Community Devotions

"He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing” - Proverbs 29:1

 

Every child of God is reproved, corrected and disciplined by Father God. In fact correction validates us as God’s children so that we can share in his holiness and produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:10-11). The issue is not to be stubborn and stiff-necked resisting reproof. We are to be teachable to correction. It may come in the form of a gentle reminder through Scripture, a difficult confrontation from a concerned brother in Christ or from a regrettable decision filled with pain. Our response to correction should be with an open hearted not a stiff neck. When we continue to be stubborn and resist God’s love there comes a point of no return, a place of brokenness beyond healing. 

 

Endure God’s discipline letting the pain have it’s intended purpose. Do not harden my heart and resist God’s correction in all it’s forms. No-one is above correction. Coming fresh from Foursquare Convention and hearing of peers from Bible college who have disqualified themselves from ministry after repeated corrections is quite sobering. Being a pastor is a gift. Loving as a husband is a grace. Leading as a father is an honor. Shepherding God’s people is a privilege and I do not want to disqualify myself. Surround myself with godly men who love me enough to correct me. I am not above correction. I am not exempt from reproof.

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for loving me as a son and disciplining me. May it never be said of me that I am stiff necked. I humble myself before you and ask for your grace to recognize and submit myself to your loving discipline. I love you. Maranatha!

"Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him." - Psalm 98:1

 

We might not think about it that much but have we really paused and examined why we sing new songs of worship to God? Singing new songs to God is actually a command (Hebrew: qal imperative masculine plural) not a suggestion that we can exercise the option to do if we feel like it or not. Why sing new songs to God? Because God has done marvelous things! God is always doing new and marvelous things and we are to acknowledge and recognize these new things with new songs. The Lord doesn’t give us yesterday’s mercies for today’s problems—He gives us new mercies every morning because every morning requires a new outpouring of His steadfast love and mercies. We should sing new songs to God because God gives us new mercies and is doing new & marvelous things in our lives.

 

I’ve been kind of hitting a rut in my times of worship recently. I can’t pinpoint it and I haven’t been really able to experience a fresh outpouring of his presence. I’ve been trying to address it by remembering personal times of worship I had and singing the same songs. It hasn’t had the result I wanted. New seasons need new songs. God is doing new and wonderful things and I need to sing new songs to express God’s worth. Not that I want to have spiritual ADHD of inattentiveness but I want to express the marvelous (new) things God is doing in my life by singing new songs. I am going to be intentional and seek new worship songs that God is doing in different churches all over the world. 

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your new mercies everyday! Please help me not rely on yesterday’s mana but always seeking fresh and new outpouring of your presence in my life. I look to your promises that when I hunger and thirst after righteousness that I shall be satisfied. Satisfy me in your presence and in the glory of the cross. Strengthen me to lead myself, my family and your church in the newness of life in Christ and the fresh fire of your Spirit.