Stand Under the Spout Where The Blessings Pour Out - Devotional Scripture

Keeping yourself in the love of God doesn’t mean that you can earn God’s love by being good.  His love is unconditional.  To keep yourself in the love of God means to keep yourself under the spout where the blessings pour out.  God is showering His love, His grace and His blessing down on you constantly and He never turns off the spigot. He doesn’t change and He doesn’t move. It is us that wander away from the spout where the blessings pour out.

 In the book of Jude, Jude gives us three examples of how we move away from the spout where the blessings pour out (Jude 1:11):

1.      We go the way of Cain.  Anger took root in Cain’s heart. He wanted to receive salvation his way rather than God’s way. Instead of taking responsibility for his actions he got angry and killed his brother.
2.      The Greed of Balaam. Balaam wanted more. Never being satisfied, never being thankful and always wanting a little bit more will remove you from the spout where the blessings pour out.
3.      The rebellion of Korah. Korah thought he had just as much right to determine the direction for the nation as Moses.  He wanted what someone else had, he was envious.

 

After giving three examples of people who walked away from God’s love, Jude gives us three ways to keep ourselves in the love of God (Jude 1:20-21):

1.      Build yourself up on your most holy faith. We build ourselves up on faith by studying and obeying God’s word.
2.      Pray in the Holy Spirit.  Allowing the Holy Spirit to guide your prayers instead of your own ideas and agenda. “Not my will, buts your will be done” Luke 22:42.
3.      Looking for the coming of Jesus. Remembering this is not your home.  This life is but a midst. What will this matter in eternity?

Gen. 25:29-34 - Give Up on Giving Up - Devotional Scripture

The book of Genesis relates a story of a man named Esau who sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. He is a picture of what happens when we give up (Gen 25:29-34). Esau had an insatiable hunger for immediate gratification. He wanted his needs to be met now and in his impatience he gave up his future blessing. I have been like Esau and have been willing to give up on God’s blessing for my immediate pleasure or gratification.  I have been lured away from God’s best for me just to get some relief from my circumstances.  I have caved under pressures and sought an “easy-way-out.” 

So many times in our lives we find that we lose hope and we want to give up on God because we are tired of fighting the battles He has set before us.  Doubt and fear creep into our lives and make us want to give up. Or, our long asked prayer hasn’t been answered and our time in the "waiting room" seems endless. We all long for rest from the fatigue of this life but don’t give up. There is a reason why you’re going through what you’re going through. God is using this season in your life to strengthen you, to mold you and shape you into the person He wants you to be to prepare you for your destiny.

Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might so you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm. (Eph. 6:10-14) Look to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2), fight the good fight of the faith (1 Timothy 6:12), and finish your race (2 Timothy 4:7). When you have done the will of God, you will receive what is promised: His great and eternal reward (Hebrews 10:35-36). So let us not grow weary of doing good for in proper time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

Ps. 62:5-8 Leave Your Baggage at the Door! - Devotional Scripture

The best kind of workout is the one that leaves you lighter, and I’m not talking about losing weight. Many times we carry baggage around with us that weigh our hearts down and leave us emotionally and spiritually exhausted.

Here at REFIT®, when you walk through those doors we ask you to leave all your baggage at the door. Every insecurity, worry and hurt that you have been carrying around with you throughout the day is all left at the door.  For an hour, we crank up the music and we put everything we've got into this workout and we have fun. This is a time unwind, to be refreshed and to let go of those things that have been weighing you down. That is the REFIT® way.

And when you leave, you don’t have to pick up that excess baggage. You can release those bags, give them to the Lord and leave a little lighter than when you came. Jesus tells those who are weary and heavy burdened to take up His yoke because His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matt. 11:30).

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.  Psalm 62:5-8 (NIV)

 

What baggage have you been carrying around today that you need to check at the door?

Matt. 11:28-29 Breathe, Just Breathe - Devotional Scripture

 

This week, I have felt overwhelmed with everything life has been throwing at me. I feel like a bunch of balls have been thrown up in the air in every area of my life and I have no answers but a whole lot of questions. The song, Breathe by Jonny Diaz, has really been ministering to my heart. The lyrics speak about being busy, busy, busy going ninety miles an hour. There is so much to do and there is so little time. It’s a crazy life. But in my heart I feel you say just breathe, just breathe and be, just be; come and rest at my feet.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.    Matthew 11:28-29

Sometimes we need to be reminded to breathe, just breathe and be, just be.  Not to worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring its own worries but just be and live in the moment (Matt. 6:34). And with every breath we take we need to remember God’s promises.  God’s got this.  We have an invitation to come and rest in Him and to be quieted us by His love (Zeph. 3:17). There is more than crazy life. This life is a mist. It's not going to last forever.  Heaven is being prepared for us. He is coming back to take us home and that is our forever. (John 14:3).

2 Cor. 2:9-10 Perspective on Life - Devotional Scripture

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you have an understanding on life that others can’t understand. We live in a whole different dimension.  We see things others don’t see. We know things others can’t know and this gives us insight on what is going on right now. 

By His Spirit God has revealed what He is doing, what is really going on and where the real battle is to be waged.  We see the big picture eternally. We understand because the Spirit reveals it to our hearts.  We see things others don’t, we hear things others can’t because the Spirit ministers to the Spirit inside of us.

We don’t have to go through this life floundering and wondering what’s going on.  With the Spirit of God inside of us and the word of God before us we have a perspective on life that others just don’t get. 2 Peter 1:19 says the Word of God is a lamp shining in a dark place. It serves as a light in this dark world. The darker the world gets or your circumstances become, the brighter the Word will shine and be more precious to you than ever. 

Matt. 24:42-44 WATCH AND BE READY- Devotional Scripture

 

Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  Matthew 24:42-44

For every prophecy of His first coming mentioned in the Old Testament, there are eight predicting His second coming. Jesus warns us time and time again to be watchful and be ready because He will return when we least expect it.  Knowing of His eminent return should impact the way we live.

We should be watching for Him and be ready to go.  We shouldn't become entangled in the cares of this world but instead, we should be consumed with pleasing Him.  Since we are looking forward to His coming we ought to live holy and godly lives and make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with Him (2 Peter 3:11-14).

Many in this world are being lulled asleep by a false theology. The story is told of a meeting Satan held with his demons, trying to figure out how to trick people into eternal separation from God:

One demon said, “I’ve got a plan.  Let’s whisper in people’s ears that there is no God.” “No,” Satan said, “creation declares the reality of God.  People are too smart to deny His existence. A few idiots might be sucked in, but not the masses.”

“I’ve got it,” a second demon said, “We’ll say there’s no hell.” “No,” said Satan.  “People innately understand the need for retribution and judgment.  People won’t buy that.”

A third demon said, “Let me suggest how we might trick them, Instead of saying, ‘No God’ or ‘No Hell,’ we’ll just say ‘No Hurry.’” “That’s it!” Satan said gleefully.  And he commissioned his demons to go throughout the world whispering, “No hurry.”

When Jesus returns, we don’t want to be found living carelessly, as in the days of Noah, enjoying the pleasures of life without regard to His return.

It is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.  Romans 13:11

Matth 5:8 See God In Everything - Devotional Scripture

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  Matthew 5:8

When we have a pure heart we see God in everything. It is hard not to see God in the beauty of creation, whether looking at the colors and design of a peacock or at the natural beauty that surrounds us. When you have a heart that is after God you are going to see God in the beauty that is in this world. To see God in everything, we need clean our hearts of anything that soils us and keeps the lenses of our hearts dirty. We need to train the eyes of our heart to see God. Jer. 29:13 says if you search for me with all your heart, I will be found by you. If you start going through life searching for God in everything, you are going to find Him in everything.

When you have a clean heart you will even see God in the storms of your life. Many times our hearts are purified through fiery trials. When Jonah was thrown into the raging sea by the sailors he said it was God himself that threw him into the sea.  Jonah could see God in his storm and he knew that he was never out of God's hands. When you understand that nobody is put in your life by accident but they are put there by appointment; even those you view as your enemy, then you begin to see God in your trials and you realize that the storms in your life have a purpose. You recognize that the storm was not put in your life to take you down but to build you up, make you stronger and take you to your destiny.

We can even see God in our critics that throw rocks at us. When Shimei started cursing David, throwing rocks at him and saying, ““Get out of here, you murderer!  You have bloodshed on your hands. You killed Uriah and had an affair with Bathsheba.” David's officers, wanted to cut off his head on the spot, but David wouldn't allow it. He said the Lord has sent him and who knows maybe God will bless us after this experience.  David didn't close his ears to unpleasant or critical words. David was willing to hear what God might say to him even through a cursing, rock throwing critic.

Everything is different when we train our hearts to see God. May we be the kind of people that see God in all the hard stuff in our lives and in the goods things; in the beauty of creation and in people that throw us into storms.