Who I Am In Christ Devotionals

  But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elements? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? Galatians 4:9  Believers, children of God, those called by him to be holy, slip sometimes. I certainly do. I can slip in two general ways; neither of them is about depending on God. I can slip by just letting go and ignore being godly. I can give into my flesh. This always nips my behind when I go there. I can laugh and seemingly enjoy it for a minute; then, it’s like some iron gate clashes, closes in my face, leaving me foolish and stupid. And then, if I’m still stupid, I try to work my way into God’s good graces, so He’ll talk to me again. Of course the bible tells me to draw near to God and He will draw near to me. And really, I think that’s just an awareness. God is already with me. But if I am acknowledging the relationship I have with God, if I am seeking Him, if I am looking for Him, if I am humb

  When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him. 2 Chronicles 18:31 CSB Jehoshaphat is one of the great names in the bible. I just had to say that. By the way, it means Yahweh is judge. Okay. Jehoshaphat was a king of Judah, and he was a mixed bag as kings go. He did some really good things, and he did some dumb and dumber ones too. But I’ll let you look that stuff up. It’s great bible history. And Jehoshaphat was right in the middle of one of his not-so-smooth moves when the events in this passage happened. He was in a battle. And it wasn’t even his battle; it was Israel’s King Ahab’s fight. Jehoshaphat was along for the ride, a ride he should have never taken. If the name Ahab doesn’t ring a bell, remember this: he was Jezebel’s husband. For many, her name is synonymous with evil. So Jezebel’s husband, King Ahab asked Jehosha

  Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding. He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31 Yes, I have heard that the Lord is the Everlasting God! He is. When’s the last time you took that in? Hey, I need to do it more regularly! He is the creator. Why does Isaiah bother saying all of this about God? Here’s what I think: It’s because there is something about me that easily drifts into making up my own designer god of my own imagination, one seemingly more convenient for me than the Lord of Heaven and Earth. One I can control.  The idol that I invent is good for nothing but to make me miserable,

  I am at rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will never be shaken. Psalms 62:1-2 I long for this passage to flow through my very lungs. To inform my heart. To inhabit my dreams.   I am at rest in God alone. How often I have looked for rest elsewhere. May the Lord help me be at rest with Him. Not money. Not food. Not my job. Not even my family. I trust that those are blessings He has graciously given me. See, He alone is my rock. I can't stand on anything or anyone else. Not my good thinking. Not my good looks. Umm... And He is my salvation. May my first thought in times of trouble be Him. May I reach there. Not to all those other promises. His promises are true. Not even my own promises to myself or others can hold without leaks. When I have this mind, the mind of the Psalmist, I will NEVER be shaken. It's His word, not mine. Never be shaken. Lord, you make promises that I often don't ever measure the d

Woe to the rebellious children! This is the Lord ’s declaration. They carry out a plan, but not mine; they make an alliance, but against my will, piling sin on top of sin. Without asking my advice they set out to go down to Egypt in order to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shadow. But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and refuge in Egypt’s shadow your humiliation.  Isaiah 30:1-3 Doing It God's Way Able Believers soak themselves in scripture. They work to understand it. They talk about it and even argue about it which promotes solid interpretation. That’s how they know God’s plan. He teaches it to them directly through the word and in hearing it preached and taught. They long to obey His word. Disobedient believers may for a time run from God. They may even pretend to follow God, to trust Him. I know, because that’s been me. And by His grace, I serve Him today. Again and again within the pages of holy scripture, God says exactly wh

  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5‭-‬7 CSB I trust the Lord. That’s what believers do.  And yet, there are times I act like one of Judah’s kings and start trusting in my own wisdom instead of relying on His. And I’m supposed to trust Him for a long time. And in seasons of my life, I’ve done it.  And in seasons I have worked my own plan. Which works about like throwing a monkey wrench into the gears of my life.  I attended a Christian High School and this passage was THE theme verse for our school. It was quoted by the student body at gatherings. It seemed to be a particular favorite of our headmaster.  Even though we hit the books and most of us attended a four year university, this was the main thing they never wanted us to forget. They understood that if we got this backwards, all of that math, English and history were going to be worth so much garbage.  Why

The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, their refuge in a time of distress. The Lord helps and delivers them; he will deliver them from the wicked and will save them because they take refuge in him. Psalm 37:39-40 What God Wants Being a believer in Jesus is simple. I’m not saying that being a Christian is easy. But it is simple.  Also, I’m not saying that there aren’t deep theologies hidden in the pages of holy writ; there most certainly are. And they are glorious. Gifted men often spend their whole lives searching out these truths and explaining them to His people.  What I’m saying is that the basics are simple. They aren’t hard to grasp.  This verse gets at a good bit of it.  The Lord is a refuge for the righteous. How can I be righteous? I can’t. He does it.  It’s simple.  The Lord delivers; I don’t deliver myself. He does it. Simple. Why does He deliver them (in this passage)?  Here’s why: they take refuge in Him.  I’ve never tried to count it up, but there are probably hu