December 2020

God Is Our Shield

By |2020-12-29T05:47:19-06:00December 31st, 2020|GodConnect|

Psalm 28:7 [NIV] | The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Christmas has passed and we can take a moment to reflect on the gifts received from our loved ones. Giving is a sign of love, an action that is not required but a response of care and concern. God tells Abram prior to the promise of receiving a son that he has already been given Abram a gift, “I am your shield, your great reward” (Genesis 15:1). In times of crisis, we can rest in the assurance that God is our shield, our great reward. A reward is something given, not only because it is earned, but also because it is promised. The problem we often face is not putting our trust in the one who is our protector.

Jesus came to be our shield against the eternal consequences of sin. He came to be our shield against the powers of Satan. And Jesus came to shield us from eternal death and give us life. For all who put their trust in Jesus there is a promise of help and protection. Even though we try to fight the battles of the world alone, it is in Christ we have the strength to endure. We can rejoice in the promises of God as we face a new day knowing we have Jesus as a great reward – our Shield.

As the day presents itself with challenges, we put our hope in the one who is ready to help and protect us this day. We pray that God would protect us from sin and evil. We also pray that God would protect and shield us from all harm. As God protects us, we offer our lives to him as living sacrifices giving him all glory and honor. We have a great Shield! God is our unmerited reward. Praise be to God who loves us unconditionally.

Prayer: (Luther’s Morning Prayer)
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Action Plan:
I admit I am a sinner and need to seek God’s help against temptation. Today I give God my struggle against…

Blessed and Persecuted

By |2020-12-29T05:32:06-06:00December 30th, 2020|GodConnect|

Matthew 5:11 [NIV] | 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

By nature, we habitually seek the simple and peaceful life. Who wants to live in chaos and confusion? Regrettably, we live in a world that is filled with unrighteousness. We live in a world that seeks self over others, receiving over giving, isolation over community. God calls us to be a light in a dark world. He desires that each of us speak mercy and grace into the lives of those around us. God never promised being a follower of Jesus would be easy. Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Today’s key verse can be challenging words to read and hear. We prefer a simple life and yet God says we should expect the opposite as we live our lives for him. He desires that we go out into this world as ambassadors of Christ sharing truth of God’s love. God’s Word teaches us that others should see Jesus in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Our lives are to reflect Jesus in a tainted world filled with chaos and temptations. God has given us a task that comes at a great cost – we will be persecuted because of Christ.

God chose each of us to be witnesses of his mercy and grace. Jesus sends us out with a great promise to never leave or forsake us. He guarantees to be with us each step in our journey. As we face the challenges of this life, we rejoice in the promise of new life given in Christ. We celebrate in anticipation of the Day when Christ returns to restore his kingdom to full completion. A Day is coming when there will be no more pain and suffering. As we await the return of Jesus we share God’s love to a hurting world so that others can escape the powers of a sin filled world.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunities you give us to serve you. Open our eyes and ears to see and hear the moments you have placed before us to help grow the kingdom as we serve our neighbors with your love. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Action Plan:
Today I will seek God’s strength and protection by being a light in the world as I share God’s love with…

Seize the Day

By |2020-12-29T05:28:19-06:00December 29th, 2020|GodConnect|

Matthew 4:1-4 | 1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

There are days, perhaps weeks and months, when we wonder if God is really listening. As we face the challenges in this life we may question if God really cares and understands our struggles. Before Jesus began his three-year journey on earth preaching and teaching, Our Heavenly Father sent Jesus out into the wilderness to experience temptation from the Satan. As man, Jesus fully understands our battle against the evil one.

In the face of hunger Jesus is tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread. Jesus does not give in, he boldly says to Satan, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” While food is a necessity in life, it is the Word of God that sustains us. Jesus did not exhibit his own glory by performing a miracle but displayed trust in the Word of His Father. We too are challenged to put our trust in God and his Word. At times he may put us to the test.

God understands our weakness and our inability to fight the temptations of the evil one. Our Father knows we cannot live as he desires, and we continue to fall short of his glory. Jesus came to forgive our shortfalls and gives us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide our lives. God promises to give us all we need to fight temptation. In Christ we live on every Word that comes from the mouth of God.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take away the sins of the world and for giving us your Holy Spirit to help lead and guide our lives for you. Help us to fight temptation and seek your Word in all we say and do. Amen.

Action Plan:
Today I will put my trust in God in an area of weakness I face. Today I commit to seeking God’s help with…

Calling Out To The Lord

By |2020-12-28T04:46:43-06:00December 28th, 2020|GodConnect|

Psalm 3:3-4 [NIV] | But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain.

Life is always filled with surprises and our world can change in a matter of moments. The challenges we face each day can bring about anxiety and stress. We often tend to look to our own resources for protection against an evil world. The harsh reality of life is that on our own we fail. We cannot defeat the tainted world we live in caused by sin. We must seek the One who greater.

Psalm 3 describes a dark time in David’s life. His enemies, including his own son, have overwhelmed, and opposed David. When all seems lost and He is completely exhausted, David looks to our Lord for strength and guidance. “But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain.” In the midst of despair Davis seeks our God.

In our sinful state we too are lost and condemned. By the blood of Jesus, we are shielded from the eternal consequences of sin. However, in this life we continue to face the penalties of our actions. Like David, we face difficult and dark times. Through the Power of the Holy Spirit we have the a resource to help lead our lives. Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we can call out to our Heavenly Father in prayer knowing he hears us.  We praise God for the gift of our Savior, Jesus – the one who came to save.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of Jesus who shields us from our sin. We praise you for the promise of eternal life through the sacrificial giving of Christ’s blood.  Amen.

GodConnect Doing A New Thing

By |2020-12-24T12:21:14-06:00December 25th, 2020|GodConnect|

Genesis 3:10-11 | 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

Did God really need to ask Adam how he discovered his nakedness? No. God is all knowing. God gives Adam the first opportunity to confess and admit his guilt. Adam had a choice, lie or tell the truth. But did he tell the whole truth? No. Adam wanted to place all the blame on Eve, “12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Adam was fully aware he was not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

We are much like Adam. We know the Commands and will of God. We know what is right and wrong, yet when we sin, we want to blame someone else. God gives us the opportunity to be truthful and confess to him through the blood of Jesus. Our confession is an admittance and agreement with God that we did not live up to His expectations. Through Christ, God release us from the burden and penalty of sin. By faith in Christ, we are redeemed.

As we go out into a world filled with temptation, we can walk in the assurance that nothing can tempt us beyond what we can handle through the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Unfortunately, like Adam, we fall to temptation rejecting the commands of God. We praise God for the gift of forgiveness we have in Jesus.

RESPONSE:

How can I better rely on God’s power and strength to say no to temptations that lead into sin?

The Truth of God’s Word – A journey Into 2021

By |2020-12-25T09:41:58-06:00December 21st, 2020|GodConnect|

GodConnect-Devotions

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness… 2 Timothy 3:16

We live in a world filled with truths and lies. Everywhere we turn we face the reality of uncertainty. We find that we much weight the words of others against a greater authority. The truth? You can’t trust everything you read or hear. The world has tainted our trust in humans. The challenge of truth and lies is unending. There is only one place we can experience an inerrant truth, it is in God’s God. It is in the Bible we can GodConnect.

Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;” (2 Timothy 3:16). It is in God’s Word we experience the truth of God inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit. In God’s Word we are saved. We discover our identity and purpose as we reach deeper into the knowledge of God. It is the Bible we connect with our Lord.

Join me as we embark on a journey of truth and hope. Together we will  connect through God’s Word to discover our identity in Christ and our purpose for which we live. The truth is ready to be revealed to all who come to faith in God and the gift of Jesus. Join the daily GodConnect daily devotion and begin you journey in God’s Word in 2021. It’s life changing, and that is the truth.

Pastor Rod Lindemann

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