3 DEC 23 Sunday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 3 DEC 23 Sunday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.  So be on your guard, not asleep like the others.  Stay alert and be clearheaded.” 1 Thess. 5: 2, 6

Today marks the first Sunday of Advent, bringing excitement and joy as we prepare for Christmas.  As a child, I would start preparing my Christmas list for what I hoped Santa would bring me.  Taking the Sunday advertisements, the J. C. Penny, and Sears catalogs  I would highlight, and make a list of items wished for the jot them down on a piece of paper.  Anticipation was further fueled by all of the things that my family and church did in preparation.

It is a wonder that my head didn’t explode with all the stimulation of the season.  I love this time of year because it is about wonder excitement and joy.  It is not about the gifts, activities, or family, but Jesus.  Advent means coming and as we approach Christmas we remember the first coming of Christ, but also look forward to the second.  For hundreds of years, people expected and desired to see the coming Messiah who would be King.  They wanted to be a strong and independent Kingdom free of their oppressors.

When Jesus came though, they were surprised so much so that most didn’t recognize or rejected him because he didn’t meet their expectations.  Those who received him also received the best gift of all, God himself.  When we receive Jesus we are eternally connected in a relationship with God, the creator of all things.  Jesus stated that he would return to gather his people when both the time and the number were right.  We don’t know either of those factors.

What we do know is that Jesus will return like a thief in the night, in an instant, and at any time.  As we enter the Advent Season, it allows us to pause and look forward with great expectation and anticipation.  The times reveal the great possibility of his coming maybe sooner rather than later.  That being said, he tells us to be on guard, alert, and doing the Father’s business until he returns.  Don’t get caught asleep doing your own thing, but be ready!

Are you anticipating Jesus’ second coming?

Reading Plan: Psalm 146, 147; Amos 1:1-5, 13-2:8; 1 Thes. 5:1-11; Luke 21:5-19 

30 NOV 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 30 NOV 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.  For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” 1 Peter 2:13-15

Do you ever find it difficult to live and work under leaders or authorities? Peter, Paul and Jesus, all tell us to submit to the authorities around us because it is God who places them there.  At any given time, God can raise a nation to predominate or take one down and destroy it.  Think about when they were writing and the governors and institutions that were in charge.  Those religious institutions and the government were brutal to Christians and often hunted them down, lit them on fire, or killed them in a horrid manner.

Yet, Peter, Paul, and Jesus say that we are to submit or be subject to these people.  Peter in the verses following the ones above, reminds us that we are ‘slaves’ to Jesus and his will for our lives is to submit.  We are no longer living for ourselves, but living for Jesus and in doing so we will face persecution and suffer because of his name.  Jesus also expects governments to do something, punish those who do evil, and praise those who do good.  When governments don’t fulfill their mandates, then God punishes them.

One thing we can consistently do no matter the institution or government is to do good and be torch-bearers of the gospel.  The Lord expects us to fulfill the mission mandated to us in Matthew 28:19 regardless.  Our good works will be the judge of wicked people, leaders, and rulers.  If they harm us, God will not let them off the hook but give them punishment.  Jesus himself warned the people that if anyone hurt one of his followers, it would be better to have a millstone tied around their neck and thrown into the sea.  God will deal with them.

Are you submitting to earthly authorities?

Reading Plan: Psalm 131, 132; Zeph. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 2:11-25; Matthew 20:1-16

29 NOV 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 29 NOV 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who call you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

I often ponder the relationship that God has with Israel and why he is selective in choosing people to be his possession.  If you look back in the Old Testament, you find people who aren’t too smart or big, just nobodies in the world.  If there were a bunch of kids on the playground and you were choosing players for the team, they would not be on yours.  They didn’t bring anything to the table that would warrant attention from other nations or even God.

But God.  God has made plans so detailed that it will blow your mind.  Most of the world can’t deal with the fact that God created our world, the stars, the planets, the solar systems, and the universe.  He chose to put life on this planet and sustain it even putting a creature that is made in his image above all other creatures.  Humans are the only creatures on earth that can be in an eternal relationship with God.  That is being very selective and people even in the church get offended by this.

Israel was chosen by God to be his people, he will be their God, and he expanded that people group when Jesus came by adding Gentiles from every nation, tribe, and tongue.  God decided to do this before the world was created knowing that he would save some and not all.  The same way he chose Israel initially, is the same way he chooses who will be his today.  It is his secret will and no one comes to faith or is saved without him deciding who that is.  We do not bring anything to the table that will make his team better.

His mercy and grace are amazing; he would pull us out of darkness and into his marvelous light.  Peter says that knowing and understanding this will give a passion to worship him and share this good news with others.  While we do not know who his people will be, we do know his lost sheep are out there ready to be found.  We need to get busy doing search and rescue.

Have you been brought into the fold of the family of God?

Daily Reading:   Psalm 119: 145-176; Obadiah 15-21; 1 Peter 2:1-10; Matthew 19:23-30

28 NOV 23 Tuesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 28 NOV 23 Tuesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control.  But now you must be holy in everything that you do, jas as God who chose you is holy.” 1 Peter 1:13a, 15

There are so many times followers of Jesus will ask what is God’s will for their life and what should I be doing. The will of God is in two parts, revealed and secret.  Everything you need to know for your life here on earth is ‘revealed’ right in the Holy Scriptures.  Start applying the word to your life because there is more than enough there for an entire lifetime.  The secret will of God is just that, a secret.  It is not meant for you to know.

Peter tells his readers that there is a call on our lives to be holy people because God himself is holy.  This doesn’t come naturally to us because our human nature is unholy.  We sin in every part of our lives, so it will take real work on our part and the help of the Holy Spirit.  The action of holiness starts in the mind and it can be a battle.  Paul says that we have to let God transform our minds and change the way we think.

Again Paul states in his letter to the Galatians that our sinful nature wants to do evil, which is the opposite of what the Spirit wants.  These two forces are constantly fighting each other.  The Holy Spirit produces fruit in our lives, one of which is self-control.  It is the ability to override or overcome our own human nature and do the thing that is pleasing to God.  As it is exercised, it grows stronger and helps you to develop a holy and godly life.

Peter says the ultimate goal is to become holy in everything you do because it makes you more like God.  How are you doing with that? As you are doing life, you can put on the lenses of holiness and ask yourself how you are doing.  You must be intentional about applying the word and the standard of holiness in order to bring about real lasting change.  God the Holy Spirit is here to help you to see areas of need and the power to succeed in them.

Would people you know think you are holy?

Reading Plan: Psalm 121, 122, 123; Nahum 1:1-13; 1 Pet. 1:13-25; Matt. 19:13-22 

27 NOV 23 Monday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 27 NOV 23 Monday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance-an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” 1 Pet. 1:3b-4

Typically, I look at life with low expectations so I am not disappointed.  Some people think that is a terrible way to look at life or your interaction with people.  The reason is people are not perfect, broken, and often oversell and underdeliver thereby leaving us disappointed.  I’m not saying you should have low standards, there is a difference.  Set standards high but keep expectations low and you will experience less disappointment.

Peter looks forward to Jesus and the next life with great expectation because God is perfect, holy, and never fails us.  He can be trusted to do what he promises and delivers to the uttermost.  Peter goes on to say that our inheritance is safe in heaven and it is pure, undefiled, and cannot change or even decay.  Everything on earth is impure, defiled, changes, and decays, but heaven is not the same.  His outlook on earthly temporary things is different from heavenly eternal things.

Jesus also chimes in on this and says that our treasure cannot be destroyed by moths, rust, or stolen because it is protected and secured by God himself. (Matt. 619-29)  This is great news that we can be fully assured and never be disappointed.  This is why Peter can have ‘great expectations’ for the future and so can we.  We can live this life for Christ in radical obedience without worrying about the future and expect God to do all that he intends through us.

When we fully trust in God and surrender our lives to him, we can have this kind of confidence now and in the life to come. 

Do you have great expectations for eternity?

Reading Plan: Psalm 106:1-18; Joel 3:1-2, 9-17; 1 Pet. 1:1-12; Matt. 19:1-12