The Shelter of the Living God

THE SHELTER OF THE LIVING GOD

Psalm 125:1-2

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.  As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people both now and forevermore.”

            The previous devotion, Faith Walk, dares God’s kids to trust God’s indwelling Spirit to lead us in life.  That sounds weird, though.  If we mention this “dangling from a tree limb” adventure, non-believers won’t understand.  “Why?” is one expected comment we’re challenged to answer.  How can Believers appear realistic in this fallen world? 

            Maybe we don’t the mention sanctification [sank-tif-i-KA-shon] process aloud?  After all, transforming Believers into Christ-likeness takes our lifetimes.  Jesus loves us too much to stop daring us to grow.  Believers aren’t scaredy-cats.  We take up Jesus’ challenge!

            Faith walking grows our faith.  That’s the whole point, isn’t it?  Faith walking is Spirit-led, heading where we can’t see with our eyes.  That’s adventure! 

            If people want safety, they should have remained inside mom’s womb.  Where’s the excitement in that?  We dared to be born and now we’re “out there” in the big cruel, yet awesome world.  Our heavenly Father understands that we came from dust.  Jesus understands the challenges and trials we endure—YET—He dared to be born, too! 

            The shelter of the Living God offers Believers the best of both worlds.  We are safe, yet we enjoy the adventure and excitement of living by faith, led by God’s Spirit.  Daily trials wear people down.  We search for a place where we’re welcome.  A place where we can just be still and safe. 

            Our minds can take a break and flee to God’s shelter. 

            God’s shelter is real.  Like the pillars of clouds surrounding the children of Israel in the desert, God’s shelter welcomes His kids 24/7.  Check out a map of the Middle East to see how God protects His Jewish nation of Israel.  The tiny country of Israel is surrounded by hostile enemies on all sides except one.  There, she is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea. 

            The surrounding Arab world is 800 times larger than Israel.  Now, check out Israel’s capital of Jerusalem.  A topographical map shows Jerusalem surrounded by mountains.  Like a love poem, Jerusalem’s face is encircled by petals of mountains, like a rose.   God’s protection of her is graceful and beautiful. 

            Those mountains symbolize God’s protection that exist all around us!

Take Home Nugget

            Just as mountains provide a physical barrier protecting Jerusalem from invading forces, God Himself serves as a barrier between His kids and our enemies—now, and always! 

            Who are God’s kids?  “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.” 

Thank You, Living God, for protecting and offering us shelter! Amen.

Adapted from “Surrounded by Grace” by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein.  May 29, 2016.  Holy Land Moments Daily Devotional

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Shelter of the Living God

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

                   Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com  

Here’s an eBook by J.D. Griffith:    

  To order “The Thing is…” click here

Recent eBook by J.D. Griffith: 

  Click here to purchase a copy of Your Salvation is Jesus' Passion   eBook only $2.99 

Faith Walk

Faith Walk

Hebrews 11:1-31

Hebrews 11:13-14: “All these people were still living by faith when they died.  They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.  And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.  People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.”

                                                                       

              Trust is always the issue for faith walking. 

              People make countless decisions every day.  How many solutions are led by God’s indwelling Spirit?   How many are reached by human reasoning?  How many are determined by self-reliance?  Living by faith is trusting Christ.  Living by faith requires action. 

              Following His lead.

              Allowing Him to lead grows our faith.

              When we allow Him to lead, our faith grows.  When God leads, we ALSO walk with confidence!  Trust is always the issue because allowing God’s Spirit to lead means people must give up to God free will over our lives. 

              Thank God that He is loving and patient!  His Word clearly teaches that sanctification [sank-tif-i-KA-shon] is the process of transforming Believers into people like Christ.  Fortunately, when people stumble during that process, we get as many do-overs as is necessary to grow into Christ-likeness. 

              Kids learn to walk one step at a time.  When they tumble to the ground, others help them back up, or they find ways to pull themselves up.  The point is that they get back on their feet and take another step.

              Faith walking is no different.  God’s Spirit shows us how to live according to our   faith in Him.  When we make mistakes, falling and getting back on our feet is part of the sanctification process.  Our role is to make progress by taking another step.

              Our responsibility is to get into God’s Word and learn from His Book.  Learn God’s nature.  Learn His promises.  Pick a promise and pray for God to make it real in your life.  Believe it.  Lean on God.  Depend on God to make choices that require us to believe Him and trust Him. 

              Let’s take a faith walk--together.  I dare you!   

Take Home Nugget

            Feel the excitement!  Faith walking is like balancing on a high rope.  The pole we use to keep our balance is continued prayer.  God will not let us fall from that high rope. 

Experience Christ!  Praise God for every provision.  Thank Him for being dependable.  Feel faith stretching to see you safely to the rope's end.  Check out the lesson linked below for faith walkers’ fulfilled promises.

           

Holy Father, Enable us to step out on that high rope of faith with only prayer and dependence on You keeping our balance and preventing us from falling.  Grow our trust to walk confidently led by Your Spirit!

Adapted from “Walking with Greater Confidence.”  Dr. Charles Stanley.  December, 21 2015.  In Touch Magazine.  Georgia.

J.D. Griffith

. 

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Faith Walk

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

                   Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com  

Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:    

  To order “The Thing is…” click here

     Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

 Recent eBook by J.D. Griffith:    Click here to purchase a copy of Your Salvation is Jesus' Passion 

  
eBook only $2.99

Secret Miracle Success

SECRET MIRACLE SUCCESS

Part seven of seven in Warrior Saints series

John 6:11

“Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.  He did the same with the fish.”

            “Oh, I forgot to give Papa thanks!” ten-year-old Shakira admitted to her cousin, twelve-year-old Cassie. 

            Cassie lowered the corn-on-the-cobb she held.  “You’re right, Shak!  How rude to forget thanking God for our food.  Papa—as you call our heavenly Father—brought our families together today!  Wanna pray right now?”  

            Shakira nodded her head.  “Hurry.  I’m hungry!”

            Cassie and Shakira linked hands.  “Papa, thank You for this wonderful day!  Thank You for our picnic food shared with family at this fun park!  Won’t You play with us, Jesus?  Amen!”

             Shakira giggled saying, “Amen.”  She popped a small brownie into her mouth, patted the bench and mumbled, “Jethuth, thit here!”

            They both laughed out loud.  They spent a perfect day thanking God for the swing sets, baseball field, the merry-go-round and the lightening bugs they caught before returning home.  They were inseparable.

            Jesus and his disciples were inseparable three years during His walking ministry.  Jesus’ life was marked with thanksgiving.  He thanked His Father all day long.  THEN, Jesus thanked his Father for hearing Him whenever he prayed. 

            Jesus’ secret miracle success is thanking the Father for hearing His prayers, believing that He would receive that for what he asked. 

            In John 6:1-13, Jesus took a boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish and fed 5,000 people! 

            Could you store twelve baskets of leftover abundance the disciples collected afterwards?  Have you thanked God for His provisions you stuff into your ‘frig—AND freezer? 

            Let’s make a habit of thanking God for hearing our prayers—then believing that He will do whatever we ask!  (See crucial teaching lesson, linked below).    

        

Take Home Nugget

            An “attitude of gratitude” sees life through faith eyes.  Jesus stood outside Lazarus’ tomb.  The situation seemed hopeless.    

            Jesus promised Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

            “So they took away the stone.  Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that You have heard Me.  I knew that you always hear Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing there, that they may believe that You have sent Me.”

            “Lazarus, come out!” (John 16:40-43).

            Raising Lazarus back to life was another of Jesus’ miracles.  Let us learn His secret miracle success:  Thank God for hearing your prayer requests, and believe that He’ll grant it! 

Lord Jesus, in Your name I pray for enough faith to believe that nothing is impossible for God.  Thank You for hearing my prayer, Amen.

Adapted from “See the Miraculous When You Give Thanks.”  Rev. Joseph Prince.  June 19, 2016.   www.josephprince.org

J.D. Griffith

. 

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Secret Miracle Success

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

                   Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com  

Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:    

  To order “The Thing is…” click here

     Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

 Recent eBook by J.D. Griffith: 

  Click here to purchase a copy of Your Salvation is Jesus' Passion   eBook only $2.99

     Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

Gospel Goodies

GOSPEL GOODIES

Part six of seven in Warrior Saints series

1 Corinthians 15:3-5

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the twelve.”

             What does the word “Gospel” mean to you?  Sometimes it’s in lower case, gospel.  People often qualify truth by adding the word gospel, as though what they’re saying must be true!  Maybe one day someone will ask you what is the Gospel.  How would you respond, Warrior Saint?

            Christianity is different from other religions.  Without Buddha, the basic elements of Buddhism remain.  Without Muhammad, Islamic principles stay intact.  But without Christ, Christianity is … well, nothing.

            That’s because Christianity isn’t faith in a system.  Christianity is faith in a person.

            The Gospel is Jesus Christ.

            Christianity is not a code, it’s a cause.

            Christianity is not a creed, it’s a church.

            Christianity is not merely following rules, it’s developing a relationship.

            The Gospel is a person. 

            Saints pay attention to how Christ’s Spirit—living within us—leads.  He’s our buddy, our conscience, our counselor.  He’s our Gospel truth!  We allow Him to determine our steps.  As we press into Him, our lives transform.  Our thoughts and actions take on odd-yet familiar holiness and righteousness.  Our relationship with Jesus becomes more important every day.

            We bubble up with joy unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before!

            Check it out:  twelve year olds Jeremy and Brad play football.  They certainly wouldn’t call themselves saints.  But they are both saved-for-eternal-life Christians.  A fight broke out during the last summer scrimmage.  Jeremy plays offense and Brad plays defense.   

            The defense squad attacked the offense squad aggressively.  Coach blew his whistle to stop all play.  Defense guys continued brawling.  Offense guys returned blows.  Coach ran toward the scuffle blowing his whistle nonstop, watching Brad separate the squads.  Jeremy stopped his teammates from pursuing Brad. 

            Coach yelled, “What are you doing?  This is football, not wrestling or boxing entertainment!  These are your teammates!”

            Everyone stood still, quiet.  Coach said, “Scrimmage is over.  Maybe it’s just too hot.  Take cold showers to cool down and go home.  First game is Friday, September 9^th.”  Coach threw his arms around Brad and Jeremy’s shoulders on the way to the locker room.  “Good work, guys.  You’re team leaders.”   
                                  

Take Home Nugget

            Gospel goodies are how saints are transformed into Christlikeness.  (See the lesson linked below for more Gospel goodies).  Jesus is our Gospel.  We believe in Him and allow Him to live His life through us. 

           

Jesus lives in you; will you live for Him?

Adapted from “What is the Gospel?”  Dr. Jack Graham.  May 25, 2016.  PowerPoint Ministries.  www.jackgraham.org

J.D. Griffith

. 

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Gospel Goodies

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

                   Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com  

Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:    

  To order “The Thing is…” click here

     Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

 Recent eBook by J.D. Griffith:    

Click here to purchase a copy of Your Salvation is Jesus' Passion   eBook only $2.99

     Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

One with Christ

ONE WITH CHRIST

Part five of seven in Warrior Saints series

Colossians 1:18

“And He is the head of the body, the church: He is the beginning of the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.”

            “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.  But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.”  (Colossians 1:21-23). 

            Apostle Paul wrote divinely-inspired letters to the many churches he began.  These epistles [e-PISS-les] make up many books in the Bible’s New Testament.  Paul met people, established a church, then left to spread the gospel further.  In his absence, churches began to drift.  His letters intended to strengthen and encourage people in their faith.     

            Faith is tricky.  “When the cat is away, mice will play” is an idiom that is often true of people.  What do you do when no one’s watching?  Do you think that you’ve truly gotten away with doing something bad?

            The thing is…God is always watching. 

            Paul reminded people in Colosse that Jesus is always watching.  Jesus is supreme.  Jesus is the head of the body.  His body is the church.  Churches consist of people.  Believers make up the body of Christ.  Every person in Christ’s body was once evil, an enemy of God.  After believing in Jesus as Lord and Savior, His body (you and me) are presented holy before the Father.  Papa sees us without defect.  Papa sees us as perfect. 

            Papa doesn’t blame you for the bad things you do—IF you hold onto your faith in Jesus.  If you don’t drift away from faith in Jesus, then the hope—(resurrection from the dead to eternal life)—is assured.  

             

Take Home Nugget

            Just like the head and the body are one person, Jesus is the head to the body of people who follow Him.  Individually, Christ is our head.  How Papa accepts Jesus, He accepts you!   Today Papa wants you to see yourself as one with Christ, His beloved Son.  How can a body be sick or poor if the head is not?  As Jesus is, so are you in this world!  (See the lesson linked below).

            When individual saints realize that we are Christ’s perfection, we can believe that Papa delights in us.  We can believe that whatever we lack is coming. 

            You can never be separated from Christ when you are one with Him!  All His power, wisdom, provision and health are yours.

I proclaim, “As He is, so am I in this world!”

Adapted from “The Head and Body Are One.”  Rev. Joseph Prince.  June 16, 2016.  www.josephprince.org

J.D. Griffith

. 

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for One with Christ

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

                   Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com  

Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:    

  To order “The Thing is…” click here

     Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

 Recent eBook by J.D. Griffith:   

 Click here to purchase a copy of Your Salvation is Jesus' Passion   eBook only $2.99

     Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

Proclaim

PROCLAIM

Part four of seven in Warrior Saints series

Luke 13:12

“When Jesus saw her, He called her forward and said to her, ‘Woman, you are set free [loosed] from your infirmity.’”

            Jesus proclaimed from authority—(same authority He gave Peter with the keys-of-the-kingdom-of-heaven)—and released God’s power when He spoke healing for this woman.  Jesus didn’t get on His knees and beg the Father for her healing. 

            Prayers that plead and beg God suggest that our heavenly Father isn’t willing, and can be persuaded to do our bidding.  He’s way more gracious than that!  Ephesians 3:20 says that He’s wants to give us more that we ask for, think or imagine!  3 John 1:2 says that God desires—above all things—that we prosper, be healthy and our souls prosper.

            Proclaiming is speaking that God’s will be done.  God’s power is released by the spoken word.  God’s love is so tender and compassionate that He sent Jesus to Earth even before His kids admitted that we needed salvation! 

            Naturally, God wanted this woman set free from this humiliating illness. 
  

            Jesus brought the Father’s will down from heaven to Earth that day.  That’s what Believers pray in the Lord’s Prayer, isn’t it?  “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” isn’t some magical incantation.  It’s a battle cry!  Saints release God’s power proclaiming a wrong be made right using the keys-of-the-kingdom-of-heaven authority Jesus gave us.

            The word combination “bind and loose” that Jesus used in Matthew 16:19 confuses many.  That’s why “loosed” was added behind “set free” in the opening Scripture.  Whatever Believers want to correct on Earth can be accomplished using   “bind” or “loose” for regular words like “hold” or “heal”.  What we proclaim on earth, God agrees in heaven.

            What would saints want to bind, restrain or hold on Earth?

            Should a dog growl and bark threateningly, saints might pray for the dog to be bound—or restrained supernaturally from injuring anyone.

            Proclamation prayers assume the prayer knows God’s will.  Jesus knew the father wanted that woman healed.  But there may be times when a saint proclaims something, and then that doesn’t work out the way saints prayed.  No harm done.  God’s will WILL be done, anyway.  God knows the prayer’s heart—and what’s best for the pray recipient.  The point is that we love others.  We proclaim our best intention.

            Your pastor probably proclaims before dismissing the congregation from church service, “The Lord bless and keep you.  The Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you.  The Lord grant you His peace!

Take Home Nugget

            Saints are authorized to proclaim healing, protection and provision because our Father’s heart overflows with love for us. 

Proclaim.  God sanctions.  Declare.  God establishes!

Adapted from “Prayers that Proclaim.”  Rev. Joseph Prince.  April 18, 2016.  www.josephprince.org

J.D. Griffith

. 

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Proclaim

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

                   Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com  

Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:    

  To order “The Thing is…” click here

     Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

 Recent eBook by J.D. Griffith: 

  Click here to purchase a copy of Your Salvation is Jesus' Passion   eBook only $2.99

     Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers