A Christian Devotional

[Shammu]

Walk by faith and not by sight!

2 Kings 6:15-17 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

So often in our walks with the Lord, we become focused on what we can see, what we can hear and what we can sense in the physical realm. Like that young man, we focus on the enemy’s attacks around and about us. At times we can get so focused on our physical circumstances that we forget that the Lord has already provided for us the victory!

That servant was frightened by the size of the enemy's army heading their way -- but Elisha was focused on the Lord. He knew that God had a much bigger army prepared…and that is what won him the victory.

Do not be frightened! Let's let our spiritual eyes be opened today so that we may see that God has prepared a plan of victory from the beginning of time! Our victory is near!

[Shammu]

Press forward!

Phil. 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

A life without a goal is like the captain of a ship without a map and a compass. His ship will just drift aimlessly from day to day hoping to arrive somewhere.

The apostle Paul set for himself a goal! He pressed forward in search for his goal -- he pressed toward the mark of the high calling in Messiah! He had a clear direction of where he was going and he was focused on the Lord! How much more should we!

By setting a goal, we are making a decision to act. We are providing ourselves a map and depending on the Lord to be our compass -- to provide the direction He wants us to go! A goal is more than a dream -- it's a dream acted upon. It's not saying "oh, I wish I could" -- it's declaring what we want to do for the Lord-- it's a declaration of faith!

Let's make our lives interesting -- let's set for ourselves a goal! Let's make a clear declaration of faith, saying "This is what I am going to do for the Lord and then press forward! I can't wait to see where the Lord will take us!

[Shammu]

Your victory is near!

1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Growing up, one of my favorite Saturday activities was watching ABC Sports. I can still remember the opening line -- “The thrill of victory or the agony of defeat!” One of the greatest prophets of the Bible, Elijah, experienced his share of victories -- but he also knew that sudden feeling of defeat. If you recall, Elijah was on Mount Carmel, the only prophet of the Lord standing against four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. (2 Kings 18) When it was all said and done, Elijah was absolutely victorious! But wouldn’t you know that in the next chapter, we find Elijah under a juniper tree saying -- “Lord take my life!” (2 Kings 19:4)

We’re so quick to forget the victories that the Lord has given us, aren’t we? There are countless examples of great men of God who struggled this way. If they can go from victory to defeat so easily, how much more are we susceptible to the same attacks of the enemy? We must remember that this is precisely what they are -- attacks of the enemy upon our lives -- attempting to draw our attention away from all that God has done.

If you are finding yourself in the midst of a valley -- try focusing on the victories the Lord has already displayed in your life. And more importantly, focus on the power of victory you can walk with today!

[Shammu]

Ouch!

Hebrews 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Ever gotten one of those really bad paper cuts? I heard someone complaining about one just recently – and I got to thinking about all the stuff we gripe about without even realizing it. Our jobs and our relationships, our parents, our children, our churches, our homes, our appearances.

Really though, all these things are just paper cuts, when we compare them to the deep wounds of a world who doesn’t know the Lord!

We need to spend a lot less time complaining about our little paper cuts and much more time praying and ministering to the deep deep wounds of the lost all around us.

[Shammu]

Where's your company card?

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Do you ever wonder why it is that sometimes we don't get the things we pray for? James hits it on the nail when he says that we ask amiss, that we may consume it upon our lusts.

Think about this. You work for a large company such as, let's say, IBM. You've been with them for quite some time and been faithful and dilligent to do what's been required of you. You've gained some trust and seniority. One day, the boss decides to give you access to the company card, should you ever need it, trusting that if you'll use it, you'll be using it to purchase something for the good of the company.

We who know Jesus are in God's company -- and we have been entrusted with the company card! When we swipe that card and ask for that thing in the name of Jesus, we will get it --- as long as it will benefit the company!

Is that thing for which you've been praying going to benefit the Kingdom? If so, then pray in faith! God will do it! If not, let's ask God to help us know how to pray today!

[Shammu]

What smells?

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I came across a powerful parable written by a Haitian pastor illustrating to his congregation the need for total commitment to Christ.

A certain man wanted to sell his house for two thousand dollars. Another man wanted very badly to buy it but couldn't afford the full price the owner was asking. After much bargaining however, he agreed to sell the house to the poor man for half the original price -- along with just one stipulation: He would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door.

After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog and hung it from the single nail he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail.

The Haitian pastor concluded that "If we leave the Devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it, making it unfit for Christ's habitation."

The devil has only come to steal, kill and destroy. He can be very crafty and he would love nothing more than to steal from us our very inhabitance in the Lord. Let's ask the Lord to reveal any pegs we may be leaving for the devil today and take back all that belongs to us in Jesus!

[Shammu]

Take care!

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 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: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

We’ve been working on so many different things recently and we’re just exhausted. But this is a word of advice the Lord gave us. Perhaps it’s for some of you too.

Oftentimes we forget that our spiritual, mental and emotional livelihood is directly connected to our physical one. What I mean by that is when we don’t take care of our bodies, not only can we get physically sick, but spiritually, mentally and emotionally as well. The media and the medical industry may have a lot of ideas and “quick fixes” for getting healthy but it really all boils down to a few important fundamentals.

Let’s consider for a minute the way we’ve been treating our bodies. Have we been drinking enough water? Lot’s of water is the number one cure for many bodily ailments including weight loss. Are we eating the kinds of things we should? We can’t expect to put junk in our bodies and expect them to function normally. Are we moving enough? We need to get some form of exercise each day, even if it’s just taking a stroll around the block a few times. I know exercise is a scary word for some of us, but it’s so very important! Are we getting enough sleep? Less than eight hours a night for any length of time is key!

Have you been running, running, running and losing your cool? When we don’t take care of our body the way we should, it’s bound to happen! Want to do greater things for the Lord? Want to get God’s direction for your life? Want to get more stable mentally and emotionally? Let’s commit to taking care of our body. It is the Temple of the Holy Spirit living in us. We should strive to keep it in good shape.

[Shammu]

Shana tova oo-metukah!

Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Tonight begins one of the highest holy days of all the feasts of the bible, Rosh ha Shana (Head of the Year). According to Jewish tradition, Rosh haShana is the Day of Judgment, the day when the righteous have their names inscribed in the Book of Life and the wicked are judged for their transgressions. It is a day to commemorate the creation of the world, the creation of mankind, and the Akeida, the binding of Isaac to the altar. On this day only the ram's horn (or the shofar) is blown in synagogues all over the world to commemorate the ram that was provided in lieu of Isaac's life and call us to repentance.

After the sound of the Shofar, many eat apples dipped in honey and say "shana tova oo-metuka" (to a good and sweet new year)!

For those of us who know Jesus, this is a day to remember our sweet redemption in Him. Every portion of Scripture that is read and remembered in this service paints a beautiful portrait of our salvation in Jesus our Messiah, Yeshua haMashiach.

This is a time of conception of goals and aspirations of things we desire to attain for His Kingdom during the next year. It is a time to pray for the world to unite and press forward under the banner of Messiah. It is a day of salvation for all mankind both Jew and Gentile alike.

Let's take this opportunity to crown Him as King of our lives once again and determine to live every breath, every moment, every day for His honor and glory in this new year of 5767!

[Shammu]

Adorn yourself in true treasures!

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

The king of the birds was looking in the mirror one day and was dissapointed to see that his feathers were not as bright as they were once. "I am getting old," he said, "I think it will soon be time to choose a new king". He decided to announce that on a certain day, all the birds will gather and present themselves before him so that he would be able choose from among them the most beautiful of all to be their next king. The crow got wind of the king's plans and began to fret. "There are so many beautiful birds in the kingdom and I am only a colorless crow. I don't have a chance at becoming king." Suddenly, he had a terrific idea. He began to search through the woods and fields for colorful feathers fallen from the wings of his companions, and stuck them in amongst his own.

When the appointed day arrived and all the birds had assembled before the king, the crow also made his appearance in his array of fine found feathers. When the aging king spotted the crow and all the beauty of his plumage, he immediately chose him to be king. As the crow pranced down the isle with pride to accept his crown, the birds began angrily plucking out their feathers from between his, leaving the crow nothing but an old black crow.

Too often, we try to "improve our worth" by adorning our selves in "pretty" things. Fine clothes, cosmetics, jewelry, friends, money, power, fame among others, top the list. But there is really only one way to improve our appearance. Putting our faith in the Lord and walking wholeheartedly with Him. Despite what the world around us thinks, only He can improve our fallen condition and our search for happiness.

Those feathers we find aren't going to fool anyone -- especially our King. Let's come to God as we are today and ask Him to adorn us with the treasures he desires, peace, patience, love, joy and all the fruits of the Spirit.

[Shammu]

Sound the alarm!

Ezekiel 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

When we see the word trumpet in the Bible, the Hebrew equivalent is "shofar". Shofars are those twisty brown ram's horns that have recently become a quite popular Christian decor. Well, forget decor -- we need to learn how to blow those things!! All around the world this season, the shofar is being blown among Jewish communities. While for most Jewish people today, it is tradition to hear the shofar blast, few know of Jesus' soon return.

In Biblical days, there were many reasons why the shofar was blown. But most often, it was blown for the purpose of warning the people of impending danger. As we enter into a New Year, and the Lord's return draws closer by the day, we have a responsiblity. We as the body of Messiah are called to be watchmen. We need to be bold and knowledgeable of the Word, that we might be effective witnesses to warn the world of the judgment that is coming!

Be bold and courageous, stand firm in your faith and sound the shofar!

[Shammu]

Cast your bread upon the waters!

Micah 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

One of the more beautiful ceremonies of the Jewish faith is called "Tashlich". Tashlich means to cast away. Every year between Rosh haShana and Yom Kippur, Jewish people around the world journey to a nearby river or stream and cast in bread crumbs as they confess their sins. As the bread crumbs are swept downstream soon to be out of sight, so they believe God will sweep away their sins.

We as believers in Jesus, know that true forgiveness doesn't come by doing works, keeping traditions and taking part in beautiful ceremonies. Reconciliation with God comes by truly giving up our lives for His purposes and receiving atonement for our sin through Mashiach (Messiah) Jesus, as the Hebrew scriptures clearly show.

We all struggle with sin. Let's take this opportunity to tashlich it today! Cast it away! The Scripture says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us, cleanse us from all unrighteousness and remove those sins as far as the east is from the west!

Let's not be burdened any longer with sin -- confess it and be cleansed! The Lord is in the business of restoration -- let's give Him our lives once again. And let's pray for God to do a work among the Jewish people. That they would see the truth of their blessed Messiah!

[Shammu]

What is that awful smell?!

2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

From Rosh haShana leading up to Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement, the holiest of all the feasts), we are now in the Days of Awe. This is the season that the shofar (rams horn) is blown to heed the call of warning to repent from our sins and be clean. The shofar's unique sounding blast is a wake up call to all who will hear.

Those of you who know what a shofar looks like, know it's quite intriguing. As a matter of fact, I have a shofar displayed on a shelf in my living room as a centerpiece (and a reminder) and most who enter comment on its beauty. My wife makes sure our shofar is dusted and shined it to keep it looking its best.

However, I don't know how many of you have ever smelled the odor of a rams horn before it's properly cleaned, but I can tell you from personal experience that it is by far one of the most putrid, revolting and rancid smelling things I've smelled in my lifetime. And it is a common dilemma among shofar owners as how best to rid it of that awful smell. Some say washing it out with vinegar does the trick, others say soaking your shofar in alcohol guarantees a clean smell, and still others firmly stand by some strange hodgepodge of ingredients they've concocted.

Interestingly enough, the Hebrew root of the word shofar is the word "shifra", which means to beautify, which is directly related to the Hebrew word "shapair" which means to improve!

Now, I think most of us remember to wash our outward bodies in order to look and smell nice as we go out into the world around us. But how many of us are walking around just gorgeous on the outside but the stench of sin reeking within us?!! As the shofar blasts this season, let us heed the call to improve and beautify ourselves, not only outwardly but from our ignorance of and rebellion against God's perfect will for our lives.

There is much work to be done for the Kingdom and we can't accomplish any of it with our outward beauty! Let's ask the Lord to do some revealing and cleansing in our hearts and lives today.

[Shammu]

Come just as you are!

1 Peter 2:9-10 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Yesterday people from around the world celebrated Yom Kippur. In Israel, nothing, absolutely nothing is open -- no radio, television or cable, even the street lights don't work!

In the days of the Aaronic priesthood, every year at this time, the high priest would enter into the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the people. He would strip himself of all his priestly garments and would come into the presence of God in a simple white garment.

Each of us who knows Jesus as Messiah belongs to a royal priesthood. We are called to enter the presence of God -- but in order to do that we need to strip ourselves -- strip ourselves of our pride, our egos, our worries, our concerns. And we must come humbly into the presence of God in the simplest way -- as a little child.

The blood of Jesus -- our sacrificial lamb -- covers us so that we too can enter into the Holy of Holies. And all ministry begins there, where we meet the Lord face to face in worship and prayer. Let's enter into his presence today and renew our minds and hearts with His agape love and the joy of His awesome salvation.

[Shammu]

Multiply your time!

Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Life can get so hectic sometimes -- we often try to do too many things at once. But when our schedule gets that hectic, we need to start investing in some quality time with the Lord. The operating word here is "investing".

Did you know that God is the best broker in town? When we invest our time in worship, prayer and the reading of His word, He takes just takes that time and multiplies it many times over! When we give the Lord our time, He gets our minds focused and can even give us new ideas for how we can get things done better and more efficiently! I've heard testimony after testimony about this and seen God at work in my own life in this area. It really works!

I heard it said once that "proof of love is the investment of time". Do we have something to prove today? Let's start start by spending some time with the Lord. Spending time in His presence is the greatest investment we could ever make!

[Shammu]

Be valiant!

Judges 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

Judges 6 begins with an angel talking to Gideon saying, “thou mighty man of valour!” However, in this passage Gideon isn't feeling very valiant – he’s consumed with his circumstances -- how poor his family is and how he's the least of his fathers’ house. He doesn't feel he's done anything worthy of being called valiant, yet the angel still addresses him "mighty man of valour!”

Gideon is not the only one who struggles with feeling unvaliant, though, is he? Even the best of us struggle with feelings of failure and defeat. But we must remember that we are part of the Lord’s army – and in the Lord’s army we do not depend upon our own strength. We depend upon the power of the Lord! We depend upon the victory that He has already won!

Imagine the countless thousands of saints like Gideon who have passed away before us and now sit in heaven’s glory where every tear is dried, and every wound is healed -- who have already fought the battle of life and are calling down to us from heaven saying “Fellow Saint, you can get through this thing! Fight this battle – for we have fought these same battles in our lives and been rewarded with heaven’s glory! So fight through and we’ll see you soon beside us! March forward you mighty man and woman of valor!”

The Lord stands anxiously awaiting our call. He wants us to walk in His power, not our own! Let's give him our circumstances today and strive to rely on His strength to conquer them!