the LAW for so long, they have to be reminded
that the LAW was given, by God, to the people through Moses. Now here is
Jesus with the gifts of grace and mercy to help us to be free from the
burden of the LAW. John is saying that the one who is coming and is
greater than he is, has this powerful gift of grace and truth. They, and
we, need to listen to Him. Then a further reminder that no one has seen
God. BUT God’s only begotten Son, who was with God in the Beginning, has
declared Him. We often say that we don’t know anything about God. All that
we need to know, Jesus has told us about His Father in Heaven. It is up to
us to read what Jesus has said. It is recorded in the Bible. On this the
Eighth Day of Christmas, the setting in which John spoke may be far
removed from the Manger in Bethlehem, but John’s words take us to the One
who became flesh and dwelt among us, Thank You Lord.
WE PRAY: LORD JESUS, help us to swallow our pride and come to you for your
overflowing gifts of grace and mercy. Send the Holy spirit upon us that we
might be able to grasp the greatness of the love and mercy you have to
shower upon us. We ask this in Your Holy Name. AMEN.
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
On a few 3x5 cards write: Jesus never runs out of grace and mercy for me.
Put one on the refrigerator and others at places where you might go to get
something only to find that you have run out of those foods or supplies.
When you run out of something, it can be important to remember that when
you turn to Jesus, He never runs out.
--back to top--
THE SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS
DEVOTION
FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2008
LUKE 2:21
HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED, JESUS
21 “And when eight days were completed for the
circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by
the angel before He was conceived in the womb.”. ST. LUKE 2:21 (NKJV)
St. Luke 2:21 is the Historic Text from the Gospel for January 1, the date
that commemorates the Circumcision and Naming of Jesus. Unfortunately,
even though this text is often read as the Gospel for the Day, sermons are
seldom preached on these important words.
Before I go on, you may be wondering why on the Seventh Day of Christmas I
use a text that begins, “Now when eight days were completed?” It is simply
a matter of how you count days. The eight day count comes from the Old
Testament. If you go back to Genesis 1 and read the Story of Creation, it
is repeated, “the evening and the morning were the first day, etc.
Even today many Jewish groups begin their Sabbath at 6 P.M. on Friday and
it ends at 6 P.M. on Saturday. If you count the days that way, then the
eight days end at 6 P.M. on January 1. After the birth of Jesus, in fact
many years later when the calendar was created, the days switched from
Midnight to midnight. Christmas Day stood by itself and then was followed
by the 12 Days of Christmas. which takes us to Epiphany, January 6.
As each year goes by, the tendency to push aside this important Day and to
replace it with the emphasis on New Year’s resolutions and celebrations
has increased. This is too bad because there are probably people listening
to the sermon who can’t wait to go to their parties and break the very
resolutions the Pastor is speaking about.
When the emphasis is on New Year’s Day, a very important fact about the
birth of Jesus is missed, Joseph and Mary fulfilled the Jewish Law when
they took Him to be circumcised and Named on the eighth day. Even today,
this is still a Jewish rite. Our youngest son was born in a Jewish
Hospital. On the maternity floor was a special “Jewish Room”, a chapel of
sorts, where all of the Jewish males born there were circumcised.
Circumcision was a sign of being under the Law, which the Jewish people
were under he Law.
Even though Jesus was without sin, He still bore this stigma of being
under the Law. However, it was not for his sinfulness but for yours and
mine and all others who have been born. Even here, at Christmas, we
already are told by the act of circumcision that the sinless Jesus took
our sins upon Himself and took them to the Cross. Jesus was not a Baby who
grew to be a Savior, He was a Savior who grew to be a man.
Not only was He circumcised at this time, He was also named. Selecting the
Name was not a problem because in St. Luke Chapter 1, verse 30 and 31 we
read, 30 “Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you
have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb
and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.”
What a story! What hope it gives. An eight day old Savior already
taking the burden of my sin. Remember when you need help, HIS NAME IS
JESUS.
AGAIN, WE PRAY:
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there. AMEN.
FROM LUTHER
CRADLE HYMN - cyberhymnal.org
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
On this New Year’s Day, consider a resolution to spend an amount of time,
of your choice, to be in prayer to the one whose Name was called, Jesus.
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THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS
DEVOTION
FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2007
St. John 1:15
IS JESUS GREATER THAN I AM?
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying,
“This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before
me, for He was before me.’” St. John 1:15 (NKJV)
Have you ever asked yourself the question, “Is Jesus greater than I am?”
It is an important question that does need to be asked and it deserves an
honest, well thought out answer.
Some people might say, No, I am more important than Jesus. Maybe that is
not the vocal answer they would give, but it is the answer they give with
the example of their daily life. Think of all the people who are the
loudest advocates for law and order. How many of them do you know who
speed while driving, drive after they have been drinking, cheat on their
Income Tax, and all of what they would call other minor offenses. Their
lips say, Yes, but their lives say, No. The same things apply to Jesus.
Our lips may say, Yes, Jesus is greater than we are, but our lives shout,
NO, He isn’t. If we believe that Jesus is greater than we are, then
we must gladly become obedient to His Word.
Sometimes we glide over the words of this verse. We need to spend time on
these words as they are important: “This was He of whom I said, ‘He
who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” This
can get a little confusing if you allow these words to stand alone. In
today's language, it would be He who will come after me is more important
because He was before me. How can someone who come after you, come before
you? This is where you have to go back to verse 1 - “In the beginning was
the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And then verse
14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
Now it becomes a little clearer. John the Baptist is telling the people
that the one who will come after him Was in the beginning, IS now and EVER
shall be, world without end. In the New testament, it is worded this way,
“Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”
Why can’t we acknowledge that He is greater than we? Why can’t we
understand that to obey Him and live according to His rules is the best
thing for us? Why can’t we close our eyes and our ears to shut out all of
the sinful calls of the world that seek to drag us from Him.
I hope you can join with me in saying, YES, JESUS IS GREATER THAN I AM.
WE PRAY: HEAVENLY FATHER, We sing your praise with the beautiful hymn, How
Great Thou Art. Now, we ask you to give us the power to not only sing
those words, but to live them. AMEN
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
If you can look to Jesus and know that He is greater than you, you will
want to be more like Him. Remember, there are people who look at you and
wish they could be more like you as you live your life of faith.
Therefore, look at your faith and the way you live your life. Because we
are sinful, there are many places where we fall short of what God wants us
to do and be. Select one area and ask your GREAT GOD to help you become
more like Him. Remember that person who would like to be more like you?
When you draw near to your GREAT God, you are also helping that person
draw nearer to God as well.
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THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS
DEVOTION
FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2007
St. John 1:1-5, 14
THE LIVING WORD
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All
things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was
made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the
light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
St. John 1:1-5, 14 (NKJV)
In comparison with the several verses that St. Luke uses to relate the
account of the Birth of Christ, St. John uses one short verse to tell the
story. In verse 14 of the 1st Chapter of his Gospel, St. John writes, “
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” In
this the Fifth Day of Christmas it is important to identify who this
Christ Child is, and St. John gives us that definition in the first five
verses of this chapter.
It is helpful to even go back to the opening chapter of Genesis and
consider verses such as, “And God SAID, let there be light and there was
light. In this and other verses, it is the power of God’s Word that did
the creating. God and the WORD that commanded the light to become light,
cannot be separated, they are one. So the WORD was there at the beginning,
the WORD was with God and the WORD was God. Here we also can see a
reference to the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In verse 4 and 5 we read that in Him was the life and the light of men.
The light of the Holy Spirit seeking to lead people to life in God, shines
in the darkness of man’s sinful heart and man did not comprehend it. It is
because of this that God, who loved the people of His Creation so much,
had no choice. It was either allow the people to march farther and farther
to their eternal destruction or to send His Son, the Promised Messiah, to
atone for the sins of the people so that they, in faith, could enter the
gates of eternal life with Him.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The Word, Jesus,.became alive, became living flesh and dwelt among us. To
the Shepherds, then to the Wise Men, then to all that He taught, healed or
even reprimanded, all people were able to see His Glory and that the words
He proclaimed were full of grace and truth. He became a living, speaking,
acting, caring God on Earth. It was simple. All the people had to do was
listen and follow. Sadly, many did not.
The LIVING WORD, still lives today. His WORD has been preserved and is
proclaimed in so many ways and places. The LIVING WORD is there for us not
only in written and spoken form but also given to us as God, through the
Holy Spirit, touches our heart and changes our lives. It is simple; all we
have to do is listen and follow. Sadly, many will not.
WE PRAY:
O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be. AMEN
O LOVE THAT WILL
NOT LET ME GO from cyberhymnal.org
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
List ten thoughts, concepts, desires and hopes that come to your mind on a
regular basis. Now rank them in their importance to you?
Now ask yourself if your LIVING WORD has any part in any of these ten that
you listed? If there is even one that God plays a part in, give your
attention only to those where God is involved. If you allow God to help
you work through these, then those where God is not involved will matter
less and less.
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Last updated on
Sunday August 03, 2008 12:57 AM -0400