Trust and obey, watch and pray, abide and bear fruit

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching the blog archives for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog. As you read, I encourage you to record any reflections or comments you may have, for the entries here serve best as the first remarks in a conversation.

Blessings and best wishes,
Dr. Will

Monday, June 14, 2010
Devotions: Ps 77, 80; Num 9:15-23; 10:29-36; Rom 1:1-15; Mt 17:14-21

I cry out loud to God; I moan and meditate—I can’t sleep and I am deeply troubled. The only thing that helps is to think carefully about God’s kindness in days past. I realize that God is faithful and His steadfast love has never failed me. I hold in mind YHWH’s deeds, and that centers and blesses me. Lord, Your way is holy; there is no other God. You work wonders and bless Your people. All nature bows to Your power and authority, and You have never forsaken Your people. You are enthroned above us; come and save now, Lord. Restore me, O God; let Your face shine, that I may be saved. You delivered Israel; You brought prophets and kings, and finally Your Son to deliver us. Now, Your church is ravaged again. Take heed, Lord, and return to us and return us to You! Let Your hand be on those who love and serve You; I will never turn back. Let Your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

When Moses set up YHWH’s tabernacle, the Lord’s cloud covered it; and at evening, the cloud appeared fiery until morning. Whenever the cloud lifted over the tent, Israel would set forth, and follow until the cloud stopped, and there they would encamp. Some times, the cloud stayed for a day or a night, sometimes for much longer. Whether it was a day or a month or longer, the people of Israel remained in camp. They tarried at God’s command, and they moved on at His direction. The people kept YHWH’s command, led by Moses. At a particular time, God distributed His Spirit among seventy elders of Israel circling the tabernacle; and the seventy prophesied. Likewise, two men in the camp, Eldad and Medad, also received the Spirit and prophesied; though registered, they had not gone out to the Tent of Meeting with the others. Joshua took offense, and urged Moses to forbid Eldad and Medad to prophesy. But Moses replied, ‘I wish all God’s people were prophets, anointed with His Spirit.’ He let the two prophesy in the camp without penalty, and went on about God’s business.

Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome—his longest canonical epistle, and the most influential. The letter began: Paul, servant of the Messiah Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart to serve God’s gospel, which He promised in advance through His prophets in the holy scriptures: the gospel concerning His Son, Who was descended from David according to the flesh and was designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness, attested by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus the Messiah our Lord, through Whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the same of His name among all the nations, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus the Messiah. To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Messiah. I thank God through Jesus the Messiah for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. God is my Witness, Whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that I mention you in my prayers ceaselessly, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, yours and mine together. I want you to know, my brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you, though prevented so far, in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation to Greeks and barbarians, to wise and foolish alike; so I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

As Jesus, Peter, James and John returned from the Mount of Transfiguration, they encountered a crowd. A man came up to Jesus and knelt, saying ‘Lord, have mercy on my son; he is an epileptic and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.’ Jesus answered, ‘Faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring the boy here to Me.’ Jesus rebuked him and the demon departed from the boy, and he was cured instantly. Later the disciples came to Jesus in private, asking why they had failed to cast out the demon. Jesus answered, ‘Because of your little faith. I tell you truly, if you have faith like a tiny grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible to you.’