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.