Never Forget!
This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Rooted – Grounded in Grace (CLICK HERE)
Never forget.
For the past 23 years, this phrase has been at the top of America’s mind at the anniversary of 9/11. For those old enough to remember, we remember where we were when we heard the news of the planes flying into the World Trade Center Towers. We remember spending most of the rest of the day watching the news, listening to the radio or talking to family and friends.
Disbelief.. Confusion. Fear. Uncertainty.
All of these emotions I remember having those hours of 9/11/01.
Evil brings confusion, fear and uncertainty.
So where did we turn?
News anchors were just as confused as we were.
Neighbors were just as fearful as we were.
Government officials were just as uncertain as we were.
We turned to the one thing that can bring clarity in confusion, peace amidst fear, and certainty in the middle of uncertainty.
The Lord and his Word.
That evening our small group of Christians in Cary, NC gathered in the hotel conference room we were renting to seek the comfort, peace, and guidance that only God’s word can bring. It didn’t answer the question of who did this. It didn’t answer the question of how this could have happened. But it did answer the question of what our hearts needed. We needed certainty that the Lord was still in control. We needed peace that reminded us that Jesus has overcome evil and Satan and we needed clarity about where to turn when we felt so weak and helpless.
So 23 years later we turn to the same source of clarity, peace and certainty, not just for the answers to 9/11 but to all of life.
We don’t know when the next national tragedy will happen. We don’t know when the next personal challenge will occur. But we do know that the Word of the Lord is always there for God’s people, a country and the world to find clarity, peace and certainty in the midst of evil that creates confusion, fear and uncertainty.
So here’s a couple verses to bring to your heart today to have at the ready when your heart needs comfort, peace and clarity.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future,nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
May the peace, clarity and certainty only the Lord gives be with your heart on this anniversary of 9/11.
Prayer: Lord, in the midst of evil that creates confusion, fear and uncertainty lead us to always turn to you and your word for the clarity, peace and certainty our soul longs for. AMEN.
Grounded in Truth!
This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Rooted – Grounded in Grace (CLICK HERE)
Our hearts yearn for truth.
When we watch the news, we want to know what is truth.
When we have a conversation with someone we trust, we want to know the truth.
When an illness occurs, we want a doctor that will tell us the truth.
There is something about the truth that settles the soul. To be sure, we may not always want to hear the truth if it is bad news or a reality we don’t want to face. But when pressed with the options of being lied to or telling the truth, I would guess that a strong majority if not all respondents would say, “Tell me the truth.”
In the search for truth, it is not always easy to discern what is true or what is not. Sometimes in our quest for truth we give up or take a fatalistic attitude that “No one can know the truth.”
Perhaps that is true (or is it?) in the human world. But have you ever asked yourself, “Why do I yearn for truth?” “Why do I not long for lies?” Could it be that God instilled in the hearts of mankind a desire to know the truth? Could it be that there is something freeing about knowing the truth? Could it be that there is something settling about knowing the truth?
Yes. Yes there is.
God put this desire in mankind to know the truth. The challenge is, mankind searches for truth without going to the source of all truth. Truth is sought for in the majority opinion. Truth is sought in the presuppositions of science. Truth is sought in the inner self exploration. The problem? I still will question whether what I discovered is 100% truth.
So where do we look to settle the soul and root it deeply in truth? From God himself which he recorded and preserved in the pages of Holy Scripture. Well, how do we know it’s true? Fair question, but for the sake of the brevity of this devotional thought, let me simply say the Bible is consistent in its prophecy and fulfillment and its alignment to history and historical figures (More could be said here…). But perhaps we can look at the effect on our hearts when we take in the Word of God and ask, “Does it settle my soul? Does it bring clarity amidst confusion? Or does it give me a confidence that no other quest for truth has given.”
It does. Jesus said it would. Consider these three Scriptures this morning:
- John 8:31-32 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The Word of God frees our soul to end the search for truth…because we found the source of truth.
- John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. The Word of God sets us apart from the world and guides us in a worldview that makes sense and able to answer life’s big questions better than any other perceived source of truth.
- Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” The Word of God is constant and consistent. It doesn’t change with culture, popular opinion, or the latest philosophical ideas. It endures forever…always has always will.
With this gentle nudge, the Lord this morning is encouraging you to spend time in his Word. Let his Word ground your heart in truth.
Apply: How has God’s Word brough truth into your life?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your Word for it settles my heart in truth. AMEN.
Roots are important!
This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Rooted – Grounded in Grace (CLICK HERE)
Jeremiah 17:7-8
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Roots are vital to a plant’s survival and growth. Roots are the mechanism by which water and minerals are brought to the plant to develop the leaves and fruit. Shallow roots make the plant susceptible to the elements of wind and drought. Deep roots ensure the plant withstands the challenges of the weather.
Spiritually, how strong and deep are your roots?
Do life’s challenges create extreme stress, anxiety and fear? Or when challenges come do you stay filled with peace and confidence?
Life is going to have challenges. God desires to strengthen your spiritual roots so that your faith does not falter amidst the challenges of life.
At the heart of a spiritual tree that has strong roots is, as Jeremiah says, having a confident trust in the Lord. So, what is it about having a confident trust in the Lord that allows our spiritual tree to stand strong in times of “heat and drought”?
Faith in the Lord gives us confidence, even though we can’t see what is ahead.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Faith in the Lord gives us confidence that all that happens will be worked for our good.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
Faith in the Lord gives us confidence that no matter what happens in this life, we know heaven is our home.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
These are just a few of the promises that the Lord gives us to grow and strengthen our roots. Of course they come from the Bible, God’s Word. This week we will explore why the Word of God is such a key component of a Christian growing strong roots to remain standing no matter what life brings your way!
Apply: Evaluate the strength of your spiritual roots. Would you consider them weak or strong…and why?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving us faith in you. I pray that you would continue to work in my heart and life to strengthen my faith and confidence in you! AMEN.
Weapons to Win! Part 2
This week’s devotions are based on Week 10 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)
Satan’s schemes are definitely deceptive and deviant…but the weapons the Lord gives us will overcome all that Satan can throw at us. So here’s the last four to wrap up the week and our series on Ephesians.
- Faith: 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.
In the Garden of Eden, the first temptation Satan provided was one to doubt. “Did God really say…?” was the question he posed. The question created doubt that led to trusting Satan’s proposal more than God’s direction. As a result the blessing God intended Adam and Eve to enjoy was lost and the shame, guilt and challenges of living in a sinful world began. Faith is a confident trust in the Lord…even when his directions, promises, and Word don’t make sense. Faith is trusting that the Lord has our best in mind, even when it seems like life has taken a terrible turn. Faith is being confident that even what I can’t see or understand, I will always trust the Lord over the deceptive lies and doubts that Satan poses. He throws a lot of these arrows…the shield of faith extinguishes them so they fall harmless to the ground. Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
- Salvation: 17 Take the helmet of salvation
A ploy that Satan likes to use is to lead us to question if we are saved and going to go to heaven when we die. He leads us to believe we are not good enough or that God doesn’t love us enough. The helmet of salvation is the gift that God gives to secure all of our thoughts around the truth that we are saved by his grace, not our works. We are saved as a gift of God’s love, not because we have earned, deserved, or chosen it. The gift of salvation is completely God’s doing. So he guards all our thoughts with the confidence that our salvation is secure. Don’t let anything else get in your head! Ephesians 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit…
- Word of God: and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Martin Luther in his hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” spoke of the power we have against Satan is this, “One little word can fell him.” All Jesus had to do against Satan was swing a verse of Scripture and Satan had no answer. Perhaps the greatest weapon to discern and diffuse any onslaught of Satan is the power of the Word of God. Know it and use it! Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
- Prayer: 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.
Finally, use the gift of prayer. Prayer is the gift our heavenly Father gives to us to come to him with any and all requests. Prayer asks for discernment. Prayer asks for wisdom. Prayer seeks guidance. Prayer lays the concerns of our heart before the Lord. Prayer asks for spiritual and physical protection against the evil Satan gives. Prayer is the gift that God gives to allow us to come to him at any time…before, during or after the schemes of Satan hit. Prayer is an action of trust that realizes, I can’t do this on my own, but my Father can for me. Prayer is an expression of our trust that the only reason I will be standing after the devil throws is best at me is because my heavenly Father’s power is at work to overcome him. So if you are stuck or flailing, don’t forget to go to the Lord in prayer! Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
That wraps up this series. I pray it was a blessing to you as it was to me to share the thoughts that God brought to mind as we journeyed through Ephesians. Let me close this week, this series with the final words of Paul to the Ephesians and to us:
Ephesians 6:23 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
Weapons to win…Part 1
This week’s devotions are based on Week 10 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)
The goal is to be the last person standing.
In Greco Roman wrestling, the winner was the contestant who was standing after throwing his opponent to the ground three times. The winner has to overcome the tactics of his opponent and stay on his feet.
Perhaps this is the picture Paul has in mind as he encourages us, “Ephesians 6:13 Therefore 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.” The one standing is the victor. For the Christian, we want to be standing, not falling for the schemes of Satan on the day of evil (which will come). (On a side note, I wonder if this picture has anything to do with the three temptations that face Christ in the desert in Matthew 4. After he threw Satan down the third time, Satan left…defeated…I digress.)
Paul then goes on to draw a picture of a Roman soldier ready for battle. We could spend time on all the pieces of armor and try to discern why its the belt of truth vs the helmet of truth…but today let’s just reflect on the descriptor of each piece of armor. For in the descriptors we have all we need to combat offensively and defensively the schemes of Satan. There are seven things God gives us to stay on our spiritual feet in the day of evil. Today, the first three:
- Truth: 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
The identity of our enemy is the “Father of lies.” The foundational component behind his schemes is deception. His ideal is when we question God’s truth and begin to replace it with our own truth. He loves to twist or leave out some of God’s truth so that it sounds good, but it is subtly leading us to believe a lie. Truth is the essence of God. He is full of grace and truth. His Word is truth. He is nothing but truth. If Satan is going to use lies and deception, we must be grounded in God’s truth. Jesus said in John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
- Righteousness: with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
Satan loves to create doubt in our identity. With regularity he gets people to think, “God will never forgive me.” We can believe that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world…except mine. As a result, Satan leads us to think we can make ourselves feel better and be of better standing before God if we just do more good things. He tricks us into thinking we can find a righteousness by our own works. The effort is futile and we will always fall short. That is why God gives us his righteousness, his perfection to cover all our sins and imperfections. There is no question of our standing before God when we wear the “breastplate of righteousness.” Satan can try to hit our heart with doubt and despair, but it won’t penetrate because our chest is covered with Christ’s righteousness…and that alone establishes our identity and standing before God. Romans 3:22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
- The Gospel: 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
A distraction for the Christian is all the bad news in the world around us. Five seconds on the news and one can shake their head at the evils around us. Reporters sensationalize the events. Atrocities are so many. The future is made to be uncertain. All of this can leave our hearts at unrest and lack of peace. A quick litmus test to see whether Satan is at work or God’s Spirit is at work is simply this: Is my heart full of fear (satan) or full of peace (Spirit of God)? Our steps through life will encounter evil and all its ugliness and negative impact, yet the Gospel which tells us our biggest problem in life is taken care of because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus leaves our hearts at peace. That’s what the Gospel does…it brings peace wherever it goes. Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
We have four more to cover tomorrow, but I pray already you are seeing the great blessing God has given you in his truth, righteousness, and Gospel that readily can throw Satan to the ground and leave you standing firm!
Apply: Which of these three armaments from God is what you need most today? As you put on truth, righteousness, or the Gospel of peace, what begins to change about your perspective of your day?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving to me all I need to discern Satan’s tactics and knock him to the ground over and over again. Help me to find the strength, peace and assurance in the gifts of armor you give to me! AMEN.