A Christian Devotional

[Shammu]

The fields are white in the world!

Matthew 9:37-38 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Since we returned to our home in the Negev Desert in Israel, we've noticed that the usual "desert scene" we are so accustomed to, has completely blossomed with grass and flowers -- what an amazing difference! It suddenly occured to me, as we were delighting in the beauty of it all, that the seed was already there! No one planted it. All the hills, now rolling endlessly with green -- they are not owned by anyone. Miles and miles of grass and wild flowers suddenly shoot forth where there was nothing but brown before! It was just waiting for someone to water it! And God brought the rains.

Be encouraged today!! The desert is blooming! This is a sign to us! Pray for the rains to come! God has planted seed from the beginning of time! In each of us -- even those who seem furthest from the Lord -- God has planted seed! And we will see salvation and revival because of His great mercy and love!

[Shammu]

Are you hungry?

Luke 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Have you ever noticed that most of our phone conversations go something like this? You call, say a word or two, they'll say a short thing or two in reply and then something like "Ok, in the middle of something, gotta run, talk to you later"! That's a good example of most of our telephone conversations with people when we were living in the United States.

Now that we're living in Israel however, it's a slightly different story. When we call America now, people are always making time to talk to us. In fact, usually they excuse themselves and go into a separate room so they can hear us loud and clear! And vice versa when they call us! But that got us thinking.

If we make some time and excuse ourselves from a room to talk to someone important on the telephone, how much more should we do these things for the Lord of Glory?!

William Wilberforce, Christian statesman of Great Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, once said, "I must secure more time for private devotions. I have been living far too public for me. The shortening of private devotions starves the soul. It grows lean and faint."

We don't starve our bodies, do we? Then why do we starve our souls? We would never dream of not eating for a month or two, but how long has it been since we've gotten to a quiet room to nourish our souls with the Lord? Seems ironic, doesn't it? Our bodies our only temporary -- they will be buried six feet under some day, along with our belongings eventually. Our soul, though, is what we should be nourishing daily, what we should be guarding as our most prized possession, because it will always be around!

Let's get our priorities straight. Let's excuse ourselves from the hustle and bustle and spend some time nourishing our souls and hearing the Lord loud and clear!

[Shammu]

Do you want to be made well?

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

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

Jesus asked this man "Do you want to be made well?" Of course he did! Wouldn't you? Why did Jesus ask a question like this when its answer was so clearly obvious? It seems the Lord wanted to hear him verbalize his need.

In the biography of George Mueller, a strong man of God who established orphanages throughout England in the 1800's and raised the kids up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, this amazing Saint relied upon God for every single need that he faced without making any financial appeals. He laid before the Lord every aspect of these orphanages. He prayed for the locations, the buildings, the furniture to fill them, the workers to run them, and everything else he could think of. When the first orphanage was ready, Mueller realized one major thing was lacking -- orphans!! He forgot to ask the Lord to provide the orphans!

Sometimes the obvious things just smack us in the face, don't they? On several occassions, I've found myself in this very position! Silly me -- I forgot to ask!

The Lord is asking us today, "Do you want to be made well?" Whether it be physical healing, spiritual, emotional or financial healing, no thing is too great or too small for our Lord! Perhaps we've just forgotten to ask Him!

[Shammu]

Need a bath?

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

I've been trying to convince my wife for the longest time that we should get a dog. Well... I just happened to get word that some neighbors of ours were giving some cute ones away so I conveniently scheduled a time to see them with the whole family. When my wife saw these cute little pup faces, she had to give in. So finally we have a new addition to our family, praise God!

As many of you know, my wife is very clean-conscious, so the very first thing we had to do when we brought him home is give our little guy a bath. And as you can imagine, he wasn't liking this idea at all. The water -- the shampoo -- he fought tooth and nail. He didn't understand the fact that he'd been living out in a dirty yard for eight weeks and was full of fleas and other critters as a result. He couldn't believe that this bath was actually for his benefit. Yet it had to be done.

So it is with us. Unfortunately, we live in a dirty world, full of critters. And the Lord wants us clean. He wants us to stop being so busy scratching and itching so that we can do what we're called to do -- cuddle -- love on someone, make them smile! The Lord allows us to go through trials and tribulations that we might be refined and cleansed and more fit to do great things for His Kingdom! We might not understand or even believe that this cleansing is for our benefit, yet it has to be done.

Don't fight God's purifying process -- embrace it! God has great things ahead! And there's sooo much work to be done!!!

[Shammu]

God's purposes are not always as they seem!

Acts 16:26-30 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

At first glance, it would seem that God allowed this earthquake to take place in order that Paul and Silas would be set free. The earthquake came and their bands were loosed. There was nothing holding them back. They could have fled immediately – wouldn’t have you?

But no -- Paul and Silas waited...and as a result, the jailer and his entire family were saved!

Many times we assume God’s reasoning for doing the things He does. The Lord may have released us to walk through a door that He has clearly opened -- but He may also have other purposes in mind. Let’s not be so quick to assume. There’s no hurry. God won’t shut a door if it is His divine will for it to be open!

Let’s be patient and be sure to be led by the Spirit of God. These are amazing times we’re living in. We don’t want to miss out on God’s perfect will!

[Shammu]

Just wait!

Exodus 24:1-18 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst, of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and got him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

Patience is one of those things... so hard to learn it... so hard to practice it faithfully in our daily walk. It's one of of those things I truly wish we didn't have to learn -- but God requires it of us! As I was reading through this passage again in Exodus, it dawned on me that Moses sat on the mountain for six entire days before the Lord spoke to him. He had to patiently wait for the Lord for six days!

So often we think we can just do as we please with our lives and then come running to God for a few minutes of prayer and get an answer right away but I don't believe it is always that simple. Even Moses needed to be prepared for six full days in order to be able experience the awesome presence of the Lord! If Moses had to wait six days - then it should not surprise us if we need to wait 60 days, 60 months or even 60 years for the Lord to prepare us to receive His blessing!

The funny thing is as I'm writing this devotional, my daughter is clinging to me, insisting "Abba, hold me! Hold me now!" And I'm saying to her, "Elianna, just wait a couple minutes and let me finish writing this devotional and I will give you a treat!"

Hmmm... perhaps the Lord is saying to us today -- Be patient my child, if you wait on me I will give you a treat!
Be encouraged! The Lord is preparing us for great things. Spend more time seeking Him and worshipping Him. Keep waiting at His feet. He will meet us! There's so much work to be done.

[Shammu]

Rescue me!

Luke 15:6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

A friend sent us this very touching story and we had to share it with you.

Some time ago there was a story in the San Francisco Chronicle about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, and a line tugging in her mouth.

Thankfully, a fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was in such bad condition that the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her, a very dangerous proposition.

One slap of the enormous whale's tail could kill a rescuer. Still the brave rescuers worked for hours cutting her free. One guy who was cutting the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time. Eventually they were able to free her.

As soon as she became free, the divers say she began to swim in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed gently around-she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

Let's take a lesson from this beautiful story. So often we let the hurting in our churches and communities fall through the cracks, never to be seen again. But it is a brave soul who gathers up an army of rescuers to reach out to a suffering or hard to reach brother or sister and rescue him or her from the binding entanglements of this world. Just as the Lord has so mercifully reached out to us, we need to do the same. Whether it is a gift, an invitation to a meal or a smile and a word of encouragement, let's strive to reach out.

We need to be the first to innitiate this kind of rescue team for our brothers and sisters. Believe you me, it will be just as beautiful and rewarding too. There's so much work to be done!

[Shammu]

Hello? Can you hear me now?

Matthew 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Here in Israel, cell phones are all the rage. You wouldn't believe it but parents even buy cell phones for their kids and send them to school with them in their schoolbags. I'm talking about six and seven year old kids! While it is true that part of the reason for this cell phone craze stems from the fact that violence goes on here daily and people want to be able to contact one another in the event of an emergency, I would still say that it's somewhat excessive.

Mark Twain was once asked to record a Christmas message on an early gramophone. This is what he said, "It is my heart-warm and world-embracing Christmas hope and aspiration that all of us, the high, the low, the rich, the poor, and admired, the despised, the loved, the hated, the civilized, the savage--every man and woman of us all throughout the whole earth--may eventually be gathered in a heaven of everlasting rest and peace and bliss, except the inventor of the telephone."

Not that technology is a bad thing, but I think we have become entirely too dependent on it! Telephones, cell phones, televisions, computers, X-Boxes, MP3's. what's next?!

Sometimes I feel like we just need to go back to the basics. Put all those things away in a closet somewhere and just sit down with the Word and with our Father. He wants to whisper in our ears sweet words of encouragement and wisdom. He wants to tell us of His wonderful plans for our lives and reveal to us the extraordinary mysteries of His Kingdom. But we're too busy taking calls!

I believe God is calling us to a quiet place today. Let's put all the distractions away for an hour or two and spend some time with the Lord! I believe He'll make it worth our while!

[Shammu]

Let's get exposed!

Psalms 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I recently read a story about a rather pompous-looking deacon who was endeavoring to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. 'Why do you think people call me a Christian?' the man asked. After a moment's pause, one youngster said, 'Maybe it's because they don't know you.'

I don't know if this is a true story -- but I'm sure we've all experienced hypocrisy in our own lives. Mark Twain said "We're all like the moon, we have a dark side we don't want anyone to see".

Hypocrisy is a dangerous thing. It has turned a many a man away from the Lord to search elsewhere for answers. It can ruin an entire generation and more after them. But we have the opportunity to change those generations for the good of God's kingdom! Those of us who know and love God must never stop allowing Him to search our "dark sides" so that we can more effectively be used as vessels to lead the hungry multitudes to Him.

Let's come against the hypocrisy in our lives. Let's ask the Lord to search our hearts today and uproot the things that need uprooting. Let's give our all to God again.

[Shammu]

That's what friends are for!

Hebrews 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

We've been talking about freeing others from their burdens and bonds. This scripture tells us we are to remember those that are bound -- as though we are actually bound along with them!

The North American Indians have a more eloquent word for 'friend' than we do in English. In their language, the word for friend literally means, "the one who carries my sorrows on his back." Isn't that the ideal friend? One who truly carries our problems!

All of us are bound by different things and suffer from our individual struggles. And we need to be carrying each other's sorrows as if they were our own.

Our best friend has carried our sorrows. Let's strive to be more like Him. There's so much work to be done!

[Shammu]

Study to show thyself approved!

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

A candidate for church membership was asked, “What part of the Bible do you like best?” He said: “I like the New Testament best. Then he was asked, “What Book in the New Testament is your favorite?” He answered, the Book of the Parables, Sir.” Hmmm. Do you realize how many of us are guilty of such little knowledge of God's word?

The Lord has really been convicting our hearts of how much we need to know the Bible in this day and age. The Lord has given it to us as a gift! That we might have wisdom and knowlege and understanding beyond our years!

Let's strive to study and learn His Word.

[Shammu]

Don't forget your passport!

John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Here in Israel, I have to carry my passport everywhere. It's always in my pocket where ever I go. It's my source of American identity here in the Land, should anyone ever question it. Sadly, it's been accidentally through the washer a few times and all the stamps in it are all dulled and faded. As a matter of fact, this last time coming into Israel, the airport clerk alerted me that they would not accept my passport in this condition again – and that I had better replace it before I travel again. Gulp!

E.M. Bounds wrote in his book, Purpose in Prayer: “Christ taught us... to approach the Father in His name. That is our passport! It is in His name that we are to make our petitions known... There is no limit to the power of that name. “Whatsoever ye shall ask.” That is the divine declaration, and it opens up to every praying child a vista of infinite resource and possibility ... and that is our heritage. All that Christ has may become ours if we obey the conditions.”

We need our prayers to reach the throne of God! And in order for them to travel, they need a good passport!

When we pray in the mighty Name of Jesus (Yeshua, in Hebrew) today, our requests are transported right to God's holy throne room! Let's petition the Father according to His will and expect GREAT things!

[Shammu]

Just say... yes!

1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Our three year old daughter, Elianna, has been driving us crazy recently. She will say “no!” to just about everything we suggest. It could be anything-- No! The other day, my wife even offered her a piece of candy --- and she said “No”! Uggh!

So we decided that we're going to take advantage of this season by videotaping her as we ask her some important questions for her future. “Do you want to drive as soon as you turn sixteen?” “Will you date boys before you're 25?” “Do you want Mommy and Daddy to pay for your wedding?” No! No! No! Ha! We got her now!

But seriously though, as we were meditating on all this, we realized that there are areas of rebellion in our own lives that need to be dealt with. Dealing with our sin and our sinful nature is a life long process. But it's not a process from which to run away! This process of sanctification draws us closer to each other and most importantly, closer to our Lord!

The Lord is looking for vessels to fill with His power. Let's take a closer look at the ways our hearts rebel against God today. And let's strive to get sanctified, that God's purposes may be accomplished in our lives! 'Cause you know what we're going to say...

[Shammu]

Prepare yourself!

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

The faithful man of God that led my wife to the Lord is here from America with us this week and it's such a blessing to have him here. He also secretly married us in Israel five years ago -- before our major wedding ceremony in the States.

As I was thinking about this verse the other day it reminded me of that special evening in Jerusalem and how my wife elaborately prepared for our wedding. It was just a small gathering at her father's house but it was so sweet. Her dad prepared beautiful and delicious Israeli delicacies. We built a chuppa (Jewish wedding canopy) from her great grandfather's tallit (Jewish prayer shawl). A Paul Wilbur CD played softly in the back round and about a hundred candles lit the living room. My soon to be wife had spent hours bathing and doing her hair and getting beautiful for the occasion and finally out she came. It all was so romantic, well planned and wonderfully prepared.

We are our Lord's bride! And in the same way, we have a responsibility to prepare for His return! We have some work to do, don't we?

Let's examine our hearts today and lay it all out before Him. Let's give Him the first fruits of our day in worship and study and prayer and allow Him to refine and cleanse us -- that we may be found a bride without wrinkle or spot – that we would be found a holy and righteous and beautiful bride for Him and our celebration together would be glorious!

[Shammu]

Make your difference!

Luke 19:17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

A young man once went to the beach. There, he saw miles and miles of starfish washed up on the sand. “If these starfish stay out here during the heat of the day,” he thought, “they'll die.” So he began picking up a starfish at a time as he walked and throwing them back into the ocean.

An elderly man also walking along the shore approached him and said, “Do you mind if I ask young man, what are you doing?” “I'm throwing these poor starfish back into the ocean so they don't die in the hot sun,” the youth replied. “But what difference can you really make,” said the old man, “Look at this beach -- there are thousands, maybe millions, of starfish here!”

The young man chuckled as he threw yet another starfish into the sea. “Well -- it made a difference to that one!”

“Faithful in a very little”, the Word of God says! It is faithfulness in the little things that the Lord rewards mightily!

The world is like those millions drying out in the hot sun – and we have reach out to those the Lord has put in our path! If we all do our share, the job will get accomplished!