No Other Rock

Out of weakness were made strong. ~ Hebrews 11:34

Baxter references two great Christian thinkers in today’s devotion:

The Lord was looking for a man weak enoug to use, and He found me. ~ Hudson Taylor
We may easily be too big for God to use, but never too small. ~ D.L. Moody

In Job 28, we learn that the wind, water and lightening – despite their unbelievable power – always take a line of least resistance. The Spirit of God – despite an unaimaginable power – also seeks that same line. However, in the human mindset, one that is corrupted with the ways of the world, we often produce resistance that is too great for that Spirt to work in us. That’s not to say it cannot – that’s to say God chooses for it not to do so.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will allow God to break us down – that we will remove the resistence – and allow the Spirt of God to work in us.

Out of weakness were made strong. ~ Hebrews 11:34

Throughout the Bible, particularly in Hebrews, we read about many men and wome who mihgt be considered great through their exploits. I think a lot of people feel like those heroes and heroines are examples that we cannot live up to. I think there is a general feeling amongs us that we are nothing special and that we are unworthy of God’s grace.

While that might be true (I mean, we are human), that is not the correct assumption. We may not feel like we have the right “hero stuff” to be great, but that is where this verse comes in. “Out of weakeness were made strong.”

If there is one thing that is true about our humanity, it’s that we are weak, or that we have weaknesses. We all have at least one weakness, insecurity or self conscious fault. If you study these “great” individuals, you will often find that they too were weak.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will not seek out power and realize that is is faith which God honors.

A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench. ~ Isaiah 42:3

On Wednesday, we introduced this passage. Yesterday, we talked about the first part. Today, we’ll focus on the latter; “…and the smoking flax shall He not quench.”

When this was first introduced, I wrote about the flax as a wick that burned dimly when left unkempt. It was a source of encouragement to continually groom ones’ self and develop in Christ. Today, Baxter uses this bit of passage to also raise up the new or underdeveloped convert.

Personally, I have long been very introverted in talking to others about Christ because I have felt as though I were inadequately prepared. And while I still feel that way, this passage of scripture is great encouragement.

As Baxter says;

“To you who mourn because you lack talents or training or other advantages; to you who feel that social inferiority or obscurity debars you from serving Christ; and to you who feel that sickness or poverty or impediment or lack of personal charm foil and frustrate you, we would say: Be encouraged; speak for Jesus just as you are, just where you are, just whoever you are; for He loves you as dearly as if you were some silver-tongued Spurgeon of the modern pulpit; and because He so loves you, even your glimmering little wick He will trim to give light in surrounding darkness.”

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will remember that as long as we have the light of the Lord, we can shine for all.

A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench. ~ Isaiah 42:3

Today’s devotion is an extension of yesterday’s. It dissects the passage; focusing exclusively on the first part; “A bruised reed shall He not break.”

Jesus came to restore life. He came to raise up the weak. Unlike many earthly dictators (like Hitler, Alexander and Stalin), Jesus became a king through grace and love; rather than force and domination.

So many people feel they are unworthy of this love. They feel they are weak like the reeds. They feel that their sin, their shame, is unjustified for Christ’s sacrifice. Maybe that’s becuase we do not know how to love each other even close to the way that Christ loved everyone.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will learn to love – to seek to raise up each other instead of taking advantage of their weaknesses.

A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench. ~ Isaiah 42:3

Isaiah’s metaphors are poetic truth in this passage. A reed is among the weakest things in existence, despite their ability to grow tall and the appearance of strength. They are helpless. Just like humans.

In the East, flax was used to produce oil lamp wicks. They were in constant need of upkeep, such as trimming. Otherwise, they emmitted very little light. Jus tas humans, we require constant upkeep to allow the light of the Lord to shine.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will acknowledge our weaknesses and seek continual upkeep to shine bright for the Lord.

Walk worthy of the Lord . . . ~ Colossians 1:10

Baxter references five persuasions that are paramount to those who call themselves “Evangelicals” – but focuses on the last, which states; “That all Christian doctrine has a practical end, namely, the promotion of character after the pattern of our Lord Jesus Christ.“

One of the primary reasons that No Other Rock came to be is this primary goal. God told me I had entered a time to renew this idea. Moreover, He told me how to set about achieving it. I will never ever present myself as being fully Christ-like in my ways, but I do intend to work toward that goal.

How so? Through continued study of the Word and focus on walking in a way that is worthy of the Lord. The first step is realizing we cannot do it ourselves. The second is taking ourselves out of the formula.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will walk in ways that are worthy of the Lord.

And Abram went up from Egypt . . . unto the place of the alter which he had made at the first. ~ Genesis 13:1,4

Abram neglected the faith-principle and took it upon himself to act oustide of divine guidance. The result was, as Baxter calls it, “a disturbing situation.” How many times in life have we acted outisde of faith and wondered why things when so terribly wrong? How long did it take for us to recenter ourselves on the Lord?

It is not that God has failed us, but that we ourselves have violated our fellowship with Him by the intrusion of self-will, or have wandered aside by neglectful disregard of prayer.

But the wonderful news is that we can return to God, with a clean slate. Just as Abram went up out of Egypt, we too can rise up out of the places we venture while not seeking God’s will. And He is there with open arms, saying; “I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely (Hosea 14:4).

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will ask God where it is He wants us to be and then seek out the way to get there.

Abram went down into Egypt. ~ Genesis 12:10

I’m not going to go into great detail of today’s devotion other than to suggest that you read chapter twelve of Genesis.

One thing that Baxter writes in today’s narrative is the following:

Many Christians trust Christ for final salvation, but prefer to manage their own affairs. Such Christians will certainly be saved from Gehenna, but they will miss the high reqards of God’s Abrahams. Living by faith does not necessarily mean that we must immediately empty our banking accounts, give away all that we have, and then trust God to send in each meal and each penny bu supernatural intervention; but it does mean that we are prepared to accept God’s will and guidance in every detail of our life.

That is a good prescription for us all to meditate on.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will allow God to prepare us for His will.

So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken. ~ Genesis 12:4

Abraham was not just a man of faith. He was the man of faith. Looking just at the twelfth and thirteenth chapters of Genesis, we learn of the call of Abraham (AKA “Abram” as he was then known). In these key verses, Abram “went” in the directions as a response to a divine call.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will hear our divine calls.

Tags: Divine+Call

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. ~ Phillipians 4:19

Several months ago, my wife and I joined some others in our church to participate in a Crown Financial Ministries study. We learned so much about God’s view of money and the provisions he has blessed us with. Combined with our experiences while serving as short-term ministries in Mexico and we came to realize just how lucky we are.

One of the things we discussed was the fact that God ALWAYS provides the necessities for His people. This is not to be confused with “wants” of His people. Wants and needs are two very different things and often, we cannot even tell the difference.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will remember God’s loving grace in our lives.

Tags: Crown Financial Ministries God’s Grace