DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 1.6.24

 PrayAnyhow “Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I willteach you the good and the right way.” (1Samuel 12:23) Samuel had served the children of Israel as their faithful judge for many years, and the Lord had blessed them and their land. Nevertheless, they began to want a king and pressed Samuel to get one for them. Finally, Samuel anointed Saul to be their king, butboth Samuel and the Lord Himself were displeased with their demands. Nevertheless, Samuel’s great heart, both for the Lord and for His people, is revealed in the promise of our text. Although he was hurt and disappointed because he had led them successfully and justly his whole life, he would still pray for them and teach them.This is a great example for Christian leaders or workers today who through no fault of their own have been replaced by someone else. Intercessory prayer is not easy, especially if our prayers are not appreciated by those we pray for. Nevertheless, it is a type of prayer ministry that especially pleases the Lord, and that is more important than human gratitude. “I exhort therefore,” saidPaul (no doubt reflecting God’s own desires), “that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority” (1Timothy 2:1-2). Paul would even urge prayer for the emperor, Nero, who had imprisoned him and would eventually have him put to death. Even Jesus had said that we should “pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew5:44). The Lord Jesus is the greatest intercessor of all. For when we sin (and all sin is sin against the Lord), He is our “advocate with the Father” (1John 2:1), and in fact, “he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews7:25). Therefore, should we not also be prayer intercessors? HMM ----------------------- TheBranch of the Lord “In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall beexcellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.” (Isaiah4:2) One of the fascinating titles of the promised Messiah is that of “the Branch.” Here He is called “the branch of the LORD,” along with “the fruit of the earth.” As the first, He is “beautiful and glorious.” As the second, He is “excellent and comely.” “And thereshall come forth a rod out of the stem [or ‘stump’] of Jesse [that is, the father of King David], and a Branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isaiah11:1). In addition to the two references in Isaiah, there are two in Jeremiah and two in Zechariah. In both Jeremiah passages, He is a Branch of David. “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch” (Jeremiah23:5). See also Jeremiah 33:15. In Zechariah’s prophecy, He is called God’s servant and God’s man. “For, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH” (Zechariah3:8). “Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD” (Zechariah6:12). This fourfold presentation of the Branch of David, the Branch as a servant, the man who is the Branch, and the Branch of the Lord beautifully corresponds to the fourfold gospel depiction of Christ as King (Matthew), Servant (Mark), Perfect Man (Luke), and Sonof God (John). Just as a branch when it first begins to shoot forth appears small and fragile and easily broken, so would the Messiah first appear to be inconspicuous and unattractive. “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground” (Isaiah53:2). Yet, this same fragile branch will one day become a great vine with innumerable branches (John15:5) that will spread its excellent fruit throughout all the earth. HMM ------------------------ TheBeginning of the Year “A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginningof the year even unto the end of the year.” (Deuteronomy11:12) This phrase, “the beginning of the year,” occurs only twice in the Bible, here in Deuteronomy 11:12 and in Ezekiel 40:1. In this passage, the Lord, through Moses, is speaking of the promised land that He had prepared for the children of Israel, “a land of hills and valleys, [that] drinketh water of the rain of heaven” (Deuteronomy11:11), promising great blessing on the land and its people if they obeyed God but judgment if they disobeyed. Although these promises were made specifically with reference to Israel, the principle surely would apply worldwide, for God “hath made of one blood all nations of men...and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; Thatthey should seek the Lord” (Acts17:26-27). It certainly has applied to America, for God has certainly blessed our nation most abundantly, founded as it was in its beginnings on the principles of God’s words. Sadly, however, there are now many signs that His blessings are being withdrawn,with judgment imminent, because of the widespread apostasy and moral decay that have overtaken us. Here, at “the beginning of the year,” we can pray that America will return to the God of our fathers before it is too late and final judgment falls on our once-blessed nation. In the words of our text, “the eyes of the LORD” are on us “from the beginning ofthe year even unto the end of the year.” In addition to prayer, we personally can work and give and vote and live in ways that demonstrate our own personal trust in God and His Word, as well as our deep concern for our families, our churches, our nation, and God’s eternal plan for His great creation.HMM ------------------------ CountYour Many Blessings “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.” (Psalm65:11) At year’s end, a Christian should stop to count his blessings. If he does this fairly and fully, no matter what his problems may have been during the year, he will have to confess that God, as always, has crowned the year with goodness. The coronation figure is frequently used in Scripture to speak of God’s blessings in the Christian life. For example, “Bless the LORD...Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies” (Psalm103:2, 4). Even our testings and trials are always in the context of God’s grace and love. Christ Himself wore a crown of thorns so that we may be crowned with mercy and salvation. Consider also Psalm 5:12: “For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield.” The word “compass” is the same Hebrew word as “crown,” with the basic meaning “encircle.” Other jewels in the believer’s year-end crownare God’s grace and glory. “[Wisdom] shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee” (Proverbs4:9). Then there is the wonderful testimony that “thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor” (Psalm8:5). Finally, the believer’s crown is none other than the Lord Himself. “In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people” (Isaiah28:5). Most Christians have an abundance of material blessings for which to thank the Lord. Even if they have none of these, however, God has crowned the year with goodness and favor, with lovingkindness and tender mercies, with grace and glory and honor and, bestof all, with His own presence. “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm103:2). HMM ---------------------- TheGrace of God in Creation “He left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons,filling our hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts14:17) There is abundant evidence of the mighty power and wisdom of God in the vast cosmos and the tremendously complex world. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even hiseternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans1:20). But in addition to such evidence of His wisdom and power, there is also wonderful evidence of the grace of God in nature. Although “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans8:22), laboring under the awful curse on the ground imposed by God when Adam sinned (Genesis3:17), it has been so subjected “in hope,” with God’s promise of ultimate deliverance from the “bondage of corruption,” and “we are saved by hope” (Romans8:20-21, 24). This goodness of God is evidenced in the daily victory of light over darkness, the annual return of spring after winter, and the oft-repeated triumph of life over death. Although individuals die, new souls are born; and always, there is hope. Man must eat hisbread in the sweat of his face as he labors to wrest a living from the cursed ground, but God does send the rain and the fruitful seasons, and the food is grown. Though he must eat of it in sorrow all the days of his life, somehow God nevertheless fills hisheart with food and gladness. And all of the labor and sweat and sorrow is “for thy sake” (Genesis3:17), urging man to return to God for both his daily bread and his eternal salvation. How foolish is the man who receives all these gifts of God’s grace without acknowledging their source. “Despisest thou the riches of his goodness...not knowing thatthe goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Romans2:4). HMM ---------------------------- Laythe Foundation Well - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlastinglife from the Spirit. �Galatians 6:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/lay-the-foundation-well/- Listen When we think of Daniel in the Bible, the story of the lions� den usually comes to mind (see Daniel 6). It certainly was a heroic moment in the life of this great man of God. And when we think of Daniel�s friends�Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego�our minds go to the story of the fiery furnace (see Daniel 3). These four men were resolute in character. And the foundation for that kind of character and the kind of stand they took was laid early in their lives. As young men, theymade resolutions they were able to keep when they were older. It�s like building a house. The most important time is not when you paint the walls and decorate it. The most important time is when you lay the foundation that will supporteverything else that is to come. In life, the most important time is at the beginning when the foundation is being laid. It�s there, in the time of our youth, that we set our course. We develop our habitsand form our attitudes. We make decisions that affect us for the rest of our lives, such as our choice of career and whom we will marry. We sow seeds that we will reap in the years ahead. Let�s say that early in life you got into the habit of regular prayer and Bible study. You got into the habit of regular church attendance and faithfully giving to the Lord,as well as other spiritual disciplines that you still practice to this day. You decide the evening of your life by the morning of it. You decide the end of your life by the beginning. The stand you make today will determine what kind of stand youwill make tomorrow. It isn�t some mystical thing that you have nothing to say about. You decide what principles you will live by and what road you will take, because every day you make decisions as to whether you will sow to the flesh or sow to the Spirit. The Bible tells us to lay the foundation properly when we�re young. And that is what Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel did. Youth is a relative term. If you�re fifty, someone who is fifteen might think of you as old. But to someone who is ninety, you�re rather young. Everyone will be a year oldernext year. And we�re making decisions today, in January, that will play out by next Christmas. The Bible says, �Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit willharvest everlasting life from the Spirit� (Galatians 6:8 NLT). It isn�t necessarily a bad thing to have habits. It�s only bad if they�re bad habits. But it�s a good thing if they�re good habits. Maybe you�ve come through a fiery trial in the past year, or maybe you will have a fiery trial in the coming year. But know this: Jesus will walk with you through it. Youwill not be alone. --------------------------------------- BeContinually Being Filled �For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shallbe filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother�s womb.� (Luke1:15) This prophecy of the angel Gabriel, bearing as it does a tremendous testimony to the character of John the Baptist, contains the first reference in the New Testament to the unique Christian doctrine of the filling of the Holy Spirit. John was the first Christianwitness, directing his own disciples to Christ (John1:35-37) and clearly preaching the gospel of salvation through Christ alone (John3:26-36). It is significant that he was filled with the Holy Spirit all his life. Jesus is also said to have been full of the Holy Spirit (Luke4:1) and was undoubtedly so filled from the time of conception (Psalm22:10), but the explicit statement is made only of John. The fullness of the Spirit is available for every believer, of course. In the New Testament, both of John�s parents were said to be so filled on a specific occasion (Luke1:41, 67). The disciples of the Lord were filled with the Spirit many times (Acts2:4; 4:31; 13:52). Peter was said to be filled with the Holy Spirit on at least one special occasion (Acts4:8), and Paul at least twice (Acts9:17; 13:9). One of the qualifications sought in the first deacons was that they were to be men full of the Holy Ghost (Acts6:3), and one of those chosen, Stephen, was specifically so described (Acts6:5; 7:55). Barnabas was another Spirit-filled Christian believer (Acts11:24). Undoubtedly there were many others. In fact, every believer is commanded to be �filled with the Spirit� (Ephesians5:18). The reference in this key passage is not to a one-time event but to frequent fillings. �Be continually being filled� is the literal rendering. HMM --------------------------- People of Principle - by Jasel Mena � www.harvest.org At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. �Daniel1:15 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/people-of-principle/- Listen In ancient Israel, the people had a penchant for idolatry. They turned to false gods again and again. So, God raised up prophets to warn them. But they ignored God�s warnings. As a result, God�s judgment came. He allowed King Nebuchadnezzar to conquer the southern kingdom of Judah and carry the people away captive to Babylon. Interestingly, idolworship was rampant in Babylon. In effect God was saying, �You want idols? You�ve got idols.� King Nebuchadnezzar wanted to find the brightest and best of the young men from among the captives, so he ordered his chief of staff to bring them into his court and schoolthem in the ways of Babylon. In doing so, the king could use them to influence other Jews. In some ways, it would have been a great honor for them to receive a summons to the palace. But in another way, it meant exposure to great temptation. In the end, Daniel,Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah became a part of the king�s court. This essentially changed their world overnight. King Nebuchadnezzar ripped them away from their families and friends and placed them in an environment that was hostile totheir faith. It is not unlike people who grow up in Christian homes and suddenly realize they�re in a hostile work or school environment. They discover they�re among people who have no interest whatsoever in the things of God. Not only did the environment change for these four young men, but the king changed their names as well. Daniel�s name, for instance, meant �God is my judge.� But his new name,Belteshazzar, was attached to a false god, Bel. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah received the names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, which also were connected to Babylonian gods. Although the king could change their names, he could not change their hearts. These four young men faced heavy-duty temptation. They had the finest education at the most prestigious school, not to mention access to the most delicious food and wine inthe world. King Nebuchadnezzar also immersed them in a system of false gods and idol worship. But he didn�t consider the fact that they had character. He thought they would cave in anddo what everyone else did. But they were young men of principle. Here�s what the Bible tells us about Daniel: �But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief ofstaff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods� (Daniel 1:8 NLT). We don�t know exactly why Daniel refused to eat from the king�s table. It may have been because the foods were offered to false gods. But for Daniel, it was a matter of principle.He didn�t want to do anything that would hinder his fellowship with God. Daniel and his friends could have compromised very easily. Instead, they made a stand. And by standing their ground in a seemingly small area, it enabled them to stand theirground in a much larger area later in life. ---------------------------- Resolution�Not Resolutions - by Jasel Mena � www.harvest.org Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,� Daniel said. �At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating theking�s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see. �Daniel 1:12�13 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/resolution-not-resolutions/- Listen What was the real temptation for Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? They had refused the food and wine from King Nebuchadnezzar�s table and had chosen water and vegetablesinstead. But it wasn�t just a matter of the food. And it wasn�t because they liked only vegetables and water. Rather, they were taking a stand on principle. The real temptation was this: eating the king�s food was the way to climb the corporate ladder in Babylon. It was like refusing the boss�s invitation to lunch. Why would theysay no? For whatever reason, they did. It was important enough for them to take a stand on the matter. They wouldn�t make this compromise. And by doing so, they didn�t advance as quickly as they could have. In the same way, we can struggle with the temptation to compromise. It might be the temptation to lie on a r�sum� to get a job or the temptation to embellish ourselves sothat people will like us more. Or, it might be the temptation to cut corners on a job to make more money, even though it�s unsafe. It could be the temptation to go a little further with a girlfriend or boyfriend in the hope of gaining their love. We all face the temptation to compromise. However, it�s the little things that ultimately lead to the big things. It�s the gray areas that ultimately lead to the black-and-white areas. That�s why we must look at thingscarefully and ask, �Is this a good or a bad thing for me? Is this a compromise before the Lord?� When we come to those gray areas of life and wonder whether something is acceptable to God, it�s a good idea to ask ourselves four questions: (1) Does it build me up spiritually?(2) Does it bring me under its power? (3) Do I have an uneasy conscience about it? (4) Could it cause someone to stumble? Here�s the wrong question to ask: Can I do this and still be a Christian? The Bible says, �Don�t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives inyou and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body� (1 Corinthians 6:19�20 NLT). Character is not made in a crisis; it is only exhibited. It may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones. Do you have that character? Or, are youcompromising in your life as a Christian? Are you doing what is right, even in the little things? Because if you don�t deal with compromise in the little things, it will lead to the big things. That�s why it�s a goodtime at the beginning of the year to have some resolution�not a bunch of silly resolutions that you make and can�t keep. Resolution is purpose, commitment, and dedication to doing the right thing. Because if you compromise now, you will regret it later. -------------------------- TooHard or Too Small �Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm,and there is nothing too hard for thee.� (Jeremiah32:17) This mighty declaration of faith in the Creator of heaven and Earth was given by Jeremiah in respect to a mundane sort of need�the need of assurance that his real estate investment would be safe even if he were forced to be away from it for many years. Thereis nothing too small for the Lord, just as there is nothing too hard for Him, and He delights to �shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him� (2Chronicles 16:9). Since God created all things, He certainly can control all things. If a person really believes the very first verse of the Bible�the simple declaration that the entire space/mass (energy)/time universe had been called into existence by God�then he or she willnever find it difficult to believe any of the other declarations or promises of His inspired Word. In response to Jeremiah�s great statement of faith, God gave him the assurance he sought. �Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?� (Jeremiah32:27). God, who made the sea, could roll back its waters to enable His people to pass through its very midst unharmed (Exodus14:29). He who made the earth could cause the earth to cease its rotation to give His people victory (Joshua10:12-14). There is nothing too hard for the God of creation! We can be confident that 21st-century problems are no more difficult for God than those of 600 BC. May our mighty Creator grant us trusting and obedient hearts in both the great problems and the small problems of life. In this verse, the Hebrew word for �hard� is the same as for �wonderful� (Psalm107:8). God delights in transforming the hard things of life into the wonderful works of God! HMM ------------------------ Solomonthe Searcher - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless�like chasing the wind. �Ecclesiastes 1:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/solomon-the-searcher/- Listen If anyone could ever say �Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt,� it was Solomon. He was the hedonist extraordinaire. He went after everything the world had to offer. Solomon was highly educated, yet he went on unbelievable drinking binges. He was an architectural genius, building the most incredible structures. Yet he abandoned God inhis search for meaning in life. The irony is that Solomon knew better. He was raised in a godly home. His father was King David, and his mother was Bathsheba. While it�s true that David had a serious lapseof faith, it�s also true that he repented and got right with God. The Bible describes David as �a man after [God�s] own heart� (1 Samuel 13:14 NLT), and he did his best to raise Solomon, the future king, in the way of the Lord. Shortly before his death, David gave these words of wisdom to Solomon: �And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him withyour whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever� (1 Chronicles 28:9 NLT). Essentially David was saying, �Son, you can�t live off your dad�s faith. You must get your own. You need to know the God of your father. Serve Him with an undivided heartand a willing mind, not because you have to, but because you want to. Don�t allow your heart to be divided. Set your heart completely on God.� Initially Solomon followed his father�s advice. In fact, he did quite well in the beginning. But after a while, Solomon allowed his heart to be divided. He tried to walk withGod yet dabble in sin and compromise his values. And it was only a matter of time until Solomon began to backslide and fall away. Then one day Solomon basically said, �Forget it. I�m going to go for it.� He abandoned God, and the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes is the account of what he learned inthis backslidden state. A phrase Solomon repeatedly used in Ecclesiastes was �under the sun.� He was talking about horizontal living. It is life this side of Heaven, life without God. Solomon also used the word �meaningless� (NLT). For example, in Ecclesiastes 1:14 he wrote, �I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless�likechasing the wind� (NLT). Solomon the searcher was telling us there is nothing on this earth that will satisfy us completely. That doesn�t mean it�s wrong to love life or have possessions. In fact, no one appreciates life more than the child of God does. And the Bible tells us that God �richly givesus all we need for our enjoyment� (1 Timothy 6:17 NLT). Solomon set out to experience what most people only dream of. And in the end, it turned out to be a nightmare.