The great Deliverer
Isaiah 42: He won’t be stopped until he’s finished his work — to set things right on earth.
Even as Isaiah writes words of comfort to those banished from Jerusalem by the crushing might of Babylon, he looks forward to a great day of deliverance. “One day,” he promises, “God will send the ultimate Deliverer, his prized Servant, to the world. Heāll do an even greater thing than bringing a scattered people back to their homeland.” Isaiah looks to the coming of the Messiah, a man filled with the Spirit whoāll “set everything right.” One day, in Isaiah’s distant future, a man will be baptized and God’s voice will be heard proclaiming, “This is my Son.” Here we see that proclamation being foretold as the Lord declares through Isaiah, “He’s the one I chose, and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.” The prophet doesn’t have all the details. In fact, itās unlikely that he has a vision of Calvary or of the empty tomb of Easter. Isaiah doesn’t see a cross, but he does see a Messiah. This Promised One will overcome every hindrance to accomplish his work. Thatās just what happens when even a cross can’t stop this Servant of God. Know what? Neither can he be stopped by the seeming insurmountable obstacles of the world today. We Christians need to remember this and join the Messiah’s mission. Followers of his don’t sit around wringing their hands while lamenting the state of things. This Messiah won’t quit until things are set “right on earth.” Thatās our mission as well as our hope.
Take Away: Itās not that there arenāt any challenges because there are. Still, the fact remains that the Son of God will, without question accomplish his mission of redemption.
Tag: victory
Devotional on John
Its Jesus verses death
John 11: Lazarus, come out!
Iāve heard it said that Jesus specified that Lazarus ācome outā of the grave because, had he just given the command to ācome outā that there would have been a general resurrection. Personally, I think thatās more of a poetical take on this remarkable event than a realistic one. Still, I understand the statement of faith in that concept. This is an act of absolute authority over death. Jesus doesnāt even touch the dead body. He, in fact, never enters the tomb. From outside, after a public prayer, Jesus merely shouts out the command and Lazarus is resurrected. I canāt imagine any more powerful demonstration of authority over death than this one. Well, almost. Soon, an even more convincing event will take place. For now though, Iām happy to be reminded of this wonderful truth. Any time Jesus faces death, Jesus wins. Glory!
Take Away: One hope of all Christians is the hope of life after death.
Devotional on Romans
Godās answer to sin-in-me
Romans 8: With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved.
Whatās the answer to a failure filled Christianity? Am I destined to a defense oriented spiritual life? Is my constant excuse, āthe spirit is willing but the body is weakā? The gloom of Romans 7 is blown away by the opening words of Romans 8. Before Christ, Romans 7 was the norm, but itās the norm no more. In Christ āa new power is in operationā and everythingās changed. When I cry out to God for relief from sin he responds in Christ to defeat sin-in-me once and for all. The blood of Christ is applied to my life to bring about a ādeep healingā and sin-as-a-condition is defeated. Now, a new day dawns in my spiritual life. Iām led āout into the open, into a spacious, free life.ā Iāve been ādelivered from that dead lifeā and the Spirit is now living in me. As a child of God who struggles with sin, I cry out to my Heavenly Father for help. He responds by doing a work in me as āGodās Spirit touchesā my spirit resulting in a deeper relationship with God and a level of spiritual living I never before dreamed possible.
Take Away: In God, thereās wonderful freedom from self and sin.
Devotional on Ephesians
Not a walk in the park
Ephesians 6: Be prepared. Youāre up against far more than you can handle on your own.
Several years ago a popular song included the phrase āI beg your pardon; I never promised you a rose garden.ā Know what? Thatās life in general and, in light of this passage, the Christian life in particular. Paul writes this passage from jail. He warns his readers that they have an enemy who’s intent on destroying them. Their spiritual journey is no game and how they live in the here and now has eternal consequences. If a person starts out living for the Lord thinking itās going to be a stroll in a rose garden they’re in for some unpleasant surprises. The Apostle focuses on spiritual adversaries, unseen but real. Itās not unreasonable to add the common inconveniences and out and out tragedies of life to this mix. Iām not to be naive about all this. There are times when it becomes clear that Iām up against far more than I can handle. Happily, the Lord hasnāt put us out here in real life without some resources. Paul urges us to take advantage of many powerful resources that are at our fingertips. He reminds us that āTruth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words.ā He directs us to Godās Word and prayer. Itās no rose garden, but I have everything I need to live a victorious, overcoming life.
Take Away: Life isnāt always easy but itās important to remember the Lordās faithful provision for us.
Devotional on Revelation
Victory in Jesus
Revelation 7: Who are these dressed in white robes, and where did they come from?
As the worship scene in heaven unfolds John sees more and more worshipers. First, there are 144,000 people from the family trees of Israel. Then, he sees thousands and thousands from āall nations and tribes.ā The number is too vast to count and they all begin singing praise to God and to the Lamb. John is transfixed by the scene but his focus is interrupted when one of the Elders asks him a question. He asks John who they are, this white robed, too-vast-to-be-counted throng of worshipers. John doesnāt know, but the Elder answers his own question. These are those who have come through the great tribulation. This huge multitude isnāt made up of everyone in heaven, just of those who faithfully serve Christ right at the end, as earthās history is being wrapped up. A couple of things come to mind at this point. First, heaven wonāt be a lonely place. In spite of āmany called, few chosenā the āfewā comprise a huge number. Second, as bad as the time of tribulation might be, by Godās power his people can overcome, not just surviving, barely limping in, but thriving in numbers too great to count, coming through clean and rejoicing. This is a testimony, not to human perseverance, but to Godās power at work in the lives of his people.
Take Away: By the grace of the Lord, by his power in our livesā¦by the Lord, we can hold fast in our faith and receive a glorious entrance into the place heās prepared for us.
Devotional on Revelation
Merry Christmasā¦maybe
Revelation 12: She was giving birth to a Child.
Johnās vision shifts to new images including that of a dragon and war in heaven. Itās my guess that his original readers better understand the symbolism than we do. Interpretations are all over the map but due to the fact this book is written to be read by first century Christians I lean toward understandings of it that keep their perspective in mind. Also, thereās such a strong parallel to the story of the birth of Christ that I tend to think that Johnās using that well known story to illustrate something more. Mary, the most blessed of women, gives birth to the Son of God. Immediately, Satan tries to have him killed but, being warned in a dream, his earthly father, Joseph, takes them and flees to the desert, Egypt. Throughout his ministry thereās a war for the hearts of men, women, boys, and girls. Ultimately, though, Satan’s defeated as Jesus goes to the cross, winning the ultimate victory for all who will come to him. It all fits, kind of. The question for Bible scholars is āWhat does it illustrate?ā Most say that the woman represents the Church and that the battle represents the war waged by the enemy of our souls in an attempt to defeat the Church. If thatās right the message here is one of divine protection and ultimate victory. Even readers like me, in spite of my struggles in understanding the passage, can conclude that, whatever the exact meaning here, God will protect his people and that ultimately, in Christ, victory is ours. I know I donāt get everything thatās going on here, but thatās a pretty good place to start.
Take Away: We donāt have to understand everything to have a firm grasp on the fact of the Lordās provision for, and protection of, us.
Devotional on Revelation
The way to die
Revelation 14: Blessed are those who die in the Master from now on; how blessed to die that way!
In this passage the harvest of the world is about to be described but prior to that thereās another description of Godās people standing āpassionately patient, keeping Godās commands, staying faithful to Jesus.ā Then John is told specifically to write about those who finish their lives while being āpassionately patient.ā They serve God through their lives, looking for Jesus to return, overcoming the hardships and trials of their journey. In the specific case of this passage thereās considerable pressure on them to follow the general population in worship of the Beast. These saints resist and at personal cost persist in being āfaithful to Jesus.ā Now, for them, the battle ends. Their āhard, hard workā is over and āGod blesses them for it all in the end.ā Iāve known people such as these described in this passage. They loved the Lord and served him through their lives. When hard times came, they wished for a way out, but way out or not, they continued to trust God. Physically, they were ultimately defeated. Spiritually though, they were victorious. John is told to remind Godās people that those who ādie in the Masterā are blessed. Unless Jesus comes back first, my turn’s coming. I want the same kind of passionate patience, the same faithfulness to Godās commands, to be the hallmark of my life. As this passage says: āhow blessed to die that way!ā
Take Away: Live the right way so you can die the right way.
Devotional on Revelation
The end is at hand, the end is at hand!
Revelation 17: The Lamb will defeat them, proof that he is Lord over all lords, King over all kings.
Johnās mysterious journey continues with disturbing scenes and promises of divine judgment. He sees a woman riding a beast. Sheās branded as Babylon, but heās told that that, too, is a riddle name, and the city, Rome, is described. In Johnās day, seeing Rome as the seat of evil in the world makes a lot of sense. Some continue to take the woman, Babylon, and description of the riddle to add up to the literal Rome, carrying with it lots of religious overtones. Frankly, itās beyond me (seems Iāve been saying that a lot lately). If it isnāt to be taken literally, it may be that the āBabylonā represents a current world power that dominants the world as Rome did in Johnās day. All of this is the set up for the big battle. This world power will rally the nations of the world to battle against the Lamb of God. Then, before the battle is even described, weāre told the outcome of it. The Lamb wins. In the end, there will be no doubt as to his high standing: Lord over all lords, King over all kings. The descriptions of judgment, war, and destruction are soon to give way to victory, worship, and the exaltation of the Lamb of God.
Take Away: We donāt have to understand everything to understand this: in the end, the Lamb reigns.
Devotional on Genesis
The mystery man of the Bible
Genesis 14: Melchizedek, king of Salem…blessed him.
Iāve always thought of Abrahamās rescue of Lot as a fairly localized situation and that their enemy was a neighboring warlord. However, Iāve just realized that Kedorlaomer and his allies were a big deal: a conquering army from Babylon; a world power. The Canaanite rulers didnāt have a chance against them. When Abram hears what’s happened, he mounts a rescue effort with just 318 people. Years before Gideonās 300 will win a battle against an insurmountable force Abraham mounts an amazing rescue by the authority of God. As he returns from that battle the Canaanite kings salute him and tell him to keep the spoils of his unprecedented victory, but Abraham turns them down, commenting that he doesnāt want people to think it was the Canaanites who made him rich. Then, out of nowhere, the mysterious Melchizedek, King of the town named Peace (or Salem) makes an appearance. He comes to bless Abraham and to praise God for what he’s done. In turn, Abraham recognizes this hitherto unknown man as a spiritual authority and gives him a tithe of all the plunder. Iām sure weāre talking about wagon loads of stuff here. In centuries to come both the Psalmist and the writer of Hebrews revisit this incident. They remind us that, even for the Jewish people, not all spiritual authority is based on lineage. In fact, the highest authority is when the Lord grants it in a direct way. Iām not ready to get bound up in whether or not Melchizedek is Jesus making an Old Testament appearance, but he does become the poster boy for Godās granting direct authority to the person of his choosing, credentials or not. Thatās real important in our understanding how Jesus is the High Priest of Christians through the ages.
Take away: As we read our Old Testaments it isnāt unusual to find God preparing the way for his Son, Jesus, to come to the world.
Devotional on Exodus
Having a small role in a big deal
Exodus 17: But Mosesā hands got tired.
The first of what will be a seeming unending number of battles is taking place. Their background as slaves affords these Israelites little preparation of combat. King Amalek, on the other hand, is a fighter with a trained and disciplined army. He sees the Israelites as easy prey and attacks them. The thing he doesnāt know is that Israel is under the protection of God Almighty. Godās man, Moses, climbs to a high point and raises that famous staff to the Lord. When he does, itās almost as though Godās power flows from heaven, through that staff, into Moses, and then out to those defending the nation. These slaves fight like soldiers. However, Mosesā arms grow weary and he lowers the staff. When he does, the tide of the battle turns and Amalekās forces begin to gain the advantage. Two men, Aaron and Hur, come to the rescue. They provide Moses a place to sit and then they hold up his arms and staff. Victory is theirs. As I read this story I see that God’s teaching them that (in the words of Jesus) āApart from me you can do nothing.ā Their victory on this day is clearly linked to Moses, the staff, and the action of Aaron and Hur. Itās a great victory, the first of many, but thereās no way they can take credit for it. Also, I canāt help but comment on the support of Aaron and Hur. Neither is Godās man for this moment. Clearly, thatās Moses. However, they become literal āsupportersā of Godās man, lifting him when he canāt go on. Generally speaking, thatās our role in life too. We lend our support to those God is using in unique ways. In so doing, we play a small role in the big deal of Godās work in this world.
Take Away: Itās nice to have a part to play, even when itās mainly just supportive of others.
Devotional on Deuteronomy
When youāve seen one giant youāve seen them all
Deuteronomy 3: God is going to do the same thing to all the kingdoms over there across the river.
Moses reminds his people of the victories theyāve already experienced. By Godās help they defeated the army of Sihon. Then they took on Og of Bashan. Before we ever meet the giant Goliath we meet Og. Heās huge. In fact, after heās defeated his bed is put on display. Itās over thirteen feet long! As they say, āthe bigger they come the harder they fall.ā The Lord supercharges the Israelites and down comes Og and his army. Before long it will be time for this current generation of Israelites to do what their parents refused to do. Theyāre to cross the Jordan and take the land of Canaan as their own. This time, rather than cower in fear theyāre to think of Sihon and his army and how, by the strength of the Lord, that army was crushed. When they see the big guys of Canaan theyāre to picture the fallen Og and his big, iron bed that is on display. The victories of the past are to give them courage and faith to move forward to even greater victories. Thatās how itās supposed to be for me too. God has been good to me. By his grace Iāve come a long way. I donāt know what the future holds, but I wouldnāt be surprised at all if the biggest challenges of life lie ahead. Iām to let the work of God in my life in days gone by be a source of strength in my life in the events yet to come.
Take Away: As we remember what the Lord has done for us in the past weāre encouraged to trust in in current and future situations.
Devotional on Deuteronomy
Follow the Leader
Deuteronomy 31: Be strong. Take Courage. Don’t be intimidatedā¦God is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.
There is a bit more to the book of Deuteronomy, but this is the conclusion of thirty chapters of preaching that makes up most of the book. As Moses preaches the people are looking across the Jordan to the Promised Land. They know who lives there and they know that their army isnāt ready to face the superior forces of Canaan. Beyond that, Moses, who is the only leader theyāve ever known, isnāt going with them. The new battles will be fought without their old leader. Well, not quite. Their real Leader is not only right there with them; heās already confidently marching ahead of them preparing the way in places like Jericho. When Moses at 120 years of age breathes his last God will remain their strong leader. Even as Moses is about to commission his successor, Joshua, he reminds his listeners of God’s faithfulness to them. I thank God for people who have influenced my life by providing vital spiritual leadership along the way. Even more important, though, is the awesome steadiness of God. The finest, most dedicated person has their limits, but not the Lord. As Moses says, “He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”
Take Away: The Lord is our faithful Leader and as we follow him, we can do so with confidence that he wonāt let us down and heāll never forsake us.
Devotional on Judges
The battle that never was
Judges 7: I had this dream: A loaf of barley bread tumbled into the Midianite camp.
In preparation for the coming battle the Lord sends Gideon to the outskirts of the camp of the mighty Midian army. As he cautiously scouts the camp he overhears a conversation between two soldiers. One is telling the other about a dream he’s had that has nearly scared him to death. In his dream he saw a tent that represented the Midian army. Then, of all things, he saw a giant loaf of barley bread, representing Gideon and the Israelites, tumbling down the hill into the camp and knocking down the tent of Midian. The soldier has concluded that this is a message from his gods that Gideonās army is going to roll over Midian. Overhearing all this is greatly encouraging to Gideon who concludes that God is preparing the way for his tiny force to defeat this mighty army. That night, when Gideonās 300 sound the trumpets, light their torches, and break the jars what the skittish Midian army hears and sees causes mass confusion and they begin fighting one another and running for their lives. In no time at all the battle that never was is over. I think stories like this are important to Godās people. We need to tell them to our children and in telling them, instill in our boys and girls a deep faith in a God who takes care of his people in sometimes delightful, unusual ways. As we tell and retell stories like this, we, ourselves, are reminded of Godās power over those things that overwhelm us and his faithfulness to us in all the circumstances of life. Maybe thatās a message you need today.
Take Away: The Lord delights in doing good things for his people and he especially seems to enjoy doing those good things in unexpected ways.
Devotional on 1 Samuel
By Godās help we can live steady, Christ-like lives
1 Samuel 7: Samuel gave solid leadership to Israel his entire life.
This is a powerful and important statement about Samuel. Only rarely do we encounter such high credentials, even in the Bible. Abraham messed up by trying to “help” God in his relationship with Hagar. Moses failed at the Waters of Meribah Kadesh. Just about all the heroes of the Bible have blots on their records. But itās not so with Samuel. From the time that as a lad serving in the house of God at Shiloh he hears God’s Voice to the end of his life Samuel is faithful. As a result, some of the golden days of the Old Testament are before us in our Scripture reading. Of course, this is actually a God-story more than it is a Samuel-story. Itās God who answers Hannah’s prayer that brings Samuel into the world in the first place. Itās God who initiates contact with the boy Samuel. And itās God who continues to lead Samuel even as Samuel leads Israel. We see today that spiritual failure doesnāt have to be part of anyone’s story. I know itās true that just about everyone has a story of spiritual breakdown, but here we see that the Lordās able to keep us as we allow him to work freely in our lives. Isnāt it wonderful to be reminded that because the grace of the Lord is freely available to us that we donāt have to stumble our way through life hoping we can hold it together just enough to squeeze through the Pearly Gates at the finish line of life?
Take Away: The Lord provides us everything we need to live faithful, victorious Christian lives.
Devotional on 1 Samuel
Wrestling with bears
1 Samuel 17: God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.
Saul, not to mention Goliath, towers over David. Weāre told that his family calls David the “runt” and that Saul is a head and shoulders taller than the average man. When word comes to Saul that he has a volunteer to fight nine-foot-tall Goliath he’s pleased, but when he sees David, well, let’s just say David is a surprise to him. Saul rejects David as too young and inexperienced but David immediately states his credentials. Apparently, shepherding isn’t all about sitting around watching sheep and playing the harp. David has some war stories of his own, stories that include hand-to-hand (or better hand-to-claw or hand-to-teeth) combat with some pretty impressive adversaries. He didn’t just run the wild animals off. Rather, he grabbed them by the throat, wrung their necks, and killed them! Have you grabbed a bear by the neck lately? Itās my understanding that this isnāt considered a wise thing to do! Seriously, David knows that his ability to kill a lion or bear with his own hands is an extraordinary thing. In other words, he knows that he would be a dead man had it not been for God’s help, enabling him to be a lion killer even as Samson had done generations earlier. Itās because of these victories that David’s ready to take on the big guy here. Itās when Iāve gone through smaller battles (although I am not sure how “small” fighting lions should be considered) and won by God’s help that I can take on giant issues with confidence. The same God who brought me though the smaller fights of life is well able to deliver me when Iām in the fight of my life.
Take Away: As I remember the Lordās help in the past I face future challenges with greater confidence.
Devotional on 2 Samuel
Marching to victory
2 Samuel 8: God gave victory to David wherever he marched.
David is now firmly established as king of Israel. He undertakes the great mission of retaking territory that has been lost and subduing or destroying their enemies. War isnāt pretty and the best I can do here is to simply read the historical account and see it as descriptive of what David is able to do by the power of the Lord. These events are distant from me in time and culture. For David, this is about making Israel safe, secure, and firmly established. The lesson here is not that God will help me inflict pain and death on my enemies, but instead, that God will help me live in victory over those things that would destroy me.
Take Away: By the Lordās help I can defeat all that would defeat me.
Devotional on 2 Samuel
Singing songs that rhyme
2 Samuel 22: I stood there saved — surprised to be loved!
As a conclusion to David’s story weāre given what is probably a favorite song from the great king. We might call this a displaced Psalm. With characteristic passion and absolute honesty David praises God but also tells of dejection and fear. God answers with earth shaking power. He rescues the one he loves and puts him back on his feet, giving him victory. From that experience, David says heās learned some things about God. The Lord sticks by people who stick by him. When I turn to him, I find heās already turned to me. And, even when I know Iām unworthy, Iām surprised by his wonderful love for me. David concludes, “That’s why I’m singing songs that rhyme your name.” I see why the writer of these books of Samuel likes this song!
Take Away: The Lord is good to us and we have every reason to sing his praises.