Champion Forest, Author at Devotionals

RHYTHM: DAY 2

April 21, 2020

In Psalm 4, King David expresses quiet trust in troubling circumstances. David’s recollection of past experiences of deliverance gives him confidence that what God has done before, He will do again.

The psalm reminds the reader to not give in to anger that would lead them to take revenge. The way to prevent sin is found in verse 4 – ponder in your hearts and be silent.

Remind yourself in a quiet moment of the trustworthiness of God, and He will give you genuine joy despite your circumstances (Philippians 4:12-13).

Psalm 4

Answer Me When I Call

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

²O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah
³But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.

⁴Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
⁵Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the Lord.

⁶There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
⁷You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.

⁸In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Prayer –

Father,

Please answer me like you have in the past. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

Although there are those that may be against me, I know that you chose me, set me apart, to have a personal relationship with you.

Help me to meditate on your trustworthiness instead of giving in to my anger and seeking retribution on my own.

Thank you for giving me a joy through Jesus Christ that does not depend on my circumstances, whether good or bad. I will rest in your peace because ultimately nothing can separate me from your love.

Amen.

Rhythm

RHYTHM: DAY 1

April 20, 2020

We are taking 21 days as a church to focus on prayer.

During this time we are going to use the prayer and songbook of the people of God, the Psalms. Read and meditate on the psalm each day with us and then, in response, pray that psalm in your own words. Our devotional authors have provided an example of how they prayed the psalm as well!

Our desire is to see our people grow in their prayer life during this time.

Here in Psalm 1 we have the gateway in to the prayer and songbook of the people of God. We see that any who would delight in the law of the Lord and not walk in the counsel of the wicked will be blessed. The imagery of a tree planted by streams of water is used for the one who meditates on the word of God. Meaning, there will always be fruit in the life of one who loves and meditates on the Word of God!

Psalm 1

¹Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
²but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.

³He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
⁴The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
⁶for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

In response, take the words of Psalm 1 and make it your own prayer!

For example:

Father, I want to experience the blessing that only comes from delighting and meditating on your Law.

Help me to not walk in the counsel of the wicked. Give me the wisdom and discernment to not stand in the way of sinners.

Please give me the desire to meditate on your law day and night and to delight in it! I want to bear fruit for You.

Help me to be like a tree planted by streams of water. Help me to be continually nourished by you and Your word. Amen.

Devotional

Acts 1:6-11

April 19, 2020

Herein lies the passage of The Ascension of Jesus. This is often an overlooked aspect of the work of Jesus. We see the promise that Jesus will return in the same way in which he left. That is, in bodily form. Here we can have confidence that the risen Jesus is currently reigning with God the Father at His right hand. Of course, the well-known call to be my witnesses (called to testify/proclaim what He has done) is here in 1:8 as well.

Acts 1:6-11

The Ascension

⁶So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ⁹And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, ¹¹and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

How does the ascension of Jesus give you confidence to be his witness today? How can you be his witness today?

Devotional

Acts 1:1-5

April 18, 2020

Luke, writing to Theophilus in Acts 1, is summarizing his “first book”, what we now know as the Gospel of Luke. His words are like a literary hook, detailing what has come before then previewing what is to come after.

Jesus ordered his followers not to depart from Jerusalem and to wait for the promise of the Father, in Acts 1:4.
Refer to John 14: 16-17 to find out what the promise of the Father is.

Acts 1:1-5

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, ²until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. ³He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

⁴And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Take note of the number 40 in verse 3. In the Bible, forty is used to designate important time periods, such as during the flood when it rained for forty days and forty nights, when the Israelites wandered the wilderness for 40 years, when Jesus fasted in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights, or in this passage forty days being the period from the Resurrection to the Ascension. It can sometimes mean a period of testing, trial or probation. The duration of Harris County’s Stay at Home/Work Safe Order and the currently scheduled re-opening date for school falls within a forty day period. How has this been either an important time period, or a period of testing in your life?

Devotional

Luke 24:50-53

April 17, 2020

In Luke 24:50-53 we read about the ascension of Jesus. Jesus leads his disciples out to Bethany and there he blesses them. Then he “was carried up to heaven (v51).” We see his followers respond in joyful worship! The Gospel of Luke ends exactly where it began: with God’s people worshipping in the temple.

Luke 24:50-53

The Ascension

⁵⁰And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. ⁵¹While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵²And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³and were continually in the temple blessing God.

The ascended Lord Jesus is still at work and reigns as King! He is actively engaged in this world and in each of our lives. How does this truth comfort you today?

Devotional

Luke 24:36-49

April 16, 2020

In this passage we see Jesus appear to the disciples that were gathered together. John’s account of this event informs us that the disciples were in a room with the doors locked because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.

Just days before, the disciples had shamefully forsaken Jesus and fled whenever their Master was crucified. They allowed their disbelief in Jesus’ words and their fear to take precedent over their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, when Jesus appears to these disciples He does not utter one word of rebuke or impart shame on their fear and lack of faith. Calmly and quietly He appears in the midst of them and the first words He speaks to these followers are, “Peace to you!”

The disciples were most likely filled with fear and experiencing shame, abandonment, and confusion. Whenever Jesus appeared it is possible that they were immediately anticipating some form of rebuke from their Master, yet the Risen Savior sought to calm them and bring them peace.

Luke 24:36-49

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

³⁶As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” ³⁷But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. ³⁸And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁴¹And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” ⁴²They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³and he took it and ate before them.

⁴⁴Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Are you currently experiencing any of the emotions that the disciples were after Jesus was crucified? Fear? Shame? Abandonment? Confusion?

In what area of your life do you need the calming presence of Jesus and the “peace that surpasses all understanding”? (Phil. 4:7).

Jesus desires for you to cast all of your anxieties on Him (1 Pet. 5:7). Are you willing to surrender all that you are and everything you are experiencing into the faithful hands of Jesus? To the One who has authority over all things, and the One that is for you and “with you to the end of the age”? (Matt. 28:20).

Devotional

Luke 24:13-35

April 15, 2020

In this passage we see two disciples on their way to the village of Emmaus. While they are on their way there the risen Jesus appears to them, and we see a few things take place:

They are, mysteriously, kept from recognizing Him at first. We see this as a recurring theme in multiple gospel accounts (see John 20:14-16; John 21:4-7)
Jesus explains the Old Testament Scriptures to them and how they all point to Him
Jesus eats with them and they finally recognize Him when he breaks the bread
They run back to tell the other disciples what happened

Luke 24:13-35

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. ²²Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” ²⁵And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, ²⁹but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. ³¹And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. ³²They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” ³³And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, ³⁴saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

In verse 32 these two disciples say that their hearts burned within them as Jesus explained to them how the Old Testament Scriptures were all about Him. As believers, we have all been made a part of God’s story, and that story started long before Jesus took on flesh and was born of the virgin Mary. In order to understand the fullness of who Jesus really is and how we fit into His story, we have to immerse ourselves in the story God is telling throughout the entire Bible.

Why is it important that we understand the storyline of the Old Testament as a backdrop for understanding who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish?

How can we you use the time God has given you during this season getting more familiar with the overall story of the Bible and how it all culminates in Jesus?

Devotional

Matthew 28:11-20

April 14, 2020

We often read this with our present knowledge of the resurrection, and we forget how that first Resurrection Day impacted those around Jesus.

In the first part of this passage the chief priests and elders want to ignore the fact of Jesus’ resurrection. With their lying and continual disbelief their hearts grow harder. We may think of them as foolish trying to stop the plans of God.

In the second part, the disciples meet the resurrected Jesus. As they “see” him their hearts are turned towards worship and then action. Through the reality of the resurrection we, too, receive an ongoing responsibility.

We are saved and sent but do we think it is a foolish command to follow through with God’s plans because we won’t/don’t go?

Matthew 28:11-20

The Report of the Guard

¹¹While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. ¹²And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers ¹³and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

The Great Commission

¹⁶Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus is calling us today…right where we are, to show how much we love Him and tell others about Him.

Devotional

John 21

April 13, 2020

In John 21, Jesus appears to the disciples and we see several important truths:1) Jesus is personal. He meets you right where you are. The disciples were just doing their thing, fishing. And Jesus appears to them on the shore. Peter was so excited, he jumped right in the water!2) Jesus is a servant. Here He is, appearing after His resurrection. And what does he do? He cooks the disciples breakfast and takes the time to sit and eat with them.3) Jesus is redemptive. Peter denied Jesus three times, so Jesus gives him three opportunities to tell Jesus how much he loves him. And then He tells Peter “feed my sheep.”

John 21

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. ²Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. ³Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

⁴Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. ⁷That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. ⁸The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

⁹When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. ¹⁰Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” ¹¹So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. ¹²Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. ¹⁴This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus and Peter

¹⁵When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” ¹⁶He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” ¹⁷He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Jesus and the Beloved Apostle

²⁰Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” ²¹When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” ²²Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” ²³So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”

²⁴This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

²⁵Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Jesus is calling us today…right where we are, to show how much we love Him and tell others about Him.

Uncategorized

John 20

April 12, 2020

Happy Resurrection Day! Praise God that the tomb is empty and Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to many! As we read John 20, may we rejoice in hope!

John 20

The Resurrection

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ²So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. ⁴Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. ⁸Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; ⁹for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. ¹⁰Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. ¹²And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. ¹³They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” ¹⁴Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). ¹⁷Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” ¹⁸Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

¹⁹On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Jesus and Thomas

²⁴Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

²⁶Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” ²⁸Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of This Book

³⁰Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

At the end of John 20 we see the purpose of the book. This is the theme of the gospel of John, that these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. Do you have life in his name through faith in Jesus today?! Rejoice and worship Him for it!