To truly have eternal life

Today’s Reading 12/31/2013

Revelation 19 – 22

My Scripture is Revelation 22:14 KJV

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

This verse summed up my life for me.  I have not been as disciplined as I should in my scripture reading this past year and just this past week I made a promise to myself to be in the word daily in 2014.  This verse reminded me that though our jobs as followers of Christ is to make disciples we must also know the commandments.  I must admit that in my biblical and spiritual goals not once did I consider truly knowing all of the commandments.  I believe in my heart that I have eternal life because I have proclaimed Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and have been biblically baptized.  This verse tells me that I must do everything required of me to truly have eternal life.

Just as I have set my goals for 2014 in my personal, business and spiritual life I must add learning the commandments.  I have learned that personal and public accountability are great tools that keep me on task.  So I am publically stating that for 2014 and beyond I will take my time with Jesus more serious and make it my number 1 priority and it no longer be as soon as I get time or remember priority.  I desire the gifts that Jesus wants me to have by being His faithful servant.

I pray that I receive the strength necessary to complete everything that is His will. In Jesus’ name Amen

An Ending and a Beginning

Divine Mentor Reading: Revelation 15-18

Scripture: "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." (Revelation 17:14 NASB)

Observation: Revelation is an exciting book to study but can be confusing and difficult to understand and interpret. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for John, isolated on the Island of Patmos, to see these visions of the end time to come. Regardless of your depth of study or the interpretation you accept, this verse says it all:  Those of us who faithfully follow Jesus, our Lord of lords and King of kings, will be victorious whenever and however the world ends.

Application: As I come to the last two days of 2013, I look back over the year that is coming to an end. I am grateful that it was a relatively calm year for our family - no major events or serious illnesses. Many of my friends have loved ones who went home to be with Jesus. Many of these same friends ( and others) have loved ones who became followers of Jesus! Through it all, God was actively involved in our lives. I am now looking forward to 2014, excited about what God has planned!

Prayer: Father, I love You and trust You with my life and the lives of those I love. Thank You for the past year of blessings You have given and lessons You have taught. Thank You for the New Year to come!

The Divine Mentor: Be Still: By Debbie McGrath

Today's Reading: 
Revelation 10-14

The verse I chose today is Revelation 13:9:
If anyone has an ear, he should listen.

This verse is repeated throughout the book of Revelation.
I thought - what happens when I truly listen?  The only way 
for me to listen to God is to be still!
When I am still...

I reflect
I rest
I think
I pray
I journal
I see more clearly
I know He is God
I learn to trust God
He speaks truth to me.
It sets me free from busyness
The Holy Spirit melts my hard heart

We live in a society that values busyness: busyness can be a sad and seductive addiction.  "Being Still" is the standard for serious followers of Christ.

What happens when you are still and listen to God?

Divine Mentor: Walking in Love: by Laila Wahba

Rev 2.2-6
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."

The church in Ephesus seemed to be quite a great church, and the angel of the church of Ephesus- seemed to be a good and conscientious man: toiled in patient endurance ie a hard worker; could not stand sin; tested to make sure that teaching is biblical; evangelized in the name of Jesus, did not grow weary.
Who can ask for more in a minister? in a church worker? in a church administrator or from anybody who is in ministry for hat matter?
Surely The Lord must be really pleased with such a servant. Surely He cannot find fault!!!!!
But sometimes we get so engulfed in ministry that we forget what Christ is all about; what God is all about: God is LOVE. If we do not walk in love, we are not His children, even if we give up our bodies till we burn in ministry (1Cor 13). The one and only thing that sets us apart from others, that shows we are a disciples is love- nothing more, nothing less. It scares me to read that if Ephesus does not go back to love, that Jesus will remove its lamp stand from its place, which He did. Today Ephesus church is in ruins, it no longer exists.

Lord, today as I tarry in your field, let me first and foremost repent of my lack of love. Forgive me for the times I judged others, the times I did not show mercy, the times I was too busy in ministry to see the needs of others. Forgive me for the times I was too busy doing stuff for You that I forgot to love my neighbor, forgive me for the times I thought of some not worthy of love.
I repent today, help me do the works of my first love, when I first came to you many years ago, when all I could think of was to bring a smile to Your Face.
Pour Your love into me by Your Holy Spirit, cause only then will I be able to love others. 

Divine Mentor: Call out to The Lamb: by Debbie McGrath

Today's Reading:  Revelation 5-9

When I started reading these chapters, again I was reminded of all the names of Christ.

The book of Revelation as well as all the others books in the Bible point to Christ.

I have read Revelation many times - and this one verse always puzzles me:

Revelation 6:16
And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb...

The unbelievers in the midst of the tribulation cry out to the rocks to fall on them and kill them.  Their reaction puzzles me.  Why didn't they call out to God to save them???

When I mediated on this verse, I realize many times I do the same thing as the unbelievers in the midst of the tribulation.  When I am faced with conflict or spiritual warfare, instead of looking to God for guidance I look to others for advice.  Also, I will complain or be judgmental about the situation instead of turning to the Word.  I may even sleep when I should be in prayer because I do not want to deal with the conflict. All these unbelievers had to do was seek Christ and He would have given them eternal life.  

My first response and only response in the midst of tribulation should be to call out to THE LAMB.

Divine Mentor: Names of Christ: by Debbie McGrath

Reading for Today: Revelation 1-4.

Lately, I have been caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas and have missed my time in the Word.  This morning I knew nothing would stop me from being in the Word.  As Revelation states, when you read the Words of Christ you are blessed.

When I read these 4 chapters, I quickly noticed all the names of Christ.  These names reveal the majesty, the power and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I have listed them (may have missed some), and I mediated on each name and what it meant to me. Which one speaks to you???

1:4     The One who is, who was and who is coming.
1:5     Faithful Witness
1:5     First-born from the dead
1:5     Ruler of the kings of the earth
1:8    The Alpha and the Omega
1:8    The Almighty
1:17  The First and the Last
2:1    The Living One
2:18  Son of God
3:7    Holy One
3:7    True One
3:14  The Amen
3:14  The Faithful
3:14  True Witness
3:14  Originator of God's creation
4:9    One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever

A Daily Lamp and an Eternal Light

Today's Reading: Ps. 117, 119:81-176;  2 John, 3 John

Scripture: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalms 119:105)

Observation: God's word is both a flashlight and a streetlight. Like a flashlight, it will show us where to take our next step no matter how dark the night. As long as we hold tight to this flashlight, the light  of His word will reveal our next step no matter how the road twists and turns.
   His word is also a streetlight, which gives us the confidence that He lights the entire path of our lives. There will be times when our flashlight goes dim or fails us because we are not reading His word or deliberately ignoring it; however, that does not affect the streetlight. By His grace and mercy, He will keep us on the path He has lighted for all eternity and will draw us back to His Word so that our flashlight may be recharged for our daily step by step walk.

Application: As yet another year draws to a close, I look back on these past 3 years I have followed (some days more faithfully than others) the Divine Mentor Bible Reading plan, reading and journaling each morning. What a life-changer!  I have fallen in love with God's Word all over again. I look forward with anticipation and excitement to what I will see in the Word this coming year that I have never seen before- beginning again in Genesis in 6 days!

Prayer: My God, You are truly my daily lamp and my eternal light; however, I confess that prayer is still a weak area in my life.  Holy Spirit, in this coming year, give me the same deep desire for an intimate prayer life that I have felt for the study of the Word. Teach me to pray as Jesus prayed. Amen.

What Did Jesus Pray For Me?

Divine Mentor Reading: John 16-19

Scripture: "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (John 17:20)

Observation: Jesus knew I would one day believe in Him and trust Him with my life. He prayed for me that I would be faithful. He knew from the beginning of time that His Father was my Father. I don't presume to understand how my free will to choose or not choose was involved, but I know that I am His and that is all that matters. He prayed for ME at a time when the agony of death was imminent.

Application: I pray for others. I pray for their health and safety, healing and freedom from physical pain and sickness, and absence of difficulty and stress in their lives. I doubt that is what Jesus prayed for me. He prayed the same thing He prayed for His disciples: "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth."(John 17:15-17)

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for loving me even before I loved You. You showed Your love for me by praying to Our Father that I would be faithful in this world and would live and grow in the truth of God's Word all my life on this earth. You did not pray that I would be healthy and that my life would be filled with fun and good times.  Holy Spirit, please guide me to pray for myself and others like Jesus prayed for me. Amen.

What If Love Doesn't Seem Like Love?

Divine Mentor Reading: John 12-14

Scripture: "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15 NASB)

Observation:  Jesus gave us 2 commandments: Love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself.  In 2 Corinthians 12:15, Paul says " I would gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more I love you the less I am loved." Love is not a feeling- it is an action. It may be as easy as taking a meal or making a phone call; however, it may also be as difficult as confronting a believer who is living in sin.  Another definition of love: "Doing what is best for you regardless of the cost to me." What if the cost to me is (as it was for Paul and Jesus)  rejection, criticism, death?  Well, death in my situation might seem a little strong, but what about the death of a relationship?

Application: What should I do when the most loving thing to do will be interpreted as the most unloving?  What should I do as a believer when a friend needs to hear the truth of God's Word, even though this friend will probably reject it and me?  What if someone believes she is a child of God destined for Heaven, but God says her " lifestyle choice " is contrary to His Word?  The road of love is not always a smooth one.

Prayer: Jesus, I don't like rejection. I don't like conversations that make others ( and me) uncomfortable. I like for the family dinner table to be light and fun. I need your Holy Spirit to guide me and convict me as I interact with family and others during this Christmas week.

Only Trust Him

Today's Divine Mentor Reading: John 5,6

Scripture: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:24 )

Observation: This verse reminds me of  the chorus of an old, traditional hymn: " Only trust Him, only trust Him, only trust Him now. He will save you, He will save you, He will save you now."  To believe is to trust God with everything you value--- to give all you know of yourself to all you know of God.  From that point in your life, for the first time in your life, you are truly alive and will live forever. You belong to God.

Application:   How could anything in my life be more important than this?

Prayer:  Thank you, Holy Spirit, for drawing me to Jesus as a nine year old girl and for the life of joy I have known since then.  Remind me today, God, that " nothing I desire compares with You."

A Follower of Christ Must Follow

Today’s Scriptures (Wednesday, December 18, 2013)

John 2, 3 and 4

John 3:30

“He must increase, but I must decrease”

This is John the Baptist expressing his role in people being born again and believers in Jesus Christ.

Since being born again myself I have been struggling with not harassing people with the word of God.  I know the joy He has brought into my life and I want others around me to feel and know His love.  I remember Pastor Merritt talking about being disciples and that it is our job to introduce people to Jesus and what He has to offer but it is not our job to build the relationship.  This verse spoke volumes to me concerning this subject.  I now get it – it is my job to spread the word, then it is my job to step out of the way and allow Jesus to do His work.

Lord, I pray that you allow me to remember that it is you that must increase and that I must decrease. In Jesus’ name Amen.

What Happened To The Other Guy?

2 Peter 1-3;  John 1

Scripture: John 1:40  "One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. "

Observation:  John the Baptist, having recently baptized Jesus, saw Him on the road and said " There goes the Son of God." According to this verse, two of John's followers took John at his word and followed Jesus. One was Andrew, but who was the other?  Was it one of the eventual 12 and, if so, why does John ( the author) not name him?  Where did  he get his information?  If Andrew told him, did he mention the other by name and did John choose not to include it? Does it really matter? It does, if this one heard and simply walked away.

Application: Many people heard Jesus in person and "followed" Him, but few truly committed their lives to Him. Millions of people will hear about Him this Sunday and/or Tuesday ( Christmas Eve), but few will truly commit to Him as Lord and Savior.  Too many will come and, like the one with Andrew, will go away nameless.  How do I find them and lead them back to Jesus?

Prayer: Jesus, it is exciting to see the crowds who seek You on Christmas Eve, but it is also heartbreakingly sad. Those of us who know You  will experience the joy of Your birth, Your life, and Your resurrection, knowing that we, too, will one day live with You for all eternity; however, MOST will come just to observe, and will leave unchanged-- perhaps to return again on Easter, perhaps not.
Break my heart for these, Dear Lord, that I might seek them out and bring them to You---just as Andrew did with Peter, his brother.

Divine Mentor- Jesus Knows Best

Romans 5-8
Scripture: Romans 8:27 " Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

Observation: This is an amazing verse which I always overlook on my way to verse 28 ( which I use when trying to make sense out of some painful or frustrating situation). I think I know what I need, so I ask for it and wait for Jesus to take my request to the Father ( after all, He is interceding for me, right?) . Then I wait for God to answer me, and He says yes, no, or wait. Right?
BUT Paul is saying that Jesus bypasses my human mind ( which died with Him anyway at the Cross),  knows the Spirit's mind, knows God's will for me, and brings that to the Father--- and that is why Romans 8:28 is true for the believer!

Application: So, why should I pray? Why bring my requests to my Father? Because Jesus did. God wants to hear my heart, which He already knows- and my voice, which He hears before I speak- but even more than that, He wants to hear Jesus in me.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for taking my desires to our Father. Help me grow until my every desire aligns with the desire of Your Spirit which lives in me. Amen.