DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 3.4.23

 JesusSees and Cares “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself,but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” (John5:19) What the Father sees, the Son sees, and what the Father does, the Son does, for “I and my Father are one,” said the Lord Jesus (John10:30). God sees everything, of course, for “the eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs15:3), but it is noteworthy that there are just seven occasions where John’s gospel stresses specifically that Jesus saw a particular event and then took special action to do something about it. At Jesus’ baptism, two seekers followed Him, and “Jesus turned, and saw them following” (John1:38). He invited them to come, and they followed Him from that day on. Nathanael, a devout Jew, also followed Him when Jesus said, “When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee” (v. 48). There was an incurable cripple at a pool, and “when Jesus saw him lie” (John5:6), He said, “Rise,...and immediately the man was made whole” (vv. 8-9). There was a hungry multitude. “Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him,” and He prayed, and soon “they were filled” (6:5, 12). Next, Jesus “saw a man which was blind from his birth,” and soon the once-sightless man could testify, “Whereas I was blind, now I see” (9:1, 25). Not only the lame and blind, but also the grieving came to His attention. When Mary’s brother Lazarus died, Jesus “saw her weeping.” Then “Jesus wept,” and soon “he that was dead came forth” (11:33, 35, 44). Finally, even while Christ was dying on the cross, He “saw his mother” and provided for her care (19:26). Jesus sees those who hurt, or grieve, or hunger, and He cares. For, after all, He is our Father. HMM ------------------------ Inthe Spirit “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians5:25) When a person accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, believing on Him as the Son of God and personal Redeemer, the One who saves him from his sins, a wonderful event takes place. The Spirit of God enters his very body, there to reside and to guide his newlife in Christ. Henceforth he is, whether he senses it or not, “in the Spirit.” “Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans8:9). The believer’s body even becomes a temple in which the Spirit can reign over his life. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: thereforeglorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1Corinthians 6:19-20). In addition to leading us (through the Scriptures that He inspired and through the circumstances that He ordains), “The Spirit [Himself] beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans8:16). “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit” (1John 4:13). The indwelling, comforting, leading, witnessing Spirit is not alone, for Jesus promised that, when the Comforter comes to “be in you,” then through the Spirit, “I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you” (John14:17, 20). Thus, we can “be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians3:19). ----------------------- NoMore Tears “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, norcrying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) Surely this is one of the most glorious promises in the Bible! No more suffering, no more sorrow, no more death! In this present life, in this present world, every one of us must endure suffering and sorrow in various degrees, and eventually death. But ourgracious Savior “hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows,” and because “the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all....he was cut off out of the land of the living” (Isaiah53:4, 6, 8), and He endured for us the awful suffering of death on the cross. In dying, however, He defeated death, rose from the grave, and is now alive “for evermore” (Revelation 1:18). Thus, He can promise immortal physical bodiesthat will never die again to all who trust Him. How can He do this? He “shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians3:21). “The dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52). The believers of pre-Christian days will also share in these blessings. Isaiah recorded a beautiful promise to them, as well as us, hundreds of years before Christ came to make it possible. “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe awaytears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth:...And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him...we will be gladand rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:8-9). HMM ---------------------------------- PressIn - Bill Wilson � www.dailyjot.com There are many events taking place around us that would be frightening in of themselves�the devastating hurricanes and earthquakes; the threat of terrorism; political disruption;the threat of nuclear war with Islam�just to name a few. Some of this uncertainty has prompted many to ask the age old question, �Does God have a plan for my life?� The answer is yes, yes He does. You should be encouraged because you are born a unique individualwho is loved by the Creator of the universe, and He wants to see you experience joy, happiness, love and success. But often the toils of this world bring us down and get in the way. For example, throughout my life, I have had ups and downs that caused me to question God�s plan for my life. But it was really me that was the question. God knows how youwere made as confirmed by Psalm 139:14, �I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well.� Jesus said in Matthew 10:30, �But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.� And God knowswhat is best for you and He has in mind the very best for you. Through the Apostle Paul, God tells us in Romans 12:2, �be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable andperfect will of God.� See, even when we allow our own selves to get in the way of God�s plan, it is still there for us. And we can fall into the deepest valley, the darkest time of our life, andGod will be there for us. He said in Isaiah 46:4, �And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you; I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry and deliver you.� So no matter how low you are or how much the world is closing inon you, the Lord God, your Salvation, is with you. And His plan for you is perfect. So you do have a destiny. You were created to glorify God. That is your purpose. How you accomplish that is your calling. I knew that God had called me to evangelize when I was 16. I refused the calling and pursued my own earthly goals. And the Lord brought me to a point, after much life experience,that I could no longer ignore His calling. But then I heard nothing from Him. I had to seek Him, pour out my heart to Him in fasting and prayer. And even that did not work until after 54 days when I finally had my answer to discern the times and events andcall people to the Lord. I guess my point is that we often do wonder what God has in mind for us, but in order to find out, we must seek God with all our heart, mind and soul, even sometimes to the point of travail, so He knows we are serious. So don�t giveup, press in. Press in hard. For your destiny is at hand. ------------------------------- Don�t Ignore Open Doors - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name �Revelation3:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/dont-ignore-open-doors/- Listen In the Bible, a door is a symbol of opportunity and a key is a symbol of authority. The apostle Paul referred to this in 2 Corinthians 2: �When I came to the city of Troasto preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me� (verse 12 NLT). God opens doors. For example, maybe you�re having a conversation with someone, and suddenly they bring up something that is an open door to share the gospel. You want to besure to go through that door. Jesus has the key, and He opens the doors. I�m glad that He has the keys, by the way. If I had the keys, they would be lost by now. But Jesus doesn�t lose the keys. He wants to open doors. God opened a door for PastorChuck Smith, who was at the epicenter of the Jesus Revolution, and he walked through it. There are some things that only God can do, and there are some things that only we can do. God will open a door, but we must walk through it. In the church, we want our doorsopen. We don�t want to put up a wall where God has put a bridge. We want to be stepping stones, not stumbling blocks, to people coming to Christ. It should never be difficult for people to come to Him. Someone might show up at church who lives a certain lifestyle or dresses in a way that makes some Christians uncomfortable. But they need to hear the gospel. And our job isto call them to Christ. We don�t say, �Clean up your life and come to Christ.� Rather, we say, �Come to Christ, and He will clean up your life.� The church should be a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints. ------------------------------ Go Back to the Beginning - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. �Revelation 3:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/go-back-to-the-beginning/- Listen Was there a time in your life when you were stronger spiritually than you are now? If there was, then you can return to that place again. Think for a moment about what you did when you were a younger Christian. You probably read your Bible every day and had a prayer life. It�s likely that you were a regularat church and that you shared your faith. Do you still do those things? Sometimes we have a breakdown in the basics of the Christian life, and we wonder what�s going wrong. It isn�t a mystery. We need to get back to doing those things again. In the Book of Revelation, we find Jesus� words to the church in Sardis: �I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive�but you are dead. Wakeup! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again� (3:1�3 NLT). This is a picture of a church that needed to come back to life�to awaken and get back to its roots. And this is what we all want to do. But it starts individually. If you want to see a revival, then you need to do revival-like things. It doesn�t matter whether you feel it; just do it. Emotions will catch up. Don�t wait for a big encounterwith God or some emotional experience. That may happen, or it may not. To have a personal revival, you need to go back to the basics in your walk with Christ. We can talk all day long about a spiritual awakening in America. We can talk all day long about revival. But it starts with each one of us. -------------------------------------- TheDark Valleys �Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.� (Psalm23:4) There are many dark valleys mentioned in Scripture, and these typify the many sufferings and hard experiences through which the people of God must pass. �For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for hissake� (Philippians1:29). The valley of Achor�which means �trouble��was so named because sin in the camp of God�s people had caused great defeat for their armies there (Joshua7:25-26). Willful sin inevitably must result eventually in a trek through the dark vale of trouble and defeat. Then there is the vale of tears called Baca, or �weeping.� Opinions differ as to whether this was an actual valley in Israel, but it came to symbolize a time of deep loss and sorrow. Repentance and restitution will lead one out of the valley of Achor, but God�scomfort will guide through Baca. �Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee....Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well....They go from strength to strength� (Psalm84:5-7). Perhaps the darkest valley of all is the valley of the shadow of death. All must enter that valley once at least�some may even travel it often before its thick darkness finally conquers them. For those without Christ, it is a valley of great fear; there havebeen multitudes �who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage� (Hebrews2:15). But for those who know the Lord, they need fear no evil for God is with them. Even His guiding staff and buffeting rod are comforting for they prove the love of the Shepherd. No wonder the 23rd Psalm is the most requested passage of Scripture by those deepin this dark valley. HMM -------------------------- Everyday Faith - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me�until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. �Psalm 73:16�17 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/everyday-faith/- Listen Sometimes we wish the Christian life could be a constant state of euphoria in which we�re always experiencing God in some wonderful way. But we need to realize that when we go to church, we won�t always have a strong sensation of God�s presence. We won�t always be deeply moved by a message. Then again, sometimeswe will. When that happens, we can thank God for it. Still, we don�t live for those times. We don�t depend on them. When we mature spiritually, we understand that we need to apply ourselves to the truths of God. We realize thatwe need to come down from our spiritual mountaintops to the valleys, to the real world of temptations, challenges, and trials. Church should equip us, challenge us, and build us up. Something wonderful happens when God�s people come together for worship and Bible study. Jesus said, �For where twoor three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them� (Matthew 18:20 NKJV). Not only is God�s presence manifested in a unique way at church, but we often find a resolution for our problems while there. Or at least we gain a better perspective on howto deal with them. The psalmist Asaph grappled with the age-old question of why the wicked prosper, and then it dawned on him: �When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful forme�until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end� (Psalm 73:16�17 NKJV). In other words, �I didn�t understand why things are the way they are. But when I came into God�s presence to study His Word with His people, my questions came into their properperspective.� When we think about the greatness of God, when we remember the truths of God, it puts our problems in perspective. ------------------------------------ MuchYet to Do �Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years,and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.� (Joshua13:1) There is no set �retirement age� for the Christian, for there is always �yet very much land to be possessed.� Joshua had survived 40 years in the wilderness, then led in the long hard conquest of Canaan, and was now at least 80 years of age. Not only was he �old and stricken in years,� but God even told him he was old! But instead of allowing him to settle down to enjoy a few retirement years in his hard-won new home, God sent Joshua out once again for further conquests. That must always be the case with those who love and serve the Lord. There is still much Scripture to study and learn, many people yet to reach with a gospel witness, many with whom to share God�s love and comfort, much money yet to be earned to give to missions.Even those who must retire from active service or become confined at home still have much praying to accomplish. No one who knows the redemptive love of Jesus Christ is ever too old to possess more �land� for the Lord. �The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourishin the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing� (Psalm92:12-14). Old age eventually comes to everyone who survives youth and middle age, but that does not mean it is time to quit. �O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsakeme not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come� (Psalm71:17-18). HMM -------------------------- YouMake a Difference - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org All of you together are Christ�s body, and each of you is a part of it. �1 Corinthians 12:27 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/you-make-a-difference/- Listen Every person in the church has an effect on it, for better or for worse. If you are strong spiritually, then you build up the church a little more. If you are weak spiritually, you weaken it a little more. If you allow God to use you to touch lives,you help the church a little more. And if you�re compromising spiritually, you weaken it a little more. Every person has an effect. Writing to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul said, �If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad� (1 Corinthians12:26 NLT). But Paul also reproved this church because they were boasting about bringing in someone who claimed to be a believer but was living immorally. They were proud of how tolerantthey were. Paul told them, �You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship� (1 Corinthians 5:2 NLT). You matter in the church. Every person lifting their voice in worship matters. Every gift in the offering matters. And every act we do outside the church matters. If you�rea Christian, then you are an important part of the body of Christ. We need to get rid of this me-first, what�s-in-it-for-me mindset and start thinking biblically. We need to start asking what we can do to help others and serve others. Weneed to ask how we can learn to resolve conflicts and maintain the unity that is in the church. Instead of approaching church like a consumer looking to simply get in and get out every weekend, come in and use the gifts that God has given you. It can change your life, and it can certainly change the way you see the church. --------------------- WithoutForm and Void �I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.� (Jeremiah4:23) The language in this verse is clearly patterned after Genesis 1:2, the description of the primordial earth: �And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.� That it is a metaphor, however, and not an actual reference tothat primordial earth is evident from its context. The previous verse speaks of �my people� (that is, the people of Judah) and the following verse of �the mountains� (there were no mountains as yet at the time of Genesis 1:2). Furthermore, the broader context makes it plain that the prophet is speaking of a coming judgment on the land of Judah because of the rebellion of its people against their God (verse 16 specifically mentions Judah, and verse 31 mentions Zion). The land is tobe so devastated that the prophet compared its future appearance to the unformed and barren earth at its very beginning. This ultimate fulfillment will be at Armageddon. The same Hebrew words (tohu for �without form,� and bohu for �void�) occur again in this context in an awesome scene of judgment described by Isaiah: �For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations� (34:2), gathered together in the former land of Edom to fight against Jerusalemwhen Christ returns, �and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion [i.e., tohu], and the stones of emptiness [i.e., bohu]� (34:11). Instead of the regular surveyor�s line and markers ordering the property boundaries, God�s judgment will bring such disorder and barrenness to the land that it almost will seem to revertback to its primeval state at the beginning of time. �Nevertheless we...look for new heavens and a new earth� (2Peter 3:13), and that earth will be beautiful and bountiful with �no night there� (Revelation22:5). HMM ----------------------- The Only Organization That Jesus Started - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. �Hebrews 10:24 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-only-organization-that-jesus-started/- Listen The church is the only organization that Jesus started. Jesus said He would build the church �and all the powers of hell will not conquer it� (Matthew 16:18 NLT). Every believerneeds to be an active part of the church, because it is where we learn about God together. It�s where we worship together, find accountability to one another, and discover and use our spiritual gifts. We simply cannot be the Christians God has called us to be withoutbeing part of the church. Hebrews 10:24 tells us, �Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works� (NLT). The J. B. Phillips translation of this verse says, �Let us think of one another and how we can encourage each other to love and do good deeds.� My objective has never been to have a big church. My objective has always been to have a strong church and, even more to the point, a biblical church. However, if a churchis not growing numerically, then something is wrong. There should be church growth, and the best kind of growth is from new believers coming in. In fact, show me a church that doesn�t have a constant flow of new believers, andI will show you a church that is stagnating. We have a choice before us as the church, and that is to either evangelize or fossilize. However, there are people who are disillusioned by the church today. In fact, it has become trendy to critique the church. Now, do I think the church is perfect? No. Do I think the church has flaws? Yes. But the Bible says that Jesus loves the church. Therefore, I would never speak criticallyof that which Jesus loves. Jesus established the church, and we are to be part of it.