Category: Devotionals

On November 26, 1938, in Ottawa, Canada, a child was born who would one day be known as “The Man of a Thousand Voices.” That man is Rich Little, an impressionist and voice actor who became famous for his spot-on impressions of many celebrities, U.S. presidents, and historical figures. Little is a master mimic of more than 200 voices, such as Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, John Wayne, Jack Benny, and Jimmy Stewart. In some cases, he could convincingly mimic not just the voice, but also the walk and mannerisms of the person he was impersonating.

As believers, we are called to be imitators. We are not called to mimic a voice, a walk, or a mannerism. Just as a child imitates his father or mother, we are called to be imitators of God, to display His characteristics in all that we say or do (Ephesians 5:1). We are also to be imitators of Christ by walking in love as Christ did, a love that is made evident by the fact that He willingly gave Himself as a sacrifice for us (Ephesians 5:2).

The apostle Paul knew the importance of being imitators of Christ. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul exhorted the believers in Corinth to be imitators of him, just as he was an imitator of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). And as we just saw, he encouraged the believers in Ephesus to be imitators of God and of Christ. Paul also commended the Thessalonian believers for being imitators of him and his companions and of the Lord Jesus (1 Thessalonians 1:6). He later urged those same believers to continue to imitate the Lord, noting that what they were doing was pleasing to God (1Thessalonians 4:1).

When we walk in the ways of Christ, when we work at being imitators of God, we can be sure that God is pleased with the way in which we live our lives. After all, we are created in His image (Genesis 1:27).

In the 60’s, American singer-songwriter Barry McGuire released a song called “Eve of Destruction.” This song spoke to what McGuire felt were signs that the end of the world was near. We were on the “eve of destruction,” a time when wars, violence, natural disasters, and the like were pointing to the end of this world as we know it. Decades have passed since that song was written and the end has not come, but there are still signs that we are living in end times.

It is so easy to get caught up in looking at what is going on the world. Terrorism is rampant throughout the world. Countries are at odds with each other with the threat of war, and even nuclear war, becoming more and more real. Hate and violence threaten to tear our nation apart. And earthquakes and other natural disasters are occurring with more frequency and with more devastation than ever before. We are in the midst of the storm, and it can be downright frightening when we focus our attention on the storm.

Instead of looking at the storm, we should be focusing our attention on the One who calms the storm. Rather than keeping our eyes on the storm, our eyes should be on Jesus. In Matthew 14:28-31, seeing Jesus walk on water, Peter says, “Lord, if that is You, command me to walk on the water.” Jesus does so and Peter steps out of the boat, his eyes on Jesus and not on the wind that had been tossing the boat around. He begins to walk on the water toward Jesus. But, as soon as he takes his eyes off of Jesus and focuses back on the wind, he begins to sink.

The conditions in the world today point to end times. But, as believers, we need to keep our focus on Jesus rather than on the world around us. He controls the storms, and it is through Him we can find peace. And, rather than concerning ourselves with looking for the signs that the end is near and He is returning, we need to make sure not only that we are ready, but also that we are doing our part to make sure that others are, too.

Have you ever bought an item that needed to be put together and then decided not to follow the instructions that were provided with it? Maybe you figured you could figure it all out without those instructions. After all, what could be so difficult about it? I am the first to admit that I have done this on more than one occasion and the result has always been the same. Halfway through putting the item together, I discover something has gone wrong. The item is not looking the way it’s supposed to, or I discover a part that I forgot to install, and I have to take the thing apart and start all over. Frustrating!

I have come to learn that instructions are given to us for a reason. When we follow instructions, things are far more likely to turn out the way we want them to. We are far less likely to end up frustrated or having to spend time correcting our mistakes. This is true not just for things we assemble, but for life as well. God has given us instructions to follow. Those instructions are His Word. In His Word, we find all that we need to live the best life we can live, the life that God intends for us to live. His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). His Word shows us the way in which we should walk.

God created us and He knows what is best for us. He promises to direct our paths when we trust in Him, in His ways, and in His instructions, rather than trying to do things our own way,  (Proverbs 3:5-6). When we follow His instructions, His Word, we will find that things in life will go much easier for us. Scripture says, “Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble (Psalm 119:165, NLT).” That is a truth that we can count on!

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Today was a difficult day as we had to make a decision to put our dog, Blue, down. We are sad and there is a Golden Retriever sized hole in our hearts. He was a good dog and truly a member of our family.

I believe that God created dogs as a visible sign of His unconditional love for us as well as His faithfulness. Dogs love us unconditionally and are faithful to the end.

Dogs also teach us a little bit about what it means to truly worship. Whether we were gone five minutes, several hours, or days, Blue was always happy to see us. He loved to be with us and often followed me around the house. We should reflect that kind of happiness and desire to be in God’s presence and to worship Him.

(NOTE: For those of you who are regular readers of my blog, you may have noticed that I have not blogged much these past few days. I was in California for the past week taking care of some family business. I am now back home in New Jersey and will be getting back to my regular routine of blogging. Thanks for reading my blog.)

Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is that we should love God with our hearts, minds, souls, and strength (Mark 12:30). We worship what we love. So, if we love God we will worship God and we should worship Him with our hearts, with our minds, with our souls, and with our strength. Another way of putting this is that we should worship Him with our thoughts, with our words, and with our actions.

Praise should always be on our lips. The words of our mouths should bless the Lord and His praise should always be in our mouths (Psalm 34:1). Our thoughts should also be filled with praise. Jesus taught that where our treasure is, there our hearts will also be (Matthew 6:21). The thoughts of our minds reflect what is in our hearts, and so if our hearts truly treasure God, then our thoughts will be filled with His praise.

Our actions must also reflect our love of God. We are called to worship Him with our very lives (Romans 12:1). Everything that we do should reflect our love of God and give Him praise. One of the best ways by which we can worship God through our actions is through service to His people. Jesus said that the second most important commandment is to love our neighbors (Matthew 22:39). It is clear throughout Scripture that the way in which we treat each other, our families, friend, neighbors, and even strangers, is important to God. So, when we serve others, we are serving God. Our service is worship.

When we give of our resources, our time, and our finances in order to help others, we are worshipping God. Going out of our way to spend time with someone who is alone or homebound is worship. Taking the time to listen to someone who needs a shoulder to lean on is worship. Giving up some of your time to work on the home of an elderly person living alone is worship. Jesus said that the things we do for others, we do for Him (Matthew 25:40). The things that we do for others, just like the songs of praise we sing, are part of our worship of God.

A master carpenter knows exactly what tools to use to accomplish the work at hand. When driving in nails, or even removing nails, the carpenter will turn to a claw hammer. To make long cuts across the grain of a piece of lumber, the carpenter may use a circular saw. If the cut is going against the grain, the carpenter may opt for a handsaw. And, for the purpose of measurements, the carpenter will employ such tools as a tape measure, a square, or a level. Using the right tool for the right purpose makes all the difference in getting a project done correctly and efficiently.

Jesus was born as the son of a carpenter named Joseph. It is likely that Joseph taught Jesus his trade as He was growing up. Jesus probably learned the right tool for the right job in His earthly father’s carpentry business. And, because Jesus was the Son of God, in His years of ministry here on earth, Jesus knew the right “tool” to use to accomplish His heavenly Father’s work in His encounters with people. When teaching was needed, Jesus taught. When healing was needed, Jesus healed. When comforting was needed, He comforted. And, when challenging or rebuking was needed, He used those “tools” as well.

As believers, we are the “tools” that God uses to accomplish His purposes here on earth. He knows the right “tool” for the right purpose. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God has given each of us certain gifts and abilities so that His work can be accomplished, His church can be built up, and His glory can be revealed. If we have received comfort from God, we know what comfort looks like and God is able to use us to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4). If we have been given the gift of prophecy, we should prophesy in proportion to our faith. If our gift is serving, we should serve. If it is teaching, we should teach. If it is giving, we should give generously (Romans 12:6-8). God gives us the gift. It is our responsibility to be available to Him, to allow Him to use us for His purpose.

We all have gifts, and we can all be used by God. A master carpenter may find that one of his tools is no longer of any use and so he discards it and replaces it with a new one. But God can use us no matter what we have been through and no matter what we have done. All we need to do is be available to Him, to turn from sin and accept His Son, Jesus, as Savior. He will mold us into a “tool” that will be used to accomplish His will and His work on earth and give Him the glory that He deserves.

In 1993, when I was getting ready to run in the New York City marathon, I spent several months preparing myself for the race. I ran about four miles a day during the week and about eight to twelve miles on Saturdays. I participated in a running workshop where we worked on running hills and stretching. And I ran in several different races from two miles to a half marathon. I needed to train my body in order to be able to endure the 26.2-mile race.

In the game of baseball, there is a strategy called a sacrifice bunt. This strategy is used to advance runners already on base into scoring position (second or third base) when there are less than two outs in the inning. The batter deliberately bunts the ball knowing that he likely will be out at first base. In other words, the batter is sacrificed in order to help his team. A sacrifice is giving up something of value to yourself (in the case of the bunting batter, a hit) for the sake of something more important (winning the game).

When we give our lives to God, we are providing a living sacrifice, one that is both holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1). What does that living sacrifice look like? It is a life that is not conformed to the world, that is not swayed by worldly thinking, but rather a life transformed through a mind renewed by the Holy Spirit, a mind that is able to discern God’s will, to know and understand what is good, acceptable, and perfect in His eyes (Romans 12:2). It is a life that is offered in service to God, doing what is good and sharing what He has provided. This is a sacrifice that is pleasing to God (Hebrews 13:16).

We can also offer a sacrifice to God in the form of praise. A sacrifice of praise is the fruit of lips that continually acknowledge and praise His name (Hebrews 13:15). Praising God is something that we were created to do. As believers, it is how we will spend eternity. But, what makes our praise a sacrifice? Offering praise to God is easy, right? That may be so, and it certainly will be true in heaven. Praise is a sacrifice when it is offered even through life’s struggles, through our trials and tribulations.

When we are going through a serious illness but still offer our praise to God, that is a sacrifice. When we are in a financial crisis but continue to praise Him, that is a sacrifice. When we are grieving because of the loss of a loved one but offer Him praise through our grief, that is a sacrifice. There will come a day when these struggles will no longer exist. There will be no tears, no sickness, no death, no mourning, and no pain. All those things will pass away (Revelation 21:4). But on this side of eternity, those things still exist. When we praise God through these things, our praise is a sacrifice, one we can be sure is pleasing to our heavenly Father.

In 1833, the New York Sun began hiring street vendors to sell its daily newspapers on the streets of New York City. The publisher of the Sun, Benjamin Day, ran an advertisement in the help-wanted section, expecting to draw the interest of unemployed people. While he expected to draw in adults with the ad, instead he drew in children, the first of whom was a 10-year-old boy named Bernard Flaherty, who later became a stage comedian. Flaherty became the first newsboy, or newsie, hawking papers to passersby on the streets, declaring that day’s news by calling out sensational headlines, such as “Double Distilled Villainy!” or “Cursed Effects of Drunkenness!”. Throughout the mid-19th to early 20th century, boys like Flaherty could be heard well into the night crying out, “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” as they tried to sell every last paper in their possession.

In Psalm 105, the psalmist, like a newsboy, is declaring the news about God’s wondrous works. But, unlike a newsboy, his words are not just phrases to sensationalize a news story, but rather the truth about all that God had done for His people. The psalm begins by exhorting those who hear it or read it to proclaim God’s wonderful deeds so that all people will know them and to sing God’s praises as they tell of all of His wondrous works (Psalm 105:1-2). The psalm then recounts the things that God did for His people, beginning with His promise to Abraham, through to the exodus of His people from their captivity in Egypt, ending with a “hallelujah!” (Psalm 105:45).

God is still at work today. He works in the hearts and lives of believers, showing His mercy and grace in their times of trial and even in good times. When God works in our lives, showing His mighty hand through divine healing, deliverance from the bondage of addictions, restoration of marriages, and the many other provisions He supplies to His children, we should heed the words of Psalm 105 and proclaim what God has done for us, so that others will know of His wondrous works and deeds. Like the newsboys of the past, we should be ready to shout, “Extra! Extra! Hear all about it!”

There is a saying that goes, “You are what you eat.” The meaning behind this is that if you fill your body with healthy food, you will be healthy, but if you fill it with unhealthy food, you will be unhealthy. We can apply this saying to other things as well, such as what we think and what we love. Basically, we become like the things that we eat, think, and love. We take on their characteristics.

If we think about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, or commendable, things that are excellent or praiseworthy, then we will display those characteristics in our lives and have God’s peace (Philippians 4:8). But if we do not think about these kinds of things, we will not have those characteristics or that peace. What we put in our minds reflects in the way we live our lives.

If we love God, then we will be filled with God’s love. We will have the love of the Father in us. But if we love the world, or the things of the world, then we will be like the world, filled with the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life. Choosing to love the world over loving God and doing His will is choosing between that which is temporary and that which is eternal (1 John 2:15-17).

This concept also applies to what we worship. When we worship God, who is worthy, when we give Him the praise that He alone deserves, then we become more like Him. We become what He intended us to be, people created in His image (Genesis 1:26). But when we worship idols, things of the world, we become like them: worthless. In speaking of the Israelites and their stubbornness and refusal to listen to the words spoken by the prophets, Scripture says, “They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves.” (2 Kings 17:15, NLT)

The choice is ours to make. Just as we can choose to be healthy by eating healthy rather than unhealthy food, we can choose to be more like God, more like our Creator by worshipping Him rather than the idols of the world.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.