LHM Daily Devotion - August 24, 2017 "Looking Up"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

"Looking Up"

August 24, 2017

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD: "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."

~ Isaiah 1:18 (ESV)

In the late 1800s, there was a small town in Wyoming, which boasted a fine country store.

Yes, it was a well-stocked store, but it was also a store which, in spite of excellent foot traffic, was not turning a profit. An inventory showed the owner-brothers that many of the smaller items they had stocked were not there, even though the records showed these items hadn't been sold. Thinking they were being robbed blind, the brothers tried to check it out.

Sure enough. Three small holes drilled in the floor of their storeroom, directly above the shop, allowed them to see what was going on below.

It didn't take too long before the men made some startling discoveries. They found things were flying off their shelves -- literally. They also found some of the town's upstanding citizens weren't as upstanding as they had once appeared. So the brothers had identified the problem, and then they discovered a solution. No, they didn't arrest anyone.

At church and around town, they casually mentioned their peep holes in the store ceiling.

The shoplifting stopped immediately. And the brothers, they laughed every time they saw someone trying to look upwards to see if someone was watching.

Here's another story also from the 1800s.

It begins in the middle of the night when a man went to steal corn from his neighbor's field. His reluctant young son was drafted to serve as lookout. Before the man climbed over his friend's fence, he took one last long look to his left, then a long look to his right, and yet another long look over his shoulder. Not seeing anyone, he put his foot on the lowest fence rail.

It was at that moment his boy spoke up. "Dad," he said, "there's one direction you haven't looked."

The father, thinking that some unnoticed observer was coming, whispered back, "Where? Who?"

The boy replied, "Dad, you forgot to look up!"

The boy was right.

When we look up we realize that although we may be absolutely brilliant in hiding our sins from others, we are failures in hiding them from God.

We may wear our masks of respectability 24/7, but our all-knowing God sees past our disguises into the sinful recesses of our hearts. King David, an expert on trying to hide his sins, wrote, "O Lord, You have searched me and known me! Where shall I flee from Your presence?" (See Psalm 139.) David knew no matter which way we look, God is looking back.

But David also knew, as all Christians know, God looks back at us with eyes of love.

Most certainly He was saddened by our hated sins. And He decided to do something about them. To save us, to rescue us, He sent His Son to take our place under the Law and offer Himself as the ransom to rescue us. Now all who are brought to faith in the Savior know the Lord sees us with souls washed clean of transgression.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that I have been washed of my sins by Jesus' sacrifice. May I point others to Him, so they also might be rescued. In Jesus' Name Amen.

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin!  Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).

CPTLN Devocional de 24 de Agosto de 2017

Alimento Diario

Hasta el final

24 de Agosto 2017

Cuando Jesús probó el vinagre, dijo 'Consumado es'; luego inclinó la cabeza y entregó el espíritu.

~ Juan 19:30 (RVC)

Hoy quiero compartir con ustedes la historia de John Steven Aquari, de Tanzania. John corrió la maratón en los juegos de México en 1968.

John corrió la maratón pero no la ganó, porque al comienzo de la carrera se cayó y se lesionó. John llegó rengueando al estadio horas después que el resto de los competidores habían terminado y se habían ido.

Un reportero le hizo la pregunta que todo el mundo se estaba haciendo: "¿Por qué, estando lesionado, no abandonó la carrera?" Sin vacilar, John contestó: "Mi país no me mandó a viajar siete mil millas para comenzar esta carrera. Mi país me mandó para que terminara la carrera."

Su respuesta me recuerda a otras personas que también se comprometieron a terminar la carrera, finalizando así la obra que se les había encargado.

Miremos al Salvador colgando en la cruz. En sus 33 años de vida sufrió los celos de los reyes, el odio de quienes había venido a salvar, las tentaciones de Satanás y el abandono, negación y traición de sus amigos más cercanos.

Aún así, Jesús había sido enviado para salvarnos y, a pesar de todo lo que el mundo pecador le puso en su camino, mantuvo su compromiso hasta terminar el trabajo que se le había encargado. Antes de morir, desde la cruz victoriosamente proclama: "¡Consumado es!"

Años más tarde San Pablo, habiendo sido salvo por el sacrificio de Jesús, dijo algo muy similar.

A pesar de haber sobrevivido naufragios, lapidadas, encarcelamientos y rechazos, Pablo seguía proclamando a Cristo en todos los lugares donde iba. Antes de ser ejecutado le escribió a Timoteo las siguientes palabras, que resumen su vida: "He peleado la buena batalla, he acabado la carrera, he guardado la fe. Por lo demás, me está reservada la corona de justicia, que en aquel día me dará el Señor, el juez justo; y no sólo a mí, sino también a todos los que aman su venida." (2 Timoteo 4:7-8).

Terminar la carrera.

Es mi oración que usted también pueda decir: "Estoy comprometido a terminar la carrera que se me ha otorgado". Más allá de que su carrera sea larga o corta, fácil o difícil, por el Espíritu Santo, en Jesús, termínela.

ORACIÓN: Señor Jesús, no dejo de asombrarme ante la dedicación que tuviste para salvarme. Tu carrera fue muy dura y difícil, pero la terminaste por mí, y porque así lo hiciste, soy salvo. Envíame tu Espíritu Santo para que, a través de su poder, pueda correr mi carrera hasta el final y recibir la corona de la vida. En tu nombre. Amén.

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. ¡Utilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL.

The Daily Readings for WEDNESDAY, August 23, 2017

Opening Sentence

Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.

~ Psalm 43:3

Morning Prayer

Heavenly Lord, you have brought me to the beginning of a new day. As the world is renewed fresh and clean, so I ask you to renew my heart with your strength and purpose. Forgive me the errors of yesterday and bless me to walk closer in your way today. This is the day I begin my life anew; shine through me so that every person I meet may feel your presence in my soul. Take my hand, precious Lord, for I cannot make it by myself. Through Christ I pray and live, Amen.

Confession and Forgiveness

Almighty Father; we enter your presence confessing the things we try to conceal from you and the things we try to conceal from others. We confess the heartbreak, worry, and sorrow we have caused, that make it difficult for others to forgive us, the times we have made it easy for others to do wrong, the harm we have done that makes it hard for us to forgive ourselves. Lord have mercy and forgive us through Christ. Amen.

~ Baker’s Worship Handbook

Today's Readings

The First Reading is taken from 2 Samuel 18:19-23

[David Hears of Absalom’s Death]
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Let me run, and carry tidings to the king that the LORD has delivered him from the power of his enemies." Joab said to him, "You are not to carry tidings today; you may carry tidings another day, but today you shall not do so, because the king's son is dead." Then Joab said to a Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran. Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said again to Joab, "Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite." And Joab said, "Why will you run, my son, seeing that you have no reward for the tidings?" "Come what may," he said, "I will run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.

The Second Reading is taken from Acts 23:23-35

[Paul Sent to Felix the Governor]
Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, "Get ready to leave by nine o'clock tonight for Caesarea with two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen. Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Felix the governor." He wrote a letter to this effect: "Claudius Lysias to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, but when I had learned that he was a Roman citizen, I came with the guard and rescued him. Since I wanted to know the charge for which they accused him, I had him brought to their council. I found that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but was charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him. " So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him during the night to Antipatris. The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. On reading the letter, he asked what province he belonged to, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, he said, "I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive." Then he ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod's headquarters.

The Holy Gospel is written in Mark 12:13-27

[The Question about Paying Taxes]
Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it." And they brought one. Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" They answered, "The emperor's." Jesus said to them, "Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were utterly amazed at him.

[The Question about the Resurrection]
Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. There were seven brothers; the first married and, when he died, left no children; and the second married her and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; none of the seven left children. Last of all the woman herself died. In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For the seven had married her." Jesus said to them, "Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong."

Morning Psalms

Psalm 119:145-152 Qoph Clamavi in toto corde meo
145   I call with my whole heart; answer me, O LORD, that I may keep your statutes.
146   I call to you; oh, that you would save me! I will keep your decrees.
147   Early in the morning I cry out to you, for in your word is my trust.
148   My eyes are open in the night watches, that I may meditate upon your promise.
149   Hear my voice, O LORD, according to your loving-kindness; according to your judgments, give me life.
150   They draw near who in malice persecute me; they are very far from your law.
151   You, O LORD, are near at hand, and all your commandments are true.
152   Long have I known from your decrees that you have established them for ever.

Psalm 119:153-160 Resh Vide humilitatem
153   Behold my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law.
154   Plead my cause and redeem me; according to your promise, give me life.
155   Deliverance is far from the wicked, for they do not study your statutes.
156   Great is your compassion, O LORD; preserve my life, according to your judgments.
157   There are many who persecute and oppress me, yet I have not swerved from your decrees.
158   I look with loathing at the faithless, for they have not kept your word.
159   See how I love your commandments! O LORD, in your mercy, preserve me.
160   The heart of your word is truth; all your righteous judgments endure for evermore.

Psalm 119:161-168 Shin Principes persecuti sunt
161   Rulers have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of your word.
162   I am as glad because of your promise as one who finds great spoils.
163   As for lies, I hate and abhor them, but your law is my love.
164   Seven times a day do I praise you, because of your righteous judgments.
165   Great peace have they who love your law; for them there is no stumbling block.
166   I have hoped for your salvation, O LORD, and have fulfilled your commandments.
167   I have kept your decrees and I have loved them deeply.
168   I have kept your commandments and decrees, for all my ways are before you.

Psalm 119:169-176 Taw Appropinquet deprecatio
169   Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding, according to your word.
170   Let my supplication come before you; deliver me, according to your promise.
171   My lips shall pour forth your praise, when you teach me your statutes.
172   My tongue shall sing of your promise, for all your commandments are righteous.
173   Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your commandments.
174   I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.
175   Let me live, and I will praise you, and let your judgments help me.
176   I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost; search for your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 128 Beati omnes
1   Happy are they all who fear the LORD, and who follow in his ways!
2   You shall eat the fruit of your labor; happiness and prosperity shall be yours.
3   Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house, your children like olive shoots round about your table.
4   The man who fears the LORD shall thus indeed be blessed.
5   The LORD bless you from Zion, and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
6   May you live to see your children's children; may peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 129 Sæpe expugnaverunt
1   Greatly have they oppressed me since my youth, let Israel now say;
2   Greatly have they oppressed me since my youth", but they have not prevailed against me."
3   The plowmen plowed upon my back and made their furrows long.
4   The LORD, the Righteous One, has cut the cords of the wicked.
5   Let them be put to shame and thrown back, all those who are enemies of Zion.
6   Let them be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it can be plucked;
7   Which does not fill the hand of the reaper, nor the bosom of him who binds the sheaves;
8   So that those who go by say not so much as, "The LORD prosper you. We wish you well in the Name of the LORD."

Psalm 130 De profundis
1   Out of the depths have I called to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice; let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
2   If you, LORD, were to note what is done amiss, O LORD, who could stand?
3   For there is forgiveness with you; therefore you shall be feared.
4   I wait for the LORD; my soul waits for him; in his word is my hope.
5   My soul waits for the LORD, more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
6   O Israel, wait for the LORD, for with the LORD there is mercy;
7   With him there is plenteous redemption, and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Day

O God, who orders all things in heaven and earth: Help me to go about the tasks and duties of this day with the remembrance that I am your servant therein. Make me honest, painstaking, and cheerful, and grant that all I do and say may bring good to others and glory to your Holy Name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Prayer for Renewal

O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant me and my fellow saints so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection. Stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that all Christendom, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

There is a Fountain

Alleluia! Christ has risen.
Christ has risen indeed. Alleluia!

Closing Prayer

The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace, this day and evermore. Amen.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

Prayer of the Day for WEDNESDAY, August 23, 2017

O God, who orders all things in heaven and earth: Help me to go about the tasks and duties of this day with the remembrance that I am your servant therein. Make me honest, painstaking, and cheerful, and grant that all I do and say may bring good to others and glory to your Holy Name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Verse of the Day for WEDNESDAY, August 23, 2017

Psalm 94:18-19 (NIV) When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.

Read all of Psalm 94

Listen to Psalm 94

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - Patient Endurance

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.

~ 1 Peter 2:18-19 (ESV)

There are a lot of hard things in the Bible. Or at least they seem hard. They run exactly contrary to our basic instincts, and this injunction from Peter is definitely one of them! When our boss acts like a horse's backside, makes a sarcastic remark that belittles us, blames us for his own mistakes, doesn't recognize our contribution, promotes someone ahead of us who doesn't have our skills and experience just because they are somebody's relative or friend or object of affection — it hurts!

But one of the big goals of being Christian is to be able to emulate Christ fully: “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” (1 John 2:15) Christianity takes practice. Every time you shrug off a bit of unfairness or anything else that hurt you in this world — your pride, your wallet, your power, your prestige, your ideas — you take a step up a long ladder.

Jesus and the early Christians were immune! They were fearless. Not that they were naturally brave — remember Peter denying Christ three times? — but because they saturated themselves in holiness. And you can have this precious attribute: by practicing your faith actively, you will get stronger and stronger in the Spirit until nothing this earth can offer will bother you.

Holy Spirit, be with me and strengthen me more every day, so that I can endure the sufferings of this world with patience, made impervious by my faith in the resurrection and hope of the great reward of God. In the name of Christ I pray, Amen.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny


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Scripture taken from the The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Devotion by ~ Mason Barge - Editor, Daily Prayer.
There are a lot of hard things in the Bible. Or at least they seem hard.

Un Dia a la Vez - El servicio: Viaje misionero al Perú

Alégrense en la esperanza, muestren paciencia en el sufrimiento, perseveren en la oración. Ayuden a los hermanos necesitados. Practiquen la hospitalidad.

~ Romanos 12:12-13 (NVI)

Nunca antes había apreciado tanto la palabra «servicio» como en el viaje misionero al Perú. Un viaje que me dejó muchas enseñanzas y experiencias. Que me hizo reflexionar, valorar y reconocer que tengo el mejor Padre del mundo, Dios, y que soy bendecida de verdad.

El Señor hubiera podido determinar que tú y yo naciéramos en un hogar con extrema pobreza. Sin embargo, no fue así. Es posible que ahora estés pasando necesidades, yo también las he vivido en etapas de mi vida. Con todo, nunca ha sido una vida de grandes miserias.

Jamás seremos capaces de entender y valorar tanto esto como cuando tenemos contacto con la necesidad de otros. Eso fue lo que vimos en la visita que hicimos a la plaza de Canadá, en el Callao, durante este viaje misionero. La vida sencillamente no vale nada. Hay calles a las que ni las autoridades pueden entrar porque allí reinan la droga, la prostitución y la inseguridad.

Cuando llegamos, la gente nos miraba con extrañeza. No obstante, a medida que pasábamos horas en el lugar, se acercaban a nosotros. En esa plaza se realizaron servicios evangelísticos donde cada noche más de ciento ochenta personas recibieron a Jesús. Además, se les llevó servicio médico bajo carpa y se les entregaron medicinas y ropas. Daba gusto ver las caras de felicidad y agradecimiento.

Cuando tengas la oportunidad de servir, no lo dudes ni un instante. Es el mejor regalo que puedes darle a la humanidad.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón

Standing Strong Through the Storm - SINGING IN THE STORM

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.

~ Psalm 13:5-6 (NIV)

The Psalmist expresses his praise in the context of asking God for deliverance from his enemies. His trust results in rejoicing which then results in singing God’s praises.

A simple peasant girl from the countryside in China has used her musical creativity to encourage the house church movement all across China and touch the lives of millions of believers.

Xiao Min was born in a village in Henan Province in central China and has experienced much persecution. Though only receiving a junior high level education, she has been able to compose over 1,270 different hymns—both music and lyrics—that are sung by the Chinese churches in China and now throughout the world. They are known as the Canaan Hymns. Amazing creativity for a young lady with no musical training!

Xiao Min shares that twenty years ago many believers were arrested by the Chinese government. At that time, she prayed to the Lord asking if she could also be arrested and suffer together with these fellow believers. Soon after, she was indeed arrested and sent to prison. She says that she wasn’t scared at all.

One summer day in prison when it was extremely hot she requested the guard to let everyone wash their hair. But she received a rude response telling her to ask the Lord Jesus to wash their hair for them. She used this discouraging response as an inspiration to write hymn number 56, “Lord, We Know Deeply” in the Canaan Hymns series.

In this hymn, Xiao Min sings:

Lord we know deeply that in every moment Your love never, never diminishes.
Lord we know deeply that in every moment, our only friend is You.
Our hearts long for You, our hearts long for You,
Because You’re the first in millions, no one can be compared with You,
No one can be compared with you.”

Not only was Xiao Min arrested because of her faith, she was also persecuted by her family members. But she still testified to them that God healed her sinusitis and that He is her Savior. She concludes, “Even though we experience suffering, the Lord Jesus gives us strength.” Her strength enables her to sing to the Lord in the face of all difficulties.

RESPONSE: Today I will sing praises to the Lord no matter how difficult the journey.

PRAYER: I ask, Lord, for the grace to be able to vocalize my trust and joy and praise of You!

Girlfriends in God - August 23, 2017

Do You Have What it Takes?

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

“In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence”.

~ Ephesians 3:12 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

One of my favorite people is author and speaker Patsy Clairmont. We were trying to set up a time to visit when she came to speak at a Women of Faith Conference in my hometown.

“Patsy, I’d love to spend some time with you before the conference, but I don’t have a backstage pass. I won’t have access to the part of the building where you will be.”

“No problem,” Patsy answered. “Just go to my book table and tell my son who you are. He’ll bring you to me.”

The day of the conference arrived, and I swam through a sea of women to reach Patsy’s crowded book table. It wasn’t hard to spot her son – a male version of Patsy herself. After proper introductions, Jason and I were off to find his mom. First we passed through heavy mahogany double doors that led to an area called The Crown Room for the VIP’s who attended professional basketball games and other important events. Then we entered an elevator that took us to an area where the speakers were tucked away.

As I stepped into the elevator, a stern-faced security guard pointed his finger in my face and pronounced, “You’re not supposed to be here, young lady. Where’s your backstage pass? You’re going to be in a lot of trouble.”

He whipped out is walk-talkie and was not afraid to use it. Before I could force one word out of my dry mouth, Patsy’s son stepped forward, showed the guard his credentials, and gallantly stated, “I’m one of the speaker’s son. She’s with me.”

“That’s right,” I agreed when I had once again found my tongue. “He’s Patsy Clairmont’s son, and I’m with him.”

“Oh, OK then,” the guard said. Then he hopped off the elevator and was off to seek and find other dangerous Christian women like myself who were attending the conference.

I had a wonderful visit with Patsy and left the conference very inspired by each one of the speakers. But perhaps the greatest lesson I learned was on that elevator ride.

See, one day we will leave this earth, heaven bound. As we make our way to God’s throne room there may be someone lurking in the shadows, waiting to accuse us, to call us unworthy, and to question our credentials. In Revelation 12:10, Satan is called “the accuser of the brethren.” I envision him standing in my path, pointing his crooked, gnarled, demonic finger in my face and saying, “You don’t belong here! Where’s your pass? What are your credentials?”

Then just as Patsy’s son stepped forward to vouch for me, Jesus, God ‘s Son, will step forward and say, “Leave her alone! She’s with me. I’m all the credentials she needs.”

Just like the security guard who pointed his finger in my face and told me I didn’t have the right credentials to enter the secure area, Satan will tell us that we don’t have the right credentials to enter the throne room of God. He’s a liar and a thief. Once you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have all the credentials you need. As a child of God, you have undeniable access because God’s Son is with you and in you.

Savor the peace of knowing that one day you will pass through heaven’s gates to spend eternity with your Heavenly Father. You don’t have to worry about what the future holds, because God holds your future. If you know Jesus, you’ve got what it takes.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You that I have undeniable access to You through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Lord, if it were up to my credentials—or rather my own works, I would never stand. But You have made a way for me to come into Your presence. I look forward to the day when I will see You face to face.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

The next time you make a telephone call and are put on hold or have to go through a lengthy series of (if…press two, if…press three, if…press 0) thank God that you do not have to go through such maneuvers to get to Him.

If you have not made a decision to follow Christ and make Him your Lord and Savior, please click on the link at the end of today’s devotion to learn more.

More from the Girlfriends

Today’s devotion was taken from my book The 5 Dreams of Every Woman: and How God Wants to Fulfill Them. One of those dreams is to have a daddy who loves me. I wonder if that is a dream of yours as well. If so, know that YOU DO! You have a Heavenly Father who loves you and has great plans for your life. Click on the book and check it out to learn more. It’s for every woman whose life hasn’t turned out like she thought it would. Bible study guide included.

Seeking God?
Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725, Matthews, NC 28106
www.girlfriendsingod.com