01/01 | Seek First
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
What better verse and what better precept to begin the year with! Seeking God’s kingdom first brings everything into alignment, and the blessing of heaven. Solomon is probably the best example of this kind of prayer, and receiving the effect promised.
1 Kings 3:7 “And now, O LORD my God, Thou hast made Thy servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.
1 Kings 3:8 “And Thy servant is in the midst of Thy people which Thou hast chosen, a great people who cannot be numbered or counted for multitude.
1 Kings 3:9 “So give Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Thine?”
1 Kings 3:10 And it was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.
1 Kings 3:11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice,
1 Kings 3:12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you.
1 Kings 3:13 “And I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.
Here is Matthew 6:33 broken down, for you to pray through, and to claim its promises:
Key Words:
Seek ye – Make it personal, how shall you apply this today?
First – This is to be the top priority. Begin every endeavor with prayer.
God’s kingdom – In you and around you.
And righteousness – We seek food, shelter, companionship, and many other things pertaining to this life. Should we not also seek God’s righteousness to be seen and lived out through us? O that we hungered for that which really matters!
Shall be – “Shall be”. That is a solid promise to claim. No ambivalence or waffling there.
Added – As opposed to promised food and clothing. In addition to the basics. Solomon sought the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness and a whole lot more was added.
Let us begin the year by seeking first His kingdom and righteousness! “God may Your will be done in me, and in the world around me.”
01/02 | The Finger of God
Luke 11:21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own homestead, his possessions are undisturbed;
Luke 11:22 but when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied, and distributes his plunder.
Matthew 6:33 instructs us to seek first the kingdom of God. Here in Luke, Jesus teaches us that uprooting demon powers captures territory for the kingdom of God, and demonstrates its reality.
Luke 11:22 is a call to war and to expand the kingdom. Here is that verse broken down for us to claim its promises.
Key Words:
When someone stronger – Greater is He that is in us… You are stronger!
Attacks and overpowers – God has called us to attack and overpower!
Takes away his armor – What would be Satan’s armor? Addictions, fears, strongholds, lies — we need to cast them down in Jesus’ name!
Distributes his plunder – People bound in sin are the Lord’s plunder, may we be used of God to rescue those in the grip of hell.
Let us do our part to demonstrate greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. God has called us to plunder those imprisoned by Satan. May we bring the finger of God to those under the dominion and control of the devil.
Who can you pray for to be released from the guards of hell?
01/03 | A Broken Compass
Isaiah 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
I am really bad at directions. I am one of those people who cannot figure out shortcuts, cannot picture a map, and cannot drive without navigational assistance. My wife, on the other hand, can picture a map, figure out shortcuts, and in general is very confident in the direction she takes.
There is one silver lining in my cloud: if I can see the sun and orient myself to it, I can at least figure out North, South, East, and West. But…when the sun is down, so is my navigational system. As it is in the natural, so is the spiritual. When I can sense the SON I have greater confidence in the direction life is going, when I can sense the SON I have a much easier time making decisions, and feeling assured.
Isaiah 42 was written for people like me, and you, whose sun has set, or whose compass is broken and are in dire need of navigational assistance. We have decisions to make, choices to weigh out, and when the sense of the SON is low, those choices become much more complicated to make, because we want to follow His direction always.
What a wonderful promise then is Isaiah 42! I will lead the blind by a way they knew not. The blind often travel by memory, they memorize a path from point A to B and they follow it (which is also how I navigate roads). This promise says that God will show them ways they had not considered or imagined. Isn’t that a wonderful promise when you are stuck in indecision!
It gets better, darkness will become light, and crooked things will be straightened out. Knotted up situations will unravel to a clearly defined path, confusion and emotional distractions will lift like a morning mist and all will become clear.
For those facing tough decisions, with no clear path, Isaiah 42:16 is yours to claim.
Prayer Point: God, I lay out the whole year before You. I will face many crossroads and many decisions; may I know at those times what Your will is for my life, and may I have the courage to walk in Your path.
01/04 | We Pray for Our Family
Here are two wonderful family promises to claim:
Isaiah 43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
Isaiah 43:6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Jeremiah 31:9 “With weeping they shall come, And by supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk by streams of waters, On a straight path in which they shall not stumble; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My first-born.”
Lord, bring my seed from the East and gather them from the West.
North, give them up in Jesus’ name! South, loose your grip.
Bring back both my sons and daughters from the far places they have wandered.
They shall not only come back, but they shall come back broken over the sins that they were caught in.
They shall be led by streams of abundant waters of God’s grace.
They will walk on the straight path and stumble no more.
For God is their father, and they are His firstborn.
Lord, today I lift up: (Name family members)
01/05 | Renewing the Kingdom
1 Samuel 11:14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”
Genesis 35:2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:
Genesis 35:3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
Somewhere along everyone’s spiritual journey with the Lord, they will come to a place where Jesus says, “You must die to self, you must take up your cross, you must follow Me.” Paul explained it this way, “I am crucified with Christ.” (Gal 2:20) Many have remarked that the problem with being a living sacrifice is that it keeps trying to crawl off the altar. The two passages I have cited remind us of the perpetual need to renew the kingdom and our covenant with God. In particular, Genesis 35 reminds us that we often need to get clean and change our garments. Today is a great day to renew the kingdom, to ask for fresh cleansing, to commit again to die to the world, to return to first love, and to leave the weights and sins that so easily hinder us.
Here is Genesis 35:3 broken down for prayer:
Key Words:
Let us arise – Get up from the basement, move to higher ground in God.
And go up to Bethel – Bethel means the house of God. Let us return to first love, to intimate times of prayer, to fellowship in the Father’s house.
And there make an altar – Let us return to the place of solemn consecrations, to leaving things behind that hinder, and to seeking fresh fire from the Lord.
To the One Who answered me in the day of distress – Paul says that being a living sacrifice is a reasonable response of worship to the One who has done so much for us.
And was with me in the way I went – Moses told God if your presence doesn’t go with us don’t lead me from where I am. (Ex 33:15) We arise, we go to Bethel, we build an altar, and there we seek His presence and companionship. Our heart is the altar, this day we ask God to fill it afresh with His presence.
Thought for Prayer: God, renew me. Name some ways in which you need renewal.
01/06 | Contented With Abundance
Hebrews 13:5 Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”
Someone remarking on 2020 said, “It wasn’t the year of getting everything I wanted, but of appreciating everything I had.” Sometimes life has a way of putting things into stark relief, where we can compare what we have to what we might have had. In the case of 2020, it was what we might have had in a negative sense.
Hebrews 13:5 does something entirely different though. If you will take the time to read and think over it carefully, you will see that God is saying get your eyes off the false riches of this world and focus on the true riches you do have. I will be with you, I will never leave you, I will never forsake you. The world will disappoint and leave you always wanting more. If God is not enough, then who or what is?
Hebrews 13:5 doesn’t simply say to be content with what you have, as if it only centered around material possessions. It is saying you have much, much more to be contented with than just the things around you. You have Almighty God with you, and when you factor that in you have more than the world could ever offer.
Isaiah 55:2 “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.”
This day, delight yourself in the abundance that is God Himself!
Prayer Point: God, help me to find true satisfaction in You. What I really hunger for cannot be satisfied by this world. All my fountains are in You!
01/07 | The Lamb Who Takes Away!
John 1:28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
John 1:29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
In some ways, the Jewish people in Old Testament times may have had a better understanding of forgiveness than a lot of Christians. If they sinned, they would bring a sacrificial offering to the temple, usually a lamb or goat. They would then lay their hands on the animal, which would then be killed, and burned.
This would give them a clear picture of two things. Forgiveness is not without cost, and the Jews would have a visual picture of their sins being carried away and destroyed in fire.
First as to the cost issue, they had to provide an animal, and that animal would lose its life. Can you imagine the first time a child saw this acted out in front of them? I can, I can see them feeling for the lamb that would be slain.
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
We need to remember always the cost that Jesus paid.
Secondly, visually the Jews saw their sins being destroyed. They understood they were gone, never to haunt them anymore. When John says Jesus is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, that is exactly the picture he has in mind. They are gone, forever! No believer should allow past sins to haunt them. Jesus forever took them away.
Now let’s talk about how we have it better in NT times. Jesus is the better lamb, He died once for all your sins. The Jews had to sacrifice every time they sinned. The Jews only got forgiveness, we get much, much more:
Hebrews 9:13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.
Hebrews 9:14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
The sacrifice of Jesus not only takes sin away, it also cleanses our conscience; it removes not only the sin, but the stain it left in our spirit, giving us the strength to serve God.
Today be mindful of the cost He paid, but let it not be paid in vain. Accept the fact that He completely took away your sins, as well as any residual they may have left in your spirit.
01/08 | A Word for the Thirsty
Isaiah 41:17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
Isaiah 41:18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Isaiah 41:19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:
Isaiah 41:20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
At first glance, v. 17 is troublesome—how could we, who have the Holy Spirit, be without water? For of the Spirit Jesus said in John 7, “…out of your innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” Truth is, we all have seasons where we seem to not tap into that supply of water. Isaiah 41, then, is your promise to pray and claim. V.17 speaks of the dearth of water, but also includes two wonderful I will’s of God. “I will hear them, I will not forsake them”. In v. 18 He promises rivers to be opened in both high places and in valleys. It is interesting to note that one can lose a sense of the presence of God in life’s high places. Seasons of joy in the natural can be distractions and we need to be careful, because they can be just as spiritually dry as valley seasons.
There is no paucity with God, he opens RIVERS in high places, and FOUNTAINS in the valleys. The wilderness becomes a lake, and the dry land bursts forth with springs. May God so adorn your landscape this very day!
When He does, you will also notice a wonderful explosion of life, the ground that was once bare and barren now springs forth with an abundance of fauna. The end result is that we will worship God, be a witness to the world, and learn once again that when we seek, we find.
Prayer Point: Make those areas of my life that are a wilderness bloom with new life, and may my dry land be turned to springs of water!
01/09 | “Elijah, What Doest Thou Here?”
1 Kings 19:9 Then he came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
God uses questions to put things in proper focus. The story with Elijah and the question God asked him is a very interesting one. If you read it in context, you will find that it seems he fled in fear of a woman named Jezebel. Then God sends an angel to feed Elijah, and tells him to eat a lot because the journey ahead was a long one. So in effect, it was after God sent him to the cave that He now says, “What in the world are you doing here, Elijah?” It wasn’t that Elijah was in the wrong place physically, he was in the wrong place spiritually and emotionally.
1. He was suddenly gripped by fear and panic. 1 Kings 19:3 He was afraid and ran in fear for his life. Whenever you let fear and panic take over God will say, “What are you doing here?”
2. He forsook the fellowship of others who could have encouraged him. He left behind his servant who helped him on the mountain. He put himself in a self-imposed exile. So, he was in a bad state of mind, and he cut off the links of others who could have helped him. Whenever we withdraw from the fellowship of others, God will say, “What are you doing here?”
3. He became suicidal. 1 Kings 19:4. He was wallowing in fear and despondency, and he was allowing those base fears to silence his faith and trust in God. Whenever you do that, God will say, “What are you doing here?” With that simple question, God intended to knock some sense back into a mighty prophet, who had failed to keep his emotions in check.
4. He had a distorted view of reality. In verses 10, 14, and 18 he repeats 3 times that he was the only one left serving God. But he had learned in the previous chapter of prophets being hidden in caves by Obadiah. Fear and depression will distort reality, and when we let that happen God will say, “What are you doing here?”
The way out of the situation for Elijah was to calm down, realize he wasn’t hearing from God, and make a sincere effort to hear what God had to say about everything. As long as you are listening to your fears instead of God, God will say, “What are you doing here?”
Let this devotional be a reminder to be still, and to wait on the Lord, claiming the promise that your strength will be renewed, and you will mount up with wings like an eagle.
01/10 | Straight Paths
Luke 3:4 As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
Luke 3:5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.
One of my commentaries states that this has reference to what ancient monarchs and high-ranking officials would do when traveling. They would send teams of workers out in front of them to make sure the roads were passable with minimal discomfort. You have to remember in the ancient world there were very few paved roads.
In like manner, God, through John the Baptist, told the Jewish nation to get ready for the Messiah by removing every impediment, filling all the low spots, and cutting down the high spots. Obviously we are not talking about a roadway here, but the condition of our hearts. Anything that would impede our fellowship with God must be removed. This would include sin(s), attitudes, and behaviors. God is looking for a table set, a welcome sign, and arms wide open to greet Him.
It also has reference to the second coming of Christ. Even as the Jewish nation had to get ready for the Messiah, God turns it up a notch for the church and says, “Be ready for an hour you think not your Lord will come for you.” Be ready, not get ready. We are to be in a perpetual state of readiness. I also find an example of this type of attitude in the first Passover, where the Jews were instructed to eat the Passover in this manner: Exodus 12:11 Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste — it is the LORD’S Passover.
In other words, they were to eat it, dressed and ready to move out, they were to have nothing hindering them from making a quick exit out of Egypt.
Prayer Point: Lord, help me to remove from my life anything that would prevent me from being ready for a quick exit from life, or when Jesus comes the second time.
01/11 | Asleep in the Storm
Psalm 3:5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustains me.
Matthew 8:24 And behold, there arose a great storm in the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves; but He Himself was asleep.
Psalm 3 was written when there was a full-blown rebellion and coup d’etat underway in Israel, led by David’s son Absalom. David fled from Jerusalem because the conspiracy was strong against him, his closest friend and counselor Ahithiphel had joined the rebellion and turned against David.
Echoing what he was hearing from many quarters David says, Psalm 3:2 “Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.” How do you sleep when things like that are going on? A rebellion and whispers from hell that God no longer will protect you, how would you fare under those circumstances?
David slept like a baby. His confidence was in God and His word. To sleep in a storm requires that we trust in what God says, and not what circumstances say. Nervous anxiety is useless and counterproductive, but it takes spiritual discipline to put such thoughts down. Don’t let fear have dominion over you.
In Matthew 8:24 Jesus is asleep during a great storm, not just a little rain here and there, but a great storm, water filling the boat. How? Because he practiced Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” What is your mind staying on? Be still my soul and know that He is God.
Here is a verse to take before bed that is better than all the melatonin in the world:
Psalm 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For Thou alone, O LORD, dost make me to dwell in safety.
01/12 | The Land Doesn’t Care
Hosea 10:12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’ (NLT)
Galations 6:7 …for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
If you had a field and you planted two different seeds, one hemlock and one wheat, both would grow just fine. Hemlock is a poisonous plant, and wheat is a food source, but both will have no problem growing in your field. The truth is the land doesn’t care what seeds you sow, the only one that can care is YOU.
The human mind and spirit are the same, whatever you plant will grow, unless remedial steps are taken. Is the garden of your heart and mind a cultivated one, or is it a haphazard field of hemlock and wheat? The law of sowing and reaping is not absolute, you can pull up weeds and poisonous plants, and in their place sow good seeds.
I have had an enlarged spleen for the last six years due to leukemia. My spleen was enlarged because it was doing its job and filtering all the bad red blood cells my body was producing. As you know I recently started treatment for leukemia, and the medicine I am on stops my body from reproducing the bad blood cells. In just a few weeks my spleen has almost returned to normal size, and I expect it will be normal in about a week. My good blood cells finally have room to breathe, so to speak. My point: what you feed grows, what you starve dies. Even bad seeds that have been sown into our lives can be rooted out and overcome.
So today be reminded to be careful about what you are planting into your spirit—the land doesn’t care, whatever you plant will grow. But also be reminded, weeds, though firmly rooted, can be removed.
Prayer Point: God, remove poisonous things that have been planted into my spirit, and help me to sow seeds of righteousness there.
01/13 | Crossing Jordan
Got any rivers you think are uncrossable
Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through
God specializes in things called impossible
And He will do what no other power can do!
Here is a portion of scripture that speaks to the impossible:
Joshua 3:14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.
Joshua 3:15 Now the Jordan is in flood all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,
Joshua 3:16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho
This is an amazing scripture on many levels. First it speaks of an Impossible situation; the Jews were about to cross from Jordan into the promised land, but the timing of the crossing was in the spring, when mountain melt water, and spring’s rains caused the Jordan river to violently overflow its banks. It was the worst time possible to attempt to cross the Jordan.
But as soon as the feet of the priests touched the bank of the river the water stopped flowing and piled up in a heap in the city of Adam. For me the name of that city is no coincidence. It is almost like God is saying, I am going to the root of your problem, I am going to deal with some of the curse that came back in the garden, when Adam fell. If you remember Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden (the promised land, if you will) and now the nation is getting to enter again into God’s promised land. God can remove curses at the source! God stopped the waters of trouble that were proceeding from Adam! God can and will do the same for you.
A special word for someone: The water stopped when the priest’s feet touched the Jordan. They went as far as they could, and stepped out as far as they could, then the miracle happened. Sometimes you have to step out in faith before your miracle takes place.
Prayer Point: God, stop at the source any waters that are and have been bringing trouble into my life.
01/14 | Lift Up Your Eyes
John 4:35 …Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.
Matthew 9:36 And seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd.
Jesus saw things differently than most people did.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he saw people.
When the disciples saw the crowds, they also saw people.
But, when Jesus saw the crowds, he saw shepherd-less sheep.
When the disciples saw the crowds, they only saw people.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he saw a harvest that was ripe.
But, when the disciples saw the crowds, they only saw people.
We will never reap a harvest that we do not see.
Jesus saw the harvest. The disciples did not. The disciples were earth-bound in their perception. They only saw things on the surface.
We must begin to pray for the eyes of Jesus.
We need to lift up our eyes and see things from an eternal perspective. Today as you walk through life try to see people as Jesus did, lost sheep, sheep in need of a shepherd, a harvest that was not four months off, but ready now.
Prayer Point: Jesus, help us to lift up our eyes and see things as you did.
01/15 | The Word of Wisdom
1 Corinthians 12:8 “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit…” (KJV)
1 Corinthians 12 is the Apostle Paul’s teaching and instructions about the gifts of the Spirit. In that list is a gift he calls the word of wisdom. You will note it is not the “gift of wisdom” but the “word of wisdom”. In other words, it is a specific word spoken to a specific situation, and not a lifetime deposit of wisdom.
If you try to research what the word of wisdom is you will find that most Christians define it as, “the proper application of knowledge”. I think they are confusing wisdom with the word of wisdom. I think there are several types of wisdom in the bible, one comes from age and experience, one is God’s principles for life—the book of Proverbs. But neither of them is what Paul is talking about.
Here is my definition for the word of wisdom: “The word of wisdom unlocks a thorny issue. It is God’s solution to a problem man cannot resolve.”
One example is found in 1 Kings 3:16-28 where two women had babies at the same time, one died, and both ladies were claiming the living child as their own. Solomon ordered the child be cut in half and divided to the two ladies. The woman whose child the baby really was said, “Don’t cut the child in half, give it to the other woman.” She would rather lose her child than see it cut in half. Solomon instantly said to give the child to the woman who was willing to give it up, she is the real mother. The next verse says: 1 Kings 3:28 When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
A second example is found in Acts 15 where the early church was trying to figure out the relationship Christians should have to the OT law. You need to remember most of the NT had not been written at this time, they were feeling their way through these issues, and would struggle for years to come over it. Some Jewish believers were insisting Gentile believers needed to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses, and it became an issue that almost split the church in half. They could rightly point to the Bible and say that is what God has told us to do. It would be years before Paul by the Holy Spirit would say we are not under law but under grace.
The church had a convocation of the elders and the apostles, and they clearly stated Gentiles didn’t need to keep the law, but there were some things they could do to keep peace with their Jewish brethren. They summed up their decision this way:
Acts 15:28, 29 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”
This was a very thorny issue for the church, and you will notice in verse 28 the consensus they reached came at the Spirit’s direction.
Both examples show that a word of wisdom brings peace to a troubled situation and untangles issues that are extremely difficult to resolve.
Prayer Point: God, give me the word of wisdom for issues I can’t sort out, and also use me to speak into the lives of others who are struggling with issues they don’t know how to resolve. Give us Your wisdom!
01/16 | The Law of the Spirit of Life
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
There is an incredible blessing in this verse, and we need to unpack it to get the full understanding and benefit of what Paul is saying. On the surface it would seem to say that because Jesus lives inside of us, we won’t go to hell but to heaven. While that is true, the verse is saying much more than that, so let’s dig in a little.
The word “law” in this verse does not mean commandment, it is more akin to the phrase “the law of physics,” or “the law of gravity.” It is an immutable force, a power resident in the universe. Only in this case it is a power residing inside believers.
So what Paul is saying is that Christians have a power inside of them that frees them from the law of sin and death. We need to understand that when Paul says “the law of sin and death,” he doesn’t mean the law that says if you sin you die, he means the principle, the controlling influence of sin that leads to death.
Now as we put it together, it means that believers have the controlling influence of the Spirit of life, which negates and overpowers the controlling influence of sin leading to death.
So often we are aware of our sinful nature, but here Paul is trying to get believers to focus on the fact that they have another nature inside of them, one that is greater and more powerful than the sinful nature. In chapter 7 Paul went on and on about how the good he wants to do, he doesn’t do, and the bad he doesn’t want to do, he does do.
In the next to last verse of chapter 7 he says:
Romans 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
He answers that question in chapter 8 by saying the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus overcomes. Here is Romans 7:24 and 8:2 in The Message version, which I think really brings home what Paul is saying:
Romans 7:24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
Romans 8:2 A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.
If you are struggling with a habit or some sin, today remind yourself that as a believer you already have inside of you the power you need to overcome, it is in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer Point: Lord, I thank You, that because Jesus is inside of me, sin will not have dominion over me. Christ in me is stronger than the pull and power of sin. I thank You for victory in Jesus’ name!
01/17 | Immediately
Matthew 4:21 And going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them.
Matthew 4:22 And they immediately left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
Matthew 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
James, John, and Matthew all left their careers, and immediately followed Jesus. That is the response Jesus expected/demanded from people. In Luke 14 Jesus tells a parable of people who were invited to a banquet, and they all began to make excuses. Basically, they all said, “I have something more important to do right now.” What could be more important than obeying the voice of the King of the universe? Today’s word is “immediately.” At the voice of Jesus, they dropped what they were doing, stopped what they were involved in, and IMMEDIATELY did what He wanted them to do.
I have often shared and often been convicted by this definition of obedience:
Obedience: Immediate compliance with the initial prompting of the Holy Spirit.
How often we make excuses for why we can’t pray right now, or read the Bible. How often we ignore the promptings of the Spirit, to share a word, or call someone.
May God burn the word “immediately” into our Spirit.
Prayer Point: Father, forgive me for the times I have put off the prompting of the Spirit, and help me be more attentive and obedient to Your voice.
01/18 | Prayerless Decisions
Joshua 9:14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD.
In Joshua 9 is the interesting story of a group of people that lived in the promised land and, through trickery and deceit, got Joshua and the children of Israel to make a covenant with them. The Israelites were not supposed to make any league with the inhabitants of their promised land but were to wipe them out. As a consequence, they had to allow people to live with them that they could never fully trust. Later in Israel’s history there would be a 3-year famine in the reign of David, because David’s predecessor Saul had violated that covenant and killed some of the Gibeonites. (2 Sam 21:1)
So to sum up, God didn’t want the Jews to spare any of the people of Canaan, but the Jews made a covenant with some of them, then centuries later they broke that covenant, and God punished the Jews with 3 years of famine for breaking the covenant they never should have made. We learn several things from this story:
1. God expects us to keep our word.
2. Prayerless decisions can lead to big messes further down the road.
3. Prayerless decisions can haunt us for a very long time.
Be reminded today that, decisions that look good may not be, and it is always best to ask God for His counsel on the matters you are considering.
Prayer Point: God, forgive me for the times and the decisions I have made without seeking Your counsel. Help me to not make prayerless decisions, I want to walk in Your will.
01/19 | Yet I Will
Habakkuk 3:17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail, And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold, And there be no cattle in the stalls,
Habakkuk 3:18 Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
Perhaps today things will not go or did not go the way you wanted. Setbacks, disappointments, car problems, on hold with technical support—everyone has to deal with these things. The only question is, how will you respond to things you don’t like?
Habakkuk describes a worst-case scenario: all food sources are cut off. He is talking about a famine with no forward-looking prospects for the situation to change. Yet he makes a very important decision of the will: to focus on what he does have and not on what he doesn’t have. He has the LORD, and he has salvation; everything else is gravy.
It’s amazing how a shift of focus can turn you from complaining and crying to praising and singing. Being thankful may not bring an immediate change to your situation, but it will in the long run. Whoever honors God, God will honor. (1 Sam 2:30)
Let your response to this day’s troubles be, “Yet I will…” and in so doing you will honor God, improve your countenance, and serve the Devil notice that you will not complain.
Prayer Point: Remind me, Lord, no matter how things go, I still have You, and I still have the hope of heaven.
01/20 | Waiting for God’s Response
Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. (AV)
Habakkuk 2:1 What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst. I’ll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon. I’ll wait to see what God says, how he’ll answer my complaint. (MSG)
Waiting can often seem like torture. The more important the matter the more torturous the waiting. Habakkuk chapter 1 is full of questions like this one: Habakkuk 1:2 How long, O LORD, will I call for help, And Thou wilt not hear? I cry out to Thee, “Violence!” Yet Thou dost not save.
That is a pretty tough question to be waiting on God for an answer. It seems he had been waiting a while, and his unanswered questions were bubbling over. Ever felt like that? Habakkuk’s response was to be even more focused on hearing from God. His solution was to put himself in the best possible position to hear from the Lord.
He stood on his watch: He went to his prayer closet, the place God spoke to him.
He set himself on the tower: He got to a place that was elevated so that he could see the big picture better. He got rid of the distraction of the things that were around him.
I will watch to see…: He intensified his efforts to hear. He made it his top priority.
The very next verse says: Habakkuk 2:2 “And the Lord answered me…”
Galations 6:9 says we will reap if we do not faint. Sometimes to get an answer we need to turn it up a notch, and not quit. We need to be more intentional in hearing—what could you do to be more earnest in listening? Fast? Shut yourself up with the Lord? Read the scriptures more?
Prayer Point: Lord, settle my spirit, get me in a better position to hear, and let me be resolved to not give up until I do.
01/21 | An Evil I Have Seen
Ecclesiastes 10:5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler:
Ecclesiastes 10:6 Folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.
Ecclesiastes 10:7 I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.
The best positions are not often filled by the best persons, and in fact it is often quite the opposite. I wonder if in verse 5 Solomon is talking about people he put in high places that turned out to be a big mistake, or about what he has seen in different governments? The ultimate example is that Jesus chose Judas to be an apostle.
Why do some people get record contracts, or have their book published, or get a promotion you had your eyes on? Have you wondered why someone with very little ability was promoted? Solomon calls that an evil. Why does God let such evils like that go on?
Sometimes it seems very true that the wrong person has been given a position that someone else would be better suited for. As much as you may not like it, Judas wasn’t the wrong person. He had a role to fill, much the same as Pharaoh in the OT had. Paul explains it best in this verse: 2 Timothy 2:20 In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. (MSG)
Every house has fine china, but also needs a toilet. The question isn’t whether or not another person is qualified, but what are you qualified for? Paul challenges us in the next verse saying: 2 Timothy 2:21 Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.
The real question is not why you may have been denied something that was given to someone not qualified, or why so-and-so was chosen president and not someone else. The real question is about you! Will you be a vessel to honor or dishonor in God’s house?
Prayer Point: God, help me not to focus on opportunities I have missed, but instead seek to be a vessel unto honor in Your house.
01/22 | Uncertainty
Ecclesiastes 11:6 Sow your seed in the morning, and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
It is interesting that Solomon says it is possible that the very same seed that is sown in the morning may fail, and yet be successful in the evening and vice versa. Or, that both may be successful, though note that he doesn’t speculate that both would be unsuccessful. Because of the uncertainty of sowing, he admonishes us (actually, God through Solomon) to keep on sowing.
The lesson seems to be “keep sowing because you never know when your seeds will take root.” You may have an acquaintance that is in their twilight years that you have witnessed to many times, with no obvious benefit. Keep sowing!
You may have an illness for which you have sought the Lord many times. Keep sowing! Remember the man who had palsy for 38 years, or the adult male who was blind from birth, or the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years—keep sowing! Just because it didn’t work in the morning doesn’t mean it won’t in the evening.
I find a good word in this text also for those who are “seniors”—don’t be idle in the evening. You may retire from a job, but you can never retire from serving the Lord. In fact, you may have more success in the evening of your life than you did in the morning. Keep sowing!
01/23 | The Valley of Ono
Nehemiah 6:2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
This verse reminds me of Job 1:1 where it says Job was from the land of Uz (Us). In this verse Nehemiah was invited to the valley (plain) of Ono (Oh No!). Unlike Nehemiah, who turned down the opportunity because he knew what was waiting, we have often found ourselves in the valley of Oh No.
A lot of God’s giants have found themselves in the valley of Oh No. Abraham spent time in Gerar where he was afraid to tell that Sarah was his wife. His wife was taken by the King Abimelech who sought to make her his own wife. Abraham’s lying got him into the valley of Oh No, which is what sin always does. The good news is that if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus. God appeared to Abimelech in a dream and told him he was a dead man for taking Sarah. Abimelech says he did it in ignorance because Abraham lied and said she was his sister. God told him He knew that and ordered him to reunite Sarah with Abraham.
Abimelech did just that but also gave Abraham 1000 pieces of silver, sheep, oxen, and male and female servants. He also told Abraham he could live anywhere he wanted in Abimelech’s kingdom. In addition, Abraham prayed for the infertility of Abimelech and his wives, and they were miraculously healed. (Gen 20:1-18)
You can get caught in the valley of Ono by the mischievous plans of the enemy, or your own foolishness can get you there. But, if you are a child of God, He promises to work everything out for good. You may not get 1000 pieces of silver out of the deal, but God will always get you out of the valley of Ono, by turning it around for his good.
Prayer Point: God, keep me from the valley of Ono that my enemies would like to trap me in. And, where I have sinned and wound up there, please forgive me, and turn this thing around for your glory.
01/24 | The Unfolding of His Glory (Eyes Understanding)
Ephesians 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Ephesians 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
There is far too much information to unpack in a short devotional to do this passage justice, but we can make a couple of quick points that should be beneficial.
First, note that he gave thanks for people when he prayed for them. What a novel idea! How about, for the next week whenever you pray for someone, first give God thanks for something about them.
Then Paul goes on to pray for the eyes of “believers” to be opened to all Christ is, and what He has made available, and the power that He directs towards us. Our prayers are so earthly compared to Paul’s. We pray for healing, we pray for finances, we pray for guidance, and yes, we pray for people to get saved. Paul, on the other hand, has prayers that are elevated one thousandfold from ours.
Oh, that God might elevate our prayers! That we would not simply pray for earthly concerns, but that we would storm heaven that others would see Jesus in His beauty, and even though we don’t see Him with physical eyes that the eyes of our understanding would be opened about Him, to behold Him in His awesomeness!
Prayer Point: Here is a practical suggestion, pray verses 16-19 over someone this day, and try to put the passage in your own words.
01/25 | A Catfight in the Scriptures
Philippians 4:2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.
Philippians 4:3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
In these two verses we have the dichotomy that is humanity. In verse 2, a personal feud between two ladies is so serious Paul has to address it, and it is forever recorded in the scriptures. But in verse 3 Paul asks someone else to broker the peace for these women who fought with him in the cause of the gospel, and he concludes his remarks by saying their names are in the book of life.
How can people who are famous for fighting for the gospel, also have personal issues that are so deep and so divisive that they can’t let go of them or get along with one another? Is it really so strange that some parts of us are on fire for God, and other parts are set on fire by hell? Yes, it is, and it ought not to be so.
An important lesson in this is that Paul didn’t throw in the towel on these ladies, but rather urged them to reconcile. He also told church members they needed to get involved in restoring people who had been useful for the kingdom.
We all know people who have been used of God, but their feet of clay became all too evident. Paul’s response is that we ought to value and hold in high regard what they have done in the Lord’s service, and by implication what they can still do for the Lord. We shouldn’t shrug off people because they have failings, but neither should we ignore them. Their prior service, and potential for future good, should be our primary motivation in dealing with them.
Now for the zinger: What would God write to you and plead for you to stop doing? Who have you written off too soon? Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. Jesus was there that day, He was without sin, and He didn’t cast any stones, He sought to redeem.
Prayer Point: Lord, help me to be patient and redemptive with people who have feet of clay, knowing that I also have those same kinds of feet.
01/26 | The Song of the Slandered Saint
Psalm 7:1 « Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. » O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:…
I am a little surprised that the man who fought lions, bears, and giants, got knocked off balance by the words of a man whom we know nothing about. Not a king, or a general, or a best friend, just the words of one who might be called an anonymous person. It seems David had a hole in his armor, that slanderous words gained access to his faith and demeanor.
The truth is that for most of us, there are many people who could say stuff to us, negative stuff, and we would just shrug it off. But then…the right person saying the wrong words could devastate us. My guess is that David didn’t hear these words personally, but he heard them through the grapevine. Oh, that grapevine, what a seedbed of evil it is!
I have often said words are containers. They contain what you are saying, but they can also contain ill will, anger, loathing, and a wish for harm. Conversely, they can contain blessing, favor, the peace of God, and encouragement. Think of words as the envelope and inside are the sentiments of the sender. Send Godly sentiments.
Psalm 7 is a song, and it is interesting that David sang about everything to the Lord. In verse 10 he rights his ship, and declares: “My shield is God most high…” That was his way of saying to Cush, “It’s all good, I am protected.”
01/27 | I Have Prayed for You
Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
There are a couple of things I want to point out from the Greek, because they give special insight to this passage. First, the word “you” is plural in the Greek, meaning Satan didn’t just want to get Peter but he wanted to get all the Apostles and destroy them like he had Judas. There is a malevolence that is directed at all the people of God.
Secondly, the word “desired” is a weak translation of the Greek word; it should be translated “demanded,” as it is in the New American Standard Version. So the verse reads, “Satan has demanded to get all of you, that he may sift you as wheat.” It is important to note that Satan wasn’t looking to keep the wheat, he was wanting to get rid of that which was good in them and only keep the bad (chaff).
Thank God for what Jesus says next: “But I have prayed for you…” Here we are given insight to battles we never knew were taking place in the heavenlies, and how they are won on our behalf by the One who ever lives to make intercession for us. Thank You, Lord!
Notice Jesus didn’t pray that Peter and the Apostles wouldn’t sin, but that their faith wouldn’t fail. He knew they were going to sin; He wasn’t going to take their free will away. But He also recognized that a faith failure is worse than a moral failure. Don’t freak out that I said that. The reason a faith failure is worse is because we are saved by grace through faith, not by perfect behavior.
The Bible talks about those whose faith suffered shipwreck, or in other words, it crashed and sunk. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Jesus knew Peter was going to fail, so he prayed that when he did, his faith would kick in and lead him to repentance and restoration.
Finally, in v. 32 Jesus prophesies that Peter would rebound and tells him that when that happens, to strengthen other believers. The lesson appears to be that when believers stumble, don’t be quick to flush them out of your life, but pray for them that their faith won’t fail.
Prayer Point: Lord, forgive me for the ways I have fallen, and help me to be a blessing to others who are struggling.
01/28 | No More Sea
Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
The first time I read this verse I was a little upset with the prospect of a heaven with no oceans (sea). I like the ocean, one of the great joys of my life has been to be a scuba diver and see things under the surface. I just couldn’t imagine heaven without the oceans. But cheer up, I have good news.
I believe that when the Bible says there will be no more sea, it is not talking about a literal sea, but what it means is the sinful mass of humanity. Look at this verse and you will see what I am talking about:
Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
If you continue reading in Revelation you will see the beast is remarkably similar to this passage in Daniel:
Daniel 7:2 Daniel said, “I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.
Daniel 7:3 “And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another.
The beasts in Daniel represent four world kingdoms: the Babylonian, the Persian, the Greek, and the Roman. All these kingdoms spring from the sea that is stirred up by the four winds of heaven. (Dan 7:2) (The agitation of evil principalities?) The meaning appears to be that sinful humanity is stirred up and gives birth to four evil kingdoms. In Revelation 13, again the sea represents sinful humanity that gives birth to an evil person, called a beast who is in fact also known as the antichrist. The sea is sinful, rebellious humanity that gives birth to the antichrist.
So when Revelation 21 says there is no more sea, that is what it is referring to, no more sinful humanity spitting out wicked kingdoms and rulers. Humanity without Christ is like the sea—a place of perpetual unrest, which continually brings forth things that are hostile to God and His rule and reign. That will end.
Prayer Point: Lord, I thank You that we can look forward to the day when there is no more sea, and our prayer is, ‘Even so Lord Jesus come!’
01/29 | I Must
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Jesus said: I must.
Jesus understood that there was a solemn assignment He had to fulfill. Things He couldn’t back away from, nor would He want to. It was the primary driving factor of His life.
His “I must” was to seek and save that which was lost, and part of that included dying for the sins of the world.
Jesus always had a sense of urgency about His “I must.” It was something that had a countdown clock attached to it, and in His spirit, He was always hearing “tick, tick, tick, tick…”
Thank God He completed His mission and opened the door of salvation for us all.
Now I ask: what are the “I must’s” of your life?
Paul would say, “For me to live in Christ.” An all-encompassing dedication, to any and everything God would ask of Him.
Barnabas was true to his name, which was “an encourager.” That was his “I must.”
Simeon, Anna, and John the Baptist all pointed others to Christ as the Messiah, that was their “I must.”
The reality for all of us is that each day has many “I must” moments. We must tell the truth, we must pray for someone, we must be patient with someone, we must bless first responders we see, we must hang out with God.
Many things we must do have a countdown clock attached to them—remember that before the opportunity passes away.
Prayer Point: Lord, help me to fulfill my “I must’s” this day. Help me be mindful that some opportunities will soon be gone and to not put them off.
01/30 | Divine Frustration
Luke 5:4 And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”
Luke 5:5 And Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at Your bidding I will let down the nets.”
Luke 5:6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish; and their nets began to break;
I believe Peter’s previous night where he caught no fish was just as miraculous as when, at the Master’s bidding, he let down his net and probably caught the greatest fish haul of his life. God was setting Him up with Divine frustration that would lead to his salvation.
If you read further in the story, Peter is so amazed by the catch that it caused him to recognize Jesus for who He was, not only that but he realized he needed a savior:
Luke 5:8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
The miracle of much was highlighted by the night of nothing. Often before God can fill a person, He has to empty them. Empty people are hungry people. Many a man or woman has come to Christ after a long night of fishing with nothing to show for it. Emptiness is often a means for God to change the direction of a life. A full person is content and often unaware of the spiritual need in their life. An empty one is thrust by pain to look for answers.
Perhaps you have a loved one who is far from God. As painful as it might be, the best thing that could happen may be that they experience a night or season of empty fishnets.
Or maybe you are the one with the empty fishnets, you have tried, and tried, and nothing has worked. The most important question you should be asking is, “God, what are you trying to say to me?” You may hear God say, “Let down your net again,” or, “Let it down on the other side of the boat.” Don’t be afraid to try something that has failed before. Your only response should be, “But at Your bidding I will let down the nets.”
Prayer Point: Lord, if emptiness will help me, or someone You have placed on my heart, I pray that You would bring it to us gently. Help us to listen for Your voice, and when You speak, to let down our nets in obedience.
01/31 | A Burning Bush Awaits
Mark 6:47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
Here is the scene before us: It is 3 o’clock in the morning, the Apostles had been rowing now for about 9 hours and had only gotten halfway across the sea of Galilee. They were still a couple of miles away, and we are told the reason it was so hard was that the wind was contrary to them. The wind was fighting them. The wind was blowing hardest from the very direction the Lord had told them to go in v. 45.
Next, we read He saw them struggling with rowing. He knew they were having a hard time, He knew the wind was fighting them, He knew they were probably worn out.
What we read next shocks us: (He) would have passed them by. What!? That is the last thing we expect to read. They were obeying Him, going where He wanted, and yet circumstance had seemingly conspired to make it the most difficult journey possible. If they turned around, the wind would have been at their back and the journey would have been a very easy one. But following Him, the journey was an especially rough one that day. How, then, could He have just passed them by?
The truth is a simple one. When they cried out, He rescued them. God will let you struggle if you want to go it alone, but whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. There is also the truth that when people earnestly seek Him, they are specially rewarded. When they cried out, He got in the boat, He calmed them, and the wind ceased immediately.
A similar truth is found in Exodus 3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
A burning bush appears, but it is only when Moses responds to it that God speaks to him. Often in life God is very near but won’t respond until we seek Him out. Moses had an incredible experience the day he turned aside, and stopped what he was doing, and in essence sought out God.
Likewise, when it seemed Jesus would pass them by, the crying out of the disciples drew Him near. There are many burning bush experiences awaiting the child of God who will seek God out. There are many frustrating days of toil-filled rowing for those who, even in the service of God, are going it alone. He waits to be called into your boat/situation. A burning bush awaits this very day for those who will turn aside.
Prayer Point: Father, help me to remember even in those times where it seems You are passing me by, the truth is You want to be with me in my storm. Today I turn aside to seek Your face, and ask that You would draw near to me.
