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Devotions

Accepted by the Father

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

I believe that justification by faith is the foundational truth of Christianity. You cannot know true rest and peace until you are convinced that you can never be made right in God’s eyes by your own works.

If you do not understand the perfect righteousness of Christ that is yours by faith, you will lead a life of toil and sweat, trying to please God through a legalistic, hopeless attempt to establish your own righteousness. But the truth is, you will never have any righteousness to bring to the Lord.

A familiar passage in Isaiah says that all our righteousness is as filthy rags in God’s sight (Isaiah 64:6). This does not mean that God despises our good works — not at all. God does want our righteous deeds and we should do all the good works that we can. But if you think they merit your salvation then they are no more than filthy rags.

Of course, you may feel good because of the good works you do. For instance, you will probably enjoy a moment of victory and satisfaction whenever you resist temptation. But the next day you fall back into a sin and you quickly lose your joy. You think the Lord is angry with you and you think, “I’ll never make it.” 

Such a roller-coaster ride of emotional highs and lows can result in a life of misery. Why? Because you are trying to please God in your flesh!

Beloved, no righteousness of the flesh will ever stand before God. Even the best people among us — the most moral, godly saints — have all failed miserably and fallen short of God’s glory. Not one of us can ever be accepted in the Father’s eyes by our own works. But the good news is that we are totally accepted by him through Christ.

Walking into the Promises of God

Gary Wilkerson

When Joshua was commissioned as leader of the Israelite nation, God spoke great encouragement to him. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

God was telling Joshua, “Be encouraged and don’t be afraid. Be strong for I am leading you into something great.” Now that Joshua was ready to take leadership in God’s great plan, things were going to happen that had never happened before. But Joshua was going to have to stand up and enter into the promises of God.

Joshua had been working alongside Moses, fighting many battles and prevailing because God was with him. He was faithful and obedient to God’s call and His rock-solid faith enabled him to become a great leader. 

When Moses died, God said, “Joshua, it’s time!” How exciting to hear God say that it’s time. Joshua had been waiting and after forty years of wandering through the wilderness, he had the joy, the privilege, the opportunity to say to his people, “We’re crossing over!”

Picture yourself walking into the Promised Land along with the children of Israel. Such rejoicing! Dancing and singing before the Lord, “We made it — finally. We’re here! Hallelujah! After all these years of waiting and wandering, we are finally experiencing the promise.” 

Have you been waiting for the fulfillment of a promise of God? Your battle has not been just external, but also in your heart. I encourage you to believe that greater things are yet to come for you. God is going to intervene in your circumstances and you are going to walk into your promises.

The same encouragement that God gave to Joshua can be applied to you, as well. “Be strong and courageous. The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” As you are faithful to God, he will be faithful to you.

Listen For God’s Direction

Jim Cymbala

When we spend time with God, we should want to do more than just present a list of requests — we need to listen for his voice! Someone once said, “What’s more important, us telling God our requests, which he already knows before we tell him, or us listening for his voice, to hear what is on his heart?”

I know some people don’t believe we can still hear God’s voice. “He has already said what he is going to say in the Bible.” They would argue that hearing from God is religious fanaticism or a form of scary emotionalism. But the history of the Christian church totally negates that belief. How else would people like British missionary Hudson Taylor — who, while spending time with the Lord, felt God put a call on his heart to go to China — have brought the gospel to unreached people in Asia? In fact, how would any missionary who has ever done something great for God have known to do it unless God had first communicated it to them? There is no verse in the Bible that says, “Go to Bangladesh!”

Although we all know that the Bible is complete and God does not speak to replace doctrine or communicate on the same level of Scripture, he does still speak. He might offer vital words of warning or convicting messages that have personal application. Sometimes it is a word of guidance — a direction we should move in. That kind of direction is heard only by a listening ear or a hearing heart.

One of my favorite passages is found in Isaiah. “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed” (Isaiah 50:4, emphasis added).  

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.

God Comes Through in the Midst of Chaos

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

David was a man of great faith who grew into a godly, wise, beloved king. “And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him” (1 Samuel 18:14, ESV). He was a man of much prayer, praising the Lord as few people ever have, and blessing the heart of God with his songs. Nobody could have been more intimate with the Lord than David.

We love to read of David’s many exploits (slaying lions and bears and, finally, the mighty giant Goliath). God’s Spirit was upon this man, and the Lord clearly had a great plan for his life. But then King Saul came after David with wrath and David ran for his life, hiding in caves until he simply got tired of the battle. He was weary and he must have thought, “I’m so tired of this! If I’m so special to the Lord, chosen for this hour, then why am I in such deep trouble?”

In his time of despair, David fled to a place called Gath, the very hometown of the giant Goliath, whom he had slain. David had not sought the Lord about this move; he had just impulsively run. Looking for refuge, David put his life into the hands of King Achish of Gath — and he became trapped in his own foolishness.

Even though David was unfaithful at that moment, God was still faithful and his plan for David was still in place. God didn’t write him off; in fact, he was moving everything into place to ensure David’s blessing. “I anointed David king — and he will be king! He has a contrite heart and my plan for him is still on schedule.”

Perhaps, like David, you have gone through some kind of senseless period in your life. In the midst of chaos, you have acted according to the flesh and run ahead of God. If so, don’t despair! You may have gotten off track, but God’s plan is still in place. Your Father remains faithful.

A Man of Faith

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

Abraham is known to the church as a man of faith. Indeed, the Bible holds him up to us as an example of faith: “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Galatians 3:6).

God had appeared to Abram (as he was called then) and said, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward!” (Genesis 15:1). God also promised Abram that he would be buried at “a good old age” (see verse 15). And there’s more! In addition, God pledged that anyone who tried to harm or curse Abram would himself be cursed (see Genesis 12:3).

Beloved, these are incredible promises: protection, long life, heavenly intervention. And God spoke these things to Abram personally. This pious, believing servant of God was visited by the Lord himself and promised personal protection and a long life without fear of harm. And Abram believed God! He trusted that the Lord would shelter, protect and shield him from all danger.

You remember the story from this point. Abram left his country at God’s command — totally by faith. God told him, “Everywhere you put your foot will be your land.” As we continue Abram’s journey, we see that he made some missteps along the way. Remember, he went down to Egypt (a mistake!) and then lied about his beautiful wife Sarai, telling people she was his sister because he was afraid she would be stolen from him. Which, in fact, happened when Pharaoh took her into his house for a time. This situation was quickly rectified when God moved in and no harm came to her (see this account in Genesis 12).

God’s master plan for Abram prevailed in spite of his momentary lack of faith and his miserable failures. Likewise, whatever God determines for your life cannot be stopped if you simply put your life into his hands. He is faithful concerning his promises — even when we are not.