Devotions By Jan


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Hitting the Wall

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 18:29 “Indeed, with Your help I can charge against an army; by my God’s power I can jump over a wall.

“The Great Wall of China comes to mind as the best example of an impressive wall.  Not only does it run 13,000 miles in its entirety, but sections of the wall have been around since the 7th century!  It was built to prevent attack from barbarian nomads but in fact it has been scaled many times.  Perhaps its most important role is a psychological one, serving as a barrier between Chinese culture and the rest of the world.  My husband had the privilege of running alongside part of this wall while visiting the country with his Chinese Mother.

Our verse for today speaks of a wall that is scaled with the power God gives.  For David, the troops and wall were literal.  The context of this psalm is praise to God for his deliverance from King Saul.  He calls God his fortress, his rock and his shield.  But not only is God his protector but He also empowers him to advance and attack!  A wall that looks insurmountable is no barrier with God’s power!

There are walls in my life that certainly look insurmountable.  I do not have a king chasing after me but my walls could be psychological.  Whatever seems impossible to face, impossible to finish or impossible to forget can be my wall.  But I have the same power that David had.  God’s Spirit lives within me giving me the ability to fight through and succeed.  He is my force.  He is not going to allow me to hit the wall, but to jump over it!

There is nothing too hard for You, Lord.  Help me to remember that today.

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.


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The Wishbone

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

As the youngest child in my family, I was enthusiastic about any tradition that might give me an edge over my three siblings!  This old superstition says that whoever ends up with the largest part of the bird’s “wishbone” when pulled apart, can make a wish that will surely come true.  As I did not become the richest person in the world, this belief is officially debunked!  However, one can always hope!

According to our verse for today, hope that is not fulfilled can make a heart sick.  To continually hope in something that is not to happen is just sad.  Barring divine intervention, a sterile woman may never give birth, a hoped-for reconciliation may never take place and world peace may never become a reality.  Hoping that has nothing to recommend it but wishful thinking is a flimsy hope.

What a contrast it is to have a solid hope.  Flimsy wishful thinking does not resemble in the least the sure hope we have in God’s promises.  This kind of hope never makes our hearts sick.  There will one day be a time when this hope is fulfilled.  A tree of life awaits us in Paradise (Rev. 22:1-2).  Every desire will be realized.  There will no longer be any need to hope.  Hopes will be fulfilled.

My heart can be sickly if I am hoping in the wrong things.  But when my hope is firmly place in God, the God of hope, my heart becomes strong and courageous! (Psalm 31:24)  He never disappoints.  He never goes back on His promises.  He Himself is the fulfillment of all my hope.

Regardless of what this day brings Lord, keep my heart strong, hoping in You.

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.

 

 

 


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In or Out?

Scripture for Today: Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.”

What this cat is doing looks very familiar.  Our Tiger does the same thing.  He stands at the door waiting to go out.  Then, when he is out, not two minutes go by before he is back at the door waiting to come in!  And before I know it, he is waiting to go out once again.  He never seems happy about where he is!

There is a store in France called, “Un Jour Ailleurs” meaning, “One Day Elsewhere.”  That store name sums up the problem of cats always wanting to be elsewhere!  I can identify with Tiger.  Often I find myself longing for my homeland, only to be pining for France soon after my arrival!

Our verse for today promises happiness and satisfaction.  But the condition is that I long for the right things!  The one whose desire is to live a life in right standing with God can find contentment.  He has already given us everything that is needed to live a godly life (II Peter 1:3)  He does not frustrate our desire to live for Him.  He will enable and equip us.  He gives immense satisfaction in our service for Him.  When we hunger and thirst after a righteous life, He will make that life worth living!

Can I really be happy and complete regardless of whether I am in or out, here or there?  God says, “Yes!”  He offers to satisfy the desires of my heart when I make living for Him my delight.  My contentment and satisfaction will never come from style of life or location or material goods.  It all comes from my relationship with Him.

Lord, may hungering and thirsting for You bring me blessing today.


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Wake Up Call

Scripture for Today: Luke 22:34 “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know Me.'”

When I see a rooster, I think of denial; denial of sleep!  We recently spent some time out in the countryside of the Bas Rhin of Alsace.  The rolling green hills were beautiful and I even enjoyed the baaing of the sheep next door.  But what I did not appreciate was the noisy roosters!  It was barely light out before they would start their sleep-denying racket.  There was certainly no need for an alarm clock!

Our verse for today also associates the rooster with denial.  Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him.  I am sure Peter was shocked to hear this, especially after confidently declaring his commitment to Jesus.  But the Lord knew as well that Peter would turn back to Him (verse 32) and because of this experience, he would be able to strengthen his brothers in Christ.

God’s grace is so surprising!  Jesus, after His resurrection, gave Peter three opportunities to again declare his love for Him (John 21:17).  The Lord did not need to hear it so much as Peter needed to say it!  The guilt from that denial could have destroyed Peter and the chance to serve Him.  As it is, God’s grace covered that denial as it does for all repented sin.  Peter goes on to become a force for God’s Kingdom!

I am so grateful that Jesus uses imperfect people!  If not, where would we be?  After failing the Lord, Peter could move on.  After David’s sin with Bathsheba, he could move on.  After being responsible for the death of Christians, Paul could move on.  After my sin, I can move on!

There is no denying it; His grace is amazing!  Thank you, Lord.

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.

 


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Tin Man

Scripture for Today: Galatians 5:16 & 25 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Poor Tin Man.  He could not go long without his oil.  He would get progressively stiff and squeaky until he stopped walking altogether.  Thankfully, Dorothy was ever ready to help with her can of oil.  I sometimes feel like the Tin Man after getting up from long periods of sitting!  There are creaks, cricks and cracks upon rising.

Our verse for today talks about living and walking by God’s Spirit.  All those who belong to Jesus have the Holy Spirit residing in them.  His Spirit is His seal of ownership on us (II Cor. 1:22).  We have life now and eternally because of Him.  But “walking” by the Spirit implies something more.

The Spirit in Scripture is often symbolized by oil (I Samuel 16:13).  Just as the Tin Man needed oil to move and walk, so we are made to have that dependance on the “oil” of God’s Spirit.  We are to walk or obey by the Spirit.  Without Him, our obedience is slow and creaky.  Without the oil of His Spirit, we can barely move in response to His commandments.  We come to a virtual standstill as we just cannot obey on our own.  We desperately need the “oil” of His Spirit.

The Lord does not ask anything of me that He does not empower me to do.  His power, His presence and the fruit of His Spirit lubricate my joints and make it happen.  I need to go to Him continually for that oil as I dry up every day.  Walking in obedience feels so right when done through His Spirit!

Lord, help me walk well today!

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.