Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 87

Thursday after Lent 1

2 Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife. 3 And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5 But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, 8 and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” 10 In the house the disciples began questioning Him about this again. 11 And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.” ~ Mark 10:2-12 (NASB)

Divorce has become an acceptable sin. Jesus’ words remind us that God created marriage as a sacred institution in which a husband and wife become one. Divorce tears apart His holy creation. Almost equally acceptable in today’s society is sexual relations outside of marriage. Couples “live together” without benefit of matrimony, and we look away. Couples other than one man and one woman demand the right to marry. Yet in God’s holy eyes, all sin is abominable. He does not give us permission to ignore any of His Word. We don’t get to choose which laws to obey and which to break. God requires total obedience. Praise and glory to Him that on the many occasions we fall short, He is faithful to forgive us if we sincerely repent. The Blood of Jesus wipes away all our iniquity and imputes the righteousness of Jesus to us.

Thank You, Lord, for Your grace, Your mercy, and Your love for each one of Your sinful, rebellious children. Do not let me take advantage of Your grace, Lord. Guide me in Your righteous paths so I do Your will. When I do go astray, let me never excuse my sin or congratulate myself that what I have done is only a small sin, not nearly as bad as those sins committed by other people. Give me a repentant and grateful heart when I miss the mark, no matter how small. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Wednesday after Lent 1

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way. ~ Psalm 139:23-24 (NASB)

We want to hide our sins from ourselves as well as from God. Of course, we know we can’t hide anything from God, but it seems that sometimes we think if we can just hide our evil thoughts and actions from ourselves, they aren’t real. But whether we acknowledge them or not, our sins are very real to God. He forgives us when we repent, but it pains Him when we sin.

Lord God, I ask You to search my heart and my mind for the hidden sins. Show me where I have gone astray from Your Word, and guide me back onto Your path of righteousness. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. Amen.

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Tuesday after Lent 1

30 From there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it. 31 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him. 33 They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, He called the twelve and *said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.” ~ Mark 9:30-37

Like the disciples, sometimes we want to keep silent about what we are doing or thinking because we want recognition and appreciation. We like people to say good things about us and look at us with respect and admiration. But God’s Word and Jesus’ example point to another way. God wants us to put ourselves last and serve others first. Our sinful natures entice us to put ourselves first, but that’s not God’s way.

Heavenly Father, You said that I must be a servant, last of all. I must serve the children, the weak and poor, the ones we call the least in this world. When I receive and care for those people, I have received and cared for Jesus. Help me to do good to those need it the most. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.



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Monday after Lent 1

14 When they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. 15 Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him. 16 And He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” 17 And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; 18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” 19 And He *answered them and *said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” 20 They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.” 26 After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. 28 When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” 29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.” ~ Mark 9:14-29

We all want to have a strong faith, but often we find ourselves doubting. We aren’t likely to be called on to cast out demons, but we fall short when we are called on to demonstrate our faith in other ways. If Jesus Himself needed prayer to cast out the demon, how much more do we need prayer to do what we need to do. Rather than doubting or trying to do things in our own power, let’s call on God in prayer.

Heavenly Father, although I want to have a strong faith, how often do I doubt. Yet Your Word tells us that all things are possible to those who believe. You can turn the most degenerate sinner into Your loving follower, heal the worst illness, solve the unsolvable problem. Lord, I believe—please help my unbelief! In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, now and forever. Amen.

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The First Sunday in Lent

13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. ~ Colossians 1:13-20 (NASB)

Sometimes we forget that we dwell in God’s Kingdom, not by our own merit, but solely by His grace. Jesus gave His life on the cross for our redemption and the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus alone reconciles us to the Lord, and He shed His precious blood to do it.

Heavenly Father, I thank You that Jesus has rescued me from the domain of darkness and transferred me to His Kingdom. I am unworthy, but You are merciful. You sent us Your Son, created in Your image and Creator of all things. He holds everything together, Lord, even the sinews of my body. This is beyond my comprehension, but I thank You for all Jesus has done and continues to do, reconciling all things to You. Give me a grateful heart, Lord, and the desire and will to walk in the paths in which You lead me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Saturday after Ash Wednesday

2 Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ~ Hebrews 12:2-3 (NASB)

In our self-centeredness and sin, we prefer not to suffer at all. We want people to like us, not dislike or mock us. Yet Jesus endured hostility—even hate that killed Him—and looked ahead to His glory rather than complaining about the pain of torture and the shame of the cross.

Lord, my God, let me follow the example of Jesus. Let me willingly and joyfully sacrifice to become closer to You. Let me ignore the disregard of the world. Point my eyes toward Heaven and You and away from the things of the earth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Friday after Ash Wednesday

3 A voice is calling,

“Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;

Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

4 “Let every valley be lifted up,

And every mountain and hill be made low;

And let the rough ground become a plain,

And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,

And all flesh will see it together;

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

6 A voice says, “Call out.”

Then he answered, “What shall I call out?”

All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades,

When the breath of the Lord blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers, the flower fades,

But the word of our God stands forever. ~ Isaiah 40:3-8 (NASB)

The pathway for the Lord is rough everywhere in the world, including our own hearts. We have to ask God’s help to smooth the way, giving us true repentance and understanding of His Word. We have to slow down enough in our busy lives to let God work in our hearts to prepare us the coming Easter.

Heavenly Father, this Lent smooth out the rough places in my heart and create a smooth pathway for Your Word that stands forever. Open my eyes and ears to see and hear and understand. Most of all, let Your Word work in my life to show Your eternal glory to people who are like grass that withers away. May I always stand on Your Word. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, now and forever. Amen.

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Thursday after Ash Wednesday

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” 34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” ~ Mark 8:31-38 (NASB)

Peter thought he knew better than Jesus. Because he couldn’t understand God’s plan for Jesus to suffer and be killed, he tried to hush Jesus when He talked about His coming death. Yet Jesus rebuked Peter for looking through man’s eyes, tempted by Satan, rather than trusting implicitly in God. It’s easy to look at Peter and condemn him, but how often are we arrogant enough to think we know best. “How could You let a little child suffer so?” we cry. “Why are You allowing that family to go through such misery?” we ask. We need to remember that it’s not our place to question God.



Lord, God, although I don’t understand, I can trust that Your eternal plan is perfect and pure. What I see as evil, You plan for good. Above all, Lord, help me to revere You as the Creator and Ruler of the Universe. I am sinning against You when I think in my human ignorance that I know better the Holy, Omniscient, Omnipresent Lord of the Universe. Forgive me, Father, and lead me in the path of truth. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Ash Wednesday and Lent 2015

I have written in the past about Ash Wednesday and Lent. As I have done in previous years, each day during Lent, I will post a brief devotion. I hope you will join me in examen and repentance.

27 Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.” 29 And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter *answered and *said to Him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And He warned them to tell no one about Him. ~ Mark 8:27-30 (NASB)

Everyone who encountered Jesus wondered who He was, and many people thought He was a great prophet from the past. Yet Peter knew Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. Today, so many people say Jesus was a great teacher or a good man or miraculous healer. Yet He was the Messiah, the Lord of lords and King of Kings, our Savior and Redeemer. During this Lenten season, may we remember His sacrifice and what it means to us.

Heavenly Father, renew my heart and spirit knowledge that Jesus, with You and the Holy Ghost, is the Lord of lords and the God of gods. He is the Savior of the world and my personal Savior. As I go through this upcoming season of reflection and repentance, Lord, help me to recognize and repent of all the sin in my life. In His name I pray. Amen.

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Happy Valentine’s Day

“We love, because He first loved us.” ~ 1 John 4:19 (NASB)

May your Valentine’s Day be filled with love–love of spouse/significant other, love of family, love of friends, and–most of all–love of God.