Devotions by Chris Hendrix

One of my favorite shows to watch is called “Alone.” It’s a survivalist reality show where they drop off contestants in remote areas with ten items and some GoPro cameras. The last person standing wins. On season 11, there was a contestant named Timber. He had killed a moose and had been using the meat sparingly in order to survive longer. He continued to fish and hunt throughout in order to add to his food cache. At one point in the show, he talked about how he had been praying. He realized he was trusting in his food cache more than God’s provision. It was an important moment for him and he changed how he approached the game when he was confronted with that reality.

In Matthew 19, we read the story of the rich, young ruler who approached Jesus. He asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responded by telling him to obey the commandments and listed a few. The man was thrilled because he had been following them since he was a kid. Culturally, people associated his wealth with his obedience to the Law. They felt God had blessed his obedience with riches, but inside he knew there must be more, so he pressed Jesus again by asking what else did he need to do. Jesus responded that he needed to give away his wealth, sell everything and give it to the poor. Verse 22 says, “But when the young man heard this, he left grieving and distressed, for he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God]” (AMP). That last line should catch our attention. He valued something else more than his relationship with God.

In Matthew 6, Jesus was again dealing with this mentality. In verse 24 He said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].” What are you valuing or trusting in more than God? It’s easy to say nothing, but we need to have moments in life like Timber did where we reflect to see if there’s anything we’re trusting in more than God. What gives you a sense of security, status or control? What if God asked you to give that up? How hard would it be? We like to think of ourselves as better than the rich, young ruler, but the truth is we’re a lot like him. We must be willing to let go of earthly blessings in order to trust the blessing giver. He is our source. Being a disciple of Jesus is to value that relationship more than anything else.

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Have you stopped to think about the things you’re pursuing? We’re all pursuing different things. Some are in the pursuit of money, fame recognition and validation. The desire to have certain things are what drives us, sometimes blindly. We all get to choose what we pursue and how long we pursue it. Will the things you’re pursuing matter in eternity? I’ve found a lot of what we pursue is really only for this world. The Bible names several things we should pursue as believers. That means we must change our focus and actively go after them. God wants us to start thinking beyond this world. When our thinking changes, so will the things we pursue.

Here are some Bible verses on what we should pursue:

1. Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people].

1 Corinthians 14:1 AMP

2. So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth].

Romans 14:19 AMP

3. Even the strong and the wealthy grow weak and hungry, but those who passionately pursue the Lord will never lack any good thing.

Psalms 34:10 TPT

4. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

I Timothy 6:11 NKJV

5. Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities.

Romans 8:5 TPT

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What do you do when you’re stressed, under attack or when everything seems to be going wrong? We all have a fight or flight switch in our brain. When it’s switched to flight, where do you go? What do you normally do? I tend to close up, get quiet and go to bed early. My body and brain run through every scenario of how to get out of it or to resolve the conflict. I expend lots of energy and brain power thinking about it to the point that it consumes me. I know some people whose response is to complain about it looking for sympathy. Others will try to express it in art to help them process everything. We all go to something to help us cope with the situation. Sometimes that thing we run to is a bad habit or an old sin that we just can’t seem to beat.

When David was under attack, he went on the run to other cities and caves. I’ve been to the area in Israel where he would run to. It’s hot there and there’s not much in that area to sustain life. Every time we go through that area, I look up into the mountains looking for caves wondering, “Is that one that David stayed in? Why would he come here?” However, God used his time on the run to refocus his attention back to where it belonged. A mighty warrior like him could easily think his own might was good enough to save himself, but God reminded him that He was his rock, fortress and sure salvation. David’s faith and trust in God grew while he was on the run because he learned to trust in God’s character during those times.

Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe” (NLT). The word “name” here actually translates to “the character of God.” Instead of blaming God for our situation, we need to be trusting in His character. To do that, I think about Lamentations 3:22-23. It says, “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” I draw comfort from those words knowing that God is not the source of my problems. He’s the source of my refuge and strength from them. He is faithful to grow me through them and to deliver me when the time is right. When troubles come your way, don’t run away from God. Instead run to Him remembering His character that has always sustained you.

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Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

In Genesis 45, Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers. He must have seen panic on their faces because he kept telling them not to be upset or blame each other. He said that it was God, and not them, who sent him to Egypt in order to preserve their family. Then he wanted to know about his father. He then sent them back with wagons and supplies to get Jacob and bring him to Egypt. At that moment, Joseph had been second in command for nearly a decade. He could have sent for his father years before this moment, but he didn’t. You know he wanted too, but he waited on God’s timing. He put God’s will above his own, and when the time was right, God brought his family to him.

In 1 Samuel 16, young David was a shepherd boy out in the field while his father had his brothers before the prophet. It wasn’t long before they called him and anointed him to be the next king. A few years later he was on the run from King Saul. In 1 Samuel 24,David was hiding in a cave when Saul,came in alone to use the restroom. David’s men encouraged him to kill Saul and take the throne, but David didn’t. Another opportunity presented itself in 1 Samuel 26. Even though he was told by God he would be king after Saul, he spared his life. It would be 15 years between the time he was anointed and the time he became king. Even though he was told by God it was his destiny, he waited on God’s timing.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint” (NKJV). I don’t know how long you’ve been waiting for God to position you to fulfill your calling, but keep waiting on God. Ask for wisdom to know when the time is right. God will renew your strength in the waiting. Don’t try to preemptively move before God’s timing. At just the right time, He will do it. Your calling is still valid. You may feel forgotten like Joseph or on the run like David. Keep running and walking towards what God called you to. He will sustain you. His timing is perfect and He who began this work in you will be faithful to complete it in His time.

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In the Old Testament, when someone would have an encounter with God, they would build an altar. Altars became places where Israeli would meet when they needed an answer from God. They would go there, pour our their heart and wait for Him to answer. I’ve started to think about where I go when I need God to hear my prayer or when I need to encounter His presence. We don’t set up stones anymore, and we don’t sacrifice animals to Him. However, it is still crucial that we have that quiet place we can go to privately to pour out our heart and seek Him. Whether it’s a place or just a time set aside to pray, we need them in our lives to wait on the Lord. It’s at these altars we are transformed and changed.

In 1 Kings 18, King Ahab and his wife Jezebel had led Israeli away from God. Jezebel had torn down the altars and removed the places where people met God. The people began to worship idols, but Elijah was called to help them return to the one true God. He met them on Mount Carmel. Verse 30 says, “Then Elijah called to the people, ‘Come over here!’ They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down” (NLT). He rebuilt the connection between the people and God. He called fire down from heaven to consume the sacrifice, and the people restored their commitment to God. It’s important to examine our heart and life to see I where we need to rebuild our connection to God just as Elijah did.

Jeremiah 24:7 says, “I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.” Our first prayer should be for God to examine our heart. Is He still Lord over every part of our life, or have we allowed other things to come in and break down our altars? When we find those places, we need to rebuild the altar to God and return to Him wholeheartedly. We can’t waiver between two positions. We must allow Him to be Lord over our whole life so that we become a living sacrifice of worship to Him. Pray that the transforming fire comes down from Heaven to reignite our heart for Him. We each need a personal revival and that begins with repairing what’s been torn down so we can reconnect all areas of our life to God.

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A friend of mine posted a quote from A. W. Tozer that said, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He hurts him deeply.” I started thinking about my life and then the lives of others in context of this quote. God can only bless us to the extent of how much of our life we surrender to Him. There are processes we must go through to get the blessings and promises of God. I know that He will let us walk through the valley of the shadow of death in order to get us where He wants us. I also know that He will be with us in those times giving us His rod and His staff. He will do whatever is necessary to grow us and to place us where He wants. It may take years of not understanding, but He will always accomplish His purpose in our life.

In the late chapters of Genesis, we meet a teenager named Joseph. God gave him dreams that he would be in a position where his family would bow down to him. They mocked God’s calling on his life and hated him for it. They beat him up, threw him in a pit and sold him as a slave. He spent years as a slave in Egypt. There he was falsely accused and thrown in prison Where he was forgotten. At each step, it says God was with him. After around 13 years of wondering where God was in his pain, in one day he was released from prison, stood before Pharaoh and was placed second in command of Egypt. Around a decade later, his brothers came and bowed before him seeking food. God used his pain and displacement to fulfill the dream and to position him to save his family. In Genesis 41:52 he named his son Ephraim which means “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering” (TPT).

1 Peter 5:10 says, “So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation” (NLT). Our natural desire is to run from suffering, discomfort and pain, but God uses them to bless us. The greater hurt or pain you go through, the more you will experience God’s grace. God wants to reveal more of Himself to us, but we often try to get out of the processes He puts in place that cause our roots to grow down deep into Him. We complain when life isn’t easy or God doesn’t enact His plan right away. Joseph’s path to the promise was long and difficult. We don’t read where he complained or questioned God. He held onto to his faith through the years of feeling forgotten by God, even when he didn’t understand. God will restore, support and strengthen you when you walk through these times. His grace will be sufficient as well. He will cause you to be fruitful in the land of suffering.

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One of the moments I remember most from high school was being in a locker room in Waco, Texas before the basketball state championship. Everyone was nervous feeling the weight of the game we were about to play. Coach walked in with The Dallas Morning News newspaper folded up. He said, “I want y’all to hear this article. It says, ‘The State Championship is a mere formality for (our opponent). (Our school) lacks the height and the talent to keep up.’” Something happened in that moment. He said, “Go prove them wrong!” We started banging on the lockers and screaming. We came out of that locker room a force to be reckoned with and won the game. We were all of a sudden motivated to win, but it was the discipline we learned in practice that gave us the victory.

Motivation is a good thing, but it doesn’t keep you going. When we first accept Jesus, find our calling or discover our God given purpose, our motivation is high. When it comes down to working it out, getting things moving or bumping into roadblocks on the way, motivation does very little to keep us on the path. It’s the daily disciplines that do that. Motivation is emotional and depends on success to stick around. Discipline is willpower and depends on determination to move despite how you’re feeling. God gives us the mountain top, emotional experiences because we need the motivation from time to time, but He expects us to be disciplined to continue through the valleys of not being able to hear Him or sense His direction for our lives.

Proverbs 30:25 says, “The feeble ant has little strength, yet look how it diligently gathers its food in the summer to last throughout the winter” (TPT). He keeps working for the future despite the present, and is a good example for us. You may have lost your motivation along the way to doing what God called you to, but let me encourage you to begin small, disciplined steps to move you towards it. Find five things you can do daily that will keep you moving towards the place where God is calling you, and do them no matter what. The ant is considered wise and a hard worker in this Scripture because he does the necessary work before the winter arrives. So you and I need to be working while we can as God moves us towards the place He is leading us. Motivation may give you momentum, but discipline will help you accomplish all God has for you to do.

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Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

In Sunday School I held up a $20 bill. Like clockwork one of the students yelled out, “Can I have that?” I then crumbled it up and asked, “Do you still want it?” He looked at me as if I were crazy and said, “Yes!” I threw it on the floor, stomped on it and jumped on it. Do you think he still wanted it? Of course he did. I put it under my arm and held it there. He still wanted it. I asked, “What if I make tears in it?” He said, “I’d still take it because it’s still worth $20.” I then told the group how some of them had been through some tough times. They’ve been stomped on, crumpled up and put through some dark times. The temptation is to look in the mirror and talk bad about yourself as if your value has diminished. I reminded them that they’re made in the image of God, and so are other people. Nothing they do, or that’s been done to them, could change their value.

In John 8, Jesus was teaching in the Temple when a group of religious experts brought Him a woman. They said she had been caught in the act of adultery and that the law said she should be stoned to death. With rocks in their hands, they asked Jesus, “What do you say?” The Lord looked at His creation in love, seeing her value hadn’t changed. He then began drawing in the dirt as He did when He formed Adam and Eve. They insisted that He answer. They had already devalued her. Jesus simply said, “Let he who is without sin throw the first stone.” On that moment, I believe that saw that their sin and past hadn’t affected their value either. They dropped the stones and walked away. The woman stood there and Jesus asked her where were the ones who condemned her. He then told her He didn’t either and that she should go and sin no more.

In Genesis 1:27 it says, “So God created man and woman and shaped them with his image inside them. In his own beautiful image, he created his masterpiece. Yes, male and female he created them” (TPT). When you grasp that you are made in God’s image, it will be difficult to devalue yourself. When you hear the voices in your mind saying you’re not good enough, your past disqualifies you, you’re too far gone or that you’re worthless, I want you to read this verse and tell them to shut up. Remind yourself that your value isn’t based on what you’ve done or been through. Your value can’t be changed because you are made in God’s image. You are a priceless masterpiece that He created. It’s time to drop the rocks of phrases you allow on repeat in your mind. Keep reminding them you’re made in God’s image until they all disappear. You are covered in the righteousness of Jesus and He doesn’t condemn you for what’s been forgiven and forgotten.

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