Month: November 2018

Have You Seen?

“Have You Seen?” By Kirk Hunt

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.

Isaiah 6:1 NKJV

The Temple was just as beautiful and impressive as it had always been.  Then suddenly, it was pale in comparison.  The majesty, glory and presence of God filled a space unable to begin to contain so much power, might and eternity.  In that moment Isaiah saw the God of heaven as you should see Him.

Perhaps you are new in Christ.  You may be a seasoned veteran of God’s Kingdom.  Either way, you need to see again.  I pray that you will come into His presence, in His full glory.  I want you to see God, as He should be seen.

We are His children.  He loves us as no other can.  Still, He is a big God and we are a very small part of His creation.  We need to understand what it means for the God of all creation to concern Himself with us.

He is at the center of all things and He designs and plans in love and grace toward us.  With swirling galaxies and nebula, whirling around Him, He turns the loving eye of a father on mere men and women.  With all of creation clamoring to worship our infinite God, He concerns Himself with us.

Isaiah saw and understood.  A very big God, uncontainable in any earthly place or space, concerned Himself with one soul.  Have you seen that the God of creation concerns Himself with you?

Think:      Do I really see God in all of His glory and majesty?

Pray:         “Lord, help me to see You.”

Copyright © December 2018, Kirk Hunt

This devotional is brought to you courtesy of CadreMen Press.  You can purchase a copy of Blessed and Blessing: Devotionals For Gospel Champions from your favorite bookseller or directly from CadreMen Press.

Thanksgiving In The End

“Thanksgiving In The End” By Kirk Hunt

All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,   saying:

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”

Revelation 7:11–12 NKJV

After a year of crisis, difficulty and calamity everything ends in thanksgiving.  Not the holiday, precious as that day is, but in victory through Jesus.  “Flip to the back of The Book.  We win!”

The Multitude of Revelation 7 are men and women who stood faithful in Jesus.  They stayed the course through hardship, martyrdom or persecution. Their reward?  An eternity of victory, joy and presence with our Savior. 

Despite the short-term negatives, they live forever in victory and thanksgiving to Jesus.  You too can do the same.  Wash your robes, the life you live, in the Blood of Jesus.  The rest will be joy and victory; at least, in the long-term.

I would that I could promise you pleasantness and ease in the here and now.  Scripture promises that even His precious ones see difficult and experience pain.  What I can guarantee that those who keep faith in Jesus will experience joy and victory in His eternity.  The there and then will be worth the journey.

The last year has been difficult for many and perhaps for you.  Sooner, or later, we all experience joy, victory and thanksgiving before God’s Throne.  Stay the course in Jesus.  There will be thanksgiving in the end.

Think:       It is my responsibility to find and support a faithful Bible teacher.

Pray:         “Lord, help me to learn Your Word as deeply as I can.”

 

Copyright © November 2018, Kirk Hunt

This devotional is brought to you courtesy of CadreMen Press.  You can purchase a copy of Blessed and Blessing: Devotionals For Gospel Champions from your favorite bookseller or directly from CadreMen Press.

Seek Faithful Teachers

“Seek Faithful Teachers” By Kirk Hunt

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;  and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 NKJV

Too many, including myself, have put the blame on the false teachers.  Suddenly, I understand that the students and followers should be held accountable.  You have to want the truth, in the first place.

I am guilty of not always wanting to hear the truth.  Scripture has a way of roughing up God’s men and women.  Still, find a faithful Bible teacher and dig in.  Do your homework and follow along in your own copy of the Bible.

A faithful Bible teacher has one agenda: To teach God’s truth from God’s Word.  A faithful Bible teacher does not care about your political leanings, cultural bias or level of sensitivity.  A faithful Bible teacher cares only that you hear the pure and untainted Word of God. 

Also, you must make the effort to learn from God’s Word for yourself.  Your Bible teacher cannot have a relationship with God for you.  You must seek Him and His truth for yourself.  And there will be times in your Christian journey when only God’s voice will satisfy you.

It is your soul and therefore your responsibility.  If you can read and understand this devotional, then you can read and understand the Holy Bible.  Do your part of the hard work of learning God’s Word.

Think:       It is my responsibility to find and support a faithful Bible teacher.

Pray:         “Lord, help me to learn Your Word as deeply as I can.”

 

Copyright © November 2018, Kirk Hunt

This devotional is brought to you courtesy of CadreMen Press.  You can purchase a copy of Blessed and Blessing: Devotionals For Gospel Champions from your favorite bookseller or directly from CadreMen Press.

Evangelize The Strangers And Foreigners

“Evangelize The Strangers And Foreigners” By Kirk Hunt

When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?   Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’   And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Matthew 25:38-40 NKJV

The word stranger in Scripture almost always translates as foreigner (xenos).   God’s people are commanded in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, to treat foreigners with generosity, justice and grace.  In this current season, foreigners fleeing war, persecution and enslavement are greeted as villains, not victims.

After killing an Egyptian, Moses fled to Midian.  Would you have turned Moses the fugitive away as a threat to national security?

David fled from his father-in-law Saul to Moab and later Philistia.  Would you have kept David the persecuted out of the country as a risk to law and order?

Joseph, Mary and Jesus fled from Herod to Egypt.  Would you have denied the Holy Family admittance as an economic drain on the country?

The refugees and evacuees are fleeing death and destruction.  Where are they going?  To the very Christian nations who should be busy evangelizing them. 

Who could be more open to the Gospel of Christ than someone desperate to enter a Christian nation?  They may be strangers to you, but they are well known to Father-God.  Should you not make an effort to minister to the “least of these?”

Think:       God help me to remember that refugees and foreigners are open to Your Gospel.

Pray:         “Lord, help me to minister to Yours sons and daughters from another land.”

 

Copyright © November 2018, Kirk Hunt

This devotional is brought to you courtesy of CadreMen Press.  You can purchase a copy of Blessed and Blessing: Devotionals For Gospel Champions from your favorite bookseller or directly from CadreMen Press.