Dear Readers,
I will not be posting my devotionals for a few days as I will be busy preparing for outreach ministry and will also be out of town.
Please use this time to think about what God is saying to you.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Come out of the World
Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 6
_____________________________
In reading this passage of Scripture, we see the apostle plead with those to whom he is ministering. He hold nothing back! He is completely open as he describes the life he experiences for the Lord--full of valleys and mountaintops. All of this to tell the Corinthians that today is the day of Salvation and you must repent (turn away from) all those things that have kept them as part of the world.
What union can light have with darkness? What business can you have with the world? None, save that you reach out to the world with the news of Jesus as Paul did to the Corinthians. Christians today have much to repent over. We have allowed ourselves to become desensitized to the sins of the world and we have soiled our faith by the filth of everything around us. If we are to be effective in convincing others to come to Jesus Christ, we must first go to him ourselves and be cleaned off.
Today, make it your prayer to be cleansed. Like David following the conviction of Nathan over Bathsheba, Cry out to the Lord in repentance for a clean heart and a renewed spirit. Only then will we enjoy the true fellowship with the Lord as Paul had and will we be able to reach out to the world.
_____________________________
In reading this passage of Scripture, we see the apostle plead with those to whom he is ministering. He hold nothing back! He is completely open as he describes the life he experiences for the Lord--full of valleys and mountaintops. All of this to tell the Corinthians that today is the day of Salvation and you must repent (turn away from) all those things that have kept them as part of the world.
What union can light have with darkness? What business can you have with the world? None, save that you reach out to the world with the news of Jesus as Paul did to the Corinthians. Christians today have much to repent over. We have allowed ourselves to become desensitized to the sins of the world and we have soiled our faith by the filth of everything around us. If we are to be effective in convincing others to come to Jesus Christ, we must first go to him ourselves and be cleaned off.
Today, make it your prayer to be cleansed. Like David following the conviction of Nathan over Bathsheba, Cry out to the Lord in repentance for a clean heart and a renewed spirit. Only then will we enjoy the true fellowship with the Lord as Paul had and will we be able to reach out to the world.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The High Price of Indifference
Today's Reading: Numbers 33:1-4
____________________________
As I read these first few verses of Numbers 33, my first reaction is to praise God for his faithfulness to the Israelites. He had rescued them from the oppression of the Egyptians and miraculously paved the way for their deliverance. In the midst of this celebration, however, there is also a great sense of loss for the Egyptians. Can you imagine everyone having to bury their firstborn child? It is horrific.
The hardest realization for the Egyptians is that it all could have been avoided. What if Pharaoh's heart had yielded? What if the people of Egypt had said, "enough! We yield!" None of this would have been necessary. Unfortunately, the hearts of sin did not yield and most of the people of Egypt became indifferent. As a result, they had to be rudely awakened by so much loss and suffering.
Many people today choose to turn a def ear and a blind eye toward the cause of faith in the world. There are people oppressed by sin, persecuted for the faith, and lawmakers wildly forsaking the God of the people. While people remain indifferent to these things, God will not long wait before he brings judgement. Those who choose to be blind to the suffering will soon bring the suffering upon their own heads.
____________________________
As I read these first few verses of Numbers 33, my first reaction is to praise God for his faithfulness to the Israelites. He had rescued them from the oppression of the Egyptians and miraculously paved the way for their deliverance. In the midst of this celebration, however, there is also a great sense of loss for the Egyptians. Can you imagine everyone having to bury their firstborn child? It is horrific.
The hardest realization for the Egyptians is that it all could have been avoided. What if Pharaoh's heart had yielded? What if the people of Egypt had said, "enough! We yield!" None of this would have been necessary. Unfortunately, the hearts of sin did not yield and most of the people of Egypt became indifferent. As a result, they had to be rudely awakened by so much loss and suffering.
Many people today choose to turn a def ear and a blind eye toward the cause of faith in the world. There are people oppressed by sin, persecuted for the faith, and lawmakers wildly forsaking the God of the people. While people remain indifferent to these things, God will not long wait before he brings judgement. Those who choose to be blind to the suffering will soon bring the suffering upon their own heads.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Your Turn
Today, I have a sectional council meeting in Kansas City, so I ran out of time to post my devotional this morning....However, you can still work through your own experiment in devotion.
Select a passage of Scripture to read through. Ask God to tell you what that passage means for you today. Listen for his voice....
I pray God blesses you as you seek him in his word!
Select a passage of Scripture to read through. Ask God to tell you what that passage means for you today. Listen for his voice....
I pray God blesses you as you seek him in his word!
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