A Christian Devotional

[Shammu]

Never surrender!

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the 1940's, the world fought against the greatest evil it had ever seen, Adolf Hitler and his terrible regime. In the midst of this war, Winston Churchill said, "We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."

England stood bold in the face of evil and in time prevailed! But it took resolve, it took fortitude, and it took boldness in the face of evil to finally achieve this great victory!

The enemy of our souls, satan, knows his time is short and he is unleashing unprecedented war against the saints throughout the world. But we too must resolve to stand face to face against our enemy and claim the victory we already have in the Lord!

Each of us is suffering trials and tribulations today. Stand firm! Let’s recognize the truth that the victory is already ours --- and walk in it! Greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world! There's so much work to be done!

[Shammu]

Need an extreme makeover?

Psalms 90:17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Charles William Eliot, former president of Harvard University, had a birthmark on his face that bothered him greatly. As a young man, he was told that surgeons could do nothing to remove it. Someone described that moment as "the dark hour of his soul." Eliot's mother gave him this helpful advice: "My son, it is not possible for you to get rid of that hardship...But it is possible for you, with God's help, to grow a mind and soul so big that people will forget to look at your face."

Yes, it's true. All of us have things we'd love to change about our bodies. And many of us tend to spend an awful lot of time and money trying to change, fix and cover those things up. But I think there is much truth in Mrs. Eliot's words. When we are shining boldly for the Lord, I don't believe anyone sees them!

Do you REALLY want to make a drastic difference in your appearance today? Let's stop focusing on our outward issues today and start focusing on what really counts -- walking uprightly and wholeheartedly with the Lord -- a spiritual extreme makeover! We will glow like never before, at a low low price and 100% guaranteed!

[Shammu]

Show me a sign!

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

A king was seated in a garden, and one of his counselors was speaking of the wonderful works of God. "Show me a sign," said the king, "and I will believe." "Here are four acorns," said the counselor, "will you, Majesty, plant them in the ground, and then stoop down for a moment and look into this clear pool of water?" The king did so, "Now," said the other, "look up." The king looked up and saw four oak-trees where he had planted the acorns. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed, "This is indeed the work of God." "How long were you looking into the water?" asked the counselor. "Only a second," said the king. "Eighty years have passed as a second," said the other. The king looked at his garments; they were threadbare. He looked at his reflection in the water; he had become an old man. "There is no miracle here, then," he said angrily. "Yes," said the other, "it is God's work, whether he did it in one second or in eighty years.

Some of us are in need of answers today. We've been crying out for the Lord and feel like He's not listening. But He is! And He has a plan far greater than any of us could ask or think!

Be encouraged! Let's choose to trust that God has great plans for us in the making, regardless of whether we can see them right now. His timing is PERFECT!

[Shammu]

Don't be overwelmed with tomorrow!

Matthew 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

When I first gave my life to the Lord, like many of us, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. If God would have shown me, at that time, all the things that would have to change about me, I think I would have gone running for dear life!

Now, here we are, in Israel, a whirlwind of events going on around us, a toddler, a baby on the way, a growing ministry, all the trials you can imagine in relating to a different culture, language, etc. Ha! If you would have shown me this picture back in the days of my rebellion, I think I would have laughed my head off in unbelief!

But that is the Lord's way. God is a gentleman. He doesn't show us more than He feels we need to know. He knows that we are weak and He's merciful enough not to give us more than we can handle. What He desires for us to lay our worries upon Him and trust Him for our future.

God has not given us power to overcome all the problems we have yet to face. He has given us only the power to overcome what faces us today! Just as the children of Israel could collect only enough manna for one day, the power God gives us to face our trials -- it only comes one day at a time.

God has so many wonderful adventures ahead for us who love Him and are called according to His purpose -- and He will surely give us the strength to endure the trials we'll face with each adventure. Let's trust Him only for today's trials -- and let Him worry about the rest!

[Shammu]

Choose this day whom you will serve!

Exodus 12:2-3 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

Tonight begins Pesach (Passover). Every 10th of Nisan, four days before Pesach, the children of Israel would choose a lamb for Passover. Each man would take a lamb for his household; It would take four days to inspect it to make sure it was perfect and without blemish for the sacrifice.

Can you imagine having a lamb at home for four days -- the children feeding it, petting it, perhaps even naming it -- only to know that it would have to die soon?

We also have a Lamb to choose today. Jesus, our perfect Passover lamb who is without blemish. Some of us reading this today may already have chosen Him. Some of us may have forgotten of our choice, and yet some may be undecided. But regardless of where you stand, now is the time to make a choice for Him.

Today is the day of salvation and to remember the great work of atonement which brought us out of bondage from Egypt (both physical and spiritual). Let's make today a special day in our hearts to allow the Lamb of God come and do a new work of holiness in us. There's so much work to be done!

[Shammu]

Pass over!

Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Last evening began the holiday of Pesach (Passover), the day we remember God's merciful redemption of the Jewish people from Egypt. When the final plague struck Pharoh and the Egyptians in Exodus, those who were spared were were the ones who applied blood to their doorposts as God warned. Interestingly, the blood that God required them to apply then was the blood of a spotless, unblemished lamb.

As believers in Messiah, we are blessed to have the blood of Jesus, our Passover Lamb, applied upon the doorposts of our hearts. The judgment we deserve has passed over us! And thankfully we can celebrate His redemption in our lives as well this season.

While this is a special time to celebrate God's passing over our sins, there is one thing we sometimes overlook. Not only should we remember the Lord's passing over our sins, but equally important is our obedience in passing over others' sins. Forgive our tresspasses as we forgive those who tresspass against us. This is the way Jesus taught us to pray, is it not? Today we have the opportunity to make this prayer a reality in our lives.

Has someone offended you? Committed a sin against you? It happens, and unfortunately, it will probably happen again, as we live in a world full of sin. But we need to pass over those offenses just as God has passed over ours.

Passover is the season to give our hurts to the Lord. Let's allow Him to heal and free us, and those we've hurt and who've hurt us. We have been forgiven many offenses by the innocent blood of our Messiah. How much more should we forgive?

[Shammu]

Time for inspection!

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.

The other day, I had the great pleasure of getting our vehicle inspected in Israel. According to Israeli law, you need to get your car fully, and I mean fully inspected each year in order to complete your registration process -- and they don't let anything by either. Last year after inspection, they informed us that we only need to replace our rear brakes before they'd register the car. This year, thankfully, we were home free!!

Interestingly, our inspection was due roughly the same time as Pesach (Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread). This time of year is a time of inspection for many Jewish people. They move all their appliances and furniture, searching, inspecting and cleaning out every nook and cranny as to rid their homes of any and all leaven, This season, they'll eat only eat matza (unleavened bread) and other food items which contain no yeast.

We pray that their eyes, along with all the world's, will be opened to the true inspection we all need. God's inspection is is not outward but inward. He inspects our hearts, minds and motives. It's much harder to pass that kind of inspection, wouldn't you say? Thankfully, we have a merciful God!

I think we're all due for inspection today. Let's open our hearts to God and allow him to shed some light on what needs fixing.

[Shammu]

Sheep or goats?

Matthew 25:37-39 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

A friend sent us this story about a young lady named Sally and her experience in a recent seminary class, given by her teacher, Dr. Smith. Dr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons. This particular day, Sally walked into the class and knew they were in for a fun day.

On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Dr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture.

Sally's friend drew a picture of girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another guy drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend. The class lined up and began throwing darts. Some of the students were throwing their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart and everyone was laughing hysterically.

Finally, Dr. Smith asked all the students to be seated. He came to the front of the class with a less-than-amused look on his face. As he began removing the target from the wall, there appeared underneath, a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture; holes and jagged marks covered Jesus' face, and His eyes were pierced.

Dr. Smith said only these words. "In as much as you have done it unto the least of these my brothers, you have done it unto Me." Matthew 25:40.

What a powerful analogy. Phew. When we "throw darts" at our brothers and sisters, friends and even strangers, we are actually piercing our Lord too. Let's get right with the Lord and others today. It's a good season for reconciliation.

[Shammu]

Are you offended?

Psalms 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

It never ceases to amaze me, the way the devil uses our offenses and our "offendedness" to divide and conquer marriages, relationships, churches -- even entire nations!

Many of us are not careful enough about the things we say and more importantly, we get offended way too easily. As we were discussing this topic recently, a good friend gave this analogy and we loved it:

If you are holding a baby and his little arm swats you in the face, would you take offense to that? Of course not! We know the little guy didn't intend to hurt us. We respond with "awwww" or laughter or something to that effect. But if it is a friend, a family member or a brother or sister in the church who offends us with a little swat of his words or actions, we are undone. We expect more from them! What hypocrisy! We become angry and we want to defend ourselves, fight back or leave forever.

Jesus said NO! He said that even if someone despitefully uses us, that means on purpose, that we are to respond in love! We as human beings are troubled and sinful. We are not perfect and we should never expect others to be, no matter what their positions are in the church. God is perfect and He is the one from whom our expectations should come -- no man.

Am I talking to you today? We are all guilty of this one way or another. Let's give our offenses to the Lord. Allow Him wash over us today. Allow Him Heal us. Get us back to where we need to be. There's so much work to be done.

[Shammu]

Prepare the way!

Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Many believers have a special place, a quiet place where they go to spend time with the Lord. This is a very important thing. But how many believers have actually 'prepared a way' for the Lord? As sacred as that special quiet place is to us, it is limited. It has definite boundaries. But a way never ends--it goes on and on. The key of a life of blessing is not preparing God places to fill, but preparing a way for Him. The Hebrew word for way is 'derech'. Derech means a path, or a way of life.

If we want to be blessed, we need to prepare a derech in our lives. We need to develop Godly ways, Godly habits, Godly consistency and practices. We need to turn all our holy places into holy ways that carry on throughout our daily lives. The blessings of God need to flow through us to others around us-- let's give Him a derech through which to do so.

[Shammu]

Are you on empty?

Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Recently a dear friend of the ministry asked a very pertinent question about the Holy Spirit. As I was responding to her question, it dawned on me that have never covered this topic in all my years of writing daily devotions. So I've decided that this is the first of a series of devotionals I will cover on this subject.

I've heard so many Christians ask, "How can I get more of the Holy Spirit?" As if the Holy Spirit is some kind of power or force that we can control or weild. What we should really be asking is, "How can the Holy Spirit have more of me?"

We cannot control this power from on high. If we could, then we could be led to pride and strut around as if we're some kind of "Super Christian".

But if we recognize that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person -- and that this Person is actually willing to live in us, we'd greatly be humbled! We must be very honored that the Spirit of God would inhabit these these corrupt vessels of ours and more importantly that He would even consider using us!

It's only when we empty ourselves that we truly become filled! Let's empty ourselves of our selfish ambitions and desires today and allow ourselves to become broken before the Lord. We need to be truly filled with God's Power if we're going to impact the world for Him! There's SOOOOOO much work to be done!!

[Shammu]

Time for testing!

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

One of the more neglected commandments of the Lord among us is to test all things to see if they are of Him. In Revelation, John spoke of a number of churches that were influenced by the enemy. It's no mystery that satan loves to infiltrate the body and spread confusion!

Many of us don't realize that in this age, where spiritual deception is running rampant, we have actually been given the Spirit of Truth! But here's a question. Do we ask the Spirit of Truth to guide us?

We need to be on guard! We need to test everything fervently! Let's ask our Friend, the Spirit of Truth, to guide us and keep us on the straight and narrow path.

[Shammu]

Call ME!

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

A young woman at a textile mill in rural Texas, was new on the job. A flaming red warning sign on her sewing machine read "If Your Thread Becomes Tangled, Call the Foreman Immediately."

After working diligently for an hour or two, suddenly the young worker's thread became tangled. Fearing the foreman's reaction at such an early mistake, she thought, "I'll just quickly straighten this out myself." Though she tried desperately to untangle the thread, the situation only worsened. Finally she had no choice but to call the foreman. As soon as he arrived, the foreman could tell that the young worker had tried do do some of her own maneuvering before calling him. "I did the best I could," she said. "No you didn't," the foreman replied. "To do the best, you should have called me. Now this sewing machine will need to be repaired. If this happens again, you will be fired."

Hmm. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have tried to do something on my own strength. I exhaust myself trying before becomes clear that I just can't do it with out my Great Foreman. Thankfully, He hasn't fired me yet!

It may sound radical to say but when we rely on our own strength, really, it is a form of idol worship. We exalt our own strength above the Lord's. This is unacceptable to a Holy and All-Powerful God. Even our greatest efforts cannot compare with how much more effectively a job can get done if we would only call upon His Name!

We are weaklings in need of a great God. We cannot do anything without Him. Let's begin putting our trust fully in the Lord today and see great things get accomplished!

[Shammu]

Please pray!

Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

Today marks Holocaust Memorial day here in Israel. Each Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel, war sirens blare throughout the whole Land to call us to remembrance. Cars come to a halt, even on the highways. Pedestrians stop where they are and pause for a couple of moments as the sirens ring to remember the 6,000,000 Jews who died and many more who suffered under the Nazi regime during WW2.

You may know that these atrocities and many more over the years were done in the name of Christianity. Hitler himself said he was a Christian as he murdered millions. Years of torture, abuse and murder have taken a toll on the Jewish people. The few survivors of the Holocaust still living have been battered both physically and emotionally. Even their children and their grandchildren are are bruised and lack understanding of God's great love for them, especially as it pertains to the idea of Christianity.

We need to be praying for the Jewish people. We need to be pouring out much love upon them. That they would see the truth that our God is a loving God. So loving that he would send His one and only Son to die for our sins and theirs. There's so much work to be done!

[2nd Timothy]

Call ME!

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

A young woman at a textile mill in rural Texas, was new on the job. A flaming red warning sign on her sewing machine read "If Your Thread Becomes Tangled, Call the Foreman Immediately."

After working diligently for an hour or two, suddenly the young worker's thread became tangled. Fearing the foreman's reaction at such an early mistake, she thought, "I'll just quickly straighten this out myself." Though she tried desperately to untangle the thread, the situation only worsened. Finally she had no choice but to call the foreman. As soon as he arrived, the foreman could tell that the young worker had tried do do some of her own maneuvering before calling him. "I did the best I could," she said. "No you didn't," the foreman replied. "To do the best, you should have called me. Now this sewing machine will need to be repaired. If this happens again, you will be fired."

Hmm. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have tried to do something on my own strength. I exhaust myself trying before becomes clear that I just can't do it with out my Great Foreman. Thankfully, He hasn't fired me yet!

It may sound radical to say but when we rely on our own strength, really, it is a form of idol worship. We exalt our own strength above the Lord's. This is unacceptable to a Holy and All-Powerful God. Even our greatest efforts cannot compare with how much more effectively a job can get done if we would only call upon His Name!

We are weaklings in need of a great God. We cannot do anything without Him. Let's begin putting our trust fully in the Lord today and see great things get accomplished!

Thanks brother.  This really spoke to my heart today!

Blessings!