by Jim Brummett | Apr 21, 2020 | Devotions
Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
To dwell means to sit and stay awhile, where you go to really feel alive. As Adam Clarke wrote, “it is here we are covered with the cloud of God’s glory – the protection of the all-sufficient God.”
The Psalmist cites two fascinating places in this verse, the “secret place” and “the shadow of the Almighty. In my mind, they are one and the same. This is that special place where you get alone for an encounter with God. For Daniel it was a room in his home (Daniel 6), for Elijah it was a cave (1 Kings 19), for Jesus it was the Mount of Olives and for the disciples it was an upper room.
Perhaps it is a secret place because it is where you go to be alone with God, where you shut out all the concerns of life and bask in His incredible presence. It is here where you get a change of perspective from how unfair life is to how good God is, from how big the problem is to how big God is. It was here the Psalmist described God as “the Most High” and “the Almighty.”
Let’s sing: “Shut in with God in a secret place, there in the Spirit beholding His face…”
by Jim Brummett | Apr 20, 2020 | Devotions
2 Kings 19:1 And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
Threats come in various forms. For Hezekiah, it was a letter from an Assyrian general stating his intent to invade his land, steal his property and kill his people. As king of Judah, Hezekiah had successfully dealt with other threats, but this was no ordinary threat. The Assyrians had taken control of all land and people from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. Let’s review the general’s threats and see if it sounds familiar to you.
“On whom are you depending” (v.20)? This was a threat designed to undermine Hezekiah’s confidence in God’s ability and willingness to meet his needs. “Make a bargain with me” (v.23). This was the threat of compromise. “Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord” (v.31). This was the threat of trying to silence the voice of faith in God.
Hezekiah knew he did not have the resources to defeat the Assyrians, but he knew who did. In chapter 19 he turned to the Lord in prayer. First, he took the letter (threat) and laid it on the altar in the temple and presented it to God. If you are wrestling with threats to your finance, health or relationships, go to the altar and lay it before the Lord. A portion of Hezekiah’s prayer is quite telling. In verse 15 it states, “O LORD God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.” Hezekiah knew a pagan general in a chariot was no match for Almighty God who sits on the throne in heaven. This reminds me of Isaiah’s bold statement in 54:17 “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.” (Isaiah 54:17).
Another important principle is found in 19:2, when Hezekiah invited others like the prophet Isaiah to join with him in intercessory prayer. My friend, you do not have to face your battle alone. You can call me, text me or email me and we can face this battle together. I assure you there are many other friends who are eager to join with you in your journey. I look forward to hearing from you.
In closing I would like to offer a prayer for you, adapting part of Hezekiah’s prayer in 2 Kings 19:14-19.
“O LORD God who dwells between the cherubim, you alone are God. You made the heavens and the earth. Incline your ear and hear our prayers; open your eyes & take note of the threat we face today. I come against the issues that threaten your Church and your people. Let all the people of our community know you are the source for our hope, our peace and our victory. Let all men take note that you alone are God. Amen!”
Let’s sing: “When your enemy presses in hard do not fear, the battle belongs to the Lord. Take courage my friend your redemption is near, the battle belongs to the Lord…”
by Jim Brummett | Apr 16, 2020 | Devotions
Genesis 1:1-5 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
.“In the beginning God…” God existed before there was any concept of time, before there was a solar system, or earth, air, water, plants, animals, angels or man. God was before anything and anyone. He was there in the beginning of your life and even marked you with His image and for His purpose. You will find him at the beginning of each day, ready to just spend time with you, and guide you through the day.
“God created the heavens and the earth.” The amplified version states God prepared, formed, fashioned and created the earth. In verse one it just says God created. Beginning in verse three it tells how He created, by speaking every part of creation into existence. He spoke life into existence. However, when it came to man, He didn’t just speak man into existence, He gave special attention to create him (you and me) in His own image.
“The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”
Something significant happened between verses one and two. Verse one states God created and verse two describes darkness and a void. Something incredibly exciting is described in verse two where it states the Holy Spirit hovered, or brooded over the face of the water, the void and darkness, then God began to speak creation into existence one stage at a time. God created, He spoke, He brooded and each time He brought forth life.
Let us take the time to allow the Holy Spirit to just brood in our life and our home. If we feel chaos, He will bring life. If we feel a void, He will bring life.
Consider these verses for your meditation.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. To wait means to bind together, perhaps by twisting; to gather together; to patiently wait.
Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. To rest means to be astonished; to stop; to be silent; to wait.
Let’s sing: “Here I am waiting, abide in me I pray; here I am longing for you. Hide me in your love, being me to my knees; may I know Jesus more and more…”
by Jim Brummett | Apr 13, 2020 | Devotions
Revelation 1:10-11 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.
A renewed appreciation of this text is realized when we consider the circumstances. The Roman government had sentenced John to hard labor in the quarries on Patmos Island, a rocky, treeless, 10-mile long island about 60 miles southwest of Ephesus. He was as exile and prisoner, not for any guilt of his own but because of his faithful proclamation of God’s Word.
There are several of you who receive these daily devotional who are going through a difficult season. I want to offer to you some words of encouragement from Revelation chapter 1.
In verse 1 John received a vision of “things which will shortly take place.” I pray for God to help you look beyond the challenges of today, and birth within you a conviction that He is preparing to do something exciting in your life.
In verse 7 he wrote “He [Jesus] is coming.” Talk about something exciting to meditate on, consider the fact that the Lord’s return could be any day.
In verse 11, John was given the assignment to “write what you see and send it to the churches.” Simply stated, God was telling John He was not finished with him. Out of the abandonment and persecution would come an opportunity for ministry to seven churches scattered throughout western Turkey. You may have heard the enemy whisper in your ears, “you’re washed up…you don’t have any ministry left in you…you are done.” Rejoice my friend, for God has not written the final chapter and He still has something He wants you do to do for Him.
Finally, in verses 12 and following, John wrote of receiving a fresh and new glimpse of Jesus. I wonder if the image of Jesus John received at that time reminded him of what he saw when he was with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17. My friend, I pray for God to give to you a fresh and new glimpse of the glory of the Lord.
Let’s sing: “I feel Jesus. I feel Jesus. I feel Jesus in this place. Yes by soul does burn within me. I feel Jesus in this place.”
by Jim Brummett | Apr 11, 2020 | Devotions
Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb Friday. Romans soldiers guarded it through the day on Saturday (Sabbath). Sabbath ended 6pm & his body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus (John 19:39-40).
Nicodemus (like Joseph of Arimathea) was a member of the Sanhedrin, the court that had condemned Jesus to death. Neither of them were present during Jesus’ trial. Both men lived as secret followers of Jesus, afraid to make a public profession of faith because of their prominent position in the community. Both men were affected by Jesus’ death, came out of hiding, risking their reputation and lives to do so.
While Jesus’ physical body lay in the tomb, He paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our salvation. “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” (1 Peter 1:18-19 NLT).
Let’s sing: “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow…”
