Ten Devotions

To help clean out my inbox, here are ten devotions from Love Worth Finding Ministries for today.

Crown Him King of Kings

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”
Psalm 2:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The kingdoms of this world are being moved around like checkers, but soon God is going to move His Son into King’s Row and say, “Crown Him King of kings!” How many times have you prayed, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Do you think God’s will is being done on earth as it is in heaven? Look around at the crime, rape, murder, child abuse, and blasphemy. Do you think that’s God’s will? Of course not. Do you think Jesus Christ would have taught us to pray a prayer that will not be answered? God is going to move Jesus into King’s Row and say, “Crown Him King!”

Uprooting Toxic Bitterness

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:14

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Bitterness is an emotional cancer that consumes many a person who once had the bloom of eternal springtime in his heart. Where does it come from? Usually from being hurt. Perhaps you were abused as a child, rejected by someone, fired from a job, or even bypassed at church. Bitterness sets in when the hurt goes unresolved. There is a solution. If you’ve been wronged and bitterness has become so strong that you can almost taste its bile within your mouth, then it’s time to pursue it with a holy vengeance. With the Spirit’s spade, root it out. Draw a circle that takes in those who have wronged you. Forgive them for Christ’s sake!

True Joy & Peace Comes From the Lord Alone

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”
Isaiah 26:3

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
You may admit that God is necessary, but do you honestly know that God is enough and that He is, in fact, more than enough? To find out if God is enough for you, let me ask you a couple of questions. Where do you obtain your joy? Is it from the Lord or from somewhere else? If your joy is from your health and it goes, then your joy will fly out the window. Many a believer has lost his health, his business, his family, his reputation, but has still maintained his joy because the source of genuine contentment and peace is in God. Indeed one may not know that God is enough until God is all one has.

Just Keep Praying

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Romans 8:26

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
There’s an old song with the refrain, “Just keep on praying ‘til light breaks through.” When you don’t feel like praying, that’s when you need to. You need to pray until you do feel like praying. You see, you’re not praying by yourself. The Spirit is praying through you and for you, helping to present your petitions to the Father — petitions that perhaps you yourself are not even capable of expressing. Do not approach God with your hands full of the brass of your emotions. Rather, approach Him with hands and heart full of the sweet incense of His worth. Just keep praying.

It Is Not Ours to Ask, "Why?"

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all them that trust in Him.”
2 Samuel 22:31

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
When bewilderment enshrouds you and despair looms at your door, when trials storm the beaches of your life, you may want to ask God, “Why? Why? Why?” Friend, you may never understand why things are happening the way they are in your life, but that’s not your job. You see, it is not necessary for you to know why. That is God’s question. Your response is all that matters. When we can’t feel His hand, we must trust His heart. Our job is to simply trust and obey.

Heartfelt Soul Winning Brings a Bountiful Harvest

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
Psalm 126:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you know what you’re doing in the morning when you have a quiet time? Weeding your garden. You’re weeding the garden of your mind, so that the good seed of the Word of God can multiply. Now, the next step is to plant the seed and cultivate His harvest. And, when you go out to win souls, water the crop with your tears. Read how the Lord’s heart broke over the people He longed to embrace and love unto Himself (see John 17). Learn this same sort of compassion in the garden God has given you to harvest for His kingdom.

Never Alone

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
John 14:18

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The late, great Christian psychiatrist from Switzerland, Dr. Paul Tournier, wrote that loneliness is the most devastating malady of this age. What is loneliness? Many confuse it with being alone. But you can be alone and not lonely. Your loneliness does not have to overwhelm you. After all is said and done, truly your only solace is found in Jesus. Why? Because He understands. John 1:10-11 tells us that the world neither received Him, nor knew Him. In many respects He lived a life of loneliness. “But," you may say, "I need somebody real.” Jesus is real. He is closer to you than anyone else can be or ever will be. What a friend we have in Jesus! We will never be separated from Him!

Release from the Ghosts of Guilt

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Jude 1:21

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Guilt dogs the footsteps of mankind. It gnaws. It growls. It eats away at the joy God intends for us. Is there no peace from guilt? Will the ghosts of our guilt always lurk nearby? Not with the convicting work of the Holy Spirit and the healing power of our Lord in us! The devil is the prosecuting attorney who is going to point his bony finger of accusation at you. But the Holy Spirit is not the accuser. He is the Convictor. In love, He convicts to lead us to confession. Then we can confidently come to God and ask for cleansing. No psychologist or psychiatrist can take away guilt. Only Christ Jesus can.

The Will of God

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother.”
Mark 3:35

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Ian Thomas asked, “Which of these things in the life of Jesus is more spiritual?” When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount? When He raised Lazarus from the dead? When He washed His disciples’ feet? Or when He spat on the ground and made clay to anoint the blind man’s eyes? None was more spiritual than the other. Jesus did not divide His life up into little segments of spirituality. He was simply available to do whatever His Father willed. The will of God is not a road map. It is a relationship! You just simply set yourself apart to do the will of God.

Breaking Free From the Comparison Trap

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Have you ever noticed that we buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t even like? We try to keep up with the Jones family, but when we finally catch up with them, they refinance! Let me exhort you to get off that comparison treadmill and onto the pathway of serenity. You are accepted right now in Christ. God does not change you so He can love you. He loves you so He can change you! God loves you as much as He loves Jesus. If you are saved, you are in Christ. And where is He? He is seated in the heavenlies. You are also seated in those heavenly places, even though you still have your address on planet Earth. You are enthroned with Him.