Category: Devotionals

He is Risen, as He said. Just as He said He would do, He did. And because He did what He said He would do, He will do what He said He will do. We have His Word on that and not only that, He died and rose again that it would be so. He alone is Faithful and True.

Think about what it would have been to be those to whom He said, “All hail.” (Matthew 28.9) That “all hail” comes from the word, “chairo” and could well have been translated: Rejoice! as that word, chairo, was translated “rejoice” in many other places in the New Testament. He could have met them by the way saying: Rejoice! And because He did meet them by the way, and He has met us by the way, we truly can say: Rejoice.

I was a senior in high school when I came to a saving knowledge of the LORD… but, O, how grateful I am that He had His loving hand of protection on me my whole life. I will never forget the day, it was as though I was going along unaware of the total depravity of my life, that, apart from Jesus, I had nothing — was nothing. O, I wasn’t a naughty girl and I wasn’t a wayward daughter and I would have proclaimed my own goodness (as in Proverbs 20.6: “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?”) and if asked, I would have thought that on my own merits I was going to heaven—you know, because I was a good person and all. But then I came to see that it was not at all on my own merit that I would be judged and saved, it was specifically and only because of faith in Jesus and the finished work of the Cross. In and of ourselves, there is no salvation. And, in fact, in and of ourselves is no good thing. But the enemy would attempt to convince otherwise. Woooooooo… that’s something that’s hard for most people because most people consider themselves to be good people. You know, not robbing banks, not killing people, not stealing from stores or spitting on sidewalks. You know, we all wish to see ourselves in the best possible light, and it’s true, in fact, that most people are “pretty good” characters (some of the time).

But God doesn’t judge on all that, for actually there is truly no one who measures up to the holiness,goodness and pure righteousness of God. And it is against that righteousness that we are judged. That’s the whole what and why of Jesus. Jesus came to save sinners—us. Jesus stands in our place on the day of judgment. Jesus didn’t come to give us trinkets and health, wealth and prosperity as many seem to proclaim and promise. No. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, to redeem them to Himself and to secure their redemption that in life and in death we would not be eternally separated from God. That is it. For apart from Jesus all men perish. All men. All women. In all places. For all time.

But then there’s the Good News. He came that we might have life and that, life everlasting. The Bible says, Believe in the LORD Jesus Christ and you will be saved. I know when I was first saved, it was such a foreign thing to me to realize that thou I thought I was doing okay, I realized that I truly was a sinner in need of a Saviour and that day began a journey with the LORD, who sought me and bought me with His precious redeeming blood. It was not of works but solely by His grace that He saved me and keeps me to the end. I stood that day in the Little Brown Church in Pacifica and I stand today: on the precious promises of my LORD and Saviour. My Risen LORD and Saviour.

After that most oft quoted verse are these: John 3:17-21
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

He didn’t come to condemn—He came to save. Praise the LORD. Christ The LORD Is Risen Today!

How GREAT Thou art!! Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee… Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee: How Great Thou art! Christ the LORD is Risen today… Alleluia!

REJOICE!
And again, I say: REJOICE!

I woke up this morning already in thought and already writing a message and as often happens, I completely lost the thought – though at the time it was complete and articulate (or so it seemed to me!).  Isn’t it interesting how that goes or how “life lessons” are?  We think, at the time of the event or thought, that it is something we shall never forget.  We hear a message and it resonates with us and we think it was the most marvelous message.  We might say that something we heard or something we read was of such significance that it was “life changing.” And then… as if to have never heard it or read it, it is completely gone – gone from our minds, gone from our consciousness into the sea of forgetfulness.

This has happened so many times and, sadly, happens increasingly as I get older… and I think to myself: why don’t I, or why didn’t I, write that down?  O, the books I write in my dreams… compelling and succinctly written – in my dreams I have skill.   And then I wake up… make the bed, prepare for the day and that once-wonderful work vanishes.

Sometimes I think it’s all for naught and then I stop to discover that even in sleep, the LORD is with me and blesses me.  Now, that might sound arrogant and maybe even a bit off, theologically, but I don’t mean it to be so.  What I mean to say is that as our hearts and minds are stayed on Him, even our sleep shall be sweet.  I was thinking on Proverbs 3.21-25

My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.”

So if the thoughts of the night escape me in the day I will still rejoice at the sweet sleep the LORD gives and the protection and provision He seems to lavish on me.  I should hope to write down the blessings and thoughts He brings my way.  But even if I don’t and even if I should forget, I will still trust in Him and I will yet praise Him more and more.  He is my precious Risen LORD!

You probably experience this from time to time… you either read about or are told about some amazing thing, event or piece of news (read: rumour or gossip).  At first, you either can’t believe it  or you instantly believe it and then feel like kicking yourself later over your gullibility or lack of honour and discernment.  When you hear some shocking bit of information and you instantly believe the report and then, inevitably, you’re filled with remorse over your lack of loyalty or lack of wisdom——-that, or you instantly deny that rumour and defend your friend or defend a position or make a strong attempt to bear, believe, hope, endure… all things.  Either way, you’re probably a bit ruffled.  I know I’ve sure experienced the gamut of those feelings lately.
Around our town there’re lots and lots of rumours floating around and being batted about.  And you know, I keep rehearsing in my mind the verses in 1 Peter (3.4-6):

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.  For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:  Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.”

I keep thinking: what is hidden in my heart? (The Word, The Truth…)  Is it an ornament of grace?  Is it a meek and quiet spirit and am I trusting in God?  Or, does my reaction reflect otherwise?   In my response to this or that rumour, am I doing well and not reacting in fear or amazement?

It’s interesting how the LORD seems to send lessons in groups or in succession – seemingly to cement a proper response or teaching.  Recently, I’ve had opportunity to hear several sorts of “reports” in various places and I’ve been keenly aware that each is a sort of “testing of my faith” so to speak.  I’m amazed at the ploys of the enemy to destroy believers and to wedge division between them—but it’s his ploy and is seeming very effective.  But what should I do when I hear a bad report or read of an account in the local paper or hear some gossip rumour?  I’m determining to not be “afraid with any amazement (or fear) and I am determined to react in 1 Corinthians love… bearing, believing, hoping, enduring — all things.

And coupled with those, I am seeking the LORD and asking: Lord, is this of You or of the enemy—if it’s of You, what, then, should I do?  If it’s of the enemy, I ask: Lord, please show me the Truth and help me to act in accordance with Your will.  And above all, help me be still, help me yield to You and help me demonstrate loving kindness that, in the end, regardless the outcome or truth or lies, I will have been still in the Hand of the Father.
I pray to finish well.  Still in the Hand of the Potter.

I was standing in the kitchen a little while ago and, as I do most every morning, I was waiting for my tea water to boil. Instantly, Doubter came in along with his friends, Sabotager and Shame to visit She-who-must-be-obeyed. You see, She-who-must-be-obeyed has been battling against My-will-to-obey and She-who-must-be-obeyed is very very cunning and has a litany of excuses as to why she deserves whatever she wants… especially when she listens to friends, Doubter, Sabotager and Shame. They’re all bent on tempting her to listen and bent on destroying My-will-to-obey.

You see, My-will-to-obey is often weak and even seems to exchange places with She-who-must-be-obeyed when My-will-to-obey is not drinking from the fresh life-spring of the Word of God. When My-will-to-obey just meanders through the morning, very quickly My-will-to-obey exchanges the sweet fruit of the spirit for the carnage of the world and begins to linger on with She-who-must-be-obeyed. One of the ways Doubter influences this is to tell his friends Sabotager and Shame to remind My-will-to-obey that it’s never going to get better or that things will never improve or that the day is bleak and so probably, since things will never change, it won’t matter if the bag of cookies is consumed. For, if little or no weight-loss has been achieved, what’s the point in My-will-to-obey continuing working at healthful eating and learning to exercise?

And then it dawns on me (as if for the first time, but for the umpteenth time) …every day’s a battle—O, it’s not about cookies or whatever other weapon the enemy uses to sabotage our flesh- but every day’s a battle of the will to obey God or self. For in each of us is this “She-who-must-be-obeyed” self… and yet, when we put our trust in the LORD Jesus Christ, we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and by the Spirit we yield not to self but to God. I find in the LORD all I need and whatever self or the world offers or demands is by comparison: nothing. I, therefore, must be renewed daily in the spirit of my mind that I do not that which “She-who-must-be-obeyed” would do but rather that which is pleasing to the LORD—that which is led of the LORD— who is my all in all… my-will-to-obey.

Excerpts of Romans 7.6-25

But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

I did not eat the cookies Doubter offered to She-who-must-be-obeyed.