My Time of Devotion

Life is busy.

One of our truly limited resources is our time. Yet we can easily forget to guard or protect it. If we mismanage time, it will escape and like sand through the hour glass, once it's gone, it's gone.

When I was recently having a quiet time with the Lord, I reflected on a few things about my time with Him. I find myself leading a bible study or two each week. I make it a goal to have my own bible studies throughout the week when I open and let it speak to me. I find that I spend time praying (never enough) and yet something is missing.

I sensed God speaking to me and reminding me of one important aspect of our time - and that's our time of devotion. In Christian circles, we called it Devotions or Devos. However, I find it easy for me to end up studying or praying and miss the middle time of worship & devotion.

The simple reason why I am prone to not spend time in devotion is due to the way that time is structured. I like checkboxes... check/done... next. The time I spend in prayer is monitored by minutes. Time in the Word is often to study a passage. Both can be very pragmatic for me. Yet it's the middle space, devotional space, I need to enter in to worship the Lord.

While it's likely not a true dichotomy, I find that for me, picking up my guitar gets me right into a devotional mode. The same can be said in how I read the Word by just reading a passage several times rather than opening another person's work (commentary or sermon). I can enter it as well when I change my posture during prayer - getting right on my knees.

When we study others in the Bible they too entered into a time of private devotion.

Isaac meditated in the evening (Gen 24:63)
Daniel prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10)
David prayed three times a day while meditating on his bed at night (Psalm 55:17; Psalm 63:6)

Jesus also sought to be alone. He went out from the others. He went to a place where He wasn't distracted. And Jesus did it both in the early morning and late at night (Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12).

I was challenged in the past about how I worship. I will pass the same one on to you. Since I am a worship leader, I can often be found spending time to technically learn the song - worship leaders never want to miss a note or the words - but that's not worship. Worship takes place between you and God. It's congregational for the body of Christ when we come together to worship as one. While I can check that activity off each week by attending and participating in worship at church, that's not to replace my time of devotions.

Let us press in to the Lord.

Let us know,
Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.
His going forth is established as the morning;
He will come to us like the rain,
Like the latter and former rain to the earth.
Hosea 6:3


~ Dave Geipel

The Gospel Message

The Gospel Message (in Genesis)

The Bible is not just a collection of good teachings. They are not books written by a single man. They are a collection of 66 books penned by 40 men with one author - God. It's a single account yet told from a variety of characters who walked this earth and knew God. In the end, today we have two primary sources: the Old Testament (Hebrew) and New Testament (Greek) which have been translated for us in our languages today.

Within the Bible, we learn that Jesus is the central figure from the first page till the last page - Genesis to Revelation. The story is told every possible way so we, the reader, can hear from God. If you ever question what the Bible is speaking to you, simply pray and ask the God the Holy Spirit (Trinity is Father, Son and Holy Spirit - A triune God - three in one) - He will open your eyes so you can see & hear from Him. When you turn to Him, you can have assurance of your salvation.

My favorite gospel message was given to Moses when he penned the book of Genesis (Beginnings). The Gospel Message was given to man in Genesis Chapter 5. These are the first ten people in the Old Testament. Check out their names. Each one is specific having deep meaning and pointing to Jesus - the one who came down and whose life brings life.

Hebrew       English
Adam          Man
Seth            Appointed
Enosh         Mortal
Kenan         Sorrow;
Mahalalel   The Blessed God
Jared           Shall come down
Enoch         Teaching
Methuselah His death shall bring
Lamech       The Despairing
Noah           Rest, or comfort.

Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest.

Yes, this is taken from Genesis and the names of each father. It starts with Adam and ends with Noah. What occurs with Noah? God delivers him (man) from judgement & destruction brought on this sinful world. God must judge this world (man) and its sin. He is righteous. It's His only response. And yet His only Son was sent to provide a way of escape - a way to God the Father, through Jesus, His Son.

Still don't believe God? He gave us the Gospel Message in the Old Testament. He gives it to us in the New Testament with His Son Jesus. Yet you can open & read His Word - the Bible. You will soon realize that Jesus is on every page figuratively and He is speaking to you today. Will you listen?

Learn more about the gospel message.

FRUITFULNESS: The Vine, Vinedresser and Branches

I was reading through The Gospel of Mark recently and came across this passage in Chapter 9 - which deals with Israel’s lack of fruitfulness. It made me think about my own fruitfulness.

FRUITFULNESS
During Jesus’ ministry, he faced a nation and people who had lost their way. They were dried up and withering. When I look back at their progression from Exile to Promised Land as a nation, I see them going from despair to pinnacle back to despair. The timing of Christ’s first coming was perfect. His second coming will be the same.

As we read about the cursed fig tree and the cleansing of the temple, we read about a nation and people who were symbolically fruitless and corrupt (John 12:35-41). The light of Christ shone forth in their midst, yet they didn’t realize it. They were a people who seemed to forget their need for their saviour. Sure, many did come to Him, but as a people and nation, they rejected Jesus. Furthermore, Jesus blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts.

When I look at how Christ dealt with them, I am ashamed at my own lifestyle and relationship with Him. Am I walking as He wants me to? Am I where He wants me to be? Doing what He’s called me to be doing?

In order to have a life that is thriving, Jesus uses the analogy of the vine. Later in John’s gospel account, right before the cross, Jesus makes an analogy of our life in Him. He likens Him to the Vine and us as the branches in John 15:1-17 .

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

VINE - Jesus
VINEDRESSER - Father
BRANCH - Us (collectively, the Church)

ABIDE
In verse 4, we find the way we become fruitful: ABIDE

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

If we drift or fall away, we must return to Jesus. Just the verse before, He tells His disciples that they were “already clean” because of the Word He has spoken to them. We too must be washed in the Word.

This means we must be found in the Word. Reading, meditating, studying and searching out the riches that await those who diligently seek Him.

“I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me.”
Proverbs 8:17

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6

Do you really believe His Word to be true? He loves when we seek Him. This requires effort. It’s not passive, but active. It’s so important that He’s not only given us His Son Jesus on the cross, but His Son Jesus, the Word.

Note to self:
Spend more time with Jesus. Stop neglecting your Creator, Father God. Seek how He chooses to us me this day.

Your Love Never Fails (One Thing Remains) - Derek Johnson - Live from Philadelphia, PA

One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails) performed by Derek Johnson and Jesus Culture
Live performance from the Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA 2/5/2013

One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails)  Lyrics

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant through the trial and the change
One thing remains, One thing remains

Your love never fails
it never gives up
it never runs out on me

On and one and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I never ever have to be afraid
One thing remains

In death and in life
I'm confident and covered by
the power of your great love

My debt is paid
there's nothing that can separate
my heart from Your great love

Written By: Brian Johnson, Christa Black Gifford, Jeremy Riddle
©2010 Bethel Music. Posted by David Geipel
Live @ the Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA

David Geipel

David Geipel

My name is Dave Geipel and this is my blogger (now blogspot) site. I have a lot to say but little time to say it. I love short, sweet, to the point messages. Married to my college sweetheart Michelle and we have four active children. My interests include Business, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Writing (articles, books and music), Leading Worship and Drinking lots of Coffee - so let's get together sometime over one to talk.

This world is a little crazy. Things move at a rapid pace, but sometimes we need to hit || PAUSE || or just slooooow down. Focus on the big picture and complete the details. It will all come together. Just realize your life is bigger than you. It's not about you... it's not about me, David Geipel - I get that already. But I need to be reminded. So take any insight, wisdom or instruction as merely words for myself to take to heart.

No matter what we decide in life, we place our faith in something. It could be power, money, our family, spouse, kids, friends, ministry, work, etc. Despite the attention these require, there is One who desires your heart - Jesus. He's the one who gave Himself as ransom for many. His blood on the cross paid it all. You need to accept that payment paid on your behalf and as a result, turn to Him in all things. So perhaps some of my encouragement will help you too. It's my hope and prayer and keep looking up!

Blessings

David Geipel