Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 27

Devotion for Tuesday after Lent 5

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. ~ Romans 6:12-18

We don’t like to be slaves to anyone or anything. Yet clearly we have been slaves to sin, when we let sin control our lives. Now, through God’s grace, we can be slaves to obedience, to righteousness because we let God control our lives. Sin is a terrible taskmaster, but God is a loving and kind father.

Loving and gracious God, I do not want to be the slave of sin. I want You—only You—to be in control of my life. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Monday after Lent 5

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. ~ Romans 5:1-11

Reconciliation with God—a free gift and cause for great rejoicing. Imagine giving up your own life for someone else. You may sacrifice yourself for your spouse or your child or your parent, but probably not for someone you didn’t know—especially for someone evil. Yet Jesus gave up His life so we, the sinners and evil ones, could live. He didn’t wait until we repented to die, but He died so we would repent.

Lord, I repent of my sins that led to Jesus’ death on the cross. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, empower me to live a life pleasing to You. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for the Fifth Sunday in Lent

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. ~ James 5:13-18

The Bible tells us to pray for relief when we are suffering, to pray for healing when we are sick. Do we really believe when we pray that God is going to heal the sick and relieve the suffering? I’ve seen and experienced miracles in my life, so I know prayer can be very effective. God is not a vending machine that releases healing when we press the right button (say the right prayer). He is sovereign, and He decides, often for reasons unknown to us, whom He will heal now, whom He will heal later on earth, and whom He will heal in heaven.

Lord God, thank You for the miraculous healings I have experienced in my own life and seen in others. Let my prayers always be prayed with faith that You will answer them in the way that is best for me, even when I don’t understand. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Saturday after Lent 4

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

~ Romans 3:21-28

It’s so easy to compare ourselves to others and think we’re not so bad. Yet, God tells us in His Word that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We cannot compensate for our sins by good works. There is nothing we can do to wipe away our iniquities. We are justified only by the Blood of Christ. We cannot boast of our salvation because we received it by grace—we do not deserve to be justified, but God in His great mercy imputes the righteousness of Christ to us through our faith in Him.

Gracious and merciful God, I do not deserve Your forgiveness and Your justification, yet You give them to me through grace. Nothing I can do can compensate for my sins or make me righteous, but my life is Yours to do with as You will. Show me what You want me to do. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Friday after Lent 4

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.” ~ Ezekiel 34:11-12

The Lord God—the omniscient, omnipresent, almighty, sovereign, holy ruler of the universe; the Alpha and the Omega—seeks His scattered sheep. He doesn’t leave this to the angels or heavenly host or to men, but He seeks us, calls our name, and draws us to Him. We may think we found God, but He found us first.

Thank You, Holy Triune God, for calling my name and drawing me to You. Thank You that the Son came to earth and paid the penalty for my sins. Thank You that the Holy Spirit dwells within me. Thank You that the Father loves me beyond my imagination. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Thursday after Lent 4

Many bulls encompass me;
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion. ~ Psalm 22:12-13

In this passage, David was prophesying about the Crucifixion of Jesus. During His torture leading up to the cross and while He was on the cross, Jesus was surrounded by evil men who wanted Him dead. David compared them to strong bulls of Bashan, an area known for its well-fed and strong cattle, and to a roaring lion. The men who killed Jesus were strong, but their strength was weakness compared to the strength and power of God. Yet Jesus gave Himself up and God allowed these evil and cruel men to punish Jesus—for the sake of all sinners who repent and turn to Him.

Almighty God, You are stronger and more powerful than all the evil and cruel men who have ever lived. Jesus did not have to die on the cross—He was not at the mercy of those who thought they were in control. Yet He chose to sacrifice Himself for my sins. Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner! In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Wednesday after Lent 4

Who has believed what he has heard from us?
    And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
    and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
    and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
    a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
    we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
    yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
    and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
    so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
    and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
    stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked
    and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
    and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
    he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
    make many to be accounted righteous,
    and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
    and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
    and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
    and makes intercession for the transgressors.
~ Isaiah 53:1–12

How can we read this passage and not be overwhelmed with guilt for our part in Jesus’ sufferings, gratitude for His sacrifice and our salvation, and love for the Triune God Who loved us so much?

Holy, Triune God, I am overwhelmed at reading the words the prophet spoke seven hundred years before Jesus came to earth. You planned this from before time so I could spend eternity with You. Jesus suffered so that I might live. I cannot fathom such love, and I am not worthy. Thank You, precious Lord, that You are merciful and gracious, abounding in love. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Tuesday after Lent 4

Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
    he shall be high and lifted up,
    and shall be exalted.
As many were astonished at you—
    his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
    and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
so shall he sprinkle many nations.
    Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,
for that which has not been told them they see,
    and that which they have not heard they understand. ~ Isaiah 52:13-15

Centuries before Jesus lived and died, Isaiah prophesied about God’s servant being lifted up (crucified on the cross) and marred in appearance (from the torture He endured). He would be exalted and astonish many. It’s hard to realize that God knew exactly how man would fall and need to be redeemed, and He planned that redemption from the beginning of the world. The Lord is omniscient, omnipresent, almighty, and sovereign—but more amazingly, He loves each one of us with a passion beyond human understanding.

Lord God, You planned the end from the beginning, and with You there is no beginning or end. You have always been, and You will always be. You are always everywhere, and You see everything throughout eternity. Yet You love me as if I were Your only child. Who am I that You love me so much? Only one of Your billions of children, and You love every one of us equally as much. Open the eyes and hearts of those who do not know You to understand Your great love for them and the opportunity to dwell in eternity with You if only they repent of their sins and follow Jesus. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Monday after Lent 4

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” ~ Genesis 22:1-1

It’s hard to imagine Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice
his son. Yet God had promised him that his descendants would be as numerous as
the stars. That promise came in Abraham’s old age, when he was childless far
past the time of life in which it would be physically possible for him to
father a child. God assured Abraham that he would have a son, a biological
child, born to his wife Sarah, and God delivered on that promise. Now God asked
Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, that child of promise. Abraham still believed God’s
promise to him—if he did what the Lord commanded, God would save Isaac or
restore him to life. Having seen God fulfill His promise, Abraham trusted Him.

Lord God, give me the faith of Abraham—the trust that whatever I need, You will provide. Let me put You above everything and everyone in my life, willing to give up whatever You ask me to sacrifice, knowing that You are all I need. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for the Fourth Sunday in Lent

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
    incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
I will open my mouth in a parable;
    I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
    that our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children,
    but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
    and the wonders that he has done.
He established a testimony in Jacob
    and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
    to teach to their children,
that the next generation might know them,
    the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
    so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
    but keep his commandments;
and that they should not be like their fathers,
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
    whose spirit was not faithful to God. ~ Psalm 78:1-8

The psalmist reminded the people to tell their children the stories of what the Lord had done for previous generations. The goal was for the children to honor God and keep His commandments, but the people telling the stories had not been faithful to the Lord. Children are more apt to follow examples than to listen to words. If we want future generations to love and honor the Lord, we need to show them rather than tell them.

Father God, let me always be a good example to younger Christians. If they observe me, Lord, I want them to see someone loving You, serving You, and keeping Your commandments. Empower me by the Holy Spirit to be that person. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.