Daily Devotional 09-14-2019

Good afternoon, my brothers and sisters, fellow disciples of Jesus.

Hebrews 10:19-20 says:

So, brothers, we have confidence to use the way into the Holiest Place opened by the blood of Jesus. He inaugurated it for us as a new and living way through the temple veil, by means of his flesh (sacrifice).

Let us step (mentally) into the temple of old that was in Jerusalem. There was a veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holiest place that contained the Ark of the Covenant. The Holy Place was a place that the priests could go into, but only the High Priest could go into the Holiest Place.

On that veil, there were images of Cherubim (angels) , but those images were a 2-dimensional representation. Inside the Holiest Place, on top of the Ark, were two statues (3-dimensional representations).

When Jesus died, His sacrifice tore the veil to allow access to the Holiest Place for all.

Now, I want us to grasp this. Before Jesus, all we had was a 2-dimensional representation of Heavenly things. All those outside of the throne room of God (Holiest Place) could only see a representation that lacked depth. We had NO access.

It is only when we walk into the presence of God, that we get into a deeper understanding of God and of Heavenly things. Jesus made that path available to us through His death.

Paul is trying to tell us that in order to see more than just what we see in this world, we must enter the Holiest Place, the presence of God. Most Christians don't want to see more. They are content with the 2D image. But, God calls us ALL into His presence.

Will we obey and see things, amazing things, wonderful things that God wants to show us? Or will we be content with just escaping Hell. God forbid we treat Jesus' sacrifice in such a manner.

May we long for the presence of God and His Holiness. Let us do all we can to enter His presence to sit at the feet of Jesus. Let us seek to know Him more and for Jesus to reveal His truths to us.

-a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 09-13-2019

Happy Friday! It is the end of a long week, but the Lord was step by step with us through every bit of it.

As I read this morning, my mind could not seem to settle down. I went from passage to passage looking for a message to share. And I kept coming back to Colossians 3:17:

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

No matter how tired, frustrated, excited, energetic we feel, we are to do all things in the name of Jesus. But not only that, we must also do so in an attitude of thankfulness.

Thankfulness is not an easy attitude to have, especially when things go the wrong way. However, if we look at every action as an opportunity to learn and honor Jesus, then we become thankful, because without Jesus, our lives would be truly miserable.

Today, while we go about our day, let us walk in an attitude of thankfulness as well as to purposefully work to honor Him.

-a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 09-12-2019

Good morning, and a blessed Thursday to you all. Sorry about missing yesterday, I had a 5AM call-out to a house fire. It took a while to put the fire out. Jesus protected everyone and we were able to all go home.

In Mark 5, Jesus cast the demon called legion out of a man. This story is very interesting because everything about this story is unclean. The man was in a graveyard, surrounded by death. There was a pig farm nearby. And there was a whole host of unclean spirits. There is nothing in this story that would entice a Jew of those times to even step foot on the shores of that land.

Jesus made a special trip there. He knew exactly what He was doing. But the end of the story, when Jesus leaves, caught my attention.

Mark 5:18-20

As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demonized begged him to be allowed to go with him. But Jesus would not permit it. Instead, he said to him, “Go home to your people, and tell them how much Adonai in his mercy has done for you.” He went off and began proclaiming in the Ten Towns how much Yeshua had done for him, and everyone was amazed.

Here is a man, that saw his only hope leaving. He was afraid that the demons would return, that his sanity would only remain if he was with Jesus. I have no doubt that this man would have been by Jesus's side to the cross. Jesus saw this, but instead told him to tell others of what He did. And the man was obedient. People heard the news.

Even though the man was scared to let Jesus out of his sight, he had faith in Jesus. I have no doubt that he knew exactly who Jesus was. Who else could have driven such a powerful group of demons away?

Like this man, we need to live by faith, even if we don't see Jesus around us, even though we fear. It is easier said than done, but through Him we can always have the strength to obey. Always.

-a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 09-10-2019

Happy Tuesday! Jesus is faithful, even when it feels like He isn't. Jesus is the friend that is closer than a brother. He is the only one who won't let us down.

We never see this more clearly than in John 11, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Quick recap: Lazarus had died and was dead for four days, despite the requests of Mary and Martha to Jesus to come before he died. Jesus knew that Lazarus was dying and did nothing. Instead, he waited for Lazarus to die before starting his journey to see Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

So, as we read through the chapter, we find this interesting passage, John 11:38-40.

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

This is after Lazarus has died and his body decayed for four days. I am sure everyone has smelled dead skunk on the road. The smell of death and decay is much worse; it permeates everything. And in the midst of grieving, Jesus asks a request that is insane. Those that touch the stone will become unclean. Those that are touched by this smell of death will become sick to their stomachs, unclean, and unable to worship at the temple on the Sabbath. No doubt the people argued with Jesus, and they might even have been a bit passive-aggressive to make Him feel bad about not being there sooner.

Yet Jesus asks for faith.

There are times in our lives where everything seems to be rotten. We think we or a situation is beyond the reach of God's healing power. We pray and nothing seems to be done. Then Jesus comes and asks us to open that tomb where we buried the situation or part of us in. For us, it is over, but for Jesus, it is a way to glorify God.

Let us live in faith and obedience no matter when or where we are.

-a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 09-09-2019

Jesus is Amazing! Good morning and a blessed Monday to you all. The Holy Spirit is moving and stirring His children to prayer and obedience. He is going to move mightily.

Right now, I feel there is a struggle for a lot of us. We are facing political uncertainty in the country. We are facing persecution in the media and online. Censorship is on the rise, and voices are being silenced. Our children are suffering from oppression and depression. The enemy is pushing hard to destroy as many lives as he can, as well as to break our spirits and to keep us from truly having the relationship with Jesus that Jesus wants with each of us.

Matthew 11:28-29 is for all of us.

“Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Not only will we find that rest, we will also find the strength to continue. We will find the peace and the joy that we need.

Let us turn our eyes to Jesus, and let Him calm the storms.

-a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 09-07-2019

It is Saturday! Good morning, and a blessed day to you.

As I read, prayed, and thought about what to share this morning, nothing really jumped out at me until I got to Psalms 143:8:

"Make me hear of your love in the morning, because I rely on you. Make me know the way I should walk, because I entrust myself to you."

David is praying to God in the later years of his life when there was turmoil in his kingdom. Even as David is asking for deliverance from his enemies and asking God to work, this verse shows his real focus.

Sometimes, we get surrounded and overcome with life. This happens more than we want to admit. Everything is vying for attention. We don't know how to overcome it and it threatens to overwhelm us. David gives us the key... Reliance and trust in God.

When all is dark, who else do we have to rely on that will never let us down? No one. Jesus is the ONLY human who has never let anyone down. He is God, but also human. If there was a chance to let anyone down, he had the chance to bail on the cross. He could have refused to go, as Jesus said to His disciples that the Father had given everything into His hands. This was before His death. Jesus gave up EVERYTHING except his reliability to us. He would not let us down, even if it meant He had to give it all.

I encourage us all to have the attitude of David, especially when things threaten to overwhelm us.

-a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 09-06-2019

Good morning, and a happy Friday! Adonai (my Lord) is good and His mercies endure forever.

John 15:16 says:

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

As I read this passage, it kinda jumped out at me that He chose us. Yes, we (his children) had to choose to accept His gift of salvation, but He sought us out.

How is this helpful? We all know that God wants all men to come to him. How is this special? It is special because out of the 7+ billion people on this earth, he took the effort and time to remove the obstacles that blocked us from coming to Him. He dedicated Himself to reaching us. We are extremely valuable to God.

Remember the parable of the Kingdom of Heaven? In Matthew 13:45‭-‬46, Jesus says,

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for fine pearls. On finding one very valuable pearl he went away, sold everything he owned and bought it."

To Jesus, we (each of us) are that pearl, and He is that merchant. He gave up ALL He had to purchase us from the slavery of sin. We are that valuable to Him.

Today, let us remember this and walk in the confidence of His love. Don't doubt His love for us, but instead thank Him and praise Him for it.

-a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 09-05-2019

Good morning! May Adonai give you strength, joy, and peace today.

When I was a around five years old, I remember being promised a visit to watch the car races at the race track on a Sunday afternoon. That visit never arrived. I remember that realization that my trust in someone was misplaced. This started me down a path of automatic distrust of people. I learned that whatever anyone says, only believe it when you see it.

In John chapter 20, we see a disciple of Jesus who walked with Him for 3 years, who is known for His doubting. He followed Jesus. He obeyed Jesus. But he also learned to never trust what you don't see. In general, that is not a bad thing. One does not simply trust a stranger with the keys to one's house. There has to be a vetting process, some way of making sure they are genuine and not trying to steal.

Thomas was a lot like this. He questioned everything. He wasn't going to be led blindly by emotions and hearsay. This is a good thing. Paul even says to test the spirits and to search the scriptures to verify what a person says.

John 20:27-29

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Most people read this and say that Jesus is chiding Thomas for doubting. I don't see that. I believe Jesus was saying to Thomas, "I understand that you doubt, and I have met you where you needed me to meet you. I love you. There is no need to doubt me or the words I have spoken any longer. Many blessings on all those who will believe, having never gotten to see me and hear me."

We may struggle with doubt, and that is okay. It is okay to question things. But even in the midst of doubt, we have to continue to seek God. Even in the midst of his extreme doubt, confusion, and mourning, he was still seeking God. Let us never stop seeking God, no matter what doubts we have. Jesus will meet us where we are, and He will give us what we need to go on.

-a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 09-04-2019

Happy Wednesday! It is a great day!

In the Gospels, we read of a young man, wealthy and a studious follower of the law. He knows that something is missing, and that what he has and everything he has done is not good enough to get him eternal life. He is used to being able to buy or get whatever he wants. So, in this search, he hears of Jesus and seeks Him out. When he finally gets Jesus's attention, he asks Jesus what he needs to do in order to gain eternal life.

Jesus answers in Luke 18:22,

"On hearing this Jesus said to him, “There is one thing you still lack. Sell whatever you have, distribute the proceeds to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me!”

Now, we do know that the young man went away sad and distraught because he was very wealthy. But there is a lesson in there for all of us, even those of us who are children of God.

See, there was something blocking the young man's ability to follow Jesus. A lot of people misread the passage and think that selling the stuff and following Jesus would guaranty eternal life. It doesn't. It is a gift. But, that isn't the point.

As we try to walk with Jesus and follow Him, what response would we get from Jesus if we asked Him what we needed to do to follow Him? Would He tell us to give up our job, our wealth, our favorite TV show, our friends, our favorite food or beverage? I can tell you what He will ask. It will be anything that we make more important than Him.

Today, are we willing to ask the question of Jesus? Are we willing to give up what He asks? Or will we walk away sad, and follow Jesus only so far?

-a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 09-03-2019

Good morning, and a blessed Tuesday to you all. It is another day to bring joy to Jesus, to glorify the Father, and to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

As I shared my weakness yesterday, I want to share that God worked past it yesterday to help me witness to a stranger. It's a small step, but obedience starts with small steps.

Jeremiah 29:12-13 says:

"When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly"

This verse speaks for itself, but I want to encourage all of us to seek God wholeheartedly. This means, not just with weekend visits to church, or morning prayers. It means to commit ourselves wholly to seeking Him. Paul says to "Pray without ceasing." Does this mean to be mumbling prayers all day long? No. But it means to be in an attitude of prayer and seeking God's guidance in everything we do. It means that He is the focus of our lives, not ourselves.

Without Jesus, this life is meaningless. Focusing on Him allows our lives to benefit not just ourselves, but others as well.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. Make His face to shine upon you all today.

-a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 09-02-2019

Happy Labor Day! I know some of us are working, and some have the day off. May the Lord's Presence be felt with us no matter where we find ourselves.

This last Saturday, my wife and I went out to eat at an amazing restaurant. While I was there, the Holy Spirit prompted me to tell the waiter, "Jesus loves you, and He thinks you are awesome." I wish I could say that I was obedient, but I wasn't. I wanted to say it, but it was if I was paralyzed. To say I felt guilty is an understatement. But thanks to God's grace, I am forgiven and another chance will be afforded to me.

Why do I share my weakness? Because I want us to understand that our weakness is a chance for God to shine. I am far from perfect, but the Holy Spirit is working on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

but he told me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness.” Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weaknesses, in order that the Messiah’s power will rest upon me.

It is important to understand that even though we are weak, He is strong. But notice that Paul is sharing his weaknesses. This is so that others will know that when he overcomes them, it is by the power of God and not of himself.

We all have our weaknesses. We should always lift each other up before our Father so that we may all allow God to work through our weaknesses. This is how those who aren't children of God can see that He is real and powerful. Seeing God's power work through our weaknesses increases our faith as well.

May we give our weaknesses to God that He might be glorified through us. May the Holy Spirit prompt us all to let Him work in and through us, strengthening us and turning our weakness into miracles for His Kingdom.

In Jesus's Name, Amen.

- a brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 03-16-2019

What a beautiful Saturday we have, with clear skies and sunshine. Praise the Lord for His endless blessings!

I know that He is the only reason I have made it through the last few days, mentally and physically. I was running on just a few hours of sleep and a was getting a very sour, cranky attitude. I spent some time in prayer, sharing with God my struggles and needs. Both days, Thursday and Friday, were good days at work. I had energy, a good attitude, and a clear mind not clouded by fatigue. This was only by the provision of God. I am thankful for His many blessings.

Today, let us remember that He has provided everything we need. It is there, waiting for us to be willing to accept it. It wasn't until I accepted God's help that the energy, strength, clarity, and good attitude were given.

It is the same in everything with God. Are we willing to accept His guidance and direction? May we learn to rely on Him completely.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

-A brother in Christ

Daily Devotional 03-15-2019

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What a wonderful Friday! The Lord is good and His faithfulness continues forever. He answers prayers, and is here to fix and restore that which has been destroyed.

1 Peter 1:23 says:

You have been born again not from some seed that will decay, but from one that cannot decay, through the living Word of God that lasts forever.

Let's ponder the seed for a moment. In a seed, there is a future, a potential, a plan, and the things needed to start the plan successfully. However, as Jesus says in Matthew 21, some seed falls on the road, some in thorns, and some in good soil (which produces bountifully).

As believers in Jesus, we have the potential for great things. We each can be as amazing as Samuel, King David, Elisha, Elijah, Paul, Peter, and John and all the apostles, but only if the thorns of life don't choke out our growth. As long as our hearts are seeking God, the soil of our lives will produce much.

May our hearts be receptive of the Word and of the seeds planted by God. May we not be choked up by life problems. May we overcome in order to reach our full potential.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

-A brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 03-14-2019

It is a good morning, because the Lord has made it. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

So, today, we are looking at temptation. James 1:12 says:

How blessed is the man who perseveres through temptation! For after he has passed the test, he will receive as his crown the Life which God has promised to those who love him.

This is the blessing we receive when we persevere through temptation. But how do we persevere?

Proverbs 5:8 has some great wisdom:

distance your way from her, stay far from the door of her house.

There are two things to deal with here.

1. Stay away from the temptation. Cut it out of our lives completely, lest we fall prey to it again.
2. Stay away from the door to temptation. The door represents the path to the temptation. We are to even avoid the things that would lead us to the temptation.

Let us submit our desires and ways to the Father today. Let Him guide our feet, and He will not lead us into temptation, but He will deliver us from evil (from the last part of the Lord's Prayer).

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

-A brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 03-13-2019

Happy Wednesday! It is a good day, and blessed because our Father is with us ALWAYS, even to the ends of the earth.

Today, we are reading an excerpt from the songs of King David, Psalm 27:4:

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

This is a strange verse. In the song, it is surrounded by times of trouble – enemies closing in from all sides, injustice, etc. And yet, here is a heart full of love for God, despite all the negatives.

How many of us can say that in the middle of a crisis in our lives, we can still focus on God and our love for Him? Do we even love God that much?

If we read further in the Psalm, the last two verses (13-14) conclude with a result of the love David had for God.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

May we be as confident in God's love towards us, that we can stand strong and seek God even when we are in crisis mode. May our love for God outshine our circumstances.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

- A brother in Jesus

Daily Devotional 03-12-2019

Good Morning! I hope that everyone is adjusting well to the time change. I am still adjusting, but I will be good to go soon.

So, I was reading today and was led to Isaiah 48:17-18:

This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.

If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea."

God was talking to the nation of Israel, who did not follow His teaching and instruction. The consequences were very painful for them to bear.

However, these verses hide a promise and a blessing. In verse 17, we find that God is not only our teacher, but that He knows what is best for us. He is trying to show us how to attain that which is best for us.

In verse 18, we see the blessings that the Israelites lost by not listening to God. We can, however read this as the blessings we will get by obeying and following God's teaching, which we already know is the best thing for us. We can have never ending peace.

May we listen to our Abba, Father. May we learn and follow what He has for each of us. May we then have the Peace that surpasses all understanding, and fills our hearts and minds to overflowing. May we experience true joy as we obey Him.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

-A brother in Christ

Daily Devotional 03-11-2019

Happy Monday! And happy time change! We now get an extra hour of light in the evenings. Spring and summer are my least favorite seasons, but I do like the extra daylight.

Today's verse is often not quoted completely. I always hear the first half, but not the second.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says:

No temptation has seized you beyond what people normally experience, and God can be trusted not to allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. On the contrary, along with the temptation he will also provide the way out, so that you will be able to endure.

Why is it that the second part is not quoted? It is because it puts the responsibility on us to endure the temptation. As Pastor Joe said yesterday, "We choose whether to give in to the temptation or to take the way out offered by God.”

I don't want to discourage any of us. The truth is sometimes harsh. But, know this: God is ALWAYS faithful. There has never been, and never will be a time where He is not faithful. There will always be a way out for us from all temptations. Yet there is Grace and Mercy if we fail.

Temptation allows us to really see our heart. Are we like King David with a heart for God or are we desiring the world? Our choices, when we are faced with temptation, make it clear to all where our hearts' desires are.

May our hearts be towards God today. May we learn to always chose God's way of escape from our temptations. And may we quickly repent should we fail. Thank the Lord for His Grace and Mercy.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

-A brother in Christ

Daily Devotional 03-09-2019

Good morning! I just want to share a quick encouragement this morning to everyone.

Luke 1:37 says:

For with God, nothing is impossible.

Remember this when we face obstacles that seem impassable. When we are at a loss for words, or cant find a way past our emotions, financial difficulties, or even a volatile coworker.

There is nothing that God cannot fix or help us with. Let us put our faith in Him today.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

-A brother in Christ

Daily Devotional 03-08-2019

May today be overflowing with God's presence and peace.

Today, we look at Hebrews 11:6:

And without trusting [faith], it is impossible to be well pleasing to God, because whoever approaches him must trust [have faith, believe] that He does exist and that He becomes a Rewarder to those who seek him out.

I am sure a lot of us have heard this passage preached on. However, I was thinking about prayer this morning, and approaching God.

How often do we pray by rote, or by memory, i.e., saying a quick prayer before we eat our meals? Do we really believe that God is listening and that He will bless the food? Or are we just repeating words we know we should say? How about in our prayers for healing? Do we know God is listening and have faith He will heal? Or are we saying words to make the person we are praying for feel better?

This is not a message of condemnation, but of introspection. We talked of entering God's presence with boldness. This is how – faith. Do we truly know and believe that He can and will and does pay attention to us and answer our prayers? If we do, then our prayers are pleasing to God. Without faith, our prayers become nothing more than the mutterings of a madman.

Know that God is listening and cares. Pray with faith. And remember, just a tiny bit of faith is all God needs to start His work. If we let Him, he can help our faith grow. And we can stand rock solid in Him.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

-A brother in Christ

Daily Devotional 03-07-2019

Happy Thursday! May blessings and God's presence be with us today in all we do.

King David wrote in Psalm 42:2:

Just as a deer longs for running streams, God, I long for you.

How many of us can say that we desire God the way David did? We struggle with the cares of life trying to distract us. And even though we do love God for what He has done for us, sometimes our love for Him lacks this passion.

We cannot feel guilt over this. I felt guilty for years because I struggled to desire a relationship with God like this. It takes time to build a deep relationship with anyone. I had to get to the point where I worked at my relationship. Prayer, reading, meditating, and most importantly, listening.

The more we put effort into our relationship with God, the stronger our love and desire for Him becomes. It doesn't just happen overnight. Are we willing to put forth the effort, or are we happy with the status quo?

May we all desire God the way He desires us.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

-A brother in Christ