Devotions

“Then Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

Genesis 23:3-4

Death always makes things real. It shows us how short life really is! We may live forty, fifty, sixty or even a hundred years, but that is a drop in the bucket in the annals of time. We come from the dust, so shall we return to the dust! So live for the LORD!

“All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

Ecclesiastes 3:20

Remember, this world is not our permanent home, so our focus and our hope needs to be in the LORD!

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

John 14:2

Here we see Abraham is all about God. Are we? He’s being a witness for the LORD using Sarah’s death to show we need to be separated from the world! As believers, we should never fit in with worldliness! We need to be Holy (special) not ordinary, Sanctified – set apart!

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

Let us make our lives count for the LORD today, not the world! We all have just a short time here on earth, so let’s make it count, knowing that ten out of ten are going to die and those of us who know the LORD, we will be with Him! So have a blessed day sharing the hope of heaven!

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Matthew 6:24

We really can’t serve two masters, it comes down to one or the other! It’s the LORD or ” ______,” fill in the blank! It could be money, health, career or even family! If you make comments like, “I’ll get into ministry when I finish or achieve ” _____.” Again fill in the blank! Then you may be serving other gods!

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua 24:15

Just like Joshua, the LORD is asking the same thing: who you gonna serve?

“And Elijah came to all the people, and said, How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him. But the people answered him not a word.”

1 Kings 18:21

Today, let’s give the LORD an answer and follow Him, walking and talking about His ways.

“Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.”

Psalm 100:2

Today, take some time and search your heart and see what might be in the way of serving the LORD! Then get out there and serve Him, you’ll have a blessed day doing it!

“He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.”

2 Kings 4:33

As we see in this chapter, which is true for us today, we focus on the problem and not the LORD (the solution for everything). They’re going to take my sons away, my son is dead and the food is ruined! We do the same: our home is being taken, my health is bad or we can’t put food on the table!

“I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.”

2 Samuel 22:4

Yes, life is full of all kinds of trials and problems (enemies). What they do is give us opportunity to be like Elisha, shut the door and be alone in prayer with the LORD! I believe the LORD allows problems in our lives, so we can exercise our faith!

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

Psalm 50:15

Realize that today that the LORD has everything worked out! We really need to call upon Him and trust, no matter what situation your in. He is the solution! Have a blessed day glorifying the LORD, knowing He is going to deliver you!

Shabbat Shalom

“Then He said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

Genesis 22:2

Often times, this is how the LORD works. He gives us an instruction and He’ll let us know when we get there! What we have to do is get up and go!

“Now the LORD had said to Abram: Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land I will show you.”

Genesis 12:1

The LORD is always right there with us as we go and do what He says, no matter how uncomfortable that may be. Realize that when the LORD guides and directs us, He will provide what we need!

“And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”

Genesis 22:14

Knowing this should really encourage us as we step out with the LORD. He is guiding and providing every step of the way! What is really awesome is the Hebrew word Moriah is actually two words Moray = Teacher/Guide and Yah = God. Have a blessed day knowing that the LORD is your teacher, He is your guide and He is with you every step you take!

“And Sarah said, God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.”

Genesis 21:6

The LORD wants us to have joy, He wants us to laugh! So often we get so caught up in the situations of life, instead of being filled with the joy of the LORD!

“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Habakkuk 3:18

We all have situations going on in our lives, usually the basic three: health, wealth and relationships. What we need to realize is the LORD has got it! The LORD doesn’t save us just to abandon us! He walks with us, He goes before us and He has help on the way for our needs!

“What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31

As believers, we can always have joy when we realize the battle belongs to the LORD! Let us go through our day knowing the Lord has got us covered. This should bring us great joy and laughter. Remember, laughter is infectious!

Have a blessed day.