Wednesday Morning Devotional

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;” – Hebrews 12:5

One of the best books I’ve read was Jim Bakker’s “I Was Wrong.”  It chronicles the whole Praise the Lord debacle where he raked in tons of money selling time shares for Heritage Ranch and all that happened with Jessica Hahn.  If you know what I’m talking about, you will love the book.  If you have no clue, then you might want to skip it.  Either way, Jim tells the truth about everything and admits at the end of most of the chapters, “I was wrong.”  But the coolest part is at the very end (spoiler alert) when he writes, “I thought God was done with me because of all that I had done . . . I was wrong.”  I ended up reading the book twice.

Anyway, I tell you this because I was listening to a church service the other day that I could not believe was a church service.  As I listened, the preacher justified the actions of the church by saying, “It’s just all you religious people who have a problem with this.”  Immediately, I was so convicted in my heart.  I have been calling people “religious” who have been critical of me and the way that I live my life for the Lord.  I told the Lord that I was sorry, and I was not about to be about all that anymore.  I thanked Him for how He used “those people” in my life to make me more like Himself.  Just like Jim Bakker, I had to admit . . . I was wrong.

Later, I watched another church service.  I was being crazy critical of the songs and being some version of a grumpy old man saying in my heart, “Back in my day, they could write worship songs with a pure heart.”  Well, at the end of the service, they played one of the songs that meant a lot to me back in my day.  It was like the Lord saying, “You like this better?”

Immediately, I saw my heart for how corrupt it was.  You see, my health hasn’t been the best lately and my time with the Lord has suffered.  When that time suffers, it takes almost no time for your heart, mind, and spirit to start rotting . . . at least that is the case with me.  I saw in my heart how hungry people do not complain about the food when it is offered to them, they simply just enjoy it with a thankful heart.  I asked God to make me hungry once more, because once again . . . I was wrong.

Lord, it is crazy how fast I deteriorate apart from You.  I’m so sorry that I can’t take a little bit of criticism.  I’m so sorry that I still want to fire back.  I’m sorry that I turn around and do the very things I hate being done to me.  I don’t want to be like that anymore.  I just want to please You and know You.  Wash me and cleanse me as only You can.  I’m so thankful that there is always mercy, grace, and forgiveness on Your table.  I devour them freely this morning.  Help me extend the same offering to others.  Amen!

And sware by Him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer.  – Revelation 10:6

God has been doing something amazing for me lately.  Sometimes it happens when I’m preaching at church.  Other times it happens when I’m simply spending time alone with Him.  What happens is I get this incredible sense of being near to the Lord.   Along with that sense, I get this feeling of time standing still.  Time, of course, still marches on, but I become very aware that one day sooner than I realize, I will be with Jesus forever and ever and time will be no more.

Hasten the day when my faith becomes sight! Hasten the day when the cares of this world no longer remove me from the thick, wonderful presence of my Lord.  Over the years, I have gotten better about keeping Him with me throughout my day, but I am more than still a work in progress on this one.  The thing I’ve come to look forward to the most is the feeling of being in His presence and knowing that the feeling will never go away.  There will be no more sin fighting to remove me.  There will be no more deception . . . no more temptation.  Just me and Jesus with nowhere else to be.

As I write and simply soak in His presence, the minutes on the clock are ticking by so fast.  I know that at 6:30 I’ve got to leave so I can be on my bus at 6:40 and leave by 6:43. I know all these times in my head where things need to happen.  I know they don’t have to take me away from my nearness to God, they just do.  I’m not where Brother Laurence and Frank Laubach were when they learned to practice the Presence of God.  Practicing His Presence was and is one of the most influential books to this day on my walk with the Lord.  If keeping God with me like that all the time is possible . . . man, do I want it.   

Lord, I say things like, “I want You more than anything,” yet I waste so much time.  Despite my poor efforts, You still are molding this hunk of clay into something useful.  Help me not fight You, Lord.  Help me to be conformed to Your image and not to the patterns of this world.  Thank You so much for these moments where You are right here with me in the quiet coolness of the morning.  I truly don’t want it to end.  You have become the love of my life.  You are always faithful to me, yet I can’t imagine how many times I’ve turned from You, the eternal God, to give my attention and affection to something temporary.  Here is my heart, my mind, and my life . . . use it this day, Lord.  I look so forward to the day when my faith becomes sight, and the sense of Your presence will never go away.  Until then, mold me and make me after Thy will.  Have Thine own way, Lord.  Amen.

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.  – Revelation 21:8

I was driving to Subway after church this past Sunday.  When I was about a mile away, a car flashed its headlights at me . . . I didn’t really think anything of it.  Immediately afterwards, another car flashed its headlights at me . . . I checked my speed and fortunately didn’t need to adjust.  Sure enough, there was the cop on the left side of the road with his radar. 

I told my son, “You know, there is a sermon in what just happened, could you imagine getting caught speeding after having two warnings within a mile?  In the same way, many people know they need Jesus in their lives to go to heaven.  I wonder how many warnings have they rejected?”  

I’m here writing once more with a John the Baptist anointing, “Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”  You nor I know the day or hour that we have our Hebrews 9:27 appointment with God, but it is coming.  One statistic that has remained steady is that one out of every one person dies.  There is only one way to heaven . . . He who has the Son has life, but he who has not the Son has not life (1 John 5:12).  Sometimes I feel like I’m apologetically writing that Jesus is the only way to heaven.  I know many people hate hearing it.  But the truth is . . . it is not my truth.  This truth was written long before I entered this sin-cursed world that constantly attempts to drag my soul to hell.  

Lord, You do not say to a lost soul about to meet their eternal fate, “Depart from me, you never went to church,” or “Depart from me, you were a bad person.”  You say, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”  Left on our own, we will do wicked and vile things.  Everyone needs You to go to heaven.  Everyone needs a new heart that wants to follow Your will.  Everyone needs to be born again to see Your kingdom in all its glory.  Please, Lord, use this little devotional to convict hearts.  Please, Lord, help those convicted hearts cry out to You, “Jesus, save me!  I give my heart, my mind, and my life to You!  Forgive me and cleanse me, for I now place my trust in the work You did for me at the cross.  Cover my sins with Your blood, Lord!  I believe.”  May all who read this devotional hear the words we should all long to hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”  Amen.

Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” – Matthew 22:37

I’ve really been thinking a lot about the first and greatest commandment given by our Lord and Savior.  I’ve realized that sometimes I get out of balance with the three components of loving my Lord.  When I’m out of balance, I’m just not quite right.  Yesterday was a terrible day . . . I’m reflecting on what, if anything, went wrong.  I certainly don’t want to repeat it if I don’t have to.

The first way I’m to love God is with my heart.  I’m sure you guys have seen Rudy.  The coach wished a thousand times over that he could put Rudy’s heart into his other more talented and physically gifted players.  I see that, yesterday, I was really tired and did not put the same amount of heart into my work.  I rushed through my day, the very thing I wrote about two weeks ago.  I want to know at the end of each day that my heart was in my marriage, my work, my family, my parenting, my pursuit of God, and every other component of my life.  I don’t have to be great, but I do have to put my heart into it.

The second way I’m to love God is with my soul.  I used to love the moments when God would just fill my soul with His Holy Spirit.  I know He is always there in the omnipresent sense, but then there are those moments when His presence is manifest.  I used to chase it relentlessly. A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled on a choir version of “Take the Name of Jesus with You.”  I don’t know why it happened in that particular moment, but that song caused the glory of God to just fill my soul, and I was flooded with so much love that I could hardly stand it.  I cried for almost an hour in His presence.  When I am weak and weary like I am now, I should worship the Lord with all my soul.  I should rest in His assurance and in His presence.  At every moment in my life, I have the option to flip that switch and focus my mind on Him.  Too often . . . I just don’t.

Last, but not least, I’m to worship the Lord, my God, with all my mind.  For about a month, I was reading “The Heavenly Man” along with my Bible reading.  Brother Yun’s life was like a living illustration for what I was reading in the Bible.  In the midst of horrible beatings and miserable prison conditions, he could focus his mind on the Lord.  As I read about him doing it, I thought “surely I can do it, too . . . in my much better conditions.”  For the most part, I did.  Then the book ended.  Then I didn’t have my reminder from Brother Yun.  Then I feel like my mind just went kind of numb and it was hard to focus on God and the life He seeks to live through me.  

This morning, it is so nice to sit and just write this WMD and feel like I’m simply hanging out with Him again.  I feel Him so near as I’ve done all three components.  My heart is in this writing.  My spirit was filled simply by singing, “Precious Name, O how sweet, Hope of Earth and Joy of Heav’n.”  For about 40 minutes now, my mind has been on God . . . and it is wonderful.

Lord, You don’t tell me to worship You because You are egotistical and demand adoration.  You tell me to worship You because You know it is how I work best.  You tell me so I will be full of joy and full of purpose.    Thank You for this morning.  I don’t know why I spiritually break off into a sprint that absolutely wears me out mentally, physically, and spiritually.  I leave You behind, get exhausted, then when You catch up with me from the enjoyable walk You’ve always taken, You pick me up, and walk with me.  Oh Lord, help me walk with You today.  I came to you this morning weary and burdened.  You offered me the yoke that will allow me to pull at the same pace as You.  The yoke that allows You to do the overwhelming majority of the pulling.  What a fool I am when I take it off and run ahead!  Thank You for being gentle and humble in heart.  Thank You for granting my soul rest.  There is no one like You in all this Earth.  I love You, Lord.  Help me love You this day with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind. Amen.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  — Colossians 3:17

I am about to hit a difficult stretch of work.  After today, there will be 130 days of school down, and 50 to go.  Right when the weather turns nice, it seems to become “get kicked out of school” season, which means we get a lot of students heading our way at the alternative school.  Let me tell you, right now, we have a lot heading our way.

I don’t tell you this to feel sorry for me, I tell you this because it becomes a fight in my spirit and my mind to give it my best.  At this time of the year, I get crazy tired and sleepy.  I get sinus headaches from the changing weather.  I find myself coming home and crashing for an hour or two, then because of that, I end up having trouble sleeping through the night. All this leads to draggy devotions in the morning which lead me to going to work tired and starting the cycle all over again.  I know all this, and I hate it.

So, what do I do?  

First, I say in my mind as much as possible Colossians 3:17 or Colossians 3:23.  Throughout the day, I must bring this to mind.  Just yesterday, I didn’t do wo well . . . I think I’m going to write it on a note card so that this is brought to my mind much more today.

Second, with these verses in mind, I slow down and try to enjoy what I’m doing.  This is the best tactic I’ve ever used.  Too often, I rush through the day.  I watch the clock while looking so forward to ending my workday.  Unfortunately, when I do this, I don’t stop rushing through the rest of the day.  I find that I’m walking back into work just as quickly as I was walking out the day before.  Time seems to have sped up.  

Even at this moment, I feel like I’m cranking out this WMD.  I’m typing at the speed of my thoughts.  As I take a deep breath, the peace of God floods me.  I’m relaxed.  I feel like He is in perfect control and all things really are working for my good.  If I can break my day apart and enjoy each little part and do each part for His glory, I know I’ll come home full of joy and feeling great about having lived this day for the Lord.  I know I’ll come home with peace in my heart and that He will give me perfect rest.

Lord, I want to walk with You today.  I want to enjoy each and every thing that must get done.  When I feel Your presence and know that You are right there with me, everything is such a pleasure.   I’ve spent so much of my life asking for things that I thought would make me enjoy life.  You wound up giving me eternal life so that I might enjoy all things.  I only get to work here for a little while longer.  Help me bring You maximum glory with the time I have left.  Whether it is the words I speak, or the deeds that I do, help me to bring honor to Your Name!  Amen.

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it.  This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. – Matthew 13:23

I want to write about one of the many details I experienced last week in Wilmore, Kentucky.  I had been there for over two hours basking in the Lord’s Presence and Him doing all kinds of work in my heart.  But I remember specifically when it all ended for me.  It ended when I looked at my phone for the time.  As soon as I looked, I thought of the drive home and started calculating when I’d get back home.  As I drove home, I thought of the parable of the sower, “the worries of this life make it unfruitful.” (v. 22)

I believe what has happened over these past couple of weeks is simply God plowing the ground and planting seeds.  We won’t know the real result of this revival until we see a period of seed, time, and harvest.  Thousands of young men and women are repenting and allowing God to plant His Word in their hearts.  What gets produced will depend on the type of ground it lands upon.

I have come to believe that this parable is for us to check the honesty of our own hearts.  The first ground is the hard path in which the seed can never begin the process.  The second ground falls on rocky places where there is no depth of soil.  It springs up for a bit but dies when the sun scorches it.  The third ground falls among thorns, which represents the cares of this life which become more important than God.  The last ground is the productive ground, and even it yields different amounts of crops.  Some ground is more productive than other ground.

Which ground represents you?  I doubt any one of us would say that we are the productive ground producing a hundred-fold.  But I do believe we can be honest about where we are with God and He will break up the fallow ground of our hearts and make it more and more productive.  

I want this revival to last and to spread like wildfire.  But more importantly, I want it to grow on good ground.  It is this growth over the next 5-10 years that will produce changes in human hearts that will produce visible changes in our country. 

Pray that the Word, being preached all over this country, will fall on good soil.

Lord, there are four different types of ground.  Those that don’t want to hear it, those that hear it and change for a little while, those that hear it but just can’t move forward because the cares of this life are crushing them, and then there are those who are producing.  I know where I am.  I pray that many, many others will be made aware of where they are, and will repent.  If even a tithe of the people who said they were a Christian was a thirty-fold Christian, this nation would be so different.  In all honesty, the majority of American Christians are made up of the first three soils.  I pray that You are changing that at this very moment.  May we sow righteousness and reap mercy.  Amen.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8

About every 5 years or so, I read/listen to the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.  I’m almost finished with The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.  I don’t know why, but as I listened to it this time, I had such a dislike for Edmund.  He is anantagonist, though the White Witch is the antagonist.  When Lucy gets in Narnia through the wardrobe for the first time and comes back, of course nobody believes that she went.

Edmund eventually gets in, too.  He even meets Lucy there.  When they get back, Lucy says to everyone, “It is real!  Edmund has now been there, too!”  Unfortunately, for Lucy, Edmund makes fun of her and pretends that they were only playing pretend.  

While in Narnia, Edmund manages to fall under the Witch’s control by eating her food, attempts to bring the others to the Witch, and attempts to lead them away from the very ones who can help them and have their best interests in mind.  

As the story was progressing, I found myself despising Edmund.  When he finally realizes what he’s done, he realizes that he belongs to the White Witch.  The witch reminds Aslan that she is entitled to a kill when anyone commits treachery. Aslan negotiates his own life for the life of Edmund.

I don’t know if you’ve ever read the book, but the depiction of Aslan being killed is very moving when one thinks of Christ on the cross and how all that went down.  I found myself crying out of sheer thankfulness because I realize once again . . . I’m Edmund in the story.

I’ve committed treachery.  Yes, I committed sins before I knew there was a Christ who died for those sins.  But the absolute worst part is that I would go on to commit even worse sins after I gave my life to Him.  I would treat my Lord like He was optional.  I would do so many things that I knew the Bible said not to do.  Genesis 4:7 says “(sin) desires to have you,” and it had me.  

What does a person do who realizes this?

Fall at His feet and receive His mercy, His forgiveness, and His grace.

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us.

Lord, I could never repay You the tiniest fraction of the price You paid.  I sit here so thankful for what You did for me.  Help me spend the rest of my life teaching people about You.  Use me and the talents You have given me to draw people to You.  I do not want to stand before You and accuse You of being a harsh master and using that as an excuse to hide the talents You have given me.  I do not want to be called a wicked and lazy servant.  Thank You for showing me that I’m Edmund.  Bless me this Day, Lord, with power to live my life and shine my light for You.  Amen!

I didn’t write this one, it was written by one of my friends, Rachel Marcengill.

I have seen so many posts by people who are shocked by the performance at the Grammy’s and the obviously satanic theme. Why would anyone be shocked that a song called “unholy” would be demonic in nature? As I thought over why people would be so shocked, I felt God explained it to me like this. That’s the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

We all KNOW what we Should or Should Not do, but do we actually put what we know into practice?

We know what we should and should not eat in order to have a healthy body. Yet, do we choose the vegetables or fast food? We know what music and movies we should allow our ears to hear and eyes to see. But what’s on our playlist and on our phones and TVs? Whenever I watch or read something, I try to think of whether or not I would be comfortable watching or reading it with Jesus. If the answer is no, then I have no business entertaining it.

James 1:22 tells us that if we only hear (know) what God says but we do not actually do what He says, we are deceiving ourselves. All the knowledge in the world cannot save you. It’s only what you do with that knowledge. Even the enemy KNOWS that Jesus is God, but he is bound for hell. The Bible says we prove our love for God through our obedience to Him.

Back to the Grammys . . . why would anyone be surprised anymore by anything Hollywood/music industry does? Actors and artists regularly display/wear occult symbols. Their lyrics and videos are downright blasphemous (Beyoncé’s Lemonade should have revolted any Christian. Or the guy giving Satan a lap dance!!)

That’s just one area where we can know in our heads that something isn’t godly, and we should not be listening to or watching it. Yet, we can sometimes find ourselves singing along with a catchy tune.

There is no doubt the days are evil, and the Bible tells us that there is worse to come. We must live intentionally and wisely. That’s been the word God has driven home to my heart this week. INTENTIONAL. I must be intentional with my husband, my children, my words, my thoughts, my actions, what I consume. I don’t want to just drift along passively. I want to be intentional in serving the Lord in every area of my life. Too many times, I have gotten complacent or distracted. Yet, each time, God has faithfully steered me back on course.

I have often joked that I am full of absolutely useless knowledge. I want to live in wisdom. My heart’s cry is to live completely in the wisdom of God. Will I stumble? You can bet on it. But will I strive to finish my race strong? By the grace of God alone & He promises to see me through to the end.

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” — Ephesians 5:15-17

Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.”  — Genesis 24:19

When Abraham’s servant went looking for a bride for Isaac, he prayed, “Lord, let the woman You have chosen offer me water, and then offer to water my camels.”  Rebekah had no clue she was serving possibly the wealthiest family on the planet.  She definitely had no clue that around 4,000 years from that moment, anyone who undertook reading the Bible in a year, would read her story in January.

Think about it, because this woman had the mentality of, “I will do what is required of me, and then I will go above and beyond that requirement,” she was insanely blessed.  Many of the Bible scholars believe that to offer a stranger water was the custom, but what was not the custom was taking on the task of watering 10 camels that had just traveled for a few weeks.  A quick Google search says it would have taken around 300 gallons of water.

If we call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ, shouldn’t we take on this same mentality?  At my job, I should do what is required and then do extra.  In my marriage, I should exceed minimum expectations.  As Christians, we should be the quiet examples.  I have no clue who I have taught that could end up blessing me in the future.  But whether I receive that blessing or not on this Earth is irrelevant, I’m representing the God who owns it all!  

I imagine in this day and time, where almost nobody wants to work, and the overwhelming majority want maximum reward for minimum effort, a worker with this kind of mentality would shine like a star in the night sky.  

Let’s you and I try it today, not because we have to, but because we want to.  And if you don’t have the want to, ask God to give it to you. 

Lord, what a blessing You are!  You certainly are an “above and beyond” God!  Thank You for the cross, Lord!  For bearing my sin so I could be saved!  Help me to live like I’m ever so grateful.  Help me to be an “above and beyond” servant.  At the end of my life, I just want to have served You well.  I praise You and I love You, for You are life’s greatest treasure.  Amen.

‘These who were hired last only worked one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ – Matthew 20:12

Yesterday morning, I got on a frozen school bus.  I fired it up and immediately got back off so I could scrape the windshield.  I got back on, started driving, and just shivered until about 3 or 4 miles up the road when my bus began to thaw and get warm.  At my first stop, the student got on and immediately curled up in the seat and fell fast sleep.  The bus was so warm and comfortable.  I just smiled and thought about how awesome it was that God allowed me to provide that kind of service.

As drove and just hung out with the Lord, I immediately thought of the parable of the workers in the vineyard.  I thought about how some of the workers complained that they had to work all day, while others only worked for an hour and received the exact same pay.  Not too long ago I would have been right there complaining with them.  I would have thought it the biggest injustice that my 12-hour day equaled the exact same pay as someone else’s 1-hour day.  I have worked in an environment where it seemed everyone was scared to death someone was doing a little more work than someone else.  I hate those environments.

Metaphorically speaking, I think this parable relates to people being saved.  I got saved at 16 years old and have been saved now for 31 years.  Would I be mad that someone my age got saved this Sunday?  At one time, my immature self might have thought, “Well, Lord, that is not fair that this person gets to go to the same heaven and receive the same salvation I did.”  I shudder to think just how little I understood to think like that.

Now, I realize that I’m the one who is insanely blessed because I’ve been allowed to serve and work for the Lord.  Yes, it has been difficult at times, but every difficulty has proven Romans 8:28.  He has worked all things for my good.  Why would I be jealous of someone getting to live life the way they want for decades and decades, then receiving the Lord at the end of their lives?  I’m not going to stand before God and say, “That’s not fair!”  What really wasn’t fair that I, at an early age, got to receive the Holy Spirit and have Him living in me while the other person did not.  What a blessing!

Let’s you and I try to bring as many people as we can into God’s kingdom.  It doesn’t matter that they won’t have to work as long or as much as we did.  Let’s be glad to endure the freezing cold bus for a bit so others can rest in its warmth. 

Lord, I am so sorry for the times that I’ve complained about the difficulty of following You.  I’m sorry for being an older brother complaining that my younger brother, who squandered his life away, is being received by the father.  Help me put all that behind me and look forward to helping many be saved.  Thank You for the blessing of allowing me to follow You for these past 31 soon to be 32 years.  You have been so good to me, and it hasn’t been work at all.  It has simply been me resting on a bus that someone else has warmed up.  I love You so much, Lord.  You truly are the greatest thing that life offers.  Amen.