Pause to Praise (Part 1)
Devotion by Mike Geiger originally published: May 2, 2013 on www.whataboutjesus.com
For this week’s Sermon from Cross & Crown (CLICK HERE)
Devotions based on the weekly sermon will resume on August 2, 2021.
Psalm 145:1-4
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.
Pause to Praise (Part 1)
So how has your day started today?
“Kid’s get up…we’re running late!” “Another long day at work ahead of me.” “I don’t know if I can deal with this relationship any longer.” “Will I ever find a job?” “Really, can’t we just have one nice day of weather?” “How are we going to pay the bills?” “I’m running out of options to keep my child out of trouble.” And the list can go on.
Before we get too far into our day we have quickly discovered all the things that are or potentially will be wrong about it. Perhaps the thought flits through our mind, “I wish I would have stayed in bed.”
The Scripture from Psalm 145 tells a different story. This individual understood that while it was easier to blame God for problems, it was better to praise him as King. This individual while it might have been easier to curse the name of the Lord, it was better to praise his name forever and ever. While this person may have been tempted to shove God to the background, he found it better to simply try to grasp how great he was. While it would be easier to spend time keeping our kids busy to have an “advantage” in life, he found it more important to share the mighty acts of the Lord with his kids and relatives.
He paused to praise.
How about going back and restarting your day? Perhaps it starts with just one thing, but pause to praise your God, your King for what he has done in your life. This may start with simply slowing down enough to ask, “What is God doing in my life that is praiseworthy?” I’ll let you think about this today. Read tomorrow’s devotion or more of Psalm 145 for some ideas of reasons to praise the Lord.
But today, you, reader, pause to praise!
PRAYER: Lord, we often times pause to pray which you invite us to do. We ask you to do this or that for us or take this or that away from us. Perhaps Lord, these are ways you are working a blessing in my life today. Help me today and every day moving forward to simply pause to praise you for your greatness and being part of my life. AMEN
“LIKE” the Lord!
Devotions based on the weekly sermon will resume on August 2, 2021.
Devotion by Mike Geiger originally published: November 2, 2012 on www.whataboutjesus.com
For this week’s Sermon from Cross & Crown (CLICK HERE)
Psalm 22:22-23
I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
“LIKE” the Lord!
A good referral has always been a good thing. But referrals used to move relatively slowly, one personal conversation to the next. Now in a matter of seconds, hundreds of positive or negative evaluations of one’s person, work or business can flood the pages of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. A business can rise or fall on the social media’s ranking realm. As a result and for better ratings, businesses encourage you to “LIKE” their page so they get more positive recognition and thus a trustworthy reputation.
How many “LIKE’s” do you think the Lord Jesus would receive?
The writer of Psalm 22 had nothing by “LIKE’s” to give for the one about whom he wrote. This Psalm is packed with prophetic statements about the Lord Jesus and his suffering on the cross for the sins of the world, your sins, too. Having stated these realities in the first verses of the Psalm, the inspired author writes, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.” Why wouldn’t he “LIKE” the Lord Jesus? He was forsaken by God for his sins (Psalm 22:1-2)? He suffered instead of him (Psalm 22:7-8, 12-18)? He took care of his salvation!
Like a Facebook friend who encourages you to like their page or business profile and encourage others to do the same, the writer then encourages all of Israel praise the name of the LORD. Jesus was not just the suffering Savior for the writer, but also for the world.
Unfortunately, in our society, Jesus doesn’t get the praise and “LIKE’s” that he deserves. People feel like following him cramps their style. Individuals push him aside like an outdated history book. In the name of political correctness, Christ is seen as too offensive. Unfortunately those that do this are missing out on the benefit Jesus came to secure – paying for their sins and the sins of the world. It is a big mistake to not “LIKE” Jesus!
Regardless of what others do, let the reader of this devotion “LIKE” the Savior all the more and encourage others to do the same. He is worth of our trust, our faith and our lives.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to this earth to lead a perfect life in our place and suffer separation from God for us. We praise you for your unending love and your overwhelming grace that you should “LIKE” us! Lead us in every arena of life to praise you and encourage others to do the same. AMEN
Where Is God When I Need Him Most
Devotion by Mike Geiger originally published: November 1, 2012 on www.whataboutjesus.com
For this week’s Sermon from Cross & Crown (CLICK HERE)
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
Psalm 22:1-2
Where’s God when I need him most?
After years of addiction to alcohol, angry outbursts at his wife, and a strained relationship with his teenage daughter, John felt all alone. He realized what his actions had created. He intentionalized returning to church, building his faith and trying to repair relationships. But when challenges continued and progress seemed non-existent, he questioned, “God where are you?”
If each of you would insert your own story and your own situation, you have probably have felt at times, “God has forsaken me.” It’s not a pleasant feeling to have and certainly a real place we don’t want to be…apart from God.
It’s certainly a status we deserve. Isaiah wrote, “Your sins have separated you from your God” (Isaiah 59:2) God hates sin. It creates a barrier of guilt and shame and certainly deserves the punishment from God. Yet, while he has every right to leave us to our sin and its consequences, he chose instead to forsake his Son. As he suffered on the cross the sky turned dark and Jesus cried out these words from Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) God had forsaken his Son because of our sin.
The result? God loves to be with us and promises to be with us through the challenges and joys of life. The reality is like the poem “Footprints” indicates:
Why, when I needed you most,
Have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied,
“The years when you only see one set of footprints,
My child, is when I carried you.”
Where is God when you need him most? Right beside you.
PRAYER: Lord, there are times when I feel alone and forsaken by you. Lead me to realize that I forsake you all too often. Thank you for forsaking your Son so that I would never fear you forsaking me but enjoy your presence now and into eternity.
Fear or Faith? Rely on God’s Power!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “Fear or Faith?”
Have you ever underestimated the power of something?
Taken a car for a test drive and pressed the accelerator and surprised at the power the engine produced?
Stepped into the breaking waves of the ocean only to lose your balance as the water receded?
Fixing an electrical outlet and forgot to turn the breaker off?
Power is impressive.
As destructive as a tornado can be – it’s impressive.
As deadly as a nuclear bomb can be – it’s powerful.
As large as a container ship is – it can move a lot of things.
Power is all around us.
We use it every day. We rely on it. We depend on it.
But perhaps the power we forget about is the power God has and brings to our disposal.
The power of his word that said, “Let there be…” and there was!
What would take years to grow or decades to develop…God spoke into existence.
The power to raise the dead to life.
What would take years of medical study, millions of dollars to develop, and still a patient dies, God has the power to raise to life.
The power to calm the raging waters and the blowing winds.
What we can think we can alter with emissions control and other manmade policies, Jesus controls with three words: “Quiet. Be still” (Mark 4:38)
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
“Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
In that moment, Jesus showed who he was and the power his words have. Even the wind and the waves have to obey his words!
How many times do we try to figure things out with our own minds, our own abilities and our own power? How long does it take to admit defeat and turn to God and say, “I give up? You need to fix this”?
Too long, right?
Why not start with relying on the power of God and the power of his Word!
Perhaps this promise from Ephesians 1:
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
The power that raised Jesus from the dead, created the world, and is in the Word of God, is at God’s disposal to use for your blessing and benefit. Rely on it!
Apply: What have you been trying to do or figure out on your own? Ask God to use his power to fix the issue, give you the wisdom, or change the situation…see what he does. Whatever it is will be a blessing!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your power that is over the wind and the waves and you use to bless your children. Help me to rely on you more than on me. Amen.
Fear or Faith? Trust God’s Plan!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “Fear or Faith?”
“Man proposes. God disposes.”
Ever heard that phrase before? Ever realized the truth of that phrase before?
Just when you think you have life all planned and set to go a certain direction, the plan fails.
What happens next?
We can blame God for messing up our plans. We can question God and wonder why our great plans are not happening. We can experience fear because the future that we thought was so certain is now up in the air.
The disciples in the boat with Jesus were fearful of drowning.
Mark 4:37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
The torrent of the waters led the disciples to question Jesus’ heart. In a few moments, Jesus went from an amazing rabbi, a caring healer, a miraculous provider… to a heartless, careless, murderer.
Jesus hadn’t changed the plans. They were still going to the other side of the lake. The difference was, the pathway across changed from what the disciples thought was going to be a smooth sale across the Sea of Galilee.
The disciples despaired that something good was going to come out of the storm. Yet, Jesus’ plan would instill awe and understanding more fully of who he was and the power he had.
Jesus’ plan was better and perfect.
When storms of life disrupt our plan and perception of what life should be like, don’t panic. Don’t think that God who loves you, died for you, and promises you heaven all of a sudden turned on you to be a vindictive, mean, angry God. He hasn’t changed. His plan hasn’t changed. His love for you hasn’t changed. What changed was OUR plan.
The new question to ask when your plans changed is this, “God I trust your plan for me. Help me to see the blessing you are bringing by changing my plans into your plans.”
Fear comes when we doubt God’s plan. Faith leads us to trust God’s plan. Trusting that God’s plan is always better than my plan leads me to live in peace…even when my plans change. I know God is just making the plan better.
Here’s a few great reminders:
James 4:13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Psalm 35:14 But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God’s plans are always best…trust them!
Apply: What is your plan for today? Commit it to the Lord first. Then go forward, at peace even when the plan changes…because God’s plans are always best.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me and always desiring and planning the best for me. Help me to have my plans always defer to your plans. AMEN.