Body

Devotions

A Genuine Desire to Please God

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

“I do nothing of myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:28-29).

Jesus did everything out of pleasure for his heavenly Father. It is important to understand the motive out of which our obedience springs, because if our heart is not pure, everything will be polluted.

Consider the father of a teenage son who has to correct his child. The scenario may be tense as the father confronts his son about bad companions, bad behavior, careless choices. And then the father issues an ultimatum: either change your behavior or find another place to live. The son responds in one of two ways: he submits to the correction with a contrite spirit and changes his behavior willingly or he begrudgingly changes his behavior in order to avoid the punishment.

The obedience of a disgruntled child is not satisfying because his compliance stems from a fear of his father’s wrath. There is no pleasure or love in the action; on the contrary, he is angry and frustrated because he perceives that his father is infringing upon his freedom and trying to cramp his lifestyle.

The sad truth is, many Christians in these last days obey God only because they are afraid they will go to hell if they don’t. They fear the Father’s wrath and their obedience to him is “legal” only. They have no genuine desire to please him.  

Jesus’ desire to please his Father came out of his relationship with him. He shut himself up in prayer and his one great prayer was, “Father, what do you want? What will bring you pleasure? What can I do to fulfill the desire of your heart?”

That is the attitude of the person who has the Spirit of Christ!

A Condition of the Heart

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24-27).

Jesus is illustrating here that the only house that will hold up in the coming storm is established on a strong foundation. The house Jesus is talking about is our walk with him. We are building a foundation of getting to know Christ, of understanding his ways. We are building into our faith certain characteristics that will determine how we react under pressure.

Many Christians say, “Well, I’m a believer. I have built on the Rock.” Yet, they do not truly understand what this phrase means and they will have a great shock when their relationship with Jesus does not endure the storm. They will be exposed as having no foundation!

We cannot understand this parable unless we understand that it is about obedience! Jesus is speaking of a person who hears his Word and does it, who obeys him, who acts on his commands. He is describing a lifestyle — a walk of total, absolute obedience to his Word. That is to be our foundation!

Of course, Jesus himself is our rock, but that is not the full meaning of “rock” as he used it here in this parable. Some who claim they have built on Christ as their rock may not be building properly. This rock is a condition of the heart and represents the foundational motives from which our obedience to God originates.

Whom Have You Blessed Lately?

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

The surest evidence that the Lord’s hand of blessing is on you is that others are being blessed through you. God said to Abraham, “[In] blessing I will bless you … In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 22:17-18). In other words, “The reason I am blessing you, Abraham, is that you can bless all the nations.”

Few of us are called to bless entire nations, of course, but each of us has a circle of family, friends and colleagues. How many in your circle are being blessed by what the Lord is doing in you? Is the glory of your relationship with Jesus overflowing to those around you? Are your friends and family being blessed by Christ in you? Whom have you blessed lately?

When you begin to bless others in the midst of your trials, you will know that God’s hand of blessing is on you. This is what happened with David. When his enemies showed him no mercy, he testified, “Let them curse, but You bless; when they arise, let them be ashamed, but let Your servant rejoice” (Psalm 109:28). David cried out to God for help and blessing as his enemies cursed him.

Jesus commands us, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). If you can keep this word, you are surely blessed of the Lord.

Another sure sign that you are being blessed is that you are being drawn closer to the Lord. God never blessed anyone without drawing that person closer to himself. If you look around and find yourself lacking in certain gifts that you see in others, you can rest assured that as you draw near to him, he will bless you with many spiritual blessings. Come to him in faith. He delights in blessing you!

Jesus Has Won the Victory!

Gary Wilkerson

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? … But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:25 and 33).

Many of us are living almost in a fanciful world of make believe. We believe we have been set free. We have been washed and redeemed, made holy — pure, clean, washed — and are living righteous lives for God. At least that is what is somewhere in the shadowlands of our mind and understanding.

But in reality, you may have doubts that leave you wondering, “Have I really been set free?” You may have areas of struggle and because of this question in your mind, you pray daily, “Lord, set me free! Deliver me from bondage, from the power of sin, from these habitual patterns, addictions. Please set me free!” 

I am pleased to tell you that the way you see your life and the way the Father sees you is different. You are pleading, “Lord, change me!” while you have already been changed because you have met Jesus Christ and have been washed by the blood of the Lamb. When you were cleansed by his precious blood, you were made free and you are now a new creation. You do not need to come to the altar and beg and plead in despair and guilt.

When Jesus talks about “seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,” he is assuring us that he has won the victory for us! There is no anxiety, no fear, no condemnation because he never changes. So when you come to the altar, come to worship and praise him for his love and grace because you are redeemed.

God Speaks to Those Who Listen

Jim Cymbala

When the prophet Samuel was a young boy, he thought he heard his teacher Eli calling his name in the middle of the night. It was actually the voice of the Lord, but Samuel did not yet know how to discern the Lord’s voice. After Samuel inquired of Eli three times, Eli instructed Samuel to answer, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9). Later all of Israel flocked to Samuel to hear the word of the Lord that he received through fellowship with God.

It was through fellowship with God that Moses received the Ten Commandments and the building plans for the tabernacle. Later, through listening, David received instructions on how to build the temple that his son Solomon would construct. God speaks to those who listen.

In the New Testament era, a simple believer named Ananias received Christ’s instructions to go to the recently converted Saul of Tarsus and minister to him (see Acts 9:10-18). He wasn’t a prophet, but he heard from God a message not of new doctrine but of personal direction. Why wouldn’t the Holy Spirit still want to guide the Christian believer today?

As we spend time listening to God, we can be taught what to say and be given words for that day. Sometimes we will be given a general feeling or a section of Scripture that prepares our heart for the things that will soon confront us. At other times, God might give us a specific verse, a nugget of wisdom, or a word of encouragement that we can pass on to someone we meet during the day. But the listening ear and instructed tongue come only from times of fellowship with the Lord. And, remember, these instances of directive come while we are listening, not when we are talking.

Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson.