The Oldest and Biggest

And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does he prospers. Psalms 1:3 (New American Standard Bible)

In the Bible trees usually represent strength and beauty. There are a couple of good representations that exist in our world today. Two trees are the Bristlecone Pine Tree and the Giant Sequoia Redwood. The Bristlecone Pine lives primarily in the White-Inyo Mountains of California. It has been reckoned to be the oldest living thing on earth at an estimated age of 4,767 years. It has existed all those years in a high and harsh environment. The Giant Sequoia is the second of the mighty trees. Redwood trees can live well over 2000 years and are the largest trees on the planet with heights of nearly 300 feet weighing in at an amazing 5,511,500 pounds (2500 metric tons).

The Psalmist says that those whose meditation is on the Lord are influenced by the Word of God. Such meditation involves study, practice of what they learn and times of solitary time alone and like a tree, abiding in the Word of Life. This is possible only if a person desires to do so. David calls doing this a ‘delight.’ As we do that we are like trees firmly rooted. What we do will prosper and we will be like fruitful trees. This prosperity is fruit ‘in its season’ and not necessarily immediately. But it will come around as surely as apples in springtime. What the godly person does will be influenced and controlled by the Law of God.

Firm roots make it difficult to walk off the righteous path. Christ delights in feeling ourselves take root in Him and growing down into the clean, rich soil of His righteousness. The Lord Jesus isn’t concerned if we own the title of oldest or biggest. He wants us to be the deepest.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

How Sweet the Sound

God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us- [Selah. That thy way may be known on the earth, Thy salvation among all nations. Psalms 67:1,2

The song Amazing Grace has lost some of its luster for me over the years. I’ve been disappointed for a long time with how this beautiful hymn has become a canned “standard” for the world that is played in movies, the media and at various worldly gatherings. It feels to me as if it has become a “feel good” salve for the secular conscience. It's an attempt at piety in which people try to meet with the Living God without having to be in the same room with Him. This kind of use of the hymn has many times soured me on hearing it but the message remains as strong and vibrant as when it was first penned by John Newton in 1779.

The grace and life changing power of Jesus Christ is still a tremendous catalyst for change over the years. Many skeptics and even those hostile to the gospel have been radically changed for the better upon truthfully coming face-to-face with its message. People like the English journalist Frank Morrison, the agnostic C. S. Lewis, New York gang leader Nicky Cruz, former White House aide Chuck Colson, author Eugenia Price, and former U.S. senator Mark Hatfield to name a few. Many continue to come out of the nations; Zaire, Japan, Hong Kong, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Canada, Vietnam and every other realm on earth. Surely every nation, ethnic group and language contains a remnant that loves and praises the bringer of that grace.

Even if the message of grace has been watered down by the world the power of it has never diminished. In a world of 7 billion humans there are conceivably hundreds of thousands every single day who hear the message of amazing grace and believe in the Chosen One who brought it. That is an encouragement to those of us who believe and a blessed hope to those yet to discover how amazing God’s grace really is. It is a daily blessing that is also an eternal hope. The Church of God continues and the gates of hell are not prevailing against it. All praise to God.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Putting the English on it

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God night and day.” Revelation 12:10 (NASB)

I believe it was baseball manager Yogi Berra who was asked by a reporter why his team lost the game that day. Berra replied, “I guess we made too many of the wrong mistakes.”

When it comes to the mistakes we’ve made in our lives, Satan, the ultimate adversary, runs to God to condemn us. He is certainly good at it because he has been at it for thousands of years. But for those of us who are believers in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ all condemnation is worthless. When the accuser says to God; “(Your name here) has done (you name it) and certainly deserves to be punished and forsaken by You,” Christ immediately stands up in our defense and says, “Father (your name here) may have done (you name it) but that was put on me at the cross and forgiven by my blood. This charge has been pardoned. It won’t stick.”

When Satan brings up our past the Lord must remind him of his future for he will be cast down. Whether your mistakes were the right kind or the wrong doesn’t matter. Did Christ’s sacrifice on the cross take care of some sins or all of them? If you leave them at Calvary they are forgiven and forgotten. When Satan accuses us of making the wrong mistakes, through Christ you can eject him from the game. When Jesus was nailed to the cross Satan is the one who got hammered. That’s a message that don’t need no clarifyin’.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Out of the Fog

“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.” John 13:34, 35 (New American Standard Bible)

Do you know the Boy Scouts of America came to be because a man was lost in the fog? The Boy Scouts was originally introduced in England by Lord Robert Baden-Powell in 1907. In 1910 American newspaper publisher William Boyce, while visiting London, became lost in the dense fog and was helped by a young boy. The lad refused a reward for his help and told Boyce that as a Boy Scout helping others was his duty. Boyce was so impressed he contacted Baden-Powell to talk to him about bringing the organization to America.

Helping others out of love will sometimes leave the receiver of that help in shock. I’ve noted with some amusement how people I’ve helped in the past ask “Why did you do that?” And a good many of them believed my motive was done because I wanted something. When I’ve told them it wasn’t me who did it but Christ in me the look on their face must be close to what Boyce had when that young English Scout refused any payment for his help. But I know those folks I’ve helped have never forgotten that someone took the time to help them and perhaps they went looking for the Founder of my program. Hopefully they found Him. I will know one day.

It is no stretch of the imagination to say the present age is overcome by darkness. That makes it difficult enough but add to that darkness the fog of unbelief and the sense of bewilderment and loss that feeds on it. How relieved they will be when we appear out of the fog and offer them a hand. With the Spirit of Christ working through us it won’t be as much a duty as a privilege.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Nothing for Something

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. Psalms 34:15 (New American Standard Bible

Ever gotten into a conversation with someone whose eyes dart around for someone else to talk to or even in the middle of your conversation calls to someone across the room? I believe all of us have been offended at someone we were talking to who was doing their best to ignore us. I believe that many of us feel that is mostly how our relationship is with God. I suppose if we are truly honest many times in our Christian experience we feel like we are getting nothing for something. We talk, we pray, we worship, we do good works and it seems we hear nothing but silence from God’s side. Is He there but looking for somebody else to talk to?

God is eternal and omniscient; He has perfect understanding, insight and knowledge and He has always existed. The good news is if that’s the case then He has thought of you forever along with every human who has lived or is yet to live. Isn’t that awesome that you and your story have been in the loving mind of God for eternity? Ever have someone love you who is far away? Is their love diminished because they don’t interact with you all the time? I would say that love exists in a spirit of confidence and trust. Even though you can’t hear their voice or see them you rest in the assurance their love for you is deeply true and enduring.

Even though it may sound like it’s a one-sided conversation with God His ear not only hears your voice of prayer He hears your every thought. God rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Be strong and let your heart take courage, if your hope is in the Lord. He is in total control of your life even when He’s quietly observing. His not speaking shows a depth of comfort and relaxed relationship with those He loves. There is no awkward silence with God. He’s there for you and His love is as true as the first day you fell in love with Him. Even in the quiet times His grace is always an offering of something for nothing.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Fixing Broken Wings

Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (NASB)

A few years ago a sparrow flew into a window of my house and hurt her wing. I nursed her until she was well enough to fly again. When I took her outside and opened the box that had been her hospital room she came out of it like a flash and flew up and over my house. As she disappeared the old adage “The bird with the broken wing will never fly so high again” came to me and how Satan uses that train of thought to discourage us when we fail. He tells us if we blow it there’s no way we can return to the place with God we once knew. Horse feathers.

I talk a lot about grace for it is something that is changing my life for the better every day. It is marvelous to consider and dwell on. It means God the Father continues to love and cherish us even when we may have gotten off the path. We tend to believe that our broken wings will never allow us to again reach the full height of His love. The grace of God through Christ tells us the opposite is true. The bird with the broken wing can fly that high again. We feel unworthy to come to Him when we feel we’ve let Him down but we are encouraged to draw near with confidence to the throne of grace to receive mercy and help. The throne tells of the sovereign power of the one we approach and the grace speaks of His generosity, good will and blessing.

No matter where you find yourself today you are the particular focus of God’s love and concern. Not only does He know where you may be today but He's always known you would be right at this spot in your life. He can't be surprised but He can surprise us with grace. But you may say “That’s all well and good Ken, you don’t know what I’ve done. God can’t love me anymore.” Not so. God knows exactly what you’ve done and where you currently are. There seems to be in many of us a floor of brass located between the head and heart that keeps the knowledge of grace from trickling down from belief to conviction and certainty. Let us rest in the promise of His grace to us all and in particular to those of us with broken wings. Broken wings can be fixed and restored to health through His amazing grace. Let your faith take wing.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Razorblades

You ask and you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so you may spend it on your pleasures. James 4:2 (New American Standard Bible)

Chuck Smith tells about the time his then 2-year old daughter one morning came out of the bathroom with one of his razorblades in her little hand. Chuck saw what she had and gently said, “Oh honey, let daddy see what you have there.” When she showed it to him he took it from her and she began to cry. Oh, what a mean daddy; he wouldn’t let his little girl play with razorblades. There are still amazing moments in my own life when I see where I am and how God has withheld answering a prayer that was given amiss. He denied me for my own protection and brought my life around so I would not be in a position to hurt myself or someone else.

At times when I find myself in an unpleasant situation I will tell God, “Lord, I really hate where I am at this moment but keep doing what you’re doing because I know it is perfect and right for me.” It isn’t easy to pray that and it honestly irks me to have to say it for I have a fondness for razorblades.

Answered prayer is a beautiful thing and prayers that go unanswered are most times a blessing we don’t recognize. Because our Heavenly Father loves us so deeply when we ask for razorblades He will always say no. Sometimes we can see the outcome and we shudder at what might have happened if we had gotten what we asked for. Sometimes we don’t see what the outcome might have been but it is certain we will know one day. Thanks to God for every unanswered prayer. With Him we need not worry about being careful what we ask for. He loves us as no earthly parent can and there is always protection, grace and mercy in His answer.



Ken Evans

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com