About Heaven's Highway

Heaven’s Highway is a daily devotions blog. Daily Devotions are hard to specifically find on the Internet. This Daily devotions blog was set up to help Christian find devotions for themselves, their churches, and small groups.

The Daily devotions will be updated regularly, so that new devotions will be made available.

Viewers can check out the latest Daily devotions by clicking the following Daily devotions link at http://glenkirk.blogspot.com.

You can also use the Daily devotions search engine at the top of the blog page and insert certain words, phrases, and Bible passages. If Daily devotions have been written on these subjects, then the corresponding Daily devotions will appear.

If you have any suggestions about the Heaven’s Highway Daily devotions, please use the comment link on each Daily devotions page.

4 Minute Devotions: Beginnings

In the beginning, this New Year was made by God. His will sustained the Earth as it revolved on its axis and continued to orbit the Sun. As midnight struck across our planet in the different time zones, God’s Word and Will kept the Universe in being, whilst the people of our world celebrated the beginning of 2009.

In the midst of all our festivities, we may have been too preoccupied to thank the Founder of our feast. Some of us may have whispered short prayers for our families, our friends, our work, and our prosperity. We may have quietly voiced our fears and insecurities to God in a glancing thought; or we may have left words of grief, regret, and disappointment unspoken.

Genesis1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God

Whatever we may have felt at midnight, this morning sees the beginning of a new day. As the sun rises in the East, a new dawn is ushered in quietly, naturally, and routinely. At the start of this day, we are reminded that both in the Old Testament and New Testament light is given a prominent place. The darkness of a chaotic cosmos is enriched with the goodness of a star-filled universe. And the desolate darkness of fearful and finite humanity is given the faithful and everlasting light of Christ.

As we set aside 2008, we either gladly or reluctantly let go of the past, in order to begin a new journey. We place both our fears and faith into God’s Hands; we let in the light of Christ to heal our hearts and help our hopes. We step over the threshold of a New Year, looking for God to guide our way and let Jesus join us on this fragile, wondrous, and personal journey that we call Life. We pray that in the beginning of this year, God’s Word will continue to sustain the universe, this world, and our spirits.

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for sustaining the Earth and for continuing life on this little planet. As we enter this New Year that we call 2009, we seek to place You at the center of our days, experiences, and events. Be with us in the midst of the blessings or banes that will come our way. Strengthen us for the ordeals and tasks that lie ahead. Grant us faith and patience, perseverance and fortitude throughout this holy and sacred, unique and unknown year. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Pace Yourself

We are all at the starting line of 2009, ready to begin a New Year. How will we pace ourselves for what we will encounter?

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

One winter, when I was in High School, I became a member of the Cross Country team. It was much harder than I anticipated. I usually practiced long distance races on the level playing fields at the school and easily outran my peers. For some reason, I could last longer running around the track about fifteen or twenty times.

My coach had taught me how to pace myself by breathing well and maintaining a regular rhythmic pace around the track. So long as I worked on those two things, I kept winning the long distance races at our school.

But cross country running was entirely different. I had high expectations for myself and when I joined other runners from Glasgow in a country park for a three mile race, I thought I would easily finish in the top ten. As soon as the starter fired the gun, I set off at my usual pace and then I encountered something that upset my breathing and rhythm: hills and valleys all across the park.

I was so used to running on a level track that it never crossed my mind to prepare for a different kind of track. Going down hill, my legs went faster than expected and broke my rhythm. I struggled to pound up the hills and it affected my breathing. About halfway around the course, I was totally winded and had to stop. Some of my school team mates, whom I had consistently beaten on the level track, galloped past me. By the time the race was over, I had come in 125th! So much for my own high expectations.

We all stand at the starting line of a New Year, anxiously waiting to see how it will turn out. We all have high expectations and make many resolutions to ensure that we will accomplish our goals and fulfill our ambitions. We expect a level track, but there will be hills and valleys, crests and troughs, highs and lows along the way. That’s when our perseverance, faith, and hope in the Lord will be crucial to our successes and failures.

This year, let’s take and make time to put Christ at the center of our lives and to give God the glory for all that we achieve. Let’s not take our blessings for granted; rather let us accept them humbly and apply them meaningfully in ways that will both honor and please the Lord.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we know that You are our Savior and Teacher; we ask that You become our Leader and Guide throughout 2009. No matter what we face or encounter, keep us safe in Your hands, and enable us to accomplish much in our homes, at our work, and through our churches, to the glory of God. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Simply Serving

Why do we, as Western Christians, feel entitled to God’s blessings? Are we meant to serve or be served by God?

Luke 2:39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

They could have felt divinely entitled and fully excused of their religious commitments. After all, Joseph and Mary were charged with the responsibility of protecting, raising, and rearing Jesus, the Son of God, so they could have been given some slack.

Instead, they chose to fulfill what the Law of the Lord required – offering a sacrifice, presenting Christ to the Lord in the Jerusalem temple, and having Him circumcised. They decided to show how dedicated they were and how honored they felt at being chosen for this holiest of callings. They would not claim any special bonuses or blessings from God. They would not demand that their wants be met or their commitment be recognized. They would simply submit to the Lord and remain grateful for the privilege they had been given.

Sadly, in our sophisticated Western Christianity, I see much of the reverse. Mega-church preachers and TV evangelists proclaim a Gospel of entitlement, success, and prosperity. Thousands of people turn up with their notebooks each week to glean words that will give them the scriptural secrets to making their dreams come true. Millions of viewers tune in to listen to this type of glossy Good news in order to make them feel better about their lives. There’s a sickness in their souls and a Gospel of greed possesses them. They want to be empowered, encouraged, and entertained, not confronted, challenged, or changed.

Joseph and Mary endured many hardships and experienced deep sorrows for accepting God’s call. They endured the scorn of their community when people first realized that Mary was pregnant. They experienced humiliation when they couldn’t find a place to have their baby born. They had to leave their country behind to go and become political refugees in Egypt. Even when they eventually returned to Nazareth, Joseph may have died young, leaving Mary to raise Jesus and the rest of the family. And finally Mary had to watch her grown Son die in a shameful, horrific, and painful way.

They accepted their calling and never felt entitled to health, wealth, or success. They served God fully and faithfully, doing what they were told and honoring Him. They sought service over success, sincerity over insecurity, and willingness over wealth. God chose them perfectly and wisely because they had the potential, character, and commitment to do what pleased Him.

There’s a lesson here for all of us and the challenge is this – are we willing to serve or be served? Is our faith all about God or about us? We know what the answers should be, but are we ready to let God make what could be with our lives?

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the examples of faith, commitment, and service that Mary and Joseph showed in the past. Enable us to embrace that kind of holy calling and sacred service to You. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: In Limbo

Psalm 91:14 "Because He loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My Name.”

After Christmas, there is always that in-between time when we all reflect about what’s happened throughout the year, and then anxiously anticipate what lies ahead of us. We may get nostalgic or melancholy, depending upon what has occurred throughout the last twelve months; we may also be fearful and uncertain about the New Year.

Throughout this limbo of a time, I like to look at different Bible verses to see if I can come up with a motto for myself and the church that I serve. I was taught this by a ministerial friend in Scotland, who served his parish faithfully and pastorally. At the beginning of each year, he found a special verse and encouraged his congregation to embrace and apply throughout the New Year.

This morning, I came across one that might fit the bill, although I have not settled on it. Because I love the psalms, I tend to choose motto verses from the plethora of God’s promises that are contained in that precious part of the Bible. Today’s verse, Psalm 91 v 14, is all about reassurance which, during these uncertain times, we all need to read, hear, and experience.

I like the fact that the verse begins with God’s love, then continues with deliverance and protection, and ultimately ends with an acknowledgement of faith. It contains all of the elements that I personally have experienced from God over the many years that I have been a Christian.

I do not know what 2009 will bring, but I believe that God’s promises will accompany me, no matter what happens, where I go, or what I do. I guess that’s what faith really is – relying upon God throughout each present day and knowing that He holds the future in His hands. May you also experience the same.

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for loving us, and for delivering us from all sorts of problems or troubles. We claim Your promises because we know that Your word is forever true. Lead us and carry us throughout the coming year, to the glory and honor of Christ’s Everlasting Name. Amen.