DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 2.12.22

Learning to be Content by Anna Kuta “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to sufferneed. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians4:11-13). I am not a patient person. I admit it. Whether I’m stuck behind a slow driver on a one-lane road, counting down the hours to a particular event, or realizing that something I’ve been looking forward to has been postponed, waiting has never been somethingeasy for me. Wishing for the future is also something I’ve often struggled with. Whether counting down to high school graduation, the start of college, college graduation or my first job, it seemed at the time like each of those things could not come fast enough. Itisn’t until looking back that I realize in each of those seasons of life God was teaching me things and using me for a particular purpose right where I was. That’s not to say I don’t still struggle with the “grass is greener” syndrome, though. I’ve been outof college for nine months now and gotten settled into my job, but these days, especially as Valentine’s Day rolls around, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get discouraged by being a single girl sometimes. ---------------------------- Love Your Neighbor as Yourself by Kelly Givens “And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, “'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This isthe great and first commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " - Matthew 22:35-39 I live in an apartment complex, and new tenants have recently moved into the rental directly below me. I haven’t met them yet, but I do know one thing about them: they have an incredibly close relationship with their bass speakers. If you’ve ever had neighborswith a big sound system, you’ll know why I’m frustrated. While other sound waves bounce off or are absorbed by the objects around them, bass sound travels right through. So while I can’t hear the words of the song my neighbors are blasting, I can feel thefloor vibrating to the irregular, heart-beat-like bumps of the bass. It’s the kind of sound that even earplugs can’t always drown out--which is especially annoying at 1 o’clock in the morning. Situations like these tempt me to toss aside every sermon I’ve heard on patience, gentleness and self-control and start banging on the floor with a broom handle. But this is completely antithetical to what Christ demands. Jesus’ message to “love your neighboras yourself” is a verse that often gets thrown out there without a lot of thought. However, I’m starting to realize there are major implications of truly loving someone the way I love myself. ---------------------- Worry-phobia by Meghan Kleppinger For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” - Romans8:15 The word “phobia” comes from the Greek word for fear, phobos. One of my college psychology professors explained a phobia as an irrational fear of something that can potentially be harmful. Arachnophobia, the fear of spiders, for example, is an abnormalfear of spiders. Spider bites can be deadly, but most spiders are harmless and if a person gets bit by one, the chances of it being a lethal bite are minimal Still, a person who suffers from this phobia, like me, can’t be told to “not worry” when they see one of those eight-legged monsters. When I see a spider, the blood drains from my face, I can’t move… actually, all I can do is scream until someone comes torescue me. I’m not kidding. I, a grown adult, have been known to stand on top of a table and scream until my mother, yes, my mother, comes and gets rid of the disgusting arachnid. ----------------- No Greater Love John 15:12-14 Perhaps the most intense love and protective instinct in the experience of mankind is that of parents toward their children. There is little that most mothers or fathers wouldn't do for a baby. If a truck posed a threat to the little one, it wouldn't surpriseus if they jumped in front of the moving vehicle without a second thought. Wouldn't you like to be cared for with this kind of intensity? You are. In fact, the Lord's love toward you is far deeper and more secure than that of even the most caring, tuned-in human parent. And what God did for us is proof. Romans5:8 says that while we were living in disobedience, He sent His only Son to die on the cross for us. Think about a father giving up his child for people who choose to rebel against him. What a tremendous sacrifice and cost! Jesus' death took the place of the punishment that we deserved. If we accept this gift and decide to follow God, He no longer seesus as guilty. Rather, He justifies us, makes us righteous, and changes our ultimate destiny: instead of facing everlasting separation from Him, we will enjoy His presence eternally. What's more, almighty God adopts us as His children forever. Our heavenly Father guides, protects, and counsels us as wewalk through life—and promises us that we are secure in Him throughout eternity. How incredible that the Creator of the universe would love you and me in this way! Do you know and experience the security and sweetness of His care? Gratitude and praise should flow from your heart. In turn, love others deeply out of thankfulness for thelove that you have received. ------------------------ Our Inseparable Relationship Romans 8:31-39 Far too many relationships in today's world are uncertain. Disunity is found in marriages, churches, and international alliances. Yet there's one relationship that is sure and permanent. The Lord designed people for intimate fellowship with Him. His love toward each of us is evident throughout the Bible. In fact, there is nothing tangible, intangible, past, present, or future that can separate believers from the Father's love. John 10:14draws a comparison between Jesus and a good shepherd—a man whose ultimate task is providing for and protecting the flock. Christ's character is one of passionate care for His people. First John4:16 clearly states, "God is love." If we believe the Bible, then we cannot deny this fact about His nature. We also see evidence of divine love through the Lord's gifts and actions. For example, He created us in His image (Gen. 1:26). He sentHis only Son to die in our place, and He forgives us of our sin debt (1 Cor. 15:3). John15:15 tells us that Christ calls us His friends—and what's more, when we trust in Jesus, God adopts us and considers us His children (Rom.8:15). He even blesses us with an Intercessor and Helper—the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). The Word is clear: God loves us passionately. The affection we experience in our families is only a glimpse of the great compassion and care that God has for you. Think about the people you treasure most. Imagine what you would be willing to do if they experienced a need. How much more will our heavenlyFather be devoted to you! ----------------------------- God's Master Plan of Finance Malachi3:7-12 Though the world is full of disorder, confusion, and uncertainty, believers in Christ have the wonderful assurance that God is in absolute control of every situation. When He created the heavens and the earth, He had a purpose and a plan, which He carriedout with precision and order. Nothing was haphazard, late, or uncertain. The Lord also has a plan for each one of us, and every aspect of our lives is not only under His scrutiny, but also under His care. One of those areas is our finances. If we'll follow God's plan, He promises to manage our money. Now, that's quite a blessing. After all, who do you think would be better at knowing how to handle money—you or our omniscient, all-powerful God? He promises that if we will give Him the first part of all we receive, He'll provide for our needs. He has an amazing way of making the remainder stretch farther than the original amount. --------------------- Abel'sTimely Testimony “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness thathe was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” (Hebrews11:4) Abel, Adam’s second son, was a faithful, God-honoring man, but he was murdered by his older brother, Cain. From Genesis 4 we know that Cain’s bloodless sacrifice was not accepted by God, while Abel’s animal sacrifice was accepted. Cain’s pride, anger, and rejectionof God’s offer of restoration resulted in the murder of obedient Abel. Our text tells us that Abel “being dead yet speaketh.” What does he say? To whom does he speak? First of all, he spoke to God. “The voice of thy brother’s [Abel’s] blood crieth unto me from the ground” (Genesis4:10). Many have followed Abel in martyrdom, and they all cry, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Revelation6:10). Secondly, he spoke to Cain. “And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand” (Genesis4:11). Cain was banished by God: “a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth” (v. 12), and every spot of ground on which he placed his foot from then on would be crying out to him, indicting him of his sin. Thirdly, Abel speaks to us. His witness reminds us that men must come to God in obedient faith, for Abel obeyed God’s instructions regarding sacrifice (4:3-4). He offered the sacrifice in faith that God would deem him “righteous” (today’s text). The acceptanceof the blood sacrifice and the rewards of his brother’s disobedience speak eloquently of the “wages of sin.” May God give us ears to hear Abel’s timely testimony. JDM -------------------------- ThatGoodly Mountain “And I besought the LORD at that time, saying, O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness,and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.” (Deuteronomy3:23-25) This was the heartfelt prayer of Moses, for he was longing to see the Promised Land that had been his goal for so many years. He knew that God, rebuking his disobedience at Meribah, had said: “Therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land whichI have given them” (Numbers20:12). Yet, he desired greatly to “go over” the Jordan to see firsthand the “goodly mountain.” The “goodly mountain” most likely was majestic Mount Hermon, the 9,200-foot, snow-capped peak dominating the southern end of the mountain ranges of Lebanon. God would not allow Moses to enter the land, even though He “shewed him all the land” from the top ofMount Pisgah before he died (Deuteronomy34:1). But then, in a marvelous and mysterious way, Moses finally did not only see but stand on Mount Hermon! “And after six days Jesus...bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them:...And, behold, there appeared unto them Mosesand Elias talking with him” (Matthew17:1-3). There, on the Mount of Transfiguration— that goodly mountain—was Moses, along with Elijah, speaking with Jesus “of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke9:31). God had answered his prayer! He had “begun to show” Moses the greatness of His might long ago in Egypt, but now he could see the greatness of His love as Christ prepared to die for his salvation and ours. HMM ---------------------------- EverythingWe Need “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, throughthe knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” (2Peter 1:3) In His wisdom and grace, God has seen to it that we have everything we need to produce “life and godliness.” “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruptionthat is in the world through lust” (v. 4). This all-sufficient tool is, of course, the written Word of God, much of which came through the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, who in turn claimed it came from God the Father: “For I have given unto them the wordswhich thou gavest me” (John17:8). Furthermore, the written Word is the source of our faith and the only hope of salvation. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans10:17). This Word in which our faith is grounded is forever alive, “being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1Peter 1:23), and not to be altered, edited, or supplemented. “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shalltake away his part out of the book of life” (Revelation22:18-19). Rather, we must live by the words of this book: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew4:4). To ensure that the “great and precious promises” regarding “life and godliness” are ours, we must believe, guard, and follow the teachings of this book. “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (2Timothy 1:13). JDM -------------------------------- Tomorrow “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” (Proverbs27:1) The sin of procrastination may not be one of the so-called “seven deadly sins,” but it may come close if it involves neglecting to do what God has clearly commanded us to do. Sins of omission may well be as serious in many cases as sins of commission. The Biblewarns: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James4:17). To the professing Christian who deliberately goes against God’s will, either by neglect or intent, Jesus warns: “And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes” (Luke12:47). This was spoken in the context of a parable, but the message was clear that it is dangerous to ignore God’s revealed will. The principle even applies in the secular realm. “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow” (James4:13-14). The most dangerous sin of procrastination, of course, is neglecting to come to Christ for forgiveness and salvation. As Paul stressed: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2Corinthians 6:2). Ignoring God while fully involved in pleasure or business or anything else is at least presumptuous. To the rich man in Christ’s parable who had spent his life concentrating on accumulating goods, God said: “Thou fool, this night thysoul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke12:20). We do not know what even one tomorrow may bring, so we need to “walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time” (Colossians4:5). HMM ---------------------- Bewareof Balaam “O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered himfrom Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.” (Micah 6:5) Three New Testament writers have left us sober warnings concerning Balaam. Peter warned against “the way of Balaam”; Jude against “the error of Balaam”; and John against “the doctrine of Balaam” (2Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11; Revelation 2:14). God evidently considers these warnings necessary and appropriate for Christians even today. Yet Balaam, in his day, was a genuine prophet (note 2 Peter 2:16), possessed great knowledge concerning God, and even received direct revelations from God. What, therefore, were his way, his error, and his doctrine? “The way of Balaam” was a readiness to prostitute his high spiritual gifts and privileges for “the wages of unrighteousness” (v. 15); being willing to preach something contrary to God’s Word for personal gain. “The error of Balaam” was evidently his willingness to compromise his own standards of morality and truth in order “greedily” to accommodate those of his pagan patrons (Jude1:11). Finally, “the doctrine of Balaam,” which even in John’s day was already infiltrating the church, was to use his own teaching authority to persuade God’s people that it was all right for them also to compromise their standards, even “to commit fornication” (Revelation 2:14) with their idol-worshiping enemies. The notoriously corrupt state of much that is counterfeiting true Christian ministry today is clear evidence that those warnings against “Balaam-ism” are still urgently needed. No wonder Micah (the faithful prophet) urged God’s people to “remember” Balaam andhis tragic end (Numbers 31:8). HMM --------------------------------- Workingby Faith “So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give themtheir hire, beginning from the last unto the first.” (Matthew 20:8) This parable has long caused perplexity, not only among the workers in the parable, but also among readers ever since. Why would the Lord teach that wages paid for a given type of work should be the same for one hour’s work as for 12? His only explanation wasthat it was the owner’s right to do what he wanted with his own money, and that “the last shall be first, and the first last” (v. 16). He also pointed out to the complaining workmen that he had completely fulfilled his contract with them. Early in the morning, this group of laborers had negotiated their own terms with him, and “he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day” (v. 2). Thosehe hired later in the day had said nothing at all about pay, being glad merely to work and willing to trust the lord of the vineyard to treat them fairly. This most probably means that the owner had first approached the early morning workers on the same basis,but they were unwilling to work without a contract negotiated on their own terms. This is the difference. The first group insisted on a firm contract, and the owner therefore insisted on honoring it. The others worked by faith, trusting in the lord, knowing him to be a man of integrity and justice. Furthermore, they would have been willingto work all day long on this same basis, but they had no opportunity. They needed the job, and the owner, knowing their needs and their willing hearts, decided to pay them on the basis of what they would have done had they had the opportunity. In any case, the parable surely teaches us that our heavenly rewards are not based on quantity of services rendered but on quality, with full account taken of opportunities, motivation, and trust in the Lord. HMM ------------------------------ AnUnexpected Invitation - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector�s booth. �Follow me and be my disciple,� Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him. �Mark 2:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/an-unexpected-invitation/- Listen Levi, who also was known as Matthew, collected taxes for Rome. Rome was the occupying force in Israel at the time, so people would have thought of Matthew as a traitor.We don�t know whether it was money that motivated Matthew to work for Rome. But whatever the reason, he seemed to have gone out of his way to offend his fellow Jews. Matthew also would have been familiar with Jesus, because Jesus was ministering in the region where Matthew was. And being a tax collector, Matthew would have been awareof what was going on around him. We also know that he was a great student of the Scriptures because Old Testament prophecies fill the gospel that bears his name. Ninety-nine Old Testament references in Matthew show how Jesus was the Messiah. So this was a man who knew the Word of God but chose to rebel against it. Yet there was somethingthat Jesus said and did that softened Matthew�s hardened heart. Why do people turn away from God in the first place? Why do people turn from the church? These are interesting questions. I�ve heard people say they lost their faith because a tragedy happened, or they suffered the loss of a loved one, or they saw hypocrisy.But a faith that can�t be tested is a faith that can�t be trusted. That isn�t a real faith. However, when Jesus said to Matthew, �Follow me and be my disciple� (Mark 2:14 NLT), Matthew stood up and followed Him. And in the next verse, the Bible tells us that Matthew �invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners� (verse 15 NLT). Notice that Jesus never said, �Follow My people.� Rather, He said, �Follow Me.� So put your eyes on Jesus Christ. --------------------------------------------- Who Are You Wearing? - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don�t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. �Romans 13:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/who-are-you-wearing/- Listen Most of the time I like to wear jeans and a T-shirt or some sort of comfortable shirt. I don�t like shirts that are stiff or too heavy. Instead, I like clothing that moveswhere I move. In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul wrote, �Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don�t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evildesires� (Romans 13:14 NLT). The J. B. Phillips translation puts it as follows: �Let us be Christ�s men from head to foot, and give no chances to the flesh to have its fling.� Paul was saying, in effect, that putting on the Lord Jesus is like putting on clothes. When we put on the Lord Jesus Christ, we�re making Christ a part of our lives everyday. When Jesus said to Matthew the tax collector, �Follow me� (Mark 2:14 NLT), it also could be translated, �Follow with me,� which speaks of companionship, relationship, andfriendship. In other words, �Let�s enter into a friendship. Let�s enter into a relationship together.� Yes, the Lord wants our obedience, but He also wants our companionship. Jesus was saying to Matthew, �I don�t want you to just be one of my disciples; I want you to be oneof my friends.� And He offers that same invitation to us. We often view God as harsh, austere, and angry, but nothing could be further from the truth. God is loving, God is compassionate, and God is caring. And He wants to enterinto a friendship with us. Jesus said, �I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn�t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me� (NLT).So follow Jesus every day throughout your life until the end. And wherever you go, put on Jesus. --------------------------------------------------- Just Live It - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org So, they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, �A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house� �Matthew 13:57 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/just-live-it/- Listen The hardest people to reach with the gospel are those closest to you. When I first came to Christ, my mother wasn�t responsive to the gospel. Now, I have to admit thereprobably was some overkill on my part at first. But it took not just years, but decades, for my mother to come around to believing in Jesus Christ. In the hometown of Jesus, the Bible tells us that �He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief� (Matthew 13:58 NKJV). In fact, Jesus said, �A prophetis not without honor except in his own country and in his own house� (verse 57 NKJV). Jesus was on the move, healing people, delivering people from demonic possession, and forgiving sins. And when John baptized Him, His Father confirmed him, saying, �Thisis My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased� (2 Peter 1:17 NKJV). How did the biological family of Jesus respond to all of this? Mark�s gospel tells us, �When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. �He�s outof his mind,� they said� (Mark 3:21 NLT). Maybe you�re married to a nonbeliever, and you�re wondering how to reach him or her. What you probably don�t need to do is give more sermons. You just need to live it. FirstPeter 3 says the way to reach a nonbelieving person is not by your words but by living the Word. There comes a point where they don�t need more sermons. They need to see it demonstrated. So be patient with your family because they�re the hardest people to reach. The good news is that when we become Christians, we become part of a new family. That doesn�tmean we�re no longer part of our biological family. But we�re related by the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross for our sins. --------------------------- The Cure for Comparison - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach. �Mark 3:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-cure-for-comparison/- Listen Recently I watched a movie from my childhood about a military officer who recruited some prisoners for a special mission. This group was known as �the dirty dozen.� The 12 apostles whom Jesus called were not the dirty dozen, but they were very ordinary men. We might even call them questionable hires. But Jesus hand selected each one,and they could not have been more different from one another. In fact, as we look at them in the Scriptures, they might seem familiar to us. They�re probably like relatives we have. No doubt about it, these apostles were an eclecticbunch. We also read of several occasions in the Gospels when Jesus specifically took Peter, James, and John with Him. For instance, they were with them at the Transfiguration.We know that He took them when He went to raise the daughter of Jairus from the dead and when He went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. So, did Jesus take these three along because they were the more elite apostles? I have a different theory. Maybe the reason He kept them a little closer than everyone elsewas because He wanted to keep an eye on them. One day Jesus revealed to Peter that he would be martyred for his faith. Peter immediately pivoted to John and said, �What about him, Lord?� (John 21:21 NLT). Then Jesus gave an amazing response: �If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me� (verse 22 NLT). Maybe you�ve looked at someone else�s life and said, �Lord, why are they being blessed more than I�m being blessed? Why did this tragedy befall me? Why are these thingshappening?� Here�s Christ�s response to you: �What is that to you? You just follow me.� ----------------- How Skepticism Can Be Productive - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org 'No, we don�t know, Lord,� Thomas said. �We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?� �John 14:5 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/how-skepticism-can-be-productive/- Listen If you�ve ever been at a family reunion where one relative sees things completely different than everyone else, then you have an idea of what the apostle Thomas was like.He was someone who thought for himself. If Thomas didn�t understand something, he would talk about it out loud. For example, Jesus said to the disciples, �There is more than enough room in my Father�s home. Ifthis were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going� (John 14:1�4 NLT). I can envision the other disciples nodding in unison and agreement at this point. Thomas, on the other hand, spoke up and said, �No, we don�t know, Lord. We have no ideawhere you are going, so how can we know the way?� (verse 5 NLT). But instead of rebuking Thomas, Jesus replied, �I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me� (verse 6 NLT). We refer to him as �doubting Thomas,� but I don�t think he was a doubter. I think that he simply wanted to see and know things for himself. Thomas�s life serves as reminder that we don�t have to live off the faith of someone else. When I was a brand-new believer, I was filled with skepticism. So I prayed, �Jesus,if you are real, you�re going to have to make Yourself known to me because I have a hard time believing some of these things for myself.� And you know what? He did, and He will do the same for you. Skepticism is not a sign that someone is wrong; it may be a sign that they are thinking. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM