An upward perspective–Prayer without Ceasing

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21

Thessalonica was a populous seaport in Macedonia. The Roman Empire's highway from Rome to the East, The Egnatian Way, cut its path through Thessalonica. The city was continually buzzing with visitors from around the world. I'm impressed by the commerce, wealth, and activity. But I'm more impressed that God sent the apostle Paul there. God had something important to say to this fast-paced, cosmopolitan group. And by extension, us.

Paul encouraged them to keep communication open with heaven. He said, "pray without ceasing." The Greek word Paul chose for "without ceasing" literally means "without intermission." No breaks in the action or music. Constant motion. To "pray without ceasing" doesn't mean you have to stay on your knees 24/7. It means, maintain an attitude of prayer. Allow prayer to become like breathing or blinking--something you do instinctively as part of your existence.

Just open your eyes, look around, and talk with God. Share with Him what makes you scared, what you need, what you're thankful for, and what you love about His character.

"Pray without ceasing" means that you have an upward perspective as you move around throughout your day. You are communicating with the One who promises to always listen. He is the only one capable of responding with power in every situation.

To receive this devotional in your email go here

Make Your Decision
Click for more information about accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.



More Resources
Check out these helpful resources:

Know God?   New Believer Bible Studies   Questions About God   Spiritual Resources   Need Prayer?  



Through the Bible in 1 Year
Click to Read:


Leviticus 14:1-57    Mark 3:20-35    Psalm 26:1-5    Proverbs 10:6-7

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER (leave you or forsake you)

Read this great weekly devotion from my friend Pastor G. :

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER

Hebrews 13:5
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.


NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER

The Bible is full of promises that God has given His people.  All of God’s promises are wonderful, but this one has to be the greatest promise of God:  He promised us that He would never leave us nor forsake us.

Jehovah God, the creator of the universe, promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us.  This isn’t a promise given by a man.  It is not given by a human who is capable of breaking a promise. It is given by God Almighty, the maker of Heaven and Earth. The Bible says, “For HE had said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”  It is God, who cannot lie, who said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Not only is that a great promise, but it is a promise that is guaranteed to be kept.  When God says, I will never leave you or forsake you, you can rest assured, He is not going anywhere.

As I was studying this verse, I learned that when this verse was translated into English, it was not conveyed quite as strongly as the original Greek, because of double negatives and other grammatical rules regarding our language.  In the Greek two negatives intensify the meaning.  When we read this verse in English, it says, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”  Now that is good enough, right?  But when this verse was originally written, it actually read like this, “I will never, never leave thee, and I will never, never, never forsake thee.”  Hallelujah!

Can you imagine what it would feel like as a Christian to be forsaken by God?  I have had times when my own choices left me feeling like God had forsaken me, but He never really did.  Forsaken implies utter loneliness.  Imagine the loneliness you would feel if you were forsaken by God.  Loneliness is a horrible feeling.  Being by yourself for a time is all right, but having the feeling of loneliness and of being utterly alone is a miserable feeling.  When Jesus was on the cross and He cried out, “My God, why hath thou forsaken me?” He was showing us the most painful cry of mankind which is being without God.  That is the most horrible thing about Hell.  More horrible than the eternal flames is being forsaken by God for eternity.  Being utterly alone, separated from God is the worst thing that can happen to a human being.

I thank the Lord that a child of God never has to experience that feeling.  I thank God that you and I, because of God’s promise, will never have to experience the utter loneliness of being forsaken by God.

Not only is being forsaken by God a feeling of utterly loneliness, it is also a feeling of utter helplessness.  All real power belongs to the Lord.  Take the Lord out of the equation, and the strongest man in the world isn’t anything but a wimp.  Just feeling that God has turned His back on you would be enough to make you feel helpless.  Just think how helpless you would feel if He really did turn His back on you.  But praise God; if you are a child of God, this is a fear that you never have to worry about.  Once again, we have that wonderful promise that tells us that we never, never, never have to worry about Him leaving us or forsaking us.

Being forsaken by God would bring utter loneliness, helplessness, and also utter hopelessness.  Your husband or your wife may forsake you, or your mother or your father, or a friend, and you can still hang on and have hope in life, because of the hope we have in Jesus Christ.  However, let a man or woman be forsaken by God and all hope would be gone.  Let a man be forsaken by God and there would be no reason to have any hope, because there would be no hope.

From the very beginning in the Garden of Eden, God left the choice up to mankind.  It is God’s desire that none would perish or have to be forsaken by Him, but He leaves that decision on each and every human being ever born.

We do not want to know what it would be like to not have God leading us or directing our path.  We can’t imagine the loneliness, the helplessness, or the hopelessness we would feel if we did not have God in our life.  But, praise God, we never, never, never have to worry about Him leaving us, because we have a promise in God’s Word that He will never, never leave us and He will never, never, never forsake us.

Did you know that apart from God, we would immediately fall into sin?  We can be living the most righteous Christian life possible, but if God were to forsake us tomorrow, we would be right back living a life of sin.  It is only through God’s power and strength that we are able to live a Godly life.  The Bible refers to “Him who is able to keep us from falling.”  It is only by the grace of God and His mercy that any of us are living with any godliness or righteousness.

We need to know that even at our best, we are no good.  The Bible says there is none that do good – no, not even one.  The Apostle Paul said that he knew that in him dwelled no good thing.  The only good thing that any of us have inside is God.  Apart from God, we would go from bad to worse.  But because of God – and only because of God, we get to go from glory to glory.  That means that God is changing us day by day and that He who has begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.  That means God will never stop working in our lives, never stop pulling at our heart, never stop convicting us of sin, and never stop picking us up when we fall, because God promised to never, never leave us and never, never, never to forsake us.

Rejoice, Church, that we have a God who is not going anywhere.  When God has He would NEVER leave or forsake us, He meant NEVER!  That means that everything that God is will always be with us.

EVERYTHING that God is belongs to us.  He is mighty, so we will ALWAYS have His strength.  God is love, so NOTHING can ever separate us from His love.  God is merciful, so His mercy is new EVERY morning.  God is forgiving, so His forgiveness is ALWAYS available to us when we need it most.  Whatever God is, we will always have with us, because He is always with us.  That may sound very simple, and it is just as simple as it sounds.  He leaves the choice up to us to live our life through Him.

Just as God promised Abraham, Joshua, David, and all His people in the Bible that He would never leave or forsake them, that same promise holds true for all His children today, because God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  This promise from God may be hard for you to fully believe, because you have been forsaken, deceived, or lied to by people in your life.  Well, I think we can all testify to being treated that way by one or more people, but with God, it is different.  God can’t be compared with man.  Lord, forgive us for ever insulting You by comparing You with another man or woman.  God is not the kind of father that would leave His children.  God is not the kind of husband that would leave His bride.  God is not the kind of friend that would leave His brother or sister.  God is in it for eternity – for the long haul.  God will stick with you through the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Even when you don’t feel like He is there, He has not gone anywhere.  You can’t do anything to cause Him to love you more or less.  He loves you no matter what.

We are so use to bailing out when someone falls short that we think God will do the same thing to us.  We are so use to throwing in the towel when things are not going our way.  You find something you don’t like about your husband, and you forsake him without another thought.  When God makes a commitment, it is forever.  When we break His heart, and we will, He is not happy or pleased with us, but even then, He will never give up on us.  During those times, we will not feel His favor, blessing, and power in our life like before.  We will not feel His joy or His peace.  We will find ourselves praying David’s prayer for God to “restore unto us the joy of our salvation.”

One thing we need to remember and never forget is that when God first came into our life, He came when we were “yet sinners” with hearts full of sin.  If God wasn’t going to love us because of sin, He would not have loved us a long time ago.  Jesus came to us while we were dead in our trespasses.  God loved us when we didn’t even know we were looking for Him.  The Bible says in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  If NOTHING can separate us from God’s love, then NOTHING can separate us from Him, because God is love.

Isaiah 41:17 says, “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.” If you are reading this devotional and find yourself  thirsting for living water, this promise is for you.  The God of Israel will hear you and will not forsake you.  Cry out to the Lord, and let Him bring His living water to your dry and thirsty soul.  If you are thirsty for forgiveness, all you have to do is call upon the Lord, and He will hear you and He will not forsake you.

Don’t allow the enemy to jerk you around any longer.  Accept God’s forgiveness and His promise to never, never leave you or never, never, never forsake you.  The key to walking in this promise is to live your life in an awareness that God is with you ALL the time.  This will help you make Godly choices to turn away from sin and temptation.  This will help you want to live a life that is pleasing to Him and brings Him glory.  God will reward you with a greater sense of His presence, favor, power, joy and peace.  Remember God is always with you and is always saying, “Hey, let Me help you out with your life.  Let’s get rid of the junk and baggage, so you can walk unshackled with freedom and liberty.”

If you will take this teaching and allow the Holy Spirit to work it out in your life, you are going to discover a greater sense of joy than you ever imagined.


Pastor G.
Daniel 12:3

Source:
http://www.theroc.com/church2/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=21&Itemid=100082

Overcoming addictions -- Today's Devotion from Mike MacIntosh

And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. - Mark 15:22-23

When Jesus was led up to the place where He would be put to death, I find it interesting that the soldiers would offer Him wine and myrrh to drink. These people hated Jesus, yet they still offered him a drug and a sedative so that He wouldn't feel the excruciating pain. Clearly, even the soldiers knew that of all the methods of execution ever devised, crucifixion was the worst. But Jesus did not take their drugs. Why? Because had He done so, He wouldn't have experienced the agony of the cross. He wouldn't have taken on the pain of our sins.

You see, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sin and our sins. He not only died on that cross to pay for our sin, but suffered the pain, agony, and humiliation that each and every one of our sins cause. Jesus has experienced every pain that you feel. He has felt all the hurt and agony that you have experienced. He suffered through terrible shame, as many of us have. And He did it for you. He didn't take the easy way out, even when He was offered a drug to ease the pain.

Today, maybe a drug is the "easy way out" for you or someone you love. For those who are dealing with drug or alcohol abuse, or have sons or daughters, or close relatives or friends going through this, let me encourage you by simply saying this: Jesus Christ is the answer to your addiction problem. You can go through twelve steps or fifty steps, but without the One and Only Step -- Jesus Christ -- there is no freedom from any addiction. Sure, you need to recognize that you have a problem, but then go to Jesus and beg for His mercy and His help. He overcame the most traumatic suffering any one person could ever experience, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that He will help you overcome your addictions, if you just ask.

Check out Mike's Daily Devotions Here

Have you ever experienced rejection? -- Devotion from Mike MacIntosh

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" - Mark 15:33-34

Have you ever experienced rejection? Many of us have been rejected by the opposite sex (probably many times!). Maybe you've been rejected for a job or promotion. Worse, maybe you were rejected by your parents and have had to deal with that pain for years. Or maybe you have experienced deep bouts of loneliness. Something happens to your body and your soul when you feel rejected. Well,Jesus experienced the ultimate pain you could ever imagine: He was rejected not only by the crowds of people, but by God, Himself.

"My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" Jesus cried out with a loud voice as He hung on the cross. He was experiencing the absolute worst rejection possible: God had turned His back onJesus. But Jesus had you in mind. He had to experience God's rejection in order to take on your sin, defeat it, and give you eternal life.

And Jesus not only defeated sin; He defeated our sins as well. You see, we may be forgiven of our sin, but our sins still cause pain. Living the Christian life day by day isn't a bed of roses; life is difficult and full of pain. But everything that you have gone through, He went through on the cross for you. He endured not only severe physical pain, but emotional pain and psychological anxiety. Imagine it. He hadn't been able to drink water. He was getting dehydrated. Depression comes in with that. He hadn't eaten a fresh meal. He hadn't been able to laugh. He was experiencing all these seemingly little things because He wanted to take every bit of pain that you have ever felt in your life -- pain that is caused by sin. He took on the consequences of our sins so that we can be healed.

Maybe you have been rejected by your family. He understands that. You've been lonely. He understands loneliness more than you think you understand loneliness. Maybe everything has started closing down in your mind and the options appear fewer and fewer -- your vision has become so myopic that you can't even think straight or see a way out. It's what somebody who is suicidal experiences. The devil starts lying to the person and they perceive that they are lonely, rejected, and depressed... and the mind just shuts down. If that ever happens to you, God forbid that you should ever get into a place like that, look to Jesus! You don't need to run to cocaine, to drinking, or anything else to sooth it. Jesus experienced this dark hour way before you ever did. He knows the failure. He knows the rejection. He understands, and He can heal you.

Don't lose heart if you're feeling like giving up. Jesus Christ has paid the price for your sin and for your pain. Give (or re-give) your life to Him and let Him fill you with a renewed sense of purpose and passion for your life. Jesus Christ is the only way, truth, and life. If you're dealing with depression, or loneliness, or bitterness, or anger, talk to your pastor and get some help. If you desire, simply reply to this link and cry out for help; we're here to help you, and Jesus wants to help you right now, right this minute. Don't think you can overcome stuff on your own. You need Jesus to overcome everything. He paid the ultimate sacrifice, being rejected by God. You can trust Him with your life!

Check out Mike's Daily Devotions Here

What are you running from? -- Today's Devotion from Mike MacIntosh

Then they all forsook Him and fled. Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
Mark 14:50-52

Do you remember the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife? You can read all about it in Genesis 39:1-23. This woman was trying to seduce Joseph, but Joseph refused. In fact, she was so persistent that she grabbed his clothes and wouldn't let go. But Joseph, being a Godly man, kept on running -- right out of his garments! Joseph didn't want anything to do with her, or with the accompanying sin that she brought. Now that's a man with great faith.

And here in Mark,we see a bunch of people who were face to face with Jesus Christ -- but they were the ones who fled Him. And so persistent was one of these men, that when some of the guards caught hold of him, he kept on running -- you got it -- right out of his garments.

My question for you today is this: What are you running from? Are you ashamed of Jesus Christ to the point that you walk away from Him, or neglect the things He has called you to be and to do? Or, are you the kind of person who stands up for righteousness and flees temptation and evil? There are only two ways to run; you're either going to serve sin or serve Jesus. I urge you from the bottom of my heart to choose the Lord! Run away from evil, even if it means losing your shirt over it. Worldly possessions are temporary, but a relationship with the Lord is eternal.

Check out Mike's Daily Devotions Here

Devotion by Mike MacIntosh

And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?" And Jesus, answering them, began to say: "Take heed that no one deceives you."
Mark 13:2-5

Have you ever noticed that some of the most important truths from Jesus come at the very beginning of His dialogues? If we don't listen to Jesus from the very beginning, we miss some very important details.

Consider Jesus' response to the disciples in this passage, for example. After Jesus had prophesied that the temple would be destroyed, the disciples privately asked Him for clarification. When would it happen? What signs would foretell it happening? Surely Jesus knew they were concerned by His prophecy -- we saw yesterday how fascinated the disciples were with the temple. After all, they probably thought it would eventually house Jesus' throne, and that they would assume posts there. But rather than satisfy their curiosity, Jesus refocuses their hearts by first saying, "Take heed!"

This Greek word means "to see," and the present tense is best translated as, "Keep on (or continue) seeing." Remember when Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Mark 7:16)? Well, it's as if Jesus is now saying to the disciples, "He who has eyes to see, let him see." Jesus is so quick to love the disciples, to refocus their attention onto the issues that really matter, and to point out the potential dangers that they would face. It reminds me of a caring parent, encouraging a child to "Be careful" when setting out on a task.

You see, there are things that the enemy produces to steer you in the wrong direction; to move you away from the Lord and His people. Jesus is saying: Look. Be attentive to your surroundings. Be aware of things that are going on about you. Watch that you are protecting yourself and your family from the dangers of the world. See that you don't let your spiritual guard down.

What television shows are you watching... or paying for? What books do you purchase or allow your kids to read? What magazines do you pick up or allow your kids to look at? Take these simple words of Jesus to heart. Be attentive. Be watchful and know exactly what's going on in your life and in your family's life.

Check out Mike's Daily Devotions Here