Do You Have Ears?

Scripture:
Revelation 2:13-17 (NIV)

I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food, sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

Devotional:

“Only the shadow knows…”  How often do we feel forgotten, or in an impossible situation?  There are movies, comics, and books about super heroes that come and save the day.  One such hero was the Shadow.  He knew all things.  He fought evil as repentance of his evil days.  It seemed he was always lurking in the shadows of people’s minds, or around the next corner waiting.  There is one who really does know all.  He really is not just around the next corner but right there with you.

God knows all things, sees all things, and hears all things.  We cannot hide from Him.  We do not have to fear being alone, left behind or forgotten.  In Revelations 2 God tells us that He knows where we are.  He knows where Satan is.  As long as we remain faithful to Him we have nothing to fear.  God will be with us and see us through. He is our rock and foundation.  It is by His grace that we will be victorious.  When God comes, on whose side do you want to be on?  Most of us want to be on the winning team.  Jesus already won; the enemy just doesn’t realize it yet. Revelation 2:17 (NASB):

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’

Time To Refocus

Scripture:
2 Chronicles 20:1-4 (NASB)

Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi).” Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord.

Devotional:

I said it before and I will say it again.  There is one really easy fix to our nation’s problems.  Jehoshaphat knew what it was and got the entire nation to fast and pray.  Yep you guessed it, we need to turn to God.  The solution is an easy one.  Following through it is what can be a challenge.  I find myself saying the same words Paul once said in Romans 7:19 (NASB), “ For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.”  He goes on to comment in verse 20, “But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.”  

Because of the sinful nature present within me I seem to constantly struggle.  As Paul put it I am at war with in myself.  But by calling upon God I will be victorious.  If we as a nation turned our eyes back upon God He will remember us.  Things would get better and problems would become solved.  What I find sad is that people everywhere are turning to all the wrong places to find a fix or cure.  The answer is right in front of us.  All we have to do is remember.  We need to follow Jehoshaphat and seek God.  We need to fast and pray for our families, communities, and our nation.  We need to quit looking in all the wrong places and in all the wrong faces.  There is only one face we need to seek.  There is only one answer we need.  Everything else will hinge upon this.  So remember in hard times, and good times, Keep your eyes on God.  He will see you through.  He will guide, provide, and protect.  As a nation we need to refocus on God…

Flesh Or Spirit, Self Or...

Scripture:
Galations 5:14-18 (NIV)

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 

Devotional:

“Treat others as you would want to be treated” is a saying I grew up hearing.  My mom use to tell us that all the time when we were having problems with one another, or friends.  This one statement basically sums up Matthew 22:39-40 (NIV), “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  How much better would it be if you treated your enemies the way you would want them to treat you?  What would happen if everyone would treat their neighbor in this manner?  If everyone treated everyone else with kindness, respect, and love there would not be any theft, muggings, murders, or any other crime.  

If we all lived in the spirit, according to the two greatest commands that Jesus gave us, there would be no room in us to live by the flesh, of this world.  Unfortunately too many people simply choose to live by the flesh, selfish and self seeking.  It is all about them and what they can get or how they can benefit, no matter the cost.  This breeds sinful activities such as sexual immorality, impurity, drunkenness, hatred, jealousy, among others.   Living in the spirit gives forth love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, self-control, among other things.  In living by the spirit we are no longer self seeking, it isn’t all about me.  What becomes important is the other person, no matter who they are.  In this way the fruits of the Spirit are brought forth. 

 

Think if it in this way.  If you have a glass of muddy water you cannot fill it with clean water.  It isn’t until you empty the glass that you can fill it with the clean water.  The glass will only hold one or the other, but not both.  If you have a glass of clean water and start pouring in dirty water eventually all the clean water is spilled out of the glass.  This leave is full of the dirty water.  In the same way if you take the glass of dirty water and start pouring in the clean water eventually you will over flow the glass removing the dirty water.  The water will become clean, clear water once again.  Have you ever taken a glass of soapy water and poured water into it?  Once the glass fills up it will overflow.  Eventually all the soap flows out over the top leaving the water clear.  Our hearts are the same way.  Whatever we fill it with is how we will be.  If we fill it with desires of the flesh, there is no room for the Spirit.  If we fill it with the Spirit, there is no room for the flesh.  If we are walking in the spirit we will keep the first two commandments.  From there all others are naturally going to be kept…

They Are In The Family

Scripture:
Luke 6:32-36 (NIV)

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Devotional:

What do you mean God treats ungrateful and wicked people kindly?  Are you kidding me?  They don’t deserve it.  Why should they be treated the same as I am?  Why should they be treated the same as my pastor?  After all, my pastor is a man of God preaching and teaching every day, every week.  How many people does he help and is kind to?  Shouldn’t he be treated better?

Sin is the same no matter how big or small.  Any sin separates us from God.  All of us are undeserving.  All of us are wicked and evil because of the inherited sin we live with.  So it is a good thing that God loves the undeserving and the wicked.  How awesome is it that God is merciful and treats us better than we deserve.  Just remember that God loves your enemies just as much as He loves you.  He is with them just as He is with you.  God wants salvation for them just as much as He wants it for you.  There is a saying that says “you can choose your friends but not your family.”  Anyone who accepts Christ as their savior is a part of our family.  No matter how much we dislike them, or may call them enemies.  They are in the family too.  It is hard to stay angry or upset with someone whom you treat with kindness and offer up prayers for.  I am not saying you have to become best friends.  You do need look upon them as Christ does.  It just might change your thoughts and feelings a little…

How Awesome Is Our God

Scripture:
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV)

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Devotional:

It seems to me that there are certain scripture verses that make the best tongue twisters.  No matter how I try to wrap my mind around the verse it always seems to twist in on itself and leaves me shaking my head.  I ask, what did I just read?  Sometimes, I wonder if Paul could have chosen a different way to express his thoughts in some of his letters.  But then reading through carefully he does say it best.  Christ has died for us.  When we accept Christ as savior we too die upon the cross.  We gain new life through Christ.  He was raised from the dead in order to bring life to all.

Sin entered the world through the acts of one couple, one man.  Adam’s failure created sin in all our lives.  We are natural heirs to sin.  Sin brings death.  Through the acts of one man sin has been defeated.  Christ dies on the cross in order to pay our debt to sin.  Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Through His death our debts are paid.  In His life we are given new life.  The most precious thing in the world we could ever receive is a free gift.  No cost, no strings attached.  Purely and simply we are given Grace.  God loves us so much; He came and lived a sinless life.  He died on the cross to pay our debt to sin.  He rose again giving us new life.  How awesome is our God…