MAY YOUR NAME BE HONORED

Today's reading: Matthew 5-7

"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored." Matthew 6:9 NLT

We know the prayer.

We've repeated the prayer with others in church services.

We've probably received points or prizes as children when we could recite it from memory.

But when we pray it...

When we truly, from the heart pray it...

Do we realize what we're asking in the very first sentence?

Our Father in heaven, may Your name be honored.

May Your name be honored in what I'm about to pray.

May Your name be honored in what I'm asking You to do.

May Your name be honored in my waiting to see You do what only You can do.

May Your name be honored as I interact with the world.

May Your name be honored in my responses and reactions.

May Your name be honored in regards to the changes You are desiring to make in my heart and life.

May Your name be honored when You tell me 'no' or 'not now'.

What we're saying when we pray this very first line of this model prayer is simply this...

Our Father in heaven, may Your name be honored. Period.

 

DRINKING DEEPLY

Today's reading: Isaiah 12-17

"With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!" Isaiah 12:3 NLT

You cannot believe how heavily this verse landed on my heart this morning.

Am I saved? Yes, I am.

Do I have the joy of the Lord? Yes, I do.

Do I choose to drink deeply, and joyfully, from the fountain of my salvation? 

Thud. 

No, I cannot say that I do.

I sip.

I drink.

I partake.

But seldom do I drink deeply from the fountain of my salvation.

Am I afraid of draining it dry? Impossible!

Am I scared of looking less than lady-like? It bothers me little in other areas of my life!

Am I worried about what others will say or think? There in lies the problem.

Might folks think I am enjoying my salvation way too much? Is that possible?

Will someone believe I don't take it seriously enough? Can anyone know, truly know, the depths of our relationship with the Lord?

Could another believer question my gratitude for being saved to the uttermost because I choose to gulp down each and every blessing He affords me through the gift of eternity? Would, in that instance, it be a matter of them questioning it--or being jealous of it?

What keeps me from drinking deeply from the fountain of my salvation is me. My head gets in the way. My thoughts are too many--and too shallow. My audience is those standing before me, not the One I stand before.

Today I am going to begin drinking deeply. I am going to chug down every swallow of joy my salvation affords me. I am going to gulp wildly the fullness being a child of the Most High God affords me.

Care to join me for a drink

GO TO GOD

Today's reading: Job 5-6

"My advice for you is this: Go to God and present your case to him." Job 5:8 NLT

Job's friends aren't well know for good advice.

As a matter of fact, Job would have done better off mentally, emotionally and spiritually had his friends kept the majority of their words to themselves.

But Eliphaz, the first of the friends to speak, had a very good idea early on in his monologue...

Go to God.

Had he stopped there, his reviews might have been more gleaming.

Go to God.

That's the best advice.

That's timeless advice.

That's good advice--in every situation.

When you don't like what's going on--Go to God.

When you don't understand what's going on --Go to God.

When you don't see anything going on--Go to God.

When you are mad--Go to God.

When you are sad--Go to God.

When you are happy--Go to God.

When you are hurting--Go to God.

When you don't really know how you feel, when you can't put a pin on it--Go to God.

When you think what you have to say is too raw, too messy, too real and too unedited to take to the Lord--Go to God!

Try it today--in each and every situation you find yourself in, Go to God.

STATEMENT OF FACT

Today's reading: Psalm 6-8

"The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer." Psalm 6:9 NLT

I don't know if your enemy has already found you this morning--if he hasn't, he probably will.

You'll know him by the words he uses...

You'll never...

Remember what you did...

Just look at the mess you've made...

Things will never change...

Why would a good God ever care about your needs...

Might I ask you to do something?

It's something that's a little harsh. Something a little hard-nosed. Something that in some circles will not be considered lady-like or appropriate.

Tell your enemy to SHUT UP.

Better yet, if you don't like using words like that--repeat to him the words of this verse:

'The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer.'

Say it out loud--for the enemy's sake.

Say it often--for your sake.

Say it over and over--for the sake of those who might need to hear it.

When your enemy starts in on his banter, speak words of Scripture louder. Speak the truth that counteracts his lies. Speak up as to what your Lord has told you!

FOR A LONG TIME
Today's reading: Joshua 11-15

"So Joshua conquered the entire region--the hill country, the Negev, the land of Goshen, the western foothills, the Jordan Valley and the mountains and lowlands of Israel. The Israelite territory now extended all the way from Mount Halak, which leads up to Seir, to Baal-gad at the foot of Mount Hermon in the valley of Lebanon. Joshua killed all the kings of those territories, waging war for a long time to accomplish this." Joshua 11:16-18 NLT

I can't be the only one who gets a little frustrated that my prayers aren't answered at the close of my 'Amen'.

I mean, I know God can.

I also know God is able to.

I also know that in several of my requests, what I'm asking is entirely inside God's will for me--and for those I'm asking for.

Like Joshua.

God brought Joshua and the Israelites to the Promised Land--but their work wasn't over.

For, what the Scripture reading tells us, a long time, they waged war to take ownership of what God had already given them.

They didn't step foot across the Jordan and VOILA, the land was theirs.

It took blood. It took sweat. It took tears. It took effort. It took continued obedience. It took daily faith. It took hand to hand combat. It took leaning harder on the Lord for the victories than it ever took for the walk through the wilderness.

Maybe you needed that reminder. I did.

I'm going to keep praying. I'm going to keep believing. I'm going to keep trusting the Lord's timing. I'm going to keep obeying God's commands, His leadings and His urgings. I'm going to stick it out until I see Him answers--or until He changes what I'm asking for!

However long it might take.

 

UNITY COMES FROM GOD

Today's reading: Genesis 8-11

"...Come, they said, let's make great piles of burnt brick and collect natural asphalt to use as mortar. Let's build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies--a monument to our greatness! This will bring us together and keep us from scattering all over the world." Genesis 11:3-4 NLT

A hypothetical question for you this morning:

How's it working for us? The building monuments to OUR greatness...The attempt to keep us from scattering?

Would you agree with me--not well.

The more we applaud ourselves, the farther apart we live socially.

The more loudly we tout ourselves as being great, the more distant we become in this small world.

Unity comes from God.

Only He can bring people together. Nations together. Races together. Cultures together. Hearts together.

Only when He is our focus, our hope, our priority, will the lives we live impact other lives with the greatness of our Lord.

It's an old adage, but it's one that bears repeating...It's not about us!

NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN
Today's reading: Romans 5-6

"Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin." Romans 6:6 NLT

Do you know Christ as your personal Savior?

Have you received Jesus's gift of salvation through prayer and repentance?

Have you invited God into your heart as Lord and King?

If you do...

If you have...

If you did...

Sin no longer rules over you!

You are no longer held captive by the chains of the enemy!

What wrong you did, no matter how many times you did it, doesn't have control over you any more!

The sins you asked Jesus to forgive you of, those exact sins have been taken to the cross with Him.

In His book, they no longer exist.

In His mind, you are no longer a sinner.

In faith, you are no longer controlled by sin.

The chains have been broken, the shackles loosed, the prison doors flung open wide--you are no longer a slave to your sins!

TURN TO GOD
Today's reading: Matthew 3-4

"In those days John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean wilderness. His message was, Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near." Matthew 3:1-2 NLT

John was right.

Turning away from sin and to God is the first step of our Christian journey.

Then...

Then and only then...

Because of that turning...

In response to all the grace He extends us...

As a right response...

Then we should make attending church a priority.

Participate in any and all Christian disciplines.

Join the Bible studies.

Involve yourself in service to our Lord.

The first, the most important step, is turning away from sin and to our Lord. 

Have you done that?

Can you say you are His and He is your Lord?

If you have--THEN deepen that relationship by involving yourself fully and entirely in soaking more and more of Him into your heart, head and life!

BUT THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS

Today's reading: Isaiah 7-11

"But this is what the Sovereign Lord says:.." Isaiah 7:7 NLT

Verses 1-6 of Isaiah 7 tell us of news and threats that were coming to the royal court in regards to the enemy.

At this time, God raised up Isaiah, to deliver a message to the king, who was quaking in his boots.

His words...

Yes, the enemy is here. Yes, they are wanting to attack. Yes, they want to invade the city. Yes, they want you to experience fear and panic.

Then God tells Isaiah to say, But this is what the Sovereign Lord says...

Maybe you need those words today.

Maybe, with the enemy whispering in your ear, you need reminded of truth.

Maybe, with the world beating down your door and wearing down your senses, you need 'thus saith the Word of God', instead of flippant memes or random quotes.

Because when God says, it's final. 

You can take it to the bank.

You can stand on it.

You can rest assured.

(I'm including a link with 40 promises of God listed for you to have in front of you at all times. There's nothing like speaking God's own words into each and every situation you find yourself in.)

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/gods-promises-scripture-truths-to-cling-to-every-day.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20553081541&gbraid=0AAAAAD4hHd96I0kr2OdZKuolGNlLNmvoE&gclid=CjwKCAiA95fLBhBPEiwATXUsxN1FPSmllAFahU3ZUVcRkGTadiyoOtMn6sOyHDogsqKMSngcMbnSFBoCdecQAvD_BwE

 

CHANGING ONE DAY

Today's reading: Job 3-4

"For if I had died at birth, I would be at peace now, asleep and at rest." Job 3:13 NLT

Job has just endured the most gut-wrenching, sorrow-filled, unimaginable sequence of horrible events that one could imagine.

As he sat grieving and broken, he mutters the words his heart was feeling...

If only I had never been born.

Maybe you've had a day like that.

Quite possibly you've endured a series of unfortunate events that have left you feeling like Job.

There's a very good possibility that right now, as you sit reading this devotion, you are in the throws of such a time.

Know this...

...removing one day from your life...

...one sentence, paragraph or chapter from your life...

...one tough time, rough patch, heartbreak from your life...

Changes the trajectory of every day after.

Think about it: how and when your parents met, when, where and how you were raised, every single circumstance that makes you, well- you, hinges on God's weaving the story of your life on His grand loom.

We don't have to like every sentence of our stories. We don't even have to enjoy the setting or story line. We can at times even bristle against the other characters written into our vignettes. We do, however, have no right, no amount of wisdom, no wherewithal to question the Lord.

God holds the pen that writes our story.

 

ENTERING HIS HOUSE

Today's reading: Psalm 3-5

"Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; with deepest awe I will worship at your Temple." Psalm 5:7 NLT

As I think about the worship service I am about to attend, I am reminded, with the help of this verse, how truly unworthy I am to even step foot in the house of the Lord.

I haven't the credentials needed for such a privilege.

I do not bear the bloodlines of one even allowed into His presence.

I cannot muster, on my best days, the decorum needed to rightly enter into His house.

My thoughts are not pure enough.

My deeds are not righteous enough.

My desires are not godly enough.

And yet, in His love, because of His grace, in His mercy--He made it possible for me to step inside the door of His Temple.

Jesus declared me worthy. 

He, by His act on the cross and my acceptance of His forgiveness, has marked me as one who can be in His presence as often as I want!

Let's remember His great deeds as we go into our individual houses of worship today. Let us not take for granted the very act that made us worthy to enter at all.

COMBINED ARMIES

Today's reading: Joshua 6-10

"Now all the kings west of the Jordan heard about what had happened. )These were the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, who lived in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far north a the Lebanon mountains.) These kings quickly combined their armies to fight against Joshua and the Israelites." Joshua 9:1-2 NLT

When God's people were simply known as runaway slaves, they were not a force to be considered.

When the Israelites wandered back and forth, here and there for forty years, they weren't considered anyone to worry about.

When the Hebrew children picked up their camp and moved from Egypt to the edge of the Jordan River, no one really worried about them.

But when Jericho fell?

When the 2 million of them gathered, marched, shouted and knocked the walls of the most fortified city in the world at that time, the enemies took notice!

Maybe that's what is going on in your life, too.

Maybe this new year you are determining to draw closer to the Lord...

Maybe you're head strong in your decision to be in your Bible every single day...

Maybe you are giving up some bad habits and taking up some new godly disciplines...

Know your enemy had taken notice.

Understand this: he doesn't like it, won't tolerate it and will fight against it with all he has in him...even calling together others of his demons to set traps, cause distractions and throw up obstacles in your path to be more God like.

Your enemy is fine until you get stirred up for the Lord.

 

I SOLEMNLY SWEAR

Today's reading: Genesis 4-7

"But I solemnly swear to keep you safe in the boat, with your wife and your sons and their wives." Genesis 6:18 NLT

God swore to keep Noah, Mrs. Noah and their sons and daughters-in-law safe in the ark.

The security of that covenant wasn't in Noah's craftsmanship of the ark...

Or in the obedience Noah exacted in collecting enough food stores to ride out this storm...

Or in Noah knowing the exact number of days their cruise would last.

The safety, security and salvation of Noah and his family didn't rest in what was man-made, what was humanly done OR what was understood--it all depended upon God's Word and His faithfulness to those He loves.

Nothing, from Noah's time to today, has changed about that.

When God promises to take care of His own, He does it.

When God says He forgives any and every sin, He does it.

When God says He will always be with us, He will be.

When God says we can trust Him entirely, we surely can.

Because it's His Word we can trust in, believe and stand on. It's what He says He will do. It's His faithfulness we can lean entirely upon.

God can be trusted, He is true to His word! 

NO MATTER WHO OR WHAT

Today's reading: Romans 3-4

"We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done." Romans 3:22 NLT

No matter how long you have been a Christian...or if you are still teetering on the edge of making that life decision for yourself, it's good to be reminded of the truth in this single verse.

It doesn't matter who you are and it doesn't matter what you've done.

For the believer, it's important that we keep that in mind, lest the grace God extended to us ever become unappreciated. We have not earned our position as His child. We done nothing to deserve His forgiveness and love.

For you who might be considering the path of eternal life, know that nothing in your past is too ugly, dirty, heinous or belittling to make you exempt from His offer of salvation. There is nothing you could have done that would, if given to Him in prayer, not be forgiven--and forgotten by this great Savior.

No matter who and no matter what--very, very important for each and every one of us to be reminded of. 

THE REASON WE COME
Today's reading: Matthew 1-2

"Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him." Matthew 2:2 NLT

Let's be honest, there are many reasons people want to get close to Jesus...

We hope to 'get some' on us, like rubbing a lucky rabbit's foot.

We hope to be close enough to see it, it's the fear of missing out drive within us.

We want to get a little of Him for ourselves, like lottery winners who overnight have more family and friends than they ever had before.

We want to be a part, well as much as we can without giving up too much.

We want to add another line to our obituary, being involved is important to all of us.

But how many of us see God at work and scooch in a little closer, just to be able to worship?

To be in a position where we can lift our hands and sing, I see You there!

To be on our knees speaking praise to His name!

To be in it, near it, touched by it, around it--but only care about the glory He receives from it!

What's the reason you come close to Jesus? 

STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND

Today's reading: Isaiah 1-6

"Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! This is what the Lord says: The children I raised and cared for have turned against me. Even the animals--the donkey and the ox--know their owner and appreciate his care, but not my people Israel. No matter what I do for them, they still do not understand." Isaiah 1:2-3 NLT

Would you fall into the category of being one who 'still does not understand'?

You've tasted the goodness of the Lord...

You've experienced His saving mercies...

You've watched as He has done miraculous things...

You've had prayer request after prayer request answered by Him...

You've even gone so far as to claim Him as yours...

But there's a hold up.

A loop hole.

A bit of fine print that leaves you unable to completely and entirely, utterly and wholeheartedly, one hundred percent and without any straddling the fence, turn your life over to Him.

It's the parts you don't understand.

The WHY. The WHEN. The HOW.

We think we need to understand everything before we can trust God with it.

Wrong.

We need to trust God and allow Him to explain to us what He believes we need to know--when we need to know it.

That's faith. Trusting the unknown to the Known.

 

PRAISING WITH EMPTY HANDS

Today's reading: Job 1-2

"...The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!" Job 1:21b NLT

Job gives us an ageless example of praising God with empty hands.

His attitude, his faith, his commitment and his love for the Lord allow Job to worship God from the depths of his broken heart.

Why? How?

Because Job knew that God was bigger, grander, more encompassing and beyond the knowledge of Job's feeble mind.

Job knew God was more, much more, than anything He could ever place in Job's life.

Job knew God was greater than the greatest riches God could have blessed Job with.

Job knew God was more loving than any particular emotion Job might experience on any particular day.

What a lesson to learn. 

What a faith to cling to. 

What a rock-solid God to hang all one's attention, hope and peace on. 

BEARING FRUIT EACH SEASON

Today's reading: Psalm 1-2

"They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail." Psalm 1:3 NLT

Think of the trees growing where you live.

In the spring they go through spurts of growth New leaves emerge. Budding occurs. Branches extend bit by bit.

In the summer they produce fruit. The flowers of sprint turn into the apples that soak up the sunshine provided in the long days of summer.

In the fall the same trees give a harvest. The fruit has ripened. The produce is provided to us on every limb.

And in the winter the trees rest, recuperate and prepare to do it all again. 

Each season is productive in its own right.

Each season provides 'fruit' appropriate for that specific time.

No season is useless. No season is purposeless. No season is without reason.

So where are you? What season are you in?

As a child of God, anchored, rooted and fed by the river of His love and His Word, you should be producing fruit regardless of the season.

The fruit will look different. The fruit will be for varying consumers. The fruit may be for personal sustenance. 

But there will be fruit.

Is there? 

PARALYZING OUR ENEMY

Today's reading: Joshua 1-5

"When all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings who lived along the Mediterranean coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan River so the people of Israel could cross, they lost heart and were paralyzed with fear." Joshua 5:1 NLT

What's going on in your life that if shared, might paralyze your enemy?

Where is God making changes in your heart and life that leaves the Devil scrambling for his next tactics?

What miracles have you seen God do that need shouted from the mountaintops, making God more glorified?

When God's work in your life is heard about, our enemy quakes in his boots!

 WHO TOLD YOU

Today's reading: Genesis 1-3

"Who told you that you were naked? the Lord God asked. Have you eaten the fruit I commanded you not to eat?" Genesis 3:11 NLT

What better question to ask myself this year than that--Who told you?

There are a whole lot of voices vying for my attention. 

I must be extremely cautious as to who I choose to listen to, what truth I choose to believe and how I come about my thoughts.

JESUS CHRIST'S SLAVE

Today's reading: Romans 1-2

"This letter is from Paul, Jesus Christ's slave, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News." Romans 1:1 NLT

My very first Bible reading of the new year and in it I find exactly where I want to be, heart and mind, for the next 365 days...

A slave to Jesus Christ.

Upon first reading about this position, I immediately thought of always being knelt at the foot of the throne of Jesus.

--Attentive. Always learning. Worshipful. My nose being in the Word at all times.

But Paul states that he is a slave that is chosen and sent out.

Chosen for a greater, grander, more glorious task than sitting around soaking up Bible knowledge.

Sent out to share the Good News. The wonderful news of salvation in the Cross.

Instructed to let others know about Jesus.

Always looking for opportunity to share the love of Christ.

Those actions come from the overflow of my having sat at His feet.

They are spill-overs from a relationship with my Lord that pours out of my life into the lives of others.

I want to be that kind of slave in this new year.

A slave to being so filled with the love of Christ that I look for any and every possible way to share it with others!