The other Sunday I was able to hear a dear friend preach and part of his text came from this Scripture. He asked if we see Jesus when we look in the mirror…or do we just see our old self. That’s because, if Christ is dwelling inside us, we should be growing more and more in His image everyday…not remaining stagnant. He called it a new man season…a time to look at that reflection in the mirror and change what needs changing. But on the other hand, it’s also very easy to get comfortable and nonchalant with our Christian walk and lose sight of Jesus in that mirror altogether.
Tag: daily inspirational devotions
Mark 4:26-27 ” He also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.’ “
A man of folk-lore and legend in the Midwest is John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed. During the 1800’s he wandered the country-side of large parts of Pennsylvania, Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and West Virginia planting apple orchards…some of which still stand today. This American pioneer nurseryman spent his lifetime scattering seed in hopes of a harvest someday. In these verses, Jesus is likening the kingdom of God to the mystery of germination and growth and what man’s responsibility is in it all. We are told to plant or scatter seed…the Good News of the Gospel Message, and then to allow God to do the rest. For God’s kingdom grows in His time, in His way…always moving forward. So just like Johnny Appleseed, we are to be sowers of hope and leave the progress up to God.
II Samuel 22:31 ” As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.”
Is God’s word sufficient? Do you believe it is inspired and without error? I just completed 30 hours of classroom instruction in Biblical Counseling where the central objective was, Yes it is! The Bible attests to its sufficiency in that it contains everything we need for salvation, trust, and obedience in God. Within God’s word we can find flawless truth to build our lives upon (John 17:17) and guidance to help us navigate throughout that journey. (Psalm 119:105) But for those who think the Bible doesn’t pertain to modern times and situations…sin started in the Garden of Eden and continues to today. You can go ahead and hang all kinds of new names on it, but sin is sin…it’s rebellion against God.
Luke 2:49-50 ” Why were you searching for Me He asked. Didn’t you know I had to be in My Father’s house? But they did not understand what He was saying to them.”
I can only imagine Mary and Joseph’s confusion when they finally found their young son sitting in the Temple courts listening to the Teachers of the Law…especially when He gave them such an explanation for His disappearance. Here was their sweet, obedient, 12 year old talking about the necessity of being in “My Father’s House.” No wonder they couldn’t comprehend or mentally grasp what He was saying to them. To them, they only saw a boy who had caused them some anxious moments until they found Him…not the Son of God, Who was going about doing His Father’s business.
II Chronicles 20:15 ” This is what the Lord says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
I don’t know about you, but I need to be reminded of this daily! It’s brought even clearer to me in I Samuel 17:47, when it says, “It is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s.” But how many times have I marched out into battle with a toothpick thinking I was somehow “helping God”? I’ve found one of the greatest Psalms during these times of fear and despair is Psalm 91…it’s a wonderful antidote against that overwhelming feeling of dread, and can help me then refocus my mind where I can – Face Fear with Faith in my heavenly Father.
Isaiah 41:22-24 ” Bring in your idols to tell us what’s going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear.”
Earlier in this Chapter, Isaiah speaks of the power and magnificence of God and how there is no other God besides Him. He then addresses the many idols of Israel…man-made pieces that they have put their trust in rather than God. Finally, in these verses above, Isaiah sarcastically suggests they bring their idols to him so they may be questioned about past and future events in order to somehow legitimize their “godliness”. His sarcasm only continues as he urges these idols to, “Do something, don’t just sit there looking at me!” No man-made idol will ever take the place of God, for no man-made idol has the capacity, authority, dominion, or might as God does.
Luke 8:19-21 ” Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to Him, but they were not able to get near Him because of the crowd. Someone told Him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside.’ He replied, ‘My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.’ “
Jesus wasn’t being disrespectful. He was simply showing the difference between His blood family, and His spiritual family. Elsewhere in Luke we can find Him repeating this notion when He says, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28) When we become a Christian, we are adopted into and become part of the family of God. And part of being in this family is listening to the word of God and then applying it to our own life…practicing until it becomes a habit.
Ephesians 2:12-13 “Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”
In these Scriptures Paul is speaking to Gentile Christians…then and now. For in this man-centered world we are cut-off from the promises of God…or as Paul wrote, “without hope and without God.” But we have been brought near to God by the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ…who gave His life as a atonement so we may have the gift of eternal life. God’s compassion was evident to fallen man when we read Isaiah 65:1 which says, “I revealed Myself to those who didn’t ask for Me; I was found by those who didn’t seek Me.” We were once expelled from the dominion of God, banished and living in exile when Jesus came and paid the price…reconciling us back to God and destroying the barrier that sin had created.
Judges 9:8 ” One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves.”
Judges 9: 7-15 is one of the few parables in the Old Testament. In it the trees are searching for a king to rule over them. They start with the prime candidate, the Olive tree…but it refuses. So they approach the next best tree, the Fig tree, but no go. Quickly coming to the common Vine they inquire if it would become their king, but it declines also. Finally in desperation, they seek out the lowly thorn bush who agrees. In I Samuel 8:5-7 the people came to the Prophet Samuel demanding a king. No longer satisfied with the system of Judges that had been established by the Lord…they were rejecting God for a visible man to place their trust in. In other words, they wanted to walk by sight and not by faith anymore. So from then on, each time they demanded, “Give us a king!” they never quite knew if they were getting a Olive tree…or a Thorn bush.
Psalm 88:18 ” You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.”
One of the realities of life is that we will lose people close to us. And as we get older and older it happens more often. We look around, and all our beloved friends and family are gone…and left in their place is this huge void. This Scripture actually reminded me of the first line of an old Simon and Garfunkel song, “Hello darkness, my old friend I’ve come to talk with you again…” And if you read this entire Psalm, you’ll recognize that dark place as grieving and loss. But within this darkness there’s also the hope of God, and the Writer of this Psalm knows this is where he needs to be.
Safetypinlove 