Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Holiness


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Living Faith

Scripture for Today:  James 2:17  “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”

Living in Europe gives daily opportunities to see some beautifully crafted statues.  There are military ones all over the place commemorating great battles in times past.  We used to live in the home town of Joan of Arc; Orleans.  You could not turn  around there without bumping into her!  Then there are the religious statues.  They are not found only in churches.  Some are placed prominently on the roadside or more discreetly in little stone alcoves.  There is one just a hundred meters from our house of Jesus on the cross surrounded by weeping women.

Statues, regardless of their beauty are dead.  They may be placed in an awe inspiring cathedral.  They may have a pious look on their  face.  They can be in a position of humble prayer.  But they are dead.

Our verse for today talks about the nature of authentic living faith.  Saving faith is a faith that expresses itself in action.  Faith without works is much like that cold dead statue.  It can look very religious and pious, but it is not real.  True faith is not a noun.  It is a verb.  It is active and visible to others.  Our lives of obedience authenticate our faith to those around us.

James reminds us that faith if not accompanied by works, is not true saving faith.  It can also be said that good works without faith does not save either (Matt. 7:22-23).  Our salvation is totally unmerited as Ephesians 2:8-9 makes clear.  But genuine faith will always express itself.  It is its nature to act and breathe and do for others.

Thank you, Lord, that Your gift of salvation makes possible a living working faith!


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Stuck!

7-29-09 002Scripture for Today:  I Corinthians 10:13  “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can endure it.”

I will never forget this traffic jam.  It seemed to last forever.  Thankfully, we were comfortable with pillows, food and water.  There was nothing to do about it.  The exits were too far apart.  We just had to wait it out.  In French, the word for a traffic jam is the same as for a bottle stopper.  Whatever the image, it is not a fun experience!  There was no point in venting our frustrations as doing so changed nothing!  We were stuck and there was just no way out.

Our verse for today gives a promise regarding temptation.  Of course, God does not tempt us to sin (James 1:13).  The word for “temptation” in the Greek is a neutral word, meaning to prove or to try.  Though God allows our faith to be tested, it is never His intent that we sin.  In His grace, He makes the test bearable without falling into sin.  The tests He allows us to go through have a way out.   If we endure the test with our faith strong and intact, that means we have found the way out!

That “way out” promised is Jesus Himself.  He is the “Way.”  His strength, His riches, His grace, and His love are what make any crushing circumstance bearable.  The only way to move through a trial successfully is to run to Him for the solution.  Thank you, Lord, that You are my way out and with You I can endure!


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Images

IMG_20130724_112152Scripture for Today:  II Corinthians 3:18a  “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory….”

We recently toured the famous printing factory called the “Imagerie d’Epinal.”  It has been there since the early 1880’s and is still using today some of the old fashioned hand-operated presses.  We saw several different methods of imprinting images including wooden engravings, moulding and lithographs, like the one pictured here.

These images were used to make cards, posters and literature.  They featured religious or military subjects, Napoleonic history, storybook characters and folk tales.  Of course, the image produced was only as remarkable as the original art.

We are all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).  Unlike animals we have will, intellect, creativity, and the ability to worship God.  Our verse for today talks about another image; the image of the Lord Jesus.  This image is being stamped on all who are believers and belong to Him.  It is a slow, life-long transformation.  One day, when I see Him face to face, His image in me will be complete (I John 3:2).

The more I am like Christ, the more beautiful I am!  That is because He is beautiful.  The original image is like a breathtaking work of art.  His goodness and kindness, His patience and love are slowly making their appearance.

Those presses use a tremendous amount of pressure to produce a beautiful image.  In the same way, the Lord often uses difficulty in my life to produce His image.  He is using every negative in my day to press His beautiful character into me.  I am thankful that the hard times are not wasted.  Lord today, “let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.”


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Plumb Line

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 26:7  “The way of the righteous is smooth.  O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level.”

My husband and I have only tried wallpapering together one time.  It was just before the birth of our first daughter and we confidently tackled the nursery with a bold geometric print.  But no matter how meticulously we lined up the print, nothing came out right.  Unfortunately, we had skipped a step.  We had not used a plumb line for that all-important vertical reference.  When we finally did use it, we found that the wall itself was not constructed correctly.  It was not straight!  No wonder we could not match up the print.  Our point of reference was crooked.

We never would have known that wall was crooked had it not been for that plumb line.  The error was so slight that it was not noticeable.  But to this day, I wonder what happened with those construction workers.  I am sure it seemed right to them at the time.

Our verse for today assures the believer of a smooth way and a level path.  The one who puts their confidence in the Upright One will have paths that are straight (Prov. 3:6).  This image is in stark contrast to the guilty man whose way is crooked (Prov. 21:8).  His way is strewn with pitfalls of his own making.  Unconfessed sin erodes the path and makes the going arduous.

That wall seemed right in our eyes.  In the same way, there is a way that seems right to man (Prov. 14:12).  But our thinking is crooked.  We need a plumb line.  We need the absolute uncompromising Truth of Christ and His Word.

Without You, Lord, my life would be a crooked wandering path.  Thank you for straightening me out!


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Stubborn

Scripture for Today: Nehemiah 9:17a “They refused to listen (to Your commandments) and did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them.  So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt….”

We came across this donkey while hiking around a lake.  He was calmly grazing with his friends, paying us no attention at all.  As donkeys have the reputation of being stubborn, I imagine that if I had tried to move him, he would have resisted.  As it was, I could not make him look up at me for the camera no matter how much noise I made!  He just would not listen!

The Israelites were sometimes called, “stubborn,” in the Old Testament.  Our verse for today gives the reason for their stubbornness.  They refused to listen to the Lord’s voice.  God had made His commandments very clear.  They also chose not to remember all His miracles in leading them out of slavery in Egypt.  The result was a stubborn conviction that their way was best, even if it meant returning to that slavery!

It seems amazing to me that they could be that stubborn.  But perhaps it is easier to see it in others than it is to see it in myself.  Any time I refuse to listen to God’s voice of conviction, I am at risk of stubbornly returning to sin’s slavery.  Any time I forget all of what He has done for me, I am likely to stubbornly do what seems best to me.

Thankfully, God does not give up on me.  Our verse continues,”But You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness.  And You did not forsake them.”

Thank you, Lord for not forsaking me.  Help me to listen and remember today!