PREPARE

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

PREPARE


And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. I Samuel 7:3

God is calling us to prepare.  Naturally, as the overcoming church of God, we are preparing for the victorious return of our savior by staying steadfast in love with Him.  But we must also prepare for earthly service. Scripture is clear: "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier" (2 Timothy 2:4)
As we prepare to serve God, we must take great care in separating from that which is perverse, worldly and defiled.  God is going to use us for His glory and honor; we must do our part to prepare.

Today, let us put away that which is necessary, and let us prepare to serve the LORD.

SAVING YOUR LIFE OR LOSING IT?

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, JANUARY 4, 2013

SAVING YOUR LIFE OR LOSING IT?


For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. Mark 8:35

Everyone enjoys being comfortable, cozy and cared for. At times we are tempted to withdraw from the discomforts of the call, forsaking the cross.  Jesus knows that we have a human tendency to save our lives, so he warns us: "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it" (Mark 8:35).

We will one day have to give account for our life.  God will ask if we hid our talent in our pockets, or were we busy, occupying in the earth.  God will wonder why we built treasures and stores of goods when it was our soul that would be required of us.  There are so many ways that we save our lives: often it is due to fear, or laziness, or lack of passion for God.

But how shall we lose our lives for the sake of the gospel?  First, we lose our reputation and take on the form of a servant.  The work and life that God has called us to must be entered with  meekness and lowliness of heart.  We cannot be governed by high society or the ways of man.

Today, let us be willing to lose life, for Christ's sake.

MY BELOVED AND MY FRIEND

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, JANUARY 2, 2013

MY BELOVED AND MY FRIEND

His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. Song of Solomon 5:16

The bride, in the Song of Solomon, finds the voice of her bridegroom to be sweet and wondrously lovely.  Isn't that how Christ is to us?  His Word always lifts us up, encouraging our spirit and soul.  In the midst of this wicked world, He speaks words of peace, and love, and consolation.  He sees the best in us and showers us with the blessings of His grace.  We can be assured that Christ loves us, even adores us.

Today, let us love Jesus--our beloved and our friend!

GOD'S SWEETHEART

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, JANUARY 1, 2013
GOD'S SWEETHEART


Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. Ephesians 5:1,2

Jesus gave his life to God for a sweetsmelling savour.  He desired and delighted in pleasing His Father.  What about you?  Are you willing to give your life, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.  What is it that God is calling you to do?  What cross must you pick up, daily, to rejoice the heart of God.  God is asking you and me to sacrifice to Him-- for the rejoicing of His heart.

In the Old Testament we see that Noah, a man who had found grace in the sight of God, was able to rejoice the heart of God after he and his family came forth from the flood:

Gen 8:20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Gen 8:21  And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
Gen 8:22  While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Noah's act of sacrifice and worship caused God's heart to be moved.  God would ultimately desire to enter into a generational covenant with Noah and his seed:


Gen 9:8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
Gen 9:9  And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
Gen 9:10  And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
Gen 9:11  And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
Gen 9:12  And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
Gen 9:13  I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

Today, will you sacrifice a sacrifice that will bring joy to the heart of God, and will you become God's sweetheart?

THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 24, 2012

THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL
And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.
Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.   Isaiah 12:1-6

Jesus is the comfort of Israel.  He came to seek and to save her.  He loves her with an everlasting love.  How wonderful!!   The Consolation of Israel is a title for the Messiah among the Jewish people.  Simeon, a believer in Jesus, declared at the seeing of the Christ child that the long-awaited Messiah had arrived:
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Luke 2:25-32 


 Have you ever been comforted or loved deeply in a dry and weary land?  Have you ever had your heart consoled or your soul refreshed?  Have you ever been saved from your enemies?  Have you ever had a savior?  If you have ever known  deep comfort and consolation, then you know that there are wells of water in this salvation--streams of thankfulness, rivers of joy, springs of refreshing.  Jesus is the consolation of Israel--giving her praise, joy, and refreshing. 

Today, enjoy Jesus in spirit and in truth!

FORBID THEM NOT

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012

FORBID THEM NOT

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought  them.
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16

There is so much violence against children.  The innocent ones are so often scorned and set aside.  As adults, many of us care not to tolerate the distractions that little ones bring.  We want quiet and order and an undisturbed environments.  We want adult talk, and adult conduct and conversation.  But Jesus says that we are to "suffer the little ones."  Yes, we are to move aside for the little ones.  We are to make room for them; ensure that our environments are child friendly, child welcoming, child permitting.  Jesus obviously doesn't see little ones as ramunctious creatures to be put aside.  He instead wants us to learn lessons from our children.  They are beautiful.  Their eyes are full of wonder and innocence.  They are caring, holding us close--trusting and believing in our good.  They are full of energy and life and creativity.  They are like the kingdom of God.

This brings me to thoughts of the Christmas story.  Do you think that there was no room at the inn in Bethlehem because the innkeepers didn't want to be bothered with the possibility of a newborn in their midst?  I wonder if the innkeepers ignored the birth of Mary's firstborn son, leaving him outside in the manger (read Luke 2:7).

Today, let us not ignore the little ones...let  us not forbid them. 

UPHELD IN INTEGRITY

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 19, 2012

UPHELD IN INTEGRITY

And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.
Psalm 41:12

Trials and persecution come to all of us.  Nevertheless, as we live lives of purity, sincerity, and truth, we are divinely protected in every situation.  God will uphold you in your integrity, but the wicked walk in slippery places. 

Today, know that your integrity will bring you to peace.