DAILY DEVOTIONAL: 8.10.24

 Response to Prayer “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedest me with strength in my soul.” (Psalm138:3) God’s responses to our prayers are delivered in two ways: practically, in the circumstances or in the direction, and spiritually, in the “inner man” (Ephesians3:16). We are often so focused on the physical or external event for which we are insistently praying that when the answer comes, we fail to receive the full blessing—even if we read the practical answer correctly. Our heavenly Father is committed to providing ourneeds on Earth (Philippians 4:19; Luke 12:30), but such supply is of minimal significance in the scope of eternity. The good thoughts (Jeremiah 29:11) and the good gifts of God (Luke11:13) are toward the expected end, the ultimate conformity “to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). While God responds to our physical needs, His heart and His purpose are to fill us “with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). He blesses us “with allspiritual blessings” (Ephesians 1:3) and has chosen us to be “holy and without blame” (Ephesians1:4). God’s Word is designed to allow us to participate in the “divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). God’s desire in responding to our prayers is this: “Thatye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, accordingto his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfullness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians1:9-12). But please be on notice! This internal and spiritual worship and praise cannot be kept private. The “internal” blessings of God will overflow in godly behavior and visible joy (James3:13; 1 Peter 1:8). HMM III ------------------------- TheSecond Coming “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preservedblameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thessalonians 5:23) It has been observed that this first-written of Paul’s epistles contains more direct references to the second coming of Christ than any of his other writings. Each of its chapters comes to a close with a reference to Christ’s return in relation to some aspectof His great salvation, as applied to our personal lives. In the first chapter, he speaks of the second coming in relation to service, “how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven” (1:9-10). Then, in the second chapter, Paul speaks of soul-winning. “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” (2:19). Next, there is an emphasis on stability. “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints” (3:13). The fourth chapter concludes with perhaps the greatest passage on the second coming in any of the epistles, verses 13-17. All of this is said by Paul to be the basis of our Christian strength. “Wherefore comfort [literally ‘strengthen’] one another with these words” (4:18). Finally, the last chapter concludes with the words of our text, speaking of our eternal sanctification as a result of this blessed hope of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The second coming is thus all-important. It is a practical incentive and enablement for the Christian life, encouraging service, soul-winning, stability, strength, and sanctification, culminating in full and everlasting salvation. HMM -------------------- Knowledgeof the Truth “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, andto come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1Timothy 2:3-4) The phrase “the truth,” referring to a certain vital body of doctrine, is found often in the New Testament, and the text quoted above is one of the most important, indicating as it does that fully understanding “the truth” is contingent on being saved. The theme of “the truth” is especially emphasized in Paul’s two letters to Timothy, the first reference being in our text. He next points out that, in his capacity as an apostle, he must “speak the truth in Christ,” teaching “in faith and verity” (same wordas “truth”—1Timothy 2:7). The church is called “the pillar and ground of the truth” (3:15). An attitude of thanksgiving is proper for those who “believe and know the truth” (4:3). On the other hand, those false teachers who teach with selfish motives are “destitute of the truth” (6:5). In the second epistle, Paul urges believers to be diligent in studying the Scriptures, because they constitute “the word of truth” (2Timothy 2:15). Then he warns of teachers “who concerning the truth have erred,” teaching false doctrine and destroying the faith of some (v. 18). Those who are faithful teachers, however, are exhorted to help the unsaved come to “repentance to the acknowledgingof the truth” (v. 25). Then, in his prophetic description of the humanist teachers of the last days, Paul says they will be “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (3:7). This is because they “resist the truth” and “turn away their ears from the truth” (3:8; 4:4). Thus, “the truth” always emphasizes its vital importance in salvation and the Christian life. Most of all, the Lord Jesus said: “I am...the truth” (John14:6). HMM -------------------------- TheHeart Is Deceitful “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah17:9) Just as in modern languages, ancient Hebrew used the term “heart” to mean the inward motivations that control a person’s words and deeds. According to the prophet Jeremiah, the spiritual heart is so innately wicked and deceptive that one cannot even understandhis own heart—but God does! One urgently needs a new heart, and God promises just that. “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh” (Ezekiel36:26). “This is the covenant that I will make with them...saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts” (Hebrews10:16). The problem, of course, is heart attitude. In the third chapter of Hebrews, this is illustrated in terms of the attitudes of the children of Israel in the wilderness. First, their hearts had become hard hearts through their lack of gratitude, and threetimes the author warns us to “harden not your hearts” (Hebrews3:8, 15; 4:7). As a result, they soon acquired erring hearts. “They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways” (Hebrews3:10). Finally, their hearts were evil hearts, and God would warn us through them. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Hebrews3:12). An evil heart is defined here, in effect, as an unbelieving heart. A heart that refuses to receive and believe the Word of God is a wicked heart, inevitably generating wicked ways and evil doings. But Christ will create a new heart for all who will believeon Him and confess Him as God and Savior. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness” (Romans10:9-10). HMM ----------------------- JesusChrist Upon This Earth “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” (Job19:25) Many decry the injustices of partisan political decisions, revealing our longing for a country with perfect government. Good news—Scripture promises just such a situation. The Lamb of God will reign on Earth one day. Abraham saw beyond God’s promises of earthly land (e.g., Genesis 15:18) and in faith “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). The Lord bids us to keep thisfuture in mind as we pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). And the Bible specifies where God will place His capital. “Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem” (Zechariah8:3). “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east” (Zechariah 14:4). “But I say to you, Swearnot at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King” (Matthew5:34-35). “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shallbe his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21:2-3). May our disappointment with our governments’ flaws remind us toanticipate with joy the return of our King to the earth that is His. BDT ------------------------ WhenTrouble Comes Your Way - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid. �Psalm 23:4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/when-trouble-comes-your-way/- Listen We all will go through valleys in life, those hard times when we experience severe trials. We might experience a family problem, a physical difficulty, or even a time of intense temptation.When you face one of these trials, remember this: You are not alone. The Bible says, �Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me� (Psalm 23:4 NLT). That is agreat promise to believers. Yet, there are times in our lives when we may not feel God�s presence. Let�s say, for example, that you walk outside on an overcast day and can�t see the sun. You think, �The sun was here yesterday, but I don�t see it today. I don�t feel its warmth. I guess thesun must have gone away.� But the sun hasn�t gone away; the clouds have merely obscured it. In the same way, some Christians falsely conclude that because they don�t feel God, He has disappeared. But He is there, even when we don�t feel Him. And it is during those times that we mustwalk by faith, not by feeling. God has said in His Word that He will be with us. That is how we know He is there. Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, He said, �When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. Whenyou go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you� (43:2 NLT). God promised, �I will never fail you. I will never abandon you� (Hebrews 13:5 NLT), and Jesus said to His disciples, �I am with you always, even to the end of the age� (Matthew 28:20 NLT). God doesn�t promise to keep us out of all trouble. But He does promise to be with us in the midst of it. It�s a great thing to know that when the Lord lets His children go through a fierytrial, He always keeps an eye on them and an eye on the thermostat. We must remember to cast our problems upon the Lord and turn them over to Him in times of need. When Mary and Martha saw that their beloved brother, Lazarus, was sick, they sent word to Jesus. They realized they needed God�s help. When the Israelites were griping and complaining about Moses, he cried out to God. When Hezekiah received a threatening letter from a king who wanted to destroy him, he spread that letter out before the Lord. And when John the Baptist was beheaded, his disciples went and told Jesus. Therefore, when trouble comes your way, cast it on Him. Spread it out before Him. Call upon Him. The Bible says, �Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you� (1 Peter 5:7NLT). You do not serve and follow a God who is disinterested in your life. He is compassionate. He is concerned. And He wants to help you. -------------------------------- Lapses and Downfalls - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. �Psalm 23:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/lapses-and-downfalls/- Listen David was no stranger to hardship. He knew what it was like to suffer. The paranoid King Saul hunted him like a wild animal, even after the prophet Samuel had anointed David as the next kingof Israel. We also know that David penned Psalm 23 under the direction of the Holy Spirit. He wrote not only of the glory and power of God but also of his own shortcomings, weaknesses, and questionshe faced in life. The Twenty-Third Psalm comes from the school of hard knocks, written by someone who knew what it was like to need God�s help. David, being a shepherd, probably looked out at his flock one day and, seeing their tendencies, recognized that people are a lot like sheep. For instance, sheep are completely defenseless and require more care and attention than any other kind of livestock. They also tend to work in concert and desperately want to conform. At the same time, David realized that God was his Shepherd. And shepherds look out for the welfare of their sheep. They lead them to green pastures and beside still waters. Yet despite theshepherd�s tender care and good intentions, sheep tend to go astray. Now, it would seem that anyone under the care of the Good Shepherd never would go astray or need restoration. But that is not the case. Why do we run from God? Why do we disregard His plans for our lives? We break God�s commandments and ignore His Word. And then amazingly, when we have made an unnecessary mess for ourselves,we get angry with God about it. Yet David wrote, �He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name� (Psalm 23:3 NLT). David knew a little bit about renewal and restoration. He had his lapsesand his downfalls, which are recorded for us in Scripture. Usually, when we think of David, two other names come to mind: Goliath and Bathsheba. Goliath represents David�s greatest victory in which he felled the nine-foot-six-inch Philistine with one smooth stone. On the other hand, Bathsheba represents his greatest defeat in which he fell into the sin of immorality and tried to hide it. As a result, his life became progressively worse. In Psalm 42, the psalmist cried out, �Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again�my Savior and my God!� (verse 11 NLT). Often, the Christians who are the most vulnerable to sin are not the weakest; they�re the strongest. Sometimes weak Christians recognize their vulnerability and, as a result, stay that muchcloser to the Shepherd. Meanwhile, the strong ones might say, �I don�t need to be that close to the Shepherd all the time. I�ll just wander off on my own, kick back, and take it easy.� It�s often when we lower our defenses that we�re hit by an onslaught of fiery arrows from the enemy. So we must always keep our guard up and remain close to the Shepherd. ---------------------------------- Safe in His Hands - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. �John 10:9 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/safe-in-his-hands/- Listen A popular advice columnist once said that among the thousands of letters she received each month, one problem dominated the rest: fear. She said that people were afraid of losing their health,their wealth, and their loved ones. All too often, Christians haven�t found the comfort, strength, and contentment that God wants them to have because they are paralyzed by fear. Yet Jesus said, �I tell you the truth, I am thegate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures� (John 10:7�9 NLT). In Jesus� day, a sheepfold was an enclosed area with walls that provided protection for defenseless sheep, especially at night. Predators such as wolves or lions walked around the sheepfold,looking for a way in. Yet the only way in was through the door of the sheepfold. And that so-called door was the shepherd. We see this pattern elsewhere in Scripture. On one occasion, Jesus turned to Peter and said, �Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer foryou, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers� (Luke 22:31�32 NLT). Jesus essentially was saying, �I�m standing in the gap for you.� The devil cannot pick us off at will, though some Christians may think that. Rather, he must go through the Good Shepherd because we are under His divine protection. Jesus also said, �My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father hasgiven them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father�s hand� (John 10:27�29 NLT). Although this passage is a promise of God�s protection, it is not a promise that we never will fall into sin. No one will snatch Jesus� sheep out of His hand, but we, as sheep, can still goastray. Not only has God given us His protection, but He also has given us freedom. We don�t have to stay in the sheepfold. We don�t have to stay in His protection. And when we make a mess out ofour lives, God will do what He can to find us, restore us, and bring us back to Himself. Yet God is looking for our cooperation. He wants to protect us, provide for us, and bless us. He wants us to find contentment. But we must follow the Good Shepherd�s voice. -------------------------------- Waterfrom the Rock �Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and thereshall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.� (Exodus 17:6) This amazing provision of drinking water for the Israelites in the midst of a barren wilderness is surely one of the most remarkable miracles of creation recorded in Scripture. Furthermore, it was not a one-time event but somehow continued to provide waterfor them during the entire 40 years they spent in the desert. God provided daily water just as He provided their daily bread. �Our fathers...did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rockthat followed them: and that Rock was Christ� (1 Corinthians 10:1, 3-4). The provision was an act of pure grace on God�s part, for even after God created the manna for them, the people were about to stone Moses (Exodus 17:4).But their complaint was really against God, so God �stood before� Moses as he smote the rock at Horeb, and a great spring of water burst forth. This is the first mention of the word �rock� in Scripture, and it is surely significant that the apostle Paul calls this rock a type of Christ (1 Corinthians10:4). Just as Moses smote the rock with the same rod of judgment that he used to smite the river in Egypt (Exodus 7:20; 17:5), so Christ had to be �smitten of God� (Isaiah 53:4) because of our sins so that �If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink� (John7:37). Because our Rock was smitten, the water of everlasting life is now made freely available to all who will drink. The very last invitation of the Bible is: �And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely� (Revelation22:17). Then, �whosoever drinketh...shall never thirst� (John 4:14). HMM ------------------------ TheDesigned Creation �Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shallhe not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?� (Psalm 94:8-9) The concept of evolution is nothing but brute-like foolishness. If an automobile presupposes an automaker, and a clock implies a clockmaker, surely the infinitely more intricate and complex eyes and ears of living creatures require an eye-maker and an ear-maker! �The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them� (Proverbs 20:12). The most basic of all scientific laws�the law of cause and effect (no effect greater than its cause)�becomes utmost nonsense if the cosmos is the product of chaos and the universe evolved by chance. �The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God� (Psalm14:1). Every creature, from the single-cell amoebae to the amazing human body, bears the impress of intricate planning and construction. The notion that such complex structures could evolve by random mutations and natural selection is simply a measure of the audacityof human rebellion and the absurdity of humanistic reasoning. Such things never happen in the real world, and there is no real scientific evidence whatever for �vertical� evolution from one kind to a higher kind. The only �evidence� for evolution is the factthat the leaders of intellectualism believe it, and the only reason they believe it is because of their frantic desire to escape God. �Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools� (Romans1:22). The ear did not evolve; it was planted. The eye did not happen by chance; it was formed. Every wise man and woman will say with the psalmist, �I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well� (Psalm139:14). HMM ----------------------- TemporaryTesting - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold�though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strongthrough many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. �1 Peter 1:7 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/temporary-testing/- Listen The apostle Paul had the unique experience of dying, going to Heaven, and coming back to talk about it. We don�t know exactly when that happened, but many assume that it was when crowds atLystra stoned him and took him outside the city. Paul wrote about this experience in 2 Corinthians 12, where he described being caught up into the third heaven and hearing things he couldn�t even put into words. That would be a heavy matter for even the most seasoned believer. But Paul went on to say, �So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to tormentme and keep me from becoming proud� (verse 7 NLT). The apostle continued, �That�s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong� (verse 10 NLT). There are many opinions as to what Paul�s thorn was. Some believe it was a physical problem, such as poor eyesight. No doubt that could have come from the physical suffering he had endured.Or, maybe it was some other physical difficulty. Others think that Paul�s �thorn in [his] flesh� might have been difficult people in his life who made him miserable. Whatever it was, Paul essentially said three different times, �Lord, would You get this out of my life?� And God said, �My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness� (verse 9NLT). God will reveal Himself in unique and special ways through the valleys of life. Most of us would like to avoid the valleys. But there are some lessons we learn in the valleys that we won�t learn anywhere else. One is the lesson of compassion. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1, �All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comfortsus in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us� (verses 3�4 NLT). When God has allowed hardship in our lives, it gives us the ability to comfort someone else who is going through something similar. God can take our past and use it for His glory today. It may be hard to believe now, but we don�t stay in the valleys forever. The Bible tells us, �These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifiesgold�though your faith is far more precious than mere gold� (1 Peter 1:7 NLT). Trials don�t last forever. David didn�t write, �Even when I crawl through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid.� Rather, he said, �Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will notbe afraid� (Psalm 23:4 NLT). Keep moving. You�re going to get through it. ---------------------------- GraciousStrength �Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.� (2Timothy 2:1) As with so many other character attributes, a Christian cannot measure strength as the world does. True strength is not military might or athletic skill or purchasing power. �For...not many mighty...are called: But God hath chosen...the weak things of the worldto confound the things which are mighty� (1Corinthians 1:26-27). A Christian is strong when he or she is a person of gracious character, strong in the grace manifested by Christ in word and deed. �My strength is made perfect in weakness,� the Lord told the apostle Paul (2Corinthians 12:9), who then prayed that we would also be �strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness� (Colossians1:11). But how does one acquire such strength in grace? First of all, it is by the working of the indwelling Holy Spirit in the believer�s life��strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man� (Ephesians3:16). Then it is by spending times of quietness before the Lord in prayer and study. �Their strength is to sit still....in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength� (Isaiah30:7, 15). Frantic efforts to acquire, by human methods, the power one needs to accomplish a task or to reach a goal will be futile in the end, �but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength� (Isaiah40:31). After the people had spent a day before the Lord and His written Word, Nehemiah could assure them that �the joy of the LORD is your strength� (Nehemiah8:10). �Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee,� the psalmist could say (Psalm84:5). When we acquire our strength from Him, we can confidently claim the ancient promise: �And as thy days, so shall thy strength be� (Deuteronomy33:25). HMM