 |
|||
 |
|||
|
|||
|
|||
MONDAY 3-5-01
Making Friends
"I no longer call you servants . . .Instead, I have called you friends . . ." John 15:15
What a privilege to be called a friend of God! How do you treat your friends? How do you treat God? To maintain a relationship with anyone requires spending time with him or her. God is no exception.
Make a commitment today to spend time with God on a regular basis and then actually make a plan to do it. Identify a period during the day when you can have a block of uninterrupted time. Start with 15 minutes if you are not use to having a regular devotion. Also, if you have not been spending time with God consistently, offer up a prayer of confession telling God that you are sorry for neglecting your friendship. Ask God to help you to become a better friend.
For further study: Luke 10:38-42, Mark 1:35, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
TUESDAY 3-6-01
Eating Right
"Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life."" John 6:35
Have you ever noticed the many references in the Bible to food and spiritual life? In Matthew 4:4 Jesus said "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' Even Jesus took the time to be a student of the Word of God even though He was reading about Himself!
Are you taking the time to nourish and strengthen the Spirit of God that lives in you? Most of us would not even consider going for a day without food, let alone missing one meal. We would feel weak and complaining that our blood sugar was too low. We would hurry to feed our face. Yet how often do we neglect to feed our spiritual bodies? Are you in tune with the symptoms of spiritual malnourishment? Has your love and desire for God waned? Are you loosing interest in the things of God? Have you returned to some of those sinful habits that you thought you had gotten rid of? Could the problem be that you are not feeding yourself properly? Why don't you treat yourself to a feast today - on the word of God!
For further study: Psalm 63:1-5, Proverbs 8:17-21, John 6:31-35
WEDNESDAY 3-7-01
A Right Heart
Are you frustrated with your relationship with God? Do you feel that you are getting nowhere even though you spend time in the word, you go to church regularly, and you participate in church functions and activities?
God's word says, "His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love"(Psalm 147:10-11).
Perhaps it is time to examine your motives before the Lord. After all, God is not impressed with our activities or our abilities. He is impressed with our hearts. He wants our devotion and He wants it all.
For further study: Psalm 139:23-24, Ezekiel 33:31-32, 2 Corinthians 11:3
THURSDAY 3-8-01
A Heart to Know Him
Jeremiah 24:7 states, "I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God." God fulfilled this scripture when he sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to come and dwell in every believer. It is the Holy Spirit that reveals the nature and heart of God to us. It is only by the Spirit that we can have the kind of relationship with God that God designed us for. And it is only by the Spirit that we can understand the things of God.
Have you yielded yourself completely to the work and power of the Holy Spirit? After all, the Spirit of God is a person. Like a hand fits into a glove, the Holy Spirit wants to fill you up to overflowing so that He can direct your mind, your thoughts, your words, your actions and your deeds all to the glory of God.
For Further Study: John 14:25-26, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, 2 Corinthians 3:17
FRIDAY 3-9-01
Be Encouraged
"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father . . . encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
What encouraging words from Paul! These words tell us that God Himself and Jesus Christ are the ones who encourage our hearts. Our God is an up-close and personal God. He is near to the broken hearted; He lifts up those who are bowed down and He is kind to those who are wicked and ungrateful. He is a wonderful God!
These words from scripture may come as a shock or surprise to many who have not known God in these ways. Often times we have not experienced God in a certain way because we have not acknowledged our need.
Healthy relationships require honesty and vulnerability. Acknowledge your need for God today and all that He has to give you and let Him encourage your heart.
For further study: Psalm 146, Luke 6:32-36, Isaiah 61:1
Monday 3-12-01
Not my will, but Yours . . .
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified . . ." 1 Thessalonians 4:3
The work of sanctification is a cooperative effort between you and God. It is God's will for you to become more and more like Jesus. But, is it your will? Do you desire to be sanctified, to be made holy, to be set apart for holy service unto the Lord? The work of sanctification requires a turning away from all the things in the world that keep you from being totally and 100% devoted to God. God will not force you to give up things that you are not ready to, but the promise is that you can trust that God's will, God's way, and God's plan will bring joy, satisfaction and meaning to your life that cannot compare to the things you are hanging on to. Are you ready to let go and let God?
For further study: Psalm 19:7-11, John 15:1-2, 8
Tuesday 3-13-01
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall . . .
"Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." James 1:23-24
Do you like what you see when you look into the mirror? The scripture is like a corrective lens. As we read it, it accurately reflects back to us what we look like. It also reflects back to us the beauty of the One we are to become like. When God reveals to us our shortcomings, as well as His hopes and desires for us through His word, He is looking for a response from us. Don't be like the man who goes away from the mirror and forgets what he looks like. Be like the man who saw what he looked like and was willing to make the adjustments in his life to do what God was calling him to do. That man was blessed.
For further study: Mark 14:29-72
Wednesday 3-14-01
Acknowledge God's Blessings
"Every good and perfect gift is from above . . ." James 1:17
Even though our sanctification is a cooperative effort between God and us it still comes to us by grace: that undeserved favor that rests upon each child of God. We will never be perfect in our own right, but God by His grace has given us everything we need to live a successful life in Christ. Just like in the parable of the vineyard in Mark 12, where we read that the vineyard owner gave the men all they needed to produce good fruit. But, when the owner sent his servants in to collect his share of the harvest, they didn't hold up their end of the bargain. They tried to keep the bounty for themselves. Have you acknowledged to God the many blessings He has given you or have you tried to claim them as your own? God blesses us in abundance. We needn't withhold anything from Him, least we miss out on more of His blessings.
For Further Study: Mark 12:1-9, Luke 2:13-14
Thursday 3-15-01
He Wants Your Worship!
"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." John 4:23
One of the works of God in our lives is giving us a heart to worship Him. God wants our worship and He is deserving of our worship. Part of developing an intimate love relationship with God is walking in faithful obedience – the word says it, so I do it! The word tells us to worship God and so we should! Make spending time in the Psalms part of your regular devotional time with the Lord. Don't just read the Psalms make them your prayer and your song of worship to the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
For further study: Psalm 100, 145
Friday 3-16-01
The Key is Relationship
"I have called you friends . . ." John 15:15
In Henry Blackaby's video series "Experiencing God" he explains that the key to experiencing God is not a method it is a relationship. Have you ever had a really special friend, someone you consider a kindred spirit? In a relationship with God, you will be moved to obedience not out of a sense of desiring to appear righteous before your fellow man, but out of a great sense of being a kindred spirit with Jesus Christ Himself. In a relationship with Christ, just like with any other kindred spirit, Jesus shares His heart with you. He shares His grief for the lost, His compassion for the sick and the oppressed, and His love for those that the Father has given Him.
Is Jesus Christ your bosom friend, is He your kindred Spirit? If you don't know Jesus in this way, open up your heart to Him today.
For further study: Dt 6:5, Jn 14:23, Rev 3:20
Monday 3-19-01
The Equipper
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me . . ."
Luke 4:18
What does God want me to do? We come to recognize the work that God has prepared for us by studying the work that Jesus did. Luke 4:18-19 outlines this work succinctly for us. Just as Jesus does only what He sees the Father doing, we are to do only what we see Jesus doing. But even Jesus did not do the work of the Father alone. He was anointed with the Spirit of God, who empowered Him to do all that God had assigned to Him. Each of God's children has this anointing as well, through the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit of God who equips us to do the work of God. Pray today for the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit in all you do.
For further study: Zec 4:6, Ac 1:8, Eph. 5:18
Tuesday 3-20-01
Preaching the Good News
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. . .to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Luke 4:18-19
One of the works of God is to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself was anointed to preach the good news that He had come to save His people from their sins. Just as Jesus was called to this very important work, God's children are called to it as well. The Bible tells us that some of God's people are specifically equipped as evangelists, pastors and teachers to fulfill the great commission. The rest of us are called to support this work through under-girding activities that must occur in order for the word to go forth. Whatever our calling, each of us is called to live our lives, before God and others, in obedience to everything God has commanded.
For further study: Mt 28:18-19, 1 Co 12:27-28, Eph 4:11
Wednesday 3-21-01
Showing Mercy
"He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind . . ." Luke 4:18
As we become conformed to the image of Christ we begin to take on the attitude of Christ. Christ's attitude toward those in need was always one of mercy. Mercy is not just compassion; it is action that flows from compassion. Mercy is a demonstration of God's goodness to those in need, administered by those who have experienced God's goodness first hand. As we become more and more aware of the goodness of God in our lives, we are more and more compelled to express His goodness to those around us.
For further study: Isa 58:6-7, Joel 2:18-19, Php 2:5
Thursday 3-22-01
A Humble Attitude
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3
God has arranged the members of the body of Christ just the way He wants them. That means He has assigned us our place in life as well as our work. Yet, how often do we consider a task below us or how often do we grumble in our hearts when we don't get the recognition that we think we deserve. The next time you are in a situation where you have the opportunity to serve another, ask yourself "why am I doing this?" Be honest with yourself. Is it because you want to find favor in the eyes of your pastor or your friends? Is it because you want to give people a certain impression of yourself? Or is it simply because you love Jesus and you desire to please Him? Ask the Lord today to purify your desire to serve Him.
For further study: Ps 51:10, 1 Co 12:4-5, Php 2:14
Friday 3-23-01
Action is the Fruit of Faith
"Whatever you did for one the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Mt 25:40
Sometimes we need to stop and ask our self, "Do I really believe that the Bible is the truth?" If we really believed that doing unto the least of these was the same as ministering to Jesus Himself, it seems that we would be a lot more eager to exercise mercy to those in need. It seems to me that we would be searching for opportunities to reach out to people who are less fortunate than ourselves. But unfortunately, that is more often the exception than the rule. Not only has God prepared the work of mercy for us to do, He has also given us the added benefit of making it a work unto the King of kings Himself. Pray that God would give you a willing body and spirit to serve Him through others today.
For further study: Ro 12:9-10, Jas 2:17, 1 Jn 3:17
Monday 3-26-01
Thinking Rightly about God
"For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." Romans 1:21
A. W. Tozer said, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." The root cause of idolatry is wrong thinking about God. Idolatry begins in the mind. We have to get away from the thought "what I think about God is . . ." and get to the place where we always say, "what do the scriptures say about who God is?" Wrong thinking about God leads us to wrong worship of God. It leads us to idolatry: worshipping a false image of God. This quite possibly is the sin that is most hated by God. Seek the Lord today and ask Him to show you the vain imaginations of Him that you have constructed in your own heart. Be willing to cast down any false concepts you have of God and allow Him to construct a right image of Himself in your heart and mind.
For further study: Ex 20:1-4, Ps 115:3-8, 2 Co 10:5
Tuesday 3-27-01
The Incomprehensible Personal God
"Deep calls to deep . . ." Psalm 42:7
A. W. Tozer said, "The yearning to know what cannot be known, to comprehend the Incomprehensible, to touch and taste the Unapproachable, arises from the image of God in the nature of man."
It is a miracle in and of itself that we can know God. He is the very reason that we can know Him, the One who is Incomprehensible. He ordained it. He ordered it. He planned it. And when creation fell and the image of God stamped on humankind became distorted, God sent His son Jesus to reconcile and restore all that was lost and damaged in the fall.
Meditate on the following scriptures today that speak to us about God's incomprehensibleness.
For further study: Job 38, Acts 17:22-28
Wednesday 3-28-01
God is Self Sufficient
"And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else." Acts 17:25
All living things require something outside of themselves in order to exist. All living things have needs, all things except One. Our all-sufficient, self-sufficient God has no needs. It is God who created all things by the power of His word and it is He who supplies the needs of all things.
Do you fret and worry about emotional or material provisions in your life? Put your faith in God to supply your needs, He is the source of all provisions.
For further study: Ge 1:1, Ps 24:1:1
Thursday 3-29-01
God is Unchangeable
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17
Chapter 2 of the Westminster Confession of Faith says that there is but one true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts or passions . . .God said about Himself "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one."(Deut. 6:4) God is different than all His created beings. They all have parts. With God it is impossible for Him to change because He has no parts. Change requires that parts be moved around, rearranged or added to. But God is our Solid Rock. Because he is solid and unchangeable we are able to base our faith on Him. Contemplate today the nature of God's immutability and how that affects your relationship to Him.
For further study: Heb 6:17, Col 1:15, 1 Ti 1:17
Friday 3-30-01
Our Mysterious God
"God . . . who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen." 1 Ti 6:15-16
Immortal, invisible God only wise, in light inaccessible hid from our eyes. These words from the famous hymn by Walter Chalmers Smith aptly express some of the awesome nature of God. God is immortal. He was never created and therefore He will never die. Therefore He alone is able to give and sustain life. From God comes all wisdom because He is the source of all knowledge and he alone, as Creator, has understanding of all things to the very depth of their being. God is not accessible to us by sight. No one has seen the face of God. Moses saw His glory, but no one, except the Son Himself has seen God. He is hidden beyond the light, where no light can penetrate bright enough to reveal the nature and substance of God. God is veiled from our sight. And it is only through Christ that we can see and know God personally. God is a divine mystery and yet He has made Himself known through the person of Jesus Christ. Seek today to know more fully the mysteries of God revealed to you through Christ.
For further study: Ex 33:17-20, 2 Co 3:13-14, Heb 1:2-3
| Home |
Copyright © 2001 Alan and Jean LeStourgeon
