Devotionals
|
|
Devo Know the Lord Part 10
1 Corinthians 2:9-16 (NIV) 9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”[a]-- the things God has prepared for those who love him-- 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. It is because of sin our spirits began dying, but in Christ we are being renewed in our spirits so we might know Him. Christ gives us the Spirit so we might know Him and be taught by Him. If we have His Spirit we know His thoughts, so we know Him. This is not done in the flesh but the spirit. He takes us to His realm not this earthly realm. His kingdom is not of this world. He came to take us there. Too many people are caught up in the things of this world. They can’t seem to get beyond the flesh. Those that walk by faith are not looking for a city in this realm but wait on Him patiently for Him to take them to His. Pastor Jeff Lane
0 Comments
Devo Know the Lord Part 9
Acts 2:37-39 (NIV) 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” To know Him you must repent. John the Baptist’s message was to prepare the way for the Lord’s coming and he preached repentance, we must repent. Repentance is to stop doing what you’re doing and turn around and walk toward God not away. It is to clean house. It is to drive the sin from our lives. Sweep the house clean for your new guest Jesus. Then it is to receive the Holy Spirit. We will address this next. Pastor Jeff Lane Devo Know the Lord Part 8
Acts 2:16-21 (NIV) 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Call on God and He will save you. Cry out to God and he will hear and answer you. Pastor Jeff Lane Devo Know the Lord Part 7
2 Chronicles 15:2 (NIV) 2 He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. Another simple message on knowing God, if you seek Him you will find Him. Many people don’t know how to seek. I would tell my children to find something for me and often they would return and say they can’t find it. I would ask did you look here and there and they say ‘well no’. I would say now go seek it. Look everywhere. Leave nothing unopened, look behind, under, around until you find it. It is there, you just have not looked hard enough. What it comes down to is how bad do you want to find it. The overwhelming evidence is God is there. How bad do you want to find Him? Pastor Jeff Lane Devo Know the Lord Part 6
Romans 10:5-17 (NIV) 5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’”[c] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Here are two simple ways to know God better. First pray. It says we don’t have to go searching for Him. He is in your mouth. In other words talk to Him He will hear and answer. I taught my children to talk to God like they do me. Just tell Him what’s on your mind and He will answer. (Don’t forget to listen.) It is just that simple. Don’t try to get churchy, just talk to Him like you would normally. Second read His book. Read the Bible and He will show Himself through it to you. Simple. God keeps it simple and so should you. Pastor Jeff Lane Devo Know the Lord Part 5
John 1:1 (NIV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 14:9 (NIV) 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Jesus is the Word. The Word (Jesus) is God. If you want to know the Father you must know the Son. If you want to know the Son He gave us His Word. I love to tell people when they come to Jesus and get saved to read the Gospels seven times. The first four books of the New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Why because when we read God’s word and see what and who Jesus is then see the Father. It is when we first read about Him we know about Him, but then faith arises and we start to know Him. Pastor Jeff Lane Devo Know the Lord Part 4
Genesis 32:22-32 (NIV) 22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” 29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” 31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon. Really Jacob. You have to ask who I am. I have to grab you and wrestle with you all night to get you to slow down and see me. I have to cripple you to get you to realize that I said I would always be with you. Really son. Jacob I am the I am. I am your all in all. I am with you. I am, have and will always be with you. Just stop and look me in the eye because I will never leave you or forsake you. I am the same yesterday, today and forever. Maybe this would be easier if you would simple say “speak Lord your servant is listening.” Pastor Jeff Lane Devo Know the Lord Part 3
Genesis 28:10-22 (NIV) 10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it[ stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” 18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God 22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.” God tries to reveal Himself to Jacob, but Jacob just don’t get it. God is telling him that he is going to reveal Himself to the whole world through him and he (Jacob) will be the window for all the world to see God. Jacob is clueless and can’t see beyond his own nose. God spends the next twenty years humbling and changing Jacob’s heart. God never leaves or forsakes Jacob. Jacob starts out getting real religious and starts making a shrine with the stone and a place of man-made worship. God wants to have a relationship with Jacob, but like most children Jacob is too busy. He’s got places to go and things to do. Maybe Jacob should have said “Speak Lord your servant is listening.” I think life would have been easier for him if he would have gotten to know God earlier. Pastor Jeff Lane Devo Know the Lord Part 2
Exodus 3:1-12 (NIV) 3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 And God said, “I will be with you. Moses has been having a twenty year pity party. He tried to free his people Israel, but he got ahead of God. He knew what God wanted and he knew he was called, but he didn’t know God. Oh he knew about God, he just didn’t know God. God watches him for forty years until Moses in his flesh and spirit became too weak to try to do the job in the natural. Moses’ dream of saving his people had died to him. Now God could use Him. Sometimes God has to let our dream of the call die so we can get out of the way. Moses simply answers God here I am. That’s all he had left. He had nothing to his name, even the sheep were his father in laws. He was empty and now God could fill him with glory from heaven. God tells Moses “I will be with you.” What more do we need. I believe ministers fail because God is not with them because they aren’t with Him. They went out ahead of God and lost their way in their pride. I often say “You can’t give away what you don’t have.” If you don’t know God how can you give him away? Stop and say “Speak Lord your servant is listening.” Pastor Jeff Lane Devo Know the Lord Part 1
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (NIV) 3 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Samuel did not know the Lord, because God had not yet revealed Himself to Samuel. It would seem to be a strange statement that God had not revealed Himself to someone, but true. We as people don’t reveal ourselves to others and may only reveal ourself to one other person our whole life. I think with us it is a matter of fear and trust, but with God He knows the heart. When people date it is supposed to get to know one another, but some have ulterior motives, which can be dangerous. Today I think too many people jump into a physical relationship right off the bat and all lines of communication stop. They have a form of a relationship. They don’t realize the danger they are in because they have let their guard down and opened the door to their heart. Sad but true. God knows our motives. Why do you want to know Him? You must be honest with yourself, because He already knows. Are you looking for health, fame, riches, importance, standing, power, or what? Why do you want to know Him? Samuel was a boy and innocent. We must become like little children. He had a desire to serve and was willing to listen. People tend to want to tell God what they want, but don’t listen to Him. Think about it, if one does not listen to their spouse, what does that tell them? I would like to say shut up and listen. Get to know Him. A conversation is two ways. It is not up and down but across. You can get to know Him. Pastor Jeff Lane |
Pastor Jeff Lane
|
RSS Feed