Category Archives: Devotional

Keep in Step

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Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:25, NIV*

Not just “keep step” as in “walk beside” but “keep in step”, which to me speaks of pattern, maybe even choreography, as well as pacing.

I’ve always thought of these verses about God directing our steps in terms of His leading. With dance in mind now, I see it means more than leading us to our destination, it includes any side-steps along the way.

He is LORD of the Dance, after all. And when couples dance, one leads and the other follows. At least when they dance well. My trouble is, I’ve never learned how to follow my partner’s lead.

I like the image of the spiritual life as a dance with God. All week, I’ve been reminding myself, “Keep in step with Him.”

LORD, please help me remember to listen to the music, feel the rhythm… and let You lead.

Here’s a Casting Crowns song that’s new to me, from their first CD: “Praise You With the Dance.”

*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

He Loves Me

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“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1, NIV*

Funny how the LORD can take a verse that clearly means one thing and use it to speak something personal as well.

Paul is pleading with the believers not to go back to trying to earn justification through the Law, but to “live by the Spirit” (v. 16) and “serve one another in love,” (v. 13) which will bring righteousness without legalism.

The past week and a half has been hectic, and low-level aches have kept me from getting good rest at night. My thoughts are fragmented, and I’m not doing well at being still in God’s presence. I just get there, and I skitter away.

Since Friday, I open my Bible for morning quiet time and my eyes catch on Paul’s words: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…do not let yourselves be burdened again…”

I know what I have to do: Be still. Know He is God. Rest in Him. Abide.

The verse calls me with no sense of rebuke. It’s a gentle pull to return to closeness. But the more my thoughts scatter, the more tense I get trying to centre on God.

When I can’t focus to pray, I can still pray through worship music. Monday I took my MP3 player to Curves, and one of the songs wrapped me in a reminder of God’s love.

He loves me. Even when I’m going in a million different directions, His love is unchanging and strong.

He loves me.

And He loves you too.

The song that blessed me was “Only One Thing,” by Todd Agnew.

*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Living by Faith

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I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20, NIV*

“The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God….” And Paul mentions two specific things: Jesus loved me, and He gave Himself for me. I’m to live by faith in Jesus… live confident in Him:

Confident in His love. “We know and rely on the love God has for us.” (1 John 4:16, NIV)

Confident in the power of His sacrifice. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NIV)

I’m not alone, trying to live a good life in my weakness. Jesus has paid my debt, cleaned and forgiven me, restored me to relationship with God the Father.

I can live confident in Him today because He loves me. I can choose to live His way, with His help. And when I blow it, I can trust in His justice and not despair. He has already paid the price. He will clean and forgive me, and set me back on track with Him.

What a wonderful God!

Our song today is a duet by Todd Agnew and Rebecca St. James: “Our Great God“

*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Empowered

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I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5, NIV*

“I can’t do this without You, LORD.”

Many of us pray this way regularly, about hard tasks or scary appointments, or just about hauling our exhausted selves out of bed to face another day.

It’s a fine prayer, and it’s scriptural. Jesus warned us, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV)

The key is where we put the emphasis. If we focus on the difficulty “I can’t do this” it weighs us down. If we focus on Jesus, our hope and strength “I can’t do this without You” it reminds us where our confidence lies.

Acknowledging our weakness keeps us from getting into messes. Focusing there could keep us from doing anything at all. Let our weaknesses remind us that Jesus offers His strength. Our confidence is in Him, and He is enough.

Our song for the week is Casting Crowns’ “In Me.”

*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Be Still

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“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
Psalm 46:10-11, NIV*

The Psalm opens with “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, NIV) From there, the writer expands on both the greatness of God and the magnitude of the trouble.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Or as the New American Standard Bible translates it, “Cease striving.” The context makes me think this “Be still” is addressed to the clamouring nations, but it also applies to the frantic Israelites.

Personally, I paraphrase it as “Stop fighting the universe.”

Be still… cease striving… stop fighting. Sounds good, but once we’re wound up we can’t stop. We’re like a toddler on overload who needs a loving parent to draw her into a big hug and whisper “shhh” against her hair.

Know that I am God…. When we’re still, we can see… experience… understand… learn that He is God.

How? By what He whispers to our hearts? By experiencing His presence? By seeing Him work in our circumstances? All this, and more.

Father, please calm our spirits. Still our souls until we can rest in You.

*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Let Don Francisco’s song, “Still Your Soul in Silence,” bless you today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QUd6XN1xbs

There’s a related post, “Be Still”, at the Moses Free Spirit Missionary Baptist Church Blog. Honest, I wrote mine on my own, and didn’t see this one until May 13/08! I guess the Spirit was whispering “be still” to a lot of us.

Another related post: Rest in God.

Another related post: Being Still.

Wait in Hope

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“But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7 (AMP)*

Micah writes this at a time when people are so corrupt that he says you can’t even trust your own friend or lover. Yet he looks ahead to the day God will forgive his people’s sin and restore them.

Wait for God. Not impatiently, arms folded, toes tapping. Not passively, resigned or wondering if He’ll really show up.

Hope in God. Not wish-hoping, like I hope it’s warm on the weekend. Expectantly anticipating, securely confident in Him. Actively putting our trust in Him, knowing He cannot fail.

Talk to God. Not complaining or blaming, although He understands if that’s how we start. But finish with praise. He doesn’t need to hear how wonderful He is, but we need to remind ourselves. When we’re looking at how big God is, our problems come into a better perspective and we can trust Him to look after us. We can worship.

Worship.

In the waiting.

If you can, take five minutes to listen to “In the Waiting,” by the group FFH. 

*Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

 

God Sees

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“I cannot find God anywhere—in front or back of me, to my left or my right. God is always at work, though I never see him. But he knows what I am doing, and when he tests me, I will be pure as gold.” Job 23:8-10 CEV*

When he says this, Job is enduring unimaginable suffering. And his friends’ pious half-truths aren’t helping. He wishes he could find God and plead his case in person. His conscience is clean, and he knows he’s not suffering as a punishment. Why won’t God rescue him?

Pastor Charles Price (www.livingtruth.ca) caught my attention by paraphrasing the verse this way: “I don’t know where God is in this, but He knows where I am. And when it’s over, I’ll emerge as gold.”

His point was, sometimes things are so hard that we can’t see God anywhere. But don’t panic. God sees us. Where we can only see the problems and pain, He sees how He plans to bring good from it.

I link this to one of my favourite comfort verses: “Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.” Isaiah 50:10b, NIV.**

When we don’t understand, when all we have is questions and pain, we can choose to trust God. He knows. He loves us. And He will never abandon us.

A song for those hard times: Casting Crowns’ “Praise You in This Storm.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5bLvVjJ4MA

*Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

**New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Our Good Shepherd

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He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
And he will be their peace.
Micah 5:4-5a (NIV)*

This seems to be one of those prophecies with different stages. Ultimately, Jesus will return. Every knee will bow, and every tongue confess to God. (Romans 14:11) The world will know He is LORD.

But today, He rules in Christians’ hearts and lives. He stands – a warrior who cannot be overcome – and shepherds us. He stands in strength, majesty and power. Despite our circumstances, our hearts can be secure – we can live securely – because He is shepherding us.

And He will be our peace.

Be our peace, Jesus, even in the storms. Nothing can separate us from You, and You’ll never abandon us. Strengthen our faith to trust You.

*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.