Past Christian Devotions

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I want to write You this email to tell You how much I value our relationship, and about how wonderful You have made my life, and just one of the many ways You are so very special to me.

Jesus, You are always available for me. It seems You always have the time, and You do not go looking for time, as some other people try to do. I am not sure if anyone here on Earth has ever found time itself, but some people are still looking for it, (or so they say anyway). Perhaps Your omnipresence places You - Jesus at an advantage, but I believe that even with Your supernatural resources, You still choose to spend time with me. I guess we all can choose things too.

I was wondering Jesus if You have a day-minder or maybe You have a real busy calendar in which to pencil me in? I think I know the answer. You don’t go looking for time because You make the time. After all in John 1:3 it says “Through Him all things were made.” If I wanted to be more like you Jesus, I should stop looking for time to spend with others, and start making some time for others. Please Jesus, I want You to show me how You make time for people, but also please shield me Jesus, from those who would try to monopolize Our time. And since I do not know where to look to find time, and because I still do not really know how to make time, I am going to take time to listen to You every morning before I start my day. That way You can show me what it is that I do not have time for, and what it is that You have given me time for. I realize there is not enough time to do all the things I want to do, and especially what others may want me to do, but I know that You give me enough time to do those things You want me to do. Lord I will always need Your help to know the difference between worldly busy-ness and being busy doing Your will.

Jesus You are a blessing in my life, so please forgive me and always be with me, even when I forget to take time for You. Please help me and others to learn how to make or take some time for the people You love. And while idle hands have been called the devils tools, perhaps one of his greatest schemes is keeping us too busy to hear You speak. Sometimes I think the devil wants to steal our time and if we do not guard it wisely, he might even trick us into being too busy with things that we mistake for Your will or Your priority.

Any way I really want to just take time to thank you Jesus, for being my friend.

“Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter…”

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”

Ephesians 6:13-18 “13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

How often have you heard the comment that we live in a fallen world. The apostle John writes in 1 John 5:19, “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” Jesus himself expressed His concern for us when He prayed in John 17:15, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” We do well to consider these words carefully and reflect on the spiritual battles we face on a regular basis. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” In Ephesians 6:13-18 noted above, the Apostle Paul goes on to tell us that we should don the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes we might stand our ground. Paul does not suggest it will be an easy struggle and in fact that it may require of us to do everything to remain standing… and then some. The verses 6:15-18 give us encouragement good direction as to how we might overcome this day of evil. We are told to keep truth, righteousness and faith in place, along with the helmet of salvation. These essentially become our defensive weapons against the evil one. The word of God is referred to as the “sword of the Spirit” which is our only offensive weapon. You might recall in the temptation of Jesus in Luke 4:1-13 that Jesus used the word of God to counter the devils attempt to tempt... And in Ephesians 6:18, it is abundantly clear that we should pray “in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers”, and to be alert and “always keep on praying for all the saints.”

Christians should not be caught figuratively standing in their under garments when the day of evil comes. We must be ready always to serve our Lord and resist the evil one by donning the full armor of God as revealed to us in Ephesians 6:13-18;

For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

Psalm 55 is foremost, a prayer for Gods help when David was threatened by a powerful conspiracy, under the leadership of a former friend. But within that conflict in David’s life, lays the larger hurt. Not by an enemy, or by someone who hated him openly, was he attacked…but by a man his equal, his guide, who walked in the house of God with him. For if it were an enemy, (as David said), “then I could have borne it.”

It happens…we get hurt by someone we trust, an acquaintance, perhaps a friend, perhaps even someone we walk together in fellowship with. It is because we are caught unaware and unprepared on that unguarded flank of fellowship, that the wound goes deeper and is harder to heal.

Yet Jesus teaches us in Luke 6:32-33, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that.” And Jesus further teaches in Luke 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

And ultimately the tree, gets recognized by its own fruit, and as Jesus spoke in Luke 6:45, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”

Let us remind ourselves that as Christians we have been entrusted to each other and to each others welfare. Let us not be as the Pharisees, who wash the cup clean on the outside while the inside remains unclean. Let each of us follow the Lords teachings, so that we might walk “unto the house of God in company.”

¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” John 10:14-16 NIV

Indeed, Jesus came to find and save what was lost. Yet the religious leaders of His day could not understand why He hung out with the sinners and out casts of their society. Even today many of our churches in this land are overly focused on a Ministry for the saved. But as Jesus explains in Luke 15:4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And after the resurrection Jesus had this final command for his followers in Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

Jesus said there shall be one flock and one Shepard and we are called as followers of Jesus to leave the comfort of our homes and churches and go find these lost sheep and bring them home to Him. In the name of our Lord let us make the most of every opportunity to do so.

Those were lyrics to a not so old tune, sung by Tina Turner, and a good question indeed for February 14^th.

God tells us in Leviticus 19:18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”

Jesus says in Matthew 22:37-39 “…Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus commands in John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Shortly before He was arrested Jesus prayed for Himself, prayed for his disciples, and prayed specifically for you and me and all believers. Please take a moment to read carefully the very prayer Jesus prayed for you.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Think about it. Jesus prayed, then and there, for each and every one of us, here and now. He prayed for us, who would believe in Him through the message, that we would all be as one, in the Father, Him and each other. Jesus prayed that we would be “brought to complete unity” for a very specific purpose. And that purpose is clearly that we are to let the world know that God the Father sent Him, and that God loves us even as He loves Jesus. Jesus prayed that we, the ones given to Him would be with Him where He is, to see His glory. Jesus prayed to God the Father; that though the world does not know the Father, He does and we do!

Yes indeed, Jesus then and there, prayed for us here and now, to do something very specific.

Do you believe that God the Father will answer the prayer of Jesus his Son, for us today (here and now) to do as He has asked?

Have you ever received those “chain e-mails” saying “if you don’t do this or that… or forward this to a gazillion people, you don’t really love Jesus?” Are the authors of these modern day “chain letters” suggesting that our salvation or love for the Lord is now in the hands of our internet provider?

Personally, I have received and read wonderful messages of Christian love and encouragement by email. And emails that express the love of Jesus are great messages to share, and I do. But before we decide to “fwd-fwd” to the next person in our address book, we need to ask ourselves; “is this the message that Jesus would send? Does He speak to me and the world in the manner this message has been written?

Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” And with out a doubt, technology can be used effectively to proclaim the Lord. However it is also important to consider He may be expecting more effort from us than Fwd: Fwd… And again there is that question of content; i.e. is this the message Jesus would send?

Sometimes in attempting to shame us into forwarding these “chain emails” the authors use the passage in Luke 9:26, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

But God knows our hearts. And when we are suffering from shame or guilt, our time is better spent in prayer with our Lord and Savior than forwarding questionable email messages. Frankly when the author of a supposed Christian message says, “if you don’t do this or that, then you don’t love God,” I feel very much led to push the delete button.

The truth is, God loves us and He wants the world to hear His message. And so before we forward emails about our Lord and Savior, let us be sure it embodies all we have come to know of Jesus in our lives, and what message He wants to send, to other believers or seekers.

Prayer… Prayer is how we speak to God, how we give thanks for the blessings in our lives, how we pour out our concerns for ourselves and others, and how we seek His will, His guidance in those tricky areas of our lives.

Jesus Himself often set aside time in solitude for prayer. Sometimes after much work as in after healing many in Luke 4:42 “At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place.” Or after healing a man with leprosy as in Luke 5:15-16 “Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Jesus prayed before choosing the twelve apostles from his disciples as told in Luke 6:12-13 “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated, apostles:”

Jesus was regular and disciplined in prayer. Luke 21:37 “Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives,”

Jesus prayed before his arrest in Luke 22:39-41 “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,” Yet despite His warning, his disciples fell to sleep. And Jesus admonished them in Luke 22:46 "Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." To avoid falling to temptation, might we also heed this warning to pray today? Are we too sometimes figuratively sleeping?

In Luke 23:46 “Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.”

That was the example Jesus gave…Prayer to his last breath. Let it be so with us. Let us not be found sleeping and fall to into temptation.

Have you ever heard those words, when as a child you made a bad decision, and your parents might have said “I hope you are proud of yourself young lady or young man.” For sure, the words “proud” or “pride” can have both good and bad connotations, and even biblically, the word pride is used in different contexts. Consider how the Lord spoke in: Isaiah 13:11 “... I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless.” Or in Isaiah 60:15 "...I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations.”

In our contemporary settings as well, "pride" has varying contexts in its use. For example, we may take pride in ourselves as in Galatians 6:4, “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else…” Or we may also use it to rationalize not resolving certain conflicts. In these cases we might say, “he or she is too proud to admit they are wrong”, (as if that were an acceptable explanation). Yet the bible tells us in Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

It was explained to me recently, that Christians are like spokes on a wheel with God at the centre, like the hub. And the closer we get to God at the centre, the closer (just like spokes do), we get to each other. Conversely if we find ourselves further apart in fellowship, we are likely moving farther from God as the centre of our lives.

The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 2:1-3, "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

As the spirit leads us, we should restore damaged relationships and broken fellowships, drawing closer to the Lord as our source of power to do so.

As Christians we are not immune to suffering, but through our relationship with our Lord Jesus, we are guaranteed victory, and will overcome our suffering. In John 16:33 Jesus says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Yet sometimes in our suffering, it can seem that the Lord is distant, as expressed in the pleas of the psalmist in Psalm 10:1, “Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” But we are assured the Lord hears our prayers for relief in Psalm 22:24 “For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.”

Christians can be refined in suffering as the Lord spoke through Isaiah 48:10 “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” And qualities such as “perseverance” are developed, as revealed in Romans 5:3 “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;”

We find through the story of Job, one great example of Christian attitude in suffering. Job when he suffered the loss of everything he possessed in both wealth and family then fell to his knees in Job 1:21

²¹ and said:
       "Naked I came from my mother's womb,
       and naked I will depart.
       The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
       may the name of the LORD be praised."

In our suffering, we can have faith that God, who has called us through Jesus will restore us, as stated in 1 Peter 5:10 “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Brothers and Sisters, pray for those who suffer, that the strength and peace of the Holy Spirit will abide in them, and that they may call out to the Lord and be redeemed in Him. And if you yourself suffer, know that “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8

Today, when the name Martha comes up, people think of Martha Stewart. But in the days of Jesus, long before Martha Stewart, lived another Martha who had a sister named Mary and they both had the opportunity to meet Jesus in person when He came to their village. Their encounter with Jesus is told in Luke 10:38-42 and occurs at the very home of Martha. Let’s take a look at what happened during this visit:

In Luke 10:39 we are told “She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.” Imagine that opportunity, to sit by Jesus and hear him speak in your own home. Sometimes I feel just like Mary, so close to Jesus, listening to his words as I read from the Gospels, or feeling his presence when I am doing things according to His will.

Martha in this instance however, had things on her mind that she thought needed doing first. As we learn in Luke 10:40 “But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Does it seem like Martha is missing out on something? Jesus has the following to say to Martha in Luke 10:41 “Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Do we sometimes have Martha moments where we think we are too busy to stop and listen, to busy to be in the presence of our Lord? Are there other things we think need doing first? As Mary did, let us all choose “what is better”, and not let the busy distractions of this world take it away from us.

How many times we have spoken similar words to our Lord and Savior, to the Creator of heaven and earth. But consider also what similar words we may say next… “for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” (This is taken directly from Jesus’ teaching on prayer in Luke 11:1-4 NIV.)

It was explained to me once, that we are never asked to forgive others, more than Jesus has forgiven us. Forgiveness is a fundamental teaching of our Lords ministry here on earth. Why then do we allow Satan a foothold in our lives by not fully forgiving others? To illustrate just how important forgiveness was to Jesus, consider this familiar passage in Luke 23:34 where "Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing..."

And more than the words we say, forgiveness must come from the heart. To be a Christian, to be Christ like, asks us to grant true forgiveness towards each other, even when the circumstances may seem difficult. In the stoning of Stephen, Acts 7:59-60 we are told, “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them…” Can you think of more difficult circumstances in which to grant forgiveness?

Ephesians 4:32 says “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Forgiving each other, as in Christ, God forgave us. Again in Colossians 3:13 it says “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Brothers and Sisters, in the love of Christ, let our witness to the world be one of forgiveness; forgiving each other fully, as the Lord has fully forgiven us.

Are you familiar with those popular “How To” books such as “Gardening for Dummies” or perhaps the one I purchased entitled, “Golf for Dummies.” These books fill the need for people who wish to learn about something, without the instructions being too complicated to follow.

Well, a few thousand years ago, Salvation was a very complex business in the hands of the Pharisees, and people were burdened under the weight of the Laws placed upon them by the Pharisees. To an expert in the law (in Luke 11:46) “Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.”

Earlier (in Luke 10:25) another “expert in the law” put the question of salvation to Jesus when he bluntly asked "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus then replied with two questions of his own asking him “What is written in the Law?" "How do you read it?"

The “expert” answers “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus replies "You have answered correctly, do this and you will live." Now what follows is the “expert in the law” asks Jesus “and who is my neighbor?” After that last question, it’s no wonder Jesus told the Good Samaritan story where he clears up any doubt about that relationship!

Years later, the Apostle Paul, (also an expert in the law) sums it up in his letter to the people of the church at Rome found in Romans 13:8-10. “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

My brothers and sisters in Christ, to follow Jesus is not complicated, but it requires our genuine effort amidst rejection and persecution. And as the Apostle Paul put it… “Love does no harm to our neighbor.” So who is our neighbor?

May the love of Jesus be our witness to all our neighbors in this fallen world.

As children and adults many of us have experienced people who trade in gossip about others behind their backs. And perhaps on occasion we may not have been aware, that what we heard, was far from the truth. In either case when those stories of others are repeated, we can unwittingly become instruments of what is certainly not the way of truth and we can cause great harm to others and ourselves in the process. James the brother to Jesus had this to say in James 1:26. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. And the apostle Peter states in 1 Peter 3:10 “For, Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.”

We may not intend harm in the trading of stories and gossip but a casual comment can be the spark that starts a great fire and destruction. As James goes on to say about the tongue in James 3:5 ...consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

Certainly in our reckless conversation we can initiate great harm, however with the love of Jesus in our hearts we can also speak the words that can heal and uplift. Proverbs 12:18 tells us that “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Yet another danger exists in the listening to reckless speech. For by listening to gossip we are endorsing the practice. Consider the words of Job in Job 34:3 For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. Always we must be on our guard as Christians to avoid listening to those who speak ill of others. Proverbs 17:4 warns that, “A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.”

Let us use our tongue to give praises to the Lord, to encourage others and to heal offenses. We can be instruments of Gods purpose in what we say. As in 2 Samuel 23:2 "The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.

Brothers and sisters, let us restrain from reckless talk and refuse to hear it spoken. In that manner, we will speak no evil and hear no evil spoken.

Have we heard our children ask this question perhaps more than once… on a long journey? Have we asked it ourselves? Once we make our decision to follow Jesus, we also have embarked on a journey. To be a Christian we strive to become like Christ. But are we there yet? In Philippians 2:12 it says, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” This passage reminds us to continue to work out our salvation.

And yet as Vance Havner put it, “Some took a stand for Christ thirty years ago and they are still standing, standing still. They took a step but the Christian life is a walk.”[1] We cannot allow ourselves to just stand here! Jesus asks his disciples to follow Him. In the calling of Levi in Luke 5:27 Jesus said “Follow me” And in Matthew 16:24, Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Christianity is a journey not a destination. It is a continuous walk in the steps of Jesus, to be a follower of His ways and not ours, a continual growth in all his attributes, to become Christ like. In John 8:31 (King James Version) it says “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; The key is to continue in His word. There is a distinction between making a decision for Christ, and becoming a disciple of Christ. It is not enough for us, just to believe. In James 2:19 we are told: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” Jesus himself warns us in Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Brothers and Sisters I urge you to keep going, persevere as followers of Jesus. Travel the path set out for us heeding the words in Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

[1] **Taken from “Life in Christ” by John W. Bartol

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