(NOTE: Write out the BIBLE KEY at least once this week, perhaps in your personal journal.  Then, before you begin to read the devotional thoughts for each day, read the BIBLE KEY for that week. Become familiar with it and, perhaps, even memorize it.)

BIBLE KEY: (Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV) 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

MONDAY

(Psalm 20:7, NIV) Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.

Though this psalm was originally written as a prayer for the king and the nation, it shows a deep dependence on God.  Verses 7 and 8 are the expression of God’s people as they anticipate the joy of victory.  This confidence was based on their trust in God’s unsurpassed power and His faithfulness to them.

These verses speak to God’s people today—we can trust in God’s power and faithfulness.  In fact, we have more and greater promises from God than the Old Testament Jews did.  His promises in the Old Testament pale in comparison to ones He made in the New Testament.  We are very fortunate to have them.  So, it is even more important that we demonstrate the kind of trust in God that the psalmist described.  We must be confident that He will faithfully fulfill all His promises.  We can rest assured in His love, power, and faithfulness.

Friend, God is always working around us.  Let’s watch for His hand moving in our part of the world and put our trust in Him.

TUESDAY

(Matthew 22:37-40, NIV) 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Here, Jesus summarizes the intent of all the Old Testament Laws, as well as the writings of the Old Testament prophets.  He captures the essence of God’s purpose for giving the Law and Prophets—to teach mankind to love God and love each other.

During our journey to experience God over the past seven weeks, we have emphasized the importance of loving God.  The reason is that experiencing God involves loving Him.  That’s what it’s all about.  You see, God pursues a love relationship with us that is real and personal.  He wants us to have the closest relationship with Him that is possible.  So, He asks us for our greatest love, one with all of our hearts and all of our souls and all of our minds.

Certainly, obeying God’s commands is important.  But, obeying them because you love God is even more important.

Strive to develop a growing love for God.  He already loves you more than you will ever know.  Respond to His love for you.

WEDNESDAY

Don’t forget to read the Bible Key each day.  Aren’t you glad this is the last reminder?

(John 14:21, NIV) [Jesus speaking] “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

Today, we see a close link between obedience to God and love for God.  They go hand-in-hand.  If we love Jesus, we will obey His commands.  If we obey His commands, we will grow in our love for Him.  The reason this happens is that loving the Lord and obeying Him both draw us closer to Him.  Then, the closer we get, the better we know Him and the more we serve Him.

God invites (commands) you to become involved with Him in His work.  He wants to spend time with you, as you serve next to Him.  He has a special place for you.  He customized it just for you.

It’s up to you to decide if you want to obey His commands.  I hope you choose to do so everyday.

THURSDAY

(John 8:47, NIV) [Jesus speaking.] He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.

This verse is part of a heated conversation between Jesus and a group of Jews who initially believed in Him.  Eventually, this event escalated to near-violence.  (John 8:31-59)

At first, Jesus challenged them to develop a deeper commitment to Him on the basis of His teachings.  However, they had trouble accepting all of His teachings.  So, they sought to justify their incomplete faith in Him.  Consequently, Jesus revealed the truth about their stubborn attitude and exposed their false beliefs.

As we see in this scene, people don’t always hear what God is trying to tell them.  The reasons are that they don’t have a strong faith in Him and their commitment is too shallow.  In reality, according to Jesus, they don’t belong to God, even though they believe they do.

If we truly believe in the Lord and love Him, our hearts and minds will be open to Him.  Then, He can communicate with us through His Holy Spirit.  The Spirit will reveal to us truths about God, His purposes, and His ways.  He will use the Bible, our prayer times, circumstances in our lives, and our involvement in His church as opportunities to show us the truth.

Let’s listen for God to speak to us when we read the Bible, meditate on His word, pray to Him, worship Him with His people, study with His other believers, and interact with fellow Christians.

FRIDAY

(Hebrews 11:6, NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

In this chapter of the Bible, the writer tries to demonstrate the kind of faith that God approves.  In doing so, he chooses men and women who are good examples of that faith.  In the first few verses, He starts his list with some men who lived in ancient times.

Closely examining the Old Testament backgrounds of the stories, we can see that God was an integral part of the lives of these people.  Those OT stories that go into some depth show that He clearly called them to live by faith and obey Him.  The stories reveal that each person faced a crisis of belief in which they were forced to choose between obeying God or following a different path.  Thankfully, these are success stories, because they show that God was pleased with their faith and promised to reward them.  I think that is why they are mentioned in Hebrews 11, “God’s Hall of Faith.”

Verse 6 emphatically reveals the importance of our faith in God.  It doesn’t say that the absence of faith makes it difficult to please God.  It says that without faith it is impossible to please God.  That’s an earth-shaking statement.  Anyone who wants to experience God and have a relationship with Him must start with the kind of faith described in this verse.

Isn’t it marvelous that our faith pleases God?  The more faith we demonstrate, the happier He is.  So, why don’t we strive to make our Heavenly Father shout for joy?

["Devotional Guides for the Journey" are written by Philip Walter. All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2012.]

(Scripture quotes are from the New International Version [NIV] of the Bible, copyright © 1984, International Bible Society.)

BIBLE KEY: (John 14:23, NIV) Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

MONDAY

(Matthew 12:46-50, NIV) 46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” 48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

At first glance, these verses appear to reveal a conflict between Jesus and the rest of His earthly family. However, that is probably not the case.

Apparently, Jesus’ mother and brothers had traveled to see Him. Knowing Jesus’ great love, I don’t believe He turned them away. Instead, He used their arrival to teach an important lesson to His followers. I wouldn’t be surprised if He met with his family shortly after He finished teaching the disciples.

The important lesson here is found in verse 50. Jesus says that a person’s obedience to God reveals his or her relationship with Jesus. He says that those who follow God’s will have a close kinship to Him, as close as a mother or siblings.

Obedience to God can be difficult for us. It can put us at odds with other people, including our own family members. However, obedience leads us to a closer relationship with our Heavenly Father, as well as our Big Brother.

TUESDAY

(Luke 6:46-49, NIV) [Jesus speaking] 46 “Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Have you ever noticed that some people claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, but their lifestyles are no different than anyone else’s? They don’t try to follow all of Jesus’ teachings or commands. They are like the man who built his house without a strong foundation. They are satisfied with their disobedient lifestyles. They don’t think about the possibility that a flood may strike their house. They feel false security in their non-dedicated relationship with God. Unfortunately, the flood will come and strike them, someday. Then, their lives could collapse.

In contrast, Jesus says that His obedient followers are like a man who built His house on a solid foundation. This man was prepared for future, potential catastrophes. When the flood came, his house stood strong. His faith remained intact. His obedient faith had strengthened his relationship with God to make him strong enough to endure whatever circumstance might come his way.

When the Lord tells you to do something, you are supposed to obey Him. This means that we should listen carefully to the God’s instructions. So, pay careful attention to what God is trying to tell you when you read the Bible.

Let’s listen and obey God’s Word. It will build our faith on a solid foundation, which will withstand all kinds of tests.

WEDNESDAY

(1 John 2:3-6, NIV) 3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

Apostle John speaks passionately against hypocrites who claim to know Jesus Christ, but fail to obey Him. He calls them liars and he says there is no truth in them. You see, their lack of obedience reveals their lack of real faith, even though they want other people to believe they have a genuine faith in Jesus.

One of the highest respected leaders of the early church, James, explained their condition this way. (James 2:26, NIV) As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. He’s saying that inactive faith is hollow. It has no real substance.

In contrast, Apostle John says that a person who obeys God’s Word also allows God’s love to be made complete in him. His love is growing in size and substance.

Here’s how it works. The true knowledge of God’s Word leads us to obey His laws, including those related to our moral actions. And, as we practice obedience to the Lord, His love fills us and matures in us.

So, let’s strive to be genuine believers, who study God’s Word to learn its truth. Then, let’s obey the truth, living the kind of life that Jesus lived. Thus, we will allow God to flood our lives with His love.

THURSDAY

Don’t forget to read the Bible Key each day.

(Psalm 119:33-35, NIV) 33 Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.

The psalmist cried out to God for knowledge of His truth. He was passionate in seeking it.

But also, you can hear a tone of humility in his voice as he comes before God. You can sense his dependence on God to provide the knowledge he needs. He knows that God is the only reliable source of this knowledge. After all, it is God who must interpret His own revelation to us.

So, when we humble ourselves before the Lord and seek to know His truth, He will begin to teach us how to follow His decrees, His law, and His path. Then, we will find real delight in the Lord—joy will fill our lives. Our cups will overflow with it.

FRIDAY

(1 Corinthians 1:26-31, NIV) 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Apostle Paul was writing to the Christians in Corinth. They came from a variety of backgrounds before they gave their lives to Jesus. After that, their lives changed dramatically, as the Holy Spirit began to work in them. Some of them were once the worst of the pagans, but then they became part of a church that was called out of the world to be the holy assembly of the Lord. They had been sanctified by Jesus to be holy, so they could bow before the Holy God, Jehovah. (1 Corinthians 1:2) It’s amazing what God can do with a person’s life when it is surrendered to Him.

However, human nature sometimes raises its ugly head by taking credit for what God has done. Motivated by vain pride, a person boasts about how he changed his life or what he has accomplished in his life. This makes the person feel special, but it robs God of the glory He deserves.

We must recognize that whatever goodness we have in our lives comes from the Lord. Because of His grace toward us, He works to change us and to produce His fruit. Of course, we have an important role to play when we choose to follow Him by faith, but we couldn’t do it without His power working in us.

When you say something about what happened when God worked in your life or through your life, don’t let your pride lead you to brag. This is the devil’s trap. Instead, give God the glory that He deserves.

In fact, that’s one of the reasons we gather for worship on Sunday—to give God the glory He deserves. Why not join other Christians in a worship assembly this Lord’s Day?

["Devotional Guides for the Journey" are written by Philip Walter. All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2012.]

(Scripture quotes are from the New International Version [NIV] of the Bible, copyright © 1984, International Bible Society.)

(NOTE: Write out the BIBLE KEY at least once this week, perhaps in your personal journal.  Then, before you begin to read the devotional thoughts for each day, read the BIBLE KEY for that week. Become familiar with it and, perhaps, even memorize it.)

BIBLE KEY: (Luke 14:33, NIV) [Jesus speaking] “Anyone of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”

MONDAY

Don’t forget to read the Bible Key each day.

(Isaiah 55:9, NIV) “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Have you ever wondered why God did some things the way He did?  Why does He allow good people to suffer? Why did He allow that baby to die?  Why does He allow bad people to do bad things to others?

Let’s face it; we don’t always understand God’s ways.  Sometimes, in attempting to explain them, we try to force Him into our logic and that doesn’t work.

Not only are we baffled by God ways, but also we don’t always understand His thoughts.  For example, there are passages in the Bible that create much debate between orthodox Bible scholars.  If those experts can’t agree, then we might conclude that the exact meanings of those passages aren’t essential for us to know before we get to Heaven.

Certainly, we should stand is awe of God’s great ways in our world.  As Apostle Paul observed, (Romans 11:33-34, NIV) 33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 ”Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” Of course, no human is capable of knowing God’s mind or giving Him counseling.  We aren’t smart enough or wise enough to do it. God is much smarter than the smartest person who ever lived.

So, if God is smarter than we are, we should humble ourselves before Him and try to learn what He can teach us.  Instead of trying to force God to operate only within our limits, we should trust what He does and says.  Doing this means that we align our thinking and our lives with God.  We must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to change so we conform to God’s plan for us.

TUESDAY

Not only do humans have trouble understanding God’s ways and thoughts, but also we have trouble following them.  The apostle felt the frustration of the situation.

(Romans 7:18-20, NIV) 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Our human nature is rebellious to God and resists the changes we should make in our lives.  Though we may accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we often find our human nature imposing itself on our thinking and actions.  Yes, we want to follow Jesus, but the flesh tries to hold us back.  Sometimes, we revert to our old ways.  Then, we must repent and turn back to the Lord.

Apostle Paul tell us in another place, (1 Corinthians 15:50, NIV) …flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. He is saying that our physical bodies must be discarded before we can enter Heaven.  Also, he is implying that God’s Kingdom is very different from life as we know it—we cannot live our flesh-and-blood lives in Heaven.

Jesus, also, recognized our need to be transformed.  He said, (John 3:6, NIV) “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” So, it’s very important for us to be born of the water and the Spirit, if we want to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Once we are born again, we begin making major changes in our lives, so that we can get as close as possible to our holy, loving Heavenly Father. The closer we get to Him, the more peace and satisfaction we receive from His presence.

Everyday, surrender your life to God’s transforming power.  Ask the Father to help you make positive changes in your life so you can walk closely to Him.

WEDNESDAY

(Luke 9:23-25, NIV) Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

Jesus’ call to follow Him is a big challenge.  He wants us to deny ourselves, that is, deny our sinful, self-pleasing, human nature.  That means making sacrifices.  After we do that, He tells us to take up a cross of commitment to God everyday, where we die to our own desires and surrender ourselves to what Jesus wants.  Then, we give feet to His plan by following the Spirit’s guidance.

As humans, we think that saving is gaining and losing is losing. Ironically, human logic fails in this case, because God has a different plan. When you at the point where you must decide whether or not to obey God, and you decide to sacrifice yourself to follow Him, you gain a far greater reward than you can see at that time. God will give you something much better than anything you can imagine in this world.

Take a look at the above verses of Scripture again. Then, talk to God about it.

THURSDAY

(John 15:5, NIV) [Jesus speaking] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

(1 Corinthians 15:10, NIV) [Apostle Paul writing] But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them–yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

(Galatians 2:20, NIV) [Apostle Paul writing] I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Can you spot the thread that ties these three verses together?

Notice what each of these verses tells us. We cannot bear fruit for God without Jesus.  God’s grace works in our lives to make us who we are and enable us to do His work.  And, the real life we have as Christians is Jesus living in us.

You see, when we follow Jesus, we don’t do everything by our own power.  God’s power can transform us into the person He wants us to be and enable us to do greater works than we could do by ourselves.  This is possible when we will allow Him to guide us.

True obedience to the Lord requires our total dependence on Him to work through us.  He produces the results, so we give Him the glory for it.  Of course, we should recognize that we play an important role in His plan.  But, it is His plan and His power at work through us. We are simply His tools.

Some really good news here is that God allows us to share in His joy as we serve Him.  Isn’t that great?

So, consider that your life has meaning and purpose when you follow Christ.  He will bless you as you allow Him to use you to produce eternal results.

FRIDAY

(Matthew 7:7-8, NIV) 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

This is one of my favorite Scriptures about prayer.  When I memorized it many years ago, I used the initials “A.S.K.” as a memory jogger.  “A.” stands for “Ask.”  “S.” stands for “Seek.”  And, “K.” stands for _____________. (Fill in the blank.) Perhaps, you can memorize these verses, too.

When you want God to show you what He wants you to do, these verses give you a plan to follow.  Ask God for what you need or what you need to know.  Continue praying about it frequently until you receive the answer.

While you are praying, start seeking the answer to your prayer. Consider all the possibilities.  This doesn’t mean you are getting ahead of God, but rather you are demonstrating that you really want God to answer your prayers.

As you seek, perhaps, you will search the Bible for the answer.  Or, you might discuss the matter with a spiritual adviser.  Or, you might do some other research to gather information.  Just keep asking and seeking until God gives you the answer.

Finally, when God begins to reveal His answer to your prayers, you must take decisive action; you must knock.  But, when you start looking for a door to knock on, don’t be surprised if it’s shut.  Start knocking on it, anyway.  If it doesn’t open soon, then look for another door to knock on.  Keep knocking until God opens the right door for you.

Prayer is a very valuable communication tool with God. Utilize it to learn what He plans for you. And, use it to gain access to the resources He puts at your disposal.

["Devotional Guides for the Journey" are written by Philip Walter. All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2012.]

(Scripture quotes are from the New International Version [NIV] of the Bible, copyright © 1984, International Bible Society.)

(NOTE: Write out the BIBLE KEY at least once this week, perhaps in your personal journal.  Then, before you begin to read the devotional thoughts for each day, read the BIBLE KEY for that week. Become familiar with it and, perhaps, even memorize it.)

BIBLE KEY: (Hebrews 11:6, NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

MONDAY

(Hebrews 11:1-2, NIV) 1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

Though verse 1 was not intended to be a formal definition of faith, it certainly describes some of the results of faith—assurance and confidence. But just because we believe in the unseen, our faith isn’t necessarily based on wishful thinking alone. It’s also based on the proven record of truth in the Bible. You see, one of the reasons we believe God is because He and His Word have proven themselves to be trustworthy in the past. There are plenty of Christian evidences to support that.

However, ancient believers trusted God before there was a collection of Christian evidences to support the Bible. They believed God because of their personal experiences with Him. And, just as they learned to trust and obey Him, you can, too. As you experience Him in your daily life, your relationship with Him will grow stronger and more meaningful.

Of course, some of the Biblical truths that we believe are not provable in a scientific way, because they deal with realities of a spiritual nature, rather than a material nature. If they were material, we could handle them, measure them, and test them. But, they are spiritual matters. They have no material evidence, though they are none the less real. They can only be seen through eyes of faith, as we trust what our Heavenly Father has told us. As Today’s English Version (TEV) translates verse 1, “To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for.”

The writer of Hebrews sees faith as that trust in God which enables the believer to continue steadfastly in the Christian life, no matter what he encounters. Later in this chapter of the Bible, the writer of Hebrews gives us several examples believers who faced enormous tests of their faith, but they continued to believe in God and He commended them for it. In fact, Hebrews shows us that faith is a way of life for followers of Christ.

Faith is confidence that what God has promised or said will come to pass. When we put our trust in God’s love, power, and grace, we will be victorious, as the ancient believers in God were.

TUESDAY

Don’t forget to read the Bible Key each day.

Jesus had just told His disciples that it was very hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God. So, His disciples asked him in amazement, (Mark 10:26, NIV) “Who then can be saved?” At that point the Bible says, (Verse 27, NIV) Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Apparently, Jesus’ disciples didn’t understand what God can do in people’s lives. He can change a person from the inside out. He can take a sinner and make him a saint. He can make a coward a hero. He can give a rich person a love for God that will lead him to put all of his wealth at God’s disposal. He can bring peace where hostility runs rampant. He can heal the sick without medicine. He can raise the dead back to life. All things are possible with God.

God tells us in His word what He has done, can do, and will do. He revealed His plans so we can join Him in His work. When we do, He will work through us. We will not accomplish our assignment by our own limited abilities and resources. Instead, His power and providence will accomplish His purposes through us. Then, what seemed impossible becomes possible and He receives the glory.

The test we face is believing that God can and will work through us to accomplish His purposes, even when it seems impossible. If we truly believe He will, we will act on our belief. If we don’t believe it, we won’t act. You see, obedience to God indicates what kind of faith we have in Him.

Why don’t you ask God to show you where He wants you to be involved in His plans? Perhaps, He will use you to do something impossible.

WEDNESDAY

When God tells you what He wants to do through you, you will face a crisis of belief. I want to give you two examples of this principle, one today and another tomorrow.

Example 1: Israel was being invaded by the Midianites and other nomadic people of the East who wanted to annihilate the Israelites. These enemies had invaded Israel before and had oppressed the Israelites for years. They were ravaging everything in their path as they moved through the land. Certainly, this was a crisis. But, God had everything under control, though the Israelites didn’t know it. God sent an angel to challenge Gideon to deliver Israel from their invaders. After two fleece tests, Gideon was convinced that God actually wanted to use him to defeat Israel’s enemies. Soon, he called together an army of 32,000 Israelites, but it was small in comparison to their enemies. Gideon and his army had to face one more test of their faith.

(Judges 7:1-8, NIV) 1 Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, 3 announce now to the people, `Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. 4 But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, `This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say,`This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” 5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.” 6 Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. 7 The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place.” 8 So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

At this point, God was ready to use Gideon and his army of 300 soldiers. When they obeyed God by attacking the Midianites and other Eastern people, He performed a miracle through them. He used 300 soldiers to defeat an army of enormous size. Later, God would use Gideon to lead the Israelites to drive the invaders from their land, bringing peace to God’s people.

Are you facing a crisis of belief where God is calling you to join Him in something He plans to do? Put your trust in God’s power. Learn a lesson from Gideon—God can use your small resources to accomplish His big plan.

THURSDAY

Yesterday, we talked about the crisis of belief that we face when God tells us what He wants to do through us. We read about Gideon defeating the vast army of the Midianites with just 300 men. Gideon chose the path of faith and God used him in a mighty way.

Now, let’s look at another example of the test of faith that believers face when God calls them to work with Him.

Example 2: (Matthew 17:24-28, NIV) 24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 ”Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes–from their own sons or from others?” 26 ”From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 ”But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

I’ll bet Peter thought Jesus’ instructions were bizarre—pulling a four-drachma coin out of a fish’s mouth. Now, he was faced with a crisis of belief. Would he go fishing for a coin or just get a coin from a more convenient source, such as some friends. Fortunately, Peter had learned to take Jesus seriously.

Peter’s obedience to Jesus shows us that we must cooperate with God and follow His plan for our lives. This is our faith in action. And, God will use us for His glory.

FRIDAY

Today, we go back to Hebrews 11, where we were on Monday. This time, we’ll go to the end of the chapter, instead of the beginning. You see, from verse 4 through verse 38, the writer of Hebrews gives example after example of people who lived by faith. These men and women were highly regarded by the Jews of the First Century and their stories are found in our Old Testaments. We might call this passage of Hebrews “The Hall of Faith.”

Notice what happened to all these people of faith: (Hebrews 11:39-40, NIV) 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Think about this…Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the rest were commended for their faith in God because they lived their lives by faith. Yet, God did not give them their rewards the way they expected. Instead, He decided to upgrade their rewards—to super size their prizes. They must have been looking forward to rewards that they considered to be worthwhile, but God decided to give them perfect rewards—far better rewards than they expected. He wanted to give them the same perfect rewards that He has promised to Christians.

Furthermore, they’ll get their perfect rewards when we get ours. When we sit down for the marriage feast of the Lamb in Heaven (Matthew 8:11), all the ancient heroes of the faith will be there with us. Won’t that be exciting?

We are so fortunate that God has planned something perfect for people of faith. It will be far better than what this world offers. We cannot begin to imagine how wonderful it will be.

Because we truly believe that God lives and He rewards those who earnestly seek Him, we trust in His promises. Thus, we have assurance and confidence that we will receive marvelous rewards from Him. What a glorious day that will be when He gives them to us!

["Devotional Guides for the Journey" are written by Philip Walter. All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2012.]

(Scripture quotes are from the New International Version [NIV] of the Bible, copyright © 1984, International Bible Society.)

(NOTE: Write out the BIBLE KEY at least once this week, perhaps in your personal journal.  Then, before you begin to read the devotional thoughts for each day, read the BIBLE KEY for that week. Become familiar with it and, perhaps, even memorize it.)

BIBLE KEY: (John 8:47, NIV) [Jesus speaking.] He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.

MONDAY

(Isaiah 55:6-9, NIV) 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

One of the main purposes of our “Experiencing God” Journey is to encourage people to diligently seek God while they can, because a time may come when He feels much farther from them than now. Or, a time may come when they are unable to seek Him—when it’s too late. It’s important to call on the Lord while He is near.

Then, when they turn to the Lord and surrender themselves obediently to Him, He will have mercy on them. He will make it possible for them to do what some consider impossible. That is, He will allow unholy sinners to come into His totally holy presence. (Have you ever thought that God could not love you because you sinned to much?) This is only possible because of God’s great love and grace that offers the cleansing of regeneration through His Son.

Now, that concept may be difficult to understand. That’s because, God is very different from us. His thoughts and ways are governed by His absolute righteousness and pure holiness. But, our the thoughts and ways—those controlled by unregenerate human nature—are governed by our selfish desires, confused morals, incomplete wisdom, mistake-filled lives, and lots of false information about spiritual matters. You see, it’s not our nature to think like God or to understand Him. Our only hope to understand Him is to listen to what He actually says. Fortunately, He will teach us His ways, if we really listen to Him.

Pray that God will give you understanding and wisdom when you read His word, the Bible. Study it so that you learn its truth.

TUESDAY

(Proverbs 19:20-21, NIV) 20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. 21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Listening to advice and accepting instruction are difficult things to do. They imply that we have incomplete knowledge or inferior wisdom to make our own decisions. Most of us prefer to rely on ourselves and chart our own courses. We may not trust someone else’s judgment or motives.

From my experiences in life, I think some young people are good examples of this characteristic. They refuse to listen to their parents because they think their parents don’t understand their lives. They think they know more than their parents. They often mistrust the wisdom of people with white hair, because those old folks don’t know how things really are today. Sadly, their refusal to listen to wise advice and instruction relegates them to learn the lessons of life the hard way, if they learn them at all.

In a similar way, we need to listen to God so we can get His wise advice and instruction. Otherwise, we suffer the consequences of our foolish ways.

Regardless of how smart you think you are, God is much smarter. His plans and purposes always prevail. Your plans pale in comparison to His.

So, decide to listen and learn from God.

WEDNESDAY

(1 Corinthians 2:9-12, NIV) 9 …As it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” — 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

Though we may not know much about the Holy Spirit, He plays some very important roles in our lives. For one thing, He is our teacher. He teaches us empirical truth—truth that never changes. It’s the same in every age of time. It is eternal because it comes from an eternal God.

You see, the Holy Spirit is God, part of the Trinity. He is the gift from God (Acts 2:38) that we receive when we are born of the water and the Spirit (John 3:5). He lives in us to transform us into what God wants us to be. He does so by teaching us and guiding us.

We need to learn to listen to this unique gift from God because He knows the thoughts of God. We won’t learn the truth about God without His help. He reveals His truth through the Bible. Then, He works through that knowledge in the circumstances of our lives, when we pray, and when we interact with other Christians in the church.

What is so wonderful about all this is that the truth you learn from God will set you free from ignorance, false beliefs, and futile living. He will teach you about God, His purposes, and His ways. These are very good reasons to thank God for giving you the Holy Spirit. Why not thank Him now?

THURSDAY

(1 Corinthians 2:14-16, NIV) 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: 16 ”For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Christians are very fortunate to have the Holy Spirit living in their lives. He teaches them truths from God.

Yet, unbelievers don’t see it that way because they are blinded to the truth. They measure life from their limited perspectives. They don’t understand spiritual issues of life the way Christians do. Their values have not been impacted by the Judgment and eternity. Their hearts have not been warmed by God’s love.

The man without the Spirit doesn’t accept God’s plans, but the spiritual man does. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. He gradually gives us “the mind of Christ” as we grow in the knowledge and gracious living of our Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:18).

Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance. Continually strive to develop the mind of Christ by discerning and learning truth in the Bible.

FRIDAY

Don’t forget to read your Bible Key each day.

(Romans 8:26-27, NIV) 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

Prayer is a marvelous mechanism. It allows us to communicate with God. Unfortunately, many times we think we are communicating with God when we spend all of our time in prayer telling God what He already knows. Prayer is more than one-way communication.

Yes, prayer can involve verbal expressions of praise, confession, forgiveness, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, and commitment. But, it also involves quietly thinking about what God says to us in the Bible. In order to guide us to deal with our prayer requests, God may speak to us through His Word that is planted in our minds, as it acts on our consciences.

In this way, the Holy Spirit helps our weakness. He carries each of our heart-felt petitions to God with the clarity that we cannot express. Then, when God is ready to answer our prayer and we are ready to receive the answer, the Spirit brings to our remembrance the truth of God’s word that applies to it. After that, it’s up to us to take action on it. At the same time, we can be assured that God will act on it, too.

You should learn to practice two-way prayer. First, remove distractions around you and focus on your time with God, as if you were sitting at His feet. Humble yourself before Him by reflecting on His unique characteristics as God. Tell Him you love Him and thank Him for some of His blessings. Submit yourself to Him and make yourself available for His purposes. Tell Him what is on your heart and mind—be open and honest with Him. Surrender yourself to Him—be receptive to His instructions. Think about God and Jesus—try to recall His instructions from the Bible. Commit yourself to obeying Him, even if you must sacrifice something to do so. Then, lay your prayer before His throne of grace in Jesus’ name.

As you learn to pray in this way, you will discover a beautiful intimacy with God that will make His daily presence in your life a magnificent reality.

["Devotional Guides for the Journey" are written by Philip Walter. All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2012.]

(Scripture quotes are from the New International Version [NIV] of the Bible, copyright © 1984, International Bible Society.)

(NOTE: Write out the BIBLE KEY at least once this week, perhaps in your personal journal.  Then, before you begin to read the devotional thoughts for each day, read the BIBLE KEY for that week. Become familiar with it and, perhaps, even memorize it.)

BIBLE KEY: (John 14:21, NIV) [Jesus speaking] “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

MONDAY

Today, we look at one of the most enduring stories in the Bible. It’s about faith.  (Genesis 22:1-2, NIV) 1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

Verses 3-8 tell us how Abraham took his son and all the necessary provisions to the mountain where God commanded him to go.

(Genesis 22:9-12, NIV) 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 12 ”Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Verses 13 and 14 tell us that God provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice, instead of his son.

(Genesis 22:15-18, NIV) 15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice the dearest thing he had in life—his son who was the heir that God had promised. Not only would killing his son have brought terrible sorrow on Abraham, but also it would have meant that Abraham would have no heir from his beloved wife, Sarah. Though Abraham didn’t understand why God was asking him to do this, he trusted God to do what was best for him and his son. As a result, God blessed them in ways greater than Abraham could imagine.

How has God tested your faith recently? Has He put something on your heart to do that will serve His Biblical purposes? Does it require some sacrifice on your part? Maybe He’s testing your faith.

Trust God’s love for you. Draw close to Him. Obey His commands.

TUESDAY

(Hebrews 12:5-6, NIV) 5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:  “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

Sometimes, God allows us to experience various kinds suffering as a form of His discipline. When He does, He is trying to teach us important lessons about our attitudes and our obedience to Him. This kind of suffering has a purpose. He allows it to come on us for our benefit.

The idea behind the proverb in these verses is that God disciplines us because He loves us; not because he hates us. He treats us as a loving father who disciplines his dear son. He does it for our good. He does it out of necessity, not out of anger or sadistic delight.

If we consider God to be our Heavenly Father, we must learn to accept His discipline with humility, obedience, and trust.

WEDNESDAY

Don’t forget to read the Bible Key each day.

It’s interesting how different people view God’s commands. Some think they are suggestions, not requirements. Others think they are restrictions designed to steal fun from our lives. Others think they are outdated and irrelevant.

(Deuteronomy 32:45-47, NIV) 45 When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. 47 They are not just idle words for you–they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

From these verses, how would you describe what Moses thought about God’s commands?

During his life, Moses learned the importance of obeying God’s commands. He had spent 40 years in the wilderness with God before God called him to service. He developed a personal relationship with God during that time. And, he saw first hand God’s power unleashed in miraculous ways. So, Moses knew that obedience to God was paramount in life.

Let’s listen to God’s Word and respect His commands.

THURSDAY

Moses was thinking of future generations who would hear about God and His Word from their parents. So, he advises fathers what to tell their children about God’s commands.

(Deuteronomy 6:20-25, NIV) 20 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?” 21 tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders–great and terrible–upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers. 24 The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”

Verses 24-25 reveal some of the purposes behind God’s commands—prosperity, life, and righteousness before God. God has good and noble purposes for His commands. He is much wiser than we are. He sees the hallway of history from its beginning to its end–He knows all the past, the present, and the future. He understands how everything is supposed to fit together.

So, let’s trust His word, even when we don’t understand it. Let’s resolve to obey Him. And, let’s thank Him for giving us His commands to guide our lives.

FRIDAY

(John 5:17, 19-20, NIV) 17 Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”…….19 Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.

At the time that Jesus spoke these words, the Jewish leaders were trying to find some way to stop Him, perhaps even kill Him. In this passage, Jesus is defending the fact that He is God’s Son, doing God’s work. In fact, Jesus was saying that He was doing just what He saw His Heavenly Father doing.

Implied in this story is an invitation for us to join Jesus in the work He is doing. So, what did He do that we should doing with Him?

There is a broad range of activities that we can do with Jesus. We could do extraordinary activities that amaze everyone who sees them, such as when Jesus healed the sick. We are accomplishing extraordinary activities when we exceed people’s expectations of what Christians can do. At the other end of the spectrum, we might do simple activities, such as when Jesus comforted those who were sorrowing or when He taught others the Word of God. We are doing these simple activities when we touch other people’s lives with Jesus’ love. When we take a little time out of our daily routine to reach out to others with Christian love, we are serving them with Jesus.

Apparently, Jesus is inviting you to join Him in His work? Will you do so? If yes, where is He at work and what opportunity is He presenting to you do today?

["Devotional Guides for the Journey" are written by Philip Walter. All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2012.]

(Scripture quotes are from the New International Version [NIV] of the Bible, copyright © 1984, International Bible Society.)

(NOTE: Write out the BIBLE KEY at least once this week, perhaps in your personal journal.  Then, before you begin to read the devotional thoughts for each day, read the BIBLE KEY for that week. Become familiar with it and, perhaps, even memorize it.)

BIBLE  KEY: (Matthew 22:37-38, NIV) Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

MONDAY

(John 3:16-18, NIV) 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Verse 16 is one of the most popular verses in the whole Bible.  It reminds us of God’s great love for us and what He did as a result of it.  Verse 18 tells us what our response to God’s love should be.

Bask in God’s love for a moment right now.  Think about all the things that God has done for you because He loves you.  Consider little things, such as getting a good parking space, as well as big things, such as answering your prayers about something very important to you.

Now, thank God for these gifts of love.

TUESDAY

Moses assembled all the Israelites and spoke to them in Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV). This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

These words were spoken in the context of a much longer speech in which Moses set forth some additional terms of God’s covenant with Israel. (See Deuteronomy 29:1) This was a very important speech because it was a matter of life and death, blessings and curses for the Israelites and their children.  The Israelites needed to make a choice about what they wanted.

This speech was very important, also, because it established a contract between Israel and God to which they would be bound for centuries.  It affected every Jewish man, woman, and child, until it was replaced by the new covenant that Jesus established.

Moses revealed that a relationship with God was at the heart of this covenant.  “…that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.” Notice that this relationship began with loving God.  Also, it involved listening to Him and being faithful to Him, such as a husband or wife being faithful to their spouse.

Today, Christians have a different contract with God.  It came to us through faith in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.  However, it is still based on a loving relationship with God in which we give Him our attention, obedience, and loyalty.

Pray that God will strengthen your love for Him each day during our 8-week journey and that it will bring you closer to Him.

WEDNESDAY

(Matthew 6:19-21, 33, NIV) 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

What is really valuable in life?  When faced with a life or death situation, most people choose the things that money can’t buy, such as the lives of their loved ones.

There are many things that have value to us in life.  There are plenty of things that compete for our attention and loyalty.  Obviously, material wealth is one of them.  So, what does Jesus say in these verses is more valuable than money—what we should seek?

According to verse 33, what will God give you, if you seek those things?

Consider your relationship with your material wealth.  What action will you take to develop more love for God?

THURSDAY

Don’t forget to read the Bible Key each day.

Jesus told His disciples, (John 6:44-45, 65, NIV) 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”

According to what Jesus said in verses 44 and 65, how can people come to Him?

So, God enables us to come to Jesus when we listen to Him and learn from Him.  But, how does that work?  The Bible tells, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message [of God], and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17, NIV) This is why it is so important to read and study your Bible.  It will build your faith as you hear and believe the message of Christ.

FRIDAY

(Matthew 16:13-17, NIV) 13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 ”But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

Obviously, people were speculating who Jesus really was.  But, in these verses, who did the men closest to Him believe He was?  Do you agree with Peter?

Thinking of the life of Jesus, we can see that God took the initiative to reach out to us by sending His Son.  Furthermore, He provided us with the Bible so that we could learn about Jesus centuries after He walked on the earth as a man.  God loves us and wants us to respond to His initiative by listening to Him and believing Him.  When we do, we will grow in our faith in Him.

["Devotional Guides for the Journey" are written by Philip Walter. All Rights Reserved.  Copyright © 2012.]

(Scripture quotes are from the New International Version [NIV] of the Bible, copyright © 1984, International Bible Society.)

BIBLE  KEY: (Psalm 20:7, NIV) Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

MONDAY

(John 12:23-26, NIV) 23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

At first, Jesus was talking about the resurrection of the dead—a kernel of wheat falling into the ground, dying, and producing many more seeds.  Recognizing the importance of a resurrection to eternal life in Heaven, life in this world becomes less appealing.  In fact, we might even grow to hate it.  But, since Jesus has already experienced the resurrection from the dead, we can follow Him to Heaven and receive honor from Him, if we humble ourselves as His followers.

TUESDAY

(Exodus 2:11-15, NIV) 11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?” 14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.

Moses took matters into his own hands.  He tried to bring justice on an evil Egyptian by killing him when nobody was looking.  However, his plan failed and the word about the murder he committed spread quickly, even reaching King Pharoah.

Like Moses, have you ever had a plan that you thought was noble, but it failed and brought shame or suffering on you?  Perhaps, you couldn’t understand why God allowed that to happen.

Sometimes, we try to follow our faulty human wisdom, instead of following God’s word.  We try to force our plan on God, instead of seeking His plan for us.  Then, we suffer the consequences of our own foolish decisions.  Maybe, we should pray and seek God’s wisdom before we start making our plans.

WEDNESDAY

Don’t forget to read the Bible Key each day.

(Philippians 2:12-13, NIV) 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Isn’t it interesting that when we obey God and work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, it is actually God who is working in us?  We may think we are doing the work, but God is working behind the scenes to direct us to fulfill His plan.  It all starts with trusting God, surrendering ourselves to His will, and acting on our faith.

THURSDAY

(Matthew 25:21, NIV) 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 ”After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. `Master,’ he said, `you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 ”His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

When Jesus told this story, the primary purpose was to teach His followers to be prepared for Judgment Day.  However, this story is based on a general principle that applies in other ways.  Simply put, the general principle is that you will receive a reward for wisely using your talents, skills, and resources.  If you are foolish or lazy, you won’t receive the reward.

Perhaps, God has a great task for you to do.  You will receive your reward for doing it, if you use your talents, skills, and resources wisely in doing the task.  You must make yourself available for God’s purposes.

FRIDAY

The writer of Hebrews uses the Israelites whom God brought out of slavery in Egypt as an illustration of how people can turn away from God and be punished.

(Hebrews 3:16-19, NIV) 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

What does verse 19 say caused their problem?  Unbelief can manifest itself in many ways, from working against God to doing nothing at all to serve God.

God had a plan for Israel.  He would make them into a holy nation where He would introduce His Son to the world.  Though Israel rebelled against Him and received severe punishment, God eventually fulfilled His plan.

Now, you can choose to serve God and receive a reward or rebel against God and receive punishment.  Which do you want?  Remember, God will eventually fulfill His plan, whether you choose to be part of it or not.

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["Devotional Guides for the Journey" are written by Philip Walter. All Rights Reserved.  Copyright © 2012 ]

(Scripture quotes are from the New International Version [NIV] of the Bible, copyright © 1984, International Bible Society.)

Instead of complaining, I want to pull back the curtain on how a pastor feels. I want to give you some insights into some experiences that I have had.

One of the reasons I am a pastor is because God called me to help people. I believe I have a pastor’s heart, a compassionate desire to serve the needs of my fellow man. I started to feel this way when I was a youth involved Boy Scouts and Explorers. As a senior in high school, I finally realized that I wanted to devote my life to serving Jesus Christ and other people. That strong desire has not changed. I still feel fulfilled when I do something to bless someone else or to bring glory to the Lord.

However, one of the drawbacks of Christian ministry is that the people you help often do not appreciate what you do. Or, they can feel it is your duty to serve them because they are somehow entitled to it. Or, they might try to take unfair advantage of the situation in order to get something more from it. These responses are very disappointing to me. In fact, I think they are some of the reasons that many ministers become disenchanted with the ministry and leave it.

Whether you are a pastor or not, serving others in Christian love can be disappointing because the people you serve are usually controlled by human nature. They act ungrateful, selfish, manipulative, prideful, arrogant, and greedy. But, what can you expect from sinners? Don’t forget, you’re one, too.

The best way to deal with this disappointment is to try to see the bigger picture, especially when the people you serve turn on you and attack you personally. As a servant of Christ, Who was abused and killed by the people He came to serve, your experiences will never be as bad as His. But as His follower, you shouldn’t expect much better treatment, either.

As a Christian, serving others in Jesus’ name and by His love is a calling. It never carries a promise of reward in this life. However, it is comforting to know that you have obeyed the Lord and you are laying up treasures in Heaven. (See Luke 6:27-36)