Devotions

John the Baptist's definition of his ministry was blunt and simple: “I am ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness’” (John 1:23 NKJV).

Who was John the Baptist? The scriptures says that this most blessed of all prophets was the greatest “among them that are born of women” and a revered preacher of righteousness. Crowds flocked to hear John's scorching messages. Many were baptized and became his disciples. Even royalty came under his mighty influence. Some thought he was Christ; others considered him to be Elijah raised from the dead.

However, this fearless man of God refused to be exalted or promoted. He was emptied of self, and he continually withdrew from center stage. In his own eyes, he wasn’t even worthy to be called a man of God. He was simply a wilderness voice, modest, retiring and unconcerned about honor or usefulness. He didn't care about having a ministry or being “mightily used of God.” In fact, he considered himself unworthy to even touch Jesus’ shoes. His entire life was devoted to “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).

What a powerful rebuke to us in this age of self-occupation, promotion of personalities, influence-grabbing, ego-tripping and seeking of honors. John could have had it all, yet he cried, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). The secret of John's happiness was that his joy was not in his ministry or work, not in his personal usefulness or widespread influence. His pure joy was to stand in the presence of the Lord, hear his voice and rejoice in it. His joy was in seeing others, his own disciples included, flocking to Jesus, the Lamb of God.

The greatest fulfillment a child of God can know is to lose self and all desire to be somebody, and simply rejoice in being a son or daughter who lives in the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being totally occupied with Christ is what satisfies the heart.

May we, like John, understand that our worth comes from Christ alone. May our souls find their sustenance and joy in him, the author and finisher of our faith.

In Philippians, the first chapter ends with a charge to believers. “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God” (Philippians 1:27-28, ESV). This sounds great!

The very last two verses go on to sound even better, at least at first. “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him…” Who wouldn’t want this? We’re being given a gift by God; he’s granting us salvation and belief in him. So what else do we get? This passage says next, “…but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have” (Philippians 1:29-30).

That causes us to pause, doesn’t it? Maybe we say things like “God, I thought you would grant victory. I thought you would grant success and growth. I thought you would grant me joy…” The thing is that God does grant all those things to us, but he also gifts us with suffering for his sake.

There are four things that God wants to see created through trials in the people whom he loves. Number one, he wants your heart to be encouraged. Number two is that you would be knit together with other believers in love. Three is that you'd reach all the riches of the full assurance, and four is the understanding of the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ.

Struggling is exhausting and painful. When we hear some smooth message about how we can have all of these blessings without the struggle, it’s very tempting to believe, right? Getting these gifts from God doesn't require intercessory prayer. It doesn't require fasting. It doesn't require you to study day and night or fall on your knees before God so often.

That’s a tempting message, but is it true? I don’t think it is, based on those verses in Philippians. God gifts us with suffering, and he gives us these blessings through our trials.

Young families in a suburb of North Carolina started a church; and after two years, it was just exploding. They had to move into a bigger building, but after a bit, an adult bookstore bought the building across from them. So now this church was sharing a parking lot with an adult bookstore. They tried to fight it. They sent letters to the mayor, stood before the city council, petitioned for the bookstore to be moved. Nothing worked.

The church called for 21 days of prayer and fasting. Isn't it funny that we tend to pray last? As they prayed, around day 14, a giant thunderstorm hit the community. Lightning struck the adult bookstore, and it burned to the ground.

The bookstore sued the church, saying, “We want you to pay for the lost wages and the building because your prayer meeting burned our business down.” The church protested, “It’s not our fault. It was a thunderstorm, and we’re not paying for anything.” My favorite part of this, though, was when the judge stood up and said, “I’ve never seen anything like this. We have an adult bookstore that believes in prayer and a church that doesn’t.”

Wouldn't it be amazing if God always answered prayer that fast? The thing is that he sometimes does, but sometimes he doesn’t. He doesn’t work on our schedule, so then we start to think that he doesn’t answer prayer.

Maybe you’re in a desperate position right now financially, or your marriage is struggling, or serious health issues are on the table. It would be amazing if you prayed, then your answer was waiting for you as soon as you turned around! How many of you know, though, that it doesn’t usually happen that way? Lightning doesn’t strike the buildings — or people — we pray about, and God doesn’t immediately heal or move. There’s a reason for this. When our prayers don’t get answered quickly, we have to trust God and God’s plans for us.

The Bible says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16, ESV). How many of us really believe this? How many of us are willing to wait to see God move?

_{After pastoring an inner-city congregation in Detroit for thirty years, Pastor Tim served at Brooklyn Tabernacle in NYC for five years and pastored in Lafayette, Louisiana, for five years. He became Senior Pastor of Times Square Church in May of 2020.}

We have become so preoccupied in proving God that we have not prepared our hearts for the great tests of life whereby God proves man. Could it be that the great trial you are now facing, the burden you now carry, is actually God at work proving you?

We see an amazing thing in 2 Chronicles 32:31: God left a great king for a season to prove him. “God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that he might know all that was in his heart” (2 Chronicles 32:31, NKJV). God proved an entire nation to find out what was really in its heart. "You shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not" (Deuteronomy 8:2).

Do you find yourself in strange circumstances? Do you feel forsaken and alone? Do you fight a losing battle with an unpredictable enemy? These are signs pointing to the proving process. Often, while in the righteous pursuit of God's work, a steward of the Lord finds himself apparently forsaken and tried to the limits of endurance. Every man God has ever blessed has been proved in the same manner.

Victory is always desired, but should you fail, remember this: It is what remains in your heart that God is interested in. What is your attitude after you have won or lost the lonely battle? Your devotion to him is his desire.

Jesus has promised never to leave us or forsake us, but the record of scripture reveals there are seasons when the Father withdraws his presence to prove us. Even Christ experienced that lonely moment on the cross. It is in these times that our blessed Savior is most touched by the feeling of our infirmity, and he whispers, “I pray for you, that your faith fail not.”

Jesus says we are to take up our cross and follow him (see Matthew 16:24). What is that cross? It is the flesh with its frailness and weakness. Take it up and move on in faith, and his strength will be made perfect in you. Is your cross of self and sin too heavy? My friend, take up your cross and follow on. Christ understands and is there beside you to lift the heavy burden!

Jesus loved Lazarus, and he also dearly loved Lazarus’ two sisters, Mary and Martha. Their home was an oasis for the Son. We know Lazarus and his family loved Jesus, but the scriptures are most emphatic in pointing out Christ's love for them. “Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick” (John 11:3, NKJV).

“When Jesus heard that, he said, ‘This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’” (John 11:4).

Jesus knew that his Father intended for this miracle to give him glory and give them confidence and faith, but what an experience of deep suffering it turned out to be for Jesus. The disciples doubted him; Mary and Martha doubted him, and so did the weeping friends of Lazarus. Did Mary know how deeply she hurt him when she accused him of being preoccupied and disinterested in their problem? “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21).

Did Martha know how it hurt her Master when she questioned his resurrection power? He had plainly told her, "Your brother shall rise again," but his word was not enough. She answered, in essence, “Oh, yes, on resurrection day he will arise, but that doesn't help today” (see John 11:24).

How painful it must have been for Christ to have his dearest friends doubt that he had all the power they needed. “Don't you know who I am yet?” is what the Lord seemed to be asking when he said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25).

I don't think we know how deep his pain was at that moment. His own disciples couldn't grasp the concept of who he was. It was hurtful enough that his own nation of people knew him not, but could those he dearly loved not recognize his power? If we, his dearest friends, will not trust his power and faithfulness, who will? We call him friend and Lord, but we do not live our lives as though he has the power needed to keep us victorious and joyful in all our pain and difficulties.

What truly satisfies the heart of our Lord is the child of his who rests completely in his love and tender care.