Tag:

devotion

The Endless Pleasures Of Prayer

by David Lee Martin April 8, 2021

If there is such a thing as a Christian hedonist I’d like to be one. A pleasure-seeking thirsty individual who seeks satiation at every opportunity. Only it’s not sex, drugs, or rock-n-roll that my soul craves – it’s the pleasures of God’s presence and the pleasures of prayer.

As the Psalmist rightly said: “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11 NKJV) That is why I indulge myself in the celebration of prayer and invite you to join me.

How anyone can diminish the pleasures of prayer to a morning drudgery is almost incomprehensible, but I believe I know the reason such a tragedy may occur. It is not the devil, or some other external enemy seeking to derail your desire (although there will be many of these too). The problem is a simple one. Failure to give attention to the practice.

Cold Familiarity, or Fiery Freedom?

Like a marriage untended, where spouses grow coldly familiar with one another and fail to appreciate the beauty and strength in their partner. So the exotic delights of deepening relationship with God disappear in a slew of religionism.

It takes time and active attention to keep the flames of love burning strong in a marriage, and the flames of devotion in spiritual disciplines are no different.

Neglect is the reason so many starve for a vigorous connection with God. And that’s where we begin. The question of devotion. Devotion is defined as, “love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person or activity”. Unpacking the word to admire its facets we find the following characteristics: loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, trueness, staunchness, steadfastness, constancy, commitment, adherence, allegiance, dedication, devoutness; fondness, love, admiration, affection, attentiveness, care, caring, warmness, closeness.

Passionate devotion

It is the doorway to the delights you seek. A mark of the early church was their devotion to prayer: “They devoted themselves to…prayer.” (Acts 2:42 NIV) Sadly this cannot be said of much of the Body of Christ today. Prayer has become so programmatic that the characteristics of burning passion and consuming desire are glaringly absent. Such overt displays of emotion are uncomfortable.

But it’s not the “Church” that I have any right to point fingers at. It is not the discomfort of the crowd that is the killer. It is your own discomfort, and mine, to let our hearts hang out in unapologetic desperation to discover more of God.

We have been sterilized in our pursuit. God wants us to be utterly set apart for His covenant, but I fear that religion and culture have caused the knife to slip and more than skin has been sliced away. The prayers of so many noble warriors have been castrated by civility.

Pleasures of Prayer

In conclusion, prayer is a manly (or womanly) endeavor. It is virile. A fertile feast of fruitfulness. The world’s panting pursuit of external pleasures is such a feeble shadow of what is available to those who will enter the chambers of prayer and discover the Presence of God.

And in all I’ve said, please do not misconstrue. I am not suggesting that prayer is sexual, or that God’s delights are tied to the body. I’m simply pointing out that the same reckless drivenness exhibited by the world to satisfy their sexual desires and lust for power, is a pale reflection of the spiritual flames that can consume your heart if you begin your pursuit of higher delights.

Finally, I want to invite you to explore the endless pleasures of prayer!

April 8, 2021 0 comment

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Photos Of PUV Driver Reading The Bible While Waiting For Passengers Went Viral

by Rhoda Gayle January 18, 2021

written by Rhoda Gayle

Photos of a PUV driver captured while he is reading the Bible as he waits for his passengers went viral!

PUV Driver

An unidentified public utility vehicle driver had caught a student’s attention for his devotion to the Word of God. Maye Alojado, a student from Laguna, Philippines, was the one who captured the photos that went viral. The driver was seen by Maye reading the Holy Bible and writing his reflections while he waited for his passengers. The student took to Facebook to share how the driver inspired her.

“I was on my way home from SM [a local shopping mall] when this jeepney driver caught my attention while we were waiting for other passengers. He was so focused on what he is doing that he forgot that I was by his side. He is genuinely reading the Bible and taking notes,” Maye wrote.

The Holy Bible

While waiting for his vehicle to be filled with passengers, he grabbed the opportunity to have some time with the Lord. The jeepney, a local public utility vehicle in the Philippines, driver inspired the young student to not forget about God’s word.

“One thing I’ve realized that even in the busiest time of our life living our daily lives; we must not forget about God’s word. Going back to the promises of God when the days are great and not so great most of the time,” she continued.

Inspiration

Though she was not able to ask for the driver’s name, she thanked him for being God’s instrument to speak to her.

“Thank you Sir for being God’s vessel for me, to go back once again to His promises. That I am His child and not alone all this time. I hope that more people like you may impact more people like me. God bless your life!”

The driver’s photos have gone viral and have been inspiring thousands until this day to seek God’s Word.

Reference: Facebook | Through Faith

January 18, 2021 0 comment

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Health Workers Stay Behind In Hurricane Laura’s Aftermath To Care For NICU Babies

by Christa September 4, 2020

written by Christa

Health workers from a hospital in Louisiana braved the aftermath of Hurricane Laura to care for the 19 babies in the neonatal intensive care.

Health Workers

Medical workers around the globe have proven their devotion and selflessness in these trying times of the pandemic. Even more so, they have overcome so much so that patients can get the medical care they need.

According to CNN, a team of 14 nurses, 2 neonatal practitioners, 3 respiratory therapists, and a doctor stayed the night when Hurricane Laura hit Lake Charles Memorial Hospital. They grouped into two teams and took shifts to watch over the babies while others try to get some sleep.

“It’s important to know the dedication of all the nurses and the respiratory therapists to keep taking care of the babies when they don’t even know the condition of their homes,” Dr. Juan Bossano told CNN. “In a small town like this, people have to pull together. I’m proud of them.”

Hurricane Laura

Reportedly, Lake Charles got some of the worst of the storm. With winds 120-135 mph, local authorities ordered a mandatory evacuation in the area. Nevertheless, Bossano and his team prioritized the lives of the children.

Hurricane Laura’s aftermath

Bossano added, “Some of the babies were on respirators and ventilators, some as small as one or two pounds. And some of them were born prematurely at just 23 weeks.”

Alesha Alford, Vice President of the hospital commended the team’s effort. “It was scary for everyone,” Alford said. “When the winds got so bad, we had to move our patients into the hallways. Staff were sleeping in the hallways with patients.”

Before the hectic night, Bossano said that the tiny patients went through a wild ride. They got transferred from the Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women to the main hospital because of the threat of the storm.

Matt Felder, Director of Communications of the hospital said, “In two hours’ time, we transferred 19 NICU babies from that facility to our main campus. They did it in record time, 19 babies across the city in under two hours.”

Now, doctors have to transfer the babies to the state hospital because the damage to the hospital. Regardless, Felder is positive for the babies. “It’s a bright spot in this horrific tragedy our community is facing.”

September 4, 2020 0 comment

Articles Israel

Jerusalem – The Mount of Olives

by GOD TV August 11, 2020

written by GOD TV

The Mount of Olives – The Oil Press

The Mount of Olives is mentioned in scripture many times. Garden of Gethsemane is located on the Mountain itself and below it is the Kidron Valley. Gethsemane is derived from two Hebrew words – ‘gat’ and ‘shemanim’. Gat means “a place for pressing oil or wine” and Shemanim means “oil”. During Jesus’ time, this is the place where the oil press would have been situated. Ray Vander Laan describes the process on his website That the WORLD may know:

“During Jesus’ time, heavy stone slabs were lowered onto olives that had already been crushed in an olive crusher. Gradually, the slabs weight squeezed the olive oil out of the pulp, and the oil ran into a pit. There the oil was collected in clay jars.”

There are few people, who upon visiting this historical site, can escape the huge spiritual significance of what the Garden of Gethsemane represents. Jesus’ final hours, prior to His arrest where spent there in prayer and agonizing before God. The location where he was betrayed and subsequently arrested. is extensively documented in all the Gospels.

Many using the analogy that Jesus was being pressed just like the oil press, except for Jesus it was the weight of the sins of the world upon His shoulders. His sweat dripped as drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22: 44).

Therefore to actually visit the place where all this occurred, is a deeply significant and spiritual experience.

A Place of Refuge

Prior to His arrest and subsequent crucifixion, this was not just the only time that Jesus and his disciples sought refuge in the Garden or Mount of Olives. Nor is it the only time that this famous Mountain is mentioned in the bible. There are 12 references in the New Testament and there are at least two distinct references in the Old Testament:

In 2 Samuel 15:30 the bible tells us.

‘David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went’;

And in Zechariah 14:4

“On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.”

Therefore, it is hardly surprising that this hallowed place has become one of the most spiritually evocative locations on the planet.

The Mount of Olives

The Definitive Landmark

Over the centuries, churches and monasteries have been built on the Mount of Olives. As you approach from the Damascus Gate route, you see before you the old caves – ancient burial sites. Here you get a real sense of the history of the place and what it would have looked like thousands of years before. Scattered trees adorn the mountain face. It isn’t until you turn the corner and met with the magnificent building referred to as The Church of All Nations. The church site dates back to a Byzantine basilica of the 4th century that was subsequently destroyed by an earthquake. It is instantly recognizable by its ornate painted front,

So what makes this church unique from any other? Well, the building is a Roman Catholic church, what makes it unique is that there is an ‘open altar’ located in the gardens nearby which is used by other believers from different denominations throughout the world. Therefore, not only is it unique, it is functional and totally integrated. The Mount of Olives derives its name from the olive trees that are grown there, but it is also a deeply sacred site for Jews for a number of reasons:

Firstly it is the main burial ground for Jews for over 3000 years.
It is also strategically positioned near the Kidron Valley which in the bible is referred to as the Valley of Jehoshaphat and when translated means ‘The Valley where God will judge.’
Known as the ‘King’s Valley’ to the east there are ancient burial sites containing the tombs of Absalom and Jehoshaphat and the tomb of Zechariah

The Sanctuary

In the Garden of Gethsemane you are immediately captivated by the haphazardly structured olive trees that almost look etched in pain. As they reach out towards the sky with awkwardly positioned branches, you think to yourself ‘if trees could talk, what could these trees tell us about that fateful night?’

Some people debate that any of the trees date back to the time of Christ, however, having seen them first-hand I would have to disagree. I am convinced some of these trees are extremely old, perhaps even older than 2000 years. What has been proved, however, is that each olive tree in the Garden has a ‘genetic fingerprint’. What scientists have discovered is that eight of these trees are from the same lineage as the original ones that would have been in the garden dating back to the time of Jesus.

One thing remains – Gethsemane is still a place of refuge, contemplation and soul searching over 2000 years later…it is also the location where Jesus Christ will return…

“Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.” Luke 22:39

Kidron Valley and Mount of Olives - Drive Thru History

Watch this video on YouTube

August 11, 2020 0 comment

Discover more about Lottie Moon here on GOD TV.

Articles Faith

Lottie Moon and the Continuing Support of International Missions

by GOD TV August 20, 2019

written by GOD TV

The call to missions is not an easy call to answer. It requires self-sacrifice, true commitment, and undying trust in God’s provision. Men and women through the ages have realized what it means to take up the cross and follow Him. The early Christians knew it. They often gave their lives in sharing the Gospel. Many endured financial hardships, imprisonments, beatings, not to mention the rejection of some of the people they were sent to minister to. Lottie Moon is no different. She followed in the footsteps of her predecessors to witness to the lost, in her case, the people of China.

Who was Lottie Moon?

We know her as Lottie, but her given name is Charlotte. She was born on December 12, 1840. She was born into a devout Christian family, but she, herself did not begin her relationship with Christ until she turned 18 and attended a revival service. That night she felt the calling of God on her life. She also felt the pull of other countries and their need for Christ.

Lottie Moon finished High School and then attended college and became a teacher. She taught for several years but could not get the thought of missions to other countries out of her mind. Finally, in 1873, she received her opportunity. Her sister, Edmonia, was already a missionary in China. She had been the first single female Baptist missionary to China. Lottie would soon follow her to Tengchow, China.

Lottie Moon spent the next 39 years of her life, not only teaching in the girls’ school but also ministering to the women and girls in the interior regions of China. She knew the best way to reach them began with assimilation. Lottie wore the traditional dress, learned the language, and adopted the customs of the region. She especially had a heart for children. And with a batch of cookies, she opened the door to teaching them about Jesus.

Lottie Moon: Her Mission

The hunger for God in China grew. More and more people wanted to hear about Jesus, far more than the existing missionaries could handle. She wanted to be among them, but being single and female held her back.

- Letter writing for support – Lottie Moon would regularly send letters back to the states urging Baptists in the U.S. to go to China as missionaries or to send assistance. Her letters also included the grievance about being regulated to only teaching at the school. She wanted to have the freedom to “go out among the millions,” but there was only so much she could do within the school she was teaching at.
- Adoption of the culture – One of the biggest struggles for missionaries has been cultural acclimation. Many regions will look at foreigners in a derogatory manner and pay even less attention to what they are saying. Lottie Moon adopted the traditional dress of the area she was ministering to. She also learned the language and cultural customs and used them to her advantage. All of that and a batch of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies would draw the people in. She spoke of the Gospel of Christ. Lottie’s efforts were fruitful and produced many converts.
- Self-sacrificial living – Not only were the Chinese eager to hear the word, but they were also battling illness and famine. She would dip into her personal finances to help her missions work. Lottie would also regularly give out her own food. Literally starving herself to feed those she cared for.

The lack of food brought on malnutrition and dementia. It overtook her in 1912. She was placed on a ship to return to the U.S., but Lottie Moon never made it home. She passed away on the ship. It was Christmas Eve.

Lottie Moon: Her Legacy

Lottie Moon’s life was defined by self-sacrifice. From leaving everything behind for the call of God on her life to immersing herself into the culture of the people, she was sent to minister to, to giving of her own possessions to help others in need. She urged fellow Christians to join her in the cause. Her call goes out even today.

Lottie was also instrumental in the creation of the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU.) Today the WMU helps believers understand the importance of praying for, engaging in, or funding international missions. WMU began with encouraging women from adult age to children to answer the call to the mission field. Internationally or domestically. The first two operations that were funded were Lottie Moon, for international missions, and Annie Armstrong, targeting North American missions work.

This foreign mission’s opportunity exists today in the form of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Through this giving opportunity, her efforts can continue in the work she set up, not only in China but across the world. Wherever an International Mission Board missionary serves, this offering goes to support their ministry.

“Why should we not… do something that will prove that we are really in earnest in claiming to be followers of him who, though he was rich, for our sake became poor?” –Lottie Moon

This article was written by Jeff S. Bray.

August 20, 2019 0 comment

Articles

Storks In The Sky – What Can We Learn From Them?

by Theresa Harvard Johnson July 14, 2019

written by Theresa Harvard Johnson

I was introduced to storks in cartoons in the late 70s. These odd-looking birds were depicted as mail-carriers who delivered babies to homes as gifts for their parents. I believed this for a long time, kind-of like kids believe in Santa Claus.

This idea was further drilled into me when the Cabbage Patch Kids craze hit in the 80s. They were baby dolls who were grown in cabbage patches. When it was time for them to be born, the stork would pick them up and joyfully deliver them to their anxious parents. I can still remember sitting in front of the television with my siblings watching the unprecedented shopping riots that made the evening news worldwide during that holiday season.

The idea of babies born in cabbage patches, however, was nothing more than a fable, a myth.

The “stork of the sky” mentioned in the Holy Scriptures lives in a family and leads a committed, community-centered life. Without a doubt, I believe this is the reason why the Lord chose this bird to illustrate some powerful spiritual truths.

“Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the Lord.” (Jeremiah 8:7)

storks live in community

Character and lifestyle

Storks represent more than 20 species of bird including herons, flamingos and ibises. While there are some physical differences, what we will learn about their character and lifestyle is universal.

Physically, storks have long necks and legs, stout bills and can reach up to 5-feet in height with wingspans extending up to 12-feet across. They are wading birds who find their food in water. By divine design, they are completely mute and make noise or communicate by clapping their bills when excited.

They own the sky and use a unique flapping, soaring gliding method to navigate with their necks fully extended and their long legs trailing behind. What makes them special, as I see it, is that these silent birds live their whole lives in a developed, kind, love-filled nurturing community.

This characteristic is what causes them to be referred to as colonial birds. Think of them as the “community center birds of the sky.” They have a reputation for being monogamous in their mating relationships, devoted to their stork community and faithful to nurturing their individual families. Just as Real followers of Jesus walk in the light.

Storks are proven to live their whole lives in harmony with the same colony even through migration periods. They are recognized as being extremely gentle, and by observation, they understand “their requirements.” Oh, if the congregation of the Lord understood “the requirements of the Lord” through the example of storks – an ideal picture of koinonia or communion, fellowship.

They understand what it means to ride out life from the high-place and to stand within the family amid changing times and migration seasons. Storks understand how to stay focused on what matters most – community, communion – whether the sun is rising over a beautiful landscape or setting amid raging storms. This reminds me of Jesus prayer in John 17:20-21 in which he longs to see the Body become one.

When the stork nests, both sexes participate in building and protecting the nests.

They construct nests in high places in dry or wetlands. Their nests are built to last over the course of years and can extend between 6-feet wide and 10-feet deep. Even in migration seasons, they are known to return to the steady nests they have built year after year. If the environment changes from land to a city-dwelling, then they build on rooftops and chimneys. These birds are always looking for the highest places to build from… not the low places of the earth.

And in their settling, they are also tag-team nurturers that share equal responsibility in raising their young with unusual care, even lining the nests with soft feathers and materials for comfort to aid in the nurturing, the building of the family. According to the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, “It was believed that the young repaid the care of their parents by attaching themselves to them for life, and tending them in old age.”

stork flying

16 qualities of storks

Storks value community.
Storks value relationship.
Storks understand devotion.
Storks live their lives in oneness.
Storks are expert navigators.
Storks understand faithfulness and community.
Storks adapt to migration seasons.
Storks recognize their own and unify.
Storks live within their purpose.
Storks are kind.
Storks are faithful.
Storks know how to extend God’s love.
Storks build for the family, not self.
Storks expand and deepen their habitats with time.
Storks pursue high places.
Storks understand HONOR within its walls.

If a stork knows its appointed seasons and can recognize its migration times, how much more is expected of the sons of God? How can we fulfill the greatest two commandments known to man: Loving God and loving one another?

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.” (1 John 3:14 )

This post was written by Theresa Harvard Johnson, MDiv, Biblical Studies, MA, Professional Writing

Note: The information on the life of storks compiled in this article is derived from the Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia.com, Easton’s Bible Dictionary, Smith’s Bible Dictionary and the Beauty of Birds website.

July 14, 2019 0 comment

Faith

So-Called Discipline

by Daphne Delay October 19, 2018

written by Daphne Delay

I think I’ve prided myself in being disciplined. This was actually an “uh-oh” moment for me when I realized it because we need to be careful of being prideful about anything. It wasn’t intentional of course, I simply (1) have that type of personality, and (2) wanted to please God.

But the real uh-oh came when the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart with these words: “Some so-called disciplines aren’t much different than religion.”

I immediately thought about how many times Jesus called out the Pharisees for their strict adherence to rules and religious regulations (can we call it discipline?) that actually stifled truth, love, mercy, and freedom. And Jesus wasn’t soft about it either.

“As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. Then the Lord said to him, ‘You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness!Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over. What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.’” (Luke 11:37-42 NLT)

Jesus sat down to eat without performing the customary practices of the religious leaders– and was criticized for it. This should speak to our hearts as well. What are we doing out of religious duty (discipline) that has no faith, no power, and therefore no results?

“’Teacher,’ said an expert in religious law, ‘you have insulted us, too, in what you just said.’ ‘Yes,’ said Jesus, ‘what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden.'” (Luke 11:45-46)

What sorrow awaits you… I believe the sorrow Jesus was referring to was disappointment. The dictionary defines disappointment as a failure to fulfill the expectations, hopes, plans, or wishes of a person. In other words, these leaders were going to be sorely disappointed if they thought their acts of religious discipline was going to earn them some kind of favor or reward.

The disciplines God is asking of us involve mercy, justice, and love.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we need to throw out all our restraints and live in a free-for-all society. But when our so-called disciplines (regimens, rules, conduct, and practices) are duty-bound with no fruit of God’s presence, generosity, compassion, or love — we’ve missed the mark (big)!

Paul told the Colossians:

“You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as,^‘Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!’? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.” (Colossians 2:20-23 NLT)

In other words, we don’t need to be guided by the standards and opinions of men, but by the standards and love of God.

The Holy Spirit’s warning was an eye-opener. I know I’m going to continue having a regular quiet time with God, praying over food (especially in restaurants where I’m not in on the washing and cooking), gathering with believers at church, and so much more. I hope you will too. But let’s not call it discipline. Instead I pray we’d practice devotion— the result of an earnest attachment, dedication, and allegiance to the One who loved us first and set the example of what it really means to be free.

October 19, 2018 0 comment