Day 10 - Hidden Treasure - More of Jesus Devotional

Hidden Treasure
By Tina Pinson

“The Kingdom of God is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. In his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44 (ESV)

     I always wondered what it would be like to be an archeologist digging up lost worlds, hidden treasure, and mysteries. In my dreams Indiana Jones had nothing on me. Although I can be claustrophobic. A claustrophobic archeologist, don’t get behind me in a tunnel.
     Thankfully, God had something else planned. I pull out my metal finder and find nails, bottle caps and loose change, but God called me to be a writer. A fiction writer, sharing Christ in the process. He blessed me with a vivid imagination and a love for words.
      As a child, I wielded imagination with exuberance. I was a story teller extraordinaire. Tall tales were my forte, and the reason I got disciplined a lot. When God showed me He wanted me to write, I was ecstatic. And scared. More so, when some well-meaning Christians told me Christian Fiction was a joke. Real Christian writers, it seemed, wrote stories about missionaries and martyrs and devotionals. It was a mistake for me to write fiction. Practically a sin.
      But God planted this hidden treasure in me to share. I dreamed stories from beginning to end in Technicolor, every word, every scene, every nuance. That was God. People still gave me names of people who’ve suffered for Christ, whose stories needed told.
I was confused, then I read Matthew 13:34-35: “All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables, indeed, He said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoke by the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables. I will utter what had been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
     Imagine that, Christ told stories to give people insight into His Kingdom. He used words and visuals they could understand. Some people won’t pick up a Bible but they will read a story.
For me, I get to do a lot of research on history. I am kind of an armchair archeologist. That was designed by God. He planted that gift in me and then helped me to uncover the hidden treasure heaven had for me when the time was right. What hidden treasures of the Kingdom has Christ helped you unearth?

Questions:
Do you believe God has put Hidden/ Kingdom Treasure in you? If so, what?

Did you ever read the parable about the mustard seed and go try to move a mountain? Or get mad over the debtor whose debt was forgiven and he still went after someone who owed him? What Parable of Jesus is your favorite? What hidden treasure did it impart to you?

“All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables, indeed, He said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoke by the prophet. “I will open My mouth in parables. I will utter what had been hidden since the foundation of the world.” Matthew 13:34
What does this passage say to you?

Take a couple moments to consider the hidden treasures of God and his Kingdom given to you. Write down some of those thoughts.

Food for thought. Parable – a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson as told by Jesus. These stories are spread throughout the Gospels, take a look. 

Day 9 - The Robe of His Presence - More of Jesus Devotional

The Robe of His Presence

Tim Munyan 

Luke 15:11-32

       In the story of the prodigal son there is a point when the father runs to his returning son and tells the servants to bring the “best robe” from the house and put it on his son. The question that needs to be asked is: What is “the best robe?”
      The “best robe” is the fathers robe! Think about it for a minute. The father’s robe probably smelled like his father, was probably too big and might have even had his initials on it.
      The robe signified the father’s presence. The son had been out of the father’s presence, but was now again covered by it. It wasn’t something he had to put on himself. It was put on for him. He just had to show up. It was large enough to cover everything and then some. With that extra large robe, the father was saying, “I will cover your failures, your poverty, your shame and sin with my presence as if it had never happened. I will restore and help you become who you really are, and discover who you are really meant to be. I will cover your dishonor with my name and my honor. It will be as if you had never left my presence.” Only the robe of his father’s presence could remove the stench of this son’s sin.
       No matter how much the son tried, he could not get himself clean enough to feel worthy of coming home. At the same time he couldn’t forget what it was like to be in his father’s presence. He was drawn by the sound of his voice, his touch, his smell, his wisdom.
There may be a point in our life when we ran from God and made friends with the world. Maybe we have thought that God could never accept us or use us again, but then remembering what it was like to be in His presence, hearing His voice and feeling His love began to beckon us. Then suddenly coming to our senses we now long to come back home. Once we have experienced the joys of His presence we can never forget them, no matter how far we run.
       God is a God of restoration! He has a “robe of His presence” for us! Is it time for you to come home and enjoy the Fathers presence? He’s waiting to put His robe on you!

Questions:

1.What is the significance of the father’s robe and the fact that it is not just any robe?

2. How does being in God’s presence help us overcome our failure and mistakes?

3. What are some ways you can enjoy God’s presence today? 

Day 8 - Choices, The Door - More of Jesus Devotional

Choices – The Door

Zema Chambers

Our politics . . . our friends . . . our schools . . . our church. We make choices every day. Now of course, choices are what make us the liberty lovin' people we are! Nobody can tell us what to do. Consider driving down a one way road going the wrong way. Most of us wouldn't hang our head out the window and shout, "Make me go that other way. I dare ya!" Sometimes we know there are battles we know better than to fight. Life is full of choices.

How curious it is when those same conditions come in our walk of faith. We live with very clear "yes and no" situations all the time. What is it about Jesus that would be different? Did He say He was "yes and maybe"? How about "I am the Alpha and the Most of the Time"? Jesus was very clear in who He is.

Jesus can be known and already has been known by countless numbers of people through the ages. The Bible calls them a "great cloud of witnesses" in the book of Hebrews. Is coming to know Jesus really that clear? Yes! What about people who say He's too hard and there are just too many demands? God, in His kindness, ushers us to the door of salvation on this carpet ride called "grace". It still stops at Jesus. A choice must be made. Does the person, face to face with Jesus, really believe? That's where God makes the determination - not you and me. (I like it that way actually.) The step to Jesus is a faith venture. Grace gets us there; the step toward Jesus opens the door. No vast shopping choices there. No difficult demands about perfection. “Whosoever will, may come!”

Jesus is waiting. He is the Door through which we walk for salvation. (John 10:9) I once heard a preacher say, “On one side over the door it says, "Whosoever will may come!" After we go through and look back we see, "Chosen from the

foundations of the world!" He always knew we'd come. Thankfully, we don't have to pick from fifteen different salvation options. There is only one Lord, one Faith and one Way. Choose the Door. This is a battle Jesus has already won!

Questions:

What irritates you about having only once choice?

How did you come to be convinced you that Jesus is only way?

When did you decide to open the door to Jesus? 

Day 7 - Fearless, Son of God - More of Jesus Devotional

Fearless, Son Of God.

Micah Abeloe

Luke 4:1 7-21 “And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where is was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fix on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

I chose the attribute of fearlessness and the name Son of God for this devotional about Jesus. This bit of scripture from the gospel according to Luke spoke how fearless Jesus was and how deeply rooted in His identity of being the “Son of God” He was. Up to this point, Jesus has been teaching and healing in many synagogues throughout Galilee. He arrives in His hometown of Nazareth and enters the synagogue, as was His custom. He is handed the book of Isaiah to read and boldly pronounces that He is the long- awaited Messiah.

The only way for Jesus to make this bold claim of Himself is that He knows exactly who He is and His purpose on earth. He knows that He is the Son of God and He was sent here for a divine purpose and nothing can stop him. Jesus knows the truth of God and who He is in God. He knows that He and His father are inseparable. He knows that He can do all things through Him who gives Him strength (Philippians 4:13). This proclamation from Jesus is amazingly bold and courageous and there is no fear in Him whatsoever! He says

these things knowing how the crowd would take it. Jesus shows here that we should never allow fear to dictate our purpose as sons and daughters of kingdom of God, which is to bear the full image of God through grace that comes from faith.

Questions:

- Do you believe at the core of your spirit that you are a Son or Daughter of God and you bear his image?

- What fear or fears in your life are stopping you from living out the perfect will of God in your life?

- How can you allow the Grace of God completely annihilate these fears? 

Day 6 - Jesus, the Living Water - More of Jesus Devotional

Jesus the Living Water

Tad Coit

A few weeks ago, Chalane and I took a rather icy and slippery hike down to Box Canyon Falls in Ouray. There is a reason that people recommend that you avoid hiking to those falls in the wintertime! Those who have been to Ouray, know that water is what makes that little town tick. If tourists aren’t hiking to a waterfall, they are watching the ice climbers, fishing one of the nearby streams, or relaxing in the large hot springs pool.

Jesus was born into a dry land that valued water more than anything else. When Jesus met with the woman at the well, He let her know that He offered a living water that was better than any real water could ever be. In John 4:10 Jesus said,“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

Jesus is called the “Living Water” because He imitates all be best characteristics of water.

Like a powerful waterfall, He deflected and destroyed the efforts the enemy used to try and thwart His mission.

He offers us this same power and strength in our daily struggles. Much like a relaxing hot springs, He led his disciples into times of quiet and reflection and desires for us to meet Him in those quiet places. Most importantly, Jesus’s words help to clean us and refresh us when our world feels dry and dusty.

Once we accept the gift to have Him be a part of our lives, this Living Water can work in and through us so that we will never thirst.

Scripture: John 6:35, John 7:37, John 4:13,14, Jeremiah 2:13, Revelation 22:17

Questions:

1. When are times in your life that you have felt a thirst for something more?

2. What are things we can do we are feeling dry?

3. Read Jeremiah 2:13. Describe the lives of those who are not aligning with God.

4. Read John 6:35 and John 7:37. What will our lives be like if we align with Christ?

5. According to Revelation 22:17, who is the Living Water for? 

Day 5 - Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace - More of Jesus Devotional

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Craig Droskin

Isaiah 9:6: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

One of my favorite passages in the bible is Isaiah 9:6. It is the amazing prophesy of Jesus’ birth written approximately 700 years before Christ walked the earth. This scripture is the definitive answer to any who question the Holy Trinity.

In one passage Jesus is referred to as The Everlasting Father, The Son, and The Counselor (or Holy Spirit). If there’s any question to whom Isaiah is referring, he makes sure to emphasize that this prophesy speaks of the Mighty God.

In John 20:28, Thomas sees the resurrected Jesus and says, “My Lord and my God!” Thomas recognized Jesus as God and Jesus didn’t correct him or tell him he was wrong. Jesus actually commended Thomas for seeing and believing.

The good news that is shared in this Scripture and this prophesy is this: Jesus is God! No one can ever tell you otherwise. The better news is He died and rose again for our sins.

Jesus came to earth to be God with us... Immanuel. The prophesy foretold it, the disciples declared it, and Jesus confirmed it. How great that we get to live with that truth!

Questions:

Have you ever wondered if the Bible really says that Jesus is God?

Are there people or organizations in this world that want us to question whether Jesus is really God? 

Day 4 - The Author and Perfecter of Faith - More of Jesus Devotional

The Author and Perfecter of faith.

Rachel Hanson

“. . . fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross . . . and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

The author and perfecter of our faith. The creator and writer. Without Jesus, we would have no faith. Without Jesus, our faith would not continue. With Jesus, our faith is complete, our faith is fulfilled, our faith is brought Home.

When we listen more to Jesus, we allow Him to be the author of our faith; we give Him authority over our story. We are able to hear His guidance and we learn the plans He has for us. The more often we walk with Him, we grow and become refined. Hope for things unseen is answered with things seen, and our faith grows towards perfection. We gain courage and strength through Him and from His example. The more we read about Him and meditate on His life and what He did for us, the smaller our own trials become. The more we engage in practices that draw us closer to Him, the more we want to follow His lead. We become equipped to “endure the race set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

Choose Your Own Adventure books come to mind. We like options and are given options, but making choices on our own can also be scary and tiring and we learn this world holds heartache. But we don’t have to walk and make choices alone. Without faith, without Jesus, we often fall back on our limited understanding of the world and what we feel we can handle. As Chalane put it, when we don’t make room for Jesus to be the author of our faith, we lose faith and we fall back on our own Plan B, the plan that is less than what God wants for us, less than the glory that awaits us.

Questions:

When you don’t allow Jesus to be the author of your faith, to whom are you giving that control?

When your eyes are not fixed on Jesus, who becomes your example for life? 

Light of the World

Light of the World

Sandra Dubois

Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12 (WEB)

Jesus said of Himself, that He is the light of the world. In the beginning, God separated the light from the darkness. The darkness is not only the absence of light, but according to the ancient Hebrew, it’s a physical thing that occupies time and space; a prison that crushes. Darkness is something to be avoided at all costs! When I follow Jesus, He promises that I won’t walk in that terrible place of darkness and doom.

In my life, I need to invite Jesus’ light into every single space. He doesn’t want to just come into my life, and sit politely in the front room—He wants to completely clean out, rearrange, and even rebuild every part of my house. So why do I hold onto a rickety old wall, or some piles of stinky old stuff, when Jesus wants to build a beautiful mansion of my life?

Light can be glaring and harsh, like the fluorescent light that shows every imperfection in its rays, or it can be warm and comforting, like a crackling fire on a cold night. Jesus is a gentleman, and His light is always exactly right. Sometimes His light needs to be direct, like a surgeon’s lamp, to focus on an area He needs to remove, to heal. Sometimes His light is soft and gentle, like a nightlight, in our lowest moments, when all seems dark, yet we know He’s there, glowing in the dark. Sometimes His light sparkles like millions of stars across the sky, making our hearts sing with the heavens. Sometimes His light warms us, deep inside, and we know, that we know, that we know, that we are loved with the best, warmest, brightest, ever-radiant Light of All.

Let the Light of the World shine through your life as you follow Him.

Questions:

1) In what areas have you been afraid to let Jesus’ light shine?

2) What are your thoughts about Jesus’ light be different depending on our situation and our need?

3) What does the light of Jesus look like to you today? 

Word Art - More of Jesus

Word Art

By Tina Pinson

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God

and the Word was God.” John 1:1

I love words -- to weave them together into stories, songs and poetry, and touch lives. I love word games and puzzles. Words are my friends. I study them, delve into their nuances. I pursue new words and reacquaint with old ones. My kids call me a walking dictionary.

I am a word nerd. And sometimes I am too wordy.

Words are awesome. They say so much, like; “Choose your words wisely.” “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words...” “Words are, of course, the most powerful drugs used by mankind.”

We live and breathe words. I live and breathe words.

I believe the Lord imparted this gift, this love of words deep into my being. Considering He is the Word, the complete novel of excellence, tells me words are paramount. Jesus isn’t just the written word He breathed life into. He is The Word. A living breathing composition of Word Art fashioned by the hand of the Master.

He was the Word, before time eternal. The Story before, “Let there be light.” was uttered. The Expression before words were formed. The Lyric before song. The Pronouncement before heaven proclaimed a “King.” The Clash of Truth before the cross.

He was and is and is to come, The Word. How magnificent is that? When I accepted Christ, the fullness of that Word came to life in me. I may not understand completely, but Jesus does and He’ll reveal the truth of the Word to me if I ask – and even when I don’t. There are times I feel the two-edged sword of the word searing my soul and spirit. Touching bone and sinew.

Do you realize there are people who have never read the written word of God, but they know the Word and have a relationship with Him? When you don’t have the written word, the word breathed into existence by the Word, you still have the Word with you. Crazy huh? It is like a riddle wrapped in a mystery tucked in an enigma, but available to you because of the Word.

The Word... Do you live and breathe the word? Do you spend time with the Word? Have you read His Story?

Questions:

How can Jesus be the written word and the living Word?

What does the fact that Christ is the Word mean to you?

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us and we have seen His glory, glory as the only Son from the Father, full of

grace and truth. John 1:14 (ESV)

What does John 1:14 tell you about God’s grace and truth?

Take a couple moments to consider what Christ the Word wants to impart to you today about Himself. About You. Ask Him for insight and understanding, and trust that He wants to reveal Himself to you. Write down some of those thoughts.

Food for thought – A few more words from our Sponsor. Matthew 4:4, Colossians 1:19, Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 6:17, Acts 11:1, Psalm 1:2-3, 2 Peter 1:19, Romans 10:17, Luke 4:4 and so much more. 

Jesus, The Good Shepherd - More of Jesus

“Jesus The Good Shepherd”

Tim Munyan John 10 / Psalm 23

In John 10 Jesus declares, “I am the Good Shepherd.” The fact that we have a good shepherd watching over us should bring comfort to our hearts. There are three specific reasons why we need a shepherd.

The first reason is for protection.

The Bible tells us that there is a thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy and a wolf that will try to scatter the flock. If we were not under God’s protection and He just said, “Welcome to the fold - you are on your own,” our lives would quickly be destroyed. But He is a good shepherd who “Never leaves us or forsakes us.” (Hebrews 13:5) God does not want us becoming wolf food. His plans are for us to grow and mature.

The second reason we need a shepherd is for direction.

A good shepherd directs the path of the sheep making sure they have everything they need to prosper and are not headed along a path that will lead them into trouble. The sheep know the shepherd’s voice and follow it.

Psalm 23 sheds even more light on the Good Shepherd.

David writes: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right path for His name’s sake.”

“Lack nothing” means we have been given everything we need to do what God has called us to do and be who God has called us to be. We just need to obey His direction.

The third reason we need a shepherd is for correction.

Through a parable in Matthew 18:12-14, Jesus tells a story about a flock of a hundred sheep and one wanders off and is lost. We, like this sheep, sometimes tend to wander away from Jesus. Maybe because of temptation, or wanting to explore what the world has to offer. But in this parable, the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one. Whenever we wander away from Jesus, He will come running after us and not give up until He finds us wherever we are at.

In a song we have been singing recently called “Reckless Love,” we find that God’s love “chases me down, fights till I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine.” “There’s no shadow you won’t light up. no mountain you won’t climb up coming after me. No lie you won’t tear down, no wall you won’t kick down coming after me.” (Reckless Love, by Cory Asbury)

The Good Shepherd will come find us and make every effort to bring us back to the green pastures and still waters. The place we find peace.

Questions:

1. What are some of the reasons you need God’s protection?
2. Where in your life do you need God’s guidance and direction?

3. Do you run from God’s correction or do you embrace it?