Blissful Cabin

*Living Out God’s Love*

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. - Exodus 20:12

*Today's Scripture*

Exodus 20:8-17, 20-21

*8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You shall not murder. 14 “You shall not commit adultery. 15 “You shall not steal. 16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.*

*Today's Devotion*

Branden’s father was dying of cancer in his fifties. Wanting to help, Branden talked his parents into moving in with him so he could assist them. His dad loved the tropics but could no longer travel, so Branden got creative. He landscaped a pond behind his house, stocked it with fish, and installed a waterfall that tumbled over rocks. He trucked in three loads of beach sand, added banana trees, lights, and tiki torches, and built an awning for shade. His dad spent his last days enjoying a backyard island paradise.

Branden’s actions reflect the kind of harmony between parents and children envisioned in Exodus 20. There, God through Moses instructed the children of Israel, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12). That directive grows out of the commands to love and respect our heavenly Father (vv. 3-8) and bridges to the last five commands, which instruct us how to love and respect our fellow human beings. Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t covet (vv. 12-17).

Honoring parents might come easily for some. For others, it’s extremely difficult. There’s too much pain and distrust. Old wounds refuse to heal. We can commit them to God our Father, who understands that pain. He enables us to live in His love.

*Reflect & Pray*

What does it mean for you to honor your parents? What obstacles might you face to do that?

*Heavenly Father, show me how to honor others, especially when that seems difficult.*

*Today's Insights*

The Ten Commandments set up principles for God’s people, the Israelites, so they’d flourish. The first four commandments emphasize single-minded devotion to God (Exodus 20:3-11). The last six outline how devotion to God should shape human relationships (vv. 12-17). At the heart of these commands is showing respectful honor to all (Matthew 22:37-40).

Society flourishes when there’s respectful care for all people, including parents and the elderly. The command to honor parents (Exodus 20:12) doesn’t mean that people should remain in damaging relationships with parents or others or should minimize harmful behavior, for we’re also called to be truthful. But our Creator wants us to recognize that each person is made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) and therefore we should desire every person’s well-being and respect them.

If you can picture that Christ has come as a present tense, you'd be able to understand, that what is exalted in today's world is something to be embarrassed about in the time when God comes in Christ Jesus. 

Things that were deemed high....are no longer high but low. 

Those who spoke so loudly against God...now would wish those evidences, those videos were gone and vanished...and no longer there. 

Because now, those who are near to Christ...these are beaming. 

Those who stuck by Him. 

All the lies of this world are going to be revealed in that time. 

No more hiding.

Matthew 24:30

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

John 19:37 And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.”

 Mark 13:26 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Luke 17:24 For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day.

Matthew 24:27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Acts 1:11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

Matthew 26:64 “You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Daniel 7:13

In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.

Revelation 1:7

*One Worthy of Worship*

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. - Psalm 19:1

*Today's Scripture*

Luke 23:44-49

*44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.*

*Today's Devotion*

One April afternoon, millions gathered along a mapped arc across Mexico and the United States to witness a rare total solar eclipse. Schools released children, small towns blossomed to receive travelers, and neighbors set up lawn chairs in driveways donning protective glasses to take in the wonder. As television crews documented the countdown to “totality,” the crowd grew silent except for one repeated phrase: “Oh my God!”

That struck me. I don’t know for certain why those observers chose that phrase in the moment, but I suspect that as mortals encountered the rare and the astonishing, they seemed to need Someone to acknowledge. Someone to thank. Someone to worship. When we look heavenward, our response is awe. As David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1).

The gospel writer Luke reports Jesus’ last minutes on the cross. “It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining” (23:44-45). Matthew shares a response to this revelation: “When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’ ” (Matthew 27:54). They couldn’t help but acknowledge God as the Someone worthy of worship.

In humble awe, I worship You—my God.

*Reflect & Pray*

Where have you seen God’s glory and found yourself awed? In what ways can you worship Him in all His awesomeness?

*Dear God, You are holy. I worship You in awe!*

*Today's Insights*

In Luke 23:44-49, the events surrounding Jesus’ death reveal the worthiness of God. Christ’s final words where He entrusts His spirit to the Father (v. 46) show His complete obedience and trust, even in death. As darkness covered the land (v. 44) and “the curtain of the temple was torn in two” (v. 45), creation itself testified that something supernatural was unfolding. These signs moved the Roman centurion, a gentile and outsider, to proclaim Jesus’ innocence (v. 47). His response shows that genuine worship begins when the heart recognizes God’s power and holiness. The crowd, struck with remorse, departed in sorrow (v. 48), while “all those who knew him . . . stood at a distance, watching” (v. 49) as they witnessed the depth of God’s love displayed on the cross. His sacrifice there proved He was worthy of worship not only because of His power over creation but because of His self-giving love.

*Jesus’ Witness*

You will be [Jesus’] witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. - Acts 22:15

*Today's Scripture*

Acts 22:12-16

*12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’*

*Today's Devotion*

I’ve heard it said, “We can’t make our children believe. We can only give our children reason to believe what we believe.” That’s a wise observation—but how do we do it?

Of all people to take parenting advice from, the apostle Paul is seldom the first choice. It’s likely that he had no children. Parents often prefer to hear from someone who’s been there, done that, someone who knows about sleepless infants, the storms of puberty, and how it feels to pray for a prodigal. Yet Paul (or Saul) has something to teach us here.

Saul had been on his way to persecute Christians when Christ intervened. This man fell to the ground, blinded (Acts 9:1-9). Soon he was visited by Ananias, who restored his sight and explained his mission: “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard” (22:14-15). Saul, later called Paul, did witness, and God gave him a quiverful of spiritual offspring. His “parenting approach” was to share what he’d seen, and to pray.

Whether parenting our own children or interacting with others, we can’t make them believe. Rather, we witness with our words and lives as to what we’ve seen and heard. And we pray. Our God, who sent Paul to the gentiles, sends us with the same instruction: Witness so they may believe. Then entrust them to our Father, who loves them.

*Reflect & Pray*

What children are in your sphere of influence? How might you share your faith with them?

*Heavenly Father, may our children believe in You.*

*Today's Insights*

Why do we believe the apostle Paul had no children? We can infer this from what the Bible tells us about him. By his own admission, it seems he didn’t have a wife (1 Corinthians 9:5). And prior to his conversion to Christ, he’d been a law-abiding Pharisee “zealous for God” (Acts 22:3). It’s highly unlikely that such a law-keeper would have children outside of marriage. It’s possible that Paul may have been married and then widowed, but there’s no indication of this in Scripture. In addition, he strongly implies that he has the gift of singleness (1 Corinthians 7:7). Twice he refers to “my true son” in the faith (1 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4). But “son” refers to spiritual children he introduced to Jesus and then discipled, not to physical progeny. Today, we can ask God to help us share our faith with the children and others that God places in our path.

*Precious Parting Words*

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. - Matthew 28:19

*Today's Scripture*

Matthew 28:16-20

*16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”*

*Today's Devotion*

My friend José was in hospice care. He’d been alert and talkative during my prior visit but a week later was now frail and speechless. I sat with José and his family anyway, hoping my presence would mean something to them. At the end of what would be my final visit, I was the last one in the room with him. I finally stood and slowly headed to the door but stopped and turned around one last time to say, “Love you,” not expecting a response. There I saw José moving his lips. He was mouthing the words “love you” in return.

A person’s parting words can leave a lasting impression. As Jesus was getting ready to return to His Father in heaven after His sacrificial death and resurrection, He assured His disciples that all authority on heaven and earth belonged to Him (Matthew 28:18). And He left them with this lasting charge or Great Commission, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (vv. 19-20). Christ also assured His followers that He would always be with them (v. 20).

Jesus’ parting words are for us today too. May we embrace His call to tell others about Him so they can experience His love and forgiveness, live for Him, and enjoy eternal life with Him in heaven. His message is too good not to share with people of all nations.

*Reflect & Pray*

How do Jesus’ parting words touch you? Who can you share Him with today?

*Dear Jesus, please help me to share Your good news with others.*

*Today's Insights*

Matthew 28:16-20, which includes the Great Commission to “go and make disciples of all nations,” is one of several texts with similar wording. Mark 16:15 says to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Luke 24:47 states that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” In John 20:21, Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And Acts 1:8 says, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

As soon as the Holy Spirit was sent on the Day of Pentecost (see Luke 24:49; Acts 2), these early believers in Christ immediately began obeying the Great Commission. Today, we’re invited to continue the mission of telling the good news to everyone everywhere.

Having faith in God is believing that God has already gone ahead of you the next day and taken care of every nook and corner of your worries....

that His love didn't miss any detail.

Whatever the day is going to bring is going to turn out ultimately for your good.

Most of our fears....which we feel are so unshakeable,

when we believe He has taken care of it,

we will see His hand on it that day.

Because you trusted His love and efficiency and power.

You trusted His heart for you.

Judges 4:14

Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the Lord gone out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.

Psalms 91:1-16

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.

He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,

Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand;

But it shall not come near you.

Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place,

No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will deliver him and honor him.

*What My Rental Car Taught Me*

You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

*Today's Scripture*

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

*12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.*

*Today's Devotion*

I recently traveled to Los Angeles and had to rent a car. Soon, I was driving through narrow downtown lanes, full of traffic and people. I found myself driving very carefully, slower than normal. Why? Well, I didn’t want to have an accident. But I really didn’t want to damage my rental car. It wasn’t mine, after all. I was just, well, borrowing it.

Most of the time, we’d rather be owners than renters. But as I drove, I couldn’t help but think that renting that car illustrated something important about my relationship to God.

Scripture teaches that even our bodies—which we might think we own—don’t belong to us. In a larger conversation about sexual sin in 1 Corinthians 6, Paul concludes, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (vv. 19-20).

I’ll admit, it’s hard to completely comprehend that my body isn’t my own. Still, God calls us to honor Him with it. To care for our bodies. To realize that we’re stewards—renters, if you will—of these vessels He’s given us, that we might use them to honor and serve the one whose own broken body and blood saves us.

*Reflect & Pray*

How do you respond to the idea that God wants us to honor Him with our bodies? How could this truth change how you live?

*Dear Father, thank You for the amazing gift of my body. Please help me to honor You by using it to love and serve others today.*

*Today's Insights*

Some scholars believe that people in Corinth may have viewed Christianity as a means of advancing through society (see 1 Corinthians 1:26-31). Slaves and nobles stood equal before Jesus (Galatians 3:28), so perhaps they thought they could also move up through the social ranks. In his first letter to the misguided church in Corinth, Paul challenged many of the wrong beliefs about what it means to be a servant of Christ. Following the risen Messiah doesn’t mean pride in social status (1 Corinthians 1:26-31), abusing food (ch. 8), or indulging in all kinds of licentious behavior (ch. 5; 6:12-20). Instead, God calls us to honor Him with every part of our lives, including our bodies.

*Hope in God*

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him. - Lamentations 3:25

*Today's Scripture*

Lamentations 3:19-26

*19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! 20 My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. 21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” 25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. 26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.*

*Today's Devotion*

Because of his father’s alcoholism and mistreatment of his mother, Pablo left home when he was a teenager. He moved in with an uncle, graduated high school, married, and had three children. But sadly, Pablo began repeating the same destructive behavior he’d once fled. His own alcohol addiction and behavior began to tear his family apart. Soon, it was all gone—his marriage, family, job, and home. “My life was terrible, and it got worse,” he said.

Finally he turned to a treatment facility for help. “I was in bad shape, and God opened the door for me.” One day after praying, he experienced God through the beauty of nature. Soon his youngest daughter noticed he’d changed, and reconciled with him. Today he’s working to rebuild trust with his other children.

In Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah grieved over the plight of his people, who had turned from God and were exiled to Babylon: “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall . . . and my soul is downcast within me” (Lamentations 3:19-20). Like the Israelites, Pablo was far from God. And like Jeremiah, he found hope in God: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (vv. 22-23).

Like Pablo, the Israelites got a fresh start. We can turn to God and find hope.

*Reflect & Pray*

Are you looking for hope? How is God inviting you to hope in Him?

*Dear God, thank You for offering me a renewed relationship with You.*

*Today's Insights*

In the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), books are usually named for the first word or words in the text. As such, the Hebrew title for Lamentations is “How,” taken from verse 1: “How deserted lies the city.” Those who translated the Old Testament into Greek (the Septuagint) titled the book “Lamentations.” Both titles are apt. In many lament psalms, the psalmist’s cry is rooted in the phrase “How long, Lord?” (see Psalm 13:1). And Jeremiah’s laments in both his prophecies and in the book of Lamentations are so consistent that he’s generally regarded as “the weeping prophet.” In today’s text (Lamentations 3:19-26), he’s grieving over the city of Jerusalem, which was besieged and taken captive by the Babylonians. Now, seeing the city desolated, Jeremiah finds hope in the faithful God whose mercies are “new every morning” (v. 23). Even in our times of deepest despair and loss, we can hope in God.

From the devotional 'how do you forget what lies behind' by the Youversion Bible app.

*Family in God*

Don’t you know me, Philip . . . ? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. - John 14:9

*Today's Scripture*

John 14:5-11

*5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.*

*Today's Devotion*

“What makes you smile when you think about your son?” That was my question for Clarence—a younger man I was mentoring. The proud father proceeded to share some of his bright four-year-old’s accomplishments. One particular detail left me amused. Not only does the child have his father’s first and last names, but he already looks so much like his father that he can unlock his father’s smartphone using facial recognition!

In John 14, Jesus made it clear how closely He resembled His Father. When an inquisitive Philip requested, “Lord, show us the Father” (v. 8), Jesus responded, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (v. 9). How was it that the Father was revealed through the Son? It was through Jesus’ “words” (v. 10) and “works” (v. 11) that God’s love, mercy, grace, and more were brilliantly displayed.

Empowered by God’s Spirit, believers in Jesus are privileged to share family likeness. The invisible God becomes visible through His children. Regarding Christlike love, John reminds us, “No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us” (1 John 4:12 nlt).

*Reflect & Pray*

What is it about your words and deeds that remind others of Jesus? How might you pray about the Holy Spirit working in and through you to bring honor to God the Father and Christ the Son?

*Dear Father, please strengthen me to love Jesus, and to live like Him and for Him.*

*Today's Insights*

The beginning of John’s gospel describes those who don’t see Jesus for who He is: “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (1:10-11).

Yet Christ had expectations for those who were closest to Him—those who’d heard His words, who’d seen and experienced His works. He rebuked His disciple for not recognizing Him: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?” (14:9). When we honestly and prayerfully evaluate the words and works of Christ as seen in the Gospels, the Spirit can open our eyes and hearts regarding His identity as God’s Son and the King of Kings, and we’ll be welcomed into the family of God (1:12-13). When we become children of God, He can help us make Jesus visible to others through our words and actions.

*Part of God’s Story*

Has not the Lord gone ahead of you? - Judges 4:14

*Today's Scripture*

Judges 4:4-9, 14

*4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. 7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” 8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him.*

*Today's Devotion*

Archaeologist Jodi Magness and her team have been excavating a synagogue in the ancient village of Huqoq in Lower Galilee, where they’ve found an incredible collection of mosaics, paintings, and carvings. Particularly rare, however, is a mosaic telling the biblical story of Deborah and her role in Israel’s battle against the Canaanites; there’s no other known ancient depiction of this heroine.

During twenty years of oppression by Canaan, Deborah, a prophetess, “was leading Israel” (Judges 4:4). At God’s prompting, Deborah urged Israel’s general Barak to mount an attack on the Canaanite forces and their commander, Sisera. Barak heeded God’s instructions to “take . . . ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor” (v. 6), and Deborah lured the enemy’s army to the area. The Canaanite troops indeed fell in the battle, and though Sisera initially fled on foot, he too ultimately met his demise. “On that day God subdued . . . Canaan before the Israelites” (v. 23) through the courageous obedience of Deborah and Barak.

The Bible preserves for us a literary mosaic of historical events in the life of God’s people—collectively and individually. We can take courage from these examples to heed God’s instructions even in the face of hardship and struggle. We can trust Him to equip us with the strength to do so.

*Reflect & Pray*

When has God asked you to do something difficult? How did He equip and sustain you in that situation?

*Heavenly Father, please give me the courage to heed Your instructions.*

*Today's Insights*

The book of Judges bridges the times between Joshua and the beginning of the monarchy under Saul (see 1 Samuel 9). It’s characterized by what some scholars call the “cycle of apostasy.” Each cycle begins when Israel falls away from God. Then He sends a neighboring nation to discipline them, followed by God’s provision of a judge to deliver them from that nation, and then a season of spiritual revival. Twelve different judges, from Othniel to Samson, are God’s instruments of rescue. Deborah is the fourth of those judges (Judges 4), whose season of leadership over Israel lasted about forty years, second only to Ehud, who judged for eighty years. Through the leadership and example of the judges, the people returned to God, and He enabled them to trust Him and obey His law afresh. Their example can remind us today that He’ll give us the strength to trust and obey Him no matter the circumstance.

I just realized....eternal life has been given to all believers the moment they receive the Spirit.

How do I explain this to you...

You have got the fuel that will make you live and go on forever and ever.

He said to Martha...that those who believe in Him and live shall never die....and though they die they will live.

And that the flesh is dead....in your body you have the Spirit keeping you alive....TILL eternity!

The harvest is ripe.

From earth...at a certain date to...........forever!

The moment you believed.

The day you received.

Good news!

Humans being received to eternity.

This big a thing is happening on earth!

* from my journal dated 2nd Sept 2025

John 11:25-26

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Romans 8:10

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

Matthew 9:37-38

*Waiting for God*

The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him. - Lamentations 3:24

*Today's Scripture*

Psalm 27:1-3, 13-14

*1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. 3Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. 13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!*

*Today's Devotion*

Kazuto and his wife, Migiwa, waited with trepidation for the ultrasound exam results. Migiwa’s liver had been failing for more than nine months, and she urgently needed a liver transplant. Kazuto could donate a portion of his liver to his wife, but there was one condition: Migiwa’s heart had to be strong. The last ultrasound had shown slight improvement to her heart. Would it show more this time?

To their disappointment, the results were the worst yet. Kazuto shared, “After I comforted my crying wife, I also cried by myself. But . . . as Henri Nouwen writes, waiting isn’t a waste of time because God is nurturing something wonderful . . . while we wait, even though we can’t see anything on the surface.”

Kazuto’s confidence in God paralleled that of King David, who wrote, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14). Because God is our “light,” “salvation,” and “stronghold” (v. 1), we can trust Him to offer hope amid darkness (v. 3), comfort us during our trials (v. 13), and secure us safely in “his dwelling” (v. 5).

When God seems to delay in answering our prayers, we can still put our complete trust in His unchanging attributes. As we bring our heartaches to Him, let’s also instruct our hearts: “Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (v. 14). He is with us and always working for our good.

*Reflect & Pray*

What are you waiting for from God? Which of His attributes can you cling to as you wait?

*Loving Father, please help me to be strong as I wait for You.*

*Today's Insights*

David’s anxious prayer in the second half of Psalm 27 (vv. 7-12) must be read against his unwavering proclamation at the beginning of the psalm: “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life” (v. 1). The psalmist chose to focus on God rather than on his difficult circumstances. He speaks of Him as his light, which guides him safely into God’s presence and goodness. God is also his salvation, delivering him from dangers and death. He’s his stronghold, providing a strong, fortified place for his refuge and security. Knowing who God is, David rhetorically asks, “Of whom shall I be afraid?” (v. 1). The psalmist didn’t fear, for he knew God wouldn’t abandon him. Today, when we’re waiting on God, we can put our trust in Him and “be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (v. 14).

*God’s Better Country*

*Today's Scripture*

Hebrews 11:8-16

*8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.*

*Today's Devotion*

Michele experienced a mixture of emotions as her father neared the end of his life. She grieved when he said, “Honey, I won’t be here to walk you down the aisle.” But she assured him of her love, clinging to the hope she found in Hebrews 11 as she said, “You’re heading for a better country, a country in heaven.” Michele believed that her dad, when he died, would be with God forever. She reflected, “Heaven will be that good!”

The letter to the Hebrews was aimed at Jewish believers in Jesus experiencing persecution by state and religious opponents. Although it was written before the destruction of the temple in ad 70, the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans may have occurred soon after. In this climate of fear, the author urged the believers to hold firm to their faith as he highlighted a great “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). Each “did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance” (11:13). They lived by faith, “longing for a better country—a heavenly one,” and God was pleased to be called their God, and “prepared a city for them” (v. 16).

Although Michele ached with sadness when her father died, she embraced the promises of her heavenly Father. We too can welcome these same promises “from a distance” (v. 13), trusting in God.

*Reflect & Pray*

*How can you embrace God’s help and trust Him more today? How does the thought of heaven inform your hopes, dreams, and actions?*

*Heavenly Father, please help me live knowing that You’re trustworthy and will one day welcome me home.*

*Today's Insights*

Hebrews 11 has been referred to as the “Hall of Faith” because everyone listed in the chapter is presented as a model of faith. This makes sense because verse 6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Because our human effort to do good will always fall short of God’s standard (Ephesians 2:8-9), we’re dependent upon Him by faith. By faith we trust God now, and one day we’ll be in His eternal presence (John 3:16).

*Walking in Integrity*

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely. - Proverbs 10:9

*Today's Scripture*

Proverbs 10:6-14

*6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. 8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. 9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. 10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin. 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. 13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense. 14 The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.*

*Today's Devotion*

An Uber driver named Esbon Kamau picked up a sixteen-year-old rider who was on his way to purchase a motorcycle—a gift from his father. After Kamau dropped the passenger off, he noticed the teen had left a bag in the back seat. There was $8,000 inside—the cash needed for the purchase of the motorcycle. Kamau quickly contacted Uber to try and locate the passenger. Soon Kamau delivered the cash back to the grateful, relieved young man. “Do the right thing at the right time,” Kamau said, “and don’t let selfishness overpower [you]."

Kamau displayed integrity. He resisted making a fast buck or taking advantage of someone’s mistake. Instead, he chose to simply do the right thing. “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,” Proverbs says (10:9). When we practice integrity, we never have to worry about remembering what we said to whom, because truth is our only concern. When we practice integrity, we don’t have to fear for our reputation or that our schemes will catch up with us (v. 23). We don’t have to be concerned about being a person whose “crooked paths will be found out” (v. 9). We simply live true—displaying wisdom (v. 13) that comes from God. We’re secure and free in Him.

We face numerous temptations to lie or manipulate in life, but God calls us to walk with Him. And as we do, we can lead “blameless” (v. 29) lives of integrity.

*Reflect & Pray*

When has your integrity been challenged? How have you experienced others’ integrity?

*Dear God, I want to live with integrity. Please help me be blameless in You.*

*Today's Insights*

In Proverbs, Solomon offers basic wisdom for life and often uses a Hebrew poetic device called parallelism, where two or more lines of poetry correspond with one another. Parallelism and other poetic devices are normal features of Hebrew poetry, which doesn’t operate with rhyme and meter like Western poetry.

In synonymous parallelism, the idea in the first half of the verse is repeated in the second half but with different wording: “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke” (3:11). Proverbs 10:9 is an example of antithetical parallelism, where two statements are contrasted with opposite language: “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” Solomon exposes the folly of ignoring God’s wisdom and shows the consequences of that folly. Today, God will help us live by His wisdom and be marked as people of character who walk in integrity.