Daily Devotion

“So David inquired of the LORD, and He answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.”   2 Samuel 5:23

God’s will is not always a straight line, many times it requires deviation in direction. It may feel like three steps forward and two steps back. Following Jesus may seem like you tracked down a path that was not part of His plan. However, His plan is an adventure that cannot be confined to “point A to point B” thinking. God is so much more creative than to give us a predictable path that we can control. His will keeps us trusting and praying. It keeps us looking to the Lord for direction and discernment.

This is why we get confused at times. We strike out in one direction, and then feel led to move in a different direction. Sometimes He leads us down an entirely different path than where we started. The adventurous part of us likes this, while our cautious and security-seeking part grows fearful. Depending on your temperament, you can either become unfocused because you thrive on adventure or you can become afraid because you like things in their place.

So what is God up to? How do we harness the Spirit of the Almighty to lead us into His great adventure? It is imperative that we listen intently to the Lord. We are compelled to follow Christ, thus we desperately need His marching orders. But the noise of life can easily drown out the Lord’s tender call. His voice will not compete with cluttered living that gets in the way of listening. His voice is pure and plain, and He longs for our undivided attention. He wants us to turn down the racket of modern day conveniences, and come to Him. When we’re stuck in one of life’s traffic jams, and the voice of the Lord is drowned out by the noise around us, He’s right there with us—inviting us to listen.

He knows you can’t handle His entire plan at once, so go with what He gives you. He doesn’t bless a perfect plan; He blesses obedience and trust. Go with what you know today, and trust Him with what you don’t know about tomorrow. God’s work is in the here and now. Reality is where you passionately pursue Him. So don’t be shy to go where God says to go, even when it doesn’t make sense. He is positioning you for success.

Lastly, do not be afraid to engage the enemy as you follow Christ, but confront him in prayer. Fight the unseen forces of evil by faith. The devil will try to distract you from following God’s will. He will tempt you with the allure of wealth, women (or men), and wine. Do not become sidetracked by Satan. Put on the full armor of God. Lean into the Lord, and listen to His trusting voice. Dismiss the sultry voice of self-deception. The enemy is the great imposter. He disguises his voice to sound like God’s. Indeed, be so in tune with the voice of Jesus that a counterfeit sounds like a shrill fire alarm you want to avoid. Above all else, follow the Almighty even when it seems like you are going in a big circle. Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). 

Taken from September 2nd reading in the 365-day devotional book, “Seeking Daily the Heart of God”… http://bit.ly/bQHNIE

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“The fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness...” Galatians 5:22b

Faithfulness flows from the fruit of the Spirit’s vine with divine fidelity. It is the ability to stay the course in a crisis or to correct a corrupt circumstance. Faithfulness is a personal resolve to stay committed in marriage through “sickness and health, richer and poorer and to death do us part.” Faithfulness feels a compelling call from Christ to stay put in a career, especially when it’s not easy, knowing perseverance leads to righteous rewards.

Are you at the crossroads of a commitment? Will you remain faithful, even though it is unfair and hard? It is easier to follow Jesus when He heals and forgives. It is harder to be a dedicated disciple when you are persecuted for your faith and demeaned for doing good. However, because Christ remained faithful to the Cross, on the Cross and after the Cross, you remain faithful to bear your cross for Christ. Faithfulness finds faithfulness by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

“What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?” Romans 3:3

Moreover, make sure to keep your eyes on Jesus, not on the unfaithfulness of others. People will let you down; so do not place them on a pedestal. A friend’s unfaithfulness, even betrayal is your opportunity to remain faithful, as you lean into the Lord’s faithfulness. Scared friends may scatter and an insecure family member may gossip, but you still model loyalty to those you love. Love is faithful in the face of unfaithfulness.

Furthermore, you can rely on the faithfulness of your heavenly Father. He is faithful when you are not faithful. He is faithful to give you courage when you face fearful situations. He is faithful to give abundant grace in your time of great need. He is faithful to give you wisdom for the best decision. He extends you mercy, so you can be merciful. The Lord’s faithfulness facilitates your faithfulness. So, stay faithful to Him and them!

“Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Psalm 86:11

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for Your faithfulness to me. Keep me faithful in the face of unfaithfulness.

Related Scriptures: Psalm 91:4; Isaiah 38:18-19; 3 John 1:3; Revelation 13:10

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“The fruit of the Spirit is goodness...” Galatians 5:22b

The Holy Spirit’s fruit of goodness flows from the heart of God. It is pure in its essence and it is sure in its application for good. Good is to God what bad is to evil—a reflection of its origin. Goodness is the expression of moral excellence found in any man or woman surrendered to the Spirit’s control. It is virtue that bubbles up from a deep seated belief that outside of Christ there is no good thing. His goodness reveals His glory to the world.

To say he or she is a good man or woman does not do justice to the depth of the fruit of goodness. It puts too much emphasis on the human element in being good. Goodness comes from God to do good for God. We are only good to the extent that our goodness is initiated by Christ and sustained by the Spirit. At salvation God’s goodness floods our soul like a warm bath cleanses a dirty body—our soiled soul is washed clean. Goodness takes permanent residence when the Lord Jesus is the Landlord of our life. He’s all good!

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3

So, what does it mean to have a good heart? It is a heart governed by God. A good heart is more than following a set of principles—additionally it recognizes the Lord is the moral authority over what is defined as good. For example, we can feel good about someone, but if their morals or ethics violate Christ’s code of conduct, theirs is not a good life to emulate. Goodness is not defined by what we feel, but by what God says is good.

God has made you good in Christ to be a humble but bold standard bearer of goodness. Good and decent followers of Jesus have a moral obligation to obey God and thus be a force for good in a morally decaying culture. Goodness defines you as more than a do gooder—it marks you as being a slave to your Master Jesus. Your goodness gives you the influence to change the culture. God is calling you to be an agent of change for His glory!

“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.” 2 Thessalonians 1:11

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for Your goodness and mercy that follow me all the days of my life.

Related Scriptures: Exodus 33:19; Psalm 23:6; Romans 15:14; Hebrews 6:5

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“The fruit of the Spirit is kindness...” Galatians 5:22a

For the Christian kindness comes from the Holy Spirit’s inner work of compassion that expresses itself in outward deeds. Random acts of kindness are divine encounters wrought to illustrate the kindness of God. Kindness is more than being nice; it is discerning another’s point of pain, and with Spirit led sensitivity, brings them relief. A kind action may come in the form of a gift, a word of wisdom, a verbal prayer, an introduction or an affirmation.

Because of God’s great kindness He gave His son Jesus to save sinners and to grow saints. And for all who believe, He grants a seat to sit at His table as an adopted child of God. Yes, we are sons and daughters of the most High! What a privilege to have access to our heavenly Father’s vast resources of grace, wisdom, love, forgiveness and holiness. His kindness leads us to repentance, guides us in character growth and graduates us to heaven.

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:4-5

Have you been wronged? If so, consider an act of kindness in response. Extend gentleness in the face of harshness. Give authentic affirmation to someone weighted down by disappointment. Ask how your server is doing and leave them a generous gratuity. Validate your friend’s feelings without prescribing solutions. Open your home to those who need a safe and secure environment. Kindness comes from feeling accepted. Not everyone will affirm your kindness; some will use you—so react kindly to the unkind.

Be kind to your spouse who may be in the middle of an emotional melt down. Be kind to your child who made a foolish decision. Be kind to those whose political views are opposite of yours. Be kind to a work associate who is not pulling his or her weight. Be kind to the unkind, the handicapped, the elderly, the uneducated and the immigrant. Kindness heals and gives hope. Most of all, your kindness is an invitation to the kindness of God!

“The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.” 2 Samuel 9:3

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for Your loving kindness toward me and use the Spirit’s kindness in my heart to bring people to You.

Related Scriptures: Ezra 9:9; Hosea 11:3-4; Acts 4:9; 28:2; Romans 2:4; 11:22

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"The fruit of the Spirit is forbearance..." Galatians 5:22a

The Spirit's fruit of forbearance is much more than patience. It is choosing not to retaliate when wronged. It's extending terms to benefit another, instead of demanding a justifiable immediate payment. Forbearance is the long suffering the Lord has towards sinners who need Him. He knows that time away from Him eventually loses its luster and appeal.

By faith we are able to model God's great patience towards those who anger us, who deeply disappoint us. The Holy Spirit fills us with the fruit of forbearance so He can lengthen the fuse of our temper. The longer it takes for our temper to smolder under self-control, the more time we have to cool down. The Spirit's forbearance releases our vengeance to the Lord. 

"Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance." Romans 2:4

Do you thank the Lord for His kindness, forbearance and patience toward your ignorant indiscretions and your intentionally unwise acts? Are you taking for granted God's great grace? Eventually His patience does run out on those who run away from Him. There comes a time when secret sins come to roost on God's righteous roof. So, come clean and learn how to walk wisely in this season of forbearance from your heavenly Father.

Lastly, do not buckle in unbelief under the pressures that threaten to crush your spirit. Christ has given you a deep reservoir of forbearance to bear these burdens. There is not a drought of God's grace during hot summers of suffering. Critics will come and go. And hard circumstances are meant to soften your heart to grow a harvest for Christ. The fruit of forbearance in your life waters seeds in other searching souls. Thus, be a faithful forbearer of faith!

"But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:16

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for Your loving forbearance toward me; fill me with Your great patience toward others.

Related Scriptures: Psalm 86:15; Proverbs 19:11; Colossians 3:12-13; Hebrews 6:12

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is peace…” Galatians 5:22a

Peace is an intuitive fruit of the Spirit. There is an inner sense that Christ is in control, even when external circumstances swirl with uncertainty. It is a calm that only the Spirit can create. Furthermore, a lack of peace protects from moving forward too fast or at all. It is a check and balance to impulsive emotional commitments and/or impetuous mental assent. Peace produced by the Spirit is not subject to shifting situations, but leads one to a stable Savior.

Spirit-filled peace leads us to become peacemakers, not just peacekeepers. We take the initiative to bring together two friends who may be in conflict, reminding them of the traits they admire in each other. We help to bring harmony where hurt has been inflicted. Once we have peace with God, others, and ourselves, we can create a safe environment of acceptance for those in turmoil. Peacemakers who sow peace reap righteous results.

“Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” James 3:18 

If you are without peace of mind meditate on the mind of Christ. His thoughts remind you of the big picture and the vision the Lord has for your life. He gives humility, wisdom and forgiveness to recalibrate conflicted relationships. Jesus takes the fear out of finances and replaces it with the assurance of His provision. Peace replaces worry. It stops fighting against and begins praying for a friend or enemy. Spirit-filled peace sustains a long life.

Above all, peace is found in resting in a right relationship with the Almighty. The fruit of peace with God is an immense harvest. Chaos is replaced with calm. Trust and tranquility triumph over anxiety and striving. Your guilt is gone—your purpose and passion remain. You serve a risen Savior who breathes peace into your lungs of faith. It may feel that He is asleep in your current storm, but He will awake to comfort you. Peace with God brings the peace of God. Finally, be a peacemaker whose peace rests in your Maker. Shalom!

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27, NKJV

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may I be a peacemaker whose peace rests in my Maker.

Related Readings: Numbers 6:25-27; Job 22:21; Matthew 5:7; Romans 5:1; 15:13

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The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. Psalm 29:3

God’s voice has not vanished. He has not lost His voice because of overuse. His vocal cords are not strained. God does not cough or become congested. His voice is strong and intelligible. His voice is all around us, for us to listen to and be in awe of. Thunder and lightning display their glory in the heavens, but they are commissioned by Christ. They are natural phenomena, but they originate from the Almighty. Thunder appears from the most high and is independent from man. It is a work of God. It is the voice of God poetically, figuratively, and instructively. His voice through nature invites our awe and our attention. We hear His thunder and gaze heavenward in both fear and amazement. His voice reminds us of His glory. It is the glory of God that thunders from heaven in the heavens.

The glory of God governs the heavens. Electricity in itself is powerless. It is ignited by Almighty God. He is the source of light, heat, cold, and darkness. God is the creator and the sustainer of the earth. His creation continues because He continues to create. Just as human beings are an ongoing creation of the Lord, so the earth is the Lord’s ongoing creation. He resides in eternity but still engages with the earth. His glory has not been gutted by scientific explanations, only validated. We see God in the dark clouds and the upper water of rain, and we give Him credit for the lower water of the seas. Our Savior can be seen in the beauty of His creation. Christ can be seen in all corners of His creation. His voice is powerful and majestic. It cannot go unnoticed by any honest individual.

The power of His voice is illustrated in nature and applied in our life. His voice can be stern in discipline or tender in grace. Wise are His children who respond to both. The powerful voice of Jesus called Lazarus back from the dead, and upon His earthly death, interceded to His heavenly Father for forgiveness on behalf of His enemies. We do well to imitate Christ’s voice of faith and compassion. Use your voice to pray for people who are dead in their sin and in need of a softened heart toward their Savior, Jesus. Lift up your voice on behalf of others who have offended you and your friends. God hears your voice. He honors the voice of those who vicariously cry out on behalf of unbelievers. It may seem like you are a lone voice for the Lord, but you are not. God has His people around you.

God’s voice is majestic and regal. He is enthroned above all His creation. Jehovah Jesus is our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When He speaks, we listen. His words matter most. The Holy Bible is the wisdom of His words in written form. His voice speaks through the pages of Scripture. So milk His meaning for you from His written word. Take what He tells you, and obediently apply it to your life; then tell others. Those of us who hear the voice of God cannot keep quiet. He speaks in the temple of His creation, and we speak in the temple of His worship, the church. The Body of Christ listens. We speak His name and He gives us strength. We speak His name and He gives us peace. Name the name of Christ for His glory and for your good. God desires to speak to us and through us. Therefore, be a clean instrument for His voice to be heard. 

Taken from Reading #19 in the 90-day devotional book, “Seeking God in the Psalms”… http://bit.ly/bQHNIE

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“Moses said to them, “Listen you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,  “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelite's, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” Numbers 20:10b-12

Angry obedience is better than no obedience, but it is not the best obedience. It has its positive results and it has its negative consequences. It does get results, but does so at the expense of dishonoring God and people. It’s like a frustrated husband who lashes out at his wife, yet says that he loves her because he provides her food, a home, a car, and clothes. The facts of his provision are true, but there is something ominous about the omission of love and respect in the tone of his defense. In this angry reaction, God is not glorified and self becomes the center of attention. Anger drives this type of response.

It may be anger from the grumbling of ungrateful people; it may be anger at others whose capacity for work and activity does not meet your expectations; it may be anger for always having to be responsible for irresponsible people; it may be anger at oneself for not preparing others to do their own planning and implementation. Obeying God is more than going through the right motions. It is going through the right motions with an attitude that acknowledges Him as the source of provision and trust. Anger puts the self-control of the Holy Spirit into hibernation. We are tempted to get angry with others for their ingratitude, when our own lack of trust in God denies His grace. We get angry when we place too much on others and ourselves; anger limits us.

However, appropriation of God’s grace infuses graciousness. His grace enables you to trust in the Almighty’s agenda. You can trust Him and rest in His provision, instead of rushing into angry reactions. You can get right results without being driven by anger. Ask God to replace your anger with His understanding. Submit to the control of the Holy Spirit. Your submission to your Savior positions you to walk in humility, not in pride. Those who do not live up to their expectations easily offend prideful people. Humble people, however, are patient and self-controlled. They are as concerned about the means as they are the ends. Unfortunately, at any given moment, anger can push humility out and replace it with pride. It is a Christ-less coup of the heart. You become too driven when you run over relationships. Praise God there is a remedy to anger-driven living.

The remedy is living at a pace governed by grace. Living without margin pushes out grace and incubates anger. Therefore, create more time for people and prayer. Grace-filled living is more relational and less transactional. Relationally motivated people ask caring questions instead of engaging in angry accusations. Their obedience to God is motivated by their fear of God. This honors Him, which in turn extends love and respect to others. Once you leave your place of prayer, you are still to pray. You pray without ceasing and you ask the Holy Spirit to douse any flittering fires of anger that pride tries to ignite. Stop and discern the Spirit’s prompting to pause in prayer.

Replace anger with peace and patience. The promised land of more opportunity awaits those whose complete trust in God is their motivation to obey Him. Pray as the Psalmist: “Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart” (Psalm 119:34).

Taken from August 23th reading in the 365-day devotional book, “Seeking Daily the Heart of God”… http://bit.ly/bQHNIE

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is joy…” Galatians 5:22a

Joy is the juice that flows from the fruit of the Spirit. It is tasty, delightful and delicious. Joy from Jesus gives strength for the journey, endurance to obey and enjoyment to relationships.  It offers hope for the future, optimism in the present and it reflects on pleasant memories from the past. Spirit-filled joy is a faith-filled attitude that is contagious. It converts frowns to smiles, cranks to encouragers and inertia to energy.

Joy gives fuel to our faith and it allows us to fuel the faith of others. It lights up a room with its genuine gladness and delights to hear another’s heart. Indeed, our countenance stays soft and kind when joy, like emotional lotion, has been applied to our face by the Spirit. Just as sunblock protects us from overexposure to harmful rays of light, so joy shields our soul from the lies of defeat and depression. Joy in Jesus generates gladness.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.” Psalm 100:2
 
We worship the Lord with gladness when we reflect on the gift of His son Jesus. How can we not explode with joy when we celebrate our eternal salvation in Christ? Praise to God releases our soul to lift up and proclaim joyful songs to our Great Shepherd, our Great Savior and our Great Spirit—the Godhead, three in one. Gladness in God can’t help but give Him glory. We are recipients of blessings that transcend our temporary trials.

Therefore, be a joy giver—not a joy killer. Joy givers smile—joy killers scowl. Joy givers build up—joy killers tear down. Joy givers laugh out loud—joy killers sneer inside. Joy givers see opportunities—joy killers see obstacles. Thus, be an agent of joy on behalf of Jesus. Perhaps you take yourself less seriously and the Lord more seriously. Laugh at yourself, sing in the Spirit and extend encouragement. A smiling soul molds the mouth.
 
“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may I be a conduit of Christ’s joy to those I encounter.
 
Related Readings: Nehemiah 8:10; Psalm 19:8; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2:19; Philemon 1:7
 
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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love…” Galatians 5:22a

Love leads the list of nine character traits that constitute the fruit of the Spirit. Love, the greatest commandment—is God’s gold medal for His children who run the race of faith. This authentic affection for the Lord and people sets the tone for the following eight character traits. Love is foundational, because it keeps motives pure and it builds trust that delivers truth. Like a loving mom, love looks for ways to give care and comfort.

Love gets behind enemy lines with the determination of a Navy Seal. It is the tip of a sharp arrow that slices into the hardest of hearts. Delicious love is an appetizer and entrée we can offer to hungry souls. It is attractive to acquaintances and it retains friends. We love when we initiate interest, refrain from retaliation, give grace and take responsibility. Love listens, gives, helps, forgives, perseveres, serves and sacrifices. Love is a verb.

“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:14

Your love ties together all other virtues with its eternal elasticity. It doesn’t divide, it unifies. It doesn’t take, it gives. It is not selfish, it is selfless. However, it is the Holy Spirit that dresses you each day in the garment of God’s love. You are not capable to love beyond human effort without strength from the Spirit. He is the source of your power to love like Christ: you love your enemies, embrace your critics and forgive all who hurt.

How do you know if you are growing the fruit of love in your life? You begin to know and understand details important to your spouse, children and friends. Prayer needs, birthdays, anniversaries, interests, pain points and joy factors all arouse your memory when you are around those in your circle of influence. Your love may courageously ask for help on behalf of another who finds himself in a desperate situation. Love is action.

Furthermore, undeserved love may be the highest level of love. You love an addict even though their capacity to love is numbed and they only have pain to give back. You love a proud person, so they see a model of humility that reminds them of Jesus. You love someone who does not love you, because your heavenly Father did this for you, before you fell in love with Jesus. Your Spirit filled fruit of love shares the gospel and your life.

“Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” 1 Thessalonians 2:7b-8

Prayer: Heavenly Father, who needs my listening ear, my tender touch or my time and trust?

Related Readings: Luke 6:31-34; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 John 4:19

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