An Occasion For Testimony

September 24, 2011

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , Leave a comment

Scripture

Luke 21:13 “But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.”

Observation

In this verse, the Lord is sharing with his disciples that there will be a time of persecution when people that follow Him will be brought before kings and rulers for His name’s sake.  When that happens, the Lord says that it will turn out as an occasion for testimony.

Application

From this passage, I can be assured that if I am following the Lord Jesus Christ, I can expect to be persecuted for His name’s sake.  In fact, the Lord even says in John 15:20 that “’A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”  Therefore, whenever I am mistreated, misunderstood, taken for granted, spoken about in contempt because I follow the Lord, I should not be surprised.  Instead, I should simply approach the situation as He did – receive it as an occasion for testimony.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are Jehovah Jireh, the Lord Who Sees and Who Provides!  Thank You for seeing all things concerning me including those things that have opportunity to hurt me because I follow You.   Give me strength and wisdom Lord to respond to all such occasions as an opportunity to be more like You! I love You Jesus! Amen!

An Occasion For Testimony Copyright 2011, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, An Occasion For Testimony, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

According To The Time Of Life

September 17, 2011

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , , , 2 Comments

Scripture

Genesis 18:14 “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Observation

In this verse, the Lord visited Abraham and declared that his wife Sarah would have a son according to the time of life appointed by the Lord for them.  However, because Abraham and Sarah were both advanced in age and Sarah was past the age of child-bearing, Sarah laughed within herself, considering such a plan to be too unlikely for them. In His reproof, the Lord reminds Abraham and Sarah that there is nothing too hard for Him.  In fact, according to the time of life that the Lord had planned for Sarah, He visited Sarah as promised and she bore a son as He had spoken.  As a result, Abraham named his son Isaac, meaning laughter.

Application

From this passage, I can be assured that God has a good plan for my life and at the appointed time He will make it happen because there is nothing too difficult for Him.  Even if His plan for my life doesn’t make sense in the natural and seems too laughable to consider, I must trust that He is faithful.  In fact, in Jeremiah 29:11 the Lord says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” A future and a hope in this economy?  Yes.  A future and a hope in this relational situation? Yes.  A future and a hope in this set of circumstances? Yes.  Regardless of the laughable odds perceived in the natural, in faith, the answer is simply yes because the Lord is faithful, He has a good plan for me, and at the appointed time He will fulfill His Word in my life.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are El Shaddai, the All-Powerful and All-Sufficient Lord of my life!  Thank You for the future and the hope that You have planned for me.  At Your appointed times in my life, I trust that You are faithful to complete the good work that You have begun in me because You are the faithful Author and Finisher of my faith! I love You Jesus! Amen!

According To The Time Of Life Copyright 2011, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, According To The Time Of Life, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Reap In Joy

September 10, 2011

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Scripture

Psalm 126:5-6 “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.  He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Observation

In these passages, the Word of God promises that those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.  And not only shall they reap in joy, they shall reap in joy, abundantly, bringing their sheaves (bountiful harvest) with them. Because the Lord is our Great Comforter who cares for us so much that He puts every one of our tears into His bottle (Psalms 56:8), He alone can turn our tears into multiplied rejoicing.  In fact, Jesus can sympathize with our weakness because He also knows what it is like to weep as a person.  When his friend Lazarus died, Jesus wept; however, His weeping was turned into multiplied rejoicing when He also raised him from the dead.

Application

During times of difficult life circumstances, I sow in tears before my Lord and Savior, knowing fully that He hears my cry and will answer me according to His faithfulness.  I take great comfort in the promise of God that my weeping may endure for the night, but joy does come in the morning (Psalms 30:5). Furthermore, Romans 8:28 states, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” I know that the Lord doesn’t waste anything in my life including my tears because He has promised and He is faithful (Hebrews 10:23).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are the Great Comforter of my soul! Thank You Lord for comforting me when life circumstances cause me to weep before You in the humbleness of prayer.  May all the tears I have sown through the night seasons of my life reap multiplied rejoicing through the complete fulfillment of Your Word in me!  I love You Jesus! Amen!

Reap In Joy Copyright 2010, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Reap In Joy, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Say The Word

August 28, 2011

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , 3 Comments

Scripture

Luke 7:6-7 “Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

Observation

In these passages, Luke records Jesus’ encounter with the astonishing faith of a Roman centurion. The centurion had a servant who was sick and about to die so he sent elders of the Jews to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant.  However, before Jesus could even get to the centurion’s house, the centurion sent friends to Jesus saying that the Lord did not need to visit his house, but only say the word and his servant would be healed.  Because the centurion understood authority, he also understood the power of a word spoken with authority and therefore had great faith in the power of the Lord’s spoken word to heal his servant.  As a result, Jesus marveled at the centurion’s great faith and the servant was healed.   

Application

The same is true today for me as it was true for the Roman centurion – there is power and authority in the spoken word of God.  In John 6:63, Jesus says “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” and John 1:14 says that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Because of the Word of God, I know that Jesus is the same today, yesterday, and forever Heb 13:8).  And furthermore, I know that the Lord is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34 KJV) and He is a respecter of faith (Heb 11:6).  Therefore, as I demonstrate my faith in God and speak His Word over my life, I will see the power of His Word fulfilled in my life just like the centurion did more than 2,000 years ago.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our Banner! Thank You Lord for fulfilling the promises of Your Word in my life as I believe Your Word, speak Your Word, pray Your Word, and live Your Word each day of my life for all of Your promises are yes and amen in You to Your glory through us. I love You Jesus! Amen!

Say The Word Copyright 2010, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Say The Word, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

The Beginning Of Wisdom

August 20, 2011

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , , Leave a comment

Scripture

Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”

Observation

In this passage, the psalmist declares that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To me it is pretty simple and can be summed up this way.  No fear, no wisdom. Know fear, know wisdom. This is true because the Lord is the Author of all wisdom; He is all wise and all knowing. Meditating on this truth produces a healthy fear of the Lord in me.  Furthermore, in truth, what can the created [me] – tell the Creator [God] that He doesn’t already know about His creation?

Application

The only way that I can truly know wisdom is to humbly surrender myself to the Lord, my Creator. When I submit myself to the Lord with my whole heart and humble myself before Him as a living sacrifice through prayer, praise, and worship, I am drawing near to Him with a healthy, reverential fear and He draws near to me.  I [the created] get to know the Lord [the Creator] by boldly coming before His throne of grace and through my personal relationship with Him, He draws nears to me and shares with me His mind.  James 4:8 states, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” and 1 Corinthians 2:16 states, “For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are El Elyon, God Most High, Creator and Possessor of Heaven and Earth! Thank You for making a way for me to come boldly before Your throne of grace that I may obtain mercy and find grace to help in my times of need. For without you Lord, I have nothing. I love You Jesus! Amen!

The Beginning Of Wisdom Copyright 2010, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, The Beginning Of Wisdom, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Faithful To Forgive

August 14, 2011

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , , , Leave a comment

Scripture

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Observation

In this passage, the disciple whom Jesus loved and whom was so close to Jesus that he leaned his head on the Lord’s shoulder at the last supper, the apostle John, shares one of the most incredible aspects of God’s unconditional love for us. Regardless of our sins, if we confess them to Jesus, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It’s almost too incredible to believe that Jesus loves us so much that He will forgive us and cleanse us from our sins, even when we sin as one of His disciples saved by grace through faith, but it is true because Jesus is faithful even when we are unfaithful. 

Application

I can personally know and experience the depth of Jesus’ incredible unconditional love for me in the same way that John knew and experienced the Lord’s incredible unconditional love for him as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”, despite my sin, because Jesus is faithful to forgive my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness when I confess my sin to Him. In truth, Psalms 36:5 states, “Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds” and Psalms 103:12 states, “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are Jehovah Tsidkenu, The Lord Our Righteousness! I thank You Lord for Your faithfulness to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness when I confess my sin to You. I am so grateful for Your incredible gift to become the righteousness of God in You, my Lord and Savior. I love You Jesus! Amen!

Faithful To Forgive Copyright 2010, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Faithful To Forgive, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Yet I Will Rejoice

July 31, 2011

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , , , 1 Comment

Scripture

Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls — yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Observation

In this passage, the prophet Habakkuk declares his heart-filled faith in God regardless of the circumstances surrounding him.  Even when the situation seems bleak and desperate: no blossoms on the fig tree or fruit on the vines; no food from the fields and no herd in the stalls, Habakkuk states that he will rejoice in the Lord and take joy in the God of his salvation.

Application

It does not matter if the circumstances surrounding me are really good or really bad, the Lord of my salvation is always good! No matter what, God is the all powerful, all sufficient, great El Shaddai and He is my loving heavenly Father. Through successes, trials, and tribulations, I know my heavenly Father is Lord of the mountaintop and Lord of the valley. Proverbs 18:10 says that, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe”; therefore, whenever I am in the valley of life and the situation looks bleak, I run to the Lord and find safety in His unconditional love, grace, and mercy. Because the Lord promises in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that His grace is sufficient for me and His strength is made perfect in weakness, I will rejoice in the Lord and take joy in the God of my salvation – even in the midst of personal sorrows and sufferings.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are Jehovah Shammah, The Lord Is There! I thank You Lord for always being there with me and promising to never leave me nor forsake me.  You are my strength when I am weak and my fortress when I am afraid. I love You Jesus! Amen!

Yet I Will Rejoice Copyright 2010, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Yet I Will Rejoice, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Related articles

No Fear

July 22, 2011

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , 1 Comment

Scripture

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Observation

In this passage, Paul is writing to encourage Timothy and build up his faith as he leads the church at Ephesus. He exhorts Timothy to stir up the gift of God that is in him [the free gift of the Holy Spirit] by the laying on of his hands and emphasizes to him that God does not give us a spirit of fear.  Instead, God gives us His Spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind which overcomes any fear from the enemy and empowers us to walk in peace as bold witnesses of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to the world around us.

Application

As a believer, there will be times when the devil will attack us in our minds with the only weapon he has – fear – because he knows that he can rob, steal, and kill everything that God has for us if we live in fear rather than faith.  When this happens, we must recognize that any such spirit of fear is not of God because God gives us His Spirit of power, love, and sound mind which overcomes any spirit of fear cast toward us by the enemy. 1 John 4:4-5 states, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” We can overcome fear because the Holy Spirit lives in us and He is greater than any illegal trespass of fear by the enemy.  Plus, the simple truth is that fear has no chance at all with us because the Lord loves each of us perfectly and 1 john 4:18 states that perfect love casts out fear.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your perfect unconditional love for me which casts out all fear. Because You are Jehovah Shalom, the Lord Our Peace, I am thankful to walk in Your peace, peace not as the world can give, but peace that only You can give as my Lord and Savior.  I love You Jesus! Amen!

No Fear Copyright 2010, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, No Fear, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Holy Anger Turned Away

July 5, 2011

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , 1 Comment

Scripture

Isaiah 12:1-2 “And in that day you will say: ‘O Lord, I will praise You; though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid.’”   

Observation

In this passage, Isaiah prophesies of a day when the people of God will sing to the Lord and praise Him for turning away His holy anger and comforting them as God of their salvation.  It is evident from this verse that God, in His holiness, can be angry with me which is a very sobering thought.  However, it is also evident from this verse that God’s holy anger can be turned away from me as He comforts me and I behold Him, trusting Him as God of my salvation.

Application

As a believer, there are times when I can anger the Lord with willful sin; however, in His mercy that endures forever, the Lord can turn His anger away from me through His loving correction. Even though such rebuke is painful for the moment, the Lord’s correction as my loving heavenly Father brings comfort in the end.  In fact, Psalms 30:5 declares, “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” King David expresses praise for the Lord’s everlasting mercy through this kind of loving rebuke from our holy heavenly Father when he says in Psalm 118:18, “The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death.” Therefore, just as God is holy, by the power of the Holy Spirit living in me, I must also be holy in all of my conduct as a redeemed child of the living God. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy that endures forever and Your loving-kindness that leads me to repentance when I have sinned against You! I praise You Lord for You are Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness, who is faithful and just to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness when I fail You and confess my sin to You! I love You Jesus! Amen!

Holy Anger Turned Away Copyright 2010, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Holy Anger Turned Away, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Good Works

June 26, 2011

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , Leave a comment

Scripture

Titus 3: 8 “This is a faithful saying, and these sayings I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.”   

Observation

In this passage, Paul is mentoring Titus, a trusted son in the kingdom of God, by directing him to constantly affirm with people who believe in God that they should be careful to maintain good works of faith because such good works are profitable to men. It is clear that Paul has an expectation for Titus to instruct and teach people in the body of Christ, the importance of demonstrating their faith by their good works which produces good fruit in Christ. At the same time, Paul clarifies in the previous verse that believers are saved by grace through faith in the Lord’s loving-kindness and mercy expressed toward us by Him and not by any works of righteousness of our own. With salvation firmly established in our hearts by the washing of regeneration and the perfect renewing work of the Holy Spirit in us, we are to maintain good works that demonstrate our faith in Christ and bless other people.

Application

As a believer saved by grace through faith, I must be careful to maintain good works of faith in Christ that demonstrate my faith and bless other people. In fact, the Bible says in James 2:26 that “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” And even furthermore, the Lord Himself says in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Therefore, our good works as believers in the body of Christ really do demonstrate loud and clear to those around us how much we actually do love the Lord, our God, with our whole heart, mind, and soul and our neighbors as ourselves. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the perfect work of salvation that You completed on the Cross for me to be saved by grace through faith. With my salvation secure in You for eternity through my faith in Jesus and Your sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in me, help me to demonstrate my faith each day by my good works in You that bless and benefit others. I love You Jesus! Amen!

Good Works Copyright 2010, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Good Works, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Older Entries Newer Entries