Devotionals

Isaiah 50:5

Our greatest struggle is not in the realm of understanding the will of God; it's in the realm of obeying the God whose will it is.

To be painfully honest, when you and I look back at our lives, we do not find ourselves puzzled and mystified about God's will nearly as much as we find ourselves stubborn and resistant to the One directing our steps.

Our problem isn't that we don't know; our problem is that we do know but aren't willing to follow through.

That's the basic struggle of the Christian life.

Proverbs 20:24

Tests are never wasted.

God never says, "Oops, made a mistake on that one. I shouldn't have given you that. I meant that for Frank. Sorry, Bob."

It's as if the Lord has our name on specific trials. They are specifically designed for us, arranged with our weaknesses and our immaturity in mind. He bears down and doesn't let up.

And we groan and we hurt and we weep and we pray and we grow and we learn. Through it all we learn to depend upon His Word...

The common response to trials is resistance, if not outright resentment.

Psalm 108:3

By making us in His image, God gave us capacities not given to other forms of life.

Ideally, He made us to know Him, to love Him, and to obey Him. He did not put rings in our noses that He might pull us around like oxen...

No, He gave us freedom to make choices. By His grace we are equipped to understand His plan because we have a mind with which we can know Him.

We are also free to love and adore Him because we have emotions. He takes pleasure in our affection and devotion.

Psalm 119:114

One of the greatest benefits to be gleaned from the Bible is perspective. When we get discouraged, we temporarily lose our perspective.

Little things become mammoth. A slight irritation, such as a pebble in a shoe, seems huge. Motivation is drained away and, worst of all, hope departs.

God's Word is tailor-made for grey-slush days.

Proverbs 4:5

All of us are surrounded by and benefit from the results of someone's quest.

Let me name a few:

Above my head is a bright electric light. Thanks, Tom.

On my nose are eyeglasses that enable me to focus. Thanks, Ben.

In my driveway is a car ready to take me wherever I choose to steer it. Thanks, Henry.

Across my shelves are books full of interesting and carefully researched pages. Thanks, authors.

My list could go on and on. So could yours.

Psalm 131:2

When it comes to irritations, I've found that it helps if I remember that I am not in charge of my day...God is.

And while I'm sure He wants me to use my time wisely, He is more concerned with the development of my character and the cultivation of the qualities that make me Christ-like within.

One of His preferred methods of training is through adjustments to irritations.

A perfect illustration? The oyster and its pearl.

Psalm 46:7

We deny it. We fake it. We mask it. We try to ignore it. But the truth stubbornly persists—we are weak creatures!

Being sinful, we fail. Being prone to sickness, we hurt. Being mortal, we ultimately die. Pressure wears on us. Anxiety gives us ulcers. People intimidate us. Criticismoffends us. Disease scares us. Death haunts us....

How can we continue to grow in this bag of bones, covered with weaknesses too numerous to mention?

We need a big dose of Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Isaiah 41:10

Back in World War II a scribble of comic graffiti began appearing on walls everywhere, proclaiming, "Kilroy was here!

"This declaration was found on walls in Germany. It was found on buildings in Tokyo. It was found on big boulders in America. Kilroy was everywhere, it seemed.

God is not like Kilroy. He does not write His name on the walls and rocks of life, but He is there—every day, every hour, every tick of the clock!

When the Philistines seized David in Gath he said, "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You"(Psalm 56:3).

When he fled from Saul into a cave, he cried out to God. "My soul takes refuge in you; and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by"(Psalm 57:1).

Many, many years ago, Felix of Nola was escaping his enemies, and he, too, took temporary refuge in a cave. He had scarcely entered the opening of the cave before a spider began to weave its web across the small opening.

Proverbs 28:20

We are living in an era that attempts to stretch grace to heretical extremes. I see it and hear it virtually every week of my life. So allow me to say this very straight: The greatest gift you can give to your marriage partner is your purity, your fidelity. The greatest character trait you can provide your spouse and your family is moral and ethical self-control. Stand firm, my friend. Refuse to yield.