Devotions

REPENT

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“He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.”      Luke 1:16 NIV

 

John would be used to “bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God”, and “to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous”. These are the two great commandments, to love God and to love others, beginning in the home. In times of spiritual declension, people invariably forsake these two great commandments. They turn away from God in self-willed disobedience and they selfishly disregard love for others. Therefore, in times of revival, the process must be reversed. People must turn in repentance toward God, seeking to obey His holy commandments, and they must turn in repentance toward those they have wronged, beginning with family relationships, and begin to practice biblical love. If we want God to send revival, God’s people must humble themselves, confess their wretched love of self, and seek to obey God and serve one another in love. Rather than blame others, we must point the finger at ourselves in genuine repentance. We must go to God first, and then to those we have sinned against, and ask for forgiveness for our self-centred attitudes and sinful behaviour. If we want God to send revival, we must be righteous in His sight, set apart unto Him, filled with His Spirit, and repentant of all our sins.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Holy Spirit, stir our hearts to repentance.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, we come to You in repentance, and to those we have sinned against, seeking forgiveness for our self-centred attitudes and sinful behaviour. Lord, send revival, as we seek to be righteous in Your sight, set apart unto You, filled with Your Spirit, and repentant of all our sins. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Micah 5:2-5

 

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SET APART

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But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.”       Luke 1:13 NIV

 

John, the man God used to spark this great revival, was set apart unto God while even in his mother’s womb. God wanted John to be distinct from the culture around him, even from the common religious culture. Rather than being controlled by wine, he was to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. He was to go before the Lord “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17), to “turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16). While John did not do any physical miracles, as Elijah did, he was powerfully used of God, as Elijah was, to turn many back to God. Conversions are a far greater display of God’s mighty power than physical miracles are. While God has gifted us all differently, and the results of His working through us will differ, we should all seek to be used by Him in the process of turning sinners back to God. To be used in this way, the first requirement is a life that is distinct from our culture. People will judge our lives to see if we are truly different or whether we’re just putting on a show. As we live under the control of the Holy Spirit, He will use us to bear witness to others of the hope that is within us. As Peter wrote, “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defence to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15). If we live righteous lives, set apart unto God, filled with His Spirit, then God can use us to bring revival.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, may our lives be set apart for you to use us to bring revival.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, as we live righteous lives, set us apart unto You, filled with Your Spirit, so that You can use us to bring revival. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Matthew 25:1-13

 

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PREPARED TO RECEIVE GRACE

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“Both of them were righteous in the sight of God.”          Luke 1:6 NIV

 

We must be prepared to receive His sovereign grace. We can’t orchestrate a true revival, but we can stop one. We need to be the kind of people that Zechariah and Elizabeth were so that God can use us if He chooses to do so. John Calvin comments, “In ordering our life, . . . therefore, our first study ought to be to approve ourselves to God; and we know that what He chiefly requires is a sincere heart and a pure conscience” (Calvin’s Commentaries [Baker], 16:10). We may look at our actions, but God looks first at our heart. This means that we must trust in Christ for forgiveness of all our sins and for His righteousness in place of our own. We must judge our sins on the thought level, because “all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). We can fake it before the church and the world, but we can’t fake it before God. It is ironic that Herod was called “Herod the Great” by his contemporaries, but here, John is called great by God (Luke 1:15). It would be the wicked son of this wicked tyrant who put John to death. But in the final court of God, both Herods will not be great, but John will be highly esteemed. The true estimate of any life is not what others think, but what God thinks. We must guard against living for the approval and applause of others. Like John and his godly parents, let us live lives that are approved by God, through the power and ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, help us by Your Spirit to live lives that bring glory to You.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, help us to live for Your approval and applause rather than that of others. Like John and his godly parents, let us live for Your approval alone. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

 

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FAITHFUL

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“Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.”       Luke 1:6 NIV

 

Even though the times were spiritually dark, here were Zechariah and Elizabeth, “righteous in the sight of God”. When Luke states that they were “observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly”, he does not mean that they were sinless. Rather, they walked consistently in the fear of the Lord, seeking to obey Him in all their ways. Mary and Joseph were another godly couple in Israel. It was through such people, quietly living in godliness, going about their normal lives, that the Lord brought about this great breakthrough in salvation history. If God brings about revival in our day, it will be because His ordinary people walk in obedience before Him, seeking His kingdom and glory. You may think, “Who am I? What can I do? I am not particularly gifted. I am unknown in the Christian world.” But look what God did with these lowly yet faithful people! You may not be able to preach like John, but John wouldn’t have been there had it not been for his faithful parents. If you walk in daily obedience before Him, calling on Him to pour out His grace on your life, church, and land, He could use you as the mother or father of a great Christian leader who would turn our country back to God. Be encouraged to never stop being faithful and consistent in prayer and the reading of God’s Word.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, help us by Your Holy Spirit to be consistent in prayer.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord God, bring revival in our day, as we, Your ordinary people, walk in obedience before You, seeking Your kingdom and glory, through consistent prayer and the reading of Your Word. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Romans 13:11-13

 

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IN TIMES OF DARKNESS AND HOPELESSNESS

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“In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah.”          Luke 1:5 NIV

 

It was “in the time of Herod” that this word of hope came to Zechariah. Herod was an immoral, violent king of Edomite descent who claimed to be a Jew in his religion but was such in name only. He reigned as king of Judea from 37-4 BCE. He held onto power by murdering numerous family members over the years, including one son just five days before his own death. He was the same tyrant who slaughtered the infants of Bethlehem in his attempt to kill the new-born king of the Jews. It was near the end of this evil reign that the Lord broke into history with His gracious message to Zechariah. Even religion in Israel was corrupt. The high priests and members of the Sanhedrin vied for power and prestige. It was a bleak situation spiritually and morally. Despite the meaning of his name, “God remembers”, Zechariah often wondered if God had forgotten His people. It is often at bleak times such as these that God breaks into history with true revival. His power is made perfect in our weakness. Both personally and nationally, God’s salvation is revealed to those who are helpless in and of themselves, who have no hope but in God Himself. God waited until Elizabeth was too old to produce a child. Then, unmistakably, the resultant blessing came from His almighty hand. If things seem spiritually dark in our day, and they certainly do, we should be encouraged to pray for true revival. The theme of the Gospel of Luke is that the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. If you feel lost and in despair, then you are a candidate for His gracious salvation.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, in our moments of hopelessness and despair You are our Salvation.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord Jesus, as the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost, we thank You that when we feel lost and in despair, we are a candidate for Your gracious salvation. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Isaiah 40:25-31

 

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GOD TAKES THE INITIATIVE

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“Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.”            Luke 1:6-7 NIV

 

It had been 400 years since God’s people had heard a word from God. As in the days just before Samuel’s ministry, “word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent” (1 Samuel 3:1). All this time, a faithful remnant among God’s people were praying that He would fulfil His longstanding promise of sending salvation through His Messiah. Suddenly, without advance notice, God broke into history and announced what He was about to do in the birth of John the Baptist. Although Luke does not explain the meaning of any of the Hebrew names for his Gentile readers, one cannot help but think that there is a divine significance to each of them. John means “God has been gracious” and that was certainly fitting. The name Zechariah means “God remembers” and it shows us that no matter how long it may seem to us, God has not forgotten His covenant promises. The meaning of the name Elizabeth is not as certain, but it probably means, “My God is an oath” pointing to God’s absolute faithfulness to His sworn promises. Together, these three names, John, Zechariah, and Elizabeth, point us to God’s sovereign grace toward His chosen people. In the matter of salvation, God sovereignly and faithfully takes the initiative in His time in accordance with His covenant of grace. Let us be reminded this Advent that God is sovereign and forever faithful.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, we submit to Your sovereignty and rejoice in Your faithfulness.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, even though we often struggle in submitting to Your sovereignty, we give joyful thanks for Your faithfulness in keeping Your covenant of grace. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Isaiah 25:6-9

 

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GOD BRINGS REVIVAL

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“In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.”          Luke 1:5 NIV

 

Have you ever prayed for something repeatedly, year in and year out, but God has not answered? I hope that you can answer yes, because if you say no, it only shows that you are not a praying person. If you pray, you have prayed for things that God has not yet answered. One prayer that every committed Christian should be praying is that God would send revival. True revival is when the living God sovereignly and powerfully breaks into human history with the good news of His salvation. It invariably begins with His people coming under deep conviction of sin and turning from that sin in genuine repentance. It always involves a recovery of biblical truth, especially the truth about how sinners are reconciled to a holy God. Therefore, it also involves a recovery of the centrality and authority of God’s Word over all of life. Our text records God breaking into history with the greatest revival ever. It involved the coming of the Saviour into this world. Zechariah, most likely was praying for the deliverance of Israel, but in His grace, God answered his prayer for the Messiah to come and at the same time answered his prayer of many years – for God to give him a son. The angel’s sudden appearance with this great news, not only of a son for Zechariah and Elizabeth, but of the imminent coming of the Messiah, shows us that God never forgets our prayers. He will answer in His time.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord Jesus, let us be encouraged that You never forget our prayers.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, thank You that You are forever faithful and have heard our prayers, even those unanswered prayers, and You will answer then in Your time and in Your way. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Psalm 130:1-8

 

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OUR FAITH ROOTED IN HISTORY

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“Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.”      Luke 1:1-2 NIV

 

As we journey into Advent, we are reminded by Luke that our faith is rooted in history. Luke is at pains to make this clear, and it is not a trivial point. What this means is that Christianity is not a religious philosophy based on the speculations and ideas of some great religious thinkers. Christianity is primarily about the God who created the universe miraculously invading human history in the person of Jesus Christ who uniquely revealed God to us. The great doctrines of the Bible are not matters of personal opinion or philosophical speculation. They are matters of revelation from God and, therefore, they must be submitted to. This is especially true concerning the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke wants us to know and believe this with absolute certainty. How can we know that this is true? Luke mentions there were many written accounts of witnesses to the life and ministry of Christ which Luke consulted (Luke 1:1). We do not know who these witnesses were. They may have included the Gospel of Mark, but probably also included other written sources which are no longer extant. Luke states that many of these written sources were eyewitnesses to the entire ministry of Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ is rooted in the accurate historical record that has come down to us in Luke’s Gospel. It is not an optional idea that you might want to consider if it grabs you. It is absolute truth to be believed and handed on to others. Let us be reminded of this in this Advent season.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord Jesus, thank You that our faith in You is real.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord Jesus, as we enter this Advent season, thank You that our faith in You is real for You are real in every way as the Son of God and the Son of man. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Isaiah 40:1-5

 

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GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

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“Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”               Psalm 66:20 NIV

 

God’s faithfulness stirred the psalmist to rededicate himself to the Lord. When we receive God’s help and deliverance, we should follow the psalmist’s example. There is no better way for us to express our gratitude to the Lord than by renewing our commitment to Him. We should carefully account for every promise we have made to God and fulfil our promises as quickly as possible. We should be bold witnesses for God, sharing God’s faithfulness with all who will listen to us. When we share what God has done for us, we glorify His Name and often make a powerful impact upon others. A believer who is going through a severe trial may be encouraged by our testimony. A doubting Christian may be stirred to attempt something great for God. An unbeliever may turn to God upon hearing of His goodness. We should be stirred to promptly confess and repent of any sins we commit. When we cling to sin, we hinder our fellowship with God, our joy is suppressed, and our prayers become ineffective. We need God’s help every day and others depend on us to intercede for them in prayer. However, there is a greater motivation for us to turn from our sins – because we love God and do not want to grieve Him. Let us resolve to never forget God’s wonderful works in our lives and to praise Him continually for His faithfulness and love. God deserves our highest praise and we should exalt Him every day of our lives. His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is demonstrated both in our lives and in the lives of others.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Great is Your faithfulness, O Lord. Glory and Honour to You alone.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, You deserve our highest praise and we exalt You every day of our lives. Your mercies are new every morning and Your faithfulness is demonstrated both in our lives and in the lives of others. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Mark 16:1-8

 

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SHARED TESTIMONY

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“I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue.”        Psalm 66:17 NIV

 

The grateful psalmist made a commitment before the people: to bear a strong witness for God. He would share his testimony of God’s deliverance with all who would listen. He passionately invited all who feared God, who revered and trusted Him, to lend an ear as he joyously proclaimed what God had done for Him. The psalmist testified how he had cried out to God in prayer. He had exalted God – a demonstration of his faith during a severe crisis. The psalmist had also examined his heart for sin (verse 18). He knew that if any sin stood between him and God, the Lord would not listen to his prayers. He desperately needed God’s help. Therefore, he repented of all sin in his life so God would hear and help him during a kingdom-threatening crisis (Isaiah 59:2). Had the psalmist clung to any sin in his heart, he would not have been able to get through to God in prayer. This is a vibrant testimony of the purifying power of trials. Triumphantly, the psalmist concluded his testimony by declaring that God had heard and given His full attention to his prayer (verse 19). After King Hezekiah cried out to God, the Lord swiftly answered him by sending the prophet Isaiah to give assurance that God Himself would defend Jerusalem (2 Kings 20-34). The Lord’s miraculous power saved His people. As we draw near to the Lord in prayer, with open hearts, allowing the Lord to examine our lives so that there is nothing between us and Him, we too will see the Lord doing more that we could ask or imagine, to the glory of His Name.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, with pure hearts we call out to You in prayer.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, as we draw near to You in prayer, with open hearts, allowing You to examine our lives so there is no sin that stands between us and Yourself, we too will see You doing more that we could ask or imagine, to the glory of Your Name. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

1 Corinthians 15:51-57

 

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