113 Hebrews 11:1,6 Delayed Gratification

JMD Devotional 113 Hebrews 11:1,6 Delayed Gratification

There is a game parents play with infants in which they hide their face behind a blanket and at random intervals the barrier is pulled away and they say, “peek-a-boo!” The delay is essential to build the tension of expectation in the child; they know mom or dad was present, but now they can’t see them so there is margin for doubt. The game progresses as the child develops; in the earliest months the parent does it all, controlling the blanket and the game; but as the child matures, they reach out and tug at the blanket and pull it away in expectation of seeing the adult. Children who are not given that kind of attention develop slower, if at all. Many other faith games play out as the child becomes a toddler, in the form of duty, reward and punishment. More and more is required of the child. Putting toys away, taking naps at the appropriate time, eating one’s vegetables require doing something in the present that is not immediately gratifying but will contribute to future well-being. The delays and the stakes increase evermore on the path to adult maturity. Faith is a loving and serious ‘game’ of delayed gratification that God plays with us for our own good. It always has the elements of a test. No parent keeps score on this kind of interaction; they don’t dwell on past failures, they are just looking for progress and maturity knowing that the test is a tool, not the object. Ultimately, we are not trained like dogs to do a trick for a treat; but we are Sons and Daughters of God who do what is right for righteousness’ sake alone, to please our Father. Our Christ-like maturity IS THE OBJECT, and in the end it will be glorious!

NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]… But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].

Dear God,
How I’ve made the process of maturity harder by focusing on my scores and failures, trying to second-guess and short-cut your program, and evading your testing all together in shame. It takes so long to figure out that You are GOOD, just like your Word says, that You can be trusted, that it is safe for You to be in charge. I confess I’m a dunce! Thank You for being patience with my slow learning; and please keep me going forward according to your plan.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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112 Hebrews 11:1,2 Dynamic Faith

JMD Devotional 112 Hebrews 11:1,2 Dynamic Faith

NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. For by [faith--trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.

Belief and faith are the most underestimated and misunderstood words in the Bible. In ancient times, and in ancient languages, much more was implied than today's mere 'intellectual assent'. Look at some of the phrases that this chapter uses to highlight the 'roll-call' of faith:
>by faith we understand...
>prompted (actuated) by faith...
>because of faith....
>without faith it is impossible...
>urged on by faith...
>aroused by faith...
>motivated by faith...
>passed the test of faith...

There are a lot of actions that accompany faith. I can sense some independent Baptists foaming at the mouth already, saying, "don't make faith a work or you'll corrupt salvation!" But the whole counsel of God includes:

James 2:14-19 (NIV) What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

The belief and faith that the Bible speaks of, that the Amplified Bible always parenthetically follows with ('trust-in, cling-to, rely-on'), represents a conviction that changes your way of life. God is not casual about ANYTHING. If your faith doesn't cause some motion, consume some energy and generate some friction-induced heat, could it lack a heartbeat?

Dear God,
I may be often wrong; but I pray that there be no question of my allegiance to You! Please continue to motivate and inspire me to put my faith into action, to face great challenges and to yearn for and aspire to a greater expression of my devotion to your Kingdom. May my passion get in sync with your heartbeat and will for my life.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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111 Jeremiah 23 Spirit of the False Prophet

JMD Devotional 111 Jeremiah 23 Spirit of the False Prophet

Vs 1 WOE TO the shepherds (the civil leaders) who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasturing! says the Lord.

It is a capital offense in the eyes of God when those in power to lead, teach and protect the people instead mislead, undermine and destroy them.

Vs 14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they encourage and strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that none returns from his wickedness. They have all of them become to Me like Sodom, and her inhabitants like Gomorrah.

It is sad to say that the more worldly a 'Christian' leader is, the more of a following he amasses. People so want to justify their own sin that they will flock to support blatantly materialistic 'Messiahs' of questionable morality. ("They make me feel comfortable").

Vs 16 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Do not listen to the words of the [false] prophets who prophesy to you. They teach you vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility) and fill you with vain hopes; they speak a vision of their own minds and not from the mouth of the Lord. They are continually saying to those who despise Me and the word of the Lord, The Lord has said: You shall have peace; and they say to everyone who walks after the stubbornness of his own mind and heart, No evil shall come upon you.

How popular it is to hear what you want to hear rather than to taste the medicine of a frank assessment of your true spiritual condition, coming judgment and your need for repentance!

Vs 21 I did not send these [false] prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in My council, then they would have caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them [My people] from their evil way and from the evil of their doings.

Real teaching would challenge sin and foster conviction and repentance. It would not leave everyone feeling 'comfortable.' To many, it would be down right offensive (because that is the world's reaction to the truth).

What role do congregations play in cultivating false teachers and corrupt leadership?

2 Timothy 4:3,4 (NIV) For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Dear God,
Please give your people discernment. May a diet of distortions and half-truths give us the stomachache it deserves; wean us from 'feel-good' messages and demonic doctrines. Discipline our minds to be like that of the noble Bereans in the book of Acts who daily examined what their teachers said, to make sure it was true. May we cast out anyone who propagates the leaven of lies, that your Church be pure and a place that cherishes and embodies the truth.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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110 Jeremian 22:13-17 King for a Day

JMD Devotional 110 Jeremiah 22:13-17 King for a Day

If you won some kind of contest or lottery, and the prize was for you to be 'king for a day'; what images come to mind? Wealth, power, pleasure? Is that what an elevated status is all about?

Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his [upper] chambers by injustice, who uses his neighbor's service without wages and does not give him his pay [for his work], Who says, I will build myself a wide house with large rooms, and he cuts himself out windows, and it is ceiled or paneled with cedar and painted with vermilion. Do you think that being a king [merely] means [self-indulgent] vying [with Solomon] and striving to excel in cedar [palaces]? Did not your father [Josiah], as he ate and drank, do justice and righteousness [being upright and in right standing with God]? Then it was well with him. He judged and defended the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Was not [all] this [what it means] to know and recognize Me? says the Lord. But your eyes and your heart are only for your covetousness and dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, for oppression and doing violence.

With the position of power and authority come the mantle of responsibility to exercise justice, to protect the helpless, to do a greater good than the common man. Compared to the wretched 'commoners' of Bible times, we are all kings, having much more relative income and potential power to do good. But enough is never enough when it is misdirected.

Luke 12:13-15 (NIV) Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Dear God,
I confess an inordinate desire for more material things and a dissatisfaction with what I have. Please forgive my ingratitude, and help me to want what I have. Godliness with contentment is great gain. Inspire me to use what resources, influence and power I have to benefit others and promote your Kingdom; to 'look out' for those with less; that your name be blessed. May it be evident that I truly know you by the nature of my priorities and my care for others.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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109 Psalm 131 Knowledge Mishandled

JMD Devotional 109 Psalm 131 Knowledge Mishandled

LORD, MY heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in matters too great or in things too wonderful for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me [ceased from fretting]. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever.

Mankind has always tried to improve upon his nature. In our age, plastic surgery is the most radical attempt to make the body more pleasing. There are poor souls with legitimate needs, a clef palate, for instance, that inhibits that individual from functioning well in society. Hollywood Celebrities are at the other end of the spectrum, where after a point a vanity that can never be satisfied controls the person. I do think that God permits us significant latitude in the mechanics of self-improvement; the longest, time-honored focus has been more on our minds and skills through the pursuit of knowledge, training and practice. Anything taken too far or in exclusion to other Godly principles can turn bad. So when is enough enough? How can we tell when we have gone too far? How can we avoid the trap of pride?

1 Corinthians 8:1 (NIV) Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.

Ken Ham, when speaking on Creation Research, put a perspective on our pursuit of knowledge that I'll try to relate. 'No matter how much you know, you don't know what you don't know. So no matter how much you know, you don't know how much there is to be known. So no matter how much you know, you don't know very much of anything.' What he was referring to is the inflation of ignorance; we find that the more we learn the more complex our universe becomes; the greater the questions, the broader the frontiers; in essence, the more we learn the greater potential ignorance we acquire.

The key is that knowledge must be tempered with humility; and should never be used to put another person down or to make them feel small. Being 'right' (as far as one's command of the facts) is far less important than expressing love toward God and others. God distributes knowledge, and we each know in part, but only God knows it all. We loose out if we are unwilling to learn from the retched, poor and uneducated, even children.

Dear God,
Sometimes I am dangerous with 'facts'; I am so anxious to 'make a point' that I have trampled the flower garden of my loved one's self-esteem. Please forgive my impatient demeanor, my failing to see that a whole lot more is going on when I am conversing with another person. Help me to 'shut up' when another is trying to share with me; to not rush to fix their problem, but to listen and validate them, being a true friend. Make me more emotionally aware, more loving and sensitive to the souls I engage, like my Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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108 Psalm 130 How to Approach God

JMD Devotional 108 Psalm 130 How to Approach God

OUT OF the depths have I cried to You, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice; let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If You, Lord, should keep account of and treat [us according to our] sins, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You [just what man needs], that You may be reverently feared and worshiped. I wait for the Lord, I expectantly wait, and in His word do I hope. I am looking and waiting for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, I say, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is mercy and loving-kindness, and with Him is plenteous redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.

When approaching the Almighty one's posture has a definite effect on the outcome.

2 Samuel 22:25-28 (NIV) The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in his sight. "To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.

There is a process in approaching God that must include a recognition of one's own unfitness before the Holy Judge. The 'fear of the Lord' is the beginning of wisdom because the contrast of His righteousness and our depravity should strike terror in our heart, leading to repentance.

John 6:37 (AMP) All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me].

Dear God,
I know what it is like to be rejected by other people; sometimes it has been deserved, other times it was not; but it always hurt. The pain of being branded 'unclean' and 'unwanted' bent me double,
and as an outcast I had no friends competing for my attention. How wonderful it is to have so much misery humble my soul, correcting my posture and focusing my desire on You! Your Holy Spirit not only had the welcome mat out, but You rolled out the red carpet! I was ready to accept crumbs from your table but you slew the fatted calf and proclaimed a feast! Amazing grace! You leave me speechless! THANK YOU!
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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107 Jeremiah 20 The Man of God's Choosing

JMD Devotional 107 Jeremiah 20 The Man of God’s Choosing
(Note: this is all in the same chapter, watch the swings…)

(Jeremiah, after he has been incarcerated, beaten, and bound in stocks, displays extreme courage challenging his tormentor to his face):
4 For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; they will fall by the sword of their enemies while you look on. And I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon; he will carry them captive to Babylon and will slay them with the sword.

(Then, in a moment of reflection, he doubts himself, his mission, and God…)
7 [But Jeremiah said] O Lord, You have persuaded and deceived me, and I was persuaded and deceived; You are stronger than I am and You have prevailed. I am a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak, I must cry out and complain; I shout, Violence and destruction! For the word of the Lord has become to me a reproach and a derision and has brought me insult all day long.

(Though he’d rather shut up and crawl under a rock, the Word of God percolates in his heart and mind until he can’t contain himself. He speaks more bold truth that undoubtedly incites the wrath of his enemies…)
9 If I say, I will not make mention of [the Lord] or speak any more in His name, in my mind and heart it is as if there were a burning fire shut up in my bones. And I am weary of enduring and holding it in; I cannot [contain it any longer].

(He feels sorry for himself. Life is unfair! It is O.K. to admit this. God IS asking a lot out of him…)
10 For I have heard many whispering and defaming, [There is] terror on every side! Denounce him! Let us denounce him! Say all my familiar friends, they who watch for my fall, Perhaps he will be persuaded and deceived; then we will prevail against him, and we will get our revenge on him.

(Once he ‘exhales’ his angst, he is able to inhale inspiration and faith: God will straighten things out!)
11 But the Lord is with me as a mighty and terrible One; therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they will not overcome [me]. They will be utterly put to shame, for they will not deal wisely or prosper [in their schemes]; their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.

(Jeremiah regains his Kingdom perspective, giving peace and hope…)
12 But, O Lord of hosts, You Who try the righteous, Who see the heart and the mind, let me see Your vengeance on them, for to You have I revealed and committed my cause. Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For He has delivered the life of the poor and needy from the hands of evildoers.

(Weary from it all, Jeremiah drops back into self-loathing, dark depression and negativity…)
14 Cursed be the day on which I was born! Let not the day on which my mother bore me be blessed! Cursed be the man who brought the tidings to my father, saying, A son is born to you!--making him very glad. And let that man be like the cities which the Lord overthrew, and did not relent. Let him hear the [war] cry in the morning and the shouting of alarm at noon, Because he did not slay me in the womb, so that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb always great. Why did I come out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed in shame?

Would you choose this man for an important mission? How would we psycho-analyze this prophet of God? Manic-depressive (bi-polar), imbalanced? He was HUMAN! God did not reject him through his ups and downs, his thrashing about, his complaints and misery. God didn’t minimize his suffering. He was not excluded due to his infirmities and his ministry was not invalidated by his doubts and struggles. He was the right tool for the job God had for him; no one else in all creation could fill his shoes. The same goes for you and me. Don’t be so hard on yourself when your weakness and humanity show through; God made even this a part of your unique makeup according to His will.

Dear God,
I don’t know why my limitations, weakness and deficits are integral parts of my being; but I do know that you have tempered every member of my body so that no one part glories above the rest. You have made me for a purpose, warts and all; my idiosyncrasies, my square corners, my sharp edges and tender spots are somehow all a part of your design. In my immaturity I beat myself up for every shortcoming, every failure, every weakness; but You are gentle with the spirit while being severe with the flesh. Help me to accept myself, my calling, my finiteness as the being You have carefully crafted for a purpose that no one else can fulfill. Quiet my striving as I embrace your will for my life. There is only room for one God.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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106 Jeremiah 20:1-3 Cosmic War Part 1

JMD Devotional 106 Jeremiah 20:1-3 Cosmic War Part 1

NOW PASHHUR son of Immer, the priest, who was [also] chief officer in the house of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet and put him in the stocks that were at the upper Benjamin Gate by the house of the Lord. And the next day Pashhur brought Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then Jeremiah said to him, The Lord does not call your name Pashhur, but Magor-missabib [terror on every side].

(Jeremiah had to endure several incarcerations, and his relatives being ashamed of his prophecies, and being branded a traitor and a collaborator with the enemy (Babylon). But God was with him and saw him through every trial. Ultimately Pashure and his host of false prophets were carried off into exile and Jeremiah was vindicated, but not until the latter part of his life.)

Contemplate the principles found in these two verses:
Romans 1:18 (NASB) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness...(God will avenge wrong doing in His time table).

2 Timothy 3:12 (KJV) Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (God's servants will be persecuted in the mean time, there is a cosmic war going on in which we are considered combatants).

It challenges our faith and baffles our mind when we go through trials, tribulation and persecution. We want God to act NOW, and we don't understand the strategy behind the delays. We are naturally ego-centric, carrying the strongly-held but rarely articulated belief that the Universe revolves around us and our immediate needs. We extend this to believe that God should always step in and prevent hardship, and protect us from every adversary and reward our commitment to Him with an easy life. But God is sovereign, and reigns over a grand plan. It is not all about us. The smallest detail (and person) does not escape His notice; but He will sacrifice noble pieces to win the cosmic war. The reality is that most of what we, His people have to go through is seldom fatal; it is pain, inconvenience, infirmity, loneliness, rejection and resistance. Each difficulty we face gives us the opportunity to endure it nobly or beggarly; it is always a test of character. We need to be reminded that we suffer and make sacrifices for a greater good. Our faith in eternal things redeem daily temporal losses. We can choose to add to or diminish our holiness.

Philippians 1:27-30 (NIV) Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Philippians 1:29 (KJV) For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Dear God,
Sometimes I regress to infantile thinking and behavior when things aren't going my way. Please keep working the soil of my heart until the fruit of patience, steadfastness and all other virtues emerge in abundance. I am such a child emotionally and intellectually, especially when I face my physical limitations. Help me to turn the negatives into positives as I express faith in difficult circumstances. May your Kingdom really be foremost in my devotion and what I'm about.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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105 Psalm 105 Cycle of Joy

JMD Devotional 105 Psalm 126:1-6 Cycle of Joy

WHEN THE Lord brought back the captives [who returned] to Zion, we were like those who dream [it seemed so unreal]. Then were our mouths filled with laughter, and our tongues with singing. Then they said among the nations, The Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us! We are glad! Turn to freedom our captivity and restore our fortunes, O Lord, as the streams in the South (the Negeb) [are restored by the torrents]. They who sow in tears shall reap in joy and singing. He who goes forth bearing seed and weeping [at needing his precious supply of grain for sowing] shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

These are the descendents of those who were carried off as exiles into captivity, who, when asked to sing merry 'Jewish' songs by their captors, sadly hung their harps on tree branches. They abandoned their musical instruments along with their hopes. They could not see past the day of their present sorrow. Recovery is a long, dark tunnel, and it is hard to imagine the good life on the other end; but no one can stay the course without hope.

Job 13:15a (NIV) Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him...

Job felt like he was in the pit of hell, but he remembered better days, and struggled to believe that more better days lay ahead against his reasoning. Life is not static, but cyclic, highs and lows, ups and downs, a natural cycle that permeates all things making every parameter rise and fall along its own rhythm. We could not know joy were it not for its shadow of sorrow; the greater the magnitudes of brilliance and darkness the sharper the contrast and the wealth of the experience.

Dear God,
Jesus promised abundant life, and sometimes I don't know what it looks like. Often I've longed for 'static life', fearing change, loss and failure. But prudence tells me that life will have its mix of good and evil, better and worse until this present Age is over. Father God, help me to be like a child on a swing set, when I'm pushed out into the unknown, when my heart races as if I'll fly off the seat: help me to exercise faith and have confidence that I'll swing back into your hands, back into security, which I never really lost having always been within your reach. Abba Father, You are precious to me.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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104 Jeremiah 17:9,10 The Human Condition

JMD Devotional 104 Jeremiah 17:9,10 The Human Condition

The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]? I the Lord search the mind, I try the heart, even to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

If you are assaulted, you feel it. If you are robbed, the loss is apparent. But if you are (effectively) deceived, you have no idea. The scriptures inform us of two great agents of deception; one is external, Satan, the Enemy of our Souls; the other is internal, and is a traitor, our very own heart.

Proverbs 21:2 (NIV) All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.

The fundamental problem is that our conscious and subconscious minds conspire to paint a self-portrait that is far better than reality. Left to ourselves, we are much more concerned with protecting our own ego and looking good to others than we are with getting a frank assessment of our virtue, consistency and reliability. Most people don't worry very much about their character development because they have deceived themselves into thinking that they are pretty good. My friend, listen carefully; you were born in utter depravity. You are of no better stuff then than that of the thieves, murders and rapists locked up in maximum security; for most people only circumstance, opportunity and random good fortune make you a 'fit' citizen by man's standards.
God's holiness and righteousness make our best attempts at virtue look like filthy rags. The Great Physician sees past your facades and through your self-deception into a very sick human soul. Apart from His holy influence (which you fight against nine out of ten times) you would be a fit citizen of Hell! Heaven would be contaminated by your presence! Give up on the idea that you are capable of cleaning up your own act and getting salvation by your own merit! For a small minority of the human race, God will transform retched people into Children of God. The process will involve repentance, pain and suffering to work out the wickedness, rebellion and self-will common to all humanity. Only by God's grace will anyone squeeze through the narrow door!

Dear God,
The light of your Word takes away my self-righteousness and pride. I shudder in recognition of the fate I deserve, that lumps me with all enemies of God. Your AMAZING GRACE blows my mind! You sought me when I was hostile and indifferent to You. You have paid for my crimes, you have washed away my sins, you adopted me and implanted a new nature that is growing within my soul. You are treating the cancer of sin in my life without charge. You have promised that your work will continue until I am just like Jesus Christ. Glory to God! What a comprehensive salvation! Glory! May I respond with excellence to your holy influence, and may this life please you and may I praise your holy name. May those in danger of eternal wrath be awakened to their estate.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
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103 Jeremiah 17:7,8 Leap of Faith

JMD Devotional 103 Jeremiah 17:7,8 Leap of Faith

[Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit.

Critics accuse devout Christians of being a brain-washed people exercising blind faith. Christian Faith is centered on unseen realities, but it has never been baseless. Jesus appealed to the skeptical men of His day to regard the miracles He performed as God's authentication of His ministry and its claims. The Apostles boldly proclaimed the Resurrection before a hostile society who had every opportunity to refute it; but could not. Paul made bold intellectual arguments asserting that the natural world is replete with the evidences of an All-Mighty God. Over the following centuries countless followers suffered martyrdom rather than renounce their Lord before Roman Emperors. A mere 'hail Caesar' would have saved their lives, but they held a truth passed down person-to-person that was more real than a painful death, and more precious than their very lives. Many critics, bent on destroying our religion became converts through merely reading the Bible, because the truth rings true! Throughout history we have the testimony of countless lives that have been transformed by simply believing in a higher power and asking for His help. Alcoholics Anonymous and other recovery counseling ministries have been preeminently successful in using this leap of faith in God to transform the most retched of lives into reformed men and women. Trusting in, clinging to and relying upon a 'Higher Power' somehow gave them the power to be 'reborn.'

The 12 Suggested Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. (Copyright Alcoholics Anonymous)

Dear God,
I praise You and thank You that I know you by so many names, much more descriptive and appropriate than "Higher Power"; but thank You for receiving broken and hurting addicts in their ignorance when they turn to You. May no one who trusts in You ever be ashamed; may those You have touched bring You glory in their radical transformation. May our faith continue so that we can more perfectly and consistently display your regenerative power in every area of our lives; until complete perfection comes in Christ.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
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http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/

102 Jeremiah 17:1,3-6 Cursed Social Salvation

JMD Devotional 102 Jeremiah 17:1,3-6 Cursed Social Salvation

THE SIN of Judah is written with a pen or stylus of iron and with the point of a diamond; it is engraved on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars... O [Jerusalem] My mountain in the field, I will give your wealth and all your treasures to the spoil and your high places for sin [as the price of your sin] throughout all your territory. And you, through your own fault, will loosen your hand and discontinue from your heritage which I gave you; and I will cause you to serve your enemies in a land which you do not know, for you have kindled a fire in My anger which will burn throughout the ages. Thus says the Lord: Cursed [with great evil] is the strong man who trusts in and relies on frail man, making weak [human] flesh his arm, and whose mind and heart turn aside from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub or a person naked and destitute in the desert; and he shall not see any good come, but shall dwell in the parched places in the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.

You can hear the pain in our Father's heart over His people abandoning their faith to run after the popular 'gods' of their day. They were strong when they recognized their need for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; but later they became proud, worldly sophisticated and arrogant: they could shop around for gods of their own imagination, taste and preference. Instead of trusting in God's compass to lead them to meet their deepest needs; they let their natural appetites and lust navigate. Today, we express our idolatry in different ways; instead of an Asherah pole (a carved wooden pole with exaggerated breasts intended to incite lust) we have entertainment divas; but these and other idols compete with God for our heart. Is our trust more in Wall Street or government or technology or education than in Jehovah? (Have these become 'respectable gods'?) How can anything make this a better world without addressing the utter depravity of the human heart? As Jeremiah has said before, mankind has forsaken the fountain of living water to dig broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Dear God,
How I wish my heart was perfect and that I was blameless of iniquity and idolatry! We know that my life is still a mixture of darkness and light. Please help me to recon myself dead to sin and my old life; wean me from futile appetites. Help me destroy my old pattern of living and let us build on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ an abundant and authentic life centered in You. May You receive glory for your effectual work in me.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
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101 Psalm 119:89-96 Blessings Forever

JMD Devotional 101 Psalm 119:89-96 Blessings Forever

Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens]. Your faithfulness is from generation to generation; You have established the earth, and it stands fast. All [the whole universe] are Your servants; therefore they continue this day according to Your ordinances. Unless Your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, [how can I?] for it is by them You have quickened me (granted me life). I am Yours, therefore save me [Your own]; for I have sought (inquired of and for) Your precepts and required them [as my urgent need]. The wicked wait for me to destroy me, but I will consider Your testimonies. I have seen that everything [human] has its limits and end [no matter how extensive, noble, and excellent]; but Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity].

Every child knows the hurt of promises broken. Earthly parents sometimes say things just to placate their children, not realizing how much stock these young hearts placed on their word. For humans, we like to use time as an excuse, as in 'I said that a long time ago...,' as if that mitigates our commitment. Failing to take promises seriously result in emotional wounds, loss of trust, feeling devalued, disillusionment; damaged relationships. Our parent-child relationship is an imperfect picture of the real thing, of God to us; His promises stand forever, His word may be taken seriously and for certain.

We have more than a few choruses on this theme:
>Forever thou art faithful,
>Forever thou art true,
>Forever thou art with us,
>Forever, and ever, forever...

>Forever our Father you are...(Lord of the heavens, Lord of the Earth...)

Dear God,
Just knowing that You are my "Father forever" rejoices my heart! What else do I need to prop up my status? How blessed to have my hopes fully invested in You. In a world of uncertainty You alone stand unchanging, PERFECT in all attributes, in no need of improvement, reminding or advice; no parts missing. Let others have whatever they think makes their lives complete; I have You God, my Abba Father!
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
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100 Job 10:1-3,7,8 Blessed Ignorance

JMD Devotional 100 Job 10:1-3, 7,8 Blessed Ignorance

I AM weary of my life and loathe it! I will give free expression to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say to God, Do not condemn me [do not make me guilty]! Show me why You contend with me. Does it seem good to You that You should oppress, that You should despise and reject the work of Your hands, and favor the schemes of the wicked?...Although You know that I am not wicked or guilty and that there is none who can deliver me out of Your hand?
Your hands have formed me and made me. Would You turn around and destroy me?

What is Job to think? The cascade of bad events in his life makes the notion of this trouble being 'coincidence' seem ludicrous; he concludes that God is out to get him. Let's extend that thought. Would God create a man only to play in a sad, sadistic game he can't possible win? Are we puppets on strings manipulated to transgress only to be brought to judgment?

I once contemplated the opposite or negative version of a verse intended to give comfort, Romans 8:31b (NIV)*: If God is for us, who can be against us? I turned it around to, "IF GOD BE AGAINST US, WHO CAN BE FOR US?" The implied answer is 'NO ONE, YOU'RE DOOMED!' But that is such a gross distortion of the heart, will and character of God. Job's first mistake is that there were only two players affecting outcomes in his life, he and God. He had no idea that a much greater contest was taking place in Heaven, that in a sense God was on trial, accused by Satan as being unworthy of mankind's love and devotion apart from His blessings. Job's life was a testimony that shined when he found it within himself to trust in God in spite of his thoughts.

Revisit Romans 8 as it is rendered in the Amplified Bible:
Romans 8:31, 32 What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?

Finite minds can't possibly grasp all of the cosmological details of why life must include suffering; we couldn't comprehend it all without being "all knowing", which treads on God's domain. Our Heavenly Father has shown us enough to earn our trust and faith for what we can't explain; our ignorance should not be despised when it demands reliance on a 'Higher Power' outside of ourselves, even God. God didn't create man to conquer all knowledge but to express faith.

Dear God,
I am ever hungry for knowledge; but that is a diet that puffs up my pride and false sense of control. Feed me on that which is sufficient for my soul; patience, trust, faithfulness, love, endurance, steadfastness, mercy, humility, grace, empathy. Keep me abiding in the True Vine, totally dependent on your Holy Spirit to empower, teach and guide me according to your will. May You not be on trial in my heart; help me not to jump to erroneous conclusions; may my faith bring joy to both of us.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
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Short, concise, thought-provoking.

More features:

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http://saintjamespoetry.blog.com/

(Some) of my Devotionals

http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/