Category Archives: Devo Thoughts

The Word

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I love all things related to Bible Study and I’m pretty much head over heels in love with Scripture.

But I’ve fallen {way} behind on this Bible-in-a-year reading plan, and last week I found myself sighing with resignation as I approached the four chapters for that day. Just wanting to get through the reading and move on, I half-heartedly prayed for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, quickly read the selected passages, and honestly didn’t give it much greater thought.

At least until later when I realized that I had let this experience of more consistent and disciplined intake of Scripture become more of a chore – something to cross off my list - than a way to deepen my knowledge of and love for Jesus Christ, the Word who dwelt among us (John 1:1).

“We need the person of Jesus himself whom we find in and through the Scriptures…We can never afford to settle for anything less than the words of the Bible, but extreme as it may seem, our souls need more than words, more than facts, more than studies and new head knowledge. We need the Word himself.” – David Mathis (Desiring God Blog)

Reading the Word for any other purpose than seeking to know The Word simply isn’t enough.

For Glory, We Wait

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“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us…And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Romans 8:18, 23-25 – ESV (emphasis added)

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I don’t spend much time thinking about heaven. About how beautiful it will be or about how my relationship with the Lord will be there.

Even when I speak of eternal perspective – of choosing to live in such a way that acknowledges the weight of eternal reality and all that entails – I don’t often consider the fullness of the glory that is to be revealed.

I’m even more embarrassed to admit that (especially recently) I am often much more pre-occupied with the reality of hell … of ensuring it is understood as Scriptural truth that cannot be ignored and how that should affect the way I live as a witness to those around me. And while that’s not necessarily bad, it’s simply not enough.

But as this past week’s Bible Study lesson led me to reflect on the perfection of the Garden of Eden – both the physical perfection and the relational perfection – and as I approached Scripture with the challenge of drawing comparisons between the Garden and Heaven, I couldn’t overlook the beauty and the glory that awaits me.

The beauty and fullness of relationship with Him. The glory and richness of being with Him. In His presence. Fully restored. Perfected. Forever.

So for glory, I wait … eagerly and patiently … hoping for what I cannot see.

Praise Him!

 

Peace

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“And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be Still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’” – Mark 4:39-40 (ESV)

Peace.

A command that the storm be stilled.

A quiet calmness. A steady assurance.

A choice to exhibit faith and trust.

HIS peace.

Not of this world.

Not dependent on circumstances.

Not a place for fear.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:27 (ESV)

Called to Worship

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Tonight during choir rehearsal, I and my 13 fellow care team leaders shared a devotion with our entire worship ministries team based on a list from Rory Noland’s book, The Heart of the Artist. Entitled The Difference Between Volunteering and Being Called into God’s Service (and specifically addressing worship ministries), the list of 12 points outlines the various distinctions between one who participates with the mindset of a volunteer and one who serves because they are called of God to worship.

One of the many verses that supports this list is 1 Chronicles 15:16:

“David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.”

In the middle of a passage where David is giving commands and instructions regarding how to properly handle the Ark of the Covenant, the very presence of the Lord, he turns his attention to music.

And in the next few verses that follow, we see the appointment of specific individuals who were chosen and called by name to serve the Lord through music.

Leaving no room for a halfhearted approach, they were told to play loudly, to use their talents well, and to raise the sounds of joy, to worship passionately.

Because they weren’t just volunteers stepping up to fill a position due to a need. Rather, they had been individually chosen and appointed to a task, a service, that only they could fulfill.

They were called to worship.

**ps: i’ll be back tomorrow evening with a devo thought from this past week’s Scripture reading (if that makes no sense to you, see this post for further details)**

Just Keep Reading…

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It’s been one of those weeks where everything has just seemed sort of off. So as I approached my Tuesday/Wednesday deadline of a weekly devotion based on the 20+ chapters of Scripture I’ve read in the previous days without a message that seemed appropriate for this space, all I could tell myself was, “Just keep reading…”

So I did.

Yet still unsure regarding a message from a specific passage, and with my mind still freshly aware of The Story, I stepped back from the details and specifics to observe the big picture of all that I’ve been soaking in over the past few weeks.

And that’s when I saw it.

God’s love woven through each story and each person on the pages of Scriptures.

God’s love throughout the creation account.

God’s love to Noah, who was preserved through the flood because he found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

God’s love to the Israelites as they rebuilt the temple and restored their relationship and identity post exile.

God’s love to the prophet Nehemiah through answered prayer.

God’s love to the church as it spread and multiplied by the power of the Holy Spirit, even as it faced persecution.

God’s love to Paul through his powerful conversion and ministry.

God’s love to the apostles, the chosen twelve, as Christ walked with them, lived with them, and ministered to them.

God’s love to so many people who witnessed and experienced Christ’s wonders and miracles because of their faith.

God’s love in this as spoken in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch by Paul:

“Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.”

- Acts 13:38-39 (NIV)

It all comes back to this, doesn’t it? To Jesus Christ. To his sacrifice on the cross. Out of His perfect love. For us.

“Amazing love, how can it be? That you, my King, would die for me.

Amazing love, I know it’s true. It’s my joy to honor you.

In all I do, let me honor you.”

Sometimes, it’s all we can do to just keep reading, to soak in His love, His faithfulness, His goodness, and to remember all that He’s done.

Just keep reading…

Help My Unbelief

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Immediately the father of the child cried out and said,

“I believe; help my unbelief!”

- Mark 9:24 (ESV)

Last Saturday as I was cleaning out some old files, I came across a journal entry from the day after my younger brother’s unexpected death.

At the end, I wrote this prayer, the only complete sentence in the entire entry:

“Lord, help me to love you and trust you more.”

That’s it. Nothing spectacular. Nothing eloquent. But with all the words I could manage to express from the very depths of my grieving 16-year-old self.

In the midst of circumstances far different than 10 years ago, but requiring every bit as much faith and trust in His Sovereignty, how I long for that prayer to never be far from my heart, to mean more today than it did then, to draw me even closer to the Faithful One.

“I believe; help my unbelief!”

“Oh, my hope is in the Lord, forevermore…”

He Told The Story Well

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In Acts 7, we encounter Stephen defending himself to the high priest, who along with others intent on silencing the mighty work of the Holy Spirit through Stephen, had accused him {wrongly} of speaking “blasphemous words against Moses and God” (Acts 6:11).

Yet even under the accusation of blasphemy and the threat of imminent death, Stephen told the story. And he told the story well.

Beginning with the promise God had given to Abraham when He called him to the land that God would reveal (Genesis 12), and the covenant God established of giving this land to Abraham’s offspring (of which Abraham had none at the time), to the account of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, to Moses’ encounter with the burning bush where God spoke the message to deliver His people from Egypt, to the account of David and Solomon, who built the dwelling place for the Most High God, to the Righteous One (Christ) and the power of the Holy Spirit, with whom Stephen was filled, after first living it by example, Stephen told the story … their history … of God’s faithfulness and redemption.

Because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the Scriptures {which he quoted significantly} and because of the Holy Spirit’s presence within, Stephen told the redemptive story, which culminated in convicting questions to his audience. Stoned shortly thereafter, he gave his life to tell the story. To challenge those around him who repeatedly resisted the Holy Spirit. Because this story, HIS story, is everything.

Do you know this story? Are you a living example of this story? Do you know the Scriptures? Are you relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to tell the story in unlikely (and often uncomfortable) situations?

Stephen told the story well. Will you?

**ps: have you heard of “The Story” project (CD pictured above)? if not, go here or here for more information. it. is. awesome.**