Monday, December 18, 2017 Devotion

“On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.  Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”  (Psalm 62:7-8)

Are you in the Lord?  Is He the rock of your salvation?  Are you looking for the Lord to conform to your ideas or are you conforming to who He is?  Pour out your heart before the Lord and see that He will walk with you and cleanse your mind and give you a new heart, made right and filled with His righteousness.  Be guided by the One who made you and take refuge in Him alone.

Lord, I hear the words and know the testimonies I have received, yet I walk in the ways of this world.  Help me, I pray, to live into the life to which You have called me knowing that only in You is there hope and a future.  Guide me now and always according to Your life-giving Word that I would walk as one who believes and know the truth You have revealed once for all and live under the shadow of Your wings.

Lord Jesus, I need you today and every day, for I am easily distracted and led in so many directions, all of which are away from You.  Help me in my time of need to see the better portion and to walk according to the way You have established.  Lead me now and always according to Your Word that I may walk in the way of salvation.  You are the rock of my strength; lead me to rest in You.  Amen.

Sunday, December 17, 2017 Devotion

“My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.”  (Psalm 62:5-6)

There are so many things that tug at our allegiance in this world.  We are distracted by the many things that get in the way.  What is at the core?  What is the center of your being?  Our souls long for the one and only place where our being is found and that is with the Lord.  Come to Him and know that He is the rock of your salvation and the Center of all things, including your being.

Lord, clear the field for me that I may see the simplicity of knowing You, the One true God who is the creator of all things.  Guide me according to Your purpose that I would walk in the way You have established and know that You alone are the rock of my being, my life and my salvation.  Lead me, O Lord, that I may be walk in the way You would have me go now and forever.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You have come to pave the way of salvation for all who turn to You.  Clear my mind and soul this day to live into the life to which You have called me through the salvation You have prepared for those who believe.  Help me now and always to look to You for all things knowing that You alone are able to lead me out of the noise of this world into salvation.  Amen.

Saturday, December 16, 2017 Devotion

‘How long will you assail a man, that you may murder him, all of you, like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?  They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position; they delight in falsehood; they bless with their mouth, but inwardly they curse.”  (Psalm 62:3-4)

Be not like the ones who outwardly show a seeming conformity to the ways of God, but inwardly are as far away from Him as the ones who outwardly deny the Lord.  Do not be led by the way of man, for it goes nowhere, but be led by the truth of the Lord, for He is truth.  In Him is life, for He is the creator of life.  Seek His counsel and learn the ways of the Lord that you may live now and forever.

Lord, there is so much falsehood all around.  The world offers so many options, but they lead nowhere.  Guide me in Your Spirit to see the truth You are and have revealed for those who seek after You.  Let me inwardly praise You and seek to live my life according to Your eternal principles.  Help me, O Lord, to live the way You would have me live now and forever.

Lord Jesus, You have come to save all those who through You, turning to You and following You, seek the true life.  You are life.  You are the way and apart from You no one can go where You lead.  Help me now and always to see this simple truth and from the inside out be conformed to what You have established through faith.  Guide me today, Lord Jesus, and help me go where You would have me go.  Amen.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017 Devotion

“For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy.  Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.”  (Psalm 61:3-4)

Have you noticed how every circumstance is resolved.  Perhaps not to your liking, but the Lord is constantly teaching us through every circumstance.  He will lead you wherever you need to go and He is more than faithful.  Trust in the Lord in all of your ways and lean on the understanding He gives through His Word.  He is the refuge for every weary soul and will keep you under His wings.

Lord, let me not wander into fields of danger, but in spite of the danger all around, lean upon You.  Guide me in the wisdom You have revealed for the ages and help me see in You the hope of glory.  Guide me, O Lord, that I may walk in Your ways and be guided by Your Spirit to become Your child according to the promise of Christ.  Lead me, O Lord, while I am in the presence of every enemy.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead the way for as many as believe.  Help me now and always to be guided by Your eternal principles to walk in a way that is pleasing to the Father.  Now and always may I look to You as the author and finisher of my faith, knowing that only in You and through Your grace can I ever be sanctified and become what has always been intended.  Lead me, O Lord, now and always.  Amen.

“My God in His lovingkindness will meet me; God will let me look triumphantly upon my foes.  Do not slay them, or my people will forget; scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.”  (Psalm 59:10-11)

The Lord meets us.  People pursue the Lord, but cannot on their terms.  He comes and meets us, for His name is salvation.  Do not pursue the way of the wicked, but come to the Lord who invites and desires that You would come to Him.  Let the Lord lead you in all of your ways and He will give you rest.  Be guided by His goodness and know that He knows you and loves you.

Lord, I am carried away and enticed by the sinful ways of this world to have vengeance. But vengeance is Yours alone. Guide me in the way You have established that I would now and forever be guided by Your goodness.  Help me in every time of trouble to see that You alone are Lord and only in You is there a future.  Lead me, O Lord, that I would be led by Your salvation knowing that only in You is there hope.

Lord Jesus, Your name means salvation, come and take my hand this day that I may be led by You wherever You take me.  Help me now and always to see in You the hope of glory and the way of forever.  Guide me to walk in Your ways and flee from the temptations of this world.  Help me in every time of difficulty to look to You first and follow in the way You lead now and always.  Amen.

“For behold, they have set an ambush for my life; fierce men launch an attack against me, not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord, for no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.”  (Psalm 59:3-4)

We often pay the recompense for our own sin in this world although forgiveness is granted to us by grace.  There are times though when others will attack with no real provocation and simply accuse and malign.  In a world of wickedness, these things do happen.  The Lord knows.  Look to the Lord who knows all things and be comforted by His grace to persevere in every time of trial.

Lord, as a sinner, I want revenge when it is by no fault of mine that I am being persecuted.  Grant that I would rest in Your grace and realize that You alone are able to handle every injustice, for You alone are able to discern what is right and fitting in every circumstance, Lead my heart to turn to You at all times and know that only in You can I find true peace that surpasses all understanding.

Lord Jesus, You have experienced the rebellion of the wicked first hand and know the false accusations that were raised against You.  In Your compassion and by Your understanding, lead me through these times of trial that will come that I may keep my eyes upon You and trust in Your never-failing support through all the tribulations of this world.  Lead me through Your grace dear Jesus.  Amen.

READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!

Devotional for First Sunday in Advent, December 3, 2017 based upon Mark 13: 24-37

When you were young, did you play Hide and Seek?  If so, where was your favorite place to hide, and were you able to find a place to hide where no one was ever able to find you?

In playing Hide and Seek, the person who is It will close his eyes, while everyone else runs and hides.  The person who is It counts to a hundred or so and then says, “Ready or not, here I come!”  In our Gospel lesson for the first Sunday in Advent Jesus is saying to the world, “Ready or not, here I come!”  But unlike Hide and Seek, this is not a game.  This is dead serious.  We are in the final countdown before Jesus appears on earth to judge the world and to gather the faithful.  Jesus concludes His talking about His return with the words, “What I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”  Ready or not, Jesus is coming.  We had better be ready.  We had better get ready.  But how do we get ready?  In our Gospel lesson Jesus tells us three things that we need to and can do to get ready.

First, JESUS TELLS US TO KEEP AWAKE AND WATCH.  

Now of course, we all need to be asleep part of the time – six, seven, or eight hours a day.  But this is not what Jesus is talking about.  Rather He is talking about the sleep of being unprepared.  The sleep of not caring about what is happening in the world.  The sleep of indifference and unconcern.  Like the cartoon that depicted a couple men talking at a party.  One rather unconcerned-looking man said to the other, “So what if it’s Armageddon?  It’s not the end of the world.”

We need to be awake to the fact that someday Jesus will return – to bring history to a close, to judge the wicked and to gather the faithful.  According to the Bible, there is no question at all as to the certainty of His return.  The only question is when.  A car accident can happen – an explosion can occur – like a bolt out of the blue.  Jesus said that His return will be like that.  Sudden and immediate.  We must be ready before He comes, because we cannot get ready when He comes.  We must wake up from our sleep of business-as-usual, because Jesus is coming – whether or not we are ready.

Second, JESUS TELLS US TO KEEP AWAKE, WATCH, AND PRAY.

But what does prayer have to do with being ready for Jesus’ second coming?  Through prayer we keep in touch with God.  If we daily keep in touch with God, we will not become careless about being ready.  We will always be ready for Jesus’ return at any time.

And then we also need to pray for those who do not know Jesus as their Savior and Lord.  We do not want these people to be found without faith if Jesus should return.  It is our responsibility to pray daily that they will be ready when Jesus returns.  

A young boy was fishing with his grandfather off the coast.  The young lad noticed a flashing light coming from the lighthouse even though it was mid-day.  The child said, “But I thought they used that light only when there was fog or a storm.”  His grandfather replied, “No, son, they use it all the time, because you never know when fog or bad weather might come up.  It’s better to always be prepared than to miss the opportunity to save someone’s life.”

Prayer is our taking advantage of every opportunity to save someone’s life.  In good times and in bad, in sunshine and in storm, we need to keep awake, watch, and pray that souls will respond to the love of God and get ready.

Third, JESUS TELLS US TO KEEP AWAKE, WATCH, AND WORK.

When Jesus returns suddenly and unexpectedly, what will He find you doing?  Jesus expects each one of us to be about His work, so that when He comes, He will find us doing what He wants us to be doing.

A traveler was visiting a castle in northern Italy.  The old gardener opened the gates.  The visitor stepped into the garden, which was being kept perfectly.  The visitor asked, “When was the owner last here?”  He was told, “Twelve years ago.”  “Does he ever write?”  “No.”  “Where do you get your instructions?”  “From Milan.”  “Does the owner ever come?”  “No.”  “But you keep the grounds as through your master were returning tomorrow.”  The old gardener replied, “Sir, I keep the grounds as though my master were returning today.”  As Christians we need to keep awake, watch, pray, and work as though Jesus were returning today.

Whether or not you are ready, Jesus is coming.  If you are not ready, you have reason to dread His return.  If you are ready, you have reason to rejoice.  For He is coming to be with us, to bless us, and to take us home to be with Him in glory.

Jesus is saying, “Ready or not, here I come!”  Are you ready?

Dennis D. Nelson

President of the Board and Director of Lutheran CORE

“For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens and Your truth to the clouds.  Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be above all the earth.”  (Psalm 57:10-11)

Wherever you look you see the truth of the Lord.  His creation is evident in all of His works.  The detail and intricacy are there.  Deny some will, but the works of God’s creation speak of His goodness and the order He has set into place.  Magnify the Lord and see that He is worthy of all honor and praise.  Know the Lord who makes Himself known and see His goodness always.

Lord, I get caught up in the difficulties of this life and forget to simply step back and see the creation You have made.  Guide my heart to never forget that You are God and so far above my ways that I can only begin to comprehend.  Lead me, O Lord, to walk humbly before You, seeing all that You would have me see and walking according to Your never-changing will which You established in the beginning.

Lord Jesus, come down, You who became one of us, guide me in what You have taught the disciples throughout the ages.  Help me learn from You how best to walk each day through this world, filled both with the creation which You have made and the wickedness that has come because of sin.  Grant that I would have a discerning heart to walk humbly and trust in all of Your provisions.  Amen.

“They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they dug a pit before me; they themselves have fallen into the midst of it.  My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!”  (Psalm 57:6-7)

In the midst of the turmoil of the world, many will lament, curse God and join in the fray.  But will that change the rampant sin that prevails?  No, it will not.  Praise the Lord in all seasons and know that You have His promise that everything will work for His glory.  Know that the Lord is good in the midst of all that is not good.  Let your heart be steadfast and praise the Lord at all times.

Lord I often spend time in laments, but not in praise.  Praise is not an emotion, but an attitude.  Guide me to see in You hope and a future.  Lead me into the life to which You have called me that I would go with hope in You.  No matter what happens in this life, lead me O Lord to walk in Your ways, praising You for all that comes.  Keep my heart steadfast upon You.

Lord Jesus, You know the pain and suffering more than any other, for You took it all upon Yourself.  Help me know that this is true that I may walk with You confidently trusting in all that You have done.  Let me work through every adversity while You are shaping me day by day to be more like You.  Lead me, O Lord, and grant my feet the ability to follow.  Amen

“He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.  My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword.  Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be above all the earth.”  (Psalm 57:3-5)

The Lord’s salvation has come, just as He promised.  It is He who came and became one of us.  He knows our weaknesses and He knows our need.  The Lion of Judah, the One from whom the scepter shall never pass, is the One who offers His hand to each of us.  It is the hand of truth and He shall lead all who follow forever in the presence of the glory of God.

Who fears the Lord but the one who encounters truth.  The Lord is truth and He offers grace and mercy to those who seek Him and humble themselves before Him.  His is the everlasting glory, before all time and forever.  Stand fast in His presence and all else that is passing away will seem of no worth in comparison to what He offers in the way and truth He gives which leads to eternal life.

Lord Jesus, the One who has come to end the warfare for those who believe, lead me this day to rejoice in the true glory of the Father You have revealed.  Guide me not so much to know as to understand that all I need do is follow You all the days of my life.  You are the truth revealed, promised long before and in You is the hope of all generations.  May you be exalted through me this day.  Amen.