“Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,” (2 Peter 2:9)
Too much of the world, it seems, has always been in a battle of good and evil. We see people do evil deeds and desire to see justice done. Sometimes, we can even get impatient waiting for justice. After all, wouldn’t it be best for God to get rid of all the evil people in the world? Surely, if he did, then none of us would be here. The reality is that God’s grace is on us all. He is perfect in his justice and will punish those who do evil. However, He is also full of mercy and desires that none should perish. Peter puts it this way…
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
One day, God will return to punish evil, but until then, He is giving evil people time to turn to Him for forgiveness and grace. Because of His patience, men like the apostle Paul went from being a hater of Jesus and His followers to being the greatest missionary to walk the planet. That same change is happening all over our world as people’s hearts are changed by the Gospel.
“God is patient in judgment. He will punish or reward at the perfect time.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace and for being so patient with me. Father, help me to walk in that grace and to share Your love and mercy with others. In this world of pain, help me to trust in You even when I may not understand all that is happening around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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“Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. (Luke 19:1-2)
According to the world’s standards for evaluating worth, Zacchaeus was a failure. He was extremely short; he was disliked by everyone because he was a tax collector; and he even hated himself.
He was not proud of what he had achieved in life because he knew he had cheated people to get where he was. He was powerful and had a lot of money, but he absolutely had no friends and was incredibly lonely.
But one day Zacchaeus’ life was completely changed because Jesus walked by and wanted to spend time with him, he realized how much he mattered to God.
When Zacchaeus learned that Jesus was coming to town, he wanted to see him, but he was too short to get a glimpse above the crowd.
“So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”” (Luke 19:3-5)
That very moment when Jesus looked up and noticed Zacchaeus. Can you imagine how Zacchaeus’ felt? Did his heart start pounding, did he experiance butterflies deep in his stomach? Jesus was looking right at him, a small, despised, insignificant man.
Why did Jesus stop at that tree and look at him? Because He knew that’s exactly where Zacchaeus was.
God knows exactly where you are too. He knew where you were a week ago and he knows where you now and even where you will be tomorrow. You may feel like you’re stuck in a tree right now in your life. God knows where you are. You may feel like you’re out on a limb, Jesus knows. You may feel all alone, but Jesus stops and notices. You are not forgotten, you are not alone.
No tear has ever been hidden from Him. No hurtful word said to you has ever passed that he missed. No abuse has ever occurred that he didn’t see and grieve with you. He sees it all.
“What is the price of five sparrows, two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7)
The greatest gift of love anyone can ever receive is attention. When you give people your time, you give them your life. When you pay attention to someone and look them in the eye, you are saying, “You matter to me. You are valuable.”
There is never a moment, never a second in your life that God is not paying attention to you. He notices you 24 hours a day because he loves you; you are valuable to him.
Don’t forget to call your loved ones this Thanksgiving holiday and spend some time and let them know they matter to you. Make amends to the ones you may need to, and brighten the day of someone that wouldn’t expect you to call. Let them know that they matter and you still care.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Thank You for the always noticing me no matter how insignificant I may feel in the world, how lonely I may be because family doesnt call or how screwed up I may get. Today I come to You with nothing but empty hands and a heart that desires more of You. Please Lord, take my life and do with it as you please. I trust You and desire to glorify Your name in all that I do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Invitation:
If you are reading these devotions and are not a follower of Jesus Christ, please be aware that these seeds of scripture are being sown in your heart right now… I am praying that they start to take root in your heart and you come to know personally the greatest truth you will ever hear.. Jesus Christ died on a cross for you. He loves you and He cares for you. When you call His name and ask for His help, He will set you free.. Click Here if you would like to learn more about Gods salvation, or ask Him into your heart.
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“They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46-47)
Just as something wonderful happens when God’s people get together and study His Word, something extraordinary happens when God’s people get together and sing His praises. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) Now this verse is not saying that God only shows up when people worship, because God is omnipresent. But He manifests His presence in a very special way when His people lift up His name in praise and worship.
Did you know that the early church was a worshipping church. As we read above in Acts 2:46–47 it tells us, “They ate their food with great joy and generosity all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people”
The phrase “great joy and generosity” literally means (with unaffected joy) There was joy in the early church. They were vibrant. But they also had reverence. A few verses earlier in (Acts 2:43) we read “A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.”
There should be joy and reverence. Those are elements that should be in our worship. The Spirit-filled church will be a worshipping church, and the Spirit filled Christian will be a worshipping Christian.
Someone might say, “Well, I just don’t always feel like worshipping.” Do you think the first-century believers always felt like praising God? They were harassed. They were beaten. They were mocked. These Christians faced persecution on a massive scale, but they were thankful to God.
The Bible doesn’t say, “Give thanks to the Lord when you feel good.” Rather, it says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!” (1 Chronicles 16:34). That is how Job was able to worship God after calamity came knocking at his door.
“Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship.” (Job 1:20).
“Sometimes worship can be a sacrifice. But we should still worship with unaffected joy “
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I am in awe of Your unending, unconditional love. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection on my behalf, I am able to be free from the bondage of sin and future condemnation. You are so good to me, and I desire to respond with a life of surrender to you. Fill me with Joy and reverence, fill me with Your Spirit and help me to live a life of love and service for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Their arrogance testifies against them, yet they don’t return to the LORD their God or even try to find him.” (Hosea 7:30)
In the book of Hosea, the people of Israel find themselves in a frightening spot. God has given them over to their enemies, yet they continue to sin. They are weary, heartbroken and homesick, yet they refuse to look to God. Like a loving father who watches his child continue to hurt themselves, God desires to step into the scene and heal them. He desires to bring them hope, freedom, prosperity and peace.
While the situation may be different for each of us, the reality is the same. We all have moments in life where we feel beat up and knocked down. Our marriage is struggling, our job is on the line, we’re concerned about our health; all these things come at us and we have a choice to make. Will we look to God or will we look to ourselves or the world for answers. Of course, the even greater picture is in regards to our salvation. Each of us stands before God guilty because of the bad things we have done, we now have a choice. Do we admit guilt and ask for mercy, or do we deny guilt and run from the very One who desires to forgive us? All of us have a choice… choose wisely.
“God desires to forgive us, but we must come to Him first.”
Prayer;
Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner and in need of Your grace. I also know that without You my life would simply fall to pieces. Help me to trust in You during the hard times and celebrate that I have been saved by Your grace through Jesus. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I can share this Good News with others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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“Then Peter said, Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them walking, leaping, and praising God. (Acts 3:6-8)
Many times we try to give what we think others might need, but as we see in this story, Peter didn’t have any money on him, he had something better. He had the power of the Name of Jesus, and with that Name he was able to see a miracle happen.
So don’t always look for what you don’t have, look for what you do have. What’s that in your hand? You might say, well I don’t have a hundred dollars to give to the work of my church, but God will always say “what do you have?” If you’ve got five and you’re willing to give that with a cheerful heart, God sees it just like it was a hundred.
You might say, well I don’t have the time to help in the children or teen ministry. Yet maybe you can help on special events or once and a while. “Give What You Have” and give it from your heart. God our Father doesn’t look at the outside, He looks at the heart.
Do you remember the poor widow who gave the two pennies? She had so little but Jesus said she gave so much. Many try to say, so all I have to do is give a little like that poor widow did? Well, no! The scripture said she gave all that she had. So what do you have today? Give that and watch God give you such an increase that it will just amaze you.
“The only things we can keep are the things we freely give to God.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Today, I give what I have and I give it from my heart. You were never looking for us to give what we don’t have, just to give what we do have. I have learned that as I give (not out of obligation, but wanting to give) more of my time, my talents, and my treasure, You God, always reward me with blessings much greater than what I freely gave to further Your Kingdom. You always amaze me Lord. Thank You for teaching me to give in this way.. In Jesus’ precious and glorious name, Amen.
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“If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” (Isaiah 1:19-20)
Ancient Hebrew poetry often comes with parallel statements, “If and Then” and these two are pretty straightforward. Breaking down the verses in Isaiah 1:19-20, If you are willing and obedient toward God, then you will get the best. But if you resist Him and rebel, then you will be devoured by the sword. Being willing isn’t enough. Being obedient isn’t enough. We have to be both willing and obedient. Have you ever been obedient, but you haven’t been very willing? Or you may have been outwardly obedient, but inwardly your heels were dug in and you were grinding your teeth. The opposite of willingness and obedience is resistance and rebellion, and that is not a good place to be. We can be passive and rebellious or even compliant and rebellious, but being “devoured by the sword” is surely an outcome to be avoided.
“We have authority over our will, so let’s choose to be willing and obedient.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I am sorry for the times I have been disinterested in Your plans and purposes for me. I ask forgiveness for the times I have turned my back on You and chosen my own way. I acknowledge today that You are Lord of all that I am and all that I have, the Sovereign God who will lead me on a path of Kingdom service and blessing if I will allow You. Give me a willing and obedient heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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“Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.” (Proverbs 9:6)
None of us would like to say we are foolish at times. When we think of foolishness, we often dream up images of individuals who are acting in a childish manner or speaking in ignorance. While those may be foolish things, the Bible paints a more direct picture of foolishness. In essence, foolishness equals the rejection of God and His Word. After all, doesn’t (Psalm 14:1) say, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” This is at the root of foolishness.
To believe in God and His Word is the epitome of wisdom. To walk in light of God’s Truth is to experience a life of understanding. This leads to great blessing, and it all starts with our relationship with God. If we understand God and that His word is true, we will understand that we are sinners in need of a great Savior, Jesus Christ. This understanding brings us to faith in Christ which leads us into a relationship with God Himself. Imagine, broken human beings given the honor of being children of the God of all creation. I cannot imagine a greater blessing. And it all started by forsaking foolishness and walking in the way of understanding.
“The abundance of life is summed up by the quality of one’s relationship with the Lord.”
If you have never taken that step of faith, trusting in Jesus for salvation, you can pray this prayer.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I believe You died for me so that I could be forgiven. I believe You were raised from the dead so that I could have new life. I know I have done wrong things, and I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Give me the power to follow You all the days of my life. Amen.
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“For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?” (1 Corinthians 4:7)
God has uniquely gifted you in special ways because He has special things for you to do. Enjoy the calling God has gifted you with, but be careful where your eyes wander. It can be easy to begin coveting another’s gifts. When we get wrapped up in envy, we can neglect our own calling, pridefully telling God that He gave us the wrong gifts. Ask yourself, on who does pride misplace your reliance? Pride is a dangerous thing, and it has wrecked many a man despite the best intentions.
“Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” (Romans 12:3)
So, how do you explore your gifts? You won’t unearth much sitting on your couch. Pray and ask God how you can help. Through serving the Lord, you will begin to identify those things God has equipped you to do. As you use your gifts, you will discover and develop skills you didn’t know you had. Gifted musicians spend hours practicing; the more you use your gifts the more gifted you become. Are you faithfully using your gifts?
“We have all been given gifts by God. We should develop our gifts for the glory of God and to bless others.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for uniquely gifting me with talents and resources. Lord, I want to use my gifts for You. I want to experience the joy You have for me. Lord, I know I have been ungrateful for the gifts You have given me. Forgive me. Forgive me for being so distracted by what others are doing and not focusing on what You have blessed me with. I offer You all of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.” (1 Corinthians 9:16-17)
When competing in a competition, Lets face it we love to win. Whether it’s a paycheck on payday, or a trophy at the end of a race. We as all enjoy receiving a reward for our efforts. Did you know that the Bible tells us that we will receive rewards for the good we do here on earth? Salvation is free and comes when we trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. Once we accept Christ as Savior, the Bible speaks of God rewarding those who served Him while here on earth.
“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” (Matthew 16:27)
Imagine our Lord coming in all His glory and with Him rewards that will be given to those who served Him and helped build His Kingdom. Yes, we serve our King because He is worthy of our service. Yes, we show love to others because we love Him. Yet, we also serve Him in great expectation of the rewards He has prepared for us. So the question is, “Will you receive rewards?” Are you serving the Lord and therefore storing up treasures in Heaven? You have all eternity to enjoy your rewards but only a short lifetime to earn them. It’s either rewards or regrets – you get to decide now.
“We should all desire our spiritual rewards….”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Thank You that You have made a way for me to be saved. I praise You for Your grace and mercy. Lord, I also thank You that after all that You have done for me You allow me to earn rewards in Your Kingdom. Father, fill me with Your Spirit and guide me by Your Word in this great time of renewing for our country. I pray that our nation will return back to You and that a great revival will sweep across this land. May our Nation be healed and that we will Shine like a City on the Hill. Give me the wisdom and courage so that I will use every opportunity to share the Gospel and lead even more to you. In Jesus’ Holy name. Amen.
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“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
Today, as I wrap up this mini-series on why God choose us, I want us to look at how the Bible brings these verses out. God looked down from heaven and He chose us in spite of all of our problens. Isn’t that great? We are chosen by the Great “I Am” to be a co-partner with Him, to help people and share His message of eternal salvation. God could have just done it Himself, but He chose to work through us to let people see the light.
That’s why we can never boast in ourselves, because we know who we are. We know where we came from, so our boast needs to always be of God. As we looked at David, Rahab and Joseph these last few days, we could have looked at so many more in the Bible that started off badly, yet God took them on a journey and made something great out of them.
So today, don’t put yourself down. See yourself the way God your Heavenly Father sees you, “IN JESUS”! That’s why He sees you blessed, because Jesus is blessed. That is why He sees you healed, because Jesus is healed. Start seeing yourself the way God sees you and never forget from where you came, and yet, always remember where you’re going. Enjoy the ride, He brought you this far, He’ll get you to the finish line.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, You have gotten me to the starting gate and I know that You will get me to the finish line. It’s not about me, it’s about You, Christ in me, the hope of glory. Thank You for the precious gift of salvation. Your love and forgiveness have changed my life, and I desire to show that same kind of love and forgiveness within the relationships around me. Fill me with Your Spirit and instruct me by Your Word, so that I can live like Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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