July 14-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Esther 4:16, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Observe what it is saying.
Part of the reason for a fast relates to setting aside our desires to pursue God’s heart. When we engage in the practice in community, it fosters a sense of unity and dependence on God. In the case of Esther, the king’s decree put her people in jeopardy of destruction. What did she do? Esther called the people to gather and fast for three days. In Scripture, this time frame implies moving from death to life. By fasting together, they communicated a collected call to God to deliver them. And that’s just what He did! When we as God’s people gather and fast together, we declare that we need God to serve as our refuge in a time of trouble. We recommend this discipline for people pummeled by persecution, ravaged by war, or collectively experiencing tribulation. Pastors and influential workers do well to call God’s people to gather and fast. Nothing can stand against those united in prayer and fasting. (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 12, Refuge)
Relate it to your life
Fasting takes prayer to another level of intimacy and efficacy.
Do something.
God, teach me to practice fasting so that I can more fully plummet Your spiritual riches. Amen.
July 15-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Daniel 3:17-18, If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
Observe what it is saying.
The statement by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego teaches us how to endure persecution. We cannot order God to respond in a certain way. We can, however, entrust ourselves to His magnificent and miraculous care. At this moment in the fiery furnace story, we do not know the outcome. We know only where they placed their trust. But we also read that thy wanted their oppressor to know something. They wanted the king to know they would not serve or worship other gods. This teaches us what to tell our oppressors. Nebuchadnezzar had a huge statue and all authority, and he demanded obedience. Such people trust in their power, wealth, and intellect. The greatest miracle in this story is not the deliverance from the fire but the proclamation by the king that no other god can save like theirs. When we trust in God, He is able to change even the most horrible oppressors into people who honor His matchless power. (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 13, Refuge)
Relate it to your life.
God can change the worst of us by the miracle power of Christ into brand-new people
Do something.
Lord God, I trust in Your ability to deliver persecuted people and to change the hearts of even the most horrible oppressors. Amen.
July 16-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Daniel 3:24-25, Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
Observe what it is saying.
God often does not save His servants from persecution but through it. He allows these trials to purify His people and to show His glory to those who do not yet know Him. This scene teaches us that God can make His servants fireproof and can even transform oppressive and fiery situations into safe and comfortable places to walk and talk. You may smell of smoke yet remain unharmed. With God, any place-even the fiery furnace- can be safe! Better to go through the fire with God than live in the palace without Him. If you find yourself experiencing religious persecution, join Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and place your trust in the God who meets and communes with you in the fire. Keep walking and talking with the Lord and fellow Christians, unbound and unharmed. Move without fear but with confidence in God’s presence despite the heat. Your bold faith serves as a witness to the watching world. (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 14, Refuge)
Relate it to your life.
As I go through my troubles in life, I need to be also be mindful and pray for persecuted Christians around the world.
Do something.
Lord God, please give persecuted Christians the courage to hold on to You and the freedom to walk and talk unbound and unharmed. Amen.
July 17-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Daniel 6:10, Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Observe what it is saying.
Daniel disciplined himself, in good times and bad, to maintain a regular posture of prayer and communication with God in his upstairs room that faced Jerusalem. He prayed there three times a day: in the morning, midday, and in the evening. In some parts of the world, laws prohibit prayer to God the worship of God. If you find yourself in such a place, today’s Scripture suggests to keep praying in your proverbial upstairs room. Although this sounds as if it would have been a private place, in antiquity, an upstairs room was visible from the tops of other homes. Daniel’s faith was known to others. He had nothing to hide. This lesson inspires us to keep practicing our Christian faith without fear and unfaithful compromise. It may not protect us from arrest, but it will maintain our relationship with God. And don’t miss Daniel’s posture. He’s on his knees and giving thanks to God. We see humility and gratitude. What if you prayed three times a day from that posture? (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 15, Refuge)
Relate it to your life.
One thing I always have control over is how much I pray putting my total trust in the Lord.
Do something.
Lord God, I approach You with humility and gratitude as I put all my trust in You. Amen.
July 18-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Daniel 6:22, My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
Observe what it is saying.
Daniel received punishment for disobeying a decree of man and maintaining his relationship with God. It happens in places of persecution. For this act, he got tossed into the den of lions. God found Daniel innocent, so He miraculously delivered him. God shut the mouths of the lions to save Daniel’s life. We see stories like this in Scripture not to show us how God will work every time but to show us how He has worked in the past. He can intervene. He can turn terrifying, bloodthirsty lions into friendly cats, the most hostile environment into a comfortable place, and a den of beasts into a lounge zone. Shutting the mouths of the lions reflects God’s sovereignty over creation. The wind and waves obey Him, and so do the animals. This teaches us that when we find ourselves in an impossible situation, God can do anything. Remember, he used ravens to feed Elijah twice a day during a drought. What conclusion can we draw from today’s reading? Do not pray for animals to save you. Nurture your walk with God. And don’t be surprised if His intervention shows His sovereignty over creation. Remember, He can do anything to save the innocent. (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 16, Refuge)
Relate it to your life.
I must never forget what is impossible with mankind is possible with God.
Do something.
Lord God, I ask You will display your justice and save the innocent around the world who are wrongly persecuted. Amen.
July 19-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Daniel 6:25-26, Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: “May you prosper greatly! “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.
Observe what it is saying.
We love this verse as it reflects the two-part response of the king after God delivered Daniel from the lions. The king directed the first part to Daniel. The king announced a blessing for him to prosper greatly and shared it with every language on earth. Think about it. Those who take refuge in God can anticipate problems, but can also look forward to Godly benefits. They will be well-known and much respected for their faithfulness. The second part relates to God. Darius celebrates God as living, enduring forever, indestructible, and eternal. Consider how of these traits teaches us about the refuge of God. Taken together, they teach us that God has been, is, and always will be alive. We live in days when kings proclaim that “God is dead!” Rather than arguing with such people, we learn from Daniel that we must show them by our faith and our fortitude God is not dead but as alive as ever. (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 17, Refuge)
Relate it to your life.
My life is a testimony to the reality that God is alive and at work in our world.
Do something.
Lord God, whether I suffer horribly or prosper greatly, cause my life to proclaim to the world that You are present in all settings at all times. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
Esther 4:16, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Observe what it is saying.
Part of the reason for a fast relates to setting aside our desires to pursue God’s heart. When we engage in the practice in community, it fosters a sense of unity and dependence on God. In the case of Esther, the king’s decree put her people in jeopardy of destruction. What did she do? Esther called the people to gather and fast for three days. In Scripture, this time frame implies moving from death to life. By fasting together, they communicated a collected call to God to deliver them. And that’s just what He did! When we as God’s people gather and fast together, we declare that we need God to serve as our refuge in a time of trouble. We recommend this discipline for people pummeled by persecution, ravaged by war, or collectively experiencing tribulation. Pastors and influential workers do well to call God’s people to gather and fast. Nothing can stand against those united in prayer and fasting. (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 12, Refuge)
Relate it to your life
Fasting takes prayer to another level of intimacy and efficacy.
Do something.
God, teach me to practice fasting so that I can more fully plummet Your spiritual riches. Amen.
July 15-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Daniel 3:17-18, If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
Observe what it is saying.
The statement by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego teaches us how to endure persecution. We cannot order God to respond in a certain way. We can, however, entrust ourselves to His magnificent and miraculous care. At this moment in the fiery furnace story, we do not know the outcome. We know only where they placed their trust. But we also read that thy wanted their oppressor to know something. They wanted the king to know they would not serve or worship other gods. This teaches us what to tell our oppressors. Nebuchadnezzar had a huge statue and all authority, and he demanded obedience. Such people trust in their power, wealth, and intellect. The greatest miracle in this story is not the deliverance from the fire but the proclamation by the king that no other god can save like theirs. When we trust in God, He is able to change even the most horrible oppressors into people who honor His matchless power. (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 13, Refuge)
Relate it to your life.
God can change the worst of us by the miracle power of Christ into brand-new people
Do something.
Lord God, I trust in Your ability to deliver persecuted people and to change the hearts of even the most horrible oppressors. Amen.
July 16-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Daniel 3:24-25, Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
Observe what it is saying.
God often does not save His servants from persecution but through it. He allows these trials to purify His people and to show His glory to those who do not yet know Him. This scene teaches us that God can make His servants fireproof and can even transform oppressive and fiery situations into safe and comfortable places to walk and talk. You may smell of smoke yet remain unharmed. With God, any place-even the fiery furnace- can be safe! Better to go through the fire with God than live in the palace without Him. If you find yourself experiencing religious persecution, join Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and place your trust in the God who meets and communes with you in the fire. Keep walking and talking with the Lord and fellow Christians, unbound and unharmed. Move without fear but with confidence in God’s presence despite the heat. Your bold faith serves as a witness to the watching world. (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 14, Refuge)
Relate it to your life.
As I go through my troubles in life, I need to be also be mindful and pray for persecuted Christians around the world.
Do something.
Lord God, please give persecuted Christians the courage to hold on to You and the freedom to walk and talk unbound and unharmed. Amen.
July 17-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Daniel 6:10, Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Observe what it is saying.
Daniel disciplined himself, in good times and bad, to maintain a regular posture of prayer and communication with God in his upstairs room that faced Jerusalem. He prayed there three times a day: in the morning, midday, and in the evening. In some parts of the world, laws prohibit prayer to God the worship of God. If you find yourself in such a place, today’s Scripture suggests to keep praying in your proverbial upstairs room. Although this sounds as if it would have been a private place, in antiquity, an upstairs room was visible from the tops of other homes. Daniel’s faith was known to others. He had nothing to hide. This lesson inspires us to keep practicing our Christian faith without fear and unfaithful compromise. It may not protect us from arrest, but it will maintain our relationship with God. And don’t miss Daniel’s posture. He’s on his knees and giving thanks to God. We see humility and gratitude. What if you prayed three times a day from that posture? (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 15, Refuge)
Relate it to your life.
One thing I always have control over is how much I pray putting my total trust in the Lord.
Do something.
Lord God, I approach You with humility and gratitude as I put all my trust in You. Amen.
July 18-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Daniel 6:22, My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
Observe what it is saying.
Daniel received punishment for disobeying a decree of man and maintaining his relationship with God. It happens in places of persecution. For this act, he got tossed into the den of lions. God found Daniel innocent, so He miraculously delivered him. God shut the mouths of the lions to save Daniel’s life. We see stories like this in Scripture not to show us how God will work every time but to show us how He has worked in the past. He can intervene. He can turn terrifying, bloodthirsty lions into friendly cats, the most hostile environment into a comfortable place, and a den of beasts into a lounge zone. Shutting the mouths of the lions reflects God’s sovereignty over creation. The wind and waves obey Him, and so do the animals. This teaches us that when we find ourselves in an impossible situation, God can do anything. Remember, he used ravens to feed Elijah twice a day during a drought. What conclusion can we draw from today’s reading? Do not pray for animals to save you. Nurture your walk with God. And don’t be surprised if His intervention shows His sovereignty over creation. Remember, He can do anything to save the innocent. (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 16, Refuge)
Relate it to your life.
I must never forget what is impossible with mankind is possible with God.
Do something.
Lord God, I ask You will display your justice and save the innocent around the world who are wrongly persecuted. Amen.
July 19-Refuge
Write out the Scripture.
Daniel 6:25-26, Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: “May you prosper greatly! “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.
Observe what it is saying.
We love this verse as it reflects the two-part response of the king after God delivered Daniel from the lions. The king directed the first part to Daniel. The king announced a blessing for him to prosper greatly and shared it with every language on earth. Think about it. Those who take refuge in God can anticipate problems, but can also look forward to Godly benefits. They will be well-known and much respected for their faithfulness. The second part relates to God. Darius celebrates God as living, enduring forever, indestructible, and eternal. Consider how of these traits teaches us about the refuge of God. Taken together, they teach us that God has been, is, and always will be alive. We live in days when kings proclaim that “God is dead!” Rather than arguing with such people, we learn from Daniel that we must show them by our faith and our fortitude God is not dead but as alive as ever. (Michael (Mykhailo) Cherenkov and Gary S. Hoag, page 17, Refuge)
Relate it to your life.
My life is a testimony to the reality that God is alive and at work in our world.
Do something.
Lord God, whether I suffer horribly or prosper greatly, cause my life to proclaim to the world that You are present in all settings at all times. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals