Seek First – Kingdom Focused Devotionals

We use the terms “blessing” and “blessed” rather casually.  We make speak of being “blessed” by a favor done for us by another.  But we must always remember that all blessing comes from God even when the instrument of the blessing is another person. 

            Psalm 45 is referred to as a “royal wedding song.”  It may have been written for King Solomon.  The writer admits that he is overwhelmed as he attempts to address such a noble theme to the king (1).  The psalmist declares that the king is the most handsome of men and declares that “grace is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever” (2).  The gracious speech of the king is the evidence of God’s blessing.  When one is blessed, his desire is to bless others, and thus their words communicate and contain grace.             

            Have you been blessed?  I dare say that the answer is “yes.”  Now here is the question of this Psalm.  Do you daily attempt to bless others?  You can do so with a kind word—with gracious speech.  Do your words tear down or build up?

Prayer:  Lord, I thank you for being the source of all blessing.  Bless through me today as I speak gracious words to another.  Amen

Are you familiar with the book of Job?  Satan concludes that Job fears God only because he has been blessed and protected by God.  He asserts that if Job had to face adversity, he would curse God to His face (1:11). 

            As the book unfolds, we watch as Job loses everything including his health.  As the blessings of life are taken away one after the other, Job remains faithful to the Lord.  His wife and several friends generously share their opinions about why such difficulties have befallen Job and what he should do about them.  Much of their advice was based on the popular view that bad circumstances in life are directly caused by sin.  Thus they lecture Job on his shortcomings. 

            Elihu waited until last to speak, perhaps because of his youth.  His speech is less arrogant and presumptuous than those of Job’s other friends.  He begins with a fundamental truth—“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life” (33:3).  Elihu’s speech is lengthy but throughout he focuses on the greatness of God. 

            When we begin and end with God, we can know that our life is in His hands.  This should encourage you today.

Prayer:  I thank You that you made me and give me life.  Help me to focus on that fundamental truth today.  Amen.

The enormity of our sin can create such a feeling of shame that it can keep us in a condition of spiritual slavery.  The prayer of Ezra (9:8) was not only designed to give the captives of his day hope, it can do the same for us today.  “Even in our slavery, God has given us new life and light to our eyes.” 

            The book of Ezra chronicles the return of Israel from Babylonian captivity.  The rebuilding of the temple faced such great opposition that work on the temple ceased for a season.  In response, King Artaxerxes sent Ezra to lead a spiritual reformation (7:25-26).

            Ezra was greeted with disturbing news.  Intermarriage with pagans had led to idolatry.  Ezra was so grieved with the news that he tore his tunic, pulled out some of his hair, and sat down devastated. 

            Fortunately that is not the end of the story.  He took three interrelated actions—he got up from his humiliation, fell on his knees, and spread out his hands to the Lord.  In prayer, he acknowledged the corporate sin of Israel, confessing that he was ashamed to lift his face toward heaven.  The opening words of verse 8 are encouraging—“But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us an escaped remnant.”  Ezra is encouraged by focusing on the gracious nature of God who will give life and light to our eyes. 

            Are you overwhelmed by the sin of our nation?  Fall on your knees and spread out your hands to the Lord.  He desires to forgive and give new life.

Prayer.  We confess our sin and seek your mercy today for ourselves and for our nation.  Amen.

In Christian circles we often restrict the word “called” or “calling” to persons who are in full time ministry.  We speak of a pastor or missionary as being “called” to vocational ministry.  While it is true that certain persons are called to “full time” ministry it is equally true that all believers are “Jesus Christ’s by calling” (Rom. 1:6).

            In this introductory paragraph, Paul first referred to his unique call and gifting to be an apostle, but he also includes the readers of the Roman letter as those who have been called. 

            First, this text means that we are “called to be Jesus Christ’s,” that we are His property.  We belong to Him.  We stand in a unique relationship with the Son because of the Father’s divine call.  Second we are all called to vocational ministry.  That’s right, you are called to ministry.  Now the setting of your ministry might be a bank office, a school gymnasium or a car pool with other soccer mom’s.  You are a minister and a missionary in the various contexts where God places you daily. 

            When we get a clear view of what it means to be “Jesus Christ’s by calling” we will once again turn the world upside down.  Wherever you go today remember that you represent the King of kings and you are His by calling.  Tell someone about your King. 

Prayer:  Thank you for calling me to yourself.  Empower me to represent you well today since I am Your ambassador.  Amen

Best friends have a special bond.  We can share our secret pains and our greatest aspirations with our best friends.  We rely on them to listen, understand, and advise us.   Who is your best friend? 

            Can you imagine how the first century disciples felt when Jesus said to them, “You are My friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14). 

            A friendship is not only an issue of privilege, it is one of responsibility.  Thus it is not surprising that Jesus requires that His friends obey His commands.  As friends of Christ, we know that His word is always reliable and therefore our passion is to obey the Word of our friend. 

            Are you wondering what our friend Jesus does for us?  In John 15 Jesus tells His first century friends that He has made known to them everything that He heard from the Father.  He didn’t treat them like slaves but rather He embraced them as friends.  We may not have the privilege of face-to-face relationship with Jesus the way the first-century disciples did.  Yet we have His teaching in written form and we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who enables us to understand and obey His word (15:26). 

            Have you spent enough time with your friend lately that you know His heart?  Are you sharing your deepest pains and greatest joys with Him? 

Prayer:  It is beyond my comprehension that You allow me to address You as My friend.  I pledge to you my loyalty today.  Amen.

Jesus told the disciples—“I am the vine; you are the branches” (Jn. 15:5).  We should not overlook the amazing intimacy pictured in this familiar image from Scripture.  The connection between vine and branch is so close that the branch actually abides in the vine.  Equally amazing is the truth that the vine and its indwelling branches are superintended by the Father Himself who is the keeper of the vineyard. 

            Meditate on this—our Father loves us so much that He personally oversees the condition of our life with Christ.  Everything the Father does to and for the branches is designed to enable us to bear much fruit—fruit which should grow naturally through our attachment to the vine.  When we bear spiritual fruit, we “prove” ourselves to be His disciples and we glorify the Father (15:8). 

            Take time and read this entire passage today and you will find that the branch can do nothing apart from the vine.  We find this hard to accept.  We like to think that we can do some things apart from Him and thus we only need to rely on Him when we encounter the difficult challenges of life.  The Christian life, however, is one that is wholly dependent on the life that flows through the vine to the branch. 

            Are you attached to the vine?  Are you abiding in Him through His Word?

Prayer:  Father, thank You for loving me so much you watch over my relationship with Your Son.  Allow me to bear fruit today.  Amen

“This little light of mine, Ima gonna let it shine!”  I loved to sing this little childhood song at the top of my lungs.  Further I promised that I wouldn’t hide it under a bushel or let Satan blow it out.  Tragedy is that 95% of evangelical believers have hidden their light.  That’s the number of believers who have failed to tell anyone about their relationship with Christ. 

            Jesus, in Matthew 5:14, makes it clear that His followers are to be “the light of the world.”  Paul would underline the same truth in Phil. 2:14-15: “Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world.”  Both our behavior (blameless and pure) and our attitude (without grumbling and arguing) should set us apart from unbelievers. 

            For light to have its intended impact, it must be made visible.  We place our light on a hill to point people to Christ not to draw attention to ourselves.  We are sometimes a little shy about attracting this kind of notice, but we must remember our light is a reflection of the light of Christ, who lives inside us. 

            We are called to live in such a distinctive manner that the light which beams from our lives will draw and direct people to God.

Prayer: Father, thank you for living in me.  Shine through me so clearly that others will seek your Son.  Amen!*

*If you need further help learning how to “Shine” check out Splashinfo.com.

If you ever watch TV shows that depict courtroom drama, you are aware that the key issue is the reliability of the witnesses called to the stand. 

            At the end of Luke, Jesus says to His disciples, “You are witnesses of these things” (24:48).  The book of Acts begins with a reminder and challenge—“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses….” (1:8). 

            Perhaps you are thinking—“I’m not an apostle and therefore not an eyewitness.”  While you may not be a first century apostle you are nonetheless a witness.  When we come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we actually become witnesses to His grace in our own lives.  We have a story to tell about God’s grace. 

            Remember, witness is who we are before it is what we do.  Being a witness is a high calling, and requires not only a consistent lifestyle but also a deliberate effort.  Paul states this same principle in a slightly different way.  Paul declares we are “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20).  Being an ambassador is both a responsibility and privilege. 

            Every day, you are allowed to represent the King of kings to your friends, neighbors, and colleagues.  If you are feeling a bit intimidated, relax.  The promise of the Holy Spirit applies to believers today. 

Prayer:  Father, I admit that I feel unworthy to represent You to others.  Teach me to rely on your Spirit and tells others about You.  Amen.

Have you ever experienced the embarrassment of proceeding to the check-out counter only to discover that you are lacking sufficient funds for the purchase?  Rather awkward, isn’t it? 

            Paul begins his letter to the Corinthians with the assurance that when they received grace in Christ they were enriched in every way, “so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:7).   This “gift” probably includes (1) the gift of salvation, (2) God’s good gifts in general, and (3) specialized gifts for ministry. 

            The basis for all God’s good gifts is the grace of God.  Don’t let anyone confuse you by suggesting that your salvation is incomplete until you experience a second work of grace or a later work of the Spirit.  God has held back nothing that would better enable you to live victoriously and accomplish His work through His church.  Our problem is not one of sufficiency but one of surrender. 

            Don’t forget, you have all the gifts you need to please your heavenly Father and to serve Him effectively.  It is staggering to contemplate what could be accomplished through the church if every member lived up to their gifted potential. 

Prayer.  I am awed that in your grace is everything I need.  I affirm that I am lacking in nothing.  I will serve You today.  Amen

My dad pastored small churches throughout North Carolina for fifty-five years.  When I encounter people who knew him they often remark, “Your dad was a good man.” 

            Before we belittle the idea of goodness, we should remember that it is one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22).  When the Holy Spirit fills our lives, He will produce goodness in and through us.  In Romans 15:14 Paul declares—“…I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.”

            Notice that when goodness is accompanied with knowledge it enables us to admonish one another.  “All knowledge” doesn’t suggest the Romans had nothing else to learn, but it indicates that they have sufficient knowledge of what it means to be a Christian that they can admonish others. 

            Are you noticing a common thread through many of these promises?  God expects us to use that which He gives us to encourage and edify others.  So good gives us knowledge and goodness together.  If we attempt to admonish without goodness, our words may have the effect of cruel criticism.  If we attempt to admonish without biblically informed truth, we share only our opinion.  When the two are combined, we are speaking words of healing that encourage. 

Prayer.  Father, thank You for filling me with knowledge and goodness.  Let me be an encourager today.  Amen