- :: Christian Ministries With Disabled Trust

Devotionals by Geoff Wiklund

Current Devotional:

Reminder

I have a word from God for you. It is one that Paul spoke to Titus to tell his people and I believe it is good for us as well. Paul said “remind them”. So I am reminding you.

We are to be:

1. Subject to rulers and authorities. You will know who is in authority over you and we need to give them the respect the Bible instructs us to give them. It saddens me that often we whine about unbelieving authorities because they don’t behave in a Christian manner. Surprise they are not Christians. Our sad protest won’t help them become one. I believe we need to be creative and constructive in our efforts to bring change.
2. To obey. Jesus in the Great Commandment told the disciples to “teach them to obey”. In judges everyone did that which was right in their own eyes. I see that today. So obedience is a good reminder.
3. Be ready for every good work. I believe that we need to prepare for every good work. We have an evangelistic event coming with Greg Laurie. Lets prepare and be ready to help and invite someone.
4. Don’t speak evil of anyone! Full stop enough said.
5. Be peaceable and gentle. We know what that looks like and we just need to do it. Examine your actions and tones and ask yourself the question.
6. Show humility. Be a sermon walking. Remember it is God that does the work through us. Give glory to Him.

Blessings Geoff

What is in the Offering?
We have all heard offering calls. This week I had to deal with my own. I had $20 credited to my personal account. That meant I had to tithe $2. But the account it went into charges $2 if you make more than one withdrawal in the month. I just gave $5 from another account.
Then I read this week in First Samuel about Eli's two sons and how they stole from the offering that which was theirs but they took it in a wrong manner. God killed both of them in the same day and the family was cursed with no atonement for that sin.

God was not really interested in my $2 it was my heart. He was happy to wait until next month. It is not just our finances. We bring an offering of praise and worship to God. That also has to come from a right heart. I got a new insight into how the Lord looks on our offering and the value that He places on it. If it is not right He will let it go for a time. Then He sends a warning as He did with Eli and then if it doesn't change, suddenly we are destroyed.

When you next give an offering make it a true one. Realise it is important to God. He places a high value on it and it is not to be taken lightly. God bless you as you give.

Geoff

Previous Devotionals by Geoff: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18

Devotional #1

1 Treasure my commands within you.

2 Keep my commands and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.

3 Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister,"
And call understanding your nearest kin,

5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.

I read this Scripture every month and yet just this time this morning the truth hit home. You have probably all seen it before and if so I apologise but it is a very important warning for guys and any one else who wants God's protection.

"Treasure my commandments", "Keep them, .. as the apple of your eye" If we keep His commandments locked away in us like treasure and look on them as something we would like in a desiring sense it will keep our mind focused on the right thing. People have their mind focused on winning this prize or buying this thing.

Bind these laws, write them on your heart. Let them be as a part of your family. That is you are closely associated with them every day, not just sometimes. If we do that we live, have life and are protected. Simple. Just do it!

Geoff

Devotional #2

Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall!
Read the following Scripture. It is very sobering. As I read it today I saw it in a new light. I often refer to it as a passage talking about people being baptised in water and the Holy Spirit. The frightening thing is to think that this can happen and then you miss the mark. As you read down the list see it as a check list and if there is a problem repent. That means confess it and don't do it any more.
1 Cor 10:1
Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,
2 all were baptised into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
3 all ate the same spiritual food,
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.

7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."

8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;
9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;
10 nor complain (murmuring in some translations), as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. NKJV

"I would that none should be lost"

Blessing Geoff

Devotional #3

Mere Men!
1 Cor 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal? NKJV
Where there is envy, strife and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? It is a good question. What is your answer? Paul obviously suggests that we should not behave as mere men but as spiritual men (that includes you ladies as He made man male and female He made them).

The obvious solution then if we find envy, strife and division is to get into the Spirit and stop behaving carnally. I believe if we did that God would command the blessing and a lot would be achieved. Can He start with you and me?

Geoff

Devotional #4

Ask counsel of the Lord
Josh 9:14 Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD. NKJV

Here the men of Israel were fooled by mouldy bread, cracked wineskins and patched sandals and deceptive words.

If you go to a meeting or talk with someone and you take what they give you but you don't seek the counsel of the Lord then you could easily be deceived. Before we partake we should know what the Lord is saying to us. Otherwise you could end up making a covenant with the enemy and he will live amongst you all your days.

So no matter what the situation hear what the Lord would say about it.

Hear the Lord

Geoff

Devotional #5

Revenge
Rom 12:17
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. NIV

If you are like me you will have had somebody do something wrong against you. Sometimes that is totally unjust. Other times we may have reaped what we sowed. But what we do and how we respond is very important.

When I read this verse I was caught the words "leave room for God's wrath". I knew that that meant I was not to do anything myself because vengeance is His. But there is a little extra. Most times when we are hurt we do lots of mental accusations and arguments and retaliations right there in our brain. I believe God would have us leave room in our thoughts as well and not occupy them with thoughts of justification and revenge.

2 Cor 10: 5 Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, NKJV

So leave room in your mind for right thoughts. Have a great week and I hope you have no use for revenge.

Geoff

Devotional #6

Called to Serve
I have just been reminded that we are called to serve. The only one's to receive praise from Jesus are good and faithful servants. Servants put the needs of others before themselves. They use their gifts to bless and increase others.

Jesus set the example by washing the disciples feet and telling them that He came to serve and not be served. When we fail to serve our spouses and children and those around us we fail to reap the blessing. It was the disciples that collected and kept the 12 baskets left over. Very often people go for the first choice, but let me tell you it is the servant who get the most because he gets of the abundance left over. Our natural desire is to be served first. Jesus said you serve first.

I had to repent this morning and I hope you will. Because without repentance a decision to serve will be wasted. Serve well because when you do it to the least you do it unto the Lord and He will reward you.

Geoff

Devotional #7

Crucify the Ishmael's in our lives
When Abraham was asked to give up Ishmael he complained about it, but when he was asked to give up Isaac, he obeyed easily.

Isn't that the way in our lives as well. The things we create in our own strength are hard to give up, but we are happy to sacrifice the real thing.

What I see is that we are happy to "sacrifice" the real things like prayer and Bible reading but we don't like to send away the things we have created or that we like to do even if it is sin.

We will watch a movie till late at night but we will sacrifice (not go) going to an all night prayer meeting because we don't want to get too tired.

It is time to crucify the Ishmael's in our lives even though it is harder to do than the Isaac's.

Blessings Geoff

Devotional #8

What kind of spirit are you of?
In Luke 9 Jesus sends his disciples on ahead as he himself sets his face toward Jerusalem. But as they enter one of the cities of the Samaritans, they did not receive Him because He was going to Jerusalem.

When James and John saw this, they asked "Do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?". But Jesus rebuked them and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of, for the Son of man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

1. When we pick up an offence on someone else's behalf it is very dangerous. You will react more strongly for them than if you had been offended. Chances are that because you were not the one directly involved you won't forgive easily either and that's dangerous. Watch out for that.

2. These guys did not think it beyond them to call down fire to consume them. Do we realise what power is available through God? Elijah, a man of like passions to us, prayed and it did not rain again until he said so. "The prayer of a righteous man makes much power available dynamic in its working." AMP

3. If the disciples did not recognise what spirit they were of, I wonder weather we would? Probably not, because in our own eyes we are pretty good really, and certainly not like those others! Good time then to pray Psalms 139:23.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. NKJV
Let the Holy Spirit settle it in our hearts.

4. Jesus came to save rather than destroy. How powerful the things we say about others. We will destroy them or save them. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Eph 4 says not to give the devil an opportunity or foothold and then goes on to say: Eph 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. NIV

Prayer: Lord set a guard at my mouth that I will only lift up my brothers and sisters in Christ and not rob them of their ministry by saying anything negative about them. Let me keep my judgements to myself, and exhort my brother so that I do not become hardened and deceived by sin in Jesus name.

Blessings on you all this week and may the fire that falls be from the Holy Spirit.

Geoff

Devotional #9

A lesson from Noah
I hope that you will be encouraged as you read this. God bless Your Word and let it achieve the purpose for which You sent it.

Gen 8:6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 8 He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. 10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12 So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.

13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. 14 And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried.

15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16 "Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth." 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him. 19 Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.

I don't know about you but after waiting all that time cooped up with all those animals and children I think Noah did well to wait until God spoke before he went out of the ark. We often look and think all is OK and just go ahead before God says to. If we are too premature we end up in the mud. That uses more energy getting around in the mud and requires more time cleaning up.

I confess my guilt at often knowing what God wants but getting out of the ark before time. I have repented of that and learned a lesson. You of course will have done better than me, but please learn from the error of my ways.

Prayer: Lord forgive me for my presumption and lack of patience. With your help I will go at your word. I will let down the nets at Your word like Peter did. Guide me and those who read this. Help us be righteous like Noah and not in so much of a hurry.

Yours in Christ Geoff

Devotional #10

Bless my mistake Lord
When you read the 17th chapter of Genesis, you read about the wonderful covenant promise that God makes to Abram. He then changes His name and that of his wife. He then promises them again a child. Abraham laughs at that and says: Gen 17:18 And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" NIV

It is so much easier for us to believe for God to bless our mistakes than to trust Him for His promise to us. Besides that it looks better if He blesses our mistake because we look better and we don't have to confess we did it wrong. But in doing this we make God our servant.

Prayer: God I have made mistakes, but You have made me a promise. A promise which cannot change and to which you cannot lie. Therefore today I repent of the mistake, accept the consequences and look to your fulfilment of Your promise to me. Change my name if you need to. Infuse the Holy Spirit in there like you did to Abraham and Sarah. You are God and I want to go with Your plan.

Bless you all this day.

Love Geoff

Devotional #11

"Love what God loves, hate what God hates" Tozer
Good morning. I hope that God is blessing you and taking care of you. Last week at conference David Ravenhill quoted Tozer in that we should love what God loves and hate what God hates. Then yesterday morning in my devotions I read the things that God hates and are an abomination to Him. Let me share about them quickly.

Prov 6:16-19
16 These six things the LORD hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.
NKJV

A proud look: haughty eyes in the KJV. How do we look at others? Do we see our Church as the best? Our theology? If we look at others from a prideful stance it is an abomination to God. The way to overcome it is to pray for others.

A lying tongue: Straight forward really. Liars do not have any place in heaven. We need to be people of truth. Jesus said if we "continue in His Word we will know the truth and the truth will set us free" We need to practice and speak truth.

Hands that shed innocent blood: Do we hate abortion? Prov 31:8 Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Surely the unborn are the speechless appointed to die. 14000 a year in this country alone. Do we hate that? Tolerate it?

A heart that devises wicked plans: This was the cause of the flood, hearts that thought wickedly all the time. That is why we need to keep our hearts clean. Clean hands and a pure heart.

Feet that are swift in running to evil: I was surprised the other day how when an accusation was made against someone how quickly everyone believed it and they began to speak evil of the person. There feet and mouths were quick to believe the evil report. It turned out the accusations were false. We should be slow and careful in such matters.

A false witness who speaks lies: We are called to be witnesses for Christ. We must therefore tell honestly about our experience of what we have seen and heard. God does not need us to exaggerate His ability.

And one who sows discord among brethren: How careful we need to be in what we say about our brothers and sisters. God hates it when we sow discord. We need to be encouragers and people of prayer. Heb 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. NIV Any fool can run down others but we have to stop and consider how to spur one another on.

Lord help me to love the things You love and to have a hate for the things You hate. I repent in the areas I have already caused You grief. In Jesus name. Amen.

Bless you all

Geoff

Devotional #12

Judge not!
When Jacob died his sons came to Joseph and said that their father told them to tell Joseph he had to forgive them for what they did to him. It was all a story to save their necks because they thought he would take his revenge on them. But Joseph comes back with an astounding answer. He says "am I in the place of God?" .

It suddenly occurred to me that when we judge others we put ourselves in God's place. We make ourselves God! He will not share His glory with anyone. That hit me pretty hard. If that wasn't enough, when I turned to the Gospels, Jesus was saying in John 7:22-24
" Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement." NKJV

I have to confess to judging another man of God. I knew it was wrong but I saw things that made me cross and it was hard to respect him. As a result I decided to pray for this man on a regular basis. I did not criticise him but in my heart was sin and I knew that if you have anything against someone if you pray for them they will change or you will or both.

When I prayed for this man God showed me something. He showed me that this man loved God every bit as much as I did and was just as zealous for the Lord as I was. I had judged by appearance and not by what was in his heart. He has changed a bit, but now that I know his heart I can tolerate him just fine.

God forgive us for even momentarily putting ourselves in Your place and making decisions where we cannot see their hearts. Help us size up situations righteously and pray respondingly.

Love you all in the Lord.

Geoff

Devotional #13

Authority
God asked Moses what he had in his hand. It was a staff. God told him to throw it down and it became a serpent and he was fearful of it. Later when he performed that same thing before Pharaoh, his magicians did the same thing only Moses serpent swallowed up theirs.

The staff represents authority. We have an authority in Christ because of the blood covenant we have entered into with Him. We have the authority as sons, ambassadors, witnesses and vessels. We need to see that the authority we have eats up the authority of the enemy.

Authority though applies on the mission we are sent on. If we are outside of the area of our gifting, calling or sending we don't have that authority. If you are getting whacked by the enemy, ask yourself the question as to whether you are in the right place.

Authority of course comes from being submitted to God, when the Bible tells us that we can then resist the devil and he will flee. So if we are not submitted to God we don't have the authority to swallow up the devil.

God told Moses that the rod would help him perform many miracles. When we are in the place of submission to God's will surely we can take authority and see many miracles which we need.

Be encouraged and seek God's will. Some tough times we ride out, others we relinquish to God and others we rebuke. May you have the authority through submission to God's will to do it all.

Love Geoff

Devotional #14

The Holy Spirit
1 Sam 19:20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
21 And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
22 Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, "Where are Samuel and David?" And someone said, "Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah."
23 So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24 And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" NKJV

This account amazes me. The Holy Spirit protects David and Saul. Saul is protected from doing wrong and David is protected from Saul. It reminds me of Saul also out on the road with wrong in his heart and the Spirit coming upon him.

We need to invite the Holy Spirit upon us for our protection. He can stop the enemy and stop us becoming the enemy of God. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. Lets invite His presence and walk in that liberty moment by moment.

Holy Spirit I invite you to rule this day in Jesus name.

Blessings Geoff

Devotional #15

God arranges the circumstances
Just this week I have been reading about Saul before he became king. His father's donkeys were missing and he travels all over the place looking for them and by the mention of his servant he goes to Samuel. He arrives right at the right time to take the place of honour at the feast. God arranged everything to perfection. He was anointed and all that Samuel told him came to pass.

It seems that often when people are looking for something else they find the will of the Lord. I guess that is a very liberal interpretation of "seek and you shall find". I can think of so many times in my life that divine coincidences have taken place. God seems to go to extraordinary lengths at times to make sure we are in the right place at the right time.

So trust the Lord to direct your steps. Keep seeking.

P.S. The donkeys were OK

Geoff

Devotional #16

He who promised is able to perform!
Today as I read Acts 4:17 I see that God calls those things that are not as though they are. He calls into being what does not exist.

I believe that God has a plan and it is a plan for good. He has seen into our future and He calls that plan into being.

Therefore we need to be very careful what we confess. If God has made a promise to us then we need to call that thing as though it is. Because all His promises are yea and Amen.

So be careful how you speak. If God calls into being what does not exist then we can too, because we are made in His image. Dream your dream, claim those prophetic utterances being assured that He who promised is able to perform it. Don't try and do it yourself now!

Blessings Geoff

Devotional #17

Use it or lose it.
This thought came from a book that my wife was reading to me in bed. Enough to give you nightmares. R.A. Torrey was saying that we need to be obedient to teachings as soon as we see them. As James says if we are hearers only we deceive ourselves. Torrey goes on to say that many deceive themselves in that they see what the Bible teaches, but do not do it; and you then lose the power to see it. "Truth obeyed leads to more truth. Truth disobeyed destroys the capacity for discovering truth".

Matt 25:29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. NKJV

So if we use it we get more; refuse, and you lose all.

I have seen so many in my years of ministry who have heard or discovered truth and failed to obey and have lost all. The word is a mirror. We need to look in and adjust anything wrong. Repent now if you have been disobedient and obey. This truth is disturbing, but not if we obey. God clearly said there was blessing in obedience and cursing in disobedience and the principle has not changed. Jesus dies to set us free and obedience makes us His friend.

Love Geoff

Devotional #18

Forgiveness.
In the last few weeks I have heard to testimonies where the people faced death and at the point of death God brought them to face people who had wounded and hurt them. God was calling them to forgive them.

Matt 6:14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. NKJV

That is very powerful. When we forgive it had better be for real. I think that is why Jesus told us to bless those who have hurt us. When we can do that we know that we have forgiven them. Why not take some time right now to ask the Holy Spirit to show you anyone, or group that you need to forgive. Then pray a blessing on them.

Blessings Geoff

Objectives and History | Staff Profile