Emergency vehicles pass by as we sit in the midst of busy Southern California traffic. Their sirens overwhelmed by the voice of my six year old, saying, “Don’t you think we should pray?” I nod in agreement and he reverently bows his head and prays for all those concerned. What an example for me to follow! Just like traffic, our lives move at a pace appointed for us, while once in a while an emergency demands our attention and requires us to yield our plans to it. The secret is to not only pray as soon as we see those lights flashing and hear those sirens blaring, but to pray when we don’t. Toward this end, 19th century preacher A.J. Gordon once proclaimed, “I can do more than pray after I have prayed, but I cannot do more than pray until I have prayed.” The point is loud and clear… prayer should be the priority of every day. Whether things are good or things are bad, we can challenge ourselves with my son’s words, “Don’t you think we should pray?” I like the way the apostle Paul put it in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18. He said, “Pray without ceasing… for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Selah
-Pastor Joe McCormick
Filed under: Selah (Devotional)»
Jesus said, “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” These words echo in my ear as I pass another “Coexist” bumper sticker on the freeway, drive by another palm reader’s shop, and look at yet another blank stare on the face of someone who is non-responsive to the truth of the Gospel. You see, there are those who are skeptical of the truth, those who are indifferent to the truth, and those who are combative against the truth. Regardless of who we are facing we should remember what the great British preacher C.H. Spurgeon said about truth: “The word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself!”
Whether we answer the one who is skeptical, indifferent, or combative; we simply preach the word of God because the word of God has power to change things (Hebrews 4:12), because the word of God is all about Jesus (John 5:39, Luke 24:27, Hebrews 10:7). You see, Jesus doesn’t just HAVE the answer…He IS the answer to ANY question people are asking today, just as He was the answer to the question Pontius Pilate asked long ago when he said, “What is truth?” (John 18:38)…if you hear that question today, let the lion out of his cage! Selah
-Pastor Joe McCormick
Filed under: Selah (Devotional)»
British philosopher G.K. Chesterton once said, “An inconvenience is only adventure wrongly considered.” Slow drivers on the highway, long lines at the supermarket, a bad hair day…there are many inconvenient things that can frustrate us and rob us of our joy. The key to handling those things that inconvenience us, according to Chesterton, is perspective. So often, we have our eyes so fixed on what went wrong, that we fail to see that God is doing something deeper. I was reminded of this just last week. My family and I had been on a road trip in our new family Suburban when all of a sudden my son got sick to his stomach and…well…”lost his cookies” so to speak. We were concerned for him, overwhelmed by the smell, and worried about the new upholstery. We found a laundry mat and a do-it-yourself car wash off the freeway. Three hours later we once again had a clean vehicle and a clean boy. As we drove down the freeway greatly delayed, we listened to the radio and talked about how much fun we had washing the car together. Just then, one of my teenagers said, “Well mom and dad…you said you wanted to make memories in this Suburban…you got one!” She was right. We made a memory I hope we do not soon forget. God is fully in control and “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Still 400 miles from our destination, my son groans from the back seat, “I don’t feel so good.” The adventure continues… Selah
-Pastor Joe McCormick
Filed under: Selah (Devotional)»
It was with a keen sense for the obvious that Oscar Wilde (19th century Irish playwright) declared, “the statistics on death are impressive… 10 out of 10 people die.” Though most do not like to think of it, the reality is that “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). We should be moved by this for two reasons. 1) Those who die without Jesus Christ will suffer in a literal hell for all eternity. There is nothing more horrifying than this reality. It’s been well said, “men have perished while we enjoy the goodness of the Lord.” 2) The goodness of the Lord should lead us to share about Jesus to everyone who is headed for hell… They only have a short time to hear the gospel, and we only have a short time to share the gospel. So preach the gospel everywhere you go. We need a sense of urgency to preach the gospel the way we are called to. It means that we may need to change our priorities. As Leonard Ravenhill the revivalist challenged those in his day, “is what you’re living for worth Christ dying for?” Till the whole world hears! Selah
-Pastor Joe McCormick
Filed under: Selah (Devotional)»
“Who the Son sets free is free indeed!” John 8:36
As children of God, we are free men, but why, so often, do we choose to live as captives of the enemy? Though this captivity can only be an illusion, since a free man cannot also be a captive, it is fear the keeps us accepting it. Fear, in the same way, becomes a choice. Why do angels not fear the enemy? Because they understand the power of the Lord! It is due to our lack of knowing Him that we succumb to fear and captivity. We need to accept our birthright as children of the King and walk in the fullness of the power that He has given us. The enemy has no real power over us, but by the Holy Spirit, we have a very real power over him. Live as free men and walk in peace unimaginable!
-Janelle Funicello
Filed under: Selah (Devotional)»
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.” -Philippians 4:8-9
It’s easy for us to become distracted by our thoughts. We may find ourselves thinking things that don’t fall into the categories set out in the verse above. The first clue that we’re wandering away from God’s purpose for our thoughts is a loss of peace and contentment. It’s generally replaced by anxiousness, anger, critical thinking, etc. As soon as we realize where our mind has been wandering, we should purposefully turn away from those thoughts and choose to think with God’s mind rather than our own. Purposefully looking for God in our thoughts will keep us filled with God’s peace. Selah
-Cossette Morton
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“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruits He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” -John 15:1-2
The original Greek for “takes away” is “airo,” more appropriately translated as “lifts up”, while “prunes” in Greek is “kathairo” (like our word “catharsis”), more accurately seen as “cleanse” (see verse 3). We serve a loving God. He is the vinedresser, not standing over us ready to “cut us down”, but lovingly lifting us and cleansing us that we might bear more fruit that is pleasing to Him. Are you struggling because of a “lack of fruit”, fearful that you’ll be “pruned” or “cut down”? Take heart. The Lord seeks to lift us up out of the mud and wash all of the world’s dirt and grime off of us. Stay in the word and be patient (Luke 8:15). Selah
-Randy Barron
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“The law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, and turned many away from iniquity.” Malachi 2:6
Just like God called the Israelites, by no right of their own, to be a holy people, and He set apart the Levites for His service (Numbers 3), believers are a holy, set apart people (1 Peter 2) who praise God for rescuing them from the darkness! The Levites were meant to be a constant picture to the people of God’s redemption. “They are Mine,” says God. And to you who believe, He says, “You are Mine.” God’s call has a purpose – in Malachi, God is reminding us how best to worship Him: by speaking the Word of God, by not judging others unjustly, by walking with God in peace and righteousness, and by turning many away from sin. Is your life a picture of God’s redemption? Let us pursue holiness for the praise of His Glory! Selah
-Elizabeth Milligan
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“Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God [is] in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few.” Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
The saying goes, “God has given us two ears and one mouth for a reason- to remind us that we are supposed to listen twice as much as we speak.” This principle also applies to our prayer life. Prayer is not just about speaking but also listening, it’s a conversation between you and God. Make your prayer-life fruitful this week by spending twice as long listening to Him as you do speaking to Him! Selah
-Sam Gonzales
Filed under: Selah (Devotional)»