Easter Devotion - Lead Us Not Into Temptation

And don't lead us into temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:13

After praying for physical needs and forgiveness, the third request is for spiritual protection. For centuries, theologians have struggled with the wording of this verse. Why would God lead us into temptation? But Jesus recognized that there were spiritual dangers all around at all times, even in places where we believe we are spiritually safe. The prayer is meant to open our eyes to this reality, help us to be on our guard, and to shield us from harm. As children of the kingdom of God, we must maneuver through a world that is not yet God's kingdom, but is deeply stained by sin. We can never become complacent about threats to our relationship with God.

Spiritual arrogance is dangerous. This prayer puts us face-to-face with our weaknesses. We are hopelessly vulnerable without the protection of God. When we pray this, we ask God to prod us whenever we consider, say or do things that dishonor both us and God. It is a request for guardrails in our daily life, keeping us on the pathway of God's will. It is also a plea that when we fail, God will be there to draw us out of danger and back into His loving care.

Prayer: Lord, alert me about the pitfalls in my life and draw me back into Your care when I fail. open our eyes to this reality, help us to be on our guard, and to shield us from harm. Amen

* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary For Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - A Lifestyle of Grace

Forgive us for the ways we have wronged You, just as we also forgive those who have wronged us.
Matthew 6:12

We have all wronged God and have individual sins that we need to confess before God. But notice again that the plea for forgiveness is in the plural. We are responsible for what each of us has done, but also for oppression, poverty, corruption, pollution, and other things that damage the world if we don't work to prevent them. When we ignore the call of God to action for God's people, we are committing a sin of omission, leaving the work of discipleship undone in the world.

Notice also that this prayer cannot be prayed by an intentionally unforgiving person. If we accept the unconditional forgiveness of God, we have adopted a lifestyle of grace. That means that while it is often wise to be cautious and realistic in our dealings with others, we need to be imitators of Christ. We need to offer others the grace that we have been shown by God, not holding anger or resentment against others. We cannot allow another's treatment of us to damage our Christian character.

If we pray this prayer sincerely, it is a commitment to follow the call of God wherever it may take us as we live in grace with one another.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times I've failed You and help me to show others the grace and forgiveness You have shown me. Help us to fight against evil in this world on Your behalf. May we live a lifestyle of grace as we forgive others, just as You have forgiven us. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

* Devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Our Daily Bread

Give us this day our daily bread. 
Matthew 6:11

When God's Kingdom comes, there will be bread for all, but until that day, we need basic necessities in order to live. But notice that this prayer is in the plural - give us. When we pray this prayer, we are praying for all of God's children, as one of God's children. We are not praying that God take care of "them," the poor and needy of the world. We are together with them, praying for all of God's people as a whole. When God gives to you or me, we are then responsible to give surplus to others.

This prayer also reminds us that every one of us, no matter what our current situation, is dependent on God for our very survival. If we decide that we do not need to pray to God for our daily needs, we are deceiving ourselves about our self-sufficiency. It is God who causes the sun to shine, the rain to fall, and the plants to grow in order that we might eat. It is God who gave us the resources and opportunities we need to survive. Within this prayer is an unspoken thanks for the bread God provided the day before, even as we trust that God will help us meet our needs for tomorrow.

Prayer: Lord, may all Your children have what they need to survive. Guide me in my responsibility as Your disciple that this prayer be fulfilled. Thank you for all that You provide for me every day. May I trust in You today, tomorrow and into eternity. In the name of the Bread of Life, Jesus, Amen

* Devotions taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Living as Kingdom People

Bring in Your Kingdom so that Your will is done on earth as it's done in Heaven.
Matthew 6:10

What will the world be like when God's kingdom comes? This verse tells us simply that it will be a place like heaven, where everyone does the will of God. Think on that! God's will is that each of us lives to our fullest potential, unencumbered by the baggage of life, be it poisonous emotions, damaging memories, broken relationships, grief, physical obstacles, or need. We would all live the lives we were created to live, honoring God with every action, always in praise of God's steadfast love and care.

By praying this prayer, we are also committing ourselves to live within God's kingdom as much as possible in the present world. By praying for the Kingdom to come, we reaffirm our discipleship as God's people, whose call is to illuminate the world with glimmers of the coming Kingdom. We do this by alleviating suffering in others the best that we can and by drawing them into the love of Jesus Christ. We offer comfort, hope and grace. We align ourselves with Jesus Christ and His message of love and forgiveness. We live as Kingdom people in a world that is not yet God's kingdom, in prayer for the world to be healed and made complete.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be an ambassador of Your coming Kingdom. Show me how to help those who are suffering by offering comfort, hope and grace. May I allign myself with Jesus and His message of love and forgiveness. Help us to live as Kingdom people while here on earth and may Your Kingdom arrive soon! In Jesus' holy and precious name, Amen

* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - God, Our Abba, Our Daddy

Our Father who is in Heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
Matthew 6:9

Sometimes kings would instruct their subjects to refer to them as Father, stressing a relationship of authority. Jesus, however, begins the Lord's Prayer with a title Abba, an Aramaic word that is an intimate, family name for father, very similar to our word Daddy. Abba captures God's deep love and concern for us, just as a devoted father would have for his beloved children. Yet this Dad is the Creator and Designer of the cosmos! What a remarkable thought! We, who are insignificant, mortal creatures compared to the Almighty I Am, can dare to call out to Him in such an intimate way.

The second half of this verse is a cry of praise. In ancient cultures, a name referred to one's very essence or being. So this phrase is saying that every bit of God is profoundly holy. It is also a request that all of creation recognize and praise our Lord God.

So this first line in the Lord's Prayer recognizes the awesome and all-encompassing power and glory of God, yet allows us to approach Him on a profoundly personal level. It tells us that we can dare to trust that the Designer of the cosmos will listen to our prayers in tender love for us, His children.

Prayer: Glorious, holy Creator of the cosmos, how wonderful it is that I can call you my Father! Your love for me and devotion to me is more than I can imagine. You are near to me every moment of the day. I love you Abba! Thank you for loving me! In Jesus' name, Amen.


* Devotions taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Praying to Glorify God

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:5-8 

Jesus tells us not to pray hypocritically, but what is hypocritical prayer? Simply put, it is prayer for any other reason than worship of and communion with God. Jesus first condemns people who practice "performance prayers" designed to impress others. Jesus was not condemning community prayer. He Himself prayed before others. Rather He was saying that true prayer means that you mentally retreat to a place where you are concerned only about God. This can happen even in a public setting. The real point is not where one prays, but why one prays. Prayer is never meant to glorify the one who prays; only God. 

Second, Jesus condemns empty words in prayer. Many pagan prayers were not only long, but full of formulaic invocations used to catch the attention of their deity and convince that being to grant requests. In this way of thinking, if prayers were done correctly, one could manipulate the deity into giving the one who prays what he or she wanted, like a holy Santa Claus in the sky. Instead, God knows what is in our hearts already. We don't pray to convince God, but rather to express our needs, our faith, our fears, our doubts, and our praise. We pray to open ourselves up to the guidance of God. True prayer is an act of devotion to our almighty God.

Prayer: O Lord, may my prayers glorify You and draw me closer to Your will. When I pray, help me to mentally retreat to a place where I am concerned only about You. Guide me Lord God. I am devoted to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.





* Devotions taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Transfiguring Moments

About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.  Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.  As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
Luke 9:28-36 

All throughout the Gospel of Luke, Jesus went off to pray. This passage starts out the same way, but then the disciples had a moment of profound clarity, when the identity and the mission of Jesus was revealed to them. They heard God say the words that are meant for every being one earth: "This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to Him!" 

Such dramatic moments are rare. We may read about them in accounts of mystics and saints, and we may have been blessed enough to experience a profound and life-altering moment or two of clarity ourselves. Through prayer, God can give us glimpses of the divine that we cannot explain. We may have a sudden, deeper understanding of the character of God. God may call us to a mission. God may give us comfort and rest. 

These are genuine moments of intimate communication that are true gifts from God, meant to be cherished and inspire our times when we are not on the mountaintop. It is human nature to want to stay at such a blessed place. But like the disciples, we are meant to take our newfound inspiration and turn to the valleys, where the work of the Lord waits for us. 

Prayer: Lord, strengthen me from the mountaintop to do Your will in the valleys. But please, Lord, let there be a few mountaintop experiences in my life...times that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that You are real, that You are powerful and that You love me. I love you Jesus! In Your name I pray, Amen. 



* Devotions taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Communicating with God

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
Romans 12:9-17 

Paul begins this passage with, "Love should be shown without pretending." He commands us to love one another with no pretense. But sometimes this life of constant love and kindness is hard work. People can be cruel and disrespectful. They can be arrogant and self-righteous. To genuinely and sincerely love one another all the time doesn't really seem possible. 

So how can we achieve that goal? Buried in Paul's list of directions is one "to devote yourselves to prayer." This is not praying when you feel like it or have a few extra minutes. Devoting oneself to prayer means to live in a constant state of communication with God, listening to God's guidance and wisdom and then dedicating yourself to following God's direction. 

If one is eagerly devoted to prayer, then human ways of thinking have a much better chance of being overcome by God's way of thinking. It's still not easy to let go of anger and always treat others with respect, but if the guidance of God is foremost in your thoughts, then you are not relying just on human willpower. You are allowing the Holy Spirit to demonstrate its power through you, pointing you back in the direction of genuine love and grace. 

Prayer: Lord, may my devotion in prayer help me to genuinely love my neighbors. Help me to live in a constant state of communication with You, listening to Your guidance and wisdom and then dedicating myself to following Your direction. Please, Holy Spirit, as I pray to you throughout the day, please demonstrate Your power through me, pointing me back in the direction of love and grace. In Jesus' name, Amen. 



* Devotions taken from The Sanctuary for Lent by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Love Your Enemies

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:43-48 

It is difficult enough to love friends and family all the time. How do you love your enemies? For people in Jesus' day, this was not a rhetorical question. They were a persecuted community under Roman law, harshly taxed and often treated with disdain. Jesus was telling them to love the soldier who spit at them as they walked by and pray for the official who cheated them and stole their hard-earned money. 

Difficult words. But if we are to love as God loves, it means that all people, even people outside of our circle of friends, neighbors, and community are worthy of our concern and prayers. It means that through God, we do not allow the actions of others to change our Christian character. We are to look beyond the cruelness of this world and attempt to live as though we are members of the kingdom of God. 

I'm reminded of what this love for enemies looks like when I think back to the reaction of Charleston AME (Mother Emmanuel) Church. When a young man entered their Bible study in 2015 and shot and killed nine members, instead of calling down vengeance on him and possibly turning the incident into a violent protest, the family members and friends forgave this man. And this was not done days or weeks after the killings but immediately. Their love and forgiveness for their enemy calmed a city and showed a nation what Christian love looks like in action. 

Jesus didn't present this idea of loving your enemies as a commonsense strategy to get along with others, but as a way to embody the nature of God in our everyday lives. It is an element of living the Gospel. It is truly living as sons and daughters of our heavenly Father. 

Prayer: Lord, take away any of my anger and hatred toward others and teach me to love all, as You do. Thank you for the example set by Mother Emmanuel. Thank you for the peace and healing it brought to Charleston. Help me to act in a similar manner...quick to forgive and to reach out to my enemies. In Your name Jesus, Amen. 

* Parts of this devotion were taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - God's Kind of Love

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 

What a beautiful prayer for disciples! How would our world change if we were continually expressing God's kind of love to others? 

God's kind of love never undermines or diminishes anyone and strives to help every person live to his or her full potential. It forgives mistakes. It offers guidance and support, but does not insist on its help being accepted. If we loved with God's kind of love, we would challenge people to be the best they can be through example, praising their accomplishments and being gentle with their failures. 

If we had Christ's endurance, we would be patient with those who frustrate us. We would continue to offer the gospel through teaching and example, even when it meant that we could be ridiculed or rejected. We would turn away from vengeance. We would see all people as beloved children of God, struggling to make it in a sin-sick world. We would live lives of compassion and understanding. 

We are not God, but we've experienced God's love. We are not Christ, but we've been blessed by His grace. As disciples, our charge is to show the world what the kingdom of God looks like - that is, a world that lives by God's kind of love and the grace of Jesus Christ. 

Prayer: O Lord, may I show the world Your kind of love and embody the grace of Jesus Christ. Help me to challenge people to be the best they can be through the example I set, praising their accomplishments and being gentle with their failures. Help me to lovingly share the good news of Jesus with those around me. May I live a life of compassion and understanding. In Your name Jesus, Amen.  




** Devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Offer What You Have

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. 
Mark 6:30-44 

Imagine the reaction of the disciples. They had more than five thousand hungry people seated in front of them, and Jesus was thanking God for five loaves of bread and two fish. This meager amount of food wouldn't even feed the twelve of them! Yet, in gratitude, Jesus praised God for what they had, handed it to the disciples, and told them to begin. 

The problems of the world are overwhelming. There is hunger, disease, war, loneliness, hostility and spiritual hunger. As disciples, how do we respond to all the need? This passage tells us that we take stock of our resources and thank God for them. Then we go out into the world with what we have and begin the work of God.

When we measure what we have against the world's need, it can seem foolish to even try. But instead of disparaging the tiny meal, Jesus asked God to bless it. As we labor for God, we should continually ask for God's blessings on our resources, our talents, our abilities, and our coworkers. When we call God into our labors, we have the greatest power in the cosmos behind even the most meager beginnings. 

Prayer: O Lord, bless my resources, however small, and give me the courage to begin using them in Your service. Show me where You are at work and enable me to join You. Help me to be open and listening to each word of guidance from Your Holy Spirit. Thank You in advance for all You are going to do through me. In Your name I pray, Amen. 


** Devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Psalm 139 - God's Amazing Design

Design And Determinism — Psalm 139:1-18

Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:16

The phrase "unformed body" literally in Hebrew is "my rolled-up substance." It paints a picture of the embryo, all rolled up. People are asking questions today about when life begins. When does an embryo become a human being? The answer of the psalmist is, "Thy eyes beheld me--not an impersonal collection of cells that wasn't me yet--in my rolled-up embryonic state." The marvel of the human body, even at that stage of growth, has convinced him that God is with him and knows him immediately.

Some will remember the Alger Hiss case quite a number of years ago. Alger Hiss was accused of communist conspiracy while he was a functionary of the government. A primary participant in that case was a man named Whittaker Chambers, also a member of the Communist Party and a contact of Alger Hiss. Whittaker Chambers later wrote a book in which he told how he became a Christian. One day when he was sitting with his little two-year-old daughter on his lap, his eye fell on her ear, and it caught his attention. He was struck by the design of that ear. How beautiful, how shell-like it was, and how perfectly designed to catch every sound wave in the air to be translated into sound by the brain. Knowing something of the mechanics of the ear, he began to think about it. He was struck by how impossible it is that anything so intricate, so complex, so beautifully designed could ever occur by chance. That led him to other lines of thought, and eventually he investigated the Christian position and became a Christian. The argument from design is a great argument, and it is what the psalmist uses here.

He is not only impressed by the argument from design but by the evidence of determinism. Evidently he had an experience similar to many of us--there came certain days in his life during which so many unrelated factors suddenly fell together to produce a circumstance or an experience that he could not help but be aware that something was causing it to happen, that it was all being brought about by a mind greater than his own.

We have all had something happen suddenly, something that we did not plan or expect. It was made up of so many varied factors that all of a sudden fit together, dovetailing beautifully, that we became aware that Someone else was planning our days and yet allowing us free will in the experience of them. That was what struck this psalmist. It was the fact that, even before these days occurred, they were written in the book of God--they were planned for him.

Prayer: Lord, no one knows me like You. You knew me before I was born, and You knew what each day of my life would hold. I praise You and thank You for Your intimate knowledge of me.

Life Application: Have we deeply contemplated the organized design we see in creation? What about the pieces of our lives that seem to assemble as though in a master plan?

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Easter Devotion - Child Like Faith

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do."
Matthew 11:25-26 

Theology can be mind-bendingly difficult. Theologians have struggled for centuries over the meanings of certain Scriptures. A war was fought over a single word that defined the substance of Jesus in a creed. While religious study can be deeply rewarding and enrich our faith, it is not the basis of faith. Faith is not religious debate and church culture. Faith is living the gospel. 

The religious leaders in Jesus' day were so concerned about religious practices that they didn't see the Son of God standing in their midst. It was left to those simple people who were just wanting to experience the love of God to recognize Jesus. He revealed Himself to children and to those who were child-like in their faith in Him. 

We can get so involved in the business of our church or doctrinal debate that we become blind to Jesus as well. Our spiritual life becomes religious practice and an intellectual exercise. But the basis of a relationship with Jesus is a pure and simple invitation from Him. We don't need to debate theology and understand all the nuances. We don't need to follow some strict protocol or ritual. All we need to do is to love Jesus and seek to serve Him. We can take, as our example, children in their enthusiastic, trusting faith. Then our eyes will be opened to His salvation, and we can truly rest in the loving arms of Jesus Christ. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, may I love You and serve You with my entire heart and my entire soul. Help me to take my cue from children as I enthusiastically embrace you with my whole life. You are so worthy of all honor, trust, praise and love. In Your name Lord Jesus, Amen. 

** Devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Speaking with Boldness

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Ephesians 6:18-20 

How many of your acquaintances know that you are a Christian? Do you have the courage to speak out about your faith, even if it might be difficult or uncomfortable? If not, you are not alone. Paul. one of the boldest apostles in history, asked the Ephesians to pray for him so that he might be fearless in preaching the gospel. This eloquent man also asked that they pray for the right words to come to him. Even Paul needed inspiration from God for the language and the bravery to teach the gospel. 

Our teachers and leaders need our prayers as well. Pastoring can be lonely and require courage. Sometimes pastors must challenge their congregations if they are to stay true to the gospel. To live a Christian life is ultimately countercultural because following Jesus does not allow one to live in quiet contentment when there is suffering and oppression in the world. 

If we claim the title of disciple, we also are called to be bold in our faith. To do so means we both need to pray for others and need to ask others for prayers as we seek to obediently follow Jesus. When disciples pray for one another, God strengthens them and enables them to send glimmers of the kingdom of God to earth.

Prayer: Lord, embolden my teachers, my leaders and myself to confidently speak Your Word! Grant us the grace to speak words of truth with gentleness and boldness. Forgive me for the times when I have kept silent when I should have shared the wonderful news about who You are. Thank you for your guidance Holy Spirit. In Christ's name I pray, Amen. 

** Devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

We are Set Apart to Serve

How We Are Apart – As Servants

Read 1 Peter 4:1-19

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.  1 Peter 4:7-11

The second thing holiness means in our lives is that we will give up our earthly desire for power and become servants as Jesus became a servant for us. One of the lies from the evil one is that power means we have something others do not have; but this is not true when we see true power from God’s perspective. Power God’s way is not the way of the bully or tyrant, it is the way of true love. Our verses for today say we are to keep loving one another earnestly or truly.

Being self-controlled is the way of love, while the way of the tyrant is anger and pain. The way of human power is to shame others by uncovering their faults to make ourselves look better; but the way of love covers faults and encourages the other to become better at trusting Jesus. Love shares with others rather than hoarding for ourselves against a day of need. The way of love uses every gift given to us by the Father to help others – there are no gifts which benefit only us. God’s full list of true love is found in 1 Corinthians 13.

And most importantly, everyone who speaks, when they speak from love, speaks to help others and bring glory only to God.

Being a servant is not the way of the world around us. This is one way holiness shows we are different from this world. Jesus said to His disciples, on the night He knew He would die, they must not seek power over others. Jesus washed His disciples’ feet – something the lowest servant of the house would do for guests.

In our world today there are many who seek God only because of power. Since they feel powerless in their own life, they believe that the power of God to do miracles would set them apart and make others notice them. But the greatest power anyone can have is the power to make someone else’s life a bit happier or easier. It is not what I know which makes me powerful, it is what I can teach another. It is not what I can make someone do that makes me powerful, it is what I can help them do for themselves. It is not wealth I collect which makes me powerful, it is helping another become able to provide for themselves and others which gives me greater power than any other gift I can possibly give. Peter must have remembered, as he wrote these words, how he was asked one day for a bit of money to help a lame beggar get food. Peter did not have money with him, but he gave what he had – Jesus (see the story in Acts 3:1-10).

*How can you serve someone today for God’s glory?

Taken from Global Media Outreach 

Easter Devotions - Lord of the Harvest

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:36-38 

A few years back I was standing on a street corner talking to a homeless man when a stray dog ran out into the street. Immediately, cars stopped and people coaxed the dog to safety, calming it, and putting it in a car to bring it out of danger. Watching all this, the homeless man commented, "I guess I would get more help it I were a dog." 

We often shy away from helping people in need. We may not be hard-hearted, but helping others can be messy and demanding. But that is exactly what Jesus asks of us. When Jesus saw the helpless crowds, He asked that His disciples pray for more compassionate people to serve them. God's answer to this prayer would be God empowering human beings, rather than using miracles or angels to help the helpless. 

Thus, as His disciples, we are chosen by God through Jesus Christ as God's workers in the world.  Our mission is clear: to care for others in the name of Jesus Christ. We would be called to meet spiritual needs or physical needs. Either way, it's complicated, challenging and often discouraging. But our service to others as Jesus' disciples is the embodiment of Jesus' compassion and the answer to Jesus' prayer. 

Prayer: Lord, empower me to be the answer to Your prayer. Enable me to be Your laborer in the harvest. Show me who needs to hear about You. Then grant me the wisdom, love and gentleness to share You with them so that they might know You as You want to be known. Grant me an urgency, knowing that Your return could be any day. In Your name, Jesus, Amen. 

*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotions - A Humble Faith

When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.
Matthew 8:5-13 

When we pray, we are calling on the greatest power in the cosmos. We are daring to speak to God, who flung the stars in the sky and who sculpted the mountains and oceans. When God speaks, the heavens and earth obey. 

The centurion in this story was a Roman officer who was in charge of one hundred men. He was used to having his orders followed. just by saying the words. Yet this powerful military officer humbly asked Jesus for help, even saying that he was not worthy to ask Jesus to enter his home. He recognized that this poor, traveling preacher commanded all of the heavens and earth. Once Jesus said the word, what He spoke would be fact. 

We are taught that Jesus is our friend, and He is. But Jesus is also the incarnate Son of God, who sits at God's right hand in heaven. No matter what our wealth, position or prominence, it is only through grace that we can even dare to speak to Him. How incredible that this is exactly what Jesus desires! The very ruler of the cosmos wants to hear our sorrows, our needs, and our desires. And if it is God's will, with a word, Jesus can cause all walls to fall and all wounds to be healed. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, how incredible that You are my friend! Never let me lose my awe and reverence of You. Help me to have faith, like the centurion, that You hear and You answer my prayers. But help me to approach you in humility and with an awareness of how truly awesome You are! In Your precious name I pray, Amen. 

** Devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Relationship Challenges

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles: Simon (whom He named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Luke 6:12-16 

Imagine you were choosing a team for the most important job in the history of the world. You would want well-educated people of influence who had complementary skills and could work well together. Yet look at the list of apostles whom Jesus chose.

There were small business owners, fishermen and family men. There were zealots, passionately dedicated to the overthrow of Rome, and a Jewish tax collector, a betrayer to his people and an employee of Rome. There was reputed nobility - tradition says that Bartholomew Nathaniel had royal blood. And there was Judas, who would give up Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. 

Certainly that mix was a recipe for disaster! Why would Jesus choose these people? Because He was guided and directed by God. It's easy to imagine Jesus objecting to these choices, yet Jesus was obedient to God's plan. After praying all night, Jesus named this contentious, ragtag group of men to His inner circle. By trusting God's direction, Jesus called the very people that God needed to fulfill the story of salvation. 

Sometimes we may wonder why God put into our lives the mix of people that He did. Some may be easier to get along with while some may challenge us to our core. But God has His reasons and His plans.  Often times the most challenging children, spouse, family members, friends draw us closest to the Lord and help us to change in many powerful ways. 

The key is to keep our focus on Jesus, not on the faults and difficulties of those around us. Look at the disciples. God chose what the world would consider foolish to be the foundation of His Church. Surely He can work through each of us and those in our lives to accomplish His great purposes. 

** Devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Pray Continually

Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:13-18 

How can anyone pray continually? Our first thought is that this must be an exaggeration. Surely Paul just meant that we should pray a lot. The commands that frame the call to pray also seem impossible. How can one be always joyful and give thanks in all things? Life is hard and hurtful at times. This seems to be a highly unrealistic, sugarcoated view of Christian life.

But prayer is a state of mind when you are connected to your Creator and within God's will. It means praising God and looking and listening to God, not just actively telling God what you want or are thinking. To pray continually means to go through the day aware of God's presence and listening to God's guidance in all things. 

When God infuses every moment of life, every moment can be spent in His presence. In that case, thanks is an inevitable result of living. When we live connected to our Creator, we live in a deeper, more profound place than where minor annoyances or even difficult circumstances or life can shake us. 

It does not mean that life's tragedies will not touch us. What it does mean is that even stronger than any pain that life can deal us is the assurance and joy of God's love and salvation, the assurance we get from continuously opening our hearts to God. 

Prayer: Lord, may my life be infused with Your presence at all times. Help me, Holy Spirit, to live in constant awareness of You. May my spirit rest in You each and every day. In Your precious name Lord Jesus, Amen. 


** Devotion is taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Jesus Prayed

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.  Simon and his companions went to look for Him, and when they found Him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for You!”
Mark 1:35-37 

Crowds were forming wherever Jesus went, hoping to be healed. Imagine the joy on people's faces as Jesus freed them or their loved ones from blindness, crippling diseases, or mental torments. Yet when He awoke early each morning, He didn't hurry back to the crowds but went to a deserted place to pray. 

No doubt even more people had arrived during the night, seeking Jesus' help. But the most important thing to Jesus - even more important than healing the sick - was for Him to set aside time to talk to God. Jesus needed the strength and revitalization that comes from deep and heartfelt prayer. Even though the needs of others were heartbreakingly great, it was even more important to remain fully connected with the Lord.

There's a tension that speaks to our own spiritual life. Many times we feel torn as we decide where to focus our energies. Do we pray? Or study? Or care for others? Do we evangelize? Simon Peter didn't understand. He hunted Jesus down and demanded that He get back to healing the people. But without time spent in prayer, we are choosing how we spend our resources instead of following God's guidance. 

Jesus had only three precious years on this earth to tell the world and His disciples all that He wanted them to know. Yet in His incredibly busy and eternally important schedule, He took time every day to pray and commune with God. If He did this, surely we should set aside that time, each day, to pray to our Heavenly Father. 

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for thinking I am too busy to pray. Teach me the importance of constant prayer. Create an eagerness in me, Holy Spirit, to set aside time, throughout the day, to come into Your presence and gaze on Your beauty and power through prayer. In the name of my example, Jesus, Amen. 


** This devotion was taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Easter Devotion - Heaven Opened

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Luke 3:21-22

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus prayed after His baptism and the heavens opened. In ancient times, people believed that the sky was like an inverted bowl over the earth, which kept out the chaos of the cosmos, but also restricted one's access to the heavens. In this passage, while Jesus prayed, the sky cracked to let in the powerful presence of God.

Yet every heartfelt prayer can crack the sky. God is not closed off from us, but always hears our cries of anguish, our shouts of praise, and our quiet meditations. Our fears and our questions all find their way to God's ear. Psalm 34:15 reads, "The Lord's eyes watch the righteous, His ears listen to their cries for help." 

Through prayer we allow the powerful presence of God into our own lives. We think of prayer as talking to God, but true prayer is also focused listening. It is how we open the door to God's transformational power to teach us and to guide us. 

It's impossible to have a relationship without communication. When we don't pray, we are restricting our own access to God's blessings, power and grace. When we "crack the sky," we offer God His greatest desire: our devotion, our obedience and our love. Such an offering will be answered with blessing, "In you I am well pleased." 

Prayer: Lord, may my prayers "crack the sky" and bathe me in Your presence. Help me to realize what an awesome privilege it is to be able to come into Your presence anytime, anywhere, simply through prayer. In Your precious name Lord Jesus, Amen. 


** Devotion comes from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink

Psalm 107 - Steadfast Love

Steadfast Love — Psalm 107

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 107:1

This is the recurrent theme of Psalm 107. The psalmist speaks of the steadfast love of God. In Hebrew, the word means "an eager and ardent desire" and refers to the fact that God's love never gives up. We sing about it in the hymn,

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee.

The thing that finally gets to us, breaks the back of our rebellion, and sets us free from our emotional hang-ups is the unqualified love of God, which never lets us go. We might use a term that is more easily understood in our day. Instead of "steadfast love," read "unqualified acceptance." That is what God's love does. It accepts us without reserve.

"Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD" (Psalm 107:43). That means you are to think about all this! Ask yourself how this relates to you. Many people are going through a difficult situation. Many are wandering, restless, hostile, or bitter. They are held prisoner by some attitude, outlook, or habit. Or they are sick, neurotic, emotionally upset. Perhaps some are fearful, troubled by a crisis into which they have come. This may be your situation. Stop and think about how God accepts you, how He loves you, how He is deeply concerned about you and will meet you right where you are and take you just as you are. His love does not change a bit whether you are a failure or a success. It does not make any difference to Him how you appear in the eyes of others. God loves you; He is concerned about you and has already received you, already given you all that he can give in Jesus Christ. Begin to rejoice in that fact. You will find that love will set you free so that you can act upon the power and liberty God gives.

When you think about your relationship to others, give heed to these things. Have you ever tried unqualified acceptance with your boss? Or your mother-in-law? Or the kid next door who is so mean and difficult? Have you ever tried unqualified acceptance with your children when they are giving you so much trouble, your teenagers who make you mad every time you come in the door? Have you ever tried unqualified acceptance with your parents, who are always on your back and never seem to give you a break? Have you ever tried unqualified acceptance with those who are difficult or demanding of you?

Prayer: Father, how wonderful to see that Your unqualified love is designed for every situation in which I might find myself. I ask You to set me free by love that I might sing this wonderful song of deliverance.

Life Application: Everyone longs for enduring love. Where can we go to experience this unqualified acceptance? How can we ourselves freely give it? In Christ we can!

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Psalm 90 - The Tragic Sense of Life

The Tragic Sense Of Life —  Psalm 90:7-17

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
Psalm 90:8

Here the psalmist, in all the honesty of his outlook on life, is facing a reality that many of us try to avoid. He is dealing with what we might call the tragic sense of life: the fact that every moment of enjoyment is tinged with something sorrowful, tragic, or unhappy. There is a bittersweet quality about life, and these psalmists realistically face it. Why do we have these tragedies, irritations, injustices, and catastrophes that strike both innocent and guilty alike?

In years past I succumbed to family pressure and a long-standing interest on my part and bought a small motorboat to use for water skiing, fishing, and other water sports. Of course I couldn't wait to see how the boat would run. I took it down to the Palo Alto boat harbor and launched it in the bay. My wife and youngest daughter were aboard, and we went out for a spin on the bay. But out in the middle of the bay, we ran aground! The motor hit bottom, and before I could lift it up, the shear pin had severed, and there we were, powerless in the middle of the bay. Fortunately I had taken along a couple of paddles that belonged to a little rubber boat we had, but all I had were these little paddles that fit together like a kayak paddle. When I fully realized that we were adrift in the middle of the bay I was a bit concerned, as I didn't know which way the tide was running, and I had read stories in the paper about people who spent the night on the mud flats. The thought crossed my mind, "Is this really fair?"

The longer I paddled toward the disappearing shore, the more convinced I was that it was unfair treatment. We finally landed at the only place on the lower western side of the bay where there was a telephone, so we didn't spend the night on the bay. But the situation served to underscore for me the fact that the psalmist is facing here: There is a dark side to life. There come sudden occurrences that cast a cloud over the sunshine. Sometimes they are much more serious than my boat incident. We all know how frequently these things happen. What is the reason for them?

The psalmist says it is because of the wrath of God. Surely this concept of the wrath of God is greatly misunderstood by many people. Many think invariably of some sort of peeved deity who indulges in violent and uncontrolled displays of temper when we human beings do not do what we ought to do. The Bible never deals with the wrath of God that way. According to the Scriptures, the wrath of God is God's moral integrity. When people refuse to yield themselves to God, He creates certain conditions that He has ordained for harm.

The cause of God's wrath, then, is always human sin. The manifestation of God's wrath would never be apparent were it not for the secret sins that are set in the light of God's countenance. God knows our inner sins, our secret inner thoughts. God is aware of these inner defilements of life, and they are all contributing to the tragic sense of life.

Lord, in the midst of the tragedies, irritations, and injustices of life, help me to trust that even in wrath You are merciful.

Life Application: When there are dark and difficult days we sometimes ask - Why me? Are we willing to cooperate with God's disciplines, ever thankful for His mercies?

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Who Was St. Patrick?

Today many people will remember St. Patrick. This day is special for me since my great-great-grandmother was from Ireland and my grandma, Esther, went home to be with Jesus on St. Patrick's Day. But it has also become special to me since I have learned the incredible story of St. Patrick! 

Below is the story of St. Patrick:

St. Patrick: From Slave to Saint by Grainne Rowland "Watch out! Hide! Here come the raiders!" My family's servants were screaming and running for cover. I watched in horror as my father's land and house were overrun. The raiders came with the Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind, tied up, and roughly pushed towards a waiting ship. I, Succat, was being taken as a slave! I struggled to get free. I thought of how angry my father would be when he learned that his son had been kidnapped. My father was the most powerful man in that part of Britain. Surely he would rescue me! I was thrown on board the ship with the other captives. The ship quickly sailed away. The raiders began to celebrate their successful attack. I  knew then there would be no rescue. I was only sixteen years old. In Ireland, I was sold to Miliucc, a chieftain in Co. Antrim. I was forced to herd pigs in cold and rainy weather. I was hungry, wet, and shivery with cold. Always, I was lonely. I was a slave for six long years. I learned the Irish language and the customs of the Irish people. I also learned to pray. One night in a dream, I heard a voice say, "Behold, your ship is ready." I woke up and knew my chance to escape had arrived! I began my long walk to freedom. After many days, I reached Wexford, 200 miles away. I found a ship nearly ready to sail. But the captain was searching for someone to care for a pack of Irish wolfhounds on the journey. I was just the person! I was on my way home! The ship landed in northern Gaul, where there was only desert. For many days, we wandered in that desert. We found no food. The sailors made fun of my God. They asked why He didn't send us food. So I prayed. To the sailors' surprise, a large herd of pigs came into sight, squealing and grunting. It was enough meat for not only the men, but all the wolfhounds as well! On the day I walked into my home again, my mother and father ran to hug me. They both talked at once and asked question after question, never giving me time to answer. That night, I was the guest at a huge party. I was given many gifts. During the next few years, I studied in several places. I finally became a priest. It was then that I was given the name Patrick. One night, I had another dream. I saw the people of Ireland. They pleaded with me, saying, "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more." I knew I must return to Ireland. When I arrived back in Ireland, I first went to Tara, the home of Irish kings. I asked King Leary's permission to preach in the country. He agreed and I began to travel throughout Ireland. I brought many people to the Christian faith. In about the year 441, I spent 40 days alone on a rocky, windy mountain praying for the Irish people. The mountain is now known as Croagh Patrick, or the Mountain of Patrick. One day, I was telling the people about God. They did not understand. So I picked a shamrock and showed them that there are three leaves but only one plant. Then the people could better understand that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit make only one God. That is why, when you see a picture of me, I am usually holding a shamrock. I trained new Irish priests, and they learned many things. They knew how to copy and beautifully decorate the Bible and other books. They copied everything by hand and made paint from plants and minerals. In later years, the people of Europe forgot about learning. The Irish monks and scholars kept copying books and kept important knowledge alive. Not long before I died, I built a large stone cathedral in the town of Armagh. I also had a school built there. It later became a famous university. I died on March 17, 493, in the town of Saul, in Co. Down. This was the same place I had built my first church. Many towns wanted the honor of giving me a burial place. So my body was put on a wagon drawn by two oxen. The oxen pulled the cart to the town of Downpatrick. There I was buried. My body lies in a cemetery next to the Downpatrick Cathedral. The grave is marked by a large granite stone and the name Patrick.

This story was found at the website: http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/StPatrick.html

After St. Patrick died, Ireland was used greatly by God to keep Christianity alive in Europe during the Middle/Dark Ages. At a time when there was much corruption in the Church in Europe and when very few people knew how to read so that it was difficult to spread the Gospel, the Irish/Celtic Church sent out many missionaries and helped preserve the Christian religion through its monasteries. This early Celtic Church flourished with many monks and priests leaving Ireland to begin missions in Europe. In the first two hundred and fifty years after Patrick's death, around five hundred Irish saints were recognized. These missionaries established monasteries in Scotland, England, Switzerland, France, Germany and as far south as Italy.

We have much to be grateful for in the lasting Christian heritage and legacy of Patrick and Ireland!

Psalm 90 - God is Our Dwelling Place

The Dwelling Place  -  Psalm 90:1-6

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Psalm 90:1-2

In this psalm Moses begins by declaring that God has been the dwelling place of people in all generations. What is a dwelling place? It is where you live, your home. This statement declares that God has been the home of humans ever since they have been on the earth. In all generations, God is where they continually live. You will recognize that this is the same truth Paul uttered when he addressed the Athenians on Mars Hill. He explained to them that God is not far from any of us (even pagans, he points out), "for in him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). God exists as a home for people.

That is a tremendous thought, isn't it? Here Moses is looking back over the course of human history and declaring that God is great because He is the God of history. Moses had seen pharaohs live and die. Perhaps he had seen the tombs of the pharaohs and noted the many who in the past had been laid to rest. Despite the passing centuries, there is no change in the relationship of humans to God. He has been the home of people for all generations.

Then Moses points out that God is the God of creation. Here he is looking back across that record and saying that before the mountains were formed, God was. Then before that, he "brought forth the earth and the world." To us that is saying the same thing, but in the Hebrew it is literally "the earth and the land." God formed the earth first and then later brought out the land from the waters, as the book of Genesis makes clear. The land emerged from waters that covered the earth. So Moses is gradually moving back in time from the formation of the mountains to the emergence of the land and finally the creation of the earth itself. Before all this, God was.

Then he takes a longer leap into timelessness and says, "from everlasting to everlasting you are God." Surely here is the greatness of God. He is the God of history. He is the God of creation. But beyond all that, He is the God of eternity. He is beyond and above His creation. He is greater than the universe He produced, and before it existed, He was. In fact, the Hebrew here is again very interesting. It suggests the translation, "From the vanishing point in the past to the vanishing point in the future"; thus, from everlasting to everlasting God exists. How great He is!

Prayer: When I think that Moses, so many long centuries ago, understood these great facts about You, I am inclined to cry with him, "Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations."

Life Application: Home is where the heart is. Have our hearts found that place of Sabbath rest in Him who is our true home? He is seeking us; are we seeking Him?

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Psalm 73 - A View From the Sanctuary

The View From The Sanctuary — Psalm 73

"...till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny."
Psalm 73:17

When the psalmist speaks of going into the sanctuary, he means he came before the presence of God. He actually went into the temple where God had made provision to meet with His people. When he did that, he began to see things from God's point of view. In the temple he began to shift from natural thinking to spiritual thinking. The problem was that he had been thinking like a natural man. Thus, he had gotten himself worked up into a terrible state of frenzy. But wonderfully, in the sanctuary, he begins to understand as he thinks from God's point of view. That is the great thing about the Scriptures. It means that when you come to church or read the Scriptures, you are not coming merely to find something to soothe you a bit; you are coming that you might have your eyes opened, that you might see things as they really are and thus begin to understand life. There are many people who are content to use the Bible only to soothe their feelings when they get upset, but the Bible is not provided for that. It is provided that we might understand what is happening to us in every aspect of life, and that is what happened to the psalmist. He came into the sanctuary, and there he began to think from God's point of view.

The trouble with so-called "natural" thinking is that it is always centered on self, and natural-thinking people react to their circumstances according to their feelings, moods, and emotions. When that happens to you, your range of vision is narrowed down to only those factors that are troubling you. You cannot think beyond them. When your feelings govern you, they always limit you. That is what was troubling this man.

He begins to see it when he comes into the sanctuary, into the presence of God, because there he begins thinking spiritually. Spiritual thinking is centered on God, and the mind is in control and not the feelings. Then you are not being governed by emotions but by thoughts relating to facts. Thus, your vision is broadened, and you can see other things besides the one thing that is disturbing your emotions. It is made possible only when you "enter the sanctuary."

How do we enter the sanctuary today? According to the New Testament, we ourselves are the sanctuary. God lives in us. To draw near to Him is to enter the sanctuary. We enter the sanctuary in various ways: by exposing ourselves to His truth in the Scripture; or by facing truth we have forgotten as we fellowship with other Christians; or by directly praying to God and changing our thinking from natural to spiritual.

Father, teach me this same truth. Keep me from being envious of the ungodly, but help me to enter Your sanctuary and have my mind renewed by Your truth.

Life Application: Is our perspective on life being formed and limited by self-centered feelings or emotions? What are three ways to re-calibrate our vision?
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Psalm 73 - When Feet Slip

When Feet Slip — Psalm 73:1-14

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Psalm 73:2-3

When you were a new Christian, were you troubled by the feeling that becoming a child of God ought to make life easier for you because you had become the object of a heavenly Father's love and care, but instead you found things became worse? You finally found yourself frustrated and depressed, especially when you saw that the ungodly around you were often enjoying life to the full. There are many Christians who struggle with such a problem. It is this very problem that is brought before us in Psalm 73.

The problem is stated for us in the opening verses. What was bothering the psalmist was the apparent contradiction between what he had been taught in the Scriptures--that God was good to the upright and to those who were pure in heart--and his experience in life. He was envious, he said, of the arrogant and disturbed by the prosperity of the wicked. That prosperity seemed to him to be a direct contradiction to what he had been taught about God. He had been told that if you are "upright and pure in heart," that is, you had learned to lay hold of the righteousness that God provides and were cleansed by His grace, then God would be good to you, take care of you, and watch over you.

Instead, this man was finding his own situation to be difficult and very discouraging, but the wicked around him, the ungodly, seemed to prosper, and everything was going well with them. This bothered him greatly. He could not reconcile this. It troubled him so terribly that it created a deep resentment and envy in his heart. Ultimately he found himself threatened with a complete loss of faith. His feet had almost slipped, he had almost stumbled, and he had come to the place where he was almost ready to renounce his faith.

Here is one of the great values of the Psalms for us. These wonderful folk songs of faith reflect our own experience. They are an enactment of what most of us are going through, have gone through, or will go through in the walk of faith. There have been many Christians troubled like this. They have been swayed by the seeming logic of the argument of the infidel or atheist. They say, "How can your God be both a God of love and power? If He's a God of power, as you Christians say He is and can do all things, then He cannot be a God of love, or He would do something to correct injustices." New Christians are often tremendously affected by this argument and become discouraged and frightened as they face the seeming logic of it. How can God be both a God of love and power and yet allow His own to suffer so terribly at times while the unrighteous seem to prosper and everything goes well with them? That was the problem this man was facing.

Lord, help me to trust, despite what I often see around me, that You are a God of both infinite power and infinite love.

Life Application: God does not wince at our hard questions and weak faith. Are we learning to be honest with God, exposing ourselves to the probing of the Spirit?

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