Prayer

Daily Devotions Feb. 16, 2010

Mark 1:34-37  And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.  35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.  36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.  37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.

These verses need no other commentary.  They are a peek into the personal prayer life of Jesus Christ.  He has been serving and healing and working miracles – pouring Himself out to the people.  He Himself, yet being God, needed to replenish His spiritual life through prayer alone.  So He arose early and spent time with the Father.  He refueled, and then He was ready when the disciples came to Him and notified Him of the waiting crowds.  I cannot give to others what I do not possess myself.

Feb. 15, 2010 Devotions

President’s Day

Mark 1:7  And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

John was a humble man and recognized his place in comparison with his Lord.

Mark 1:16-18   Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.  17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.  18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

The disciples immediately left their former lives of sin and followed Christ.  What remnant of my former life is still apparent?  Do I have vestiges of the sinful me that I still indulge?  In what areas am I unwilling to forsake all and follow Christ?

Feb. 14, 2010 Devotions

Exodus 35:21  And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.

Exodus 35:22  And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.

Exodus 35:25-26  And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.  26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair.

Exodus 35:29  The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

Exodus 35:34-35  And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.  35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.

Exodus 36:5-7   And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.  6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.  7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.

God always provides for His work, and He does it through those who have a willing and wise heart.  Would to God that we had the problem of 36:5-7 in our churches today and regarding foreign missions!

 

Matthew 28:18-20  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Feb. 12, 2010 Devotions

Another double day.  Busy with BSF yesterday.

Exodus 32 – the golden calf

vs. 20 – there are always consequences for sin, even if we repent, and even after God has forgiven us.

Praise the Lord for Moses who acted as an intercessor on behalf of the children of Israel, that God did not destroy them in His anger.  Who am I bringing before the Lord, pleading that He give them another opportunity to turn to Him, or to accept Him?  We see illustrated here the vitality and influence of the intercessor.

Exodus 33:13-17 “ Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.  14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.  15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.  16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.  17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.”

What a precious promise regarding the presence of the Lord!

Exodus 34:6-7 “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,  7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”

What a description of the Lord I serve!

Feb. 10, 2010 Devotions

Matthew 25:31-36
Never underestimate the importance of hospitality or ministry to the brethren.  It is the same as ministering to Christ Himself, and he places great importance on it.

Matthew 26:1-13
Sometimes it is the one who seems least important, or little educated, or small that is the one who really “gets it.”  The disciples had been with Jesus for three years – listening to Him, living with Him, eating with Him.  Yet they didn’t understand that He would die.  Mary, a quiet woman who opened her home to Jesus, listened with her heart and God opened her understanding, and she anointed Him against His burial.  I’m sure the disciples discounted her.  “She’s just a hostess” or “just a woman.”  But she is the one who was honored because she actually listened to and understood the words of Jesus.

Matthew 26:33-35
I am so glad that the Lord chose Peter to be a disciple – it means there is hope for me!  Good ole’ Peter was convinced that he would never deny the Lord.  I stick my foot in my mouth and make assumptions of my actions as he did.  Yet when he repented, the Lord used him in a mighty way at Pentecost.

Exodus 29:45-46  And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.  46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.

Ex. 31:29 – Interesting that whatever touched the sanctified objects would be hold, instead of the unclean making the clean unclean.

Exodus 31
What an honor for Bezaleel to be chosen by the Lord for the work of the tabernacle, and to be filled with the spirit of God for the work.  Has God chosen us for the work in NYC?  Is He filling us with His Spirit to complete the task?

Feb. 9, 2010 Devotions

Exodus 28 – Instructions for the High Priest’s Garments & Work

How wonderful it is that I can come before the Lord without the mediating work of a High Priest!  I have the Best High Priest – Jesus Christ the Son of God.  In vs. 29 Aaron was to bear the names of the twelve tribes into the throne room of God.  Christ bore my name before God the Father when I accepted Him as my Savior.  Now I bear His name and I have access to the Holiest at any time, from any place.  Praise the Lord for my High Priest who offered Himself as one sacrifice for sins forever and finished the work of salvation!

Feb. 6, 2010

Matthew 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Matthew 24:46  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Exodus 23:30 – we follow the Lord’s will, and obtain victory, little by little. 

Exodus 25 – the people were to bring the necessary items to make and furnish the tabernacle.  Moses was to accept these items “of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart” (vs.2).  When we give to the Church, it should be willingly and from the heart – whether time, service, or money.  God is only interested in genuine gifts, not forced giving.