Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of Praise for Salvation (3/27/25)

My nephew, Michael, had a scary medical crisis this past weekend with very low glucose. As I was crying out to God for help, I recalled all His miracles in Michael’s life in the past. Also, we as a family had just reviewed some of our Revelation memory verses which helped me focus on Jesus’s attributes. He sees all, knows all, has all wisdom, has all power and saves us eternally!

We’re still on this side of Heaven, awaiting complete fulfillment of our salvation. However, the great multitude in Revelation 7 already finished their suffering on earth and perfectly praised God and Jesus for their eternal salvation.

Revelation 7:9-12    ⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,¹² saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

Have you ever heard or sung the praise song – Salvation Belongs to Our God? It has a catchy chorus “Be to our God, forever and ever, Amen.” (Several different Christian singers and groups have recordings of it.) Well, the words to this song (in bold above) come right out of Revelation 7!

The multitude in heaven, the angels, elders and four living creatures used these words to praise God right after He sealed His servants that were still living on earth (see last week’s devotional). So, the next time you and I hear or sing this song, let’s remember that as followers of Jesus Christ, we are also sealed for eternity. God has guaranteed our eternal salvation through Jesus the Lamb, no matter what happens to us in this life.

I love how these words of praise are focused on God and His work and not the singer. With their palm branches, they were celebrating victory - Jesus’s victory over sin. Their white robes represented the forgiveness, cleansing and righteousness Jesus gave. Their salvation and security rested on Jesus’s power and work and not their own. Worthy is Jesus!!!

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of Complete Worship (2/6/25)

After the 24 elders and 4 living creatures sang a new song in praise of Jesus, the rest of heaven and earth joined in the praise! They praise Jesus as the worthy One to open the scroll of God. The angels mention 7 things in their praise (power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and praise). Seven is the number of completeness so it seems to indicate they are giving Jesus full and complete praise!  

Revelation 5:11-14   ¹¹ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. ¹² In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”

¹³ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

¹⁴ The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

How is your and my praise? Is it full and complete, like the angels? Or is it often partially distracted and insincere lip service? I can get easily distracted in prayer and in singing worship music. I pray regularly for the ability to focus and think about what I’m singing. However, sometimes I focus on the behavior of the kid next to me. 😊

Of course, worship isn’t just singing or praying. It includes our whole body and every area of our life. None of us gives complete worship with all of ourselves, but we will someday! We can look forward to that day and practice now!  

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God versus Lamenting Job (7/11/24)

 I had a shooting stomach pain yesterday for about 30 minutes that was debilitating. As my stomach negatively reacted, I was reminded that I could still praise God for who He is while also asking for help and relief. It was hard not to start by calling out for help and stating the same thing over and over. It was helpful to remember His attributes of being All-knowing, able to use everything for His purposes, etc.

 

My temporary suffering was nothing compared to what Job experienced for days and maybe even weeks. Yet, as we learned a few weeks ago, he didn’t sin in what he said. He never cursed God, like Satan desired. He did curse his birth.

Job 3:1-4, 11-13, 20-21, 24-26      After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ² He said:

³ “May the day of my birth perish,
    and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’
⁴ That day—may it turn to darkness;
    may God above not care about it;
    may no light shine on it.

¹¹ “Why did I not perish at birth,
    and die as I came from the womb?
¹² Why were there knees to receive me
    and breasts that I might be nursed?
¹³ For now I would be lying down in peace;
    I would be asleep and at rest

²⁰ “Why is light given to those in misery,
    and life to the bitter of soul,
²¹ to those who long for death that does not come,
    who search for it more than for hidden treasure,

²⁴ For sighing has become my daily food;
    my groans pour out like water.
²⁵ What I feared has come upon me;
    what I dreaded has happened to me.
²⁶ I have no peace, no quietness;
    I have no rest, but only turmoil.”

It sounds as though there was no relief for Job, even in sleep. His pleas and laments are understandable. He wished for death, but he didn’t take things into his own hands. As he said in chapter 2 verse 10: “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

The next time you and I face a painful or difficult situation, let’s remember God is always praiseworthy. He can also handle our questions and respectful laments. In the midst of it all, we can submit to His all-knowing care and timing, as Job did! 

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God Despite Unfaithful Servant (4/13/23)

Would you be motivated to go out and steal after witnessing a magnificent miracle? I think I’m usually motivated to do the opposite – praise God and be generous with others! Well, Elisha’s servant wasn’t too happy with the way Elisha rejected Naaman’s gifts after God miraculously healed Naaman.

II Kings 5:19b-24                After Naaman had traveled some distance, ²⁰ Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

²¹ So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.

²² “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”

²³ “By all means, take two talents,” said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. ²⁴ When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

Wow! I can’t believe Gehazi! I see a correlation between Gehazi and Judas. Both men watched God/Jesus perform amazing miracles, yet focused on what was in it for them in the short-term. God had been faithful to them and to those around them, yet it wasn’t enough.

How about you and me? Maybe we aren’t motivated to steal, but maybe we  wonder what’s in it for me, when is it my turn or why God doesn’t do something that “big” for me? Instead of focusing on ourselves, let’s praise our faithful God when we see an amazing miracle in the life of someone else!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - A Different Sunday, Part II

Well, our “different Sunday” may be our new normal for a while. We did get to watch the live-stream of our worship and sermon again. We also got to watch the live-stream of one of my sister’s services, where she was playing most of the music.

We did several additional prayer/Scripture/song times spread out throughout the day, similar to last Sunday (although, not as many ☹).

We started with praising God for who He is, then a thanksgiving session for all His provisions and blessings, and then prayers for how we could help others during this difficult time. It was encouraging to hear all the attributes of God that James and Sarah thought of for which to praise God, all the blessings they appreciated and their own creative ideas on helping others.

1. Praise God

Holy Holy Holy

Acts 4:23-31

2. Thanksgiving

At the Cross

Acts 12:21-24

3. How we can help others

God Will Take Care of You

Acts 22:30-23:22

Acts 4:23-24, 29-30     ²³ On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them… ²⁹ Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

We can pray for safety and health during this time, but notice what Peter and John prayed during their time of crisis. They first praised God for who He is and then asked for boldness to continue spreading His message. We can do the same! The biggest need of people right now is to know their Creator, whether they end up seeing Him soon or not for many more years.  

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Worship While Waiting

Are you still waiting for God to fulfill something He’s promised? Or, are you still waiting for an answer from Him about something you’ve prayed about for years? What are you and I doing while we wait?

Let’s see what Abraham did while he waited…

Romans 4:18-21            “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”  Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.  Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”  Romans 4:18-21

Abraham didn’t pout or wallow in disappointment. He didn’t weaken in faith or waver in unbelief, but was strengthened in his faith while he waited! He didn’t blame God or get angry with God, but gave glory to God!!!

Worshiping God in “bad” times and difficult situations can be hard. The more we are fully persuaded that God is all-powerful and sovereign over everything, the easier it is. God used our wait for children to grow me in this area.

So, when most of our basement flooded last week with water continually coming up through the floor with no where to go (while the sump pump ran non-stop), I was able to stop and praise God. I praised Him for who He is, knowing He is sovereign, in control and has power over everything. I could trust Him to help us, guide us and get us through. I then thanked Him for what I did like about our house 😉 and that we had a roof over our head! God then helped me put things in perspective, realizing it could be a whole lot worse. He also reminded me of some of the things I take for granted.   

How will you and I remember to stop and worship God in good times and bad or while waiting? He’s always worthy of our worship!!!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Glorifying God

Romans 1:21-23            “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.”            Romans 1:21-23

So often I read through passages like this thinking it doesn’t apply to me because I know who the true God is and I don’t worship idols. There is a difference between knowing and glorifying God, though, as verse 21 indicates. I know who the true God is, but I don’t always glorify Him.

We glorify God by growing in a personal relationship with Him.

We glorify God by adoring Him.

We glorify God by worshiping and praising Him for who He is.

We glorify God by giving Him the credit for all of our accomplishments.

We glorify God by thanking Him for all of our blessings and sufferings. 

We glorify God by exalting Him above anyone and anything else.

This week, what mortal thing have you and I placed above our relationship with God? (possession, person, project, plan, player, etc.) Our relationship with God is eternal and the most important.

One of the hymns I sang with the kids last night was “To God Be the Glory.” Let’s give glory to God rather than exchanging it for glorifying something mortal!

Alice 

Thurs Devo: Salvation Belongs to Our God

Have you ever heard or sung the praise song – Salvation Belongs to Our God? It has a catchy chorus “Be to our God, forever and ever, Amen.” (Several different Christian singers and groups have recordings of it.)  Whenever I sing it at church, I usually hum the chorus in my head the next day or so.

How does this relate to our study of Revelation? Well, the words to this song come right out of Revelation 7!

Revelation 7:9-12     ⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,¹² saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

Are you humming the song yet??? I am.

The multitude in heaven, the angels, elders and four living creatures used these words to praise God right after He sealed His servants that were still living on earth (see last week’s devotional). So, the next time you and I hear or sing this song, let’s remember that as followers of Jesus Christ, we are also sealed for eternity. God has guaranteed our eternal salvation through Jesus the Lamb, no matter what happens to us in this life.

Alice

Thurs Devo: Free to Serve

I’m in a Revelation Bible study this year. It’s been a real joy to focus on so many different attributes of the Trinity that John writes about. In fact, I found it interesting that John greets the churches to whom he is writing and then immediately stops to praise Jesus!

Revelation 1:4-8       ⁴ John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, ⁶ and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

⁷ “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
    and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
    and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

John knows that the churches are undergoing severe persecution. The fact that he starts his letter by reminding them of who they serve (and why) must have been encouraging. It’s encouraging to me! My problems can seem big or overwhelming, but when I am reminded of who God is and all Jesus did for me to free me from my sin, I’m compelled to continue to worship and serve Him out of gratitude.

I’m not freed from sin to serve myself, but to serve the Almighty Alpha and Omega who will reign forever, after all the troubles in this life are over.

Knowing how much God loves you and all He has freed you from, how are you compelled?

Alice