Devotions By Jan


by Leave a comment

Bird Box Challenge

Scripture for Today: Revelation 3:17 “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’  But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”

Netflix, Canada has just issued a warning begging people not to do the Bird Box Challenge.  People are endangering themselves and others by reenacting the the movie, Bird Box, in real life.  They are going through their day blindfolded as the movie characters did.  However, in real life there are no dangerous monsters trying to capture people through one’s eyesight!  The only danger comes from being blindfolded!

Today’s verse talks about a blindness that is spiritual.  What is so sad is that the person described does not realize his blindness, nor his poverty and nakedness.  Being wealthy has caused this person to feel self-sufficient and not in need of anything.  What is so beautiful in this passage is that Christ proposes a remedy for this blindness.  He offers salve for the eyes to restore spiritual sight (verse 18).

There is a strong tendency for me to be blind to my need of the Lord when all is well and finances are looking good.  When life is comfortable, I start to feel self-sufficient.  Before long, I take credit and think it is all of my own doing.  Pride seeps in and I become poor, blind and naked in my soul.  There is no reason for me to continue this way.  Christ has taken the initiative to change my pitiful state when I realize my need and turn to Him.  When I let go of of my pride and denial, I can open the door of my heart in answer to His knock (verse 20).

Lord, may I always realize my need and open the door to You.


by 1 Comment

Adulting Classes

Scripture for Today: Hebrews 5:14 “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Adult classes are being offered to millennials who somehow missed learning some of life’s basic skills.  Folding a fitted sheet is perhaps one of the less important ones.  At least I would like to think so as I am not so good at it!  These classes include sewing, cooking, check writing, laundry and cleaning, writing resumes, and managing relationships.  What used to be taught through high school classes or passed on by family members is now often taught through seminars and conferences.

Today’s verse tells us there are levels of spiritual maturity as well.  Those believers who have finished with “milk” and have progressed to solid food are those who are experienced and skilled in living righteously.  Those who still need milk are those believers who are “not acquainted” with righteousness (vs 13).  Spiritual maturity then has little to do with church attendance or even how many years one has been a believer.  Spiritual maturity has to do with distinguishing between good and evil.  This discernment comes through training by constant use of God’s Word.

Isn’t it clear what is good and what is evil?  Don’t I recognize the difference?  When I am relying on my own reason and logic I can be deceived.  Between changing norms and everyone doing what is right in their own eyes (Proverbs 21:2) the lines can be blurred.  Somehow, good does not seem so good or evil so very evil (Isaiah 5:20).  Satan is a master of deception and I am pretty good at rationalizing my behavior.  How thankful I am that He is holy and His standards unchanging….and that He forgives me!

Lord, grow me up today.  Help me recognize even the smallest nuance of evil.


by Leave a comment

Climbing Mountains

Scripture for Today: Ecclesiastes 2:22 “What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?”

I love a good challenge.  Having worthy goals can stimulate and engage us.  Without them we can become bored and disinterested in life.  But it is not always easy to balance the need for new mountains to climb and the ideal of being content.  When the summit is reached, there can be a sense of deep satisfaction at the accomplishment.  The problem comes when that feeling dissipates.  And from the summit we see new mountains to climb.  Do we stop climbing and find contentment on our summit?  Or can we be content while continually seeking new mountains to climb?

Today’s verse from King Solomon asks a good question.  Why do we work?  Why do we strive and toil?  Whether it is for altruistic or selfish motives, what is our purpose for our mountain climbing?  After all of Solomon’s accomplishments he concluded that though his “heart took delight” in what he had done (vs. 10) he felt it was meaningless.  A life of significance that is meaningful has nothing to do with reaching our financial or vocational goals.  But it has everything to do with relationship.

There is no higher more satisfying goal than to know Jesus personally.  It is a relationship that is all consuming and never ending. Knowing Him is not only a life-long process, but an eternity-long process.  Our God is so grand and awesome that one can never come to the end of knowing Him!  He is the life-giver, the life-sustainer and the reason for which I live.  Knowing, loving and serving Him is the mountain I climb.  I will never reach the summit and that is fine with me as He gives me such joy along the way!

Lord, let me climb higher today!

 

 


by 1 Comment

Crowning This New Year

Scripture for Today: Psalm 65:11 “You crown the year with Your good blessings and You leave abundance in Your wake.”

This crown belongs to Queen Elizabeth and being that it weighs three pounds, the quote from Shakespeare must be especially true for her; “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”  It is so heavy that the Queen will practice wearing it a few days before having to don it for an official ceremony.  But the crown is impressive with its valuable jewels.  More than that, it impresses as a symbol of power and authority.

Today’s verse describes a power and authority much larger than that of an earthly monarch!  We serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  It is in His power to crown a year with His blessing and abundance!  He came in order to give His followers a life that is abundant (John 10:10).  He promises His blessings for those who are obedient to Him.  His eyes search over the entire earth to see whose hearts are fully committed to Him, in order to strengthen them (II Chron. 16:9).  He looks to bless His own with good things as a Father does for his son (Matt. 7:11).

How reassuring to be His own and face this new year with trust and confidence in His provision!  I do not know what the new year will hold, but like the saying says, “I know who holds the future.”  He is worth trusting.  He will crown this new year with His goodness toward me.  I know this with every fiber of my being because He has promised, and He has been so faithful in the past.  Whatever this new year may hold, I can look forward to the eventual fulfillment of every hope and every dream.

Happy New Year to all my readers and may you experience blessing this New Year!


by Leave a comment

“CAVU”

Scripture for Today: Colossians 3:1 “Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited, or CAVU, is an aviation term that pilots use to indicate good flying weather.  But it is also used as slang to mean anything sought after or desirable.  For the late President George H.W. Bush, this term described his approach to life.  He had the acronym on a plaque in his office.  And on his 80th birthday he described his life as CAVU, “thanks to my family and friends.”

Today’s verse gives us a look past the ceiling of the sky to something beyond.  It is only visible to our spiritual eyes.  But like the former president, this unobstructed view of Heaven is to describe our approach to life.  We have been raised up with Christ from the old life to the new.  We are to set not only hearts but also our minds (verse 2) on what is there.  Christ is there, seated at the right hand of God.  Our focus is to be on this reality more than on the temporal things of earth.

I can only “see” beyond the things of this earth by being in His Word.  The truths read and studied there lift my sights to what is eternal.  I frankly could not smile without being reassured in His Word of what is to come.  Life can be pretty awful sometimes.  Knowing that God has planned what eye cannot see, ear cannot hear or even what our minds cannot imagine (I Cor. 2:9) is an enormous comfort when things are so sad and so hard.

Thank you Lord, that, “the things of earth will grow strangely dim,” when I see You.