Daily Devotions |
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 |
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” |
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. | Philippians is my favorite book of the Bible. So many powerful scriptures come out of the very short but dense collection of letters written by Paul and Timothy. This week we are going to spend time in some of those power packed scriptures, including today's passage: Philippians 1:6. |
While this scripture definitely applies to the calling God has placed on our lives, the writer was speaking specifically about the God work of Jesus' cruxifixion. Whatever the work is that God is busy bringing to fruition in your life trust this one thing: He will bring it into completion. Even more so, trust that the good work of salvation that God has started in you will be carried out. You don't have to question whether God will keep your feet from slipping on this path because he promises that he won't. He will finish what he started.
As you prepare your heart for this week, let your confidence grow. God knows what he is doing.
It would be remiss of me to talk about the use of rain in the Bible without talking about the former and the latter rains. Both rains, also referred to as the autumn and spring rains, have been mentioned in this week's study of God as rain and I wanted to take time for us to learn more about their differences and how they apply to us as #ExcellentChallengers. I would be remiss again if I pretended that one devotion and one week of studying this metaphor is enough. I hope that all of us have taken our time to seek the word for ourselves. Listen to today's recording by clicking play on the Youtube video. The recording is from this morning's study of the word. It was added today specifically for the purpose of the reader of daily devotion's who don't get to join the call daily. I believe it will be helpful. | Get involved with the #31DayStretch today! Register for the challenge and commit to calling in every weekday morning at 6AM. |
Former or Autumn Rain
21 Do not be afraid, land of Judah; be glad and rejoice. Surely the Lord has done great things! 22 Do not be afraid, you wild animals, for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches. 23 Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. 24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. 25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm— my great army that I sent among you. 26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. | Former rain in the Bible refers to the season of rain that occurs between October and November. It specifically represents the rain that is needed for the crops to grow once they have been planted for harvest. This week have prayed for God to rain down his power so that we can accomplish the goals set before us. As we step into preparation for 2017, this rain, the former rain is what we should be asking God for. We need the Lord's divine hand in the process of planting the seeds for next year. It is my prayer that December gets us ready spiritually and mentally to make the year to come one for God's glory. Joel said that God will provide the autumn rain "because he is faithful." We pray for rain as instructed in Zechariah in faith and expectation. Our expectation is rooting in God's power and in his promises of rain sprinkled throughout the Bible. The former or autumn rain is a connection of God's power into the natural rain. And it is not foolish of us to expect the autumn rain to prepare us for the work of the harvest. |
Latter or Spring Rain
I have heard people talking about reaping in the church my entire life. By some perspectives, the harvest is a time of experiencing the glory of God that requires nothing from us. But, I disagree. Harvesting takes work. Reaping what you have sown takes work. When the people who worked in the field had a successful crop they didn't look at the flourishing plants and shout hooray. They looked at their spoils then prepared themselves to | 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. |
do the work to reap the reward. I believe the latter rain is God promising to do his part when we are at work reaping what we have sown.
The latter rain comes to restore the soil after the crops have been harvested. It is an insurance that the soil will continue to bear good fruit. Imagine if you had a great harvest but then didn't replenish the land so that the prosperity would continue. You'd be left with a blessing that would only last so long. The spring rain or the latter rain was the rain that came to show that God's blessing would continue.
Many studies of the former and latter rains have compared the two in a historical sense; The former representing the first coming of Christ or the Old Testament; the latter representing the second coming of Christ, the rapture, or the New Testament. I won't make speculations about those comparisons. But, I will say this. The promise of the latter rain just means one thing to me; God's blessing will continue to flow.
I know that for some more mature Christians that this season of rain is less about God sending the rain for the seeds we have planted but more about a season of restoration. The latter rain is what many of us need. We need the Lord to step into our present day hand give us a refreshing of his power in our lives. God has what we need to step into 2017 with grace for the tasks at hand, but also what we need to be restored from the work we have put forth for the Kingdom.
I'm in expectation of God's outpouring. I have the sound of great rain in my ear. I am ready for the showing of God's hand; rather it be the former or the latter. The second passage we looked at is the day of Pentecost. God dealt with his people through the Spirit. The passage explains the first example of God pouring out on his people after Jesus' ascension. Though the word rain is not used, every description aligns the presence of God on that day to the rains. I won't declare any conclusions on whether that outpouring was the former or the latter rain. But one thing is clear: God rained!
It is my prayer that we won't get caught up on differentiating God's outpouring because we have an understanding of these two rains now. I hope that this explanation helps you to see that it doesn't matter which rain God sends but that his rain is the chief concern. Pray this prayer with me.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, I thank you that you connected divine movements to naturally processes so that I can have a greater understanding of your work in my life. I thank you that, like the rain, you can be a restorer, replenisher and conduit for my growth. Father, today I pray for rain! Send your anointing like you did on the day of Pentecost. Pour over my life, my home, my family, my city with your power. I trust your plan. I submit to your will. And I receive your rain.
The latter rain comes to restore the soil after the crops have been harvested. It is an insurance that the soil will continue to bear good fruit. Imagine if you had a great harvest but then didn't replenish the land so that the prosperity would continue. You'd be left with a blessing that would only last so long. The spring rain or the latter rain was the rain that came to show that God's blessing would continue.
Many studies of the former and latter rains have compared the two in a historical sense; The former representing the first coming of Christ or the Old Testament; the latter representing the second coming of Christ, the rapture, or the New Testament. I won't make speculations about those comparisons. But, I will say this. The promise of the latter rain just means one thing to me; God's blessing will continue to flow.
I know that for some more mature Christians that this season of rain is less about God sending the rain for the seeds we have planted but more about a season of restoration. The latter rain is what many of us need. We need the Lord to step into our present day hand give us a refreshing of his power in our lives. God has what we need to step into 2017 with grace for the tasks at hand, but also what we need to be restored from the work we have put forth for the Kingdom.
I'm in expectation of God's outpouring. I have the sound of great rain in my ear. I am ready for the showing of God's hand; rather it be the former or the latter. The second passage we looked at is the day of Pentecost. God dealt with his people through the Spirit. The passage explains the first example of God pouring out on his people after Jesus' ascension. Though the word rain is not used, every description aligns the presence of God on that day to the rains. I won't declare any conclusions on whether that outpouring was the former or the latter rain. But one thing is clear: God rained!
It is my prayer that we won't get caught up on differentiating God's outpouring because we have an understanding of these two rains now. I hope that this explanation helps you to see that it doesn't matter which rain God sends but that his rain is the chief concern. Pray this prayer with me.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, I thank you that you connected divine movements to naturally processes so that I can have a greater understanding of your work in my life. I thank you that, like the rain, you can be a restorer, replenisher and conduit for my growth. Father, today I pray for rain! Send your anointing like you did on the day of Pentecost. Pour over my life, my home, my family, my city with your power. I trust your plan. I submit to your will. And I receive your rain.
““But now listen, Jacob, my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. This is what the Lord says— he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.”
Isaiah 44:1-4 NIV
One of the most beautiful metaphors in the Bible is the comparison of God to water or rain. Our modern culture has a bit of a different perception of rain than biblical times. Even in drier climates the experience of drought barely pales to that of Ancient Greek and Early Jewish society's. Now, if water stops falling naturally we can get water from other countries, ration water reserves off and make due. Then, when the rain stopped, life stopped.
God being this elaborate comparison of water was to show the Children of Israel that he was their source of life. I realized that over the course of 100 Days of Excellence we have come to this metaphor continually. We learned that God's word would be like rain that would fall and not return until it had completed its task. We saw Jesus at the well with the Samaritan women being the water that will quench thirst. We see the Lord moving with water all through the word. This week, we will tap into this metaphor.
This week,our focus will be on God being the water for our thirsty souls. This week, will ask for the Lord to send the rain. We will ask the Lord to drench us in his power, wash us in his mighty and overflow in our souls. Our petition to the Lord was spurred by this scripture in Isaiah. The scriptures should inspire us to prepare ourselves in a posture that is ready to receive from God.
I am ready for the rain! Aren't you?! Aren't you ready to be drenched in his presence. Are you dry places crying out for Christ this week? I pray so. The Lord is ready to pour out. Isaiah proves to us that he is willing to quench our dry places. After weeks of consecration and all these days of prayer I'm ready for God's move. I bet you are wondering why.
In agriculture, the rain gives seeds what they need to become crops in harvest. We need to cry out for the rain because there are some tasks we have started, proverbial seeds in the ground. In order for the harvest, we need the rain. We aren't praying for rain for this week alone. We need God to rain on us through the remainder of this year. This challenge is preparing us to go into next year with a deeper faith, a stronger love and the strength we need to reach the high calling on our lives.
God being this elaborate comparison of water was to show the Children of Israel that he was their source of life. I realized that over the course of 100 Days of Excellence we have come to this metaphor continually. We learned that God's word would be like rain that would fall and not return until it had completed its task. We saw Jesus at the well with the Samaritan women being the water that will quench thirst. We see the Lord moving with water all through the word. This week, we will tap into this metaphor.
This week,our focus will be on God being the water for our thirsty souls. This week, will ask for the Lord to send the rain. We will ask the Lord to drench us in his power, wash us in his mighty and overflow in our souls. Our petition to the Lord was spurred by this scripture in Isaiah. The scriptures should inspire us to prepare ourselves in a posture that is ready to receive from God.
I am ready for the rain! Aren't you?! Aren't you ready to be drenched in his presence. Are you dry places crying out for Christ this week? I pray so. The Lord is ready to pour out. Isaiah proves to us that he is willing to quench our dry places. After weeks of consecration and all these days of prayer I'm ready for God's move. I bet you are wondering why.
In agriculture, the rain gives seeds what they need to become crops in harvest. We need to cry out for the rain because there are some tasks we have started, proverbial seeds in the ground. In order for the harvest, we need the rain. We aren't praying for rain for this week alone. We need God to rain on us through the remainder of this year. This challenge is preparing us to go into next year with a deeper faith, a stronger love and the strength we need to reach the high calling on our lives.
Today in devotion we will look at how God is infinite. This journey has been such a blessing to me and I hope that as you delve into today's passsages your understanding of God increases. So let's get into it. When you see the word infinite what do you think? I think of a number that never ends. But in the scope of our creator, we have to see infinity not only in the fact that he and his love never ends, but also in the context that everything came from him.
Everything began from the spoken word of God. The stars, light, darkness, time, you and I are all products of his work. However, in acknowledging God's creation we have to be careful not to make him the things we see. We can't say the statement God is everything without discounting his infinity. If we turn the stars into God and vice versa, God becomes equal with his creation. God is not equal to the things he has made. In fact, he has no equivalent at all. Today's exploration of God's infinity should help us see that he alone sits above it all!
A resource that I have used in preparing for this week from The Parent Company explores God's infinity and says it very well. "Only God is to be worshipped, for He created all things in His infinite power with His infinite wisdom." The article gave some great references that helped me recognize the infinite God we serve. My favorite is from 1 Kings. King Solomon was on the precipice of building a temple for God. As he worked to provide a holy place for God to dwell, Solomon was met with a deeper understanding of God. He dedicated the temple to God in his prayer. ““But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built" 1 Kings 8:27 NIV
God can't be contained, neither by time, space, or our present day constraints. Yet, this infinite God still steps into each of our personal lives. He shows his enduring love. He carries his mercy from generation to generation. God isn't stuck to our churches nor to our holy places. He is with us at all times and at the same time still above our understanding. We get to serve this God. We get to call him Adonai or Master.
The word Adonai sets God as our Lord. The Parent Company details the word in another article exploring Names of God. "Adonai is translated Lord in the Bible. It signifies ownership or mastership and indicates the truth that God is the owner of each member of the human family, and that He consequently claims the unrestricted obedience of all." When we specify that God is not "everything" but that he is above everything, we begin to better call him Adonai. Our lips utter "Oh Lord!" with more fervor because our hearts are more subject and our minds have a deeper understanding of God.
Check out these scripture and explore God's infinite existence in your life.
Everything began from the spoken word of God. The stars, light, darkness, time, you and I are all products of his work. However, in acknowledging God's creation we have to be careful not to make him the things we see. We can't say the statement God is everything without discounting his infinity. If we turn the stars into God and vice versa, God becomes equal with his creation. God is not equal to the things he has made. In fact, he has no equivalent at all. Today's exploration of God's infinity should help us see that he alone sits above it all!
A resource that I have used in preparing for this week from The Parent Company explores God's infinity and says it very well. "Only God is to be worshipped, for He created all things in His infinite power with His infinite wisdom." The article gave some great references that helped me recognize the infinite God we serve. My favorite is from 1 Kings. King Solomon was on the precipice of building a temple for God. As he worked to provide a holy place for God to dwell, Solomon was met with a deeper understanding of God. He dedicated the temple to God in his prayer. ““But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built" 1 Kings 8:27 NIV
God can't be contained, neither by time, space, or our present day constraints. Yet, this infinite God still steps into each of our personal lives. He shows his enduring love. He carries his mercy from generation to generation. God isn't stuck to our churches nor to our holy places. He is with us at all times and at the same time still above our understanding. We get to serve this God. We get to call him Adonai or Master.
The word Adonai sets God as our Lord. The Parent Company details the word in another article exploring Names of God. "Adonai is translated Lord in the Bible. It signifies ownership or mastership and indicates the truth that God is the owner of each member of the human family, and that He consequently claims the unrestricted obedience of all." When we specify that God is not "everything" but that he is above everything, we begin to better call him Adonai. Our lips utter "Oh Lord!" with more fervor because our hearts are more subject and our minds have a deeper understanding of God.
Check out these scripture and explore God's infinite existence in your life.
Scriptures on God's Infinity
27 ““But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built"
(1 Kings 8:27 NIV)
18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. (Micah 7:18 NIV)
34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
(1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV)
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
(Luke 1:50 NIV)
This week we are going to explore the Character of God. As we learn more about our place in the hand of God, we have to know first who God is. Today, we focus on the fact that God is omnipotent. As we explore his sovereignty, we can't help but acknowledge that his power is evident in us each day. The passage of our attention today directly asks, "Is there anything too hard for God?" Jeremiah was reminded by God of the answer when his cousin came to ask him to purchase a field of his land. Jeremiah was confined to the palace of Judah while the city was under siege by Babylon. Jeremiah's prophecy of Babylon's success in taking Judah captive was being fulfilled and the king of Judah was upset. In his place of captivity God showed him the future of Judah. A future that involved a renewal in the riches of Israel. In his excitement of Judah's future Jeremiah recognized God's sovereignty. Jeremiah exclaimed the works of God from his creations to his signs and wonders. It would be wise for us to take a pause and look at the reasons that Jeremiah noted for God's power. God "made the heavens and the earth by [his] great power and outstretched arm." God will "show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parentsʼ sins into the laps of their children after them." We serve a "great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty." And when the enemies lies rear against us we have to be reminded that "great are [God's] purposes and mighty are [his] deeds." Every work that God does through us is a continuation of his great purposes and his mighty deeds. We can rest in the peace that Jesus Christ's death was one of of those great purposes. Our salvation is one of his mighty deeds. And when we operate in the gifts of salvation and the opportunity of God's love, we operate in his ever present power. I love that this journey has asked us where God is calling us. Today's devotion reminds us that his calling is a part of his outstretched arm in the earth. We are a part of his mighty work. If you need a reminder of God's power, just do like Jeremiah; look around you and at you own life. God is surely going to show you that his power is present right where you are. | ““Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parentsʼ sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. You performed signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours. |
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because Godʼs love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Romans 5:1-5 NIV
This morning, as I read devotion, I couldn't help but notice how the scriptures were echoed in modern day hero comics. I felt like I was reading a story of how a superhero had come to save us. Jesus is obviously way more powerful than Superman, but I'm so glad that my hope can be vested in such principles as peace, grace, perseverance and character when the power of the blood is involved.
In a time when hope seems to be a word pandered by politicians and celebrities, today's scripture is a reminder that our real source of hope comes from a sovereign God who justified us through death. Christ has given us so many gifts and the passage lays them out beautifully. Our spiritual gift baskets are full with peace, grace, perseverance, character, hope and love. If we look to the sky to see who delivered our benefits we never have to question where our help comes from.
God's love has poured over our hearts his mercy cloaks over our shoulders. We get to wear the monicker of Christ on our chest and listen to the flap of grace in our ears. That's what the love of God does. It takes ordinary sinners and gives them the into tools to live a life "not to be put to shame." I'm so glad Jesus took me and allowed my suffering for the Kingdom of Heaven to cause me to persevere; that through perseverance Jesus has given me the character of the Father; and that through my Christ-likeness I can have hope that my life is not conducted by my own feebleness.
Much greater than the people of Metropolis Christians are loaded with a guarantee. Christ died for me while I was yet in sin so that my life could be molded into that which will glorify him. I'm motivated today because Christ is my justification, my peace and my hope. And I pray that as you read these scriptures your heart is lifted in excitement for the things that God has done for you!
In a time when hope seems to be a word pandered by politicians and celebrities, today's scripture is a reminder that our real source of hope comes from a sovereign God who justified us through death. Christ has given us so many gifts and the passage lays them out beautifully. Our spiritual gift baskets are full with peace, grace, perseverance, character, hope and love. If we look to the sky to see who delivered our benefits we never have to question where our help comes from.
God's love has poured over our hearts his mercy cloaks over our shoulders. We get to wear the monicker of Christ on our chest and listen to the flap of grace in our ears. That's what the love of God does. It takes ordinary sinners and gives them the into tools to live a life "not to be put to shame." I'm so glad Jesus took me and allowed my suffering for the Kingdom of Heaven to cause me to persevere; that through perseverance Jesus has given me the character of the Father; and that through my Christ-likeness I can have hope that my life is not conducted by my own feebleness.
Much greater than the people of Metropolis Christians are loaded with a guarantee. Christ died for me while I was yet in sin so that my life could be molded into that which will glorify him. I'm motivated today because Christ is my justification, my peace and my hope. And I pray that as you read these scriptures your heart is lifted in excitement for the things that God has done for you!
““And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of Godʼs grace.”
Acts 20:22-24 NIV
This seems like such an unnecessary question to be asked. Of course I trust God! Why else would I be going through 100 Days of Excellence? Well, this morning, I was tapped on the shoulder with that question. I believe this question is one we all need to take inventory of once in a while. Once we have explored our hearts trust in God, we can rest assured in God's leadership in our lives.
While the author of Acts is not explicitly noted, we know that the quote in the passage is from Apostle Paul. I love the dedication of the writer's trust in God. Paul had no clue of what he would face, but he trusted the direction of the Lord. The passage reminds us that nothing is more important than our finish of the task placed before us by God. The task of "testifying to the good news of God's grace" can only be fulfilled in through trust. Our trust in God allows God to use us.
Could you imagine what the Bible would be like if it were written by doubters in God? How different our understanding of God would be if the writers had not allowed God to use them; if they hadn't trusted God. As we trust God, he in turn delights in us and gives us work to do. One of the main purposes for this challenge is to move in the direction of God's leadership. We can't fulfill that purpose without trust.
As you ponder God's plan for you take a second to testify to yourself. What things has God taken you through and how does that work together with his plan for you in the future? Your testimony is a powerful tool. It serves as a beacon of God's ability. Today as you ask yourself if you trust God, let your testimony remind you why you do.
While the author of Acts is not explicitly noted, we know that the quote in the passage is from Apostle Paul. I love the dedication of the writer's trust in God. Paul had no clue of what he would face, but he trusted the direction of the Lord. The passage reminds us that nothing is more important than our finish of the task placed before us by God. The task of "testifying to the good news of God's grace" can only be fulfilled in through trust. Our trust in God allows God to use us.
Could you imagine what the Bible would be like if it were written by doubters in God? How different our understanding of God would be if the writers had not allowed God to use them; if they hadn't trusted God. As we trust God, he in turn delights in us and gives us work to do. One of the main purposes for this challenge is to move in the direction of God's leadership. We can't fulfill that purpose without trust.
As you ponder God's plan for you take a second to testify to yourself. What things has God taken you through and how does that work together with his plan for you in the future? Your testimony is a powerful tool. It serves as a beacon of God's ability. Today as you ask yourself if you trust God, let your testimony remind you why you do.
About the Challenge
The 100 Days of Excellence challenge is a 100 day journey to completely rearrange the course of your life. It is about seeking the thrown of God to hear what his plan is for our lives. It is a commitment to carry out every action in your future in the spirit of excellence.
Get your challenge resources here.
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