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DAY 29 OCTOBER 11, 2015 _____________________________________________________________
"I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST;
IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME;
AND THE LIFE WHICH I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH
I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD,
WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME."
(Galatians 2:20)
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RAISE UP THE STANDARD!
"To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious Presence without fault and with great joy - to the Only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 24)
Morning Devotion: Feasting in His Presence - Read John 11:1-16
In our journey these past twenty-nine days we have walked with Jesus as He has reminded us through His Word that He has the life that we need. As the "Bread of Life" He is our Provision to nourish, sustain, and strengthen us with the portion He has provided for us; as the "Light of the world" He is our Presence to guide us as we walk the path He has prepared for us; as the "Gate for the sheep" He is our Protection to keep us safe and secure in the pasture He has presented to us; and as the "Good Shepherd" He is our Peace to lead us to the eternal life He has promised us. Now, as we begin to make our way through the final portions of our journey we discover a shift in the Lord's teachings. The subject matter moves from life to death as Jesus, Himself, moves to the final leg of His earthly ministry to fulfill the reason for His coming. The abundant life that He has promised us would come through the fulfillment of the work He was sent to do. Our life would come through His death. "The last enemy to be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:26).
In our Scripture reading this morning Jesus began to prepare His disciples for His ultimate glorification by providing them a glimpse of what was soon to come, as He allowed one of His beloved friends to experience death. "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it" (John 11:4). It is here that our Lord reveals His power over death and receives glory through death. The disciples had already seen Jesus raise people from the dead, and they knew that He only had to give His word to accomplish it (reference John 4:50-53); now He would show undeniably that He is the Son of God and lead His disciples to a higher level of faith. When Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that Lazarus' was sick they believed He could heal their brother with just a word. Jesus declared that this sickness would not end in death, because He had a greater purpose for this miracle. He would use this opportunity to manifest His glory and reveal His deity, and also lead His disciples to a higher level of faith. "Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe" (John 11:14, 15).
With all we know about God - His provision, His presence, His protection, His peace - it is a wonder how quickly we falter in our faith when faced with the first sign of suffering or trial. We question God's love for us when we face problems and pain in this life; especially when we know from His Word that He is good and has demonstrated His power to deliver us. How quickly we begin to doubt and question God, wondering why He would allow this circumstance in our life, rather than trusting Him and believing, with reverence and awe, that He is using this opportunity to grow us in our faith. Jesus gives us His Word to stand on so that we will believe Him and trust Him no matter how difficult our circumstances may be, no matter how discouraging the trials we face, and no matter how defeated we may feel. His purpose in our pain is to reveal His power and build our faith. "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:12b, 13).
We may not always understand why God delays His answer, but we can trust His answer will come at the appointed time and believe that there is a divine purpose behind everything He does. We can trust that He is working all things out for our good and His glory. "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). The Lord wants to perfect our faith, and we know from His Word that "[His] power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Throughout the Scriptures we see God's glory revealed through human weakness, and there is not a better nor more powerful example found than in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. During these next seven days of our journey the Lord will open our eyes to a renewed vision of the glory of God as we tap into the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and find our strength in the "central affirmation" of our Christian faith. This morning, let us pray for those around us who could use a miracle in their life today. There may be some people who are beginning to doubt and despair because of the length of time they have been struggling, and are growing weary and discouraged because of the pain and suffering they are enduring because of their present circumstances. Let us stand in the gap for them in prayer. You know who they are - God has placed them on your heart for this purpose - to intercede for them today. May the Lord use us or someone close to them to send word of His unfailing love and faithfulness and to encourage them with a fresh Word from God that will give them the strength and hope they need to persevere. Beloved, if that is you, be encouraged that our great Mediator, Jesus Christ, is lifting you up before the throne, and He will not let go until He has accomplished all that He has purposed for your life. Grab hold of the hem of His garment until His power is poured out from on high. Stay close to the Shepherd for He has promised that His glory will be revealed in your life!
"Praise be to You, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom: You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name." (1 Chronicles 20:10-13) In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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REVOLUTIONIZE THE WORLD!
"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6)
Afternoon Devotion: Filled with His Power - Read Romans 9:14-24 The Lord allowed Mary and Martha to suffer the disappointment and grief of Lazarus death for a brief moment so that they would experience His glory and power at the appointed time. God's glorification, not our consolation, is His goal. Suffering is a side of God's love that may be difficult to comprehend and grasp, but it is a necessary part of His kingdom plan. "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:12-13). God allows suffering in our lives as an opportunity to reveal His glory and power. God's glory and His power are closely associated in the Scriptures. "They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might" (Psalm 145:11). God's power is a manifestation of His glory; a good example of this is found in the Exodus: "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for Myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord" (Exodus 14:4). God, in His divine sovereignty raised up Pharaoh, so that through him He would reveal His glory and power. While it may be difficult to watch as evil men, like Pharaoh, rise up to power and prosperity, we are not to question whom God chooses to use to demonstrate His power and glorify His name. We are simply clay in the hands of the divine Potter to be fashioned into whatever vessel He chooses to make us. Let us instead be grateful that we are the objects of His mercy and the recipients of His grace. " 'I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.' Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden" (Romans 9:17-18).
God allows us to be active participants in His power and glory as He accomplishes His work in the world. We can be confident that He is working on our behalf to reveal His glory and might just as He did at the Red Sea (reference Exodus 14:21-28); and He is faithfully leading us to our eternal promised land. "The LORD will march out like a mighty man, like a warrior He will strip up His zeal; with a shout He will raise the battle cry and will triumph over His enemies" (Isaiah 42:13). Our God is the God of the living, not the dead. Jesus went to the grave to deliver us from death unto life, and He is working even today to see that we experience the fullness of that glorious life that He purchased on our behalf. Let us praise Him for the gift of His mercy and grace by which He was found by us who did not seek Him - "and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom he called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles" (Romans 9:23-24). Beloved, we have been made vessels of mercy fitted for the riches of God's glory and goodness. Let us offer up a prayer of gratitude for His patient love and powerful hand which has saved us. May we be "strengthened with all power according to His glorious might" (Colossians 1:11a) as we persevere through the trials and difficulties of this life so that His name will be exalted and His glory will be revealed. The Lord has given us the Spirit of divine might and power to give us the endurance and patience we need to walk victoriously and with great joy through this life. Let us tap into His unlimited strength and power this afternoon and pray that He would use us to reveal His glory and might to another weary warrior who needs encouragement today. Let us praise Him for the people He has placed in our lives who pray faithfully for us each day, and use the strength that we receive from on high to pray fervently and continuously for all the saints so the name of Jesus will be magnified in this land (reference Ephesians 6:18)!
"I now rejoice in my sufferings for you,
and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the affliction of Christ,
for the sake of His body, which is the church,
of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you to fulfill the word of God,
the mystery which has been hidden from ages
and from generations,
but now has been revealed to His saints.
To them God willed to make known what are
the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles:
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."
(Colossians 1:24-27)
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RESTORE PRAISE! "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever, Amen!" (Revelation 7:12) Evening Devotion: Focused on His Praise - Read Psalm 145
One of the greatest ways to display God's power and strength in our lives is through praise. We desire so much for God's mighty hand to ease our suffering, but until He does we can rest secure in the knowledge of His Word that His hand is holding us close and lifting us up. "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5b). We bring honor to God when we offer Him praise and thanksgiving in the midst of life's trials and storms. The promises of His Word, the presence of His indwelling Holy Spirit, and the power of His love should be more than enough to sustain us during our most difficult moments in life. The Lord wants us to see His glory and to testify about the wonderful ways He has revealed His power in and through our lives.
"One generation will commend Your works to another;
they will tell of Your mighty acts.
They will speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
and I will meditate on Your wonderful works.
They will tell of the power of Your awesome works,
and I will proclaim Your great deeds."
(Psalm 145:4-6)
This evening may we offer up Psalm 145 in a prayer of praise as we take time to reflect on all the ways God has revealed His glory and power in our lives, especially through those most challenging trials and disappointments. Let us take time to recount His faithful love and tender care as He developed our faith and grew our character in Christ while we learned to wait patiently for His answer to our prayers. May we offer our loving Lord praise for using those trials to lead us to greater levels of understanding and trust in Him; for developing in us a whole-hearted devotion and reliance upon Him in times of shaking and uncertainty; and for leading us to deepening levels of intimacy with Him as we sought Him more fervently in prayer and in the study of His Holy Word. The beautiful words from the popular song Blessings declares: "What if trials in this life are Your mercies in disguise." May we trust God for His higher and holy purposes in our life as He leads us through the trials of this life to the glory waiting on the other side!
"The LORD is near to all who call on Him,
to all who call on Him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and save them.
The LORD watches over all who love Him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever."
(Psalm 145:18-21)
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