Category Archives: Daily devotions

September 17 – The Wicked Act Wickedly

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Daniel 10-12

There are many who believe the world would be a better place if teachers were allowed to pray with students before class, or if abortion was abolished, or the Ten Commandments were displayed in every government building, if there were no X-rated movies, or no corrupt politicians.

But even if we were able to make all that true, the problem would still exist.

At the end of his vision, Daniel spoke with a man wearing linen and who was above the waters of the river. That man dressed in linen put a finger on the real problem…

the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand… (12:10)

I’ve heard it said you can’t expect a non-believer to act like a believer. I’d go further and say you can’t expect them to think like a believer, to reason or feel like a believer.

The problem with the world is not what non-Christians DO. It’s what they BELIEVE. If we want the problems of the world to go away, we need to be busy introducing people to their Savior.

September 16 – A Prayer For Our World

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Daniel 7-9

Reading Daniel’s vision reminds me that there are forces of evil out there. There has been since Satan and his followers fell from heaven. ISIS, murderers, liars, thieves, adulterers, bullies, and the like are tools of our enemy against a Holy God.

We act like it’s about us.

But evil is Satan’s tool in his war against God. I think if we want Satan defeated in this country and in our world, if we want to put a stop to the evil around us, our prayer should be like Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9:

Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, we have sinned. We haven’t listened to You. We are ashamed of ourselves in light of Your righteousness. We are rebellious and disobedient, so You have allowed us the consequences for our sin. Even in that, we’ve not turned to You. Now, O Lord, Your Name is a reproach to those around us. The name “Christian” is hated and scorned, and meaningless. So God, not because we have any merit on our own, not because we deserve Your mercy, but for the sake of Your Name… forgive us. Bless us in the sight of nations. Let unbelievers recognize Your compassion to those who humble themselves before You, who turn from their wicked ways, and who follow You alone. Not because we deserve it. But because by doing so, people may come to You. And You deserve that.

September 15 – Tell It Like It Is

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Daniel 4-6

Every so often you hear about people who honor God in a very public way. A high school athlete who bends a knee after scoring a touchdown, a MLB player who crosses himself before his at-bat, a singer who thanks God after receiving an award, a politician who stands for the Truth of Scripture, or Christians beheaded because they will not denounce Jesus.

Daniel has me asking myself the lengths I’d go to proclaim the God of the Bible. He stood before kings and boldly told them the truth:

“Nebuchadnezzar, you are going to lose your mind.”

“Belshazzar, God is going to rip your kingdom from you.”

“Darius, I will never worship you.”

So how serious am I about taking a stand when someone offers an opinion that is different than what I know to be true according to God’s Word? Do I say something or let it ride? When I have an opportunity to share the Gospel, do I wimp out? Am I tolerant of false doctrine, of anti-Christ policies, of sin? Or can I find the strength to tell it like it is, no matter what others might think of me, or do to me?

God, I want Daniel’s unwavering faith, his boldness to tell the Truth regardless of what it might cost him. Give me a chance to share You with someone today. And may You find me willing to take Your lead, to be Your voice, and to take a stand for the blessing of knowing You.

September 14 – It’s Kinda Hot In Here

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Daniel 1-3

I have a friend from High School who had her second surgery yesterday to remove a tumor wrapped around her spine. Another friend was born with malformed blood vessels in her jaw, resulting in a deformed face and constant ringing in her ears. Yet another friend has a husband fighting for his life, one friend battling an eating disorder, still another recovering from a brutal beating outside his place of business. I know of someone who is belittled and challenged every day by a boss who hates Christianity and Christians.

Health, finances, relationships, prejudice, can make us feel as though we are walking through fire. It’s hard. It’s uncomfortable. It hurts. And sometimes it feels as if there is no way out.

God could have blown out that fire before Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were thrown into it. But He didn’t. Instead, He got right in that fire with them, protected them, until they came out whole.

The fires in our lives might not magically disappear. We might actually have to walk through them until Christ is revealed, and He brings us out on the other side.

Everyone walks through a fire or two in a lifetime. What a comfort it is to know we don’t have to walk alone. Jesus is right there by our side in the heat of it all. I pray that at those times, you will recognize His Presence, lean on His strength, and trust Him to get you through it as only He can.

I’m praying for you who are living in a fiery furnace today.

September 13 – It Depends

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Joel

The question often asked these days is, “What is ahead for the US, and the world?” I guess the answer to that depends on us.

Joel reports that they were in deep trouble. Locusts had devoured the land, there was no rain, people were starving. God was exacting great punishment for a people who had rejected Him.

But then you get to Joel chapter 2:12-14

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him…”

Once again I am reminded that the future of this world does not depend on the defeat of ISIS or having the right person in the White House. Our future depends on God’s people – on Christians like you and me – rending our hearts, not just going to church.

It depends on us fasting, weeping and mourning over our sin. The world needs Christians to return to God, to sanctify the congregation by holding on to the Truth of Scripture, and praying from repentant hearts:

Spare Your people, O Lord, and do not make Your inheritance a reproach, a byword among the nations Why should they among the peoples say, “Where is their God?” THEN the Lord will be zealous for His land and will have pity on His people. (v17, emphasis mine)

So Christian, are you concerned that the world we are leaving our children will be one of corruption, of danger, of persecution? It will be unless you get on your knees and get right with God.

Father, too many of Your children are failing You. We have compromised Your Word, ignored Your warnings, blended in with the world to the point where You don’t have a choice but to punish us. I pray that You would hound us Christians, convict to the point of despair, drive us to our knees, so that we… Your children… might repent, turn from our wicked ways, and follow You in the Truth of Your Word. Then, Lord, have mercy on this land, restore us to a nation that proclaims our trust in You alone. And may You be glorified in the revival of Your Church. Let the world recognize that You bless those who honor You, for Jesus’ sake.

September 12 – No Turning Back

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Ezekiel 46-48

I went to college with a girl who left the dorms by the same door every day, and always returned through the same door. If she happened to walk around a tree on the right, coming back she had to walk around the tree on the same side. I thought about her today when I read Ezekiel 46.

When the people came to the temple to go before the Lord, if they entered by the north gate, they had to exit by the south gate. If they came to the Lord through the south gate, they were to leave by the north gate. No turning back.

My friend would have gone crazy.

But isn’t that the way we all should be when  we come before the Lord? Shouldn’t we meet Him, lay our burdens down at His feet, repent of sin, and keep walking? Too many times we go to Him, only to turn around and do the same thing we just confessed, or we hold on to the guilt of something we were just forgiven of.

 

I’m thinking many of us can learn something from Ezekiel today. Let’s continue to go to the Lord, but let’s not turn around and go back to where we started. Let’s keep moving ahead, led by the Spirit, forgiven, and running the race set before us.

I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
No turning back. 
No turning back.

September 11 – A Lesson From Former Priests

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Ezekiel 44-45

The Levites were sinful men. Some of them had done things that resulted in God’s taking away their positions as priests. In this life, they had to bear their shame for the sins they committed. Yet God gave them other responsibilities in the care of the temple and the temple services.

All of us bear the marks of the sins we have committed. Some of us publicly bear the shame and embarrassment of past choices. Broken marriages, addictions, abortions, and the like never go away. We remember. Others remember.

And sometimes those sins can exclude us from certain parts of ministry. But I am thankful that God doesn’t just write us off.

God has things for us to do in service to Him. He forgives every sin we bring to Him and dresses us with Jesus’ righteousness before the Father. So if that particular sin we’ve committed excludes us from serving as a deacon, we can serve as a grounds keeper. We can visit the sick, or care for widows. If our past prevents us from being a pastor, we might help with the food outreach or keep track of the church finances.

I know there will be some who disagree with me on this. Doesn’t God forgive and wash us clean? Absolutely! We are whiter than snow before our Holy God when He sees us through the blood of His Son.  I think of Matthew, a dishonest tax collector, or Paul, a killer of Christians, both of whom served God in incredible ways after they met Jesus. I am forever thankful for that fact.

A murderer still faces the consequence for that murder, even if he or she comes to the Savior while behind bars. They are free from the law of sin and death. But they are not free to walk out of that prison. A child who was aborted does’t automatically come to life when the parent confesses that sin. People hurt by the actions of an addict don’t automatically heal just because the addict asked God to forgive him or her. Sometimes we just have to live with consequences for sin.

But that’s not an excuse to quit serving. Ezekiel tells us the former priests took on other responsibilities to keep the ministry of the temple running. They could no longer serve as priests because of the sins they had committed, so they got busy serving in other ways.

I guess I’m just suggesting that, if your church fellowship feels led to take away a ministry you’ve participated in, don’t get mad and walk away. Find some other way to serve. Serving God is not about you, anyway.

 

September 10 – All Of Me

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Ezekiel 42-43

These chapters have me asking myself what it means to be the temple of God in 2016. It occurs to me I was thinking way too small.

I have asked Jesus into my heart. I’ve pictured my repentant heart as the place where God lives on earth. But as vital as my heart is, it’s not everything.

Ezekiel reports that God said, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of my feet…” (43:7)

Have you ever seen the old Steve Martin movie, “All of Me”? I think one of the funniest scenes in the movie is when the “spirit” of Lily Tomlin’s character enters Martin’s character. Watching Martin trying to navigate his steps, while being controlled by that spirit just cracks me up every time. Martin has to learn to walk, and talk, and move as one with that spirit. The challenge comes when Martin tries to take control and move independently of the spirit.

Being God’s temple is kind of like that. If God’s spirit is in me, He not only controls my thoughts and feelings, but my fingers and toes, my voice… all of me! His throne, His dwelling place, reaches down to the soles my feet.

And my life can’t be complete, I can’t maneuver through this life effectively, or be of any use to God, until I learn to move as one with His Spirit.

Father, Take all of me. My heart, my thoughts, down to the soles of my feet. May my arms be Your arms, my feet be Your feet, my elbows and knees and eyes and tongue, be controlled by You alone. I submit myself… all of me… to You.

 

September 9 – A Sturdy Wall

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Ezekiel 40-41

The wall around the temple in Ezekiel’s vision was as thick as it was tall: one rod deep, one rod high (40:5). If my calculations are right, it was about 10 1/2 feet tall and 10 1/2 feet thick. Sounds pretty sturdy to me.

I found a couple of interesting videos on bibliaprints.com that show 3D versions of what the temple in Ezekiel looked like. The videos go verse by verse and it blew me away. That temple looks so amazingly beautiful.

And it humbled me to think that today I am that temple of God. Do I protect the Presence with a sturdy wall around me? Am I as intentional about creating a dwelling place for my Lord that is as lovely as Ezekiel’s temple seems to have been? Can God feel at home in my heart?

Every inch of the temple I read about today was accounted for. Would this temple called Connie hold up to the same scrutiny?

I pray that is so.

September 8 – It’s Final

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Ezekiel 38-39

“Behold, it is coming and it shall be done,” declares the Lord God. “That is the day of which I have spoken.” (39:8)

This verse was written concerning Gog’s impending defeat at the hand of the Israelites. According to Ezekiel, it was going to be a decisive victory for the Jews, and a complete devastation for Gog.

But as I think about this part of Scripture, I am reminded that this verse is relevant still today. It is a verse I feel ok about taking out of context because it is a theme that is repeated often: God has the final word.

Period.

We read in the Bible that Jesus is coming again. The world as we know it will end. There will be a day of judgment, and eternity to live with the decision you made while living in this body.

Like it or not, believe it or not, God will have the last word. “Behold, it is coming and it shall be done.”