Devotions

I believe that through all the churning and chaotic events going on in the world today, God is bringing down greed, covetousness, and pride. I’m convinced He could no longer permit sexual perversions to destroy the soul of an entire generation. And I believe same-sex marriages have become a flash point of God’s vengeance.

Isaiah describes a period in history that was full of weeping, fear and trembling. Yet the Lord gave Isaiah a word of assurance for His people:

“Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you” (Isaiah 35:3-4, my italics).

The Lord was saying, in essence: “Strengthen the exhausted. Build up those who are weak among you. Encourage all who are afraid and full of anxiety. Tell them, ‘There is no need to be fearful. This is all the Lord’s doing. And through it all, He is going to preserve His people. He is doing this to save you.’”

EVEN THE GODLY TREMBLE

Beloved, even the most godly among us experience a trembling of heart, a sudden rush of fear, when a terrible crisis comes. At such times, it is not a sin to have a moment of deep anxiety.

Indeed, when the Lord gave this word to Isaiah, He was making sure that all who felt overwhelmed by the terrifying situation would not be crushed by it. He wanted every weary, troubled heart to hear: “Fear not! Take courage, for the Lord is a Savior to His people.”

The Lord says to the rich and poor alike, “Don’t fret about your worldly possessions. Give Me quality time and trust Me. I am going to take care of all your future needs and supply all the essentials you need to get by.”

This is one lesson every believer must learn and practice.

At this moment, world events are moving so fast that nobody can keep up with them. Violence is all around us and moral barriers have broken down. The implications of current events are too deep and complex to fathom.

LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

Our faith is anchored in this: Our heavenly Father knows us — He knows exactly what we need and when we need it — and the very fact that He knows is proof enough that we are under His care. He delights in us, and we are snuggled in His bosom, safe and sound.

Daniel said of the Lord:

“He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him” (Daniel 2:22).

God knows all about the dark days ahead and He knows that even this darkness cannot obscure His face from us.

TRUST HIS GREAT LOVE

Indeed, our clear path through hard times will be found only in trusting the Lord. He is calling us today to have a simple, childlike trust in His faithfulness.

Let us all keep our eyes on Jesus! Let us trust His great love and care for us. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Jesus speaks of grass that is full and green today but tomorrow is cut down. He would have us remember that He gave it life and care.

“If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Luke 12:28).

We dare not think He cares less for our needs than He does for grass. He knows full well what we need, whether it is food, finances or clothes.

OUR FATHER’S GREAT PROMISE

“All these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things” (12:30).

Again Christ is reminding us, “Here is all you need to know: Your heavenly Father knows what your needs are. He has already enumerated them.”

Jesus promises, “Rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock” (12:31–32). If we will simply trust Him, our Lord will bless us with all that we need.

GOD WILL NEVER ABANDON HIS “LITTLE FLOCK”

If you are concerned for your family’s welfare in the coming days, I have good news for you: Your children are God’s children. And He cares for your loved ones more than you do. Jesus knows exactly what you all need to survive.

He knows about your need to have a roof over your head. He knows exactly what your rent bill or mortgage payment is each month. He knows about the mouths you have to feed and the amount of food in your pantry. You can trust Him fully to meet all of these needs, because He promises to do it.

While I’m preaching this sermon at the Springs Church in Colorado Springs, a young man is preaching at Times Square Church in New York City. For a year, he was homeless, lost, hurt, broken, alcoholic.

I HATE THIS CHURCH

One Sunday morning he wandered into Times Square Church and found a seat in the back row of the highest part of the balcony. He left that service muttering, “I hate this church. I’m never coming back!” However, he did come back, and again he left saying, “I hate this church. I’m never coming back.”

But he kept coming back — a third Sunday, a fourth Sunday, a fifth Sunday, and on and on. He even counted the Sundays — 52 of them — and finally, instead of saying, “I hate this church, I’m never coming back,” he said, “I love Jesus and I need Him in my life.” This homeless young man, living on the park benches in New York City, came down to the altar and gave his life to Jesus.

REDEEMED, RESTORED, FAVORED

Subsequently, he was sent to a rehab program where it was discovered that he had a brilliant mind. After completing the rehab program, he was sent off to Bible school where he finished a four-year Bible program in two years with a 4.0 grade point average.   

Then he was sent to seminary to pursue a three-year master’s degree in theology. His brilliance continued to propel him and he finished that three-year course in 18 months. The seminary asked him to stay on and become a professor, but he replied, “No, I’m a pastor.”

Today he is on staff at Times Square Church preaching the glory of God. That is the favor of the Lord.

In the book of Luke, we see yet another time that society was in total upheaval. People were clamoring for influence and authority and the place where the testimony of God physically dwelt was being dominated by a foreign power.

I am sure there were prayer meetings and people crying out to God, for there were religious and devout people in that generation. However, while everyone had a mental picture of what the power of God should look like, suddenly something came on the scene that was not understood.

THE WHISPER IN A MANGER

Nobody expected God to show His power and give His people strength to go forward in the manner He did. In the midst of all the voices, the chanting of religionists, the power of God appeared—and it was a child’s voice! It was not the wind, the fire or an earthquake—it was a whisper in a manger. Yet, who was able to hear it?

The religious could not hear it. The movers and shakers could not hear it. The self-focused could not hear it; neither could the Romans who were intent on dominating with power. And so God went to a few shepherds in a field, broke open the veil between time and eternity, and sent angels to burst forth singing, “Glory to God in the highest! On earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (see Luke 2:13-14). In other words, “Everything you have ever longed for has come.”

BE QUIET SO YOU CAN HEAR

Those shepherds rose up and went to the manger, only to find nothing more than a baby’s whisper. It would have been a voice so still that everybody had to be quiet in order to hear it. Yet in the end, “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them” (Luke 2:20).

In the natural, this would have been regarded as foolishness! But the still, small voice was the power of God being made known to man once again.

Carter Conlon joined the pastoral staff of Times Square Church in 1994 at the invitation of the founding pastor, David Wilkerson, and was appointed Senior Pastor in 2001.