Your Daily Crossroad
04
May '18
Following Him
04
May '18
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. (1 Kings 18:21)
Do you ever find yourself faltering between two opinions? Have you ever felt torn between decisions and not sure of what to do? Maybe we get torn sometimes because we are focusing more on the what, than on the Who. Whether we want to admit it, everything comes down to a choice. We must choose between who, what and how almost everyday of our lives. The Bible makes it clear that we are to choose whom we will follow. There really is no middle road.
The problem lies in the fact that we do not like to think of ourselves as choosing to follow a false god, like Baal. But when we turn from following the Lord, we are turning to follow something else. We get caught up in life’s activities and look for God only when we need Him. Did we just choose those activities over the Lord? Probably so. How do we make sure that we choose God first in everything?
We must make the Lord our priority everyday. We must start our day with Him, praying about our schedules, asking for His guidance, reading His word for instruction, and worshiping Him with grateful hearts. We must learn to practice these things every day.
If we put these actions into practice, then we will find ourselves following God, without faltering. God knows our hearts and He wants us to want Him more than anything else. He wants us to stop choosing the what in our lives and start choosing the Who, Jesus Christ. Start your day with the Lord and ask Him to guide you. Beware of choosing to serve the false gods of this world. The Lord will help you if you just ask Him.
I love today’s devotion! He wants us to want Him and yet as powerful and all knowing as He is, He’s a perfect gentleman and won’t force us to want Him. What an incredible God we serve. Today, let’s do as today’s devotion says and stop choosing the what in our lives and start choosing the Who, Jesus Christ. It’s truly that simple. Who will you choose to serve this day?
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 1 Timothy 6:12
03
May '18
Get in the Ark
03
May '18
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. (Genesis 6:17-20)
The parallel of the story of Noah’s ark and our lives today is closer than we may realize. The people in Noah’s day were living for their own pleasures and chose not to follow God. The Bible says they were selfish and eating, drinking and giving to marriage. As Noah worked on the ark, he witnessed to the people and told them of what was coming. They did not believe him. I can only imagine the mockery and ridicule that Noah endured as he worked on the ark. Why would a guy build a boat when it had never rained on the earth? Because God said so and Noah believed God.
Over a hundred years later (about 120), the ark was finished and God called Noah’s family and the animals into the ark and shut the door. They were saved from the destruction that was coming. They were safe in God’s arms. Today, we live in a world that resembles the days of Noah. Man is selfish, wicked and living life without much thought to what the Bible says is coming. We are told that one day Jesus Christ will return and the world as we know it will be burned up, utterly destroyed. The only hope we have is in the One who is coming to save us…Jesus Christ. Jesus is our Ark. For all who enter into His ark will be saved. All we have to do is believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins and to invite Him into our hearts to save us.
There are many “Noah’s” today preaching the gospel and telling people to repent because one day Jesus is coming back. How many will be saved when destruction finally comes? Only the Lord knows when that day will be, but let’s pray for a sense of urgency for those who have not yet entered into the Ark -a relationship with Christ. Pray to be a witness…pray that you those closest to you are safe in God’s arms.
Wow! This blessed me. What truth! In the day and time we live we must take what time we have left just as serious as Noah did. God is calling each and every one of us to be a Noah. Let’s not pass up any more opportunities to share the gospel and the salvation message. We have the honor and privilege of sharing His message by the power of the Holy Spirit. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. (Joshua 1:9) Get in The Ark!
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
02
May '18
The Waiting Place
02
May '18
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. (Psalm 37:7)
“Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite. Or waiting around for Friday night . . . . Everyone is just waiting”—or so Dr. Seuss, author of many children’s books, says. So much of life is about waiting, but God is never in a hurry—or so it seems. “God has His hour and delay,” suggests an old, reliable saying. Thus we wait.
Waiting is hard. We twiddle our thumbs, shuffle our feet, stifle our yawns, heave long sighs, and fret inwardly in frustration. Why must I live with this awkward person, this tedious job, this embarrassing behavior, this health issue that will not go away? Why doesn’t God come through?
God’s answer: “Wait awhile and see what I will do.”
Waiting is one of life’s best teachers for in it we learn the virtue of . . . well, waiting—waiting while God works in us and for us. It’s in waiting that we develop endurance, the ability to trust God’s love and goodness, even when things aren’t going our way (Psalm 70:5).
But waiting is not dreary, teeth-clenched resignation. We can “rejoice and be glad in [Him]” while we wait (Psalm 70:4). We wait in hope, knowing that God will deliver us in due time—in this world or in the next. God is never in a hurry, but He’s always on time.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your loving presence. Help us to make the most of our waiting through trust in and service for You. Amen.
When I read this it blessed me. I was reminded of that old hymn, This is the day that The Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. Remember, no matter what your waiting on from The Lord, He is with you in your waiting. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. (Psalm 27:14).
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 1 Timothy 4:12
01
May '18
Jesus Lives
01
May '18
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). (John 20:13-16)
Can anyone take the Lord away from us? Mary thought so. Her heart was broken, her Lord was dead and now she thought His body had been taken away. Mary cried deeply, thinking that someone could have taken the only part left of Him away from her. At this point, she did not even notice that angels were speaking to her. She just wanted Jesus back. Even when Jesus was standing (literally) behind her, Mary thought He was the gardener. In her loyalty and despite her depression, Mary was willing to do whatever it would take to “get Him” back.
Her devotion is sincere but how can she serve a dead God? What kind of Lord would we have if others could change His position or steal His body? What kind of God would we serve if we have the ability to lose or misplace Him? That kind of god puts the burden on us, regardless of how devoted or sincere we may be. Thank the Lord Jesus that He arose from the grave. We do not worship a dead god but a living Lord. We worship a God who has placed all the burdens on Himself. We do not have to find Him because He never loses us. And God promises that if we seek Him, we will find Him as He comes to us. We are never lost from His sight. We may not see Him but He is always there, even sometimes from behind.
I love the verse in Isaiah 30:21 that says, “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” God does lead us from behind at times and we can feel that we have lost Him. But like Mary in John 20:16, when Jesus calls your name even from behind, you will recognize His voice. Remember to keep seeking Him and desiring to be with Him even if He seems to be missing. You have not lost Him because He can never lose you. He conquered death on a cross and rose again. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life and He is always with us, leading us in every step.
When I read this I couldn’t help but think to myself, what an incredible reminder. The Lord dropped Psalm 25:5 into my spirit at 2:30 this morning, long before I read this devotion. He always amazes me when the scripture He gives me coincides with the devotion, unknowingly. So often we can get so caught up in the situation and circumstances before us that we feel alone and abandoned but we are truly never alone, He is always with us, leading us. He is The God who saves, let us put our hope in Him. Another version of today’s reading in Psalm 25:5 says, Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Hope in Him and find rest for your weary soul. Jesus Lives!
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Psalm 25:5