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The Journey with Ron Moore

Discipline

July 18, 2021

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Devotion Text
 

Jeremiah 44:2-5

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have seen all the disaster that I brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities of Judah. Behold, this day they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them, because of the evil that they committed, provoking me to anger, in that they went to make offerings and serve other gods that they knew not, neither they, nor you, nor your fathers. Yet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying, ‘Oh, do not do this abomination that I hate!’ But they did not listen or incline their ear, to turn from their evil and make no offerings to other gods.”

Some people conclude from passages like today’s that God is unloving. Bring disaster on his people? Leave their towns deserted? How could he? The answer is found in God’s love and mercy.

Like a father who genuinely loves his children, God disciplines us. What loving father would let his toddler play by a busy road? If a beloved child continues to waddle toward danger, discipline is applied. The discipline does not show a lack of compassion. Quite the opposite. The father loves his child too much to allow them to be hurt or killed by a car.

God loves us too much to allow us to play by the spiritual life’s equivalent of a busy highway. He loves us too much to allow us to continue to live in spiritual danger. When we ignore his instruction, he applies discipline. The writer to the Hebrews said it this way, “God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:10-11 NIV).

Talking to God

Father, none of us like the consequences of sin. No discipline seems pleasant at the time but thank you for loving us so much that you never give up on us. Thank you for applying the discipline that produces a harvest of righteousness and peace. Help us to see your love in your discipline. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

 

This Week on The Journey Broadcast:

 

1st John

Eagerly Waiting

May 31, 2021

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The daily news and our own painful experiences tell us we’re a long way from Eden.  But, for the redeemed, God promises, “that” will not always be the case.

Today, Ron Moore takes a look at the coming restoration of God’s original design. It’s a truth that will make today’s hurts easier to bear.

None Like the Lord

March 7, 2021

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Devotion Text
 

1 Samuel 2:2

There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

 The first time we met Hannah she was deeply distressed and weeping bitterly. Her prayer was so deeply lodged in her heart that she couldn’t express words. She demonstrated such agony that one person accused her of being drunk. But God met Hannah’s deepest longing with a baby boy named Samuel. Her prayer of thanksgiving, recorded in 1 Samuel 2:1-10, is proclaimed with—one can only imagine—a loud voice describing the love and grace of the one true God.

Hannah let the world know that there is no one like God. He is holy, completely set apart, working his will and purposes in the lives of those he loves. He answers prayer—even the ones that come from pain and tears. Even the ones from emotions so deep we can’t find words. He is the Rock—immutable and immovable. We hold on to him and experience his protection right in the middle of the storm. We hold on to him…but really, he is the One holding on to us.

Talking Points

  • Thank God for answering your prayers—even the painful ones—even if the answer right now is, “Wait.” Acknowledge him by saying out loud, “God you are my Rock and there is no rock like you!”
  • Thank God for your children (and grandchildren). Call each by name. Ask God to be their rock in the inevitable days when they will pray bitter and tearful prayers. Pray that they will cling to God and know that he is always with them.

Lord, you never waste our pain, our emotions, our deep distress, or our tearful prayers. Thank you for being unique—there is no one like you. Thank you for being immutable and immovable. Help me cling to you in my joy and pain. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

 

 

This Week on The Journey Broadcast:

 

Hebrews

The Real Test of the Heart

July 7, 2020

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Devotion Text

Proverbs 27:21

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.

With adversity comes the test. The fires of trial drive us to God. The battering storms cause us to cry out in desperation. Hardship drops us to our knees. But there is one test much greater than adversity. It is the test of success . . . the sweet smell, taste and experience of achievement . . . that’s the real test of a person’s character.

Promotions. Awards. Higher positions. More money. Those are the things that reveal a person’s character. The danger of reading your own press is that you begin to believe it. Success tempts us to think that we are good without God. That we really do deserve the accolades. That our genius produced such a rewarding outcome. That our gutsy move saved the company. Success turns many hearts inward instead of upward. Success is the real test of the heart.

How are you doing? You, up there on the mountaintop of career. You, up there with the trophies of accomplishment. Be careful up there in the heights. The peak of victory is surrounded by a slippery slope. It’s a long, hard, painful slide to the bottom. If you are not careful, success will produce pride, and pride always comes before the fall.

Father, may we never forget that You are the Mover behind all our advancements, the Giver behind all that we have, the Shepherd of our careers, and the Creator we must bow before in love and awe. Don’t let selfish pride infest our hearts. Keep them turned to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

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Today on The Journey Broadcast:

 

Worship: Respecting Our Roles

Humiliation

November 13, 2019

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Devotion Text

Matthew 27:27-31

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

The humiliation started long before the cross. The mock trials with the Jewish leaders started the ordeal. Interrogations from Pilate to Herod and back to Pilate sealed the condemnation. Now the soldiers began painful pre-cross torture and humiliation.

The soldiers surrounded Jesus and stripped Him of His clothes. They put a scarlet robe on the Lord, mocking the claim that He was a king. A wreath with thorns up to an inch long was pushed onto His head. A staff was forced into the Creator’s hand. I AM was mocked, spit on, struck on His head over and over. Then they led the Messiah away to be crucified.

The Almighty took on flesh and made His dwelling among us. His existence was for this painful purpose. Sin had separated man from God. Death was sin’s penalty. Jesus, fully God and fully man, took on death for us. The Sinless One died for sinful man. The penalty of sin was paid for in full at the cross. He sacrificed Himself for you. Have you personally trusted in God’s work on the cross? If not, make the following prayer your own.

Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner and that there is nothing I can do to pay the penalty for my sin. I thank You for paying the penalty for me. Right now I trust in Your work and accept Your death as my payment. Thank You for Your work for me on the cross. In Your name. Amen.

 

If you prayed that prayer, e-mail us at prayer@ronmoore.org. We will send some free resources to help you get started on your journey with Jesus.

 

 

Today on The Journey Broadcast:

 

Seeing GeneroCITY

The Marriage Covenant

March 29, 2019

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Matthew 5:31-32

It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

In the Old Testament times and into the New, many men had a degrading view of women. Because of this sin and the hardness of their hearts some were making a mockery of marriage. A man could divorce his wife for almost any reason. The “certificate of divorce” mentioned in today’s passage is described in Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Its purpose was to regulate an unfortunate practice.

When Jesus came, he pulled marriage back up to the honored covenant it was always meant to be. Divorce was never God’s intention. From the beginning He desired the marriage covenant be honored and the commitment be “’til death do us part.” The one reason for divorce is when the covenant has been broken by adultery. Even then God is honored when there is repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

I understand that divorce is a difficult, complex, and painful issue. I know some of you reading this are divorced. I know many of you did everything you could to keep your marriage together. Even in the challenges of relationships, God’s Word sets the standard that should never be compromised. Husbands and wives must work hard to honor God within the covenant of marriage.

Father, marriage is challenging. Some things happen beyond a person’s control. I pray for the person going through a divorce. Give them Your strength. Let them know that You are walking with them. And for husbands and wives going through difficult times, give them the desire to honor their marriage covenant. Help them do the work in order to stay together and demonstrate Your power in their lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Today on The Journey Broadcast:

 

Can You Hear Me Now? Living The Bible

Insults

March 23, 2019

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Matthew 5:11-12

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Sometimes persecution leads to the loss of property or life. Sometimes persecution comes in the form of personal abuse. This mistreatment is not brought on by something you said or did. It comes because of your relationship with Jesus and your commitment to follow hard after Him.

The word “insult” in today’s passage means, “to injure the reputation of,” “to malign.” This takes place when you are the subject of vicious rumors, when you are the target of a slander campaign, or when you are being laughed at for your faith. “Insult” may result in losing your position at work, being overlooked for advancement in your job, being ridiculed even in your home and, in some cases, being disowned by your family.

Persecution and insult are painful – no doubt about that – but Jesus tells us to put them in a historical and eternal perspective. You are not the first to be mistreated. They persecuted the prophets before you. This earth is not your final destination, it is simply a layover. Great rewards are waiting for you in heaven!

Father, insult is painful. I feel the hurt and mistreatment. I want justice so I desire to strike back. Help me keep a greater perspective. Keep my eye on the eternal reward. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

The Holy Healer

December 24, 2018

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Psalm 147:1-6  
Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our LORD and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. 

God stands by the brokenhearted. But He doesn’t just stand by. He is not a passive onlooker. He comes to us in our brokenness as the Divine Doctor, the Sovereign Surgeon. He is the Holy Healer. He brings exactly what we need at the precise moment we need it, not a moment too soon, not a second too late.

God stands by the brokenhearted. He comes to broken bodies and broken dreams. He arrives at the right time with the right prescription and injects us with the healing power of His Spirit. When He brings healing, confusion is driven away by calmness; panic is chased off by peace. He finds all the places where doubt has broken through and rebuilds the wall.

God stands by the brokenhearted. Difficult times can leave us in painful places. We feel like God has left us and let us down. The “Why?” question is never far from our minds. Spiritual and physical exhaustion wear us down.  God comes to bind up our wounds. Don’t hide your hurt. Uncover your wounds so He can gently bind them with His tender touch. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for standing by me in my brokenness. Thank You for binding my wounds. Help me uncover any wound I may be hiding. Thank You for Your powerful work in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today on The Journey Broadcast:

 

The King’s Arrival

 

The Person of God

August 26, 2018

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Psalm 104:1-9
Praise the LORD, my soul. LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.

Perhaps the writer of today’s psalm knew the danger of self-focus. Maybe he realized the need to get beyond himself and turn his attention to God. Whatever his circumstances he pushed himself to praise. Like a coach yelling encouragement from the sidelines, he encouraged himself  (his soul) to “praise the LORD.”

Praising the Lord is not something we conjure up. Notice that the psalmist bases his worship on the person of God. He reminds himself that God is great and majestic. He is the One who “set the earth on its foundations.” The psalmist prodded himself to praise by recounting God’s person and work.

It is easy to become self-focused. Life hits hard from every direction. Sometimes we withdraw into ourselves to provide needed protection. We put up an emotional shield to defend against painful arrows. The things of life often leads us to a place of self-centeredness. This is not unnatural. But when we stay there too long…that’s when it gets dangerous. Today it’s time for self-exhortation: “Praise the LORD, my Soul”!

Father, coach me by Your Spirit to praise You. Help me turn from self-focus to a life of praise. As I read Your Word remind me of who You are and how You work in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God At Work

August 5, 2018

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Psalm 94:1-7
The LORD is a God who avenges. O God who avenges, shine forth. Rise up, Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. How long, LORD, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant? They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. They crush your people, LORD; they oppress your inheritance. They slay the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless. They say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.”

The psalmist would be the first to say that there are times when it seems “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.” The enemy shows up to “crush” God’s people, to “oppress” God’s inheritance, to “slay the widow”, and “murder the fatherless.”

Sometimes it feels like we are alone and on our own. Life hits hard from all sides. We struggle to find our way through the emotional maze. We try to understand how this is going to work out for our good. As we are blasted, the evildoers “are full of boasting.”

But we live life in snapshots, in the pain of the moment…or a string of moments. God sees in video with all the moments weaving perfectly into His master plan. The still shots are painful. One day the divine video will make sense.

Until then, O Lord, I need Your help. In the moment it seems like You are absent. I know You are with me but I have a hard time feeling Your presence. Move my emotions with the stirring that You are working in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Interview: “Divorce in Real Life” – Part 1

April 20, 2018

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Any way you slice it, divorce is painful. It cuts deeply into both partners and even deeper into their children.

During this half-hour Ron Moore begins a two-part examination of those wounds in a conversation with one who bears the scars of divorce. In her story you’ll find a gracious Lord who binds up our hurts.

My Guide to the End

April 13, 2018

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Psalm 48:9-14  

Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments. Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation. For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. 

I don’t know what will happen in the next hour, let alone tomorrow. But I know this: God is my God for ever and ever; he will be my guide to the end.

I watch many depend on God during difficult times of illness. How will I handle sickness and disease in my life or in my family? I’m not sure, but I know this: God is my God for ever and ever; he will be my guide to the end.

The financial markets are up and down. How will they change over the next years? I am not sure what my retirement package will be worth, but this I know: God is my God for ever and ever; he will be my guide to the end. 

A 95-year-old friend told me as he sat next to his wife in a nursing home, “Growing old isn’t for sissies!” If God gives me a long life, how will I handle all the issues that go with aging? I’m not sure, but I know this: God is my God for ever and ever; he will be my guide to the end. 

I know that I will die. Will it be suddenly or through a long process? Will the process be painful? Will I be at peace? Will I face death with anxiety? I am not sure but I know this: God is my God for ever and ever; he will be my guide to the end. 

Father, You are my God. And You will be my God forever. Thank You for Your unfailing love. I don’t know what life holds but I thank You for the promise that You will be by my side guiding me all the way to the end. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer

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Email prayer@ronmoore.org.

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