The Tree Church Daily

Daniel 3:8-18 (ESV)

Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Explanation:

This popular passage in Scripture is often referred to when one’s faith is being discussed. The faith that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego possessed was supernatural. They knew God and His voice, and they had an authentic relationship with Him. They sought Him daily, without ceasing, at numerous times during their day.

These three men, among others, were brought from Israel when the Babylonian Empire conquered them. They were young, intelligent men who were educated and raised in Babylonian culture. When King Nebuchadnezzar had a giant statue built, he demanded that the people of his kingdom worship the golden image. This policy was strictly against the Jewish law that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego followed. The three men knew the penalty of not worshiping the statue, which was being thrown in a blazing furnace, but that didn’t matter. Their integrity and faith in God were more important. They knew the consequence of their decision, but God was greater. They were prepared to die for what they knew was the right response to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

The answer that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego gave to the king was their moment of stepping out in faith. No matter what happened, they were not going to waiver in their decision to obey God’s law. They literally prayed, “God, YOUR WILL be done in this NO MATTER what happens to us.” I can’t help but read this and put myself in their shoes. It’s a terrifying circumstance. How would I respond if I were in their situation? Would I keep my mouth shut in fear of death, or would I stand up for what I believe in? Thankfully, I have never had to be in a situation where my beliefs could get me killed, but I do want to have a faith that is bold. A real boldness…to declare in the face of danger that God is real, knowing it could cost me everything.

The outcome for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego was also extraordinary. God appeared as Jesus and was seen with the three men in the fire, protecting them. Nebuchadnezzar realized that the God of Israel was the only true God, and praised them for their unwavering faith. That’s the kind of faith I want, but it doesn’t just happen. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had authenticity with God and had seen Him work miracles in the past. They knew the stories of their people’s history and how God worked through His people. But they were also prepared to be martyred for their faith, knowing God would use that story as well. How would you respond when God asks you to take a stance for Him?

Application:

1. The story of the fiery furnace is one of tremendous faith in God in light of the immediate possibility of death. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were about to die for their beliefs. You may never face death for what you believe in, but how can this story encourage your faith, that no matter the circumstance, God will use everything for His glory?

2. When have you had an opportunity to share your faith with others but didn’t? Ask God to give you more chances to share with people how knowing Jesus has changed your life.

3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not bow down to the golden statue, even though everyone else did, because it was against everything they believed in. Have you ever been in a situation where you had to make a decision in faith knowing it may not be the most popular?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for always showing up in Your time. Thank You for Your mercy and forgiving me when I make mistakes. I know I sometimes don’t represent You as well as I should, but show me Your ways. Help me to have the faith that knows, no matter what, You have a plan and purpose for my life. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.

For Further Study:

Read the entire account of the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:8-30.

Romans 8:31-39 (NASB)

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Just as it is written:

“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL DAY LONG;

WE WERE REGARDED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Explanation:

Having recently celebrated Christmas, the concept of gifts is still lingering in my mind…giving to family and friends, and the joy that’s associated with it all. At some point in your life, you’ve likely received a gift you were underwhelmed with. Maybe it wasn’t your favorite color or style. Maybe it just didn’t suit your taste. One way or another, it just wasn’t “right” in your eyes, and you chose to return it to the store for something you liked better.

I wonder how many times God has given me a gift in the form of an encounter with someone who is hurting, an opportunity to witness to someone and give my testimony, an opportunity to serve him and grow His Kingdom, and I have responded in the same way I did to that Christmas gift that didn’t suit me. Rather than embracing the gift I was given at that time, I chose to “give it back” to God and ignore the opportunity. I can almost picture God shaking His head at me and saying, “Seriously, you are turning your back on me AGAIN? When will you ever learn?”

It’s at this point that many people make a bad decision. There’s a terrible human misconception that until we become “good enough” we can’t be loved by God. Until we quit screwing up, we aren’t able to be saved. Think about this: If we could stop sinning on our own and make the decision that God wanted us to every time, why would Jesus have needed to die?

Here’s the thing. God’s grace is so much greater than our carnal human nature. No matter how many times we fail, He will forgive us if we go to Him with sincerity and an open heart. You see, today’s Scripture is about God’s amazing love: Love that caused Him to send His Son to be the sacrifice for our sins so that no trouble, danger, or bad decision could ever separate us from His love, as long as we are willing to ask for forgiveness and turn away from our sin. Even those times when I’ve failed to embrace the gift of situations or opportunities, only to see later on that He was trying to use me, He’s not going to turn away from me if I genuinely seek His mercy. What great love and mercy He shows to us every day!

Application:

Is there a “gift” God has presented you with, but He’s waiting for you to accept?

Maybe it’s something simple like calling a friend who has been on your mind, or giving a few extra dollars to a local food pantry to help those in need.

Maybe it’s something greater—perhaps you’ve made God distant because you believe that your sin is too great for you to be in relationship with Him until you are “doing better.”

Today is the day to take action!

Prayer:

God, You know what my struggles are. You know where I’ve failed to accept Your gifts with open arms. You see every shortcoming and every sin. I come to You today with a heart of repentance. Open my heart to understand that I cannot be separated from Your love, even when I’ve failed. Forgive me of my sins, and help me to see that Your grace is bigger than any of my failures. Remind me that Jesus came to die for my sins, and through Him, we are saved. Help me to walk in Your will, accepting the gifts that You give me with open arms. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

2 Corinthians 10:1-5 (NLT)

Now I, Paul, appeal to you with the gentleness and kindness of Christ—though I realize you think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away. Well, I am begging you now so that when I come I won’t have to be bold with those who think we act from human motives. We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

Explanation:

Paul is talking to the church in Corinth. He is telling them that their arguments and quarrels between one another are actually things going on in the spiritual world. The enemy will try to do anything to divide God’s people. Paul’s fights are not physical battles but spiritual ones. He fights these battles with God’s help by praying, spending time with God, and trusting in God’s wisdom. When Paul does these things, he sees the situation through God’s eyes.

When we ask God for wisdom in our situations, He supernaturally shows us what we need to know. Last year my son was having a rough end to the year at school. When his teacher talked to me, I just started getting flooded with advice from people telling me what I should do for him. It was so overwhelming, and I just wanted to do the right thing. The next morning, I prayed as I was listening to the song called “Wait on You” by Elevation Worship and Maverick City.

When I heard these lyrics I felt like God was sitting in front of me, telling me to wait on Him. “Stop trying to fix it with the world or on your own… just wait on Me.”

“You should just wait (You should just wait)

Instead of trying in your own strength

You should just wait

Instead of calculating what would happen if you go wrong

You should just wait

My steps are ordered by the Lord, yeah

I should just wait…”

The next week God showed me how I could help my son. Things didn’t get easier, they got harder, but I had a supernatural peace that God was going to take care of everything. It’s hard not to listen to people who love you, but just like Paul, for the battle I was facing, ONLY God could help me through it. What battles are you facing? Have you added God into them, or are you trying to do it on your own? Trust Him to help you through them.

Application:

1. What battles are you trying to do on your own? Parenting, marriage, friendship, work, gossip, fear, anxiety? Whatever it is, take some to give God all your worries.

2. Who are you trying to please in your life over God? Take some time with God and ask Him to show you what He has for you in that situation.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

I need YOU to help fight my battles. When things feel out of control, help me to stop and come to you. When my anger/frustration arises throughout my day towards situations and people, give me clarity and wisdom.

Love You Father.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen.

For Further Study:

Take some time today to listen to “Wait on you” by Elevation Worship and Maverick City.

Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Explanation:

This passage is in the conclusion of The Sermon on the Mount, which is a practical guide to discipleship and what it means to live as His followers and serve as a member of God’s Kingdom. Jesus made it clear His followers should live a different way than others. They should keep a higher standard and live a noticeably different lifestyle than non-believers.

Jesus often taught in parables, pictures illustrating the truth. In this passage, Jesus tells of wise and foolish builders. The wise build structures with strong foundations. The foolish build on faulty, cracked foundations. Jesus made this concept so simple that everyone can understand it. There are two types of foundations. One will stand. One will collapse.

Faith is obeying, and obedience is proof of identity. Obedience is our response to God’s love. We need to invest properly, think Biblically, and build a strong foundation in Jesus. If we build on the world, we are unsafe and shaken. If we build on Jesus, we have peace and rest, even into eternity.

Having faith and a strong foundation in Jesus does not exempt us from storms, though. It rains on all of us, believers and non-believers alike. When the storms hit, will you remain strong and committed, or will you wash away with the tide? If we build on ourselves and do things our way, we build on our own foolishness. The foolish person isn’t necessarily dumb. The foolish might know Jesus but choose to not obey. They aren’t believers, they are make- believers. When the storms come, they will be blindsided and fail. If we obey and are committed, we will remain strong in Him.

Application:

1. Contemplate your relationship with God and discuss your current foundation with your family members or a trusted friend.

2. Make a list of scriptures that appeal to you. Make a second list of scripture that may not be so appealing. Sometimes being a Christian is difficult, and we need spiritual guidance. Ask yourself these questions: Am I stubbornly independent? Do I have nothing to learn? Will I collapse when the storm hits? If so, journal practical things you can do to think Biblically and build on Jesus.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, remind us that faith in material things, wealth, fame, and pride is foolish disobedience. Help us to understand that we need to continue to build our relationship with You so we may have a solid foundation when the storms hit. We know we are not exempt from the storms, but we will find rest and peace in You. Help conform us into obedient believers, living a life worth imitating. Amen.

Matthew 17:14-20 (ESV)

And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Explanation:

If I can be 100% honest, there are moments that I read scripture and I have a hard time deciphering what the exact implications are of what Jesus says. This passage is one of them. I certainly see the main principles of what He is conveying. The disciples should have been able to heal this young man. Jesus seems frustrated that they cannot. Even the smallest amount of faith in God can move mountains. The message seems to be that if you just have enough faith, you can do anything.

While trusting Jesus’ words, we also have to contend with the experience that people who have a lot of trust in God still get sick and still deal with difficult circumstances. Holding these two realities has been a difficulty for believers since they were spoken. The Man who spoke the words Himself went to a cross, and all of the men that followed Him shared similar fates. How do we reconcile Jesus’ call to faith and ability to work miracles with the continued experience that not every evil is put to rest just yet?

I think the tension is relieved not in the circumstance but where the faith is placed. For Jesus…it is in God with Him. That is how He had the power and authority to do all that He did, and it is how He dealt with the difficulty of the cross. Faith in God brought Him though both. I think that is the heart of this passage. We can look to God and trust Him for everything. For both the miracle we need and the strength to endure the difficulty. And it takes just a mustard seeed amount of the God of the universe to make all the difference.

Application:

1. Are you facing a challenging circumstance?

2. Have you brought it to God through prayer, seeking and asking Him to work in that circumstance?

3. Do you trust Him, even if the miracle doesn’t happen?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we look to You both for the miracle and the ability to sustain the trial. We trust and believe that You have the power and authority to change any of our circumstances. But we also know that sometimes You take a different path. Help me to put my faith in You either way. I trust and believe that You hold my life in Your hands and that You are good.

Amen.

Deuteronomy 1: 19-31 (ESV)

“Then we set out from Horeb and went through all that great and terrifying wilderness that you saw, on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us. And we came to Kadesh-barnea. And I said to you, ‘You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. See, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’ Then all of you came near me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.’ The thing seemed good to me, and I took twelve men from you, one man from each tribe. And they turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied it out. And they took in their hands some of the fruit of the land and brought it down to us, and brought us word again and said, ‘It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us.’

“Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the Lord hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’ Then I said to you, ‘Do not be in dread or afraid of them. The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.’

Explanation:

During spring break of my junior year and college I got to be a part of a backpacking trip to the beautiful state of Utah. We had a group around 18 – 20 people with varying levels of experience. However, the wilderness does not care how much experience you have. If you are unprepared or fall into an unfortunate situation it can be very dangerous. You prepare as best you can, but there are just times when things happen. At first, we were enjoying all that Utah had to offer. The weather was fair, the scenery was breathtaking, our supplies were ample, and the company was amazing. We were, however, exploring a territory that was new to all of us and one day we ended up lost. We had already determined the night before that we needed to cover some ground to get to our next basecamp site, and knew it was going to be a physical and mental stretch for some in the group. We decided we would give it a shot anyway.

What originally was to be a 10 plus mile trek ended up well over that. We had to actually back track and landed ourselves once again at our original basecamp. It got iffy at times, but thankfully everyone made it safely. Those leading our trip had a unique weight that they carried, one that no one can understand until they are given a similar role.

As a leader of God’s people, Moses carried a unique burden. His burden, however, was greatly amplified by the magnitude of leading during such a profound time in Israel’s history. Moses would be tested often with his obedience to God and his patience with leading a very stubborn people. Israel had seen God’s astonishing miracles, and yet failed to trust wholly in the good character of their God. In our passages today we see that the Israelites just could not take their eyes off the physical and trust God in the spiritual. God had repeatedly prepared the way for them before and fulfilled His promises, but their hearts would simply not soften enough to believe and walk in the way He had laid out.

You may be able to relate. I know I do. Faith requires complete trust that God has gone before us. The new year is the absolute perfect time to determine in faith that we will trust God more this next year. It will look differently for each of us, but wherever and whatever God calls us to, we must trust that He sees it all, and moreover, that He knows precisely the perfect way for us to live. The question is: will you trust His leadership?

Application:

1. Why is it so challenging to take our eyes off the physical and place our trust in the spiritual that God has prepared for us?

2. Describe a time when you trusted in God’s provision. How can focusing on this moment encourage you to trust Him in your next faith step?

3. What outcomes could have been drastically different for Israel if they had just trusted in God’s good character?

4. How can life look differently for you this year, as you determine to trust God more?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, open our eyes and soften our hearts to focus on the good promises that God has for our lives. We fail to see how God can work good in certain situations, but we want to trust that He is capable of far more than we could ever imagine. Thank You for being a good God who leads us so perfectly.

For Further Study:

Read Deuteronomy 1: 34-40. How did Israel’s choice to not follow God lead them to experience a less full life than what God had originally promised them?

Psalm 33:16-22 (NLT)

The best-equipped army cannot save a king,

nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.

Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—

for all its strength, it cannot save you.

But the Lord watches over those who fear him,

those who rely on his unfailing love.

He rescues them from death

and keeps them alive in times of famine.

We put our hope in the Lord.

He is our help and our shield.

In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.

Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,

for our hope is in you alone.

Explanation:

We continue, as a nation, to get more and more skilled in the execution of war. Recently I watched a special on Silicon Valley’s new drones that are highly sophisticated in destruction and deadly accuracy. The days of warhorses and warriors of the Psalms have evaporated, replaced by cyber war, chemical war, and nuclear war with drone soldiers. But no matter how powerful a nation might be, no matter how great it’s armaments, no matter how mobilized for war - God is not impressed. World affairs are not decided in Washington or the Kremlin. China doesn’t hold your destiny and rich oil countries are not your supply. God is on the throne!

The God who guides the paths of the stars, who keeps them whirling at such mathematical precision that we can foretell years in advance an occasion of an eclipse—-that God sees YOU.

Right now.

While God controls the universe (where stars and planets are given no choice) the same is not true for you.

He allows you to choose His control through trust.

The writers of the Psalms use lots of “enemy/battle” imagery. Most of us will never actually be in a physical battle… but our battles are spiritual… ones we need an understanding of God's power for.

The enemies we face are the enemies of our soul.

Bitterness, faithlessness, despondency, emotional score keeping, jealousy, revenge, disloyalty, laziness, dismissiveness, comparison, covetousness, and lust… these are a few. They are just as deadly as a nuclear bomb because they kill you from the inside out. As they erode your life, you fall prey to a destruction that only God can save you from… but the Lord watches over those who fear Him and rely on His unfailing love.

God is always in control for those who give Him control.

God works on His own mysterious timetable. He has not forgotten us. His interference in history when He sent His Son to redeem us was right on time. It’s easy to see when we reflect on Old Testament scripture. Jesus’ interruption of history when He returns for us will also be right on time.

As we wait and face the despair and heartache of a pandemic, social unrest, political chaos, and economic uncertainty in our earthly life, we find hope in the fact that He never changes and He cannot let us down.

“In Him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in His holy name.”

Application:

1. When your circumstances frown on you, where do you turn? It’s a great question to be honest about because it reveals if you are still grasping for control or trusting Him.

2. Have you ever prayed for something and then forgotten about it? God didn’t. He started working the minute you involved Him. This is why we are sometimes startled by an awareness of answered prayer.

Devo Plus:

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future

to a known God.”

Corrie Ten Boom

Dutch Writer

Survivor of Auschwitz

Prayer:

God, You are the unchangeable in the midst of the changeable.

Because of You:

✔️ In pain I trust

✔️ In fear I trust

✔️ In loss I trust

✔️ In betrayal I trust

✔️ In confusion I trust

✔️ In grief I trust

✔️ In all, I trust You. I wait in hope. Amen.

1 Samuel 17: 4-11, 45-47 (NLT)

Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall! He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield.

Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.

David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!”

Explanation:

With details that border on exaggeration, this familiar story begs the age-old question: is it true because it’s in the Bible, or is it in the Bible because it’s true? The answer is yes, and the genius of God is revealed in how this physical fight mirrors our spiritual battles. Everyone has at least one Goliath standing between them and a more peaceful walk with God. The pathway to victory is to understand, as David did, that the battle has been won for those whom God calls His children.

“If I kill him, you will be our slaves!” Giants come in all shapes and sizes. Whether it is fear, shame, loneliness, or any type of addiction known to mankind, the nature of all adversity is to enslave those who do not take authority over it. The ultimate goal of our enemy is to destroy us (John 10: 10), but that won’t happen if we are positioned to claim our victory in Christ.

“Today the Lord will conquer you…” David didn’t just show up on the battlefield talking trash and signing God’s name to it. His skill with a slingshot (1 Samuel 17: 49) was developed over the course of time as a shepherd guarding his sheep. Likewise, his confidence that God would prevail was the result of faithfully seeking God’s heart and obeying His voice. Every weapon formed against us was defeated at Christ’s resurrection. Through faith and obedience, we lay hold of the victory that is rightfully ours.

Application:

1. God promises victory when we step out in faith. And He will put the right people in our lives at the right time to support us. Even Saul offered his personal armor to David—a gesture of support. God can use anyone (family, friends, counselors, healthcare professionals, etc.) to bring the victory for which we are trusting Him. Who do you have in your corner to help you face your Goliath?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I’m trusting You to bring me victory over the adversity that threatens the abundant life You have in store for me. I ask You in Jesus’ name to lead me to the people and resources I need to step out in faith so You can show Yourself strong in my life. Amen.

Psalm 44:1-8 (NLT)

O God, we have heard it with our own ears—

our ancestors have told us

of all you did in their day,

in days long ago:

You drove out the pagan nations by your power

and gave all the land to our ancestors.

You crushed their enemies

and set our ancestors free.

They did not conquer the land with their swords;

it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory.

It was your right hand and strong arm

and the blinding light from your face that helped them,

for you loved them.

You are my King and my God.

You command victories for Israel.

Only by your power can we push back our enemies;

only in your name can we trample our foes.

I do not trust in my bow;

I do not count on my sword to save me.

You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies;

you disgrace those who hate us.

O God, we give glory to you all day long

and constantly praise your name.

Explanation:

I recently attended a funeral for a member of my husband’s family. This individual was the last of his generation to pass away. As I sat and listened to the family talk, it was amazing to hear stories of God’s faithfulness throughout so many generations in this family line. Stories of God’s provision in times of financial struggle, stories of God’s wisdom spoken to individuals when they needed it most, and even a story of how this particular individual was called into ministry at a very dark moment in his life. These stories were a testament and reminder of God’s hand moving and working in the lives of those who chose to trust and follow Him. The best part of this story is that so many in the current generation continue to follow God, and are sharing these stories of God’s faithfulness with the next generation.

This is exactly what we see happening in today’s passage. The people in this time were in a season of defeat. They couldn’t save themselves or change their situation; they needed God to do it. As they recalled the stories of God’s faithfulness in the past, it was the encouragement they needed to keep going. It is a reminder that even when we don’t feel it or see it, the hand of God is moving and working in our lives and situation. The stories of God’s faithfulness in the past was a great reminder to them that He would indeed be faithful again to what He had promised. They simply had to trust and allow God to do what only He can.

Oftentimes in our lives we find ourselves in the same place, not able to do anything to change our circumstances or situation. It can be defeating to find ourselves here, but when we take a moment to look back, it can change our outlook and strengthen our faith. We may not be able to change our situation, but we can still walk forward in faith and confidence that if God was faithful before, He will be faithful again. Even when we can’t see it, the hand of God is leading, moving, and working in our lives. We are called to get out of the way and simply trust that He will be faithful to see us through. Whatever it is you are fighting through today, I encourage you to recall God’s faithfulness in the past and to remind yourself that He will do what He says. He is with you, He is moving, He is working, and He will see you through.

Application:

1. Can you recall hearing a story of how God was faithful in the life of someone else? How did their story encourage you?

2. What is a situation in your life right now where you feel defeated or hopeless?

3. How can today’s passage bring you hope and change your outlook?

4. How have you seen the hand of God working in your current situation?

Prayer:

God, I am so thankful for You! It is amazing to take a moment and look back on my life only to see how You were moving and working in ways I never expected. You have been so good and so faithful to me, keeping Your promises to be with me in the middle of the storm. As I look back on my story and the story of previous generations, may it be a reminder to me that You are indeed moving, working, and leading me, even though sometimes it may not feel like it. May the stories of the previous generations and others encourage me to remember that You alone are what I need. Amen.

For Further Study:

Often it is not until we are through the storm that we can look back and see how the hand of God was moving and working in our situation. I encourage you to take some time today to look back on God’s faithfulness. Make a list of the ways you have seen God move in your life. Then allow it to give you hope and reaffirm your faith that God is with you, even now, no matter what you are walking through.

Revelation 21:1-27 (ESV)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Explanation:

Just the other day I was outside raking leaves that I had neglected to rake in the fall. To start with, it seemed so puzzling to me that it was late December, and the temps were warm enough to be finishing up some fall chores. This wasn’t the only puzzling thing I was a contemplating that day. Lately, I feel like I have been in a wrestling match with time. More than ever, I feel the pull to make the most of my days. As the psalmist King David wrote in Psalm 139:16, my days have been hand selected for me by God, and each one of them is a gift. He has given them to me as an opportunity to connect with Him and help others around me connect with Him as well. I must remain purposed to slow down, cherish the moments I get, and remind myself of how important each day really is.

Then again, there is also this eternal longing in my heart to be whole again. God’s promise of eternity is like a piece of low-hanging fruit that I just want to grab and take hold of. My body, mind, and soul yearn for the wholeness that eternity offers. As I was raking leaves this past week, I found myself having a conversation with God. Maybe it was a bit of grumbling, but above even that, it was this desire to not be plagued by the brokenness of sin, this desire to experience God not through the temporal lenses with which I see Him now, but the unimpeded eternal ones.

For John, who wrote our Scripture verses today, this must have been amplified even more, especially since he was blessed with catching a true glimpse of God’s promise of eternal life. I grow weepy as I re-read these promises of God found in verses 5-7. This thirst for the eternal things increases as I hear God say there is nothing that can change this beautiful promise of His. He says, “I am the Lord of lords, and what I have said will come about, just as I have said it would.” This truth, like an anchor, keeps me hopeful each day as I eagerly await the restoration of heaven. I hope it too can be a very bright light for you, as you live out your days here and now.

Application:

1. In what ways do you find yourself focusing on the present and the eternal?

2. What eternal promises of God can keep you hopeful each day?

3. When God says, “It is done!” He means that nothing can change that truth. Why are these words so profound for those who have put their faith in God?

Prayer:

Father God, we have a yearning for Your presence. You have given us Your Spirit for the here and now, but what we truly desire is to be face-to-face with You in eternity. We cannot thank You enough for even making this a hope for us. We cannot imagine how life would be without it. Help us not to lose sight of Your promises, and to keep doing the good work You have called us to do throughout each day of our ordained lives.

For Further Study:

Read Romans 8:23. How do God’s children “groan inwardly” as we wait for eternity?