Devotionals

08 Feb Devotional Thought – Mountaintop Moments And Valley Victories

"Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" Mark 9:5 Peter had just experienced the most wonderful, powerful event in his life. He had been caught up in the glory, taken to the summit of the mount with his master, the Lord Jesus.  The sights of his surroundings and the constant murmur of men had overshadowed his world with a sense of glory that he had never known before. For a moment, for a brief moment, he had lost himself and wanted nothing more than to forget everything and everybody that he had ever known and stay on that mountain top forever. The temporal things of the world had become his enemy and he no longer wanted anything to do with them. He wanted to rise above them in rapture, stand on the summit in victory, and set up an eternal tabernacle on that mountain top.

06 Feb Devotional Thought – Sovereign Sackcloth

"He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. " Esther 4:2 The unknown author of Esther paints for us a pertinent picture of the ancient world. We're told that no one could enter through the king's gate while wearing sackcloth - the sign of those who were downtrodden. Don't misunderstand, it's not that the ancient world was wicked in its dealings with the downtrodden.  It's not even that those who were clothed in sackcloth were treated in an inhumane manner. In fact, the rulers of that ancient world were quite ready to be beneficent to those who were less fortunate - as long as they didn't enter through the king's gate.

01 Feb Devotional Thought – A Startling Place For Divine Fellowship

"And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony. . ." Exodus 25:22 At first glance this seems to be a strange, and even startling, place for the Holy God to meet with a sinful man. I say that it is startling because fellowship normally requires that there be a similarity in the natures of two or more persons. So, it would seem at first that the mercy seat would be the last place that one would find an affinity between God and man. It certainly suggests that there are two extremes that meet at the mercy seat - the Righteous God and a conscious sinner, the Almighty Judge on the Great White throne and a convicted criminal before the bar of justice. It is a startling scene indeed.

30 Jan Devotional Thought – An Unexpected Arrow

"Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. . ." 2 Chronicles 18:33 It's a rather strange story that suggests a very unique, and often overlooked, truth. Ahab, even though he was the king of Israel, was seen as the enemy of God by the faithful and the enemy of man by everybody else.  In fact, they had made elaborate plans to remove him from his position, but every plan they'd tried had failed. They had sent squads, and entire armies, to kill him, but nothing succeeded. They had even aimed all of their arrows at him but every arrow missed its royal target. Then something very strange and completely unexpected happened. An unnamed soldier was wasting time, perhaps trying some trick shots with his bow and arrow for the amusement of his friends or himself. Suddenly the trick shot became a tragic shot when the arrow meant for another target found its way to the enemy of God and he fell dead. The killing of the king came from a hand that wasn't looking to take it and from and arrow that wasn't meant for him.

18 Jan Devotional Thought – The Test Of The Spirit’s Presence

"But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." John 7:39 It's a question that has caused considerable consternation: "How can a person know if they have received the gift of the Holy Spirit?" Is there any test to help determine the Spirit's presence or absence in the life of an individual? John says that there is indeed such a test.  He says that the Holy Spirit had not been given yet, "because Jesus was not yet glorified."  So, the test that tells of the Spirit's absence is that of an unglorified Jesus, and the proof that proves His presence is a heart where Jesus is honored.

16 Jan Devotional Thought – Confidence In His Command

"Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away." Matthew 14:22 Jesus "made His disciples get into the boat." I understand this to mean that Jesus forced them, He compelled, constrained them to get into the boat and set sail.  Surely, if there ever was a promise that a mission would be successful, this should have been it. These disciples were literally forced to put out to sea! They were compelled by a command they couldn't refuse - Jesus had told them to go. If they were ever going to be safe, secure and successful this should have been the time and place. There was no doubt about it. They were where Jesus told them to be, when He told them to be there.  They were away from the distractions and dangers of the world. Yet, as I read the account, at first it appears that in obeying Jesus they actually put themselves at the greatest risk of danger, disappointment and failure - He sent them straight into a storm. And what a storm it was! It was such a storm that even these experienced men of the sea had never seen its like before.