Devotions

What is the mission of the church? To answer that question, we must examine Jesus Christ’s mission on earth. When we understand his mission, we will know how to guide the mission of the church. 

Jesus’s mission was the same as his Father’s. He came, spoke, and preached. He taught, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38, ESV). 

He also said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him” (John 8:28-29).

Jesus’s mission was directed by the Father working through him. The Father gave Jesus all glory, power, and authority, which he then gave to the world. 

Today, the greatest need of the church is to let what we receive from Christ go out to the world beyond us. God gives it to us and we receive it, but oftentimes we stop there. God wants to continue to pour out more of his blessing on the church, and he will do so as long as we continue to give it away. We receive, and then we give, and then we receive more, and we give more. 

Sometimes, God’s blessings are interrupted because we just want to receive and not give. Whenever this happens, the church’s mission stops looking like Jesus’s. 

Jesus came to earth with God’s mission in his heart. He preached the good news, set captives free, delivered those bound, and healed the sick. Jesus still proclaims the year of liberty to those in bondage, and this is the mission of the church! 

Many times, people read verses like the following with a certain kind of interpretation that I believe is mistaken. “Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture“ (Psalm 100:3, ESV). You’ve probably heard that we’re compared to sheep because sheep are dumb, but I don’t think God is calling us dumb. That said, sheep cannot save themselves from bears or lions, the same way that we cannot save ourselves from the law of God. We are guilty and helpless under the law before God. 

Why does this matter? Let’s take the story of David and Goliath as an example. I hear pastors come to this story, and they say things like “You’re a giant-slayer! God has called you to be world-changer!” 

Can I tell you that there is only one giant-slayer, and his name is Jesus?

There are Pentecostal preachers who will say stuff like “The devil’s in the phonebooth, dialing 911 right now!” Well, maybe he is, but it isn’t because of any of us walked through the door. It’s because Christ is living in us. The devil does not fear us, but he fears the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 

No matter what we’re facing or how well we’re walking in faith, we still need the one and only giant-slayer. I believe that the story of David and Goliath is a picture of Jesus destroying the power of sin and the grave. Christ has defeated the devil and every demonic attempt to destroy your soul. 

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:28-30).

When David slew Goliath, all the Israelite men who were ready to run suddenly had hope and a shout of victory in their hearts. The same is true for us at the empty tomb. As soon as Jesus came out of that grave, we all were given a shout of victory. Not because we were strong enough. No, our victory comes from Christ.

^{John Bailey is the Vice President of World Challenge Inc. and the Founding Pastor of The Springs Church in Jacksonville, Florida. John has been serving the Lord in pastoral ministry for 35 years, ministering the gospel in over 50 nations, particularly as a pastor and evangelist in Cork, Ireland.}

“The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught. The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands” (Psalm 9:15-16, ESV).

In these verses, David moved his attention from an individual lament to grief on a national scale. He cried out for his nation and its leaders not to forget God. 

May we all pray for this in the United States of America. The need for a spiritual breakthrough in our country is obvious. We need to see God’s delivering power break the enemy’s grip over laws and institutions, from schools to government to politics.

All of these have sunk into a pit of their own making and are snared. “The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17).

The Lord invites us to cry as David cried, “Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them into fear, O Lord! Let the nations know they are but men!” (Psalm 9:19-20).

Humans have some power, but God has all the power. In our affliction, whether individual or national, let us seek him to rise up and judge according to his righteousness and justice. No concern is too small for him, and no issue is too big. He can change hearts or nations with equal power. We are only men and women, but he is Lord, ruler over all. 

As we pray, let us all seek a new song not just for our lives and families but also for our country. Trust Jesus both for your problems and for the nation because he is faithful. May God forgive us, cleanse us and renew us.

^{This devotional has been adapted from Gary Wilkerson’s book, The Altar of Our Hearts: An Expository Devotional on the Psalms.}

“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For he is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:35-37, NKJV). 

You probably remember the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Book of Genesis. Two angels, appearing as men, approached the gates of Sodom. They were most likely dressed as ordinary people. 

Abraham’s nephew Lot sat at the city gate, possibly in some official rank (he may have been one of the city elders who welcomed visitors). 

Why did God send angels to rescue Lot and his family? We know that Lot and his daughters ultimately were saved from Sodom, but his two sons-in-law and wife were destroyed. Why was Lot saved? Why did God send angels to pull this man out of the city before its destruction? Was it because of Lot’s morality? Was it because God saw something great in him? 

No! The answer is very simple. Scripture says, “…the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city” (Genesis 19:16). God extended mercy to Lot.  

I see Lot as a type of remnant believer in these last days, living in a wicked society about to be judged. Today, America is ripe for destruction; indeed, our nation is already under judgment. Lot represents the righteous remnant church in the midst of it, for the Bible calls Lot a righteous man (see 2 Peter 2:6-8). 

Yet, if God’s church today is righteous, it is only because of the blood of Jesus Christ and not because of any goodness or morality the Lord has seen in us. It is only out of his sheer mercy that he came to us and pulled us out of judgment, even when we hesitated to leave our sins. 

The Lord, being merciful to us, brought us forth and has set us outside this doomed society. Beloved, we deserve to be consumed, but thank God for his merciful hand.

God’s word contains a powerful promise: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8, NKJV). 

This is a great promise of victory over all sin. Yet you cannot produce this victory yourself. You can’t cleanse your own hands or purify your own heart. Do you want clean hands and a pure heart? Do you want victory over guilt, temptation and every evil pursuer coming against you? Then you must draw near to God and believe he is near you. It all hinges on the nearness of God. Draw near him, believe he is with you, and he will take care of all the enemies in your flesh.

You may ask, “But how do I draw near to God?” The answer is very simple. Just go to the Lord and talk to him anytime, anywhere, all day long. In the shower, on the way to work, on the job, everywhere speak to him, drawing near in full assurance of faith. 

Years ago, I worked with the late Kathryn Kuhlman. That dear woman of God used to work seventeen hours a day. I often wondered, “When does she ever have time to shut herself in her secret closet and pray?” 

Then I realized that she always seemed to be muttering to herself. She was praying! She prayed as she drove her car and rode in elevators. She talked to the Lord everywhere she went. 

One day, she told me, “David, the Bible says to pray without ceasing. I talk to the Lord all day long. He’s just as real to me as you are. I don’t have to run somewhere to try to get in tune with him because we talk all the time.” 

Beloved, God is always there for you. I believe in secret-closet praying, but your secret closet can be on the subway, in your car or anywhere you shut yourself in with him. When you practice drawing near to God all day long, he draws near to you.