Category: First Things First Devotional

Do not enter the gate of My people in the day of their disaster. Yes, you – do not gloat over their misery in the day of their disaster and do not appropriate their possessions in the day of their disaster. Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off their fugitives, and do not hand over their survivors in the day of distress. Obadiah 1:13-14 HCSB

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “gloating” as “To show in an improper or selfish way that you are happy with your own success or another person’s failure.” Many times we see gloating exhibited in sporting events when one team or person makes a score or a great play and then “rubs it in” by grinning in the face of their opponent or even making a derogatory comment. Often these players are then penalized for their unsportsman-like conduct.

We should not rejoice at the misfortune of another person. Our reaction should be one that Christ would have – one of compassion and love. The Edomites were rejoicing because the people of Judah were being defeated and humiliated. Not only did they rejoice, they even helped the enemy by blocking the way of escape and delivering them to the invaders as slaves.

Challenge: Do you gloat when you get a promotion or recognition at work that your fellow employee wanted? Do you gloat when a fellow employee gets fired or reprimanded? Do you get a sense of pleasure when someone seems to get what they deserved when they get caught doing something inappropriate or illegal? In every situation we should ask – “What would Jesus do?” Instead of gloating, reach out and minister to those who are hurting. As Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44

On the day you stood aloof, on the day strangers captured his wealth, while foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were just like one of them. Obadiah 1:11 HCSB

I was walking with my family as we left a ballgame. Suddenly, there were two men fighting along our path. A crowd began to gather to watch the men fight, but I felt that I must do something. I stepped in and broke up the fight. In retrospect, I am not sure that was the wisest thing to do because the two men could have turned and attacked me. Fortunately, the fight was interrupted and the crowd dispersed.

It is easy to stand by and not take action. Most of the time we prefer not to get involved. The easier path is to stand by and watch or just walk on by without saying anything or interceding. This is exactly what the Edomites had done. They stood by and watched as foreigners attacked and carried away Jacob’s descendants. They refused to come to their aid. By taking no action and turning a “blind eye” to the situation, they actually became allies of their foreign enemy.

Challenge: Too often Christians seems to just step aside and fail to do anything when they see injustice being carried out. This only allows evil to continue. God calls us to action and to do what is right regardless of the cost. Don’t turn a “blind eye” to the evil in our world. Be willing to take a stand and do what is right, even when the cost is great.

You will be covered with shame and destroyed forever because of violence done to your brother Jacob. Obadiah 1:10 HCSB

Tragically, there are too many stories of ministers who have yielded to the temptations of Satan. Some have had moral failures, while others have not handled finances properly. Ministers are human just like anyone else and have fallen from the pedestals upon which people have placed them. I am sure that those who have fallen never intended to get “caught,” but God is all powerful and has the ability to reveal the sins of mankind. Sometimes the revealing of sin can be devastating to the lives of not only the individual who has been “caught,” but the lives of family members and others around him.

The age old feud between Esau and Jacob (Genesis 27:40-41) was again an issue as the people of Edom hated the people of Israel. God wants His children to love one another instead of finding ways to hurt and destroy. God reveals sin not as a form of judgment, but rather as a way to bring justice and draw people back to Himself.

Challenge: Be aware that God can and will reveal your “secret” sins if He feels that it will help you draw closer to Him. Pray that God will help you to resist the temptations of Satan and if He must reveal your sin, that you will learn from your wayward ways and return to Him.

Your presumptuous heart has deceived you, you who live in clefts of the rock in your home on the heights, who say to yourself, “Who can bring me down to the ground?” Though you seem to soar like an eagle and make your nest among the stars, even from there I will bring you down. This is the Lord’s declaration. Obadiah 1:3-4 HCSB

Our travel group made its way down the winding road through the desert area between Jericho and Jerusalem. The bus groaned as it made its way up the mountain. Out the window we could see the deep canyons and caverns. The guide pointed out a monastery that had been cut out of the side of the rocks down in the canyon. There was only one small road leading to the buildings that had seemingly been carved out of the side of the mountain. I have never visited Petra, but I have been told that it is similarly built into the side of the mountain.

In these verses God is speaking through His prophet Obadiah to pronounce judgment on the people of Edom because of their evil ways and self-sufficient attitudes. Some believe that the description of where their homes were built (in the clefts of the rock) refers to the same place as Petra but no one really knows. Obviously it was similar. A city built into the clefts of the rock would be a secure place because enemies could not easily attack and conquer the city. The people of Edom had a self-sufficient attitude that caused them to presume that they were safe and protected from any evil, but no one is secure outside of God.

Challenge: It is only through God that one can really be secure. Do you tend to be self-sufficient? Trust God to take care of you. He will always provide what you need when you need it. Thank Him for being all that you need and for serving as your protector.

On that day it will be said to Jerusalem, “Do not fear; Zion, do not let your hands grow weak. Yahweh your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will bring you quietness with His love. He will delight in you with shouts of joy. Zephaniah 3:16-17

With the new technology we can now “FaceTime” with our children and grandchildren. There is nothing much more exciting than to hear my phone ring and see that one of my children wants to “FaceTime”. I can remember going to the World’s Fair in Seattle in 1962 as a child and seeing the first push button phone. In 1962 it was only a dream that one could actually see the person with whom they were talking. Now, I get the pleasure of seeing my grandson’s or granddaughter’s face light up with a smile when he or she sees my face on the phone. Nothing is much more fulfilling and exciting.

Imagine the joy and excitement God experiences when just one person comes to know His Son as Lord and Savior. The Bible says that the angels rejoice over the salvation of just one person (Luke 15:10). This verse in Zephaniah reminds us that God rejoices over us and brings quietness to the turmoils and troubles of life. He delights in His children with shouts of joy.

Challenge: Shout for joy for what God has done for you. Praise Him for making you one of His children and forgiving your sins so you might have eternal life. Do you experience joy when you come into the presence of God through prayer and reading God’s Word? There is a smile on the face of God each time you seek Him and do what is pleasing to Him.

The remnant of Israel will no longer do wrong or tell lies; a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. But they will pasture and lie down, with nothing to make them afraid. Zephaniah 3:13 HCSB

It seems that many politicians are guilty of telling lies and being deceitful. Too often a politician wants to say or do the politically correct thing and will compromise his own beliefs to win votes. The nightly news frequently reports a story about a politician who has lied or been dishonest in his dealings. Unfortunately dishonesty and deceit become a way of life for many. It is hard for many people to discern between what is right and wrong.

Someday when the Lord returns there will be a remnant of Israel that will no longer do wrong, tell lies, and be deceitful. Note that there will only be a remnant of people. Not everyone who calls Jesus Lord will be saved (Matthew 7:21). Only those who do the will of the Father will be saved. The will of the Father is for everyone to confess his sin, believe that Jesus died on the cross for his sins, and commit to living for Jesus and doing what is right.

Challenge: Follow the example that Jesus set for all of us; be honest and truthful in everything you say and do. Pray that you will be an example to others of how a Christian should live and conduct his life.

On that day you will not be put to shame because of everything you have done in rebelling against Me. For then I will remove your proud, arrogant people from among you, and you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain. I will leave a meek and humble people among you, and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh. Zephaniah 3:11-12 HCSB

I have played golf since I was eight years old and was fortunate to play on the golf team for my high school and my college. Even though I cannot play as well as I once did, I still enjoy a round of golf. Volunteering at golf tournaments and getting to watch the professional golfers has become one of my favorite activities. Currently there is a popular professional golfer who exhibits a proud and arrogant attitude. Because of that attitude I do not care for him and find myself cheering for his opponents.

A person with a proud and arrogant attitude tends to think more highly of himself than he should and tends to look down on others as not being as important as himself. It is hard to like someone with a proud and arrogant attitude. God despises the proud and gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6) These verses in Zephaniah assure us that God will someday remove all of the proud and arrogant people and will replace them with meek and humble people.

Challenge: Imagine how wonderful our world would be if everyone had a meek and humble attitude. Pray that God would keep you from becoming prideful and arrogant and that He would help you to be filled with humility. Pray to exhibit meekness with everyone you encounter.

For I will then restore pure speech to the peoples so that all of them may call on the name of Yahweh and serve Him with a single purpose. Zephaniah 3:9 HCSB

Wikipedia reports that the song “Get Together”, also known as “Let’s Get Together”, is a song written in the early 1960’s by American singer-songwriter Chet Powers. The song is an appeal for peace and brotherhood, presenting the polarity of love versus fear, and the choice to be made between them. In 1967, the music group The Youngbloods released their version of the song under the title “Get Together.” It gained widespread popularity when the song was used in a radio public service announcement as a call for brotherhood by the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

Heaven will be a place where all believers from all nations will come together in unity. In heaven God will purify our lips and unify our languages so we all can worship Him together. This is a reverse of the confusion of languages that occurred at the tower of Babel (Genesis 11). The words coming from our lips will be clean and pure, bringing honor and glory to the one God who deserves our praise and attention. It is only through Jesus Christ that there can be true unity and love among people.

Challenge: God’s desire is for all people to come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior and for all believers to come together in unity. Pray that God will use you as an instrument of peace to bring people together. Come on now, let’s all get together and love one another! Listen to the Youngbloods sing “Let’s Get Together” on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRAhTY3Dwl0

Therefore, wait for Me – this is the Lord’s declaration – until the day I rise up for plunder. For My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, in order to pour out My indignation on them, all My burning anger; for the whole earth will be consumed by the fire of My jealousy. Zephaniah 3:8 HCSB

There have been times in my life when someone has said something or done something that has caused hurt to me in some way. My natural human feeling is to want to get revenge and hurt the person back in some way. I know that is not the way that Jesus would react. As a Christian, my desire is to forgive and forget. It is easier to forgive than it is to forget the hurt that someone has caused.

This verse reminds us that God will judge all the people according to what they have done. God is just and will always do what is right; someday all evil doers will be punished and the obedient will be blessed. We are to wait on God to judge. God reminds us in Romans 12:19 that “Vengeance belongs to Me.” When we focus on revenge it causes us to become bitter and hateful. It also takes our focus off of sharing the gospel with others.

Challenge: Let go of any thought of revenge. Be patient and wait on God, His judgement will come. Let God be the judge and administer justice. Pray that God would help you focus on loving others, even those who have hurt you.

But He will completely destroy Nineveh with an overwhelming flood, and He will chase His enemies into darkness. Nahum 1:8 HCSB

I recently watched a video about the surrender of the Japanese in World War 2. The Americans demanded that the planes carrying the Japanese officers to the official surrender be painted white and the red sunrise emblem that had been on the planes be replaced with a green cross. The Japanese were the enemy and they had lost the war, so they complied with the demands.

As sinners we are enemies of God. God is holy and hates sin. Because God is loving, merciful, and forgiving, He has provided a way for the penalty of our sins to be paid. Sin’s penalty is death, but Jesus Christ took on our sins and died in our place. If we surrender our lives to Jesus and accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior, our sins are forgiven and we are no longer enemies of God. We are children of God and we will inherit the kingdom of God and eternal life. (Read Romans 5:10-11) Those who are enemies of God and do evil and do not repent of their sin will someday face the consequences of their actions. God will not allow sin to go unpunished.

Challenge: If you have never surrendered your life to Christ, pray and ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life. It is as simple as A-B-C. Admit you are a sinner. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for your sins and rose again to life. Confess Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Listen to Chris Tomlin sing “Lord I Need You” on YouTube at