Category Archives: Devotional

Putting the Past Behind Us

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When the Lord brought the Israelites over the Jordan and into the Promised Land, He instructed them to set up a memorial.  They were to take twelve stones, one for each tribe, from the midst of the Jordan and set them up as a reminder on the side to which they were crossing.

And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” – Joshua 4:20-24 (NKJV)

With slavery to sin and some major struggles behind us, we are free to enter the new life of faith.  New battles await us.  New victories need to be won.  We need not, in fact we dare not, go back to Egypt or to wandering in the wilderness. 

The Israelites arrived in the land only by God’s power.  But it would take just as much faith in Him to stay there.  In the same way, the Lord brings us by faith into a victorious Christian life of faith.  We dare not return to fight the battles of the past.

Who We Were, Are and Shall Be

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Our transformation gives us much to be thankful for and even more to think about.  Our very nature has been changed.  When we received new life in Christ it was a life that was really, well, new.  Thus, we are no longer those same old people.  Here are two passages that explain what happened and is to happen still:

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”  – Ephesians 2:1-3 (NKJV)

So that’s who we used to be.  And now, what?

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  – 1 John 3:1-3 (NKJV)

Complete Dependence

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We normally like to be self-reliant.  Our culture here in the USA certainly teaches it.  We see it as a virtue, a strength, the only real alternative to laziness or a lack of ambition.  There is a point, however, at which the idea of self-reliance becomes self-deception.

Life is fragile.  We can’t hold onto it forever without a great deal of help.  Therefore, it’s an unpleasant blessing to be taught to depend on God.  We may not like it much, but it’s a lesson we need to learn.  The Israelites learned it by means of the manna in the desert.  This humbling experience was designed to test them, and teach them to get their eyes off of their provision (that constant focus of independent, self-reliant men), fix their eyes firmly on the Provider and keep their ears open to His every word.

And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” – Deuteronomy 8:2-3 (NKJV)

One Reason Some People Hate Jesus

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Sad, but true, some people just plain hate Jesus Christ.  One reason why is found in John 7:7, where Jesus is talking to His still-unbelieving brothers.

The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.” – John 7:7 (NKJV)

When Jesus says that the things we do are bad, He always does so in love and with our best interests at heart.  Not everyone, however, appreciates His loving correction.  Some people hate correction, period.  As a result “the world” hates Jesus the Messenger who has pointed out their sin.  Therefore, the world cannot experience Him as Jesus the Savior who died to save them from that very sin.

Let’s let Jesus be honest with us.  Anyone who would love us enough to die for us deserves our listening ear.  And certainly anyone who loves us that much deserves something better than hate in return.  In Christ’s case, what He deserves from us is absolute surrender.