Devotional
Lent is that time when we all-too-worldly ones learn and relearn the great scandal that lies at the heart of the Christian faith — Christ came to save sinners, only sinners. Much of the time we get away with the fiction that we are, after all, down deep, rather nice people who have no need of salvation. We know we may not be the best people in the world, but we are not the worst. We are making spiritual progress, lifting ourselves (by ourselves) out of the muck and mire of what once was called “sin.”
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. — 1 John 3:2Over Christmas time I watched a little three year boy sitting on the floor rolling a ball back and forth to my wife. I love children. I love watching the pure delight in their eyes as they make new discoveries, before they learn to hide their sense of awe for all that is happening around them. Jesus said…
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God … — John 1:12Who will you be, child of God, 500 years from now?Let me suggest some words to describe you.Fearless … totally at peace, unruffled, courageous, victorious.Belonging … feeling connected, never lonely, comfortable with other people and “alone” but never alone, never abandoned.Righteous … that old haunting feeling that – because of me – something is wrong in the universe is no longer there; all those issues are long since resolved.Pure … the old accusations can’t stick…
There is no fear in love. — 1 John 4:18What kind of person will you be, child of God, 500 years from now?To begin with, you will be fearless. If someone held a gun to your head and said, “Deny Christ or I’ll shoot,” what would you do? You would laugh in his face. “The indestructible life of God is inside me,” you would say. “You cannot design a weapon that can harm me.”The devil himself could walk up to you and threaten you with eternal hell and you would reply, “Get off my path, Satan. You have no hold…
He who has the Son has life — 1 John 5:12Today I have a challenge for you. Fast forward 500 years and look at yourself. What do you see?Be encouraged!Dwight What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace, wholeness, the power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries. Those ensnared by addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being restored. Families are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in restricted lands who face persecution are finding strength and encouragement. Young believers are learning how to walk with the Lord,…
… He will rejoice over you with singing. — Zephaniah 3:17While we may start with the sorrow of God, and move on from there to the power of God, we must settle down right here: in the ocean of God’s joy.There’s a lot I don’t understand, but I do know this: Deep down inside, God is happy. Mission earth, with all its casualties, is still a success. Jesus is standing at the altar watching His bride walk toward Him, and she is beautiful to Him. His heart is full of joy.This is where we will camp for eternity. Not at…
“Lazarus, come forth.” — John 11:43This is a story that starts with the apparent indifference of God. Jesus receives the news that Lazarus is ill. Rather than drop everything and rush to his side, Jesus dawdles. He delays while we His friends grow frantic, dealing with problems and pain far greater than our ability to manage.Many of us find ourselves right there, bewildered because the God who loves us delays.Then Jesus appears. He pauses. He weeps with us. Now we know that He cares. Now we know that God is our friend.But if the story ended there, then we would…
Jesus wept. — John 11:35I don’t know about you, but I have to start here. If I don’t start with God’s willingness to feel pain, to risk getting hurt by those He loves, then nothing in this universe makes sense, and I think I would lose my faith.Jesus wept. The Resurrection and the Life pauses here at the tomb of a friend and weeps, feeling with us the loss that only He could make right. Much is not as it should be. The Holocaust. Hell. Hurt. The race of men gone mad in their flight from God’s presence.God does not…
See, I am doing a new thing! — Isaiah 43:19Happy New Year!Since October 31, 2002 Discoveries Devotional / Inspiration in Your Inbox has been provided daily to readers like yourself throughout the world. For the past several months, I believe the Lord has been telling me that the time has come to make changes. That doesn’t necessarily mean that these daily devotionals are going away; it just means that we will soon be making changes. God told Abram to leave his father’s house and his own country and go to a land God would show him. That would be something…
For those struggling financially …Tomorrow is a new year. That’s a reminder for all of us. God’s mercies are new in the morning. The past matters, but it doesn’t control the future. Maybe 2008 was a tough year, but God is alive and well. 2009 hands us new opportunities, and the world will be different because of what we do with them. … Throughout this month I’ve enjoyed providing these words of encouragement for you who are facing financial challenges. I pray that you will discover riches you never even knew existed, and that 2009 will be a wonderful prosperous…