Devos

Jesus Is a Wonderful Counselor

   

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor” (Isaiah 9:6).

Have you ever been to camp? If you have, you know what it is to have a counselor. Your counselor is a person who answers your questions, helps you find your way around the camp, stays in the cabin with you at night, and basically looks out for you during your week at camp. If you’ve been to a Christian camp, your counselor might have prayed with you, talked with you about problems in your life, or answered your questions about the preacher’s messages. If you had a good counselor, you probably came away from camp thinking that person was the next best thing to chocolate ice cream!

Isaiah 9:6 calls the Messiah, Jesus Christ, a Wonderful Counselor. Jesus is even better than the counselors you have at camp. Those counselors might be good people who truly want to help you, but they are not the kind of counselor that Jesus is. Jesus is a perfectly holy person Who knows exactly how to help you with any problems you have. Just a few years ago, your camp counselors were probably campers like you; they needed counselors themselves. Romans 11:34 indicates that Jesus has never needed a counselor. He has never needed any help or advice from anyone. He has always been perfect in wisdom and knowledge. He is a counselor you don’t have to leave behind at the end of an exciting week of camp. Once He becomes Your Savior, He will go with you through your entire life—guiding you, caring for you, listening to you, and giving you wisdom for each problem you face.

How do we get counsel (“wise advice or help”) from Jesus? In James 1:5 He promises to give us wisdom if we ask him for it. And Psalm 119:24 says that we can find God’s counsel in His Word, the Bible. As you read God’s Word, look for things that apply to your life. Look for commands you can obey. Look for promises you can trust in. Look for guidance about specific problems you might have. You can never go wrong following the counsel of Jesus. He is a Wonderful Counselor.

My response: Am I looking for and following the counsel of Jesus in His Word?

Devos

God Is Everywhere We Go

   

“Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?” (Psalm 139:3–7).

“This is the conductor, Brittany. His name is Mr. Ben. He’ll take care of you during your train ride.” Brittany’s dad handed her suitcase to the man with the blue uniform and scruffy mustache. Slowly, she reached up to shake Mr. Ben’s hand, but he was already turning to lead her up the little staircase and into the coach car of the train.

Her dad hugged her good-bye and held onto her shoulders for a second. “Remember what we talked about. Mom and Grandpa will be waiting for you at the station. If you need anything during the trip, ask Mr. Ben. He knows where the restrooms and the dining car are.”

Brittany nodded her head.

“You okay?”

Brittany nodded her head again. She was feeling like there might be some kind of crazy hamster wheel twirling in her stomach.

“I’m sorry you’re having to go on by yourself. But Mr. Ben will take good care of you on the train, and I’ll be able to join the rest of the family when I get off work on Friday night. All right?”

She nodded again.

“Okay, then. I love you. See you soon!”

Brittany climbed the staircase and sat down in a seat. She got the whole seat to herself, and she was right by a window. Mr. Ben handed her a carton of chocolate milk. The twirling-hamster-wheel feeling in her stomach was starting to go away. This wasn’t so bad, after all. From where he stood on the platform outside, her dad was waving to her, and she smiled as she waved back.

Have you ever had to try something new for the first time? Have you ever been in a situation that made you nervous because you were all by yourself? Like Brittany’s experience with a train trip all alone, sometimes we get stuck in uncomfortable places or circumstances that we have to go through. We cannot always pick or choose the way we want things to be. And Brittany had the promise of Mr. Ben taking care of her, but sometimes we really cannot turn to anyone. Sometimes we cannot count on a human being to help us through a new or difficult experience.

But If you are a believer in the God of the Bible you can remember that God is everywhere at all times. He is God. He is always there for us to talk to, always there for us to call on for help, and always there when we need to know we are not alone. He is always there even though we cannot see Him.

How often do you think about the fact that God is everywhere, all the time? The word for that is “omnipresent,” which means “present everywhere.” If God’s children reminded themselves more often that He is omnipresent, they would probably feel safer, braver, and more willing to trust in Him. His people are never truly alone when they go through hard things. Whether it is on a train, in a hospital, around a campfire, near a grave, in front of a crowd, or up a tree, God is there. He is truly everywhere we go.

God is everywhere at all times.

My response:
» When I am alone, do I forget God and start thinking like I am alone?
» When I face a new experience or a hard trial, do I think about where God is?
» How can I show others that I believe God is everywhere I go?

Truth in Real Life Moments

Ann Hasseltine Judson

   

“Direct me in Thy service, and I ask no more. I would not choose my position of work, or place of labor. Only let me know Thy will, and I will readily comply.”

Born on December 22, 1789, Ann Hasseltine was just an ordinary girl who became a remarkable wife, mother, teacher, translator, and the first woman American missionary to travel outside of the country.

Ann was saved at age 16. During her twenties, she met a man studying missions at a seminary near her home. His name was Adoniram Judson. Two years later, they were married, and the day after their wedding, they left for the mission field of India.

Aside from her husband, Ann was alone in a sense on the mission field. She lived in India and then Burma with no family, no friends, and no children. A baby boy was eventually born to her, but just eight months later, little Roger William Judson died of terrible cholera. Ann did not complain.

Adorinam Judson was once accused of being a spy and was put in “death prison.” Despite her own illness at the time, Ann continued to take care of him, taking him food every day. Her husband likely would have died without her faithfulness in caring for him. Imagine the souls that never would have been saved! 63 churches and 7,000 converts might have reason to be grateful to God for giving Judson such a self-sacrificing, servant-hearted wife.

Judson recovered for a time and got to go home, but Ann never got truly well again. She died on the mission field. When Adoniram Judson had originally written to Ann’s father to request her hand in marriage, he asked Mr. Hasseltine whether he could be willing to part with his daughter forever. In those days, travel was by sea-voyage, so it was awfully limited, long-lasting, and expensive. Missionaries did not come home every four years or so for a break. And life overseas was so physically dangerous that usually, a commitment to missions was a lifetime commitment – many missionaries never returned home alive from the field. By God’s grace, Mr. Hasseltine was able to say “yes,” and Ann also willingly gave the rest of her life to Jesus Christ, her husband, and to spreading the Gospel for God’s glory.

What are you willing to sacrifice for Christ? What items or people do you hold so dear that you would hesitate before trusting and obeying God’s leading for your life? If Jesus Christ truly is our greatest possession, sharing Him with the lost should be our greatest joy.

1 Timothy 6:7 – For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

Devos

Jesus Wants True Disciples

   

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31).

When Jesus was on earth, He called people to come and follow Him. You’ve probably heard the stories of how He called different men to be His followers, or disciples. He called Peter, Andrew, James, and John while they were fishing. He called Matthew, who was a tax collector. He even picked Judas, a man who would betray Him. Twelve men were Jesus’ special followers who traveled with Him throughout His ministry on earth.

Women and children followed Jesus too. Often there were crowds of people around Him wherever He went. But was everyone who followed Jesus really His true disciple?

The word “disciple” means “a learner,” or “someone who follows the teachings of another.” Here are some things Jesus said about His true disciples. First, His disciples have to be people who have believed on Him (John 8:31). His disciples love Him more than anyone or anything else—even themselves (Luke 14:26). His disciples love each other (John 13:35). His disciples keep His Word—not just when they feel like it, but all the time (John 8:31). And His disciples bear fruit (John 15:8). In other words, people can look at Jesus’ followers and see that God is changing their lives in good ways. He is making them like Jesus.

Jesus still wants true disciples today. Does it sound hard to be His true disciple? Jesus didn’t say that His true disciples would be perfect people. He didn’t say they would never fail in their love and obedience to Him. The word “disciple” refers to someone who is learning to love, obey, and bear fruit. Even disciples need the Holy Spirit’s help to make good changes in their lives. A disciple is someone who wants more than anything else to become like the perfect Teacher, Jesus Christ.

Jesus wants true disciples who are learning more and more to love and obey Him.

My response:
» Am I a true disciple of Jesus?

Devos

God Is Good to All

   

“The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalm 145:9).

Trisha watched her friend Jillian Blair run to her mother’s car and jump inside. Through the window she could see Jillian’s mother holding up the bird mobile Jillian had made in art class, smiling and exclaiming over it. Mrs. Blair gave Jillian a hug before starting the car and pulling out of the school parking lot.

God is so good to some people, thought Trisha. Jillian has everything. She’s pretty, she has nice clothes, she has lots of friends, she’s good in art, and she has a mother who can come pick her up after school. Trisha thought of her own mother, who had worked a full-time job for as long as Trisha could remember. Trisha had to stay late every day after school and wait two hours for her mom to get off work.

Trisha turned away from the window and noticed another friend, Heidi, sitting at a desk with her Bible open. “What are you doing?” Trisha asked Heidi.

“Learning my Bible club verse. Can I say it to you? It’s Psalm 145:9.” Heidi handed Trisha the Bible and recited, “The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

“That was perfect,” said Trisha. “Good job.”

Heidi smiled. “It’s true too,” she said. “God has been so good to our family, especially since my mom died. My grandma has been able to stay with us and help us out, and my dad was able to finish paying all Mom’s medical bills. My little brother has even gotten over having nightmares!”

Trisha gave Heidi’s Bible back. She stood up slowly and walked back to the window, realizing how wrong her thoughts had been a few moments ago. Heidi didn’t even have a mom anymore. Yet she wasn’t doubting God’s goodness. She was praising Him for all the ways He had been good to her family.

“Thank you, God, for my mom,” Trisha prayed. “Thank you that she has a good job. Thank you for my friends. And thank you for forgiving me for my wrong thoughts. You really are good to me—better than I deserve.”

God is good to all.

My response:
» How do I think about God?
» Do I focus on the things I wish I could change in my life?
» Or am I praising God for the many ways He is good to me every day?