Steal, Kill, and Destroy

Scripture Reading:  1 Peter 5:6-11

Focus Verse:  1 Peter 5:8  “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 

I was reading a story recently about a cow and a leopard, and how they had become friends. The leopard had lost it mother when it was very young, so the cow gave it milk.  Now the leopard is full grown, and it comes to visit the cow every night.  They even sleep together.  The leopard thinks the cow is its mother.  This is a very unusual relationship because normally the leopard would kill and eat a cow.  Could the leopard, one day, turn and devour the cow?

The Bible describes our enemy, the devil, in a similar way.  The devil walks around like a lion looking for someone to eat.  A predator usually looks for an animal that has separated from the herd.  I have been on safaris in Kenya and I see the gazelles all run together, but sometimes one or two get separated from the group.  Those are the ones that are a target for the lions.

Sometimes we as Christians get careless and get separated from our Christian friends.  We still need to pray for each other, and encourage one another to stay in God’s Word.  Satan is watching for the right time to attack.  Satan has one thing in mind to steal, kill, and destroy you. We are God’s most prized creation, so it’s no wonder that Satan would like to do away with us. So let’s not be a Christian that isolates.  Seek ways to keep in good fellowship with God and with your Christian friends.

 

~Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Bad Days Turned to Good

Scripture Reading: Luke 23:44-56

Focus Verse: Luke 24:6  “He is not here, He has risen!”

I was planning to travel to Kenya on a missions trip in May, but now I have learned that Kenya has had a serious setback with Covid-19.  So I have had to cancel this trip.  I was really sad to hear about the increase in covid cases and the way the people are suffering.  Even in our struggles, we need to remember that God is in control, and He has a plan for this seeming setback.

We read in the book of Luke, chapter 23 that Jesus’ disciples had lost all hope when Jesus was led to the cross and put to death.  This looked like the worst day in human history.  The headline on the newspaper the next day may have read “JESUS, SON OF GOD IS DEAD”.  Satan probably thought he had won a great victory, but God had a plan.  When everyone thought it was a very bad day, it really turned out to be the best day in human history.  Because when Jesus died on that cross He died and took the punishment for the sins of the whole world, and then He came out of the grave alive!   

 

Every person in the world has the opportunity to live forever, if they will put their trust in Jesus. That sounds like a very good day to me.  So when we see things like covid taking control, just remember God is controlling this, and He’s got a plan.  One of the great promises of God is the deep love that he has for you and that he is praying for us.  Romans 8:31-34 "What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?  Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.  Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us."  and verse 39, "No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Faithful Servant in Tough Times

 Scripture Reading: Matthew 24:42-51
Focus Verse: Matthew 24:45  "A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them."

As you look at the bad news from around the world today, you would think that the world is falling apart.  It's true that there is conflict and serious problems in many countries, but what are we to do during such difficult times?

Dwight Moody once said, "I look upon this world as a wrecked vessel.  It's ruin is getting nearer and nearer.  God said, Moody, here's a lifeboat.  Go out and rescue as many as you can before the ship sinks."

The answer is that we are to do the same thing in tough times that we do during times of peace when everything is going well.  John 9:4 says, "We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us.  The night is coming, and then no one can work."  There is a final day coming when our work must stop.  If we don't get busy now, we will not be able to finish the task Christ has given us to do.

If the end seemed near then in 1899 when Moody lived, how much closer to the end we must be now?  Much of the world is still open to the Gospel.  What are you doing about it?  We are not responsible for the generation that lived before us, and we are not responsible for the generation that will live after us.  We are responsible to reach this generation for Christ.

Every year we are seeing thousands of people come to Christ in Western Kenya, but also every year thousands of people die and slip into eternity without Christ.  We will not stop giving out the good news.  We will not retreat, we will not get tired.  We will work until that final day when Christ returns and takes us home.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Victory Over Death

Scripture Reading:  1 Corinthians 15: 50-58

Focus Verse:  1 Corinthians 15:57  “But thank God, He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Most people don’t give their own death much thought.  They may go to the funeral of a friend or family member and the thought comes to them “yes, I’ll die one day”.  But then they go about their busy life and somehow they think that the day they will die is far off in the future.

This time of year we celebrate Easter-the resurrection of Christ.  Jesus had an appointment with death.  He went to the cross and died for you and for me.  He took our sin to the cross. The penalty for everything we have ever done wrong was paid when He died.  Jesus died on Good Friday.  It’s called Good Friday because of what He did for us.  But Sunday is the best day because that’s the day Jesus came out of that grave alive.  Death could not hold Him there.  Jesus had victory over death.  Paul tells us in our scripture reading that “death is swallowed up in victory, oh death where is your sting?" Now, Jesus invites us to have victory over death with Him.  Yes, they will put your physical body in the grave one day when you die, but Jesus invites you to a spiritual resurrection.  

We don’t know how many days we have left on this earth.  The Bible doesn’t promise us one more day.  The time to choose Jesus is today.  Once you die it’s too late to choose.  Choose Jesus today so you will be part of that resurrection day when we will live in heaven with Him forever, and when we will have that final victory over death!

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Staying on Course

Bible Reading: Hebrews 12:1-4  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³ Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. ⁴ After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin..”

Focus Verses: Philippians 3:12-14  "I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."

I have seen in the news that one of the largest container ships in the world is blocking the Suez Canal.  The ship was hit with a strong wind while passing through the canal and is now completely blocking the passage so no other ships can pass.  Much of the world’s trade passes through the Suez Canal, and there are now 150 ships waiting to pass through.  This has created a big problem for shipping.  The canal joins the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.

Many of you reading this devotion live near Lake Victoria and you know how boats are affected by the wind and can be blown off course.  If we are not careful Satan can blow us off course with even the smallest of sins, and cause us to shipwreck.  Hebrews tells us to get rid of the sin in our lives that weighs us down so that we can run with endurance this race of life.  Paul tells us in Philippians that we are to press on so that we can win the prize.  The prize is a heavenly prize.  Some say it is the incorruptible crown: the crown of life, righteousness, and glory, that does not fade away...  We can run this race because of Jesus and then one day we will be with Jesus in Heaven for all eternity.  When you start to drift off course (which we all do) don’t be discouraged.  Stay in God’s Word and in prayer, and the Lord will help you to stay on course.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

From Success to Setback

Bible Reading : Genesis 39
Focus Verse: "But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden."—Genesis 39:21

Joseph’s story occupies more space in the book of Genesis than the stories of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, or his own father, Jacob. He was the son of Jacob’s true love, Rachel, and his own brothers hated him.

Their antagonism and hostility toward him, fueled by envy, began to grow, and ultimately they decided they wanted to kill Joseph. But they changed their minds when a group of Midianite slave traders passed by. So they sold Joseph to them for 20 pieces of silver. Then the Midianites brought Joseph to Egypt.

Potiphar, the man who purchased Joseph, was very powerful, the head of Pharaoh’s palace guard. Joseph was so responsible, so hardworking, and so full of integrity that Potiphar gave him more and more responsibilities. Ultimately, he put Joseph in charge of his entire estate.

However, Potiphar’s wife was determined to sleep with Joseph, who kept refusing her. She was far from subtle about it, and one day when the other servants had left the house, she grabbed Joseph and pulled him down on the bed.

Joseph ran out of the house as fast as he could, but she falsely accused him of rape. So Potiphar sent Joseph to prison.

How easily Joseph could have been discouraged. How easily he could have said to God, “Lord, I can’t take this anymore. First, my brothers sell me into slavery, and then this woman tries to entice me. I resisted her, and then she lied about me! Now I’m in prison. This isn’t fair!”

It wasn’t fair. Yet the Bible never tells us that Joseph said anything to that effect. He could have felt like God had forgotten him, but the Bible gives us this very important detail: “The Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:21 NLT).

The Lord was with Joseph as he sat there in that prison. And wherever you are today, the Lord will be with you, too.

by Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries

He is Not Here!

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-7 

Focus verse: Matthew 28:6  "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. "

 Caroline is a lady I met 2019 and preached to. Before then, she served as a bar maid and lived a life of adultery and was addicted to drinking alcohol. A few days ago I happen to pass where she used to serve. When I asked the bar manager about Caroline, he told me that after I preached to her and she accepted salvation, she left drinking, stopped working as a bar maid and ventured in selling second hand clothes for income. Above that he told me that the lady is walking with the Lord and committed to church. This was good news to me.  I was looking for her in the wrong place!

 

From our focus scripture, the women reaches the tomb where Jesus body was laid. They knew exactly where His body was laid. Upon reaching the tomb, they are met by an angel of God who tells them that Jesus is no longer in tomb. They are looking for Him in wrong place. He is risen! He no longer lay in the tomb. He tells them to go in and see where His body was laid as a confirmation that He is not in the tomb anymore. He tells the women to go and share the news of Jesus resurrection with others and they leave the tomb happily.

 

Pastor Eliazar Wambo

Director Bethesda Faith Ministries