Mid Week Deaf Devotion 5/11/2010

“Jesus said unto them, "Come and dine." And none of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who art Thou?" knowing that it was the Lord.” (John 21:12 NKJV)

Is Satan whispering that God is not for us in our daily battles? Is he whispering lies that God is going to erase our name from the Book of Life for something we’ve done, yet repented over?

Satan never had it so wrong! And Jesus never had it so right!

Salvation in Christ is not a funeral, but a feast! It is not an ending, but a beginning.

The Bible is a continual feast from Genesis right through to Revelation. Covenant meals and meals of fellowship are frequent occurrences in Scripture. Our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, has given many examples of His open invitation to be replenished and restored, to remember, and to rejoice at His table.

Spend just a few moments to think about the setting of today’s verse. God has become flesh and dwelt among His creation. He has temporarily laid aside the glory of heaven to become human like us, and become totally dependent upon and obedient to the Father, in all things.

He taught His apostles and the people of Galilee, Judea and other regions, even across the Jordan, about the Kingdom of God. He has performed miracles. There were healings, driving out demons, and demonstrations of authority over time and nature. He had caught the religious leaders in their own hypocrisy. He confronted every one of their challenges and came out on top in every case. In humility and obedience He went to Calvary’s cross, poured out His blood and died to pay the penalty for our sin, and He did it for all. Now He has risen from the tomb where He defeated death and the grave, and one by one, two by two, appeared to those who have loved Him. He gave them promise that not many days later they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So now what do we expect from this Man Jesus Christ? This One who is declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead? I mean, how can anyone do more than that?

Now here we are at John chapter 21. Peter (the coward), Thomas (the doubter), Nathaniel, and the two boys who had thought they could drink the cup with Him, James and John; and two unnamed disciples, have gone back to their fishing.

And the risen, glorified, Lord of the universe, appears on the shore to cook them breakfast.

Doesn’t that just say it all? Whatever is our concept of God; however we tend to respond to Him, hold it up to the light of what we see happening in the verse. Let this picture shape our thinking of Jesus Christ, Lord, Savior, Messiah. He cooked them breakfast!

Have we sinned? Have we missed the mark in our obedience to God’s plan? Does our past come back to haunt us? Are we confused with the pains of guilt, rejection, failure and personal shame? Do Satan’s lies leave us beaten, abused, weak and tired? Have we lost our focus and are we left longing and lonely?

Look toward the shore.

The Lion of the tribe of Judah; the One who went down into death and conquered it; the One whose voice the wind and the waves still obey; the glorious, risen, Lord of all wants to serve us breakfast. He’ll feed and strengthen us, assure us, accept us, and give us focus and a purpose. Jesus goes one step further by then promising to be with us forever. He died to pay the price for our sin. He rose to give us life.

Don’t look down. Don’t look back. Look up Jesus is coming back. Don’t look down. Don’t look back. Look at the shore. Bread and fish are on the fire being prepared by a nail-scarred hand.

The Disciples knew it was Him. This time they knew for sure.

Some are so caught up in other stuff in life and expect Jesus just to keep waiting on them. They wonder why others are getting blessed while they are still struggling. It’s because those who know Jesus are swimming toward Him and the others are afraid to get their feet wet.

Knowing Jesus means we can’t wait to get to Him. Knowing Jesus means we will forget what we used to do. Knowing Jesus means leaving behind our old life. Knowing Jesus means we love Him more than anything.

Satan wants us to think we are failures and unlovable. The Master of the universe is making a meal for us. What more can He do? Nothing. His Grace is sufficient for all we need.

Deaf Devotion 5/8/2010

“Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor.” (Matthew 20:20 NLT)

Mothers are teachers. Mothers give out correction. Mothers are cleaning ladies. Some mothers are gardeners and some will mow the lawn. And most mothers understand that baking cookies is more important than washing windows, too.

Mothers are nurses, doctors, psychologists, counselors, drivers, and coaches. Mothers are developers of personalities, molders of vocabularies, and shapers of attitudes. Mothers are soft voices saying, "I love you." And mothers are a link to God, a child’s first impression of God’s love.

Mothers are all of these things & much, much more.

We might very well criticize the mother of James and John for her pride. But since this is Mother’s Day weekend, maybe we ought to think for a few moments concerning some positive things. We need also to recognize that when she came to Jesus, while Jesus did not grant her request, neither did he deny it. He simply reminded her of the cost of being seated on the right or left and then told her that only God decides who will be seated there.

Now, what are some of the good things about James and John’s mother? First of all, she came to the Lord, praying that her sons might be a part of His Kingdom. This really is the most important task of motherhood. That is to seek to make sure that children are a part of the Kingdom of God.

Many mothers pray. We would hope that most mothers pray. Sometimes they pray out of need. Sometimes they pray because motherhood is not easy, but extremely difficult.

Being a parent is not easy. Sometimes it is filled with joy and sometimes with sadness. Sometimes children make a mom so proud she can’t stop talking about her children. At other times she can’t find enough Kleenex to dry her tears.

What good is it if our children are successful in making money, driving fine automobiles, and living in good neighborhoods, but they don’t know God? What does it matter if they gain the whole world, but lose their souls?

Secondly, not only did their mother pray that her children would be a part of Jesus’ kingdom, but she prayed that they would be actively involved in the work of His kingdom.

Maybe it is not enough just to be saved. Churches are full of people content just to fill a pew on Sunday mornings. There are plenty of people willing to sit back & receive the blessings, but seldom do they get involved in doing any of the real work of the church.

But where does the spirit of service begin? It begins at home, with mothers & fathers setting the example & praying that their sons and daughters might be involved in the work of the kingdom as teachers and leaders. That they might be the ones going out into the world, finding the lost, and to seeing that the church continues on until Jesus comes again.

Thirdly, Mom had had big expectations for her two sons. She didn’t just pray. She didn’t just pray that her boys would be involved in the work of the Kingdom. She also wanted them on the right hand and left hand of Jesus.

When working in a kingdom, there are no higher positions than those on the right and left of the King himself. That’s what she wanted for her sons.

We may consider this mother to be thoughtless and rude think only about this for her own children. But we also want to admire her boldness. Too often we have settled for something less than the best in the church. For too long we have been content with just barely making it through the door. For too long we have been content to sit back and let things happen.

It is time for some of us to take our positions of leadership molding and fashioning the outreach of the church, encouraging others to make sure the message of Christ goes into the entire world.

It is time to strive for excellence and to reach for the very best there is. There is nothing better than Jesus Christ.

That is why Mother’s Day is always very special. It is because we recognize that a mother’s love is probably the closest example we have to God’s love. It is a love that goes through the valley of the shadow of death to bring life into being. It is a love that sacrifices itself over and over again and would even dare to lay down its life.

Mothers, God Bless You. This is your day. If you have felt that you have had to walk through that valley alone so many times, that you will recognize that there is a hand reaching out to you, saying, "There is nothing to be afraid of. I’ll go with you." You will recognize that that one has already gone through the valley of the shadow for you, and made it possible for you to live forever.

God extends His loving invitation in much the same way that a mother opens the doors of home and invites her children to come back again. God invites all His kids to come home by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. But sometimes we need to humble ourselves, bow before Jesus and ask a favor.

Mid Week Deaf Devotion 5/4/2010

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT)

Look up the word "comfort" in a dictionary or some other reference and one will find a definition like this: "Something that promotes a state of ease or provides freedom from pain and anxiety."

But God's Word has a different solution when comfort is needed. Comfort is found in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In Greek, He is called “parakletos,” which means "he who stands at one's side; he who comes to one's aid." Believers don't have to seek outward answers or trends to ease their mind, because help is available within.

Even before the Spirit was sent to live in the hearts of believers, The Bible identifies God as the one who comforts His people. The Lord personally provides comfort and reassurance because no one knows our hurts the way He does.

God lets us pass through hardship to make us stronger believers, wiser servants, and more humble people. But He stays right by our side through the entire experience, holding us up and limiting the force and extent of our trial. The Holy Spirit's reassuring whisper to our heart gives more comfort than the support of family or the encouragement of friends.

People who fail to understand that the true source of comfort is God try to find their own escape from their pain. They seek out pleasures, material wealth, or drugs and alcohol to soothe their heart. Only God can offer lasting relief from the crushing pressure of heartache. He even brings joy into periods of mourning.

So, one of the things that Paul teaches us here in his letter to the Corinthians is that pain, whether it be physical pain, or any kind of emotional pain, should drive us to trust God for help. This is because He’s the Father of compassion, and the God of all comfort. And He’s the God of all comfort because He’s been there. He’s done that. He’s experienced more than you and I will ever experience.

He’s known sorrow. He’s seen the pain of losing a loved one. He’s suffered physical pain. These experiences are what make Him able to comfort us as no one else can.

Anyone know the shortest verse in the Bible?

John 11:35: “Jesus wept.”

Why is this verse important?

This verse is important because it reveals the depth of His compassion for us.

The source of all comfort (note the word ALL) is God Himself. However, Paul also reminds us that, spiritual gifts are not intended solely for the recipients’ benefit, but are to be used in turn for the service of others.

1 Peter 4:10 says that each one should use whatever gift he or she has received to serve others, faithfully being stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

God’s grace also includes this comfort, received from Him, which enables us to comfort others. We can channel that comfort through prayer, we can channel that comfort through practical service, but God uses us – you and me, to provide comfort, to be the tools of His compassion, to a hurting world.

That’s who we come to today, and every day, to draw on the comfort of the one who comes alongside us. Here and now, God is with us. Isaiah 41:10 says: “So do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

God’s grace and comfort is sufficient. That’s all we need.

Deaf Devotion 5/1/2010

“Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.” (Acts 9:35 NLT)

What had these people witnessed caused them to immediately believe? They had seen how one person, when they focus on the power of God, can have a miracle. The person is Peter and he had just healed Aenas who could not walk. Peter’s simple act in the name of Jesus Christ changed and entire community. It changed more cities than we know! People in the next city had heard of Peter and called him there for another miracle. The Name of Jesus was spreading quickly.

Can an entire community be transformed for Jesus Christ? The book of Acts reveals that at least one city was.

What does God want us to do to change communities to have faith in His Son Jesus Christ? What are we willing to do?

There are four key ingredients required to see a city transformed. These include prayer, humility, unity, and knowledge of God's ways.

Prayer
In every community in which change needs to happen, believers come together to pray specifically for their community. Prayer changes the spiritual focus. Some of the main areas of influence that must be the focus of our prayers includes churches and businesses; the legal, political, educational and medical fields; and the media/entertainment industry. All believers must be in prayer for the lost souls of their city. All believers should pray for the opportunity to share the Gospel in their community.

Humility
God uses men and women who recognize that they need each other and who do not seek glory for their work. "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way" (Psalm 25:9). God’s servant-leaders only will give glory to God.

Unity
Jesus said, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (John 17:23). God calls each of us individually and as a member of a larger community to represent Christ to the world. But what happens is that we become rebellious. Our independence, pride and egos often prevent us from becoming unified in the purposes of Christ. It is not about us. It is all about the free grace offered by God and for the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross once and for all.

Knowledge of God's Ways
Sometimes leaders can move in what they think is best instead of in faith that God knows what is best. Such was the case of David, who wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the city of Jerusalem. He was zealous for God and celebrated as he brought the Ark into the city. However, the ark was being carried into the city on a cart instead of by priests on poles, as God required. When a man named Uzzah reached out to catch the Ark when the oxen stumbled, he was immediately struck dead by God. David was devastated. He lacked knowledge of God's ways.

Do we want to see our communities changed? There is power in the Name.

The results of Peter using the powerful name of Jesus caused not one but two entire cities to turn to Jesus. Often we praise God when three or four people accept Jesus for salvation. But why stop at three or four people? What about a community, a state, a nation? But in the Book of Acts we find two communities turning from their old ways and discovering a life in Christ. There is power in the Name.

This is what can happen when we take ourselves out of the equation and allow the Lord to have His way. I know we were taught in Philippians 4:13 that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, but sometime we need to call on the marvelous name of Jesus Christ alone. There is power in the Name.

We sometimes call on His name with doubting and wondering if it is in His will to do what we ask. But when we put our focus wholly on Jesus and take the human factor out of it, wonderful things happen.

If God’s people ever got serious about praying, communities and lives can be changed. There is power in the Name.

When Peter was traveling, he was not on a day trip to Key West. He went with a purpose. He wanted people to know the power that comes in the name of Jesus Christ. So because Peter put Jesus’ name first and foremost and left himself out of the picture, the results were amazing. Two communities turned to the Lord.

There is awesome power in the name of Jesus.

Mid Week Deaf Devotion 4/27/2010

“I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of your great wisdom! It is far beyond what I was told.” (2 Chronicles 9:6 NLT)

Because God has no limits in anything or in any way, we do not always understand just what God can do. We underestimate Him. When we stop to think, it is something which we cannot avoid doing. No matter what we just cannot have a handle on how big God really is. God cannot be put in a box. The Lord has no boundaries or barriers, no limits or restrictions. He is endless in direction and duration, in space and time. His vast qualities are like bottomless oceans without shores. Our human minds cannot understand the depths of His presence, majesty, power, glory, and grace. There's no ceiling to His love, anger, wealth, and intelligence. Our minds are surprised with what God does, and we can no more fit Him into our thoughts than we could fit the water from every ocean into a thimble.

There is no way for us to comprehend just how big God is in His limitless self. So it would seem logical to say that because we can never understand just how big God is, we always think God can do less than He is really able to do.

Nothing is a surprise to God, because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He sees the past, the present, and the future in one glance. Whatever our thoughts are about the return of Christ and our eternal home with Him, the reality will be even better.

The verse from 2 Chronicles is the Queen of Sheba’s response when she first saw Solomon’s wealth. She had no idea something like that even existed. What she saw was earthly wealth given by God. But Solomon took the credit.

Lives are changed with the Gospel. Who gets the credit? Does the person accepting salvation get the credit? No, God gets the credit. Can you imagine what God has in store for believers? We'll say with the Queen of Sheba that the half was not told. We have no idea what waits for us in heaven.

“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NLT)

But, Satan has deceived people into believing that Heaven is a boring place. It is one long Church service, where ghostly spirits with sad faces float around playing the harp!

But Heaven is a place full of God’s glory and full of the glory of everything that is God. It is a place where the atmosphere is full of glory and as we breathe in all of God’s glorious presence all of our senses are filled with His glory. When we catch a glimpse of heaven, we see things in an eternal point of view.

When Satan was forcibly removed from heaven, he became bitter against God, and against man, and against heaven. He is no longer welcome there. He became God’s enemy. Believers remind Satan of the time that he used to be not only in heaven but in the very throne room of almighty God. Satan wants to destroy everything connected to God. That would include you, me, and our promise of heaven.

So when God’s people start to seek God’s eternal point of view, and God’s view of heaven, let’s just say Satan gets upset. That is putting it mildly. He can’t stand it. He knows that the moment someone sees heaven and tastes its atmosphere, he has lost souls, because that person will be transformed by glory. This is the key reason people oppose the move of glory. The opposition is not inspired out of heaven but out of Satan’s mind.

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2 NLT)

Focus on the things of heaven and not the things of earth. What waits for us in heaven? God knows. We can only imagine.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20 NLT)

Deaf Devotion 4/24/2010

“Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.” (Matthew 21:21 NLT)

Some of us come to church week after week, and we feel like we have been in the sights of the devil’s big guns. It’s like all of the powers of hell have been unleashed with one thing in mind, to take us down.

We question ourselves and those around us, “What’s the point?” “Nothing I will do can ever make a difference.”

Guess what. God says if we have faith and do not doubt we can do anything. Jesus gave the Disciples the authority to heal and cast out demons. They faced a mountain of doubt. But the first time they did it, that mountain of doubt moved out of the way.

Mountains come in many forms in our lives and it seems that there isn’t a day that goes by when a new mountain appears in our path. It can be a mountain of doubt, fear, or even overwhelming worry. The only thing we can see is this mountain. We cannot see over it and we cannot see around it. We know we must either go around or go over. We can even try to tunnel our way through. All we know is that we need to get to the other side.

All of life is a struggle. We can thank God for the good days. Those are the days when everything runs smoothly, nothing breaks down, there’s no arguing going on in the family, the church is doing well, the weather is fine, and we feel like we are sitting on top of the world.

But those good days seem to be so few and it doesn’t take long until the world seems to be sitting on top of us. How many of us can say AMEN to that!

Job was certainly inspired by the Holy Spirit when he penned the words, "a man’s life is of few days, and full of trouble." (Job 14:1)

There are some people that can be called “true Christians” who seem to have a dead spirit. They can’t worship the Lord in freedom. They don’t sing the songs of praise along with the rest of the church. They don’t testify when the opportunities come. Is it because they are possessed or oppressed by the devil, or is it just that they can’t get past the mountain that stands in their path?

There are some who just let the devil lead them around by the nose, taking them anywhere he wants to go. Then they allow the devil to tear away their love for the church, their love for other Christians and their love for God, while he gives them a love for the things of this world and not a love for God and His ways.

Finally, one day those Christians will wake up, by the mercies of God, and realize where they are. Then they will begin to weep for their situations. They will sit there, with that mountain of faults and failures blocking their path back to God. And there they will stay for a while, just whining and complaining that life just isn’t fair.

Well, whoever said that life was going to be fair in the first place?

It’s time to wake up. Time is passing.
It’s time to look up. Jesus is coming.
It’s time to sober up. Satan is working.
It’s time to pray up. Mountains need moving.

That’s the answer to moving our mountain! That’s what we must do if you want to see that mountain moved. We must bring the mountain to Jesus!

“Jesus, here is my mountain. I’ve tried to overcome it, but I can’t! I’ve tried to climb over it but it’s too steep and too high. I’ve tried to tunnel through it but it’s just too hard. I’ve tried to push it out of my life, but it’s just too heavy. I’ve tried to carry it away but I can’t carry enough of it to make a difference. I’ve tried the best I know how, but the mountain is still there.”

The answer lies in the story of the man with the demon-possessed child. “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24 NLT)

It’s not us and our faith in what we can do that moves the mountain. It’s faith in Jesus, to believe that He can and will move the mountain.

Is there a mountain that seems too big? Is there a need that needs to be met right now? Jesus is the answer. Take whatever it is to Him in prayer and then expect an answer. We are God’s children and He wants to give us the answer to our prayer.

So pray and believe that the answer is already ours right now!

Mid Week Deaf Devotion 4/20/2010

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. 13 And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13 NLT)

The Bible portrays the Christian life as a walk. It speaks of “walking” in the Spirit, “walking” in God's ways, “walking” in love, and “walking” in truth. No matter how we understand it, the word “walking” always involves action. Our lives, then, shouldn't be stale and lifeless. Our lives ought to move and develop to be increasingly becoming more like Jesus. The Bible calls this "sanctification."

But what if we feel that we are going backward instead of forward? Do we know how to turn around? Only by faith in Christ can any of us move in the right direction. If we feel ourselves sliding backwards, here is the solution:

- First, have assurance that God keeps every promise. The Bible contains an amazing number of guarantees for believers, including wisdom for the asking, God's constant presence, and peace when we focus on Him.

- Second, wait for God’s response. In other words, prepare for what He will do because of your confidence in His promises. Remember God sis already involved in tomorrow’s plan and is waiting for us to catch up.

- Third, be aware daily of His involvement in our life. By spending time in the Word, prayer, and meditation, we will become sensitive to what He is doing.

- Fourth, pray boldly because we are God's children. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:16 NLT) Approaching the Father in such a manner isn't a prideful confidence, but an overflow of our love for Him as creator and our faith in Him as God.

- Finally, obey the leading of the Holy Spirit. This is the true test of our belief. In fact, the Bible says that without action, faith is dead. “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” (James 2:17 NLT)

Is there a sense that our life is progressing and we are maturing into Christ's likeness? Or do circumstances and our character flaws seem to hold us back? God promises to continue making His children beautiful throughout their lives. We can resist Him or cooperate with His gracious work in us.

When we consider how great God is, our desire is to obey His word. We realize that the Word that God gives us is for our own good. And we cannot help but obey God because we love Him.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:9-12 NLT)

We serve and worship an awesome God. Worship Him - trust Him, love Him, serve Him and obey Him. May our reverence of God, our sense of awe at who He is and what He has done be the basis of all we do.

Praise Him. Bring glory to His name.