Category Archives: Devos

Apr 20 2016
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Devos

Integrity matters!

Integrity 2Ethics and integrity are important!  A failure in those areas can destroy a reputation, neutralize effectiveness, and damage the lives of a host of other people!

This morning during “Coffee with the Lord” I read Apostle Paul’s personal integrity statement to the believers in Corinth.  As I read it I found myself praying, “Oh Lord, me too!  I want to be able to say that with integrity… truthfully!”

Here is what Apostle Paul said… “Our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we have behaved in the world with simplicity, and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom, but by the grace of God!” (2 Corinthians 1:12)

“Simplicity”… As a servant of the Lord, not seeking an opulent lifestyle, the trappings of wealth or the standard of living of the “rich and famous” – rather identifying with the common person.

“Godly sincerity” – No mask, no costume, but an unvarnished integrity!  “What you see is what you get” … and not simply because it is a personal value – but because it mirrors and expresses the truthful character of God!

“Not by earthly wisdom” – Not following the counsel and guidance of the broader culture – the pragmatism and expedience that compromises core values to get ahead, make a profit, or win elections, but…

“By the grace of God”… Seeking Divine favor and God’s approval alone.  Expecting Him to bless and benefit a righteous, faith-filled, God-trusting lifestyle.

Oh, I want to live that way, don’t you?

Apr 19 2016
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Devos

So who’s REALLY the greatest?

I'm the Greatest

Jesus had been in the lead on the way to Capernaum… Walking on ahead of his disciples. The conversation kind of got started toward the back of the group. Swapping stories about their past, things they had done, accomplishments – even great experiences they had as followers of Jesus – things they had “done in His name and by His authority.” After awhile it took on the air of “one-ups-man-ship” – it got pretty competitive… like, “who is the greatest?”

They finally arrived at their destination, got settled in where they were staying for the night, and were just sitting around relaxing a bit… And Jesus just up and asks this probing question (I mean it was like he KNEW!) … “What were you guys talking about today as we were traveling?”

SILENCE! – I mean dead silence! You could have heard a pin drop! After a long, profound pause here is what Jesus said…

Listen… “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all!” And then he playfully motioned for a child nearby to come over, He picked up the child in his arms and said in so many words, “Are you willing to care for children? Are you willing to do children’s ministry? Are you willing to accept the task of serving them and meeting their needs? Because, “Whoever receives a child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me, but Him who sent me.”

Wow! As I read about that event in Capernaum today, I thought to myself, you know, I’ve gotten involved in some discussions like that! … Swapping stories that end up really being competitive conversations about who is the greatest… trying to impress others with my exploits and accomplishments. But Jesus that day really defined the “bottom line” of true greatness! Am I willing to be “servant of all?” Am I willing to faithfully serve wherever… whenever… and however needed… Even caring for children in the nursery instead of singing in the “worship team” … or something like that… Am I willing to be “servant of all?” Oh, help me Lord to learn the lesson of true greatness!

Apr 18 2016
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Devos

Comfort that helps… Ultimately comes from God… and then others

Comfort

Comfort! Some that is given doesn’t help at all! Empty words! Trite clichés! Sorry (but perhaps sincere) attempts at putting salve on deep emotional wounds… Some of it doesn’t help at all – ask the people who are going through the sorrow, pain and loss.

So what does the Bible have to say about comfort that helps – consolation that matters?

Here’s what Apostle Paul had to say after He had just come through a terrible experience that might labeled “clinical depression.” It was so bad he despaired of life! In fact, he thought he was going to die! (Read 2 Corinthians 1:8-9) Looking back on that experience here is what Paul had to say…

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too… Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. [The experience I went through taught me] to rely, not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” (From 2 Corinthians 1:3-11)

So here are a few observations from that passage about comfort that matters…

First of all, it comes from God! Comfort that matters ultimately comes from “The Father of mercies and God of all comfort”

It also can be facilitated through caring people who have experienced the pain of sorrow and the comfort that God provides! We experience God’s comfort in order to share it (and not always with words – often with our confident, caring, empathetic presence). If you’ve been through the pain of loss, and endured it with God’s help, you need to know that you can be a reassuring, faith-filled presence to someone who is experiencing loss.

There is also another benefit of real comfort – the comfort God gives: As painful as the sorrow is, it helps us learn to rely, not on our own resources, but on the wonderful, supernatural, sustaining resources that God provides.

And finally, comfort that really matters also comes in answer to the prayer support that others provide in times of sorrow.

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