5 APR 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 5 APR 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.  Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people, then you won’t become weary and give up.” Hebrews 12:2b-3

As we move through each day of Holy Week, we are exposed to the plan and the pain of Christ that brings us salvation.  We often complain about the common pains and suffering that come to mankind and kick against God.  We wonder why God would allow my loved one to suffer or die before we are ready for them to go.  

People get upset with those that share the gospel and say, ‘God has a wonderful plan for your life’.  Rightly so, since God never promises health, wealth, and prosperity in this life.  Pain and suffering have their purpose in this life and Jesus promises you will have it if you follow him. It was in God’s plan from the world’s foundation to send Jesus to suffer and die so that some of the people would receive salvation.

Jesus told the disciples over and over again throughout his ministry that soon he would head to the cross and be executed.  His death would satisfy the penalty of our sins and give us “the” way to life.  Whoever God sends to the Son will have life and be raised on the last day.  Our suffering and death will be used to bring God glory, to develop us, and to change others around us.  When we do suffer, look at what Jesus went through for us.  The writer of Hebrews says that this will help us to endure.

Do you know there is a purpose in suffering and death?

Reading Plan: Psalm 70; Isa. 50:4-9a; Heb. 12:1-3; John 13:21-32

22 MAR 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 22 MAR 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“However, those the Father has given me will come to me and I will never reject them.  For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.  And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.” John 6:37-40

Whenever you are in doubt of your salvation, you can look to a variety of verses that tell you that you are secure in Christ.  I point to the word because knowing your status with God is not based on a feeling or an experience.  It is the truth of what God himself says since salvation totally belongs to him.  We can go through life and feel like we are far from God, but in reality we are close.

We could also feel like we are right with God because we have had some experience, said a prayer, and then not be a child of God at all.  God has given Jesus people, marked to be his own forever.  Those that come, come because they are drawn to Jesus.  This hunger and thirst, as it is described, are spiritual pangs birthed by the Holy Spirit. (Born Again) Those that have these pangs will be satisfied and will find Jesus.  Hearing the gospel is the means, like being plugged into the power grid for this person.

Jesus says that he will not unplug you or reject you.  No one will take you from the palm of his hand or the Father’s hand.  You are eternally secure when God seeks you, regenerates you, gives you faith, sends gospel sharers, and connects you to himself by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Who can break that bond? No one.  You can’t unhook yourself either! 

Are you being drawn to Jesus or found satisfaction in knowing him?

Reading Plan: Psalm 101, 109:1-4, 20-30; Jer. 18:1-11; Rom. 8:1-11; John 6:27-40

21 MAR 23 Tuesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 21 MAR 23 Tuesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t.  I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.” Romans 7:18-19

In the early days of Jesus’ ministry, he made a salty statement about human nature.  “Jesus didn’t trust people because he knew all about mankind.  No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.” (Jn 2:24-25) As followers of Christ, we need to be taught the true reality of human nature and the natural disposition of the heart.

Ask a person at work, are people naturally good or bad/evil? I bet the response you get is good.  We like to think that we are good people, but Jesus even said there is no one good but God.  The good we try to do is like menstrual rags to him. (Isa. 64:6) We gloss over the evil we do and call it bad or mistakes, but the truth is, we are evil at heart.

Paul takes time to explain our nature to the church in Rome and describes our condition as being slaves to sin.  We may desire to do the right thing or do good, but we do the bad.  It is our first nature, not our second.  As Paul shares his struggles with his own nature, it makes him very upset and cries out, Who can save me from this body of sin and death? The answer is Jesus.

When we become a Christian, we are given a new nature and sin’s hold on us is broken.  We now are able to live a life pleasing to God.  That doesn’t mean we will not still struggle with sin, but sin will not dominate our life and desires either.  We now can fight it and win!

Are you struggling with or being dominated by sin?

Reading Plan: Psalm 97, 99; Jer. 17:19-27; Rom. 7:13-25; John 6:16-27

20 MAR 23 Monday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 20 MAR 23 Monday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin.  I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet”.” Romans 7:7

The law of God allows us to better understand the complete holiness and perfection of God and sets the plumb line for righteous living in our day to day lives.  The law is the light that exposes the darkness and sin in our lives.  We can become self-righteous by claiming that we are good people when in fact we are not.  When we look into the mirror of the law it tells a different story.

Jesus used the law to expose the condition of people’s hearts.  Jesus did this with the woman at the well and the rich young ruler.  He asked several prying questions.  Who is your husband? Commit adultery? Murder? Steal? Or testify falsely against another? Each was convicted as they reflected on what was asked.  Paul says that the law acts as our schoolmaster that leads us to Jesus.  It reveals our sin, our guilt, and need for Jesus to save us.

The one who was truly convicted by the law, will surrender to Jesus.  When you are having a conversation with someone about Jesus and they are being self-righteous and claim to be a good person, run them through the ten commandments.  See if the Lord will use it to help that person come to the true reality of their heart, which is brokenness and sin.  Then give them the gospel.

Do you know that God has a special mirror that reveals the true condition of your heart?

Reading Plan: Psalm 89:1-18; Jer. 16:10-21; Rom. 7:1-12; John 6:1-15

Daily Office Year 1

19 MAR 23 Sunday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 19 MAR 23 Sunday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is.  Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.” Psalm 66:1, 16

“Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word.  Tell me the story oh so precious, sweetest that ever was heard.”  That song has stayed etched into my mind since I was a child.  God gave me a story to tell since I was seven years of age.  It was then that I surrendered my life to him.  God has always been faithful to me.

I was blessed to be raised in a godly family and they were faithful to bring me up in the faith.  My parents were great models of faith to me, but I also had and have a host of relatives that also walk with the Lord.  My life has been a rollercoaster adventure.  There were times that I would take the wheel and run my life off road and wreck it, but Jesus dusted me off and rebuilt me.  He has been patient with me for sure.

The Lord has allowed me to go from a hot mess and no direction, to one with peace and purpose.  He has allowed me to tell my story of the wonderful things he has done in and through me.  He is glorious and faithful and has blessed me in every way.  He has given me a passion to tell other people about him.  That has borne more fruit than I can share.

What has Jesus done in your life? Are you telling anybody?

Reading Plan: Psalm 66, 67; Jer. 14:1-9, 17-22; Gal. 4:21-5:1; Mark 8:11-21

Daily Office Year 1