Another Helper

Another Helper

Let’s face it. We need all the help we can get in life. Each day throws new challenges at us, and often we don’t have the tools or experience to deal with them. Jesus tells us that He has given us another helper who is with us, the Holy Spirit. He is there to guide us through the challenges that we encounter. Are you tapped into the Spirit?

‭‭John‬ ‭14:16-17

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”

Chapter 13-17 of the Gospel of John is Jesus having the last supper with the disciples. He imparts many things to them He wants them to know before His crucifixion. As He was preparing His disciples for His departure, He tells them that He will send another helper, the Holy Spirit, to be with them forever. This Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead we call the Trinity. He is fully God like God the Father and Jesus the Son. He is given to us when we put our faith in Jesus as our savior, and He dwells in us forever.

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One Way

One Way

One way streets can benefit old cities where there is not enough room for a street where cars can go both ways. It can also be limiting for those trying to get across town in a short amount of time. Jesus made it clear that there is only one way to heaven, through Him. That’s a problem for some people.

‭‭John‬ ‭14:6

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Jesus has just told the disciples that His Father’s house is a mansion and that He is going there to prepare a place for them. He is going to leave for a while but will return for them. Doubting Thomas asked Jesus how they would know the way, to which Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” The road map is a person, not a path. Jesus was very clear that if you wanted to spend eternity with God, His Father, you would have to put your faith in HIm.

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Reality Check

Reality Check

It usually takes someone bigger or better than you to give you a reality check. By that, I mean to put you in your place and show you that you aren’t as good as you think you are. This happens in sports all of the time but stretches across all facets of life. God gave Job a reality check after all the trials Job went through, and He won’t hesitate to do it to you as well.

‭‭Job‬ ‭38:4‬ ‭

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,”

Sometimes we need a reality check. We can get too big for our britches and think we are more important than we really are. Job never had this problem, but God reminded him that He laid the earth’s foundation and Job wasn’t there when it happened. Because that is the case, you don’t know what is happening. God knows what he intended to, and no one else is privy to that information. He is telling everyone to remember that.

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A Fresh Twist

A Fresh Twist

You ever seen a movie that was a remake of a classic? How about one of your favorite singers covering a well-known song? Each of those brings a fresh twist on something well known. When Jesus speaks to his disciples, he puts a fresh twist on a well-known commandment. You’ve heard of loving your neighbor as yourself, and now Jesus tells his followers to love each other as He has loved them.

‭‭John‬ ‭13:34-35

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””

When Jesus says a new commandment, He isn’t talking about a new revelation but instead a fresh take on something that has been around. Loving one wasn’t new. Jesus had summarized the last six commandments by saying, “love your neighbor as yourself.” Now he was telling his followers to love each other as He loved them. Charles Spurgeon summarizes it perfectly, “We are to love our neighbor as ourselves, but we are to love our fellow-Christians as Christ loved us, and that is far more than we love ourselves.” You are to love those in the church more than you love yourself.

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Following the Lord’s Leading

Following the Lord’s Leading

This post is the one-thousandth devotional that I have written on the Daily Walk Devotion. It’s an important milestone for me because it represents following the Lord’s leading to publish what I was reading and journaling during my devotion time. Nothing has changed over the last four years of doing this. The Scriptures I use come from my time in the Word of God that He is speaking to me that day. God has used this in many people’s lives, and it blows me away. Thank you for being part of the Daily Walk Devotion.

‭‭Jude‬ ‭1:20-21

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.”

I can’t think of better words that summarize what this ministry is all about; build yourselves up in faith, pray in the Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, and wait for the mercy of Jesus’ return. That is discipleship right there. You are a sojourner on a journey towards heaven, and you need to strengthen your faith and draw closer to the Lord. Growing in your faith means increasing your knowledge of God’s Word and trusting Him in everything. That is what devotion entails and what will sustain you on your journey.

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Be Careful What You Sow

Be Careful What You Sow

The wind is something that has both beneficial and destructive principles. Most of the time, the wind pushes along nature’s cycle that allows for plants to be pollinated and weather systems to move. On occasion, its speeds can form a hurricane or tornado that leave destruction in its path. Hosea uses this as a metaphor when he explains to Israel the impending judgment. It shows you need to be careful what you sow.

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭8:7‬

“For they sow the wind And they reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; It yields no grain. Should it yield, strangers would swallow it up.”

This is a harsh judgment that is being brought against Israel. Hosea uses the principle of reaping and sowing to point out their folly. They have sown the wind, and they reaped the whirlwind. Obviously, you can’t sow the wind, but Hosea uses it to illustrate why they are in the midst of the storm. They have brought this on themselves. Next, he describes how Israel sowed wheat, but there was no grain when it came up. They were useless plants, and if some did produce grain, it was stolen by strangers. This paints a haunting picture of how bad it is for Israel.

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Whose Approval Are You Seeking?

Whose Approval Are You Seeking?

One thing that the pandemic has impacted is professional sports. Most leagues have restarted without fans in the stands. Some are pumping in fake crowd applause, but it has been hard to watch as someone who is a lifelong sports fan. The applause of the fans brings so much to the game, and at times it appears that the athletes are going through the motions. One of the dangers that Christians face is living for the approval of man instead of God. Who’s approval are you seeking?

‭‭John‬ ‭12:43

“for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.”

A large group of Pharisees believed in Jesus while he walked on the earth, but they didn’t voice it out of fear of getting kicked out of the synagogue but at the heart of it was that they loved the approval of man more than God. After Jesus ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost, many of these Pharisees became part of the church. There is a danger when we are more interested in what others will say than what God has already said.

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Avoid the Darkness

Avoid the Darkness

Light and darkness are common ways that Hollywood symbolizes good and evil. The good guy wears white while the bad guy wears black. The criminal is always sitting in dark places until the police officer comes in and shines a light on the situation. It is something all of us understand. Jesus tells us to avoid the darkness and walk in the Light.

‭‭John‬ ‭12:35‬

So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.”

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote on a similar topic out of 1 John. The principle of light and darkness were important ones for both Jesus and John. Jesus declared in John 8:12 that He was the Light of the World. Here in chapter twelve, He tells them that “for a little while longer the Light is among you.” He refers to His time before His death and that the disciples needed to walk in that light while they had it. Judas didn’t pay attention, but the others did. Straying away from the light allows the darkness to overtake you.

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Seasons of Growth

Seasons of Growth

The seasons are starting to change. In my area, winter is starting to give way to spring. The days are getting longer, and the temperatures are starting to warm up. With the rains, the hills all around are turning green, and life is sprouting up everywhere. Most everyone loves the new life that comes with spring. Just like the seasons of nature, Christians go through seasons of growth as well. It’s when those seeds of God’s Word, which were planted in your heart, shoot forth and begin to grow.

‭‭John‬ ‭12:24‬

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

A grain of wheat is a seed. Unless that grain is planted, it will never produce wheat. The process by which that happens is that the kernel of wheat dies and gives life to a stalk of wheat, which has multiple wheat kernels that can either be processed into flour or replanted to produce more wheat. Jesus uses this metaphor to let His followers know that He must die so that people could be made right with God. If He didn’t die, then he would’ve been known as a good teacher, and people would die in their sins.

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Walk in the Truth

Walk in the Truth

There is a humorous belief in the United States that men never ask for directions. This may be true where you live also but it has risen to epic proportions here. Men will drive around lost for hours instead of humbling themselves and asking someone who knows how to get there. The same can be said for a lot of Christians who are trying to live for Jesus without consulting His Word for direction. John tells us to walk in the truth.

‭‭3 John‬ ‭1:4

“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”

At the end of his life the Apostle John was simple and direct to the church. He emphasized loving one another and living by the truth of God’s Word. That falls in line with what Jesus said were the two greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God” and “Love your neighbor.” It is as simple as it sounds. We can make it more complicated or seek for something much deeper but in the end it really is about loving God, which happens by us being obedient to His Word, and loving others.

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Full of Life

Full of Life

Finding someone full of life is getting to be a challenge. It seems the stress of the world is weighing everyone down. Everyone is being tossed back and forth by the waves of events that have gripped our world. Jesus never intended for us to live lives of apprehension. He desires that we are full of life and growing closer to Him.

‭‭John‬ ‭11:25

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,”

When Lazarus died, Jesus was questioned for why he lingered so long before coming to heal him. Lazarus died during that time, and Martha came up to Jesus and said, “If you would’ve been here, Lazarus would not have died.” Jesus replied, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection.” This is when Jesus tells her “I am the resurrection and the life.” This was a critical dialogue between Martha and Jesus. It showed Jesus had power over death and that life could be found in Him.

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Can’t Touch This

Can’t Touch This

One of the songs on my youth is MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This.” It’s all about how Hammer is untouchable because he is so good. That didn’t work out too well for him but Jesus also told His disciples something similar when they told Him about a mob that wanted to attack Him. Nothing was going to happen to them until the right time because He was with them.

‭‭John‬ ‭11:8-10

The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

There were twelve hours the Jews considered to be the day. Those hours started at 6 am and ended at 6 pm. The other twelve hours were considered night time. Everything was supposed to happen during the day, when it was light. Anything that happened at night was considered suspect. There was a lynch mob that wanted to take Jesus out and the disciples were concerned. Jesus reassures them that they aren’t going to attack him until it’s the right time because the people would turn on them.

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Discern the Times

Discern the Times

These are crazy times. There is not a week where I don’t encounter something completely insane. People are acting strange, and many of them are professing Christians. How do you navigate what is true and false? John tells us to discern the times. False prophets who deny Jesus will come on the scene and try to lead many astray.

‭‭2 John‬ ‭1:7

“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

There are a lot of people and belief systems that deny Jesus came in person or that he was resurrected from the dead. They will throw lots of theories out there that might make you question your faith. Remember that Jesus warned us about these people, and so did John. They will tell lies to draw people away from the faith and to follow them. Their talk is slick and persuasive, and for those who don’t think quickly on their feet, it would be easy to get confused. Stay faithful and watch as Jesus makes Himself known to you.

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Licking Your Wounds

Licking Your Wounds

Our one-year old Labrador Retriever loves to lick everybody. If you have some leftover food on your hands, she will lick it off. If you fell and scratched your knee, she will come and lick your wound. I’m not a fan of dog slobber, but you can’t deny her love. Making bad choices can lead to some internal wounds. Instead of sitting around licking your wounds, go to Jesus and let Him heal you.

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭6:1‬

“Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.”

Israel was pretty abused and beat up after it’s idolatrous relationships with other nations. God likened them to a mistreated prostitute that had been cast aside. I know that sounds harsh and uncaring, but God was describing Israel’s idolatry. They had sold themselves like harlots to other nations, and this was the result. God had tried to prevent them from doing it and was there to receive them back. Sometimes you can’t do anything to prevent someone from making bad choices. Fortunately, they saw the errors of their ways and decided the best thing to do was return to the Lord.

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No Need to Blame

No Need to Blame

Every human’s nature is to find blame for something that we think has gone wrong. If we get into a car accident, our insurance demands that we assess the blame. If someone is in prison, we want to find why they ended up there, so we will blame upbringing. The same can be said about Jesus’ death on the cross. Who was to blame? There is no need to blame anyone. Jesus willingly went to the cross.

‭‭John‬ ‭10:18‬

“No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

You will find people arguing over who killed Jesus. Some will say that the Jews killed Jesus, and others will claim that the Romans did. The truth is that no one killed Jesus. He laid down his life on his initiative. No one else had the authority to take His life. He was commanded by His Father to come and live as a man and to appease the wrath of God by being the substitute sacrifice for our sins. This vital piece of theology called “substitutionary atonement” is essential to the Christian faith. You can’t do anything to save yourself. You need Christ to take your place.

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Overcoming Fear

Overcoming Fear

There are a lot of people today who are gripped with fear. The list of things that causes fear is long. How do you handle the emotions and continue to function when you are afraid to go outside your house? The Apostle John gives you the key to overcoming fear. The one who has overcome the world resides inside of you.

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:4

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

The Apostle John’s favorite term for Christians was “little children.” It was his affectionate way of encouraging them to follow Jesus. He also knew that young believers were easily scared when attacks from the enemy came, so he reminds them that they are from God and have overcome the world because Jesus is in them. You may not realize this, but that which is in you is greater than anything this world can throw at you.

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Walk Closer to the Light

Walk Closer to the Light

For the last several months, I have been mountain biking with my youngest son. A couple of times a week, we head to the nearby hills and bike for about an hour. It has bonded us together and shown me how out of shape I am. One time we went night riding. It was pitch dark except for the light strapped to our handlebars. While it was exhilarating, I prefer to ride in the daylight. As Christians, there is a temptation to walk in darkness. We need to walk closer to the light.

‭‭John‬ ‭8:12

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

The theme of light versus darkness is prevalent throughout scripture. Jesus highlights it several times in the Gospels. It is a good illustration of good versus evil and right versus wrong. Sin and death lurk in the darkness while life is found in the light. The only way that we can walk in the light is to follow Jesus. You cannot manufacture your light, nor can you bring yourself out of the darkness. Jesus is the light of the world.

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Transformed Into a Beautiful Life

Transformed Into a Beautiful Life

When a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, they go through a complete metamorphosis. That is a good picture of what happens to a follower of Jesus. They are transformed into a beautiful life. Part of that new life is that they are filled with the love of Jesus. The Apostle John tells us that we know we have crossed over when we show love to others.

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:14

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.”

The Apostle John was really big on the church showing its faith instead of just talking about it. When the Christians show their love for each other, they can be assured that they have passed from death into life. The love in our hearts for the people of the church has been placed there by Jesus Christ when we received the gift of salvation. Salvation removes the price tag of death on us due to our sin being forgiven. If there is evidence of love, then we know that we have passed over.

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Don’t Let Your Guard Down

Don’t Let Your Guard Down

In the sport of boxing, it is just as essential to guard yourself against your opponent’s punches as it is to punch them. Every good coach will tell you, “Don’t let your guard down.” The minute you drop your gloves opens your face to being hit. Christians have to be just as vigilant in keeping their guard up when it comes to temptation. As soon as you let your guard down, Satan will pound you with opportunities to sin.

‭‭Job‬ ‭31:1

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?”

Job wrote this at the end of his trials. Notice his resolve. With all that he has lost and endured, he didn’t let his guard down. He is not giving himself any room to sin even though he has been through so much. I’ve seen this happen a thousand times. Someone goes through a trying period in their life, and they remain faithful to God and persevere but then as it gets towards the end, and things start to look up, they let their guard down and give in to a moment of self-indulgence. Job resolves that he won’t give in to the temptation to look at another woman.

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Doing the Will of God

Doing the Will of God

One of the stated goals I hear over and over as a pastor is “I just want to be happy.” When I delve deeper into what that means for the person, I start to realize it’s a moving target that they will never hit because once they get close to it, they start to want something else. Yet, people endlessly pursue it because they are so unhappy with their life. Jesus tells us that doing the will of God should be our aim, and it will bring what our heart needs.

‭‭John‬ ‭6:40

“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

God’s will is that everyone believes in His Son and is resurrected to eternal life when He returns. That’s pretty profound. We make it a lot more complicated than it really is. Believe in Jesus and live by faith each day and let God take care of the rest. If we worried less about the details and focused more on the big picture, a lot of the stress and worry would go away.

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