Tag: God is with us

February 4 2023 – Mark 8 – Tenderhearted

Jesus had just fed five thousand people in Mark 7 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. The disciples were there. They saw and participated in the miracle. In Mark 8 they see Jesus take 7 loaves of bread and feed four thousand people. The disciples saw this miracle and participated in it too. However, when they were in the boat heading to the other side of the lake, the disciples were concerned about not having enough bread.

Jesus overheard them discussing this and makes a statement that gives us some important insights. And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They *said to Him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they *said to Him, “Seven.” And He was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?” Mark8:17–21NASB1995

Hardheartedness keeps us from recognizing who God is, and understanding what God is doing. The disciples saw what Jesus did. They heard what he said, but they did not yet see or understand who they were following.

The remedy for this is to ask God to give us a tender heart, eyes to see and ears to hear. That means that God has to move us past our pride so that our hearts are not hard. It also involves remembering what God has been doing in our lives and in the life of our church. Jesus reminded the disciples of the miracles they had just seen. Remembering what God has done in and through us helps us to see God’s leading and direction through the miracles we have seen and witnessed.

Having a tender heart and remembering what God has done in us and through us helps us see the spiritual reality and not be stuck in the temporal. When we have trouble recognizing Jesus and the spiritual, we need to humble ourselves and ask for eyes to see and ears to hear.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for the miracles that show me who you are and what you are calling me to be. When the temporal world that I experience through my five senses, encroaches upon the spiritual, help me to have eyes to see and ears to hear what you are doing in me and around me. Amen.

Find past devotions at https://beingachildofgod.com/

January 15, 2023 – Leviticus 16 – An Audience with a Holy God

Because of the lovingkindness, patience, and forgiveness we receive through the grace offered to us in Jesus Christ we sometimes forget that God is a Holy God. Now, we are always able to go to God with our praises and petitions. There isn’t a time too early or too late. We are told to be in a constant conversation with God. The Apostle Paul tells us to, “pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians5:17NRSV  However, it wasn’t always that way.

In Leviticus 16, God is giving Moses instructions to give to Aaron about when and how he is to approach him. The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.” Leviticus16:2NIV He goes on in detail giving instructions on how Aaron is to make atonement for his sins and for the sins of the people. All of this is important because God is a Holy God. Our sinfulness and our sins make it impossible to live in the presence of a Holy and righteous God without having atoned for our sins.

Thank God, he removed the barriers and now we can come to him without fear, fully atoned for through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews4:14–16NIV

Let us never forget that God is a Holy God. It will help us to appreciate the wonderful work of atonement that Jesus the Christ did for us in his death and resurrection!

Prayer:

Holy God, thank you for Jesus, his death, and resurrection that made atonement for all of my sins. Help me to come to you in complete confidence in the grace you offered to me and the world in Jesus. Amen.

January 10, 2023 – Matthew 11 – Yoked with Christ

Leviticus 11, Matthew 11, 1 Timothy 1

As a follower of Jesus, I try to learn from him. Jesus was a rabbi. He taught the 12 disciples that followed him everywhere he went. He also drew crowds with his miracles and his teachings. I read his teachings and I contemplate on them. I pray about them and the Holy Spirit helps me understand meaning. One of the interesting things about reading the Bible is that you can read it over and over and the Holy Spirit keeps teaching you new things with what you’ve read.

Another thing the scripture does is give us historical events in the life of Jesus. In the Bible we read about how Jesus was baptized. We see how he interacted with the people who came to him. We see how he responded to persecution and praise. The historical events of the life of Jesus give us examples of how to live our lives. We can see what Jesus did and incorporate those behaviors into our lives to live as he did.

At the end of Matthew 11, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew11:28–30NIV

We hear in these verses that being yoked means learning. From our perspective as post resurrection Christians we understand that to mean reading the Bible to understand the teachings and example of Christ. However, this word picture Jesus gave us includes more. A yoke is used to put two oxen together to pull a load. They walk closely together. From this we understand that Christ not only teaches us as we read the Bible, he teaches us as he helps us bear the burdens of life.

Through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, we are yoked with Christ. We are not alone. Daily Jesus walks by our side and teaches us as he helps us bear the burdens of life!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for being by my side as I go through life. When I feel alone and overwhelmed remind me that you are yoked with me, helping me bear my burdens. Amen.

January 7, 2023 – Matthew 8 – The Storms of Life

Leviticus 8, Matthew 8, 2 Thessalonians 1

We live in a world where we are driven by fear. It must be the best psychological motivator because you can’t turn on the television, listen to the radio, or get online without being inundated by fear driven messaging. There is a high terror alert… there are life-threatening storms… we are in danger of dying from life-threatening diseases… we are on the verge of financial calamity… we are surrounded by violent criminals… and on and on.

Fear wears us down. It makes us apathetic. Living in fear sucks all the joy out of life for us. We lose our ability to make rational decisions. We develop health issues because of fear and the ensuing worry.

Fear is a natural reaction to danger. It is part of how God created us. It helps us stay alive. However, we were not made to live in continual fear. Fear is a tool of the devil. You see it all the way back in the garden of Eden. He used the fear of missing out on something to deceive Eve. He, and his minions use fear to manipulate and keep us down.

Understanding that we are in God, because there is no place in the universe that God is not, and God is in us through his indwelling Holy Spirit, can give us peace in the storms of life when waves of fear are washing over us. In Matthew 8, Jesus was asleep in a boat with the disciples when a “furious storm came up.” The waves were sweeping over the boat, yet Jesus slept on. He must have been exhausted.

When he was awakened his response seems harsh. He said, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Matthew8:26NIV  Fear is a natural response to danger and threats. Jesus’ response in this situation is more about their lack of faith than their fear. Having seen all of the miracles Jesus did, the disciples still did not feel safe with him. To their credit, when it got so bad that the waves were sweeping over the boat, they woke Jesus up saying, “Lord, save us!”

In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone.”1 There is no place in the universe where God is not. God is in us through the presence of his indwelling Holy Spirit. Fear is a natural reaction to danger, but we were not made to live in it. When you realize you are living in fear, cry out, “Lord, save me! Help me to be at peace in You!”

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I am grateful that I can trust myself to your care, in this world, and in the world to come! Thank you for always being with me! Help me to catch myself when I am living in fear and call out to you. Lord help me to live in your peace that passes all understanding. Amen.

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[1] A Statement of Faith of the United Church of Canada, A New Creed (1968; rev. 1980, 1995).

January 1, 2023 – Matthew 2 – Looking and Listening for God

Leviticus 2, Matthew 2, Colossians 4

In Matthew 2, we read about the wisemen, following the star, coming to discover the child “who was born king of the Jews.” Today can be celebrated as Epiphany on the Christian calendar. The day celebrates the revelation of Jesus as God incarnate. Scriptures used for Epiphany are the Magi’s visit and the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.

The wisemen were ecstatic to find baby Jesus.  When they found him, they worshipped him and presented treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Not everyone was ecstatic. King Herod, perceiving a threat to his throne with the birth of this newborn king of the Jews, wanted the wisemen to tell him where he could find him so he could kill this threat. At first, the wise men were unaware of Herod’s intentions. They must have planned to return and tell the king where they found a child. However, God warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod, so they went home another way.

Joseph was also warned in a dream to leave and go to Egypt. So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew2:14–15NIV

I have always said I would love it if God sent me a daily fax or an email with his specific will for me. That is not the way God works, even with his own Son. The wisemen, Joseph, and Mary had to be intention in looking and listening for God to speak to them even with God’s own Son.

We have the benefit of the Holy Spirit living in us and with us. God is always speaking to us. However, if we are not looking and listening we can easily miss God’s direction and will.

Even in the most threatening circumstances, God is with us. He speaks to us in a variety of ways, perhaps even in an email or fax. As we head into the new year, we have to be intentional in looking and listening for God to speak to us. If we are looking and listening, we will hear God speak and we will know his will.

Prayer:

God, I know you are with me. I know you are speaking and revealing your will to me. Help me to be looking and listening, expecting you to speak. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

December 24, 2022 – Ephesians 6 – Spiritual Struggles Require Spirit Empowerment

Exodus 35, John 16, Ephesians 6

There have been many times I have been in a hurry to get somewhere… to an appointment, to my mothers, or just home. It never seems to fail, when you are in a hurry, you end up behind someone in the fast lane driving under the speed limit or driving inconsistent speeds. They slow down. They speed up. Sometimes when I try to go around in the other lane they speed up. It creates some pretty negative feelings in me about the person who won’t get over and won’t let me get around them.

I’m sure you have been in similar situations with people that caused you to have negative feelings about them. When we have these negative feelings we need to remind ourselves that people are not necessarily evil. There may be a few who are committed to evil, but most people are like you and me.

In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul tells us, “…our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians6:12NIV  Most people are not necessarily evil, but there is evil at work in the world. There are evil spiritual forces at work in this world and in the heavenly realms. Depending on the translation you are reading, verse 12 could seem to imply that there were people in high places operating under evil spiritual power.

Paul doesn’t encourage us to lock and load to take these spiritual forces of evil out. He goes through a detailed description of preparing to battle these forces on a spiritual plane. He tells us to get ready to fight by putting on the full armor of God. I am not going to try to explain each piece. They are pretty self explanatory and others have already explained them in detail. My point in mentioning them is we battle on a spiritual plane. Our defenses are spiritual, as well as our weapons.

Paul also tells us to, “…pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians6:18NIV  We spiritually prepare ourselves for spiritual battle. We also rely on the Holy Spirit to empower us for action in this spiritual plane. Paul tells us to cover our brothers and sisters in prayer. We support one another in this spiritual warfare we are engaged in here by relying on the Holy Spirit for the victory.

Don’t let the devil deceive us into giving up our armor and power by thinking people are our struggles in life. We are in a war with evil spiritual forces and that requires spiritual preparation and reliance on the Holy Spirit for power.

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for giving me the things I need to prepare for spiritual warfare! Thank you for empowering me to win and cover my brothers and sisters with your Holy Spirit! Thank you that this battle has ultimately already been won by Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection! Help me be strong and courageous in the spiritual power you have given me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.