Coffee With The Lord

A devotional reflection from my Bible reading today using the “Necessary Food” Bible reading plan: 1 Chronicles 2:1-55; Proverbs 23:19-25; Micah 1:1-16; John 20:30-31; Hebrews 11:32-40

Hey, just let me say “Faith” is good for MORE than simply miracles and prosperity! It also sustains godly people through trials, sickness, loss, and persecution! To make “faith” simply a “gimme key” for miracles and prosperity is an affront to the rich legacy of “faith heroes” in Hebrews 11! FAITH IS “CONFIDENCE IN GOD” FOR ALL THAT LIFE BRINGS OUR WAY!

Here it is from my Bible reading during Coffee with the Lord this morning…

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets — WHO THROUGH FAITH conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection…

But some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated — of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. AND ALL OF THESE, THOUGH COMMENDED THROUGH THEIR FAITH did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better!” (From Hebrews 11:32–40)

A devotional reflection from my Bible reading today using the “Necessary Food” Bible reading plan: 1 Chronicles 1:1-54; Proverbs 23:10-18; Jonah 4:1-11; John 20:24-29; Hebrews 11:23-31

This is a personal “repost” but I remember the event like it happened again TODAY!

I just finished reading two chapters in from 1 Chronicles (chapters 1-2)! Some would say with a bit of emphasis… “BORING!!” (In fact, it is a part of the Bible where many people “stall out” a discontinue their Bible reading!)

That was my complaint to God one morning a number of years ago after my time of “Coffee with the Lord.” I had just struggled through several chapters that we call “genealogies”! I remember it vividly… As I finished my Bible reading that morning I expressed my complaint to God that I thought He had wasted a lot of valuable space in the Bible and had devoted it to this boring stuff! (There was a lot of more interesting and helpful things He could have devoted to Biblical content!)

I had some pastoral calls later that morning to make in a city nearby, so I got in the car, reached over and turned on the car radio (still grumbling about those stupid “genealogies”… “Boring, I tell you!!”) The radio happened to be tuned into a Christian radio station… And “as God is my witness” these were the first words out of the mouth of the person who was speaking on radio program… “I used to complain to God about why He ever put the genealogies in the Bible… And one day He spoke these words clearly to my heart, ‘Son, if I cared enough about those people, to include them in my eternal plan, I care about you! You are also an important part of my eternal plan!”

Well, let me put it this way… I’VE NEVER COMPLAINED AGAIN THAT THE “GENEALOGIES” WERE IN THE BIBLE… (In fact, I’ll usually slow down a bit when I’m reading them and try to pronounce every single name! 

A devotional reflection from my Bible reading today using the “Necessary Food” Bible reading plan: 2 Kings 25:1-30; Proverbs 23:1-9; Jonah 3:1-10; John 20:19-23; Hebrews 11:13-22

I jotted these notes in the margin of my Bible this morning after reading John 20:19-22…

“A powerful, memorable occasion with Jesus! (And how many of them I have had!) PRECURSOR OF PENTECOST!!”

Here is what the passage says…

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After He said this, He showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’“ (John 10:19-22)

Things looked bad… events were frightening and foreboding. But there had been reports… sightings! Suddenly, in their darkest, fearful moment Jesus showed up and spoke “Peace” to them!! It was really Him!! A wild emotional swing from fear to overflowing joy! One more time… He speaks, “Peace!”… And then His powerful potent commissioning… “As the Father sent me, I am sending you.” And I guess only they would be able to fully explain to us what happened next… “HE BREATHED ON THEM AND SAID “RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT!”

I’ve had a few experiences with the Lord that were similar (perhaps not as profound… but just as real!). I want more! I want to treasure those moments… and act on them! Don’t you?!