Devotions

Of all the sins we can commit, doubt is the one most hated by God. According to both Old and New Testaments, our doubting grieves the Lord. We see a prime example of this in ancient Israel after God delivered his people from the hand of Pharaoh.

“We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; they did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, but rebelled by the sea — the Red Sea” (Psalm 106:6-7).

The writer is making a confession here. The sin that Israel had committed was their doubt that God would deliver them, even after he had performed an incredible miracle for them at the Red Sea. It seems inconceivable that these same people doubted God’s faithfulness as they faced hardship afterward. The psalmist is saying, essentially, “Can you believe it? Our Lord had supernaturally delivered us from the enemy, yet we mistrusted him.”

It was a different story altogether, however, when Israel stood on the victory side of the sea. They sang and danced as they watched the mighty Egyptian army sink to destruction: “The waters covered their enemies; there was not one of them left. Then they believed His words; they sang His praise” (Psalm 106:11-12).

The Israelites sang the right song — but they sang it on the wrong side of the sea. Anyone can sing and rejoice when they have the victory but many of us are like Israel, failing miserably before we experience triumph. 

God had proven himself to his people in Egypt many times with incredible signs and wonders. And Moses tried to convince them the Lord had been working on their behalf, but they still doubted God, taking his mighty works for granted (read Exodus chapters 14 through 16.)

We are never to build our faith on miracles alone; rather, many times the Holy Spirit strengthens our trust in the Lord through our trials.

In our desire for God’s favor, we must never forget that Satan constantly seeks to steal from us. In fact, the enemy of our soul attacks most fiercely when we are facing trials. But the Bible tells us in numerous ways that God restores what Satan steals — and not only that, he multiplies it.

In Old Testament times, if a thief was caught stealing something, he had to replace it sevenfold. That’s a picture of God’s justice. Yet in the New Testament, God promises to do even more. In various passages, he says he will restore what is taken from us thirtyfold or even a hundredfold. That goes beyond justice; it points to his bountiful grace.

In our deepest trials, when everything is turning from bad to worse, it’s hard to imagine anything wonderful ever happening again. There is such a disparity between what we know of our loving God and the very real circumstances we face. But the problem is we can’t see God at work. And yet the Bible tells us that our minds can’t fathom what God has prepared for us. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

A lot of Christians wonder whether God will ever answer their prayers — to repair a lifeless marriage, to bring back a prodigal child, to rescue an addicted sibling, to save a lost parent. In fact, sometimes after they pray, things seem to get worse instead of better. They tell themselves, “At one time Jesus worked miracles in my life, but now he seems absent. Why should I keep believing for an answer?”

I want to tell every struggling Christian, “Hold on! The Lord isn’t idle during your trials. He is actually storing up great blessings for you.” Because you are his child, his favor is not lifted from you — even during your pain and problems.  

Do you know a father who is no longer speaking to his son? Perhaps they were close once but harsh words were spoken during an argument and they haven’t spoken since. Or perhaps you know a married couple who rarely communicate and do not enjoy each other’s company. These individuals have a relationship but they do not have fellowship with each other.

As Christians we have a relationship with God — he is our Father and we are his children — but that does not mean we necessarily have the kind of fellowship with him that he planned for us. The writings of great Christian leaders from a hundred years ago or earlier place a strong emphasis on two-way fellowship between the Lord and his people — spending time in his presence just listening for his voice.

Our best model for this is Jesus, who “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Although the Son of God, Jesus found it necessary to spend time alone with the Father in prayer, to discern what God wanted him to do. He listened to his Father for guidance and for the very subject matter of his teaching: “These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me” (John 14:24).

It was while communing with the Father that Jesus was directed to pick twelve men to be his followers. “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach” (Mark 3:13-15). We note that the first reason Mark gives for appointing the Twelve was so that they might be with him. When Jesus called someone, fellowship came before ministry.

When we neglect our fellowship with him we become weakened; we have less faith, less grace, and more stress. There is something about being with Jesus, being in God’s presence, that helps us have more peace and joy. 

Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson.

Conversion experiences are often emotional because they are new and incredibly special. How marvelous to be freed from sin and bondage and launched into a whole new life in Christ.

Our early spiritual growth is like a child learning to walk. It is exciting when a baby takes his first steps and there is lots of encouragement and cheering. But soon after he begins to walk, he is no longer the center of attention, and when he begins pulling over plants and making messes all over the house, he is disciplined, albeit gently, and things are not so exciting anymore. 

Your spiritual growth is similar. When you were a babe in the Lord, you felt God giving you special attention and those around you encouraged you tirelessly. However, you are not to remain a child forever. Part of the maturing process involves living by faith and you must learn to stand on God’s Word.

Imagine how lost you would be if your salvation actually rested on your feelings. Paul urges us, “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” (Philippians 3:13). You are never to rely on past emotional experiences. What matters today is that you trust his promises.

“By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4). Peter makes it clear that we obtain Christ’s nature by appropriating God’s covenant promises, and not by any other means. He does bring renewal and fresh anointing to our lives, but we are to maintain a life of faith that he will keep his promises to us.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy … be glory and majesty” (Jude 24-25).

Christians who fail to pray don’t realize the danger they are in. You may argue, “So what if some Christians don’t pray? They are still believers — forgiven and going to heaven.”

Our heavenly Father realizes we live in a busy age, with many demands on our time and energy, and Christians are as caught up in busyness and activities as anyone else. Yet, I cannot believe God takes lightly our rejection of our access to him, which cost his only Son his very life.

It pained the Father to send Jesus to be mocked and crucified so that we would be able to come to him freely. But day after day passes and many of his children do not approach him until they attend church on Sunday. When Adam hid from the Lord in the Garden of Eden, God asked him, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9). Of course, God knew where Adam was but he was really asking Adam why he had neglected having fellowship with him.

Christians who fail to appropriate their access to the Father end up in the condition of the church in Sardis. The Lord instructed John, “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write … ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead’” (Revelation 3:1). Jesus is saying, “You may be a good person who will do anything for anybody, but an element of death has crept into your life because of your negligence. Something of the world has defiled you.”

What is the defilement referred to here? Lack of prayer! The believers in Sardis had not been watching in prayer, waiting on the Lord and seeking him as they once had. They had grown careless but the Lord tells them in Revelation 3:4: “A few of you are worthy and you don’t want to lose my presence.”

Quickly now, go to the secret closet of prayer. He has provided you with access to him and he promises to meet your every need.