Bed time...

What verses do you like to read most, right before bed?  One of my favorites is the amazingly assuring Psalm 121.  It's actually my mom's favorite Psalm... aka it's just flat out awesome.  I'm sure you've heard of it before, well here it is again.

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

This Psalm ties in beautifully with my favorite verse, Joshua 1:9,... "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go!"

ESV was used for the psalm above, however I really like the NIV for the last verse, "The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."  What more can we ask for?....  : )

John 15

I'm sure everyone's heard of this chapter, it's the one that talks about 'the vine and the branches.'  One of my favorite verses in the chapter, it's actually the background on my iPhone, is John 15:5....

"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

'Apart from me you can do nothing', you know how many times every week I try to do things completely on my own, not even thinking about thanking God or asking him to help?  Way too many, I need this verse to remind me that I can't do things on my own, because when I often try it doesn't work out well and when it does work out, God needs to be thanked.

I remember a month ago how much this verse helped me, after about 6 hours or so of walking around and pushing/pulling heavy objects and contraptions with at least 60lbs+ on your back, you get so tired and I realized especially during times like those how much I needed God's help.  That part of the verse, 'Apart from me you can do nothing,' would ring in my mind and I'd think to myself, I can't do this on my own anymore, this isn't just a 6 mile run, this sucks, I feel like my spine is gonna snap, Father God guide my footsteps, give me strength, I can't do this by my own strength.... apart from You I can do nothing, and guide me now!

What does God want from us when we draw close to Him, relying solely on Him and not ourselves.  Verse 8 states, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."  Dang, when we draw close to God we bear good fruit, people see that, are blessed by it and we reflect God to them.  This makes me think of an awesome quote that goes something like... "You may be the only Bible some person ever reads!"  That hits me hard, because I know often times I don't reflect the Bible perfectly at all in my actions, and you never know when your actions may draw someone closer or push them away from God.

I gotta start putting more of these up, every other day or so, devotional accountability, no excuses for me getting 'too busy' aka lazy this week, sorry about that.

God bless, Joshua 1:9

"Pressing on Toward the Goal"

The text above is the title of a section in Philippians 3 in my Bible.  Anyways, Paul puts forth some really radical thoughts in this chapter, thoughts that just grounded me!  I really feel they're vastly important to refresh Christians.  I mean I often find myself reading the Bible and often reading verses full of 'rainbows and unicorns', aka ones that make you feel God, reassure you, however these verses test you!  I'm gonna paste in the verses, but if you're wondering what your true purpose as a Christian is and from where you can find meaning every day, read these words, especially the thoughts at the end.

Philippians 3:7-21

⁷ But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.¹⁶ Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

¹⁷ Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸ For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. ²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

What stuck out?  'Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ'!!!!  Amazing thought, love it, gotta keep that one front and center in the mind.  Another key thought is the idea that everything is a loss, except knowing Christ Jesus as our Lord.  Whenever I prioritize things in my day or life, do I take time to say 'you know what I'm gonna prioritize Christ for a second, and have a prayer or devotion, not just do what my humanly desires is and go do whatever Josh wants to do,' that's a bit of an extreme example, and sadly I suck at prioritizing Christ, I really do it's pathetic.  It's gonna take practice, to just take time during the day to thank God, realign myself and realize whatever I gain apart from Christ, whatever I do out of greed or selfishness just for Josh is totally worthless, I've gotta pray and remember to let God guide me throughout my day and entire life.  We're all future citizens of heaven, and citizens of heaven rely on God and gain everything through Christ!

Tecumseh

Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee who allied with the British Canadians and fought against the US as we expanded west over the Ohio river valley area in the early 1800's.  Needless to say, he's kinda a big deal, aka he's a badass : )  Check out this quote, it's rather epic and fitting, it'll ring home with you, trust me.

So live your life so the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their views, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and of service to your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or sign of salute when meeting or passing a stranger if in a lonely place. Show respect to all people, but grovel to none. When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself. Touch not the poisonous firewater that makes wise ones turn to fools and robs them of their visions. When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.


Awesome quote.... Now enough with the poetry and quotes, tomorrow we'll get into the Word!

Title Meaning

'Invictus' in Latin means 'unconquerable', 'undefeated', and truly thats what I seek to be with God.  I'm sure you've heard of the famous poem entitled Invictus, now the poem which I'll paste below, is great in the way it urges one to have an 'unconquerable' and 'undefeated' spirit, however it does so in a secular way.  We all know and have tried to conquer tough situations by ourselves without God, and often times, and always in the end, we fail.  Invictus Divine means that one is only unconquerable when allied and fused together with our Divine God, Son, and Holy Spirit.  That's the meaning behind the title if you were confused, keep that thought in mind and use it to change around the secular meaning of the poem and read it as a Christian, 'unconquerable' with God would.


Out of the night that covers me, 
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.


God is the captain of our souls, and with him by our side and a never-quit attitude, we are unconquerable and anything is possible through Him!

The Intent of 'Invictus Divine'

Well I've decided to start a real daily or weekly like devotional blog, because well I need this type of accountability in my life.  Most importantly there will be devotional thoughts on here and other content is likely to make its way here as thoughts and ideas strike me.  I hope you receive a blessing, feel free to comment and fellowship, that's what matters most in life... first of all making that everlasting connection with God and secondly making connections with people in your life that will last into eternity as well : )