Oct 14 18
Beyond Our Highest Expectations
“You did awesome things beyond our highest expectations.” Isaiah 64:3 NLT
Even though it was 29 years ago, I can still clearly recall the first moment I set eyes on the house we are living in now. At the time, we had just sold our second home in another state, and we desperately needed another place to live. We had just put a bid on a house that we were sure would be perfect for us, but had lost it because another buyer outbid us. I cried bitter tears because I was sure that we had missed out on the only option we had to avoid putting our furniture in storage and living in a hotel. The disappointment overwhelmed me, and I got on my knees and pleaded with the Lord to intervene on our behalf mightily and speedily.
That’s when my husband, Joe, and I came upon our present home. There was a “For Sale” sign out front, and as we gazed at it, I said, “There is no way that this house is in our price range.” Fortunately, my husband insisted that we call the realtor and ask about it. The information said that this house was in “immaculate move-in condition.” And, yes, it was in our price range. How could that be, when the home we just lost a bid on was in the same price range, but needed thousands of dollars in repairs?
Joe and I were dumbfounded as we toured the house that was to become our new home. The inside truly was in move-in condition, with new carpeting and beautiful wallpaper throughout. And the property was larger than we ever dared ask for, with a majestic farm and field behind it. The fact that the house was already vacant and owned by a relocation company made it possible for us to buy it and move into it in only nine days.
Scripture says: “You did awesome things beyond our highest expectations.” (Isaiah 64:3 NLT) God loves to surprise His children by going above and beyond what we expect. Joe and I were prepared to settle for that first house we put a bid on, even though it would cost us thousands of dollars just to make it look presentable. We had no idea that the Lord had us lose that first house in a bidding war so that He could give us something infinitely better.
Perhaps you have suffered a disappointment of your own, and you are wondering what God is up to. I encourage you to trust Him and His good intentions, and believe that He has something even better in store for you. When you take your stand in faith, He will exceed your highest expectations!
Lord, only You know the true depth of my pain whenever I suffer a disappointment. Reveal Yourself to me as my Comforter and Healer, and fill me with a fresh sense of hope. Teach me how to pray the prayers of Your heart, and to believe that You are always up to something good in my life. Thank You that as I put my wholehearted trust in You, You will do awesome things beyond my highest expectations!
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Oct 7 18
Call Upon the Name of Jesus
“And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:21 NASB
It was during my private devotional time with the Lord one morning when He showed me Acts 2:21, where the apostle Peter was quoting Joel 2:32. And He showed me that I wasn’t making the most of this promise of His. So I took some time to study these verses out, and I discovered that we make a mistake when we only apply these promises to our initial new birth experience.
Many Bible scholars and commentators believe that when God says that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” He is inviting His people to call upon Him to act on their behalf in every area of their lives – in every point of need. When we limit the blessings of this promise to our initial salvation experience, we are robbing ourselves of deliverances that we can gain access to when we accept its broader applications.
Now, when I have a specific need, I often draw upon the power of God’s promise by mixing it with faith. (Hebrews 4:2 NKJV) I say, “Lord Jesus, You said that everyone who calls on Your name will be saved, so I am asking You to deliver me from the aches and pains in my body.” Or, “Lord Jesus, I call upon Your name today for deliverance from debt and lack.” Or even, “Jesus, I ask You to save me from this ungodly habit.” I often get even more specific than this in my requests, and you can, too.
The Amplified Bible reads: “And it shall be that whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord [invoking, adoring, and worshiping the Lord – Christ] shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21 AMP) If you adore and worship the Lord Jesus, then you have the privilege of calling upon Him for deliverance in every situation and circumstance. Call upon Him today, and discover just how eager He is to prove His faithfulness to His Word!
Lord, I want to receive all the benefits of Your “very great and precious promises,” and I ask You to help me do that by giving me revelation and insight into how they apply to my life. (2 Peter 1:4 NIV) Teach me how to call upon Your name to receive all the benefits of my salvation. Don’t let me rob myself of the untold divine deliverances You have in store for me. Thank You that as I call upon Your holy name whenever I need Your saving help, I will experience Your faithfulness and Your presence in a greater way!
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Sep 30 18
God’s Mysterious Methods
“Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are His wisdom and knowledge and riches! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His methods!” Romans 11:33 TLB
I have a special fondness for the Scripture above because it reminds me how “impossible” it is for me to “understand [God’s] decisions and His methods.” And it helps me not to overthink things, but to just pray for His wisdom and help, and to leave the results in His very capable hands.
When I was a young mother with two little children, my husband, Joe, and I decided to sell the small house we lived in. Our home was in a private lake community with dirt roads and very few creature comforts. We didn’t expect to get much money for the sale, so we decided to sell our house without a realtor, and to list it in the local newspaper. We were stunned when we got an offer the same day from a lady who refused to leave our home until we accepted her check for a sizable deposit.
Several years later, we decided to sell our second home, and once again, we tried to sell it without a realtor. But after many weeks of not receiving any acceptable offers, we resigned ourselves to listing our home with a local realtor. This man warned us that because there were literally hundreds of houses for sale in our area, we shouldn’t expect an offer anytime soon, and we shouldn’t expect to get our full asking price. We were amazed when we got three offers for our home right away, and the buyer we selected gave us the price we wanted, and would take occupancy in only a matter of weeks. People told us that we would have to put our furniture in storage and live in a hotel while we looked for a new home in another state, but God intervened in a mighty way, and enabled us to find and buy the home we are in now in only nine days.
One of the most important lessons we learned in all this was that we should have prayed for God’s guidance when we decided to put our second home up for sale. Because we had such a good experience selling our first home without a realtor, we assumed that we should use the same method to sell our second home. But God had other plans for us. And when we got into agreement with Him and His methods, that’s when doors starting opening, and things began falling into place.
The Amplified translation of Romans 11:33 says: “…How untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are [God’s] ways (His methods, His paths)!” Don’t try to figure out the Lord’s mysterious methods, but do ask for His wisdom and direction so you can receive His very best in all you do!
Lord, help me never to limit Your activity in my life by my small thinking. Expand my vision, and remind me often that Your methods are mysterious and infinite in number. Teach me to consult You and Your perspective in all of my ways and decisions. Thank You that as I seek Your wisdom and follow Your lead, You will open doors and obliterate obstacles so that I can receive Your very best!
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Sep 23 18
Keep Praying Until the Answer Comes
“But she came and worshiped Him, pleading again, ‘Lord, help me!’” Matthew 15:25 NLT
The Bible account of the Canaanite woman coming to Jesus for healing for her demon-possessed daughter is a familiar one to many of us. As she cries out to the Messiah, first He pointedly ignores her. But she isn’t deterred. Scripture says, “But she came and worshiped Him, pleading again, ‘Lord, help me!’” Jesus flatly refuses to help her, and even compares her to a dog because of her heritage. Instead of being insulted and walking away, this determined woman says, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” How does Jesus respond? He declares joyfully, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” The Bible goes on to say, “And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” (Matthew 15:27-28 NASB)
The Lord has often led me to this account when I have become discouraged over unanswered prayers. When I have been tempted to settle for less than God’s best. When I have begun thinking, “Maybe it’s just not God’s will for me.” When I felt like this recently, the Lord led me to the Message Bible’s translation of Matthew 15. The Canaanite woman’s response in verse 27 says, “You’re right, Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master’s table.’” God spoke to my heart and said that this desperate mother was rewarded because she wasn’t too proud to beg for the Savior’s intervention. She simply wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
When I studied this passage out, I discovered that Bible commentators say that this woman was practicing Jesus’ own teaching in Luke 18, where He teaches on persevering in prayer using “The Parable of the Persistent Widow.” Scripture introduces the Savior’s lesson with the statement, “One day Jesus told His disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must keep praying until the answer comes.” (Luke 18:1 TLB) The fact that Jesus calls the Canaanite woman’s faith “great” tells us that her refusal to quit seeking His intervention was pleasing and glorifying to God.
I must tell you that I am not too proud to plead with the Lord when I or my loved ones need His help. Some of my most incredible breakthroughs have come as a result of begging for God’s mighty intervention. Jesus commends the Persistent Widow in His parable, and ends His teaching with a profound question – “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of persistent] faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8 AMP) What blessings, rewards, and opportunities are you at risk of missing out on if you don’t persist in your prayers?
Lord, teach me how to have the kind of “great” faith that pleases You most. By Your Spirit, empower me to persevere in prayer when I don’t receive my answers as quickly as I would like. Remind me that there are forces in this world that will stop at nothing to hinder the answers to my petitions. Thank You that as I earnestly seek You and Your will for every area of my life, You will shape my prayers and pleas so that they always honor and glorify You!
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Sep 16 18
Go Ahead and Complain
“Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for THEM.” Matthew 7:12 MSG
I have made an observation about people, in general, over the years, and it goes like this: We complain when we should be grateful, and we DON’T complain when we should call someone to account for their unacceptable behavior. Of course, this is a generalization, but I am seeing it more and more in our society.
Unfortunately, Christians may be more guilty of this than most people, because we are constantly aware of the verses in the Bible that warn against complaining. (1 Corinthians 10:9-11) Too often, we keep silent when we should speak. Perhaps a good principle to apply in these matters is Ecclesiastes 7:18 (NIV): “Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.”
When my almost-new dishwasher began malfunctioning, I called the manufacturer’s customer service department and voiced my complaint. What began then was a harrowing series of service visits to my home – a dozen, in fact – without the problem being resolved. Our dishwasher was still under warranty, and we didn’t get charged for any of the visits or replacement parts, so the manufacturer figured that we had nothing to complain about. But to say that the entire process was frustrating is a gross understatement.
You can bet that I was praying the whole time, and seeking the Lord for His guidance and assistance in the matter. Even so, the dishwasher problems persisted for almost a year. I kept pleading with the Lord, and with the manufacturer, for a new dishwasher at no cost to me and my husband. All the company would do is extend our warranty for another year for free.
I finally got to the point where I said, “No more!” No more service visits, and no more replacement parts for our appliance. That’s when I contacted my state’s Attorney General’s office. The Lord had spoken to my heart that this manufacturer was doing this to other customers – not just me – and that was enough motivation for me to take my complaint to the next level. A few weeks later, the manufacturer hired a “white glove” service to remove our old defective dishwasher, and to install a brand new one – at absolutely no charge to us.
Jesus said, “Do for others what you want them to do for you. This is the teaching of the laws of Moses in a nutshell.” (Matthew 7:12 TLB) There are times when the Lord wants His people to complain about shoddy work and mediocre service – not just for our own sakes, but for the sake of others. God cares about the relatively “small” injustices, as well as the major ones. In each and every case, let us ask our Master, “What would YOU have me do?”
Lord, Your Word says that You are “a God of justice,” and that I am called to “imitate” You. (Isaiah 30:18 NIV; Ephesians 5:1 NLT) So whenever I encounter injustices of any size, give me the wisdom and guidance to know what You want me to do as Your “representative” in this world. (Colossians 3:17 NLT) Don’t allow me to be silent when You want me to speak up, and give me “the right words at the right time” to voice my complaint according to Your will. (Matthew 10:19-20 NLT) Thank You that as I complain Your way, You will bless me and others for Your glory!
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“May God bless you richly and grant you increasing freedom from all anxiety and fear.” 1 Peter 1:2 TLB
When I first saw this verse in the Living Bible years ago, I said, “I want that, Lord!” I have struggled with anxiety and fear for most of my life, and until I began reading the Bible, I thought that I had no choice in the matter. Here, the apostle Peter was telling me that I could actually experience “increasing freedom from ALL anxiety and fear.”
But how? My answer came in the form of the Amplified translation of this verse. “May grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be yours in increasing abundance [AS YOU WALK CLOSELY WITH GOD].” How do we walk closely with the Lord? We spend time alone with Him – reading His Word, listening for His voice, praying and sharing our most private thoughts and deepest desires with Him. And we make pleasing Him our number one priority – being willing to offend even our closest loved ones, rather than offend Him.
Scripture says, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3 NKJV) In order for us to walk closely with God, we need to be in agreement with His laws, His truth, and His principles. The more we align our beliefs and actions with Scripture, the better we will hear the Lord’s voice and be empowered to obey Him. This involves following the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
The apostle Paul wrote, “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (Galatians 5:25 NLT) The Amplified translation puts it this way: “If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage – our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit].” Walking closely with God means walking in the Spirit, and becoming more and more like Christ all the time.
As followers of Christ, you and I have the potential and privilege to experience “increasing freedom from ALL anxiety and fear.” Let’s not settle for anything less.
Lord, teach me what it means to walk closely with You. Renew my mind so that I will always be in agreement with Your laws and Your truth. Help me to spend undistracted and unhurried time alone with You and Your Word on a regular basis – pouring out my heart to You, listening for Your voice, and drawing on Your strength. Thank You that as I follow Your Spirit’s leading in every area of my life, I will experience the freedom from anxiety and fear that is my inheritance in Christ!
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Sep 2 18
What Are You Afraid Of?
“I, I’m the One comforting you. What are you afraid of – or who? Some man or woman who’ll soon be dead? Some poor wretch destined for dust? You’ve forgotten Me, God, who made you, who unfurled the skies, who founded the earth.” Isaiah 51:12-13 MSG
When was the last time you knew that you had to have a very difficult conversation with someone – a conversation that could result in that person lashing out at you? Do you remember the feelings of fear and dread that you experienced?
The last time I was in this situation, I suffered in silence, until I turned to the Lord for His perspective and consolation. He led me to Isaiah 51:12 (NLT), which says, “I, yes I, am the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear? Yet you have forgotten the Lord, your Creator, the one who stretched out the sky like a canopy and laid the foundations of the earth.” This was the Lord’s righteous indignation against my fearing people more than Him.
This passage continues – “Will you remain in constant dread of human oppressors? Will you continue to fear the anger of your enemies? Where is their fury and anger now? It is gone!” (Isaiah 51:13 NLT) If the Lord was trying to make me feel ashamed, He succeeded. He made me realize that as a servant of the Most High God, I didn’t need to be afraid of people, because He would protect me and defend me as long as I was in submission to Him, and looking to Him for help.
I love how the Message Bible says, “But what will come of the tantrums?” (Isaiah 51:13 MSG) It is utterly ridiculous for God’s chosen ones to quake and quiver when people rail against us. Instead of magnifying our problems or other people, we need to magnify our great God. When we do, no person on earth and no devil in hell will be able to harm a hair on our heads! (Luke 21:18)
Lord, forgive me for the times when I had more fear of people, than faith in You. When I am tempted to dread my dealings with others, remind me of how committed You are to protecting me and causing me to succeed. Teach me how to magnify You, Your power, and Your love – and to minimize other people’s tantrums and threats against me. Thank You that as I give You Your rightful place in my life, I will never have to fear anyone but You!
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Aug 27 18
God-Haters vs. God-Lovers
“I give out good and get back evil from God-haters who can’t stand a God-lover.” Psalm 38:20 MSG
I came across this verse in my devotional time with the Lord, and He gently began to remind me that not everyone is going to repay me with good when I do good to them. In fact, some people will actually hate me for it. What is most painful is that some of these folks will be among my own loved ones, and some of them will even call themselves Christians. But the truth is that they have no love for God, or for His people.
The New Living Translation of this verse says: “They repay me evil for good and oppose me for pursuing good.” (Psalm 38:20 NLT) Not everyone is going to be happy when we do our best to pursue good in this life – some people will actually become our adversaries because of it. Case in point: We may hear from God in a situation, and then start out trying to follow His will, and then be met by opposition, and begin wondering if we heard God right. It’s always a good idea in these cases to ask the Lord for confirmation and clarification. But chances are, we are already on the right track, and the enemy of our souls is working behind the scenes to stir up people to come against us. If we will stand firm in doing the good that God has assigned us, we will eventually reap the rewards for our obedience. (Galatians 6:9)
Jesus told His disciples: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:18-19, 20 NIV) Because the Savior endured the worst kind of persecution when He was here, He is able to relate to our suffering, and He is ever ready to give us all the comfort and encouragement we need to not only endure, but to overcome.
As the Scripture above in Psalm 38 says, God-haters can’t stand a God-lover. And that’s okay. Our goal is not to please people, but to please God. (2 Corinthians 5:9) And if we look to Him for wisdom and strength, He will protect us and provide for us as we live our life for Him!
Lord, make me a God-lover in every way, and cause me to grow closer to You every day. Help me to spend my life doing the good works You have called me to, and to do them wholeheartedly and with joy. When I suffer persecution because of my devotion to You, comfort me and empower me to respond in a Christlike way. Thank You that as I make pleasing You my number one priority, You will promote me and give me even greater responsibility for Your glory!
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Aug 20 18
Favor Us and Give Us Success
“Let the Lord our God favor us and give us success. May He give permanence to all we do.” Psalm 90:17 TLB
Moses is given credit for writing this psalm. In it, he laments how short our lives are, and how full of misery they can be. So it’s no surprise that before he finishes this psalm, he asks God to “give permanence to all we do.”
We all want to leave our “mark” on the world. We all want to believe that when we are gone, we will be missed. The good news is that if we will just live our lives for Christ while we are here, He will guarantee that our efforts will have a lasting impact on this world – not just for ourselves, but for His glory.
If we want to leave a godly legacy behind us, then it’s important that we ask the Lord to “favor us and give us success” as we go about performing the deeds that He has assigned to us. The devil and his minions will do their best to interfere with our efforts, but with God on our side, and with Him opening doors for us and making us stand out in a crowd, our success is guaranteed.
Psalm 112 says: “Those who are righteous will be long remembered. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” (v.6,9 NLT) You and I don’t have to worry that the works we do in the Lord’s name while we are here will be forgotten after we are gone. God Himself is going to see to it that we are remembered and honored for our good deeds in this life – as well as in the life to come – simply because we performed them in obedience to Him. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)
The apostle Paul had it right when he said, “Nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted.” (1 Corinthians 15:58 TLB) Let’s you and I pray Moses’ prayer so that we can become the world-changers for Christ that we are destined to be!
Lord, grant me Your favor as I go about my business each day, performing the tasks You assign to me. Give me success in all of my endeavors, and prosper the works of my hands. Make me stand out in a crowd in ways that will bring glory to Your name. Thank You that I and my good deeds will be remembered forever because of Your faithfulness to Your Word!
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Aug 12 18
