JACKS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
(Matthew 28:20) "I am with you always to the very end of the age."
In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Derek Redmond of Great Britain was considered a favorite contender for a medal.
On August 3, 1992 as Redmond was pitted against seven others in a semi-final in the 400 meters Redmond knelt poised, waiting for the race to start.
As the gun went off, his body was translated into a human locomotive, feverishly charging against the other runners but as Redmond prepared to round the curve after the halfway mark, he suddenly heard a pop.
It was his right hamstring and in an instant, he felt the searing pain in his leg.
The other runners passed Derek as he desperately continued his painful trek to the finish line.
He ran with difficulty for a few steps and then began to stumble.
His father, watching from the stands, became keenly alert to his son's difficulty.
As you and I run the race of life, sometimes we grow weak and we struggle.
We, too, often stumble badly but like Derek’s dad… our difficulties do not escape the attention of our Savior.
Sometimes people ask, "How are you?" and we respond, "just fine!"
But truthfully there are times when we are struggling.
But we don't want their pity, or curiosity, or disrespect.
No we want others to think we are in control.
So we put on plastic smiles and faces wearing a mask of false courage.
We try to fool others around us and protect our image.
But our struggles are not hidden from Jesus!
Jesus says in (Matthew 10:30) “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
Jesus doesn't miss it when we grow weak and weary.
(Psalmist 121:4) says, "behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."
Jesus sees, Jesus knows, and Jesus cares.
You may be weighted down with debt and financial pressures.
Jesus knows all about that but He has promised to meet all your needs.
Jesus says in (Matthew 6:31-33) “Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
You may be struggling with a sense of failure and frustration.
Jesus is aware of it and cares.
You may be struggling with temptation to sin.
Jesus sees it.
Maybe you are at odds with a parent, a brother or sister, or one of your children, maybe a friend.
You want to reconcile, but you are having a difficult time.
Jesus recognizes your struggle.
You may be weak spiritually right now.
You just can't seem to pray with power.
You read the Bible and forget it as soon as you close it.
You have to force yourself to come to church.
Jesus sees the problem, and He cares.
Jesus loves us even when we are weak!
Derek was struggling, and his father was watching from the stands.
The pain in Derek's leg was now so excruciating he stumbled and fell face first onto the track wincing in agony.
As help was approaching, Derek fought to his feet and began hopping toward the finish line in a desperate effort to finish the race.
But he had fallen, and was now far behind.
Suddenly, his father came out of the stands, brushed aside the security guard and ran to Derek.
Putting his arms around his injured son, he helped him stay on his feet and cross the finish line.
In our weakness, we often stumble; but in that very moment, Jesus is there to help.
Derek's father came to his side and spoke kindly. "You don't have to do this," he told his weeping son.
"Yes, I do," Derek said, through clenched teeth. "Then," said his father, "we're going to finish this together."
And the two of them pressed on together; sometimes Derek's head was buried in his father's shoulder, but they stayed in his lane all the way to the finish line.
As Derek and his father crossed the finish line, the crowd rose and cheered and wept.
He didn't win a gold medal at Barcelona, but he walked away with the incredible memory of a father who came to him in his time of need… and helped him finish the race.
That's what Jesus does for us when we place our trust in Him.
When we are experiencing pain when we're struggling to finish the race,
we can be confident that we have a loving Savior who won't let us do it alone.
He left His place in Heaven to come alongside us.
Jesus says to His followers "I am with you always to the very end of the age."
Good Day!
(Jeremiah 1:5) "Before you were born I set you apart."
Today, ask God to tell you who you are.
Bookstore shelves are lined with volumes of books telling us that we can be anything we make up our minds to be.
And while (Proverbs 23:7) tells us there’s some truth to that… “as a man thinketh in his heart so is he”… it’s not the whole truth!
You may believe you can fly with out the aid of an airplane or a parachute but if you try… its pretty much guaranteed your gonna meet Jesus a whole quicker than the rest of us.
Bottom line is you can pray, believe, claim, confess, and try all you want, but you won’t succeed in flying with out the aid of an airplane.
Why? Because you are only empowered to be what He created you, called you and equipped you to be.
He told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; and I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
You were formed for a purpose.
You have a destiny to fulfill.
You are not just a “happen stance” biological accident.
And the beautiful part of Gods plan in your destiny is that you only have to accomplish what He created you to do and to be.
Not what He has commissioned someone else to do or to be.
When God equips you with one talent, He doesn’t give you a five-talent assignment, and vice versa (Matthew 25:14-15).
(1st Corinthians 12”4-6) “There are different kinds of gifts but they are all given to believers by the same Spirit.
There are different ways to serve, but they all come from the same Lord.
There are different ways the Spirit works but the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.
The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way so that it is good for all”.
You have a special purpose that God has created you for, gifted you for, and set you apart for.
It doesn’t matter what your talent or gift is,
Just determine in your heart to start using it for the glory of God, and you will begin to experience a new outlook on life, a new purpose in life, and a new joy and satisfaction that wells up from deep within.
And here’s the great thing: the one-talent person and the five-talent person will both stand one day before Him and hear the commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21)
Good Day!
The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way so that it is good for all”.
You have a special purpose that God has created you for, gifted you for, and set you apart for.
It doesn’t matter what your talent or gift is,
Just determine in your heart to start using it for the glory of God, and you will begin to experience a new outlook on life, a new purpose in life, and a new joy and satisfaction that wells up from deep within.
And here’s the great thing: the one-talent person and the five-talent person will both stand one day before Him and hear the commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21)
Good Day!
(2nd Corinthians 3:5-6) "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves… but our sufficiency is from God”
Jesus told His disciples, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
What did He mean by that?
He meant that without the “empowering” presence of the Holy Spirit, (which He had just told them they would soon receive), they weren’t equal to the challenges they were about to face.
It wasn’t a matter of His doubting their devotion and willingness to serve Him... He just knew they couldn’t do it by themselves and you can’t either… so the sooner you quit trying, the better off you’ll be!
God isn’t looking for educated, sophisticated, well-meaning individuals motivated rules and governed by flesh, or any other kind of flesh for that matter.
He is Looking for those whom will be “totally dependent” on Him.
Emptying themselves and totally relying on Him.
That means praying and leaning on Him before you start, and continuing to pray and lean on Him until you reach the finish line.
(Zechariah 4:6) “It’s not by might and not by power but it is by my Spirit says the Lord.
It also means that if God doesn’t send you, and you insist on going… or if He tells you to do something and you try to accomplish it in your own strength, the likely hood is that you will surely fail.
And what’s more, He will allow you to keep failing until you reach the place where you can say like Paul, “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent.” (2nd Corinthians 3:5-6)
It’s when we reach the end of our resources that God’s resources, Gods power kicks in.
So today… I want to try to encourage ya’ll to stay focused on God.
Instead of leaning on your own strength and resources, depend wholly and solely on God.
As you stay focused on Him, He will guide, protect, and keep you in all your ways. (Psalm 91:11)
As you go thru this day remember that He is right there beside you.
That He is saying to you “I will never leave you nor forsake you, I am with you always”. (Hebrews 13:5)
(Psalms 37:3) “Commit your way unto the Lord and He will direct your paths.
Remember, our competency comes from Him, our victory comes from Him, our strength comes from Him,.
We are more than conquerors because of Him who loves us. (Romans 8:31-39)
Good day!
That means praying and leaning on Him before you start, and continuing to pray and lean on Him until you reach the finish line.
(Zechariah 4:6) “It’s not by might and not by power but it is by my Spirit says the Lord.
It also means that if God doesn’t send you, and you insist on going… or if He tells you to do something and you try to accomplish it in your own strength, the likely hood is that you will surely fail.
And what’s more, He will allow you to keep failing until you reach the place where you can say like Paul, “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent.” (2nd Corinthians 3:5-6)
It’s when we reach the end of our resources that God’s resources, Gods power kicks in.
So today… I want to try to encourage ya’ll to stay focused on God.
Instead of leaning on your own strength and resources, depend wholly and solely on God.
As you stay focused on Him, He will guide, protect, and keep you in all your ways. (Psalm 91:11)
As you go thru this day remember that He is right there beside you.
That He is saying to you “I will never leave you nor forsake you, I am with you always”. (Hebrews 13:5)
(Psalms 37:3) “Commit your way unto the Lord and He will direct your paths.
Remember, our competency comes from Him, our victory comes from Him, our strength comes from Him,.
We are more than conquerors because of Him who loves us. (Romans 8:31-39)
Good day!
(Mark 4:15) "As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the Word that was sown in them."
The word of God is so powerful in our lives that it will produce change in any life that will begin to abide by it.
But it doesn’t begin to affect, infect, or take affect until you plant it.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus said, “Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the Word that was sown in them.”
Ever notice how you can sit at home and watch a two-hour commercial-packed movie without feeling restless or bored, yet when the pastor’s sermon exceeds thirty or forty minutes, you keep glancing at your watch and can’t wait to get out of church?
And if someone asked you the next day what he preached about, most times you couldn’t tell them.
Jesus said, “Satan comes and takes away the word.”
So how can you retain it?
1) Write it down:
(Exodus 17:14) When you make notes on what you read and hear, you’ll retain more, and get much more out of it, be more impacted by it.
2) Pray it through:
Unless you pray over the Word you’re hearing, you’ll keep coming home from church moved but unchanged.
Many of the great saints of old read through the Bible on their knees… maybe we should try that too!
3) Discuss it with others.
God’s Word is like a seed that multiplies and grows when it’s watered by conversation with others who share your faith.
The Bible says, “Those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard” (Malachi 3:16)
4) Practice it daily.
John tells us, “The Word was made flesh” (John 1:14).
The best way to retain God’s Word is to practice its principles or “flesh it out”!
I learned a long time ago, that when it comes to playing guitar it doesn’t just happen.
I had to practice for hours on end to learn the principles and to develop some skill… and now I have to play it daily to stay sharp.
That’s how you allow the word of God to work in your life… daily!
Read it, chew on it, take it apart, tear it apart, and bathe it with prayer.
As you pray, remind God what He wrote,
That’s when you’ll see it begin to work on your behalf.
Good Day!
(Psalm 34:7) "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear
Him…”
Just as a president and a prime minister are constantly surrounded by
security guards… as a redeemed child of God, you and I are surrounded by angels
or ministering spirits.
You may not be able to see the president or prime minister’s security detail, but
just let someone make a threatening move and trained guards instantly form a protective shield around him.
(Psalm 91) “If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High
your dwelling, no harm will overtake you and no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your
ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your
foot against a stone”.
The story is told of Dr. James McConnell, founder of the Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in Belfast, Northern Ireland, who was preaching one night
when a “paramilitary” soldier with a gun came into the church to kill him.
The man only took a few steps up the aisle when he stopped dead in his
tracks, turned, and ran out of the church.
What happened?
The man, who was later captured… testified that he’d seen two big
angels standing on either side of Pastor McConnell!
(Acts 27:23-25) When Paul’s ship encountered a storm and everyone thought they were going to perish, Paul announced, “There stood by me this night an angel
of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, who said ‘Do not be afraid
take heart…for I believe God that it will be just as it was told to me”
If you are a “Child of God”, you have a “divine security detail” watching over
you.
(Hebrews 1:14) “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
Now I know that we all have questions as to why there have been times where Christians have been slain/martyred in war torn parts of this world… and to be honest, I don’t have an answer for that… only God knows.
But this I do know!
There have been times in my life, when I know that I have been divinely protected in the face of danger.
Especially on the highways and the roadways of this country.
In over 40 years of travelling from town to town thru blizzards and storms, thru treacherous highway conditions, we have never had one single life threatening incident.
And when there was a calamity of sorts, God always provided help and a way of escape.... around and in the very midst of the situation.
There were times as well when I was involved with an outreach street ministry in Calgary back in the mid 80’s.
We had some success in ministering to some of the prostitutes and drug addicts and getting them off of the streets and out of the city.
As a result, we were threatened with bodily injury by the pimps and the drug traffickers… even to the point of having our outreach facility torched by arsonists.
There were times when I was threatened by raging drug addicts as I counseled them at our facility and they would try to hit me and harm me.
But they could never make contact, or succeed.
There was always something that would stop them or ward off the blows.
In all of those times we never once worried about our safety and we could often sense or feel the presence of our “ministering angels.”
The most convincing event that happened to me was when I was sitting in a food court in the Chinook mall in Calgary.
We were a young family just starting out in ministry.
One of our kids had gotten ill and we needed to get a prescription filled.
At that time we had very little extra cash and it seemed like our credit cards were always maxed out.
Any way I was sitting in the food court watching the kids, worried about how I was going to pay the bills, worried about how I was going to buy fuel to travel to the next outreach engagement.
I was mad, I was angry, anxious and discouraged.
Suddenly standing in from of me was this tall well built attractive man wearing jeans, a denim jacket and cowboy boots.
He had shoulder length blond hair and the bluest eyes I had ever seen.
He stuck out his hand and in it was a wad of cash.
He said to me “here, God told me to give you this”.
As I looked down at the cash in my hand I was shocked at what I was seeing.
When I looked up at him to ask what this was all about, he had disappeared.
I love the song by Alabama called “Angels among us”.
The lyrics of the chorus say the following;
“Oh I believe there are, angels among us, sent down to us, from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me, in our darkest hours, to show us how to live, to teach us how to give, to guide us with the light of love.
Know this!
Your Heavenly Father loves you and will never forsake you.
He will never send you any where He can’t take care of you…and He will never ask something of you that He will not provide for you in the midst of it as well.
Good day!
(2nd Timothy 3:15–17) “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”
I believe that the Bible is all we need in life, to equip us for a successful life of faith and service.
It provides a clear demonstration of God’s intention to restore the broken relationship between Himself and humanity through His Son, Jesus Christ…accomplished through the gift of faith.
(Ephesians 2:8) “for by grace are ye saved thru faith and that not of yourselves… it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast”
No other writings are necessary for this good news to be understood, nor are any other writings required to equip us for a life of faith.
Jesus said “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds form the mouth of God. (Luke 4:4)
The Apostle Paul declared that the Holy Scriptures “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus… for all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2nd Timothy 3:15–17)
If Scripture is “God-breathed,” then it is not man-breathed, and, although it was penned by men… those “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2nd Peter 1:21)
No man-made writing is sufficient to equip us for every good work… only the Word of God can do that.
Sadly the sufficiency of Scripture is under attack today, and, that attack comes far too often in our own churches.
Management techniques, worldly methods of drawing crowds, entertainment, extra-biblical revelations, mysticism, and some forms of psychological counseling… all declare that the Bible and its precepts are not adequate for the Christian life.
But Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27)
His voice is all we need to hear and the Scriptures are His voice, completely and utterly sufficient.
Paul warned the church at Colosse… “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
Jude says it even more specifically when he writes, “Although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 1:3)
Notice the phrase “once and for all”…
This makes it clear that no other writings, no matter how godly the pastor, theologian, or denominational church they may come from, are equal to the Word of God.
The Bible is all that is necessary for the believer to understand the character of God, the nature of man, and the doctrines of sin, heaven, hell, and salvation through Jesus Christ.
Paul’s words to the Galatians indicate the seriousness of delivering a message outside the Bible… “If we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:8)
Perhaps the strongest verses on the issue of the sufficiency of the Bible come from the book of Psalms.
In (Psalm 19:7-14), David rejoices in God’s Word, declaring it to be
“perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, enlightening, sure and altogether righteous”.
In this day and age where many have lost their direction concerning that which is normal, concerning morality and that which is right and wrong… and where there are so many questions about what is “normal” activity and “what is not” concerning life and Godliness… there needs to be some article of credibility and truth to give us direction.
There needs to be a truth north… a compass that will guide us…
That compass is Gods Word…
The bible is that article… and its directions will help us arrive in time, on time, at the right time, all the time, every time, with lots of time.
The bible is God’s road map for each of us to find our direction and way in life.
God wrote what He meant and He meant what He wrote.
Good day!
(2nd Timothy 1:7) "God has not given us a spirit of fear."
The Bible tells us that fear is a “spirit.”
That spirit has a mind that thinks and a voice that speaks, and if you allow it to, it will control you.
Today if you’re battling a “spirit of fear”, stop doing it in your own strength and on your own.
Start using “the weapons of our warfare, which are not carnal but mighty unto God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2nd Corinthians 10:4)
Use Gods word as your weapons of warfare and prayer as your air support.
Make the following your prayer… “Lord, Your Word says when I seek Your face, You’ll hear me and deliver me from all my fears… so I cast down every anxious thought that rises up against what I know about You and Your power (2 Corinthians 10:5).
“I stand on the promise that You’ll never leave me nor forsake me” (Hebrews 13:5).
“I rest in the truth that nothing is too hard for You” (Jeremiah 32:17).
“I rejoice in the assurance that You’ve already given Your angels responsibility for keeping and protecting me in all my ways” (Psalm 91:11).
“I resist the spirit of fear, and command it to flee in Jesus’ name” (James 4:7).
“By faith I declare that Your peace, which passes human understanding, will guard my heart and mind” (Philippians 4:7).
“Therefore, I will not let my heart be troubled or be afraid” (John 14:27).
“In Jesus name I pray… Amen.”
Now instead of focusing on the problem, focus on “the Problem Solver”… God!
That may not immediately resolve your difficulty, but it’ll keep you in a peaceful state of mind and help you keep the right attitude… while you wait for God to work.
Isaiah said, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!” (Isaiah 26:3).
Note the words “fixed on You”.
As you go through this day with your mind fixed on God, you’ll have “perfect and constant peace”.
There is no greater confidence than to live this life knowing that God has your back and is your problem solver.
“There for I will not fear, nor will I be anxious for or about anything… but in everything I will give thanks and be as obedient as I can, to His Word and His will”(Matthew 6:31-34)
Good Day!