THE RIVER FROM HEAVEN

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

THE RIVER FROM HEAVEN IS FLOWING


And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Revelations 22:1,2


He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John 7:38

Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing. Give Thanks.  Quench not the Spirit. These instructions, tucked away in I Thessalonians, chapter five, hold the key to a life of living water.  This life is not without stewardship.  We truly must pray without ceasing.  We must rejoice evermore.  We must be giving thanks.  For if we do this, we will not quench the Spirit, and we will see living waters flow for our soul's nourishment and for the lives all around us.   

Today, let us pray without ceasing.

INSPIRED BY HEAVEN

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, JANUARY 9, 2013

INSPIRED BY HEAVEN

 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. John 1:51


And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. Genesis 28:10-12

Today, heaven is open.  Be inspired!!!

PREPARATION

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, JANUARY 7, 2013

PREPARATION
 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.  Luke 2:52

Jesus spent many years preparing for the work He had been called to do. He had to learn to  "refuse the evil and choose the good" (Isaiah 7:15).  He had to be increased in wisdom, and stature, and in favour with God and man. What about you?  Are you in preparation?

Today, let us understand how to prepare for service unto God.

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?