Romans 8:15 - Abba Father -Devotional Scripture

 

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father." Romans 8:15

When you look at God as being for you, when you look at God as your Abba Father, suddenly you become strong and even in your weakest moments the Lord’s strength is made perfect, sufficient and complete. When you go through life knowing God is your Father you can confidently say what the enemy means for evil the Lord means for good.  I can be strong and of good courage (Josh 1:9) because the Lord my God is with me wherever I go so whom shall I fear and whom shall I be afraid. The Lord is my light and my salvation and as I wait on the Lord I will be of good courage because He will strengthen my heart.  As I wait on my Father, I’m going to mount on wings like eagles, I will run and not grow weary, I will walk and not faint. 

As I walk with my Lord I can know that He quiets me with His love.  He says, ask and it will be given to me, seek and you will it find, knock and the door will be opened for you.  If you search for me with all of your heart, you will find me because neither height, nor depth, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come or any other created thing can separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. 

So we can rejoice in the Lord always being anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving letting our prayers be known to God and we have a peace that surpasses all understanding.  As we meditate on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praise worthy whether we are hungry or full, suffering or abounding, we can learn to be content in all things because we can do all things through Christ that strengthen us because God will supply all our needs according to the riches and glory by Christ Jesus. 

And as we seek first his kingdom and righteousness all these things will be added to us.  He gives us everything we need for life and for godliness.  We have not received the spirit of bondage and of fear but the spirit of whereby we cry Abba Father.  When you live your life with confidence that all those verse that are promises in this book, knowing that is the Word of God and it will never to return void, you can be a joyful person and you can be a light to this world winning people to God. - Excerpt from Ben Courson's teaching A Singler Effect

 

Mark 1:21-35 Quiet Place, Quiet Heart, Quiet Time - Devotional Scripture

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out

and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  Mark 1:35

Jesus rose a long time before daylight and went out to a place where He would be free from distraction and spent time in prayer. He opened His ear each morning to receive instructions for the day from His Father.

On this particular day, Jesus spent his time ministering in Capernaum. During the day He was at the synagogue and in the evening He was at a house and the whole city was bringing to him hurting people, diseased people and ones oppressed by demons. Jesus had a full work schedule and yet He never gave the appearance of being busy, hurried or pressured. He wasn’t frustrated, fatigued or stressed.  He was able to lay his head down every night in peace and say, “Father, I finished the work which you gave me.” He was able to do this because He made it His habit, morning by morning, to get instruction from His Father and He was directed day by day as He found a quiet place, had a quiet time with a quite heart.

 It is easy for us to be distracted and caught up in the busyness of life. You will never get done what others want you to do and you will never get done what you want to do, but you can get done what the Lord wants you to do.

 

Like Jesus, we need to start the day in a posture and place of prayer and get our instructions from our Father. We need to get in a quiet place with a quiet heart and have our quiet time.  Then, the Lord will direct you, day by day, in a way that is not burdensome but doable. I encourage you to find a quiet place and have a quiet time with a quiet heart and let God direct your day so you will be able to walk in His peace and joy.

Luke 10:38-42 A "Mary" Christmas - Devotional Scripture

 

If ever there was a time to be a Martha, it's during the Christmas season. There is so much to be done and yet so little time to do it. It's easy to get caught up and lose sight of what's important.  We need to remember to have a Mary heart in a Martha world.

In  the book of Luke, chapter 10, Jesus and His followers come to the town of Bethany and Martha welcomes them into her home. Both Mary and Martha sit at Jesus’ feet (Luke 10:39) and listen to Him. But, as hostess, Martha was distracted with the many things she had to do. As thoughts ran through her mind she could sit there no longer.  She had to get busy!

Mary, excitedly, started the preparations for the meal.  She wanted everything to be perfect. Looking at the time, she realized there was no way she was going to finish everything she had planned to do.  Gazing into the other room she noticed her sister still sitting at Jesus' feet. Martha decides to take the matter to Jesus. “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.  And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:40-42

Jesus did not rebuke Martha for making the meal. Martha’s problem was not that she was preparing food for her guests. Her problem was that she placed too much emphasis on the food rather than relationships.  She was making a big dinner when something much simpler could have been prepared allowing Martha to sit at Jesus’ feet.

Mary chose the one thing that is needed. She chose to sit at Jesus’s feet and learn from Him and she did not allow other things to distract her. That is God’s order: we first love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and then love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27). When we put our relationship with Jesus first before serving, then He equips us for service. When we turn that upside down, we end up feeling overworked and unappreciated.  As we keep our priorities in line with God’s, we find that He enables us to do what needs to be done with joy and satisfaction. This year, I hope you have a very Mary Christmas in this Martha world.

Mark 6:31 Come and Rest -Devotional Scripture

 

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to [His disciples], "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."  Mark 6:31

The Bible places a high value on rest.  During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He Himself escaped the busyness of the crowds to renew His strength. This time of year can be very busy.  It is hard to escape the busyness. We tend to go, go, go and forget to take time to rest in Jesus.

I have been caught up in the busyness of the season.  I still hadn’t even unpacked my suitcase from my Thanksgiving trip.  On Sunday, we planned to go to church in the morning, stop by the hardware store, come home and make a dish for a Christmas party, go to the party and on the way back home pick up a Christmas tree. And if I had any spare time I really needed to gather information for our tax guy, clean the house and do some laundry.  That was my plan, but God had a different plan.

Sunday morning Dave and I woke up to a loud “thump” outside.  Two inches of snow had fallen on the ground and a tree dropped right in front of our driveway.  Dave announced, “We aren’t going anywhere this morning.”  We had no electricity, no water and no telephone/internet service.  That meant I couldn’t clean the house, wash any laundry work on the computer or run errands around town.  We were down to the basics with no other option but to sit back and rest. The only thing we accomplished that day was we made a dish and attended the Christmas party; and it was delightful.

I do believe that Jesus, seeing my weariness was inviting me to come with Him to a quiet place and get some rest. There is a time to work, but there is also a time for rest.  Jesus knows that we will be most effective at work when we also take the time to rest.  Come with Him to a quiet place and get some rest today.

2 Peter 1:3-11 Know and Grow in Christ - Devotional Scripture

 

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge.  2 Peter 1:3-5

Not only is grace and peace multiplies to us in the knowledge of God (2 Peter 1:2), but everything we need for life and godliness comes through our increasing knowledge of Him. Through His goodness, we have received great and precious promises. We know He will never leave us or forsake us. We know that He will finish the work He started in us. We know that He will one day wipe away every tear from our eyes. We know that He will strengthen us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Because of the great promises of God, we are to make every effort to be more and more like Him. Growing as a believer involves the power of the Holy Spirit in us and our personal commitment and discipline to grow. Peter’s challenge is to “add” Christian virtues to the gift of faith that you have received. We are to be active partners in the work of God in our lives. Those who choose not to develop in this way will be shortsighted, unfruitful and barren (2 Peter 1:8-9).

So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10-11

2 Peter 1:12 Remember - Devotional Scripture

 

For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.  

2 Peter 1:12

As Peter nears the end of his life he is determined to keep reminding believers of the importance of the basics of the Christian life. It's easy to become careless or indifferent and forget what is truly important in life. The truth of our redemption can lose its grip on us. We can forget that the Christian life is all about Jesus and the undeserved, unearned favor He lavishes upon us.  We can get shortsighted and see only ourselves instead of God. Peter is saying, I know you know these things but I want to bring them to your memory again.

Peter wanted to stir up their mind so they would remember the word of God.   The more we know God, the more we experience the grace and peace of God. As we gain knowledge of God, His power energizes us to live holy lives. It is by His divine power that we are given everything we need for living a godly life. And we receive all of this by coming to know Him through His word. May God’s “grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:2)”.

Psalm 91 - God's Secret Hiding Place - Devotional Scripture

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.” Ps 91:1-2

God has a secret hiding place, and He invites each of us to join Him there. He does not invite us to visit. The promise is to those who “dwell” there. For those who live there. It becomes our address. God invites us to pack up and move to His secret place. Secret places imply honesty and trust. We cannot join God in His secret place unless we are willing to be transparent and honest with Him.

The key to moving to the secret hiding place is a total surrender to the Holy Spirit and the will of God for our lives. This decision controls our actions and changes our outlook. As we obey, God meets us in His secret place (John 14:21). Our continual choice to surrender fully to Him results in His continual strength to do so.

God's response to those who are living in the secret place of the Most High is found is Ps. 91:14-15.

Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.

Because you've set your love upon God, God said, "This is what I'm going to do for you: deliver you, set you on high. I will answer you. I will be with you in trouble. I will deliver and honor you."

Joshua 7 - You can't stand before your enemy until you take away the sin - Devotional Scripture

 

The promise land, the land of Canaan, is a picture of the spirit filled life.  Joshua chapter 7 deals with the sin question in Canaan. God gave victory to the Israelites over Jericho as a sign of faith that He would deliver the rest of their enemies into their hands. After their victory, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai to go and spy out the land.

 

And they returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few.”      Joshua 7:3

But when the men marched on Ai, they met defeat rather than victory and “the hearts of the people melted and became like water.”  

And Joshua said, “. . .  Oh, Sovereign Lord, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side!"

Joshua 7:7 NLT

 

Joshua did not understand why God was not blessing them.  God told Joshua,

Get up, sanctify the people, and say, "Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.'” Joshua 7:13 

There is a principle here that relates to us today. Because God is holy, He does not bless hidden sin. The Canaanites were not any stronger, but Israel was weaker because sin had entered the camp. They could not stand before their enemies.  That’s what sin does to us. We lose God’s power and the sense of His presence. Sin strangles and stifles the abundant life.  It pulls us down and wipes us out.

God loves you too much to allow you to continue on in your sin and bless you because He knows that sin will destroy you. In those times when we are not “standing under the spout where the blessings pour out” we need to get up and separate from that sin so that we may live the abundant life, the blessed life, the spirit-filled life that God desires for us. 

Matthew 26:7-13 What Fragrance Are You Leaving? - Devotional Scripture

In Matthew 26, a woman had an impulse to do a good deed. She poured a year’s worth of salary of perfume on Jesus’ head. The disciples didn’t understand why she would waste so much money to do this act of kindness.

But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.  For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.   For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.   Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.’   Matthew 26:10-13

This act of kindness that she did could have only been done at this one time in history.  If she did not act on this impulse to anoint Jesus with perfume, this opportunity may have never come again. She acted on divine inspiration and because of that she will always be remembered. The fragrance of a lovely deed lasts forever.

There have been many occasions that I get an impulse to do an act of kindness and I talk myself out of it. Lately, God has revealed to me that if I have an impulse to do a good deed I should assume that it is from Him and do the act of kindness. I have received much joy in acting on these impulses. The old adage is true;

J-esus

O-thers

Y-ou

equals JOY.

We will never know what a simple act of kindness can mean to someone until we follow through with our God-inspired impulses to do good deeds. At this point in Jesus’ story his life was surrounded by betrayal and tragedy. In the midst of all of this, this woman is an oasis of light in a darkening world leaving the fragrance of a lovely deed as she pours the alabaster flask on His head.

We have the opportunity to be an oasis of light to those around us but if we don’t act on these God-given impulses that chance may never come again. What fragrance are you leaving behind in your relationships? Let’s be like the woman in this story and not miss opportunities to be a lovely fragrance to those around us.

2 Corithians 4:17-18 Where Are You Fixing Your Hope - Devotional Scripture

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

The Lord keeps asking me, “Where are you fixing your hope? Is it on temporal things or is it on the grace that will be brought to you when I return.” It’s hard for me to remember that this life is not the time or place where God promised to wipe away all my tears.  It’s not the place where I will experience no more mourning, crying or pain. This is a time of warfare and the battle is being fought on the turf on my own heart.

Satan wants to keep me thinking on present circumstances so I won’t be able to fix my eyes on things to come. He wants to build a stronghold in my mind to hinder me and cripple me so I can’t run the race that is marked out before me. I cooperate with him when I allow thoughts to run freely in my mind without taking them captive to the obedience of Christ.

We need to stop dwelling on temporal things that are causing us pain and discomfort.  We must take our eyes off of our marriage, our kids, our homes, our finances and fix our eyes and hope on the things to come. Instead of quenching the Spirit and not cooperating with God, we need to allow God to have His way in us. It is only when we relinquish control of our lives and walk in the Spirit that we find true freedom and peace that surpasses all understanding.

There is a door to your mind and the enemy is knocking.  He wants to get into your thoughts.  He wants you to think on temporal things and forget the big picture. When you hear that knock on your door ask the question, “Who is that knocking at my door?” and Philippians 4:8 your thoughts and bring them under obedience to Christ.

Psalm 61:1-4 Cling To The Rock - Devotional Scripture

 

Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:1-2

Sometimes we feel like things are falling apart and are crashing in around us.  We get overwhelmed and we feel like we are at the end of the rope. Nothing is working out as we planned and we realize we can’t fix it.  In those times we cry out to God and cling to Him because we don’t know what else to do. In this Psalm, David was going through one of those times.  He acknowledges that he doesn’t have the wisdom or strength to direct his own steps, so he asks the Lord to lead him to Rock that is higher and great than himself. God purposely brings us to the end of the rope so we will hold tight to Him and say, “My only hope is in you God. You are the rock of my life.  There is no solution other than you.”

 

For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.

Psalm 61:3-4

 

David acknowledges God’s past faithfulness and trusts that God will remain faithful now and to the end of time.  No matter his lot, David chooses to abide with God and worship Him forever. He chooses to trust in Him even though he doesn’t understand what’s going on. David knows that though it may be out of His control, it is never out of God’s control so he chooses to rest in the shelter in God’s protection and sovereignty.

 

Selah means rest.  Rest is what we find when we surrender all to God and trust His understanding over our own understanding. Although the world and our own deceitful hearts might tell us otherwise, rest is not found in discovering a solution to our problem.  True rest is found in leaning on and trusting in the Rock of our salvation.

2 Timothy 2:4 A Soldier of Christ - Devotional Scripture

No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:4

Discipleship is like joining the military. No one can sign up and retain his independence. When a person joins the military his sergeant seeks to teach the soldier self-discipline because he knows that if he is left to his own devices the soldier would be careless and too self-absorbed to succeed.

When you are enlisted, your own interests are subservient to your superiors. Your time is not your own. You get up when they tell you to get up and you go where they tell you to go. Day by day, the soldier is pushed to do more than he thinks he can.  At first this goes against his will and his very character. Bit by bit, though, he starts to internalize the code of the military. He starts to care if his fellow soldiers succeed. He stands firm, not because someone has told him to, but because he has believed in something greater than himself. He is fit and ready for the hard life ahead of him. He is ready to contribute to a greater cause by making himself expendable to that cause.

We have reviewed the cost and rewards of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.  The only remaining question is, are you a disciple of Jesus Christ?  There are 3 "identifying marks" of discipleship given by Jesus:

1.       John 8:31, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.”  When we obey His word and live according to it we are His disciples.

2.       John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” The distinguishing mark of a disciple is the love they show towards their brothers and sisters in Christ. It is also a sign to us that we are His disciples. We know that we have passed from death unto life because of the love God has placed in our hearts for the family of God (1 John 3:14).

3.       John 15:8, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” Spiritual fruit will show itself in our lives as we spend time with Jesus and get to know Him better. His thoughts will become our thoughts and His purpose will become our purpose. We will become like Jesus and bear much fruit.

 

Discipleship is God’s plan for a purposeful and pleasurable life not only in the life to come but also now in this present life. No one but the disciple of Jesus is living life to the fullest and enjoying the blessing that come from being His disciple.

Mark 10:29-30 Rewards of Discipleship - Devotional Scripture

 

Jesus called us to be His disciples but He never said it was going to be easy. He said it is going to be tough and you better count the cost. He said unless you are willing to relinquish everything you can't be My disciple. Unless you are willing to take up your cross and deny yourself, you can't be My disciple. Unless you love Me supremely, above money and possessions, you cannot be My disciple. The terms of discipleship are harsh and severe but the benefits far outweigh the cost.

Jesus said, ‘Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. 

Mark 10:29-30

 

We will have trials and sufferings in this life, but the blessings outweigh the difficulties by a hundred-to-one margin. God will reward us generously. Whatever sacrifices we make for the Lord will be richly compensated.

Rewards of being His disciple:

1.       We become members of THE FAMILY OF GOD, whose fellowship enriches our lives.

2.       We follow a gentle and loving leader. We all have a master and if we aren’t serving Jesus than we are slaves to sin and to Satan (Romans 6:16) and Satan is a cruel taskmaster that only desires our destruction.

3.       It brings us into a level of intimacy with Jesus that others cannot experience. It is only to His disciples that He reveals His innermost thoughts and most intimate secrets.

4.      God will withhold no good thing from those who follow Him. But even more than this, what God takes away He replaces with something even better.

5.       We are free for “we shall know the truth, and the truth shall set us free" (John 8:32).

6.      Our great reward is Jesus Himself. The cost of discipleship is nothing compared to the rich fellowship we receive with Jesus.  He offers us a peace the world cannot give,  a joy that cannot be taken away and a life lived abundantly.

 

Luke 14:26-33 Count the Cost - Devotional Scripture

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.        Matthew 28:19.

Jesus never used the term Christian to describe a believer. The early church didn’t describe themselves as Christians. They described themselves as disciples, saints, and brothers. Christian was used by the non-believing world to describe Christ's followers in a derogatory way.

Jesus calls us to be His disciples.  Discipleship requires a complete rearrangement of our priorities. This is what Luke sought to remind us of in the fourteenth chapter of his gospel. In this chapter, Jesus lists three requirements of being a disciple.

First, our love for Jesus must come before any other human relationship. We need to be more concerned about how an action will affect Jesus and His glory rather than how it will affect ourselves or our family. Obedience to Christ must come before our own personal comfort and safety (Luke 14:26). Secondly, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. This means we willingly lay down our own rights, desires and ambitions and exchange them for His will for our lives. We determine in hearts that we will to stand for Jesus no matter what. (Luke 14:27). Thirdly, we place our commitment to Jesus above material possessions. We must love God more than we love money and what it can provide (Luke 14:33).

I pray you will count the cost of being His disciple.  If you don’t, you will not be able to stand firm in the battle that is before you. As a disciple of Jesus, you are entering a war and that battle will rage on until you leave this earth. And without the rearrangement of your priorities you will spend the rest of your time, here on earth, fighting God’s right to rule your life and you will never experience the abundant life that Jesus offers. Instead, this life will be draining, discouraging and depressing.  But, when you really trust Jesus with your life and put Him first above everything and everyone else your burden becomes easy and you are able to enjoy Christ’s riches now and in the life to come.

Ps. 16:7-8 Shall Not Be Moved - Devotional Scripture

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.     Ps. 16:7-8

This weekend the enemy went after my Achilles’ heel.  Spiritually speaking this is the area in my life where I am the weakest and tend to stumble the most. He set up just the right circumstances and used just the right people to try to take me down and wipe me out.  Since I have been studying 1 Peter the tactics of the enemy were on the forefront of my mind. I was able to recognize the attack for what it was and I received counsel and instruction from God as He reminded me of Eph. 6:12. I am not fighting against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers and rulers of the unseen world. This was spiritual warfare. My focus immediate switched from the people and circumstances that were causing me pain to the lie I was entertaining and needed to replace with the truth of God’s word. I was able to quickly recover from this attack, but the enemy wasn’t done with me.  The next morning he used a fresh set of circumstances to go after the same weakness to try to devour me. 

This time it was harder to get back up and stand on God’s truth.  I knew who was attacking me but it was harder not to respond to the “flesh and blood” that was before me and to keep the attack on a spiritual level.  But God kept guiding me to His truth. I cried out to Him for strength and He kept my head just above the flood waters that wanted to take me down.

As I walked into church that morning God reminded me of the things I have been learning in 1 Peter. The reason why Satan wanted to devour me and discourage me is because he knew if I was focused on my own struggles I would not be walking in the Spirit and therefore not doing His will but my own. When this revelation fell afresh on me that just made me mad and I refused to be intimidated by the enemy any longer.  At that point, I became “undevourable” and I could not be moved from the safe and secure place next to my God. The enemy knows those weak areas in our lives and that is where he attacks and does his fiercest work. The good news is that as you choose to stay by God’s side, He will guide you through the Valley of Baca and as you respond to His leading, you will be refreshed by His Spirit (Ps. 84:5-7) and you will not be moved.

Hebrews11:32-38 Victory in Suffering - Devotional Scripture

 

Hebrews 11 is often called the Hall of Faith. It lists many men and women who showed faith in God and His promises. The list goes on and on and then the writer says:

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Hebrews 11:32-34

When I read these verses I want to rejoice because there was victory, power and deliverance shown to the faithful servants of the Lord.  And then I read on:

. . . and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.  Hebrews 11:35b-38

I find myself wanting to experience the victory that shuts the mouth of lions and escapes the edge of the sword but I waver at experiencing the victory that comes from mocking, hardships and affliction.  Both are part of God’s plan for my life and both run through His fingers of love before they hit my life.

Those that experienced victory through affliction were able to stand firm in their faith because they had eternity stamped upon their hearts and they knew that what they would receive later far exceeded anything in this life. They didn’t fall into the trap of loving their life more than loving God. They didn’t get so entangled in this life as to lose focus on what is to come. God became their All-Sufficient One and that is something to rejoice in and desire in my own life.

Trials and sufferings are part of God’s plan and part of His grace. He uses suffering to test us to see if we really believe what we say we believe. He uses suffering to refine and purify us. Peter tells us the proper way to respond to suffering is to stand firm in your faith. Stand firm in who you believe in and what you know to be true about God. Then, God will be glorified and you will be strengthened and firmly planted in Jesus and His word.

1 Peter 5:10-11 God's Sovereignty in Suffering

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11

Peter ends his letter to the suffering church by telling them, even though you are facing hard times, even though you don’t understand your circumstances, even though you will experience misunderstanding and rejection; your God rules and He rules for your sake. Our hope is not found in our control, or our strength, or our wisdom.  Our hope is found in one place and that is in Jesus Christ who lived, suffered and died to purchase a Sabbath of rest for His people.

We get to experience that rest as we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. We can rest because we trust the wisdom of God more than our own.  When we really believe His ways are better that our ways we find rest, peace and hope.  We can rest in His Sovereignty knowing our life is not out of control.  It’s out of our control but it’s not out of His control. As you trust in His rule as ruling over all things by His power and authority and as you believe His rule is executed in love and is always for the sake of his children you will find rest.

We can safely rest in His hands because we know He is in us, He is with us and He is for us.  As we filter our lives through the lens of God’s word we can rest knowing that God will not turn from His grace, and suffering or circumstances will not get in His way to redeem us.  He will finish the work He began in us and He will empower us by His grace, protect us in His love and guard us by His wisdom. To Him be dominion forever and ever!

1 Peter 5:8-9 Satan May Roar - Devotional Scripture

 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  1 Peter 5:8-9

This "lion" doesn't just want to paw at his victims and scratch them but he wants to chew them up.  Roaring is one of the lion’s strategies for catching prey - they creep up on the prey and when they are close enough they will let out a roar that confuses that animal and strikes fear into them. The prey then cannot "think" or react correctly out of fear and so is trapped and caught by the lion. You have an enemy that wants to take you down, wipe you out, make you miserable and nullify your effectiveness. He seeks to make you feel so discouraged, so defeated in your own walk that you won’t be able to effectively impact others for the kingdom. He wants to ruin your testimony.

The people who are not “devourable” are those who refuse to be intimidated by his roars because they know that the true Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ, has already come and defeated the devil and has rendered him powerless. They know that the devil cannot do anything to them because Christ resides in them and He is greater than the he who is in the world.

If you’re a believer in Christ, the Lion of Judah is in you. He redeemed you with His blood and He has given you power and authority over your adversary.  If you hear an empty lion roar off in the distance, then stand firm in your faith, resist the devil and he will flee from you and take all of his empty threats with him. You see, the “lion” doesn't dare go near the sheep that are close to the Shepherd, for the Shepherd has a big rod. When you let the devil know that you are “In Christ” and that his intimidations in your life are over, you are numbering yourself among the UN-devourable!

1 Peter 4:12 Don't think It's Strange - Devotional Scripture

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you [that is, to test the quality of your faith], as though something strange or unusual were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12

Our suffering is not a failure of God’s plan or God forgetting what He promised.  It is the center of God’s will for His people to suffer for what is good, for His sake. 

Peter says we shouldn’t be surprised when trials and testing come and yet we are often not only surprised, but we are tempted to give our emotions more weight and authority than they rightly deserve. We have a great ability to trouble our own troubles. We get angry and push those away that can bring us comfort. We are tempted to doubt God and so we don’t run to Him for help. So much of the agony we put ourselves through in times of trial and suffering has to do with our disregard of God's faithfulness, or of His place as Creator. He is our sovereign Creator, with the right to do with us as He pleases. Yet He is faithful, and will only do what is ultimately best for us.

God uses those moments of suffering to pry open our hands so we will let go of the things of this world that we’ve looked toward to give us rest, peace and hope so that we would rely on Him and Him alone. It’s amazing thing that God would love you so much that he would not want you to remain in your sin in any way so He is pushing you and pushing you so you abandon your self-righteousness, your wisdom, your strength and you find your rest, hope and peace in Him alone.  He pushes you to let go of the idols of everyday life that you know will never satisfy your heart so you will find satisfaction in Him.  Suffering is part of God’s grace. It builds godliness into our lives. Once Jesus is revealed in this world all the suffering we have experienced in this world will fade away in the light of His glory and grace.

1 Peter 4:1-2 Arm Yourselves! - Devotional Scripture

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.   1 Peter 4:1-2

There is a war out there and it’s being fought on the turf of you own heart. Make no mistake about it; the conflict with your flesh is one of the most hostile wars you will fight as a believer. Your flesh is in an all-out war against your spirit. We need to arm ourselves with the same mind as Christ because the way we think determines how we act and react.

To arm ourselves with the same mindset as Christ is to think biblically about ourselves and about life. As we daily yield ourselves to God’s will, we are arming ourselves with the same attitude toward sin that Jesus had and the Holy Spirit  enables us to overcome the  sinful desires that once ruled over us.

We are in enemy territory. We cannot expect to get through it unscathed. But we can get through it victoriously. We are not to spend the rest of our lives giving way to our flesh or to our fears. We are to live in harmony with God's will. When we make the most of each opportunity God gives us then we will invest the rest of our time here on earth in things that are lasting and satisfying. In light of what Jesus did for us; suffering unjustly in our place for our sin, we should hate sin, for it was that sin that nailed Jesus to the Cross. Soon we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ so make the most of your time here on earth by doing God’s will.

1 Peter 3:14-15 Santify the Lord in Your Hearts - Devotional Scripture

 

 

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.   

1 Peter 3:14-15

Don’t let your suffering trouble you, don’t allow your thoughts to run in all directions or start thinking about all the things that might happen to you.

God said something similar in Isaiah 8.  Israel and Syria had come against Judah. All the people of Judah were tempted to give into their fear and panic.

 

Do not say, "A conspiracy," concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. He will be as a sanctuary.   Isaiah 8:12-14

We are not to be afraid of what man can do us but instead we are to be afraid of what God is going to do. Jesus said,

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.                    Matthew 10:28  

As Christians, we are faced with many crises and are tempted to give into our fears and make the wrong decisions.  Instead of giving into our fears we need to sanctify the Lord in our hearts.  To sanctify the Lord means to worship and honor Him as our Lord and Savior. We need to allow Him to be the ruler our hearts.  We need to fear displeasing Him rather than fear what men might say about us or what they might do to us.  

 And lastly, we need to remember that we will be blessed when we suffer for doing good.  Knowing that we will be blessed should be our motive to not fear persecution.

 

And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.   1 Peter 5:10

1 Peter 1:15-16 Be Holy as I am Holy Devotional Scripture

But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:15-16

To be holy means that all we are and all we have belong to God. Every aspect of our lives is to be shaped and directed toward God. We've been called to live a separated life. Instead of imitating the world with its fads and fashions our lives should reproduce the holy character of God.

Peter begins his letter reminding believers who they are in Christ. We have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are a chosen people that are loved by God.

Then Peters says, “Since this is who you are in Christ, act like it.” You are a child of the One true King! This is who you are. Therefore, the whole way you think and live; spirit, mind and body, must change. All our conduct, all our life, must be consistent with who we are in Christ.

Being Holy is an attitude of the heart. We must desire in our hearts to do what the Lord wants. It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to walk in obedience.  He gives us the power to stand firm in the true grace of God.

1 Peter 1:20-21 My Only Hope is in You - Devotional Scripture

For He was foreordained (foreknown) before the foundation of the world, but has appeared [publicly] in these last times for your sake and through Him you believe [confidently] in God [the heavenly Father], who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God.     

1 Peter 1:20-21 (AMP)

This was God’s plan before the foundations of the world; knowing that we would fail. Knowing that we would sin, God desired to demonstrate His love for us by sending His Son, to bear our sin, to take the responsibility of our sin and die in our place; therefore proving that God loves us. You never need to doubt the love of God. All you have to do is look at the cross of Jesus Christ and there God declared His love for you.

Jesus left His place in heaven and came down to earth to die on the cross for you.  It is through Jesus that we have come to believe in God. He is the One who has revealed the Father's heart to us.  He died on the cross so that our faith and hope would be centered and rest in God. To believe in God means that we lean on the Lord, we put all our weight upon Him. The anchor of our faith and hope is in God. It is in Him, not this world, that we live, move and have hope.