Inspirational
Jeremiah 2:13
My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns – broken cisterns that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13
A certain theological professor announced to his class, “There is no definition of sin. That which is called ‘sin’ has been dreamed up in the minds of fundamentalist preachers who are killjoys of our fun.” Sheepskins on the wall do no eliminate ignorance. Sin is real and the Bible makes no joke about it.
Sin is something we are. We were conceived in sin and we were born with a sin nature. Sin is something we do. It is doing that which God tells us not to do. Sin is also something that we don’t do. Inactivity doesn’t always equate goodness. “You shall” is just as important as “You shall not.”
Sometimes we think sin in the life of the believer is less serious than sin in the life of the unbeliever. Not so! In this text, God spoke to those whom He called “My people”. Believers are not exempt for committing sin or experiencing its consequences.
God always view sin as a double whammy – committing two evils. First, sin is a departure from that which is holy and good. To forsake the Lord is to depart from Him. As the words of an old hymn declare, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love.” To depart from the Lord is to abandon the only source of real blessing. He alone is the source of living water. How deceitful sin is! The wells of this world cannot satisfy. Second, sin is embracing that which is unholy and useless. Broken cisterns represent human attempts to provide what only God can give. Sin is not only deceitful; it is totally unreasonable. Why abandon God for broken pots? Determine today to live the rest of your life for Him.
Dear Father, today I realize the wickedness of my heart. I know that I am prone to wander. At this very moment, I ask You to take my heart and seal it for Your purpose and for Your glory. May I walk in Your will and way throughout this day. Do not let me yield to any temptation. If I do, please do not allow me to make excuses for my sin. May Your goodness lead me to repentance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Psalm 150:1,2,6
Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His excellent greatness! …Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Psalm 150:1,2,6
The Bible exhorts us to praise God, and He is worthy of our praise! We can praise Him anywhere. Sanctuary in verse 1 refers to the temple or to planet earth. Mighty firmament refers to the regions beyond, the heavens. God can be praised on earth or in heaven.
There are many reasons to praise God. First, praise Him for who He is. This passage proclaims that He is Lord and He is God. Lord is translation of the Hebrew word Yah, an abbreviation of Yahweh. That is God’s covenant name. It refers to His eternal love for all people and His willingness to enter into a covenant relationship with them. God is a translation of the Hebrew word El, an abbreviation of Elohim. That name refers to His power and glory.
Second, praise Him for what He has done – “His mighty acts.” This refers to all He has done in the past, all He does in the present, and all he will do in the future.
Third, praise Him for “His excellent greatness,” which literally means “the multitude of His greatness.” There is no one like Him. Praise should come from everyone (“everything that has breath”). Sadly, there are billions of people on earth that never give Him praise. May that never be said of those of us who claim Jesus as Lord.
When we praise God, we are obeying Scripture. Obedience always honors the Lord and demonstrates the reality of our faith. When we praise Him, our lives spiritually shine for Him. One of the meanings of praise is “to shine.” In Matthew 13:43, Jesus said the righteous will shine at His coming. We can shine for Him now as we consistently praise Him. When we praise God, we are also loving Him. Praise is an act of devotion, adoration, and worship. Offer praise to God out of a heart of love for Him today!
Holy Father, thank You for Your overwhelming love. Thank You for salvation through Your Son, Jesus Christ. As I live this day, may my lips praise You and my life be an offering of praise that is acceptable in Your sight. In Your name, Amen.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Every believer desires to be used by God. We all have different talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts, but God will use anyone who is available to Him. He is not impressed with what we can do. No lack of talent or physical handicap renders the child of God useless. One thing that causes us to be put on the shelf - sin. God commonly uses a broken vessel, but He rarely uses a dirty vessel.
You may say, "But all of us are sinner." That's true. The bible declares, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We are sinners by birth and by choice. When you received Christ as Savior and Lord, He forgave you of every sin you had ever committed. He wrote your name in His Book of Life and set you on your way to heave. But you are not there yet. We still live in this world and we have to deal with sin. Our sin is no more acceptable to God now than it was before we were saved. Sin hinders our usefulness to God.
How do we deal with our sin? First, we must see it as God sees it. He sees it as unrighteousness - that means moral wrongfulness. God sees sin as wrong! Second, we must confess our sins. Confess means "to agress with another." We must not only see sin as God sees it but also agree with Him about it. We cannot hide it; we must admit it. Third, we must ask Him to forgive us. When we see sin as God sees it and agree with Him about it, then we can honestly ask for forgiveness. Because of His faithfulness, He forgives our sin and cleanses our hearts. Then He will use us!
Dear Lord, You know me better than I know myself. You know my heart with all of its deceitfulness. You know all my deeds and all my thoughts. Today I want to be right with You. I do not want to be put on a shelf, but to be active in Your vineyard. May the Holy Spirit reveal any wrongfulness in my life so that I may confess it and experience Your cleansing. In Jesus' name, Amen.
1 Kings 19:11, 12
He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." and behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after that earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:11, 12
This is a day of much talking. Talk radio, around-the-clock television news, blogs, tweets, and social network ramblings dominate the lives of many. They are filled with constant chatter. All too frequently these talkers have nothing to say …at least nothing profitable to the child of God. There are too many voices today that howl like strong winds, disrupt like earthquakes, and spread like wildfire. These are the voices of criticism, division, and destruction. they never minister grace; they are content to survive on slander, gossip, and misinformation. It should be remembered that when the Lord revealed Himself to Elijah, He was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. We shouldn't expect to find Him in those places today!
Christians must learn to overlook those noisy, negative, nagging voices and to hear the voice of God - because He does indeed speak, and we need to hear Him. It is time to be silent before Him and listen for His still, small voice. James wrote in his epistle that God's children should be slow to speak and swift to hear (James 1:19). That's some good advice for the twenty-first century! Resist the urge to be talking all the time. A sign in a stationary shop advertised a cheap ink pen with these words: "Runs freely when almost empty." Therein lies the problem today. Too many people are letting their words run freely when they are almost spiritually empty.
Develop the art of listening, especially to the voice of God. He rarely shouts. In words of gentleness and kindness, He speaks to our hearts. Are you listening?
Heavenly Father, thank You for being a God who speaks to Your children. I pray that You will speak to my heart today. Give me the ability to distinguish Your voice from others of lesser importance. May I be like Samuel who said, "Speak, for Your servant hears" (1 Samuel 3:10). Grant that I would not only hear Your voice but heed it as well. Today I promise to listen for Your still, small voice. Amen.
Hosea 2:19
I will betroth you to me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy. Hosea 2:19
God asked the prophet Hosea to take a prostitute as his bride, and Hosea obeyed. God’s purpose was to use his marriage to show the people of Israel that even though they’d been repeatedly unfaithful to Him and they were utterly unworthy of His love, He would continue to be faithful to them. He said, “I will betroth you to Me forever.” Did you notice that He said that twice in this verse? He was saying, “I will tell you again: I am going to make a covenant with you forever.”
Through the picture of Hosea marrying a prostitute, God shows us that He has done the same thing with us. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We’ve all messed up. We’ve all been unfaithful to Him. None of us are worthy. But in spite of our sin, our shortcomings, He takes us as His very own anyway. In both the case of Hosea and Gomer and of God and Israel, the relationship was initiated by the one who would be true.
Interestingly, it’s our mess that brings out who He really is. His actions show us what kind of God we’re dealing with. When someone does wrong toward you or me, we want to tell the world and see that they’re punished. That’s human nature. But God doesn’t do that. He handles it differently. Aren’t we grateful that He does? Experiencing this kind of grace, love, and forgiveness brings us to a deeper knowledge of our great God, stirring our hearts to worship and adore Him more and more.
God, I am overwhelmed by Your grace, Your lovingkindness, and Your mercy. I admit that I am unworthy, but You love me anyway. Thank You that You reveal Yourself to us in this way and that we can truly know You, not because we deserve it, but because You allow us to. Thank You, God. Amen.
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
Lord, please guide me in my journey and help me clearly see the truth of my thoughts and my actions. Guide me in a way that I will be a lasting and positive example to my children. In Jesus' powerful name, Amen.
Song of Solomon 5:16
His mouth is most sweet, yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. Song of Solomon 5:16
You know those couples you see at a restaurant who are leaning in toward each other? One speaks while the other intently listens. Generally that type of focus is a result of some intense admiration. When you’re quite taken with someone, you just can’t seem to get enough of what they have to say. You find yourself hanging on their every word.
It is the beloved’s words that are sweetest to the female speaker. His words are what she longs for and enjoys. The more she hears those words, the more she comes to say, “This is my love. The is my friend.”
It’s a similar situation in our relationship with Christ. To keep our love and devotion for our Lord healthy and strong, the lines of communication have to be kept open. The WWII soldier is a great example of this. Before cell phones and e-mail, the man overseas had to write letters to his sweetheart. His words were what assured her of his love and calmed her anxieties. He knew that sending his thoughts home on paper, full of his words of affection for her, would keep her going while he was away. His sentiments made her miss him. And in missing him, she wanted to be with him more and more. The words are what brought them close, even though they were miles apart.
Jesus’ words to us are found in the Bible. We call it the Word of God. By spending time with His words, we get to know Him. The more we come to know Him, the more we find that we love Him. In time, we begin to realize that not only has Christ become the greatest love of our lives, He has become, and is, our Friend.
Heavenly Father, I pray that Your Word will come alive to me. Reveal more of Yourself to me, and in turn, may I grow to love You more and more. Jesus, that You that You are not only my Savior but also my Friend. Amen
Song of Solomon 2:4
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Song of Solomon 2:4
Father, today I rest in You and Your love for me. I bring nothing into this relationship but sin, yet you still love me. You still choose me and identify me as Your own. My prayer today is that I would be overwhelmed with You and that my response would be a deep love for You, my Savior and heavenly Father. Amen.
Fight Club
Today starts a new series at Wiregrass Church. I am always excited to start a new… This one looks like a good one!
I hope everyone has a wonderful day and starts a 'new' something no matter where you are today!
Ecclesiates 2:26
God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight. Ecclesiates 2:26
Father, today, I choose joy. I commit to having my focus on You and having passion for You. May everything else short of Your goodness fall away. Lord, today, I serve You. I pray that You will be pleased with my life - may it be a life of worship! I thank You in advance for the wisdom, knowledge, and joy that come from my time with You. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Psalm 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
David came to learn through the years of being led by the Good Sheperd that his security did not lie in his environment, whether "green pastures" or "still waters", but in his Shepherd. His words in today's verse are, "You are with me."
Many read Psalm 23:4 and immediately think of the grave; however, the word translated as death can also refer to "deep darkness." It seems that if we live long enough we will become acquainted with times of darkness and depression. Sometimes the Lord leads us along these dark paths, where only a ray of light is seen, where the light cast a shadow of His presence within our view.
Sheep have poor vision - they can only see about 20 or 30 feet in from of them - so dark places can be especially difficult to navigate. At times, a shepard will lead his sheep through narrow, frightening mountain passages. When our Shepherd does this with us, there is a comforting truth we ought to remember: while the path is new and daunting to us, He never leads His sheep to places He has not already traveled. He is very much aware of the dangers. As a result, He is no longer out front leading the flock; He is now beside them, assuring them of His protection and care. Remember, nothing concerns you that does not concern Him.
A shepherd carries a rod and a staff with him. The rod is used for protection from anything and anyone who might seek to harm one of his sheep. The staff is often used to snatch one of his sheep from harm's way. As a result of having the Lord as his Shepherd, the psalmist found comfort in His rod and staff, and said, "I will fear no evil."
Praise Him today that He Himself is our Protector who walks through our valley with us.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your presence. Thank You that when answers aren't enough, there is Jesus. When I don't understand the "dark times," I am grateful that You are here with me. In Jesus' name, Amen
Psalm 23:2,3
He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23:2,3
Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your faithfulness. You are so true to Your name, and I am Your benefactor. I am grateful for the refreshment and restoration You provide. Thank You for not giving up on me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Psalm 23:3
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Psalm 23:3
My heavenly Shepard, it is my prayer that I will trust You in a way that results in straightforward obedience. Thank You for Your leadership and for Your character. In Christ's name, Amen.
Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1
Lord, encourage me today to take You at Your word and to believe Your promises. In Jesus' powerful name, Amen.
Dr. Johnny Hunt, Woodstock, GA - special thank you to JT and Ashley for my yearly devotional and prayer journal. I am going to share as much as I can...