Worthy Devotions – Daily Christian Devotion » Beauty

1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

We’ve been receiving dozens of emails lately from people who are really feeling the pressure, and who have expressed gratitude and appreciation for our devotions over the last few days.  Reading through some of the replies, my initial thought was – wow, God is creating some magnificent diamonds!

A diamond is the hardest natural substance known, having been created by intense heat and pressure. I’m seeing believers becoming like diamonds, created the only way possible, through fiery trials…and then, the final precision sculpting by the Master Jeweler as He cuts them into priceless gems. I believe this is not just a metaphor, but a true “last days” vision, for, as these diamonds are prepared, and as the light of Yeshua begins beaming through them, I’m seeing thousands of rays of light impacting this darkening world around us…all for His glory!

Don’t despise the discipline, the intense pressure you are currently under, the testing of your faith. Rather, as hard as it can be, try to embrace them in light of what they truly are — the very method of God’s forming you into a priceless diamond for the world to see, and be amazed at the beauty of Yeshua shining bright and clear as crystal through your very life!

1 Timothy 6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

As I write, it seems the prevailing concern among people everywhere is -– what’s going on with the economy? I’ve probably been asked more questions about the economy in the past two months than in my entire lifetime. People are watching their wealth dissipating and dwindling away. Reflecting on these material losses reminds me of a story about a lady who perished in Pompeii in the first century.

Pompeii was a flourishing city in Southern Italy until 79 AD. Suddenly, for two days Mt. Vesuvius erupted and completely destroyed Pompeii in all its pomp. The city was covered in meters of ash and pumice for 1700 years until it was accidentally discovered in 1748. When archaeologists began excavations in 1910 they uncovered a petrified woman clutching some of the finest jewelry ever recovered from the ancient world. She was apparently attempting to flee the doomed city, and in her haste, holding desperately onto her valuable possessions –- she lost her life.

During its time Pompeii was a magnificent city, yet it’s destiny was destruction by a nearby volcano –- and so it is with our world today. There’s so much beauty on our planet earth –- yet its destiny is certain! The day is soon coming when it’s elements will be destroyed with fire, the earth and everything in it, laid bare, [2 Peter 3:10] –- and our earthly possessions will not come with us into glory, (only what we have done with them).

As the Apostle Paul said, we came into this world with nothing – and when we leave this world, we take nothing with us. We can make the mistake of holding too dearly onto our earthly possessions, making them our “treasure”, (rather than storing treasure where moth and rust do not corrode etc.) – but this is a costly error, as illustrated by our “petrified lady”. Instead, let’s remind ourselves that we are stewards of God’s possessions, responsible to use them with His interests in mind, to further His Kingdom with the things He has entrusted to us. With so much work to be done, let’s never allow our earthly possessions to petrify us with greed or fear thus preventing the eternal work we were preordained for, and stealing our eternal rewards.

2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

It is amazing that the fires which started in California on June 20th are still not extinguished. They’ve been raging for over a month and as I write this devotional, according to California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s website, there are still 25 active fires as of July 31st. A staggering 1,118,997 acres have already been burned!

Yet even as these raging fires consume the forest, something is quietly going on to prepare their very renewal.

You see, there is an unusual species of Evergreen called the Lodgepole Pine that grows in great numbers throughout Northwest America, especially in Yellowstone Park. A fascinating aspect of this Pine is the uniqueness of its cones. Lodgepole Pine cones may stay on the tree for years before they fall off – and, even when they do fall, they will not open to release their seed…until they are in the presence of intense heat! What could explain this remarkable ecological foresight?

God, having designed nature, even in its fallen condition which includes devastating forest fires, has providentially prepared for their subsequent renewal by designing a Pine tree whose reproduction requires the agent of its own destruction…fire! So, even as trees, wildlife, and all living things are being destroyed in a forest blaze, the seeds of renewal are also being released for the “resurrection” of forest life…because, of course, since their seeds are actually released by the fire, the Lodgestone Pines are the first to grow in an area that’s been burned!

In each of our own lives, there are areas that need to be, or are already being burned up — consumed by the “Refining Fire” of God’s Holy Spirit. Yet God has also provided for a renewal in us…a “seed” of something brand new, which can only be birthed by intense heat. This new seed, however it manifests in our lives, represents the resurrection life of Christ, which emerges in the presence of His purifying fire. So the Lodgepole Pine is a picture for us, of resurrection and hope in the midst of fiery trials.

Let’s endure our fiery trials with great hope, allowing Him to consume everything in us which does not serve His Glory! With so much work to be done — we must not despise the cleansing process — even if it means a lot of heat!

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

An artist went searching the streets of New York City for a model to pose for a portrait he wanted to call “The Prodigal”. One day was passing Central Park and saw an impoverished beggar lying on a bench and thought: “He’s perfect! That man would represent the prodigal son beautifully in my painting.” He asked the beggar if he would be willing to sit for his painting and he would gladly pay him for his time. Naturally, the beggar agreed.

On the day and time appointed, a man knocked on the door of the artist’s small Brooklyn studio. Excitedly, he answered his door only to find a clean-shaven young man dressed in a suit and tie standing before him. Disappointed, he said, “You must have the wrong door sir, the law office is down the hall”. “But you made an appointment with me,” the man replied, “No,” said the artist, “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you before. I made an appointment to meet with a beggar here at this hour.” “Well,” said the man, “I am the beggar.” “You?” said the artist, “You’re the beggar?” “Yes, he replied. After you left me last week, I found some money and thought I would get a new suit of clothes before you painted me.” “Oh,” replied the artist, “Well, you’re just not right for the job.”

The beggar wanted to show himself a masterpiece before the artist — but the artist wasn’t looking for that. He wanted to create the masterpiece himself! Likewise, when we come to God, we must not come in our own garments of self-righteousness. We must come before him transparent, with no inhibitions, or worries, or pride. God has already seen our weaknesses and faults. We’re not hiding anything from Him anyway.

The Master Artist has an appointment with us today. Let’s not come disguised as someone else. Let’s come as we are so that He can make a priceless masterpiece.

Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

There was a mailman, John Hand, who rode his mail truck through Los Altos Hills of California on his 50 mile route each day. The route was plain, all brown and virtually no color. One day he began to throw wild flower seeds out of the window as he drove. Today, if you travel his route in the Los Altos Hills you’ll find beautiful patches of flowers throughout, blossoming in many colors.

We all travel different roads. Sadly, many of us miss wonderful opportunities to change and bring added beauty to our landscapes. In our families, at our jobs, in the world around us, God has given us opportunies to color those landscapes! It’s far easier for us to complain and resign ourselves to settling for those landscapes, than it is to be the catalysts of change. From this point on, let’s resolve to stop complaining about the lifelessness around us and do something about it! God has given us the power and anointing to change those landscapes! Let’s start sowing the seeds of the Gospel, the seeds of salvation and new life. Let’s sow the seeds of love, joy, righteousness and all the tasty fruits of the Spirit. As we sow them throughout our daily lives, those dull, dry landscapes will begin blossom into something beautiful and we, like that mailman, John Hand, will be remembered as the ones who sowed those seeds.

Be a sower of seed producing fruit of a 100-fold! There’s so much work to be done!

2 Corinthians 10:12b but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

An ancient legend tells of a king who walked into his garden one day to find almost everything withered and dying. After speaking to an oak near the gate, the king learned that he was troubled because he was not tall and beautiful like the pine. The pine overheard their conversation and added that she, too, was upset, for she could not bear delicious fruit like the pear tree. The pear tree heard his name and began to complain that he did not have the lovely odor of the spruce. And so it went throughout the entire garden.

Near the very edge of the garden grew a little daisy. As the king approached, he noticed her bright little face, full of life. “Well, little flower,” said the monarch, “I’m glad to find that there is at least one happy face in my garden.”

“Oh king,” she said, “I know I’m little, and not many people notice me, but one day I realized that you if planted me here, you must have had a good reason. So, your majesty, I’ve determined to be the best little flower I can be!”

Our King has planted a beautiful garden. Not one of us is greater than the next. It is his His perfection.

We must come to a place where we trust that God has a reason for creating us the way He has and has planted us in just the place he desired. Comparing ourselves with one another will only make us wither. When we become satisfied in His creation (that is us), that’s when we’ll find true happiness”.. and we will shine.

Let’s give God our all our disappointments and be determined to be the best that we can be for Him!

Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

This is a sweet story we came across.

When our son Pete was six, it was a Depression year and the bare essentials were all we could afford. We felt we were richer than most people, though, in things of the mind and imagination and spirit. That was a comfort of sorts to us, but nothing a six-year-old could understand.

With Christmas a week off, we told Pete that there could not be any store-bought presents this year–for any of us. “But I’ll tell you what we can do,” said his father with an inspiration born of heartbreak. “We can make pictures of the presents we’d like to give each other.”

For the next few days each of us worked secretly, with smirks and giggles. Somehow we did scrape together enough to buy a small tree. But we had pitifully few decorations to trim it with. Yet, on Christmas morning, never was a tree heaped with such riches! The gifts were only pictures of gifts, to be sure, cut out or drawn and colored and painted, nailed and hammered and pasted and sewed. But they were presents, luxurious beyond our dreams: A slinky black limousine and a red motor boat for Daddy. A diamond bracelet and a fur coat for me. Pete’s presents were the most expensive toys cut from advertisements. Our best present to him was a picture of a fabulous camping tent, complete with Indian designs, painted, of course, by Daddy, and magnificent pictures of a swimming pool, with funny remarks by me. Daddy’s best present to me was a watercolor he had painted of our dream house, white with green shutters and forsythia bushes on the lawn.

Naturally we didn’t expect any “best present” from Pete. But with squeals of delight, he gave us a crayon drawing of flashy colors and the most modernistic technique. But it was unmistakably the picture of three people laughing–a man, a woman, and a little boy. They had their arms around one another and were, in a sense, one person. Under the picture he had printed just one word: US. For many years we have looked back at that day as the richest, most satisfying Christmas we have ever had. — Margery Tallcott

The most precious things in life cannot be bought with money. Let’s focus on the wonderful gifts we’ve been given this season — family, friends and most of all, God’s grace toward us in sending His Son Jesus to die in our place. Merry, merry Christmas.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

A friend sent us this story about the Seattle Special Olympics. It touched our hearts and we thought we’d share it with all of you.

Nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back — every one of them. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said,” This will make it better.” Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story.

Oh, that we believers would have this kind of love, compassion and concern for one another. In this day and age, it seems we only look out for ourselves! When we see a brother or sister in the Lord struggling, many times our first instinct is to compare and criticize. We’re quick to rebuke and run for the winning finish line alone! But I think we can take a lesson from these “disabled” kids — it makes me wonder who’s more disabled — them or us?

Let’s take a look at our actions. Perhaps we can show more love than we have. If we see someone falling, let’s turn around, pick him up and help him to the finish line. May God pour out His great love out upon us as we pour it upon others today.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

In her book, Let Me Be a Woman, Elizabeth Elliot records the story of a friend who had great difficulty accepting the looks God had given her. While everyone this girl knew had grown beautiful golden hair, hers was black. And while they were all still growing, she had stopped. She grew to be only about four feet ten inches tall.

Eventually, she reached the country to which God had called her to be a missionary. One day, she stood on the wharf in Shanghai and looked around at the people to whom He had called her. “Every single one of them” she said, “had black hair. And every one of them had stopped growing when I did.” She was able to look to God and exclaim, “Lord God, You know what You’re doing!”

Are you struggling with something specific today? Have you been asking, “Why Lord?!” Whether we realize it or not, God knows what He’s doing! We may not understand it today — but He has known these things from the very beginning. And He really is carrying out His great plan in us! Cheer up! God is preparing His vessels for GREAT things! There’s so much work to be done!

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Early in the last century, sculptor Gutzon Borglum gazed at the cliffs of South Dakota’s Black Hills. As any great artist would, He saw what no one else could the sculpted faces of US presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. After 14 years, he finally completed his project — Mount Rushmore.

How in the world did Borglum foresee such a work of art by looking at a cliff? He envisioned what those Black Hills could become.

God is envisioning what we are to become in Him! But in order for the Him to make a beautiful monument of us, we must allow ourselves to be moldable. He wants to mold us into the image He desires — His own! He wants to chip away at our rough edges and make us into a fine work of art, that all who see us will be awed and enriched. In the hands of a great artist, we can be created into incredible works of art that survive the ages, even after we have passed through this life into the next!

Let’s become moldable in the Father’s hands and make Him proud to show off what He’s created!