And Œwas declared to be the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 1:3-4

Jesus had always been God and He had always been powerful.  But when He came as a babe, flesh veiled that power.  It wasn’t until the resurrection that the earth was reminded again of the power of the One who had lived for three decades and then died a criminal’s death on a cross. Through the empty tomb, the ‘Son of God in power’ was again on full display.

What we have to remember is this; life in the flesh just veiled His power; it didn’t erase it.  He held it in check, by choice, through His obedience to His Father’s greater plan.  Jesus didn’t come to earth to set up His kingdom; He came to take care of our sin problem.  We needed a Savior first, then a King.

The Jews who were being crushed under the Roman government were so wanting a King to deliver them from their oppressors that they couldn’t appreciate the gift this Savior was giving them. Pain obscures our vision too.  What we often need the most is not what we think we need.  That which crushes our heart today can so fill our field of vision that deliverance from it is all that we pray for.  When God doesn’t cooperate by removing our version of the ‘Roman boot of oppression’, we can easily become disillusioned, just like the people of Jesus’ day.

One day, Jesus will set up His kingdom.  He won’t wear a crown of thorns but a royal crown.  His robe won’t be torn to pieces and sold as souvenirs.  The trail of His robe will fill the temple.  In the meantime, you can trust your Savior and King to give you what you need most, even when your own vision is obscured by your flesh.

When you’re frustrated and your eyes are filled with the tears of misunderstanding, Jesus knows.  He experienced the limitations and temptations of the flesh and knows the difficult path of faith and trust inside these mortal bodies.

You are my Savior and my King.  Amen

The Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor.  The Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.  John 18:28

The chief priests and Pharisees wanted Jesus out of the picture.  He threatened everything their appetites desired.  They could have taken Jesus into an angry mob for him to be stoned but that didn’t serve their purposes.  They didn’t want the scandal of that resting at their front door.  Instead, they would use the justice system of the Roman government for their own gain.

Jesus was delivered to the Praetorium, where Pilate sat in power.  Instead of going in to Pilot to make their case, the Jewish leaders stayed outside so they could go to the Passover.  They didn’t want to defile themselves by publicly participating in the death of the Son of God yet they would defile the Passover?  They had the gall to hide behind a sacred ritual.  They presumed to celebrate all that the Passover meant by plotting to kill the very one whose blood would be applied to the doorposts of humanity.

I look for my own sinful incongruities.  Am I hiding behind what is sacred?  Do I defile the very things I say I believe in by acting in ways that contradict them?  Do I mock the crown Jesus wears with an insubordinate attitude toward His Father?  Do I call Jesus ‘Master’ and then use Christian freedom recklessly?

Jesus put his life on the line to win our freedom.  He faced his accusers.  Across the world today, there are believers facing persecution because they have stood to align with Jesus before their tormentors.  Do I have what it takes to be one of them?

I’m sorry, Jesus, that you stood alone before Pilate.  Amen

“Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, [and] preaching the gospel of the kingdom …”  Matthew 9:35

A good father does not belittle his toddler for not walking like an adult.  When he pulls himself up to the nearest coffee table, is unsteady on his feet, and then begins to take a step or two before tumbling to the floor, he is not shamed.  He is still a baby and nothing more is expected of him.

If I live before others, I am a spiritual teacher, even a parent to those who are new to faith.  Do I cause those who listen to me to feel disrespected?  Am I condescending in my attitude?  Do I make them feel that I have arrived at some higher platform of truth?  Are they given the impression that they are behind me?  If I need to feel superior and then use others to fuel my narcissistic trip, I need to confront my own sinful heart before God.  I will do more harm than good at my podium of life.

As a child, I grew up under the preaching of one who yelled at his congregation.  Everyone was shamed, weekly, even his wife and children.  We were so used to being his whipping post that we did not know that the Gospel failed to take root in our hearts.  It wasn’t until I married, left home, and experienced the hearts of a few true shepherds, that I realized my heart had been closed off for years.  I had instinctively protected myself from the pastor’s angry words, but in so doing, any remnants of truth in his message couldn’t penetrate my spirit.  Traces of spiritual abuse still linger to this day and my soul is sensitive to these kinds of environments.  It doesn’t take much for old feelings to surface.

As one who has been called to teach, I pray that you sense my affection.  I trust that as you read these daily devotionals, your heart is safe to take in the powerful message of Christ.  Pray for me, that I would assert my spiritual authority with respect, with confidence, and with a power that is only of Christ.

Whatever I know of Your truth today, Lord, I know only because of Your grace.  Help me entrust these seeds to others with humility. Amen

Therefore Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?” John 6:67

Few things are more painful than expressing your love only to get no response in return.  The first few times, you are able to forgive quite easily. You believe that, eventually, your love will warm the heart of the other person. But there are those who, even over the long haul, choose not to let anyone in the door. The problem may not be you but them. Their heart is closed and impaired. For some reason in their personal history, they were rendered incapable of extending a connection. If this person is your spouse or your child, the pain is searing.

It’s easy to succumb to the temptation to try harder. You mount a life-long crusade to shower the person with even more love and attention. You believe that more is better. But more is only more threatening. Keep banging on a closed door and you’ll only push the person on the other side to build more layers of protection.

Will that person in your life eventually open up to your love? I can’t say; only God knows. But prayer is the only way to weather the relationship. God usually has us back up, dial back the intensity, and allow Him to do what only He can do to bring them to us.

The purpose of this devotional is not to focus on the one who refuses to be loved. It is to minister to you if you are the one who loves and gets nothing back. Years of unresponsiveness wear on your soul. Where do you find the grace to keep loving? A gracious Father. Where do you find the wisdom to know when to approach and when to take a step back? A wise Father. Where do you find someone who understands what it’s like to care for ungrateful and unresponsive people? From a God who also pursues to see few respond. He gave His own life to prove His love but the majority is unimpressed and even hostile to the rare gift He offers.

If I move toward God with my broken heart, He moves toward me. If I ask for help, He doesn’t turn away, He responds. He is a responsive Father. Declarations of love, and of need, are met with strong emotion. I must never forget that when I’m not wanted here, I’m wanted by the One who made me. Longings for intimacy and returned affection are met in the arms of my Savior.

Your love was not cheap, Lord. It was expensive and I respond with my whole heart. Amen

Jesus’ prayer, just hours before His arrest, are like famous last words.  This is what was on His heart as He prayed for His disciples.  Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.  John 17:17.   He loved His Father, loved the truth, and wanted scripture to live in His friends no matter what circumstances they would experience.

Some days, God’s Word feels like a feast and I treasure it.  Other days, when it convicts, I have to ask God to change my affections so that I can treasure it.

There are days when I’m prone to worry.  Do I delight in His words that address my fear?  There are moments that I’m depressed over my mistakes.  Do I take joy in His words that remind me of His daily mercies?  I’m prone to silently nurse a grudge.  Do I love His words about forgiveness?   I can easily be like a child who loves commandments that are appealing but despises those which tell me something I don’t want to hear.  Jesus loved and honored the Word with His whole heart and with His whole life.  He never struggled to want to love righteousness.

Every single day brings a set of circumstances that challenge my love for God’s ways.  I will not instinctively love His Word when it corrects me or causes me to stretch out of my comfort zone.  When Jesus beckons me to move out of a familiar set of emotions that aren’t good for me, though they are as comfortable as my favorite old shirt and a pair of jeans, I need to understand that the outfit is really a set of grave clothes.  Jesus calls every child to come out of the tomb into resurrection life.  Just like Him.  That sounds inspirational and appealing until I find how resistant I am to the Light.  When it exposes my darkness, I can be offended and never get over it.   With my poor choices, I show that I prefer to live in my tomb.  The ways of the flesh are the ways of death.  I know this, yet they’re just so ingrained in this fallen nature.  I must ask God, many times a day, to change my heart so that I embrace His ways.

As I trust God enough to push through my offense into obedience, I realize that I have found freedom.  Delighting, then, comes easily.

I need Your grace to desire Your Word every single time.   In Jesus name,  Amen

And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” Matt. 13:52

A scribe was more than just someone who took dictation. He held a prestigious position within the Jewish community. An expert in the knowledge of scripture, he wrote it down and delivered it to the people. Jesus’ message here was this ~ A scribe/teacher has the authority and mandate to bring what is old, and what is new, out of his storehouse of knowledge and bring it to the people.

The role of the teacher is a critical one. In high school, my toughest subject was science. I thought I was just bad at understanding the concepts but when I look back, the teacher who taught it was checked out. He didn’t convey that he cared about his subject. He imparted information and I struggled to concentrate. As an adult, I’ve discovered that I like exploring the science of things. Naturally, I’m a curious person and love to learn.

Every teacher is a storyteller who brings life to what is important. Never was Jesus a more passionate teacher then when He gave His life for His enemies.  The concept of love was never the same after that.

Where are the teachers who tremble with the Word of God in their hands? It is the sign of the times to see churches fall away. It is the sign of the times to see men of God lose the fire of their calling. It is the sign of the times to see their people languish for lack of knowledge. It is the sign of the times to see the Bible judged as irrelevant and boring.  When teachers don’t care, students lose their way.

What do I do if I lack a Bible teacher?  Inside my spirit today resides the best teacher who ever lived. He  is passionate to teach and loves to be engaged to pass on what He knows. He unveils the mystery with insight, enthusiasm, and a well-chosen language formed just for my ears.

I will not starve with You inside. Thank you for teaching me and keeping my faith alive. In Jesus’ name, Amen

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ” ^{Luke 4:3-4}

Satan comes at us when we’re compromised emotionally, spiritually, or physically; not when we’re in good form. But not always. The first Adam was tempted in the exquisite Garden of Eden and failed. The last Adam, Jesus, was tempted in a stark wilderness and succeeded. The overriding point of it all, at least to me, is that Satan is strategic in his temptations. He strikes at points of vulnerability. For Adam and Eve, it was pride even though they had everything at their disposal. For Jesus, the temptation was food at a time of intense hunger. While we can be vulnerable in times of plenty, we are always vulnerable in seasons of suffering.

Jesus was in a physically weakened condition. He had been fasting for 40 days. Angels had been ministering to Him. It was at this point that Satan appeared to offer Him a way out of distress. This is Satan’s way. He does not want us to wait on God for His answers but to cave early to counterfeit offers of pain relief. This He did with Jesus. He encouraged Him to use His power to turn stones to bread. The idea, in and of itself, was not evil but the intent was. Later, Jesus would turn water into wine and multiply fish in a boy’s lunch but Satan’s intention was for Jesus to misuse His power outside of God’s perfect will.

Jesus’ answer was so short but it was powerful enough to silence His enemy. Just six words. But one piece of scripture, divinely chosen and delivered at just the right time, did what thousands of hours of arguing with the enemy could never accomplish.

People often wish that a seasoned Bible teacher would take on an unbeliever in an argument. We relish the thought of a debate being won and unbelievers being swayed to believe the gospel. It rarely happens this way. Arguments don’t open blind eyes. The Holy Spirit does. And what has the power to cut through deception and silence the voice of the enemy? Scripture.

I don’t know what your temptation is today. I do know that it has been cleverly customized by your enemy to hit you in your most vulnerable place. He intends to target you where you have the biggest chance of failing. How can you stand? Know that you are loved by God. Because you’re loved, pray and ask for help. Ask Him for a divinely chosen word of scripture that you can read out loud. Bind yourself to Jesus. Be full of the Spirit. A few short words that God crafted, not written by human hands, will be what makes the difference.

Mighty is your Word and mighty is Your Spirit in me. Amen

“So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

I’ve talked with a handful of people who have had Jesus appear to them personally. When they told their stories, the room got quiet and people’s interest level peaked. One of the first questions was always, “Did He say anything?” People, including me, can be so interested in what Jesus said to an acquaintance but less interested in everything He said in the Gospels to me. How many times have I read, “And Jesus said. . .” and passed over it like it was yesterday’s news. How casual I can be as I stroll by Deity.

Jesus’ words have a cataclysmic effect. A few words once changed Earth from a lifeless planet to a stunning wonder-world. His Word has always gone forth like an arrow to hit its target with precision and power. His Word can halt the power of Hell. His Word can turn a raging sea into a sea of glass. His Word has brought more than one dead man out of a grave. His Word is the final word on everything and when He speaks, He trumps all other authority.

On a personal level, His Word changes my personality. His Word kills my desire to sin, reveals the mind of God to me, and rewires the way I think. His Word changes my heart so that it resembles His own heart.

Every year on January 1^st, I should start over. I should preoccupy myself with every quote of Jesus all over again. Jesus Christ was so sure of His Words. He never spoke anything that wasn’t intended to have a supernatural effect. Since that is true, I need to ask myself…. “Has every word He has spoken had a supernatural effect on me?” If not, I’m missing the very reason I was born. God has preserved me for yet another day so that His Word can thrive in my soul, change something, and send me out speaking that same Word to change the world.

Electrify me so that I react to the wonder of Your voice. Amen

Save

I forgave you all that debt because you appealed to me. Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ His master was furious and handed him over to the guard responsible for punishing prisoners, until he had paid the whole debt. Matthew 18:33-34

One day, God allows me to stand on the precipice of heaven. I see the incredible landscapes, but more than anything, I see the King of Glory in all of His radiant beauty. I cannot look at him for I am unclean in His presence. I cry out above the din of the angelic worshippers. “Lord, my sin! I want to be with You but I am a condemned woman and have no access to Your kingdom.”

“What if I forgave everything you’ve ever done against me?” He asked.

“Would You really wipe away all my offenses?” The thought is too outrageous. Knowing how great the chasm between Him and me, I am hopeless that such forgiveness would exist. Yet, I ask again out of desperation. “If that is possible, please do it. I repent. Please forgive me.”

Jesus comes close and whispers, “I will forgive Your sins and erase Your offenses. I declare You holy, Christine. One day soon, You will come and live with me here. It’s a sure thing.” Overwhelmed by His mercy, I return to my life.

Sometime later, someone close sells me out without a thought. The wound is unexpected, extremely personal, and sends me into a chasm of pain. The betrayal was senseless and no matter how hard I try to figure out the evil done against me, I can’t. I hear the King of Glory whisper in my ear. “Forgive them, as I forgave you. Remember the vastness of your offenses against me.”

But I don’t connect with the memory as I should. My anger is too stirred up against my nemesis and I feel the need for swift justice. “I know! I’ll withhold forgiveness and turn my back to them.” I say to myself. “I will decide when they’re really sorry. Until then, I will make them pay.”

The degree of someone else’s sin against me, no matter how heinous, is nothing like the degree of my sin against God. The key to being willing to forgive others outrageously, just like Jesus forgave me, is to stay in touch with my own fate without my King’s mercy. Jesus said it this way, “He who has been forgiven little loves little. But he who has been forgiven much, loves much.”

Oh King of Glory, My King of glory, show me again what I would be without Your salvation. In Jesus’ name, Amen