See Me Devotional - Day 3

 

Matthew 14:28-31 ESV And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Peter had faith and stepped out of the boat. With his eyes on Jesus, he did the impossible! However, when he took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the wind, he became afraid and began to sink. Faith and fear are like oil and water. They do not mix! Where fear reigns, your faith will sink.  We are often surrounded by threatening storms in our lives. They can devastate us. They can cause us to take our eyes off of Jesus. Choose to walk in faith. When faith reigns, fear has no power. The way to walk victoriously is to:   Keep your eyes on Jesus.   Obey his commands and step out in faith. Know God’s supernatural power will make a way. Be aware that fear will cause you to sink. Cry out to God for salvation. Grab a hold of God’s hand.  Have faith and believe.   Peter walking on the water was not dependent on him ignoring the wind, but dependent on his trust and obedience in Jesus Christ despite the wind. Pray and reflect in the Lord’s presence. What is God inviting you to do and where is he asking you to take a step of faith and obey him? What are your eyes focused on? Are you focused on Jesus or the storm? Accept the invitation to never lose sight of Jesus in the midst of the storm and watch miracles unfold!

See Me Devotional - Day 2

 

Matthew 9:27-29 ESV "And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” Never lose sight of Jesus… he is able. Jesus is fully God. He can heal at any time whether our belief in him is great or small. In these verses, Jesus is not asking us to believe in the ability to exercise faith. He is asking us to believe he is able.   Sometimes God heals physical illnesses while other times he chooses greater glory through the illness. God’s will is for us to know him and believe he is able. To be satisfied in him. To glorify him. To experience peace in him and enjoy him with spiritual eyes. During his evangelistic crusades in Britain, Charles Alexander, a popular nineteenth-century gospel singer, sang at a school for blind children. When asked if any child had a special request, a small boy lifted a hand and replied: “Please sir, will you sing ‘Never Lose Sight of Jesus’?”  The lad was thrilled to hear his favorite hymn, but the light on his face brought tears to the singer's eyes. The blind boy could not see the soloist, nor any person in the hall, but evidently he could see Jesus, and appreciated the words of Johnson Catman who wrote: Oh, pilgrim bound for the heavenly land, Never lose sight of Jesus. He'll lead you gently with loving hand, Never lose sight of Jesus. Pray and reflect in the Lord’s presence. Do you believe God is able to bring sight to the blindness in your life? Don’t just run to God for temporary relief. God wants his people to walk with him in steadfast belief. God’s will is to set the captive free! Choose today to see Jesus and believe he is able! Accept the invitation to see him do abundantly more than you could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21).

See Me Devotional - Day 1

 

Matthew 5:8 ESV “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Luke 7:36-50 ESV "One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

How often do you think to yourself, “I don’t feel God’s presence in my life?” This week, the challenge is to base our relationship with God not on our feelings, but on the invitation to see, touch, and be touched by Jesus. As a result, we’ll experience God’s divine presence in our lives.

A pure heart = the ability to see God. Who are the pure in heart? “Those who are able to see Jesus for who he is and see themselves as they truly are.”  —Pastor Jeff Keegan

In today’s passage, we are introduced to two individuals who saw God differently. Simon, a Pharisee, invited Jesus to his house for food. Simon’s outer life looked flawless; however, the condition of his heart was a different story. Simon did not see his need for forgiveness, or his need for a savior. 

The woman in the story had the opposite response. Her outer life was a complete mess, yet she knew her desperate need for salvation. Her heart was stripped of pride and overflowed with gratitude and love for her Savior. Which one truly saw Jesus? 

What you see affects what you are.

“There is an interaction between seeing and being. The kind of person you are affects the kind of world that you see… And conversely, what you see affects what you are.” (Simon Tugwell, The Beatitudes)

Pray and reflect in the Lord’s presence. Invite God to help you see and uncover any ignored or overlooked sin in your life. Only with God’s help can we be honest with the state of our affairs. Ask God to help you be more like this woman and watch him act on your behalf! Accept the invitation to see him!

He disciplines those He loves…

Hebrews 12:5-13 "He disciplines those He loves…"

What do you think when you hear the word “discipline”? When God pokes you and convicts you… when he disciplines you… how do you respond? Do you ignore it, coil and push back on it like a child often does? Do you throw a tantrum? We often associate discipline with punishment, rejection or judgement but that’s not what God is saying in Hebrews 12. 

Another word for discipline is training. The dictionary says discipline is the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior. What does an athlete do in order to get good at a sport? What does a skilled musician do?  A ballerina?  How about a skilled craftsman? They all discipline their bodies and minds to master the skill. They often get mentors (coaches) that push and help transform their bodies and minds to think, react, obey the skill in order to get the desired outcome. 

I read something this week that caught my attention. When God pokes you and convicts you, when he disciplines you, the Holy of holies wanting to get your attention. He wants to mentor, to train and transform you into His image. These moments may seem painful however can we dare to see them as holy, sacred and divine? Because they are! The Holy of holies, the creator of the universe is speaking to you. Do you acknowledge His presence with reverence? When you face moments where He beckons you to listen, to surrender and to obey His leading, I want to encourage you to take off “your shoes” for you are standing on holy ground. Right here, perhaps more than any other time in our life journey, in these moments we are truly standing on holy ground. 

Oh, my friend! The God of the Universe wants to get our attention. His training yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. How will we respond? Do we approach these moments with resistance or with great reverence for the mystery, the wonder, the richness… What if we approached those holy, sacred moments as God warmly loving us as a father loves his child? 

Take Thoughts Captive

Scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

“Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand” (Matthew 12:23).  The spirit of division can work against unity within the church and relationships. A “spirit of division” is what the evil one desires; it stands in contrast to the unity of the Spirit that comes through Christ (Eph. 4:3).

2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Did you catch that last line? We are called to take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. Are your thoughts obedient to Christ? Are they in line with the character of God? The battlefield is the mind. In order to move towards a place of unity, the work must start with personal thoughts. Each individual needs to take thoughts captive and filter each thought through a lens: Is this thought of the flesh or of the Spirit? Does this thought lead to a place of unity or division? Unity does not always mean sameness. God loves difference; just take a look at creation. But unity does require like-mindedness in Christ. 

Our thoughts should resemble that of Christ, as Paul explains: “Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” (Philippians 2:2-3). The way to maintain unity is to remember we are like-minded in our pursuit of becoming more like Christ. With a pursuit of humility and valuing others above ourselves we can walk in the Spirit rather than in the flesh. When an individual puts his or her own needs or desires above others or above God, the enemy seeks a foothold and causes destruction and division.

It is importance to stress that dealing with a “spirit of division” from a place of humility and addressing division through the conduct presented in Matthew 18. Again, this passage speaks of humility: “Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (verse 4). The chapter continues on to address sin in the church: “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over” (verse 15). This provides a clear perspective to maintain when dealing with sin or perceived sin. We must remember that ultimately the problem is sin, which should be addressed directly and from a place of humility. This decreases the chance for pride or judgment to seep in, but it also emphasizes the importance of being mindful of our own thoughts as we address sin.

We must remember that ultimately, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but... against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). We are dealing with a spiritual battle. We must prepare by putting on the armor of God, claiming a rhema word and maintaining a position of humility filtering our thoughts and taking them captive through our interactions. 

Mighty Warrior

Scripture reading: Ephesians 6:10-20

My grandson Owen's name means “little warrior.” From birth I have prayed for him and before I knew the meaning of his name, God gave me the image of a warrior along with a deep sense that this child would grow into a mighty warrior. There is a spiritual warfare that needs us to “put on the whole armor of God” found in Ephesians 6:10-20. All of the elements of the Armor of God are used to protect the warrior in battle except one. Only one is used to kill and destroy– the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. I suggest the difference between a warrior and a mighty warrior comes down to how the warrior uses his sword in battle.

A warrior in biblical times would train for a battle by using an extra-long and extra-heavy sword. He daily practiced swinging the sword to build up strength and endurance. The same is true in reading the Bible daily. We need to read the Bible daily so that we know what God’s truth says in order to build up our spiritual strength and endurance. However, when the same warrior went into battle, he didn’t carry the practicing sword but instead he carried a lighter, shorter and sharper sword. Why? In battle, the warrior was out to pierce and kill the enemy with one stab. This is true for us as well.

How can you use the Word of God to kill and destroy your enemy (Satan) and become mighty in your spiritual battles?  I suggest you have a word of the Spirit, a word of God to use. You need to be in the Word of God daily, however when the enemy comes to steal and destroy, you need a word of God to fight with.

We see Jesus wield a word of the Spirit in the New Testament during Jesus' forty-day temptation by Satan. “But He (Jesus) answered and said, “It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word (rhema) that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4)

The Greek term rhema literally means an "utterance" or "thing said." It also can refer to the Word of Scripture.

When Satan speaks lies into your life, you need to have a rhema word: a word of Scripture, a word of the Spirit to kill and destroy those lies. 

Spend a few moments in silence asking God to give you a rhema word for the trial or situation you find yourself in. Maybe it is a promise from God like “I will never leave you nor forsake you…” or maybe it is the realization of who you are in Christ Jesus like “I am chosen,” “I am forgiven,” or “I am a child of God.” 

Write your rhema word on a note card and post it some place where you can see it. When Satan speaks lies, use your rhema word to kill and destroy those lies! 

“Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!

    You are so glorious, so majestic!

In your majesty, ride out to victory,

    defending truth, humility, and justice.

    Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!”

-Psalm 45:3-4 NLT (emphasis added)

Wisely Courageous

Walk by Faith Devotional Series by Pam Keegan

Day 6

Scripture reading: Esther 5:1-8, 7:1-6 

When Esther approached King Xerxes, she went wisely courageous, not in her own strength but in the strength of her God. She used her God-given wisdom and experience to carefully and intentionally plan the best strategy for asking the king. She didn’t blindly rush into the throne room. She prepared a rich banquet; trusted God heard her prayers and granted her an audience with the king.

When her very life was on the line, Esther chose to trust God’s wisdom and yield her life to Him.  Courage is the strength of mind to carry on despite danger. Esther’s wise courage was not her beauty or her position. It was her faith in an unshakeable, unstoppable, unchangeable God.  

Esther also went with boldness – boldness in the confidence of God. Proverbs 28:1 says, “The righteous are bold as a lion.” Esther would not have had the boldness to speak to the king if she hadn’t sought the heart of God through prayer and fasting. It was in meeting with God that she found strength to risk her life in order to see her people delivered.

With wise courage and bold confidence, Esther seized the right moment, presented her case and humbly asked for mercy for herself and her people. 

Application

God has ordained you to be where you are at this very moment in your life for a reason. He has called you and ordained you to handle the circumstances you are in. He has a calling on your life - a purpose and a plan. Remember who you are, just like Esther had to remember who she was. Boldly step out in faith and walk in His strength and wisdom.

One believer fully surrendered to God, walking completely by faith can rise up, boldly step out and change the history of the world. Will you be one to rise up, to submit to the sovereignty and leading of God?  God has called you for such a time as this!

Forgiveness

Walk by Faith Devotional Series by Pam Keegan

Day 3

Scripture reading: Esther 3:5-11 The drama unfolds... Yesterday we discussed Mordecai’s convicted devotion to God. Today, we look at Haman’s response. Verse 6 says, “Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.”  Haman is the ultimate display of bigotry, racism and hatred. He was filled with pride and arrogance. We read the escalation of evil right before our eyes. How did Haman become full of pride, arrogance and hatred? We don’t know all that took place. However, Haman was an Agagite, from a people group who were longtime enemies of the Jews. No one is born with grudges or hatred; it is something learned and it takes root if not addressed early on.  Also, never underestimate the power of pride and the lack of a forgiving spirit… both pride and an unforgiving spirit if unaddressed are poisonous and can turn into evil revenge. Here's the wonderful news! God’s grace goes beyond our deepest needs. God meets us where we are. God’s goal and His grace is to clean our sinful hearts. He can give us the ability to turn our painful past and wickedness into holy righteousness. Will you walk by faith today and let God do that in and through you?

Surrender

Walk by Faith Devotional Series by Pam Keegan

Day 5

Scripture reading: Esther 4:15-17

Before Esther went in to see the king, she instructed Mordecai to gather all the Jews of Susa. She wanted them to fast and pray for God’s intervention, and she and her maids did the same. Esther knew that she couldn’t do this task in her own strength. She needed to rely on God and others. 

Esther’s attitude also changed. She surrendered to her situation. “If I perish, I perish.” Esther “died” to her own dreams, desires, and plans in order to surrender to God’s plans. Think of the fear and anxiety, the loneliness and emptiness she must have felt. But when she went to that inner place of surrender, she found God there.  

Esther went to the Lord in prayer and fasting. She waited on her God. She dealt with the voices of doubt and fear. She knew there was only one still, small voice that mattered. And that was the voice of God. When her very life was on the line, Esther chose to trust God’s wisdom and yield her life to him.

We can’t lean on our own strength. We need the support of others and we need to seek the Lord through fasting and prayer. We also need to surrender to God’s sovereign plan for our lives. We need to come to a point in our walk with Christ, where we say, “It is well with my soul.” This is Esther’s resolution… If I perish, I perish. She got to the point where she was indifferent to her circumstance.

Where do you need to be indifferent to the circumstances you find yourself in? Pray, fast and surrender to God. It is only then that you can approach your situation with strength and confidence.

For Such A Time As This

Walk by Faith Devotional Series by Pam Keegan

Day 4

Scripture reading: Esther 4:1-14

In chapter 4, Mordecai tells Esther that Hamon is going to kill all the Jews and pleads that Esther go before the king and intercede for her people. Before Esther goes before the King, she reminds Mordecai, “What you are asking me to do – it will most likely kill me!” Can you imagine the fear and anxiety that ran through her body?

Moredecai’s response is found in verses 13 and 14. Mordecai says, “You are a Jew. This decree includes you. Don’t think you will escape this just because you live in the palace. You may remain silent but when they find out you are a Jew, they will kill you.” 

Mordecai then reminds her of who her God is. “God will deliver the Jews – if not you then someone else.” And then he ends saying maybe, just maybe, you have been placed where you are for “such a time as this.” Mordecai “kicked” her in her royal butt.

We may not be asked to risk our lives, but we will find ourselves in positions where we need to make difficult choices and do hard things. When facing a difficult situation, it is important to remember who you are and who God is. It is also important to remember that God just may be calling you to rise up to the occasion. He may be calling you “for such a time as this!” Maybe God has put you in a tough situation in order to be the deliverance for someone else.

Convicted

Walk by Faith Devotional Series by Pam Keegan

Day 2

Scripture reading: Esther 3:1-4

Esther 3:2 says, “But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage.” Did Mordecai have a bad attitude?  Was he deliberately being disrespectful to his authority? After all, the king had commanded all of his servants at the king’s gate to bow down and pay homage to Haman.

Mordecai was a Jew. The Torah clearly states, “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exod. 20:3) Similar to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3, bowing down to anyone or anything was idolatry. It went against the convictions of Mordecai’s faith. When asked why he wouldn’t bow and pay homage, he had an answer: “for he had told them that he was a Jew.” (Esther 3:4) Mordecai had convicted devotion to God.  

What about you? It is often hard to take a stand and speak up, even when we know something is wrong. How often do we remain silent? How often do we say to ourselves, Why risk retribution? Why risk losing our position or standing within the church or community? 

God calls us to stand with conviction of unwavering devotion to Him. When we do, God will give us the courage to stand by those convictions and the consequences that may follow. How will you walk by faith into your convicted devotion to God and His word this week?

“The time is always right to do the right thing.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

Taken

Walk by Faith Devotional Series by Pam Keegan

Day 1

Scripture reading: Esther 2:1-18

Have you ever been forced into a situation or had something taken from you? Esther 2:8 says, “Esther was also taken…” The verb means taken by force and refers to being acquired like property. Because of her beauty, Esther was taken into the palace to be a part of the king’s harem. 

In that moment, Esther lost her freedom: she belonged to the king. If not selected to be queen, she would stay as part of his harem. She was an orphan Jew separated from the only person she knew, her uncle Mordecai, and she could not live out her Jewish heritage or her faith in Yahweh. 

Being in line to marry the king of an enemy nation was against everything she was taught and raised to believe. Image the fear and despair this young girl must have felt! She was a victim! Yet, Esther’s story offers hope for our painful, traumatic or life-altering situations. 

Esther did not respond to her circumstances as a victim. She rose to the situation and won favor not just with the King but with all who saw her. Did you catch that? Esther 2:15 says “all who saw her.” Why all? Esther walked by faith into her situation and trusted God’s sovereignty over every detail of her life.  

Like Esther, everything can be taken away but the power to choose faith alters your attitude towards the events you find yourself in. Believing that God is sovereign over all is faith that can never be taken away. It cultivates character within you. Do not let your circumstances define or derail you from trusting God’s sovereignty over the events of your life.

The road to Emmaus…

Christological hermeneutic - It simply means that we are supposed to read the Bible through the lens of the resurrected Christ. We understand the Old Testament, and the New Testament in the light of the Gospels. With that in mind, read the following.

Luke 24:13-35 "That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread." 

“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us on the road and open Scriptures to us?” I wonder if the couple on the Emmaus Road were remembering the words of Jeremiah when they chose this powerful phrase: If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. Jeremiah 20:9

The miracle of resurrection was not enough, they also needed the Bible. But here at the end of this story, we see that the Bible itself was not enough, they also needed a moment of supernatural revelation, and this takes place, significantly, when the disciples urged Jesus: ‘Stay with us. Share a meal. Share our lives.’ It is in this simple, relational moment of feasting, as the bread is blessed, broken, and given, that the living Lord Jesus is revealed and received.”

——

Here's another thought...

Neither of the two friends who started out together had the missing piece of insight and information that would make sense of all that took place. Only the “stranger” could bring that insight. Is it possible that the outsider in your life, that intruder, could actually be sent by God as a means of grace? If we don’t venture outside our comfort zone, outside our inner circle, trusting that the stranger God has brought into our lives has something for us, we will never even know what we’re missing.

Doubting Thomas

John 20:24-29 "Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”  Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The first line says, ‘Thomas... was not with them when Jesus came’. 

We often focus on Thomas not having faith.  He needed to see with his own eyes.  However, have you even stopped to think of how Thomas must have felt.  Did he feel overlooked? Bypassed? Rejected? Does this explain the defiance and hardness in his response? ‘Unless… I place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’ Maybe, like so many sceptics, Thomas’ objections are less rational than emotional.

Sometimes we all feel like Thomas when Jesus shows up for others, when he blesses others, and speaks to others in ways He hasn’t or doesn’t speak to us. When Jesus calls Thomas out, he quotes Thomas’ own words to him. When he does this, he is saying, ‘I heard you when you thought I didn’t. I was present when you thought I was absent.’ 

Scripture does not say Thomas touches Christ’s wounds. It is when Jesus repeats Thomas’ words that Thomas cries out, “My Lord and my God!” Thomas believes not just because he now sees, but because he now knows that he was seen when he didn’t see, and he was heard when he didn’t hear, and he was known when he felt forgotten. 

Take a few minutes and look back on your seasons of life, can you now see how the Lord was present in those moments instead of being absent? When you felt forgotten He was saying, I see you when you can’t see Me; I hear you when you can’t hear Me; I believe in you way more than you believe in either of us!’ 

Lord, thank You for saying, ‘Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’

That’s me! I claim it today! I receive Your blessing now!

Sacrificial Generosity

1 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭8-9, 12‬ “Then the word of the Lord came to him, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you…. And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 

Struck by a few thoughts this morning… 

First, God had (past tense) commanded the widow to feed him but she still shared with Elijah her situation… why? 

Second, offering my last meal to a stranger would be difficult but Elijah asked her to feed him before she feeds her own son. It is easy to be generous when it is convenient, but this is crazy sacrificial generosity. 

Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭38‬  “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Beloved by God

“Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection. Success, popularity, and power can indeed present a great temptation, but their seductive quality often comes from the way they are part of the much larger temptation to self-rejection. When we have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable, then success, popularity, and power are easily perceived as attractive solutions. The real trap, however, is self-rejection. As soon as someone accuses me or criticizes me, as soon as I am rejected, left alone, or abandoned, I find myself thinking, “Well, that proves once again that I am a nobody.” … [My dark side says,] I am no good… I deserve to be pushed aside, forgotten, rejected, and abandoned. Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the “Beloved.” Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.” ― Henri Nouwen 

Psalm 42:8 "By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life."

Zeph 3:17 "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

John, one of the disciples of Jesus, was known as the “beloved disciple” and was refer as “the one whom Jesus loved.” Jesus was most often recorded as being with his three close friends - Peter, John and John’s brother James. John was one of Jesus’ closes friends, and he (like you) is described as the one whom Jesus loves. 

In your mind, picture the following... Scripture described John as reclining on the chest of Jesus. Pause for a moment and reflect on that. The one whom Jesus loved was found reclining on the chest of Jesus. Will you allow your imagination to see yourself reclining on the chest of Jesus too?  Ponder on John’s capacity to receive the love that the Lord had for him.

Ask God to increase your capacity to receive His love. 

John “the one whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23) founded a community that would go on to teach at length the profound love of God. I can’t help but wonder how much of this belovedness, this identity as the beloved, the one whom Jesus loved, is a function of John’s capacity and willingness to receive the Love that was offered to him. Let that sink in for a few moments.

1 John 4: 12-21 "No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."

1 John suggests that God is Love, that to love another is to know God and that when we love, God dwells within us. (v 7, v16). What do you love? Who do you love? How do you love? Can you sense the presence of God vibrating within that love?

Being the Beloved forms the core truth of why we are here.  Why God created us. How is that true in your life and what needs to change so that the truth that you are God’s Beloved reigns true in your heart and soul?

If you are in Christ, you are beloved of God. Paul addresses the Christians in Rome as “beloved of God,” (Romans 1:7 “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”) Paul addresses them as people set apart by the fact that in Christ they are loved by God. They needed to know the truth that they were loved by God. So do we.

Deut. 33:12 “The beloved of the Lord dwells in safety. The High God surrounds him all day long, and dwells between his shoulders.” 

John 15:9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” 

Eph 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Green Pastures

What does green pastures and still waters look like to me? 

What sounds am I hearing? 

What emotions am I feeling? 

In what way is God making me lie down? 

What does it look like for God to restore my soul? 

What does it look like to be lead in the paths of righteousness for HIS name sake and not mine? 

What do these paths look like? 

In what way is God leading me today? 

What does it look like to walk confidently through the valley of shadow death fearing absolutely no evil? 

How do I walk through it knowing God is with me? 

How is God’s rod and staff comforting? 

What does He’s rod and staff look like to me? 

How does it feel to have His rod and staff used on me? 

What particular way is He using them in my life? 

“Lord, You are my shepherd, and I can be a bit of a dumb sheep. I will follow Your lead gratefully today into moments of rest; I will kneel to drink delightfully today from Your still waters. I will stop striving long enough for You to restore my soul; I will let You lead my feet on the trails of right relationship.” Amen.

Do you not yet understand?

Mark 8:17-21 “And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.”  “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.”  And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” 

Do you not yet understand?

It wasn’t that the disciples forgot, they just couldn’t see the connection between those miracles and their current situation. They didn’t understand that the creator and sustainer of all things - The bread of life - was still right there with them. 

Lord, open my eyes to see beyond this current situation, beyond these anxieties, and see the vast bounty of Your generous provision - far more than I could ever ask or imagine. Help me to have ears to hear and a mind that remembers.  Give me the wisdom to understand.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Eph 3:20-21