Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- March 26, 2014
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. John 3:14-15
Life has a way of turning our gaze away from God. Instead of looking up to be loved by the Lord, we look around us and feel love’s absence. Instead of looking up to trust Jesus, we look at distrustful people and are disappointed. Instead of looking up for wisdom from God, we look at the world’s wisdom and find it wanting. Instead of looking up for direction from the Spirit, we look at the spirit of the age, and feel lost. Yes, abundant life comes from looking up to Christ.
Moses was a leader who wisely followed God’s instruction. He made sure to lift up what was important to the Lord, so His people could be healed. He didn’t argue with God about a better way, he simply obeyed. Time was short, so Moses quickly modeled the way to live for his followers. Similarly, we have a brief window of time to be a worthy example of obedience to Christ’s commands. Our family and friends look to us to learn how to best look up to the Lord.
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32).
What are you facing that invites you to look up into the loving face of your heavenly Father? If sorrow, refuse to stay stuck in grief, but look up to the One who wipes away your tears. If hurt by another human being, look up to the One who heals broken hearts. If uncertainty, look up to the One who is wisdom and generously gives wisdom. If fear, look to the One who controls circumstances and consoles souls. The world’s remedies lack, so look up to the Lord and live.
Most of all, we look at Jesus lifted up on the cross as the payment for our sins. We cannot begin to truly live until sin’s death sentence has been pardoned by God. The snakes’ venomous bites required the children of Israel to look up to the brazen snake on the pole to live. In the same way, sin’s poisonous infection can only be cured by looking up to Christ and believing in Him for the forgiveness of our sins. Look down, our hope dies. Look up and we live for the Lord–forever.
“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious” (Isaiah 11:10).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, by faith I look up to You for direction in how to live life for You.
Related Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Proverbs 30:4; Psalm 5:3; Isaiah 45:22; Micah 7:7; Luke 9:62
Post/Tweet today: Life has a way of turning our gaze away from God, so instead, we look up to be loved by the Lord. #wisdomhunters
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Amen
Praise to God ,,,, I’m free. , from all doubt. , cause i prayed them out. !!! Amen
Yes and following him and serving him!! = peace!!
This message is a inspiration to me. It is exactly what I am going thru. One of those days when you wake up feeling overwhelmed with the past and the present. Thank you Lord for wiping away all my tears and replacing my fears with love everlasting. Amen!
Dear Tonya~
Thank you so much for reaching out to Wisdom Hunters with your comments. We love hearing from fellow wisdom hunters and are so thankful you were blessed by the devotional. Isn’t it awesome when God “speaks” to us through people, circumstances, devotionals, and His Word? WOW!
Our Heavenly Father is right there with you, as you said “wiping away your tears and replacing your fears with love everlasting”. Beautifully said.
Tonya, we are so thankful you are a fellow wisdom hunter!
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name;
YOU ARE MINE”. Psalm 43:1
Dear Sean~
Thank you so much for reaching out to Wisdom Hunters regarding the devotional “Look up to Live”. You are so right: “following Him and serving Him does equal peace”!!! What a gift that is, too, from our Heavenly Father.
We are so thankful you are a fellow wisdom hunter, Sean. Blessings to you and yours.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
And THE PEACE OF GOD, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-8
Dear Edna~
Thank you so much for reaching out to Wisdom Hunters with your joyful comments! We can just “feel” the joy and enthusiasm in your comment ” Praise to God,,,I’m free.,from all doubt., cause I prayed them out.!!!” WOW! You are so right! HE is there to remove that doubt when we let HIM!
Edna, you are a blessing and we are so thankful that you are a fellow wisdom hunter! Keep looking up to live!
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
Dear Toria~
I agree! “AMEN”!!! thank you for reaching out to us at Wisdom Hunters. We are encouraged by your “AMEN” and are so glad you read “Look up to Live”. Isn’t it just AWESOME when God “speaks” to us through people, circumstances, devotionals, and His Word? WOW! Keep on looking up to live.
Blessings to you and yours.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
Reading this with how I am feeling now encouraged me so much. I have to be honest at times I pray and plead with God and I hear no sound and my heart bleeds as I feel abandoned. I have hurt someone I love so much with lying and I have been praying for God to forgive me and help her to heal, my life is full of problems right now, losing almost everything I have ever worked for all my life and I am accepting God is punishing me for the things I have done in the past. But I want to move on knowing he has forgiven me, knowing my wife the person who taught me what love really is has forgiven me and she isn’t hurting. I am praying and fasting every week and I have to keep looking up like the devotion said. Pray for me and my family.
Dear Sam~
Thank you so much for reaching out to Wisdom Hunters with your words of encouragement regarding the devotional, “Look up to Live”. I have to say, Sam, I could “feel” the hurt and pain in your words as I read your response. But, I REJOICE in the fact that our Heavenly Father is walking right besides you and also knows your heart!
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Psalm 139:23
Sam, He will NEVER abandon you.
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you”. Hebrew 13:5
We will be praying for you, Sam, and your marriage, and your precious wife. Keep looking up to live and stay in His Arms, soaking up His Love. If you get a chance in the days ahead, let us know how you and your family are doing. In the meantime, your friends at Wisdom Hunters are praying for you.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and heavy burdened,
AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart and you will find rest for your souls. FOR MY YOKE IS EASY TO BEAR, AND THE BURDEN I GIVE YOU IS LIGHT”.
Amen so true