Category Archives: 2 Minute Devos

A Simple Joy

“Christianity isn’t true because we believe it; it’s true and we believe it. Our faith is anchored to the absolute truth of Scripture and the resurrection of Jesus. So when we approach God, we do so with confident assurance that what the Bible teaches is true.”- Lee Strobel

When our character and thoughts are aligned to the absolute truth of God’s Word we experience the transcending joy talked about throughout the Scriptures. Reading God’s Word is one thing, but transformation comes when we believe what we read and act on that belief. We can fill our heads with knowledge all day, but unless we act on that knowledge, we have nothing but words. Words are not eternal; truth is eternal. John 16:13 tells us, “…the Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you into all truth…” When we hear the conflicting messages all around us it is easy to become overwhelmed with all the “noise” in our heads. What is truth, what should I do, which direction do I take? Jesus simply tells us to “Continue in My Word…and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)  The world is complicated, Jesus is simple; let’s not complicate what He has made so easy for us. Seek His truth, stay in His Word, and experience the pleasurable joy He created you for.

“Good” Parenting Starts in My Heart

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deut 6:5-8

How to be a good parent in one sentence.

Society chooses to fill the minds of children with useless garbage, yet we as parents have a choice as what to teach our kids. What we allow them to spend time with, what we allow them to read, watch, and DO. All of these things truly effect their eternity, and it falls on US to teach them the right path. It is our responsibility as parents, and indeed, we will answer for our choices to teach our children-or not teach them the only thing that truly matters. Sounds serious? This is serious! Life is not a joke, and we are responsible with equipping our children with the appropriate tools to deal with life in a godly, wise way. We can’t expect them to do this unless we ourselves are living it. After all, we are immitators of Christ, and this is what we want our children to immulate in us.

We are quick to quote Proverbs “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it”, however, that training involves a lifestyle, not just filling our children’s minds with knowledge or sending them to Sunday School once a week. This passage from Deuteronomy is perfect; we are told to walk it, talk it, live it every morning noon and night. It is a way of life. It starts with us as parents. Do WE love the Lord our God with all OUR hearts, soul, strength, and mind? Let’s start there, and we won’t need to worry so much about what happens with our kids…

“Lord, change ME, teach ME, and let my child see YOU in me, and grow to love YOU as they see me loving You!”

Inner Sanctuary….Outer Court

Psalm 91:1 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High.”

“The blessings here promised are not for all believers, but for those who live in close fellowship with God. Every child of God looks toward the inner sanctuary and the mercyseat, yet all do not dwell in the most holy place; they run to it at times, and enjoy occasional approaches, but they do not habitually reside in the mysterious presence. Those who through rich grace obtain unusual and continuous communion with God, so as to benefits, which are missed by those who follow afar off, and grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Into the secret place those only come who know the love of God in Christ Jesus, and those only dwell there to whom to live is Christ.

Outer court worshippers little know what belongs to the inner sanctuary, or surely they would press until the place of nearness and divine familiarity became theirs. Those who are the Lord’s constant guests shall find that he will never suffer any to be injured within his gates; he has eaten the covenant salt with them, and is pledged for their protection. Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. The Omnipotent Lord will shield all those who dwell with him, they shall remain under his care as guests under the protection of their host….Those who commune with God are safe with Him, no evil can reach them, for the outstretched wings of His power and love cover them from all harm. This protection is constant- they abide under it, and it is all sufficient, for it is the shadow of the Almighty, whose omnipotence will surely screen them from all attack. No shelter can be imagined at all comparable to the protection of Jehovah’s own shadow.

The more closely we cling to our Almighty Father the more confident we may be.”

-Charles H Spurgeon, (Treasury of David, Vol 5 pp 71-72)

There is most definitely a difference in relationship amongst believers with the Almighty God. We have the choice of what our relationship with Him will look like. Will we choose to fellowship with Him in His inner sanctuary of ultimate safety, peace, and protection? This is the promise He gives to us, and what a wonderful promise it is! Yet the entanglements of the world often overtake many believers, and while they do not lose their postion as family members with Christ as their Heavenly Father, they do lose out on the special fellowship that He had planned, truly that He had designed for each and every one of them. What a disheartening thought! All of these wonderful promises He openly gives us, and yet many still choose another way. As the story of the prodigal son tells us, the “son” never ceased to be a son, his relationship and place in the family was always secure despite the fact that he did not act like the father’s son, or respect the father’s gift. Yet he always remained the son. Just the same we see here that we are safe under the protection of the Almighty’s hand, IF we choose to dwell in His secret place! This place is not something all believers choose for themselves, yet they are no less believers, and still remain a part of the kingdom, but the fellowship they have with the Father is much different then with those who have chosen to dwell in this sacred secret place and His inner sanctuary. This intimate relationship with Christ Himself truly is a special treasure that only a small portion of believers ever experience, which is why there are seperate areas of worship. The inner sanctuary for those who have chosen to dwell closely to Him, and the outer courts for those who have chosen to look on in apathy all their lives. God loves us all the same, and all who put their trust in Jesus work on the cross to cleanse their sin are truly safe forever in His hand, never to be plucked out. (Romans 8:38-39) But we see here, very clearly, that there are varying levels of relationship with Him, and as God is no respecter of persons, that means this relationship is up to us and how we decide to pursue it. He offers it all equally and freely and desires we all experience His perfect peace, and protection. How it must grieve the Spirit when we choose other gods before HIM! Do you dwell in the inner sanctuary of the Most High? Are you abdiding in that secret place with your Almighty Father? He offers it freely, He promises you safety, protection, peace, and calm amidst the many storms of life. Whether or not you abide in those promises is up to YOU.

“He wishes us to know Him, and by His Word and by His Spirit He puts Himself before us. Ah! it is not His fault if we do not know Him. It is our own carelessness.” Mary B. M. Duncan, in “Under the Shadow” 1867

… On Psalm 91:1

Verse 1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High.
“What intimate and unrestrained communion does this describe!-the Christian in everything making known his heart, with its needs and wishes, it’s thoughts and feelings, its doubts and anxieties, its sorrows and its joys, to God, as to a loving friend. And all is not on one side. This Almighty Friend has admitted his chosen one to his ‘secret place.’ It is almost too wonderful to be true. it is almost too presumptuous to entertain. But He Himself permits it, desires it, teaches us to realize that it is communion to which he calls us. ‘The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.’ And what is this ‘secret’? It is that in God which the world neither knows, nor sees, nor cares to enjoy. It ishis mind revealed to those who love him, his plans, and ways (‘He made known his ways to Moses‘, Ps 103:7), and thoughts opened to them. Yea, and things hid from angels are manifest to the least of his friends (1 Pe 1:12). He wishes us to know him, and by His Word and by his Spirit he puts himself before us. Ah! it is not his fault if we do not know him. It is our own carelessness.” Mary B. M. Duncan, in “Under the Shadow”, 1867

-Charles Spurgeon, (The Treasury of David Vol 5, p 85)

Charles Spurgeon on Psalm 91:7

Verse 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand.‏

“So terribly may the plague rage among men that the bills of mortality may become very heavy and continue to grow ten times heavier still, yet shall such as this Psalm speaks of survive the scythe of death. It shall not come nigh to thee. It shall not be so near as to be at thy side, and yet not nigh enough to touch thee; like a fire it shall burn all around, yet shall not the smell of it pass upon thee. How true is this of the plague of moral evil, of heresy, and of backsliding. Whole nations are infected, yet the man who communes with God is not affected by the contagion; he holds the truth when falsehood is all the fashion. Professors all around him are plague smitten, the church is wasted, the very life of religion decays, but in the same place and time, in fellowship with God, the believer renews his youth, and his soul knows no sickness. In a measure this also is true of physical evil; the Lord still puts a difference between Israel and Egypt in the day of his plagues. Sennacherib’s army is blasted, but Jerusalem is in health.
‘Our God his chosen people saves
Amongst the dead, amidst the graves.'”

-Charles Spurgeon (Treasury of David, Vol 5-pp77-78)

Delight, Desire…Worship

Delight, Desire….Worship

 “I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.

Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

John 16:13 (NIV)

 “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

 “Whom have I in heaven but You?

I desire You more than anything.”

Psalm 73:25 (NLT)

“Only as we truly delight in God is it safe to give us our desires, for then they are not likely to become idols. And by our delighting in God, He heals our false desires as our souls come true in light of their Maker. Worship becomes the means by which we most deeply heal our desire.

Worship is the act of the abandoned heart adoring its God.

Simply showing up for church on Sunday is not even close to worship. Neither does singing songs with religious content pass for worship. What counts is the posture of the soul involved, the open heart pouring forth its love toward God and communing with Him. It is a question of desire.

Worship occurs when we say to God, from the bottom of our hearts, ‘You are the One whom I desire.'” –

John Eldredge (Desire)

As we come together week after week to bring “worship” to the congregation I believe it becomes imperative that we must first ask God to search our own hearts and motives and show us our inner most desires. Can we say to God, in all honesty that He is our only desire, above all else? How can we express true worship to our brothers and sisters in the congregation if our own hearts are not in the right place? It becomes clearer that just showing up on Sunday (and Wednesday) with our “talents” is not enough. The people need to see us fully abandoned before God, every Sunday. The only way we can do that is if we are delighting in Him every other day of the week.

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

 “Restore our fortunes, Lord,

as streams renew the desert.

Those who plant in tears

will harvest with shouts of joy.

They weep as they go to plant their seed,

but they sing as they return with the harvest.”

Psalm 126:4-6 (NLT)

This passage is a beautiful word picture of glory restored where sorrow once reigned. We are given an array of scenes to describe the spiritual restoration. Sparkling streams in a barren desert; laboring with bitter tears in contrast to harvesting with dances of pure joy; heavy grief followed by melodious singing. What a magnificent imagery!

If there is to be beautiful streams of cool flowing water, we must be given a picture of something seemingly opposing to make this stream even more glorious in appearance. What could be more opposing to a crystal clear stream of water than a dry, brown, wasteland of a desert?

Restoration involves opposition. How can we truly experience all there is to know of joy unless we have wept those bitter tears of agony? Would the singing be as sweet without the somber sorrow? Would the dancing be as jubilant without the perilous pain? Would the harvest really be as sweet without the perseverance, faith, and cries to our Father?

We are being called to a restoration of the glory we were created for. The image-bearers of our very God-made for Him, by Him. If we want to be that glorious reflecting stream of water, fully alive, flowing throughout a dry land, bringing life to all we touch, we must accept our surrounding deserts. For He made the sparkling streams and the barren deserts alike.