A Daily Devotional – shipwrecked – The Eternal Word (52)

A Daily Devotional – shipwrecked – The Eternal Word

Comment: The apostle Paul was not afraid to use a metaphor or two to describe spiritual truths pertaining to the children of God. For example, when he discussed the spiritual failure of Hymenaeous and Alexander, he explained that their faith had become like that of a wrecked ship, see 1 Timothy 1:20. Many children of God struggle with faith, yet faith, call it as you will (on going faith) – (sanctifying faith) or (daily faith); FAITH is of one of two important expressions in the life of every child of God, the other is Spirituality. Without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God, sadly many who walk as believers, walk in darkness because faith and spirituality go hand in hand. 

Devotional: The local church is established by God to keep His children safe, that is from becoming casualties in the storms that brew in the world around us. Storms of hatred for God, storms of people who are disobedient to parents, storms of idolatry and false teaching. Not to mention the whirlwinds of immoral conduct that flood a nation with filth, corrupting families and the children of families. 

The children of God; that is, Believers in Jesus Christ are set apart from this activity by FAITH in Jesus. This faith is challenged everyday by friends, neighbors, relatives and even by the saints 

(children) of God who have become shipwrecked. The pull of these people of the FLESH is powerful and when we are confronted with this power, Satan strengthens the moment with his ability to devour the moment because of one’s failure to be diligent in faith, see 1 Peter 5:5-11.

The decline of faith in the life of the child of God leads to false teaching, the scripture makes it clear; “do not be deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a person sows that shall they also REAP, corruption to the one who sows to the flesh. But, to those who sow to the Spirit, everlasting life. All of this said, is to thwart a most recent false teaching, that I heard of. Maybe you have heard of it, too! The newest wave of false teaching is that the earth is flat, not round. BEWARE, it is creeping into local churches, do not wreck your faith over such foolishness.  

A Daily Devotional – Lovingkindness – The Eternal Word (51)

A Daily Devotional – Lovingkindness – The Eternal Word (51)

Comment: You have heard it before; “Well, when my ship comes in!” or maybe you heard it this way; “when I have arrived!” We all have dreams, goals, ambitions and desires, we place these in front of each step of every day. However, if we were to intently look at what is before us we would honestly see that the dream, goal, ambition and desire is tattered, torn and worn down with time and human error. Some of us modify; that is, to settle for less than what was expected, therefore we satisfy our self with words like; “it is, what it is!” or “what will be, will be!” It is not my intent to be discouraging in this as there is an answer to “missing the mark” of living life to the fullest.

Devotional: If you take each day as the psalmist of Psalm 119 does and meditate on God, you will learn a thing or two about living with goals and dreams successfully. The LORD God speaks to us through His Word and as we cry out to Him, His answers will always direct our path. Without the Light of His Word, our feet walk in darkness. The pathway of life is darkness without God.

Psalm 119:105 is a ‘key’ verse of all 176 verses, while the lovingkindness of God is the ‘main topic’. We are in need of ‘revival’ toward God in every phase of life. In prosperity, in poverty, in suffering and in persecution, it is God alone who will revive us to experience His Glory, via His lovingkindness (Grace). We cannot live life effectively if we are not willing to live and keep the testimonies of God. Notice the middle verses of Psalm 119;88-96.

Revive me according to Your Lovingkindness (Grace), so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth. Forever, O LORD, Your Word is settled (stands firm) in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants. Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life. I am Yours, save me; For I have sought Your precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me, But I will consider Your testimonies. I have seen the consummation of all perfection, But Your commandment is exceedingly broad. 

And so, if you what to see your ambitions, goals and such; completed, note that the consummation of ‘all perfection’ can only be seen by those who abide in the exceedingly board commandment of God, who first established the heavens and the earth. As creation abides faithfully in God, so should we. Waiting faithfully for the return of Messiah/Christ let us stand firm in the Glory of God.

A Daily Devotional – Guilt – The Eternal Word (50)

A Daily Devotional – Guilt – The Eternal Word

Comment: Living with guilt! While we all suffer from time to time with guilt, it is not physically, spiritually or mentally sustainable to hang on to daily life and be the ‘person’ you could be. The reason that guilt is a crippler in all phases of life is because we cannot forgive ourselves for something, or many somethings done in our past. We may be forgiven by others, or maybe not. Also, we may have reached out to Jesus who died for all sins (John 1:29), Being saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Because we cannot forgive ourselves we are plagued by guilt and we fail to live out (Ephesians 2:10).

Devotional: In dealing with guilt we no doubt have heard all the “fixes” yet in our heart bitterness (because it is deep) springs up from time to time and ruins many. Notice that in the context of Hebrews 12:12-17. Guilt causes us to be spiritually lethargic. Our mentality is weakened and our physical nature seeks the natural things of the world. All of this is a reaction to self-guilt in the life of the believer, it is a root of bitterness, it is SIN. 

Is this serious? You and I know it is! The sin of guilt is profane to God; in that while He has forgiven, we have not. Esau literally ‘threw in the towel’ with his relationship with God and family. Guilt cause people to seek God’s approval diligently, even with tears as it is a shameful sin. God will not be found in this search, life in Christ ought to be a blessing; instead it is a curse, Ephesians 2:10 is not being applied and their works are rejected because they are not spiritually minded. Deep rooted guilt fails to repent.

The apostle Paul provides a solution. In 2 Timothy 2:14-25 in his discourse to Timothy regarding “approved and disapproved workers for Christ” he makes the following statement, “Be diligent to present YOURSELF approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly, dividing the Word of Truth”. Being ashamed is guilt, the need for people to overcome guilt is large and the only way to be successful is a diligent study of God’s faith in you and your faith in God in Him.