Tag Archives: knowledge

Be Ready For Christ

Readiness

From: My Utmost For HIs Glory

God called to him . . . . And he said, ’Here I am’ —Exodus 3:4

When God speaks, many of us are like people in a fog, and we give no answer. Moses’ reply to God revealed that he knew where he was and that he was ready. Readiness means having a right relationship to God and having the knowledge of where we are. We are so busy telling God where we would like to go. Yet the man or woman who is ready for God and His work is the one who receives the prize when the summons comes. We wait with the idea that some great opportunity or something sensational will be coming our way, and when it does come we are quick to cry out, “Here I am.” Whenever we sense that Jesus Christ is rising up to take authority over some great task, we are there, but we are not ready for some obscure duty. Readiness for God means that we are prepared to do the smallest thing or the largest thing— it makes no difference. It means we have no choice in what we want to do, but that whatever God’s plans may be, we are there and ready. Whenever any duty presents itself, we hear God’s voice as our Lord heard His Father’s voice, and we are ready for it with the total readiness of our love for Him. Jesus Christ expects to do with us just as His Father did with Him. He can put us wherever He wants, in pleasant duties or in menial ones, because our union with Him is the same as His union with the Father. “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22). Be ready for the sudden surprise visits of God. A ready person never needs to get ready— he is ready. Think of the time we waste trying to get ready once God has called! The burning bush is a symbol of everything that surrounds the person who is ready, and it is on fire with the presence of God Himself.

I’m Alive

By Marvin Williams

From : Our Daily Bread

Read: Ephesians 2:1-10

You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. —Ephesians 2:1

Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 3-5; Luke 14:25-35

Laura Brooks, a 52-year-old mother of two, didn’t know it but she was one of 14,000 people in 2011 whose name was incorrectly entered into the government database as dead. She wondered what was wrong when she stopped receiving disability checks, and her loan payments and her rent checks bounced. She went to the bank to clear up the issue, but the representative told her that her accounts had been closed because she was dead! Obviously, they were mistaken. The apostle Paul was not mistaken when he said that the Ephesian believers were at one point dead—spiritually dead. They were dead in the sense that they were separated from God, enslaved to sin (Eph. 2:5), and condemned under the wrath of God. What a state of hopelessness! Yet God in His goodness took action to reverse this condition for them and for us. The living God “who gives life to the dead” (Rom. 4:17) poured out His rich mercy and great love by sending His Son Jesus to this earth. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are made alive (Eph. 2:4-5). When we believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we go from death to life. Now we live to rejoice in His goodness!

I know I’m a sinner and Christ is my need; His death is my ransom, no merit I plead. His work is sufficient, on Him I believe; I have life eternal when Him I receive. —Anon.

Accepting Jesus’ death gives me life.

A Place Fit for a King!

From: Get More Strength.org

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

While in seminary I worked as a bellman in a luxury hotel in Dallas. On most days it was a ho-hum job, except for the time when the Vice President of the United States came to town and chose to stay at the hotel. He reserved an entire floor. Secret Service agents and other security swarmed the hotel to guard him. The whole city knew where he was staying, and those of us who worked there felt proud. I must admit, I worked a little harder, looked a little sharper, and operated more efficiently than ever.

Our response ought to be just like that when we wake up to the fact that God dwells in us. His choice to set up residency in our lives should stimulate us to behave and respond differently than we used to before we welcomed Him in. And, by the way, it’s not just a temporary residence. Once He’s in, He’s there to stay! So getting serious about what His dwelling place looks like is a big deal. And, since it’s a big deal, preparing the place for Him means that we need to get it appropriately clean, which means that issues like purity and holiness become really important.

The tabernacle of the Old Testament provides the most graphic picture of the purity that God’s residency requires. Many chapters of Exodus and Leviticus are devoted to the regulations regarding the building of the tabernacle and its use among God’s people. Why all the regulations? To guard and facilitate the presence of a holy God. To make a place fit for God to dwell. It’s important to note that after Moses and the Israelites obeyed all that God had commanded, “The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:35). The reality of God’s presence within is meant to motivate us to happily pursue a life of personal holiness and purity. It’s no surprise that when Paul talks about God dwelling in us in 1 Corinthians 6:19, it’s in the context of moral purity. Peter recognized this when he urged the early Christians: “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:14-15). And just as the Old Testament saints cleansed themselves at the temple, so it is our privilege and responsibility to regularly cleanse ourselves to keep His place clean (1 John 1:7-9)!

Before the Vice President arrived at our hotel, there were long lists of requirements that we had to check off in preparation. Housekeeping was responsible for making sure that everything was white-glove clean! How’s the housekeeping department doing in your life? If it was important for the Vice President, count on it—it’s really important for the King who dwells in you!

An innocent man

Apr

From: Our Daily Journey

by jeff olson posted under christian living, daily devotional, death, difficult relationships,enemies, faith, forgiveness, grace, humility, injustice, jesus, persecution,reconciliation, salvation, submission, suffering, trials (2 comments)

Luke 23:26-49 When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent” (Luke 23:47).

Read Mark 15:39 and consider some additional words from the Roman officer.

What touches you the most about the way Jesus died? How does His selfless sacrifice affect the way you serve Him and others?

On April 15, 1865, family, physicians, and government officials crowded around the bedside of US President Abraham Lincoln. He was unconscious and close to death from an assassin’s fatal bullet.

After Lincoln took his last breath, those keeping vigil stood in silence. Shock and sadness left them speechless. After several minutes, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton reportedly broke the silence with these famous words, “Now he belongs to the ages.”

The gospel of Mark records that after Jesus cried out to His heavenly Father and breathed His last, the Roman officer (who was in charge of overseeing the execution) was so moved by all he witnessed that he declared, “Surely this man was innocent” (Luke 23:47).

Unlike Lincoln’s death, it wasn’t just the fact that Jesus died that deeply touched the officer. It was watching how He died.

Jesus didn’t retaliate against His executioners. He didn’t hurl insults back at the Jewish leaders who scoffed at Him or at the passersby who shook their fists at Him (Mark 15:29). He didn’t respond in kind to the soldiers who mocked Him or gambled for His clothing (Luke 23:34). He didn’t fight evil for evil. Instead, Jesus quietly endured their relentless abuse. And when He did speak, He blessed and prayed for those who persecuted Him—“Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). He even showed mercy and reassured the repentant criminal who was executed next to Him (Luke 23:40-43).

No wonder this Roman officer was moved to say what he did!

The way Jesus died reflects the way He lived. And He calls us to live (and possibly die) in the same way, working for and anticipating that day when He will return and once and for all put everything right.

Helping Others

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All Kinds Of Help

By Anne Cetas

From: Our Daily Bread

Read: Genesis 41:46-57

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.” —Genesis 41:39

Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 1-2; Luke 14:1-24

In the wake of the shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, many people have felt strongly compelled to help. Some donated blood for the injured, some provided free lunches and coffee at their restaurants for workers. Others wrote letters of comfort or just gave hugs. Some sent gifts of money and teddy bears for the children; others offered counseling. People found ways to serve according to their personalities, abilities, and resources.

A story in the Bible about Joseph tells how he used his skills to play an important role in helping people survive a 7-year famine (Gen. 41:53-54). In his case, he could prepare beforehand because he knew a difficult time was coming. After Joseph warned Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, that the lean years were coming, Pharaoh put him in charge of the 7-year preparation time. Joseph used wisdom and discernment from God to get his country ready (41:39). Then, when “the famine was over all the face of the earth, . . . Joseph opened all the storehouses” (v.56). He was even able to help his own family (45:16-18).

These stories show the heart of God for the world. He has prepared us and made us who we are that we might care for others in whatever way He leads us.

Lord, help me feel the hurt that others feel
When life inflicts some bitter pain,
And use me in some loving way to heal
The wounds that may through life remain. —D. DeHaan

Compassion offers whatever is necessary to heal.

Let’s Hear it for the Rules

From: Get more Strength.org.

“So then, the law is holy… righteous and good” Romans 7:12

Most of us don’t really like rules. I don’t know why, but deep down inside we have an aversion to people telling us what to do and what not to do. Wanting to dump the rules and “go it on our own” implies that we think we know what is best and that left to ourselves we can manage life in good and productive ways. But you and I both know by experience that this is not always the case.

I wonder if God ever feels like I used to feel as a father. We lived in a neighborhood where the best place to play ball was in the street. One evening, my 5-year-old came to me with his glove and bat slung over his shoulder and said, “Hey, Dad, I’m going to play ball!”

“Where?” I asked, to which he replied, “In the street with my friends.”

Nothing made me happier than seeing my kids have a good time. But the thought of little Joe playing in the street concerned me. So I got down on his eye level and told him that I loved him too much to let him play in the street. “Quite frankly,” I said, “I don’t like to think of your little body getting integrated into the grill of a Mack truck! If you want to have fun playing ball, then get your friends and we’ll pile into the car and go to the park where playing ball is supposed to happen. But you can’t play ball in the street.”

God knows how dangerous Satan’s traffic is. And He is far more interested in our safety than He is in our unbridled pleasure. So, because He loves us, He has given us rules to keep us free from the damage of playing in Satan’s street.

To keep us from the self-destruction of bitterness, He has a rule about forgiving and loving our enemies. To keep us safe from the treachery of dishonesty and deceit, He has told us not to lie and to live instead for what is true. In fact, when you think of it, all of His rules are really for our good. Just take a look at the Ten Commandments. Life works better when we don’t lie to each other, steal from each other, or take each other’s life. We are all better off when we don’t covet each other’s property, sleep with each other’s wives, or gossip and bear false witness against our neighbor. How ridiculous is it that we are trying to put the Ten Commandments in the dumpster in our society? Who’d want to live in the chaos of a world where things like lying, stealing, cheating, sleeping around, greed, and bitterness are the norm? Did I hear you say that we are almost there?

Well, I’m not among those who believe that left to ourselves we can figure out how to do life. God knows we need help and thankfully in His love He blessed us with a few really important rules.

As the psalmist says: Blessed is the person who doesn’t scoff at God’s law! When you delight in the law of the Lord and become “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither,” whatever you do will prosper (Psalm 1:1-3).

April 17

Satan’s Tools

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and, let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1).

There are weights which are not sins in themselves, but which become distractions and stumbling blocks in our Christian progress. One of the worst of these is despondency. The heavy heart is indeed a weight that will surely drag us down in our holiness and usefulness.

The failure of Israel to enter the land of promise began in murmuring, or, as the text in Numbers literally puts it, “as it were murmured.” Just a faint desire to complain and be discontented. This led on until it blossomed and ripened into rebellion and ruin. Let us give ourselves no liberty ever to doubt God or His love and faithfulness to us in everything and forever.

We can set our will against doubt just as we do against any other sin; and as we stand firm and refuse to doubt, the Holy Spirit will come to our aid and give us the faith of God and crown us with victory.

It is very easy to fall into the habit of doubting, fretting, and wondering if God has forsaken us and if after all our hopes are to end in failure. Let us refuse to be discouraged. Let us refuse to be unhappy. Let us “count it all joy” when we cannot feel one emotion of happiness. Let us rejoice by faith, by resolution, by reckoning, and we shall surely find that God will make the reckoning real.
–Selected

***

The devil has two master tricks. One is to get us discouraged; then for a time at least we can be of no service to others, and so are defeated. The other is to make us doubt, thus breaking the faith link by which we are bound to our Father. Lookout! Do not be tricked either way.
–G.E.M.

***

Gladness! I like to cultivate the spirit of gladness! It puts the soul so in tune again, and keeps it in tune, so that Satan is shy of touching it–the chords of the soul become too warm, or too full of heavenly electricity, for his infernal fingers, and he goes off somewhere else! Satan is always very shy of meddling with me when my heart is full of gladness and joy in the Holy Ghost.

My plan is to shun the spirit of sadness as I would Satan; but, alas! I am not always successful. Like the devil himself it meets me on the highway of usefulness, looks me so fully in my face, till my poor soul changes color!

Sadness discolors everything; it leaves all objects charmless; it involves future prospects in darkness; it deprives the soul of all its aspirations, enchains all its powers, and produces a mental paralysis!

An old believer remarked, that cheerfulness in religion makes all its services come off with delight; and that we are never carried forward so swiftly in the ways of duty as when borne on the wings of delight; adding, that Melancholy clips such wings; or, to alter the figure, takes off our chariot wheels in duty, and makes them, like those of the Egyptians, drag heavily.

Coming Down From The Mountain

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Can You Come Down From the Mountain?

From: My Utmost For Highest Highest

While you have the light, believe in the light . . . —John 12:36

We all have moments when we feel better than ever before, and we say, “I feel fit for anything; if only I could always be like this!” We are not meant to be. Those moments are moments of insight which we have to live up to even when we do not feel like it. Many of us are no good for the everyday world when we are not on the mountaintop. Yet we must bring our everyday life up to the standard revealed to us on the mountaintop when we were there.

Never allow a feeling that was awakened in you on the mountaintop to evaporate. Don’t place yourself on the shelf by thinking, “How great to be in such a wonderful state of mind!” Act immediately— do something, even if your only reason to act is that you would rather not. If, during a prayer meeting, God shows you something to do, don’t say, “I’ll do it”— just doit! Pick yourself up by the back of the neck and shake off your fleshly laziness. Laziness can always be seen in our cravings for a mountaintop experience; all we talk about is our planning for our time on the mountain. We must learn to live in the ordinary “gray” day according to what we saw on the mountain.

Don’t give up because you have been blocked and confused once— go after it again. Burn your bridges behind you, and stand committed to God by an act of your own will. Never change your decisions, but be sure to make your decisions in the light of what you saw and learned on the mountain.

At work

From: Our Daily Journey.org.

by regina franklin
posted under christian living, daily devotional, faith, god, god’s guidance, god’s promises, god’s provision, injustice, patience, salvation, sanctification, self-image, submission

Genesis 37:5-11, Genesis 42:1-6
Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground (Genesis 42:6).

Read Proverbs 13:1-12. Everyone desires to see dreams fulfilled. What connection might there be between the instruction in verses Proverbs 13:1-11 and the truth found in verseProverbs 13:12?

When have you felt that God didn’t come through for you in fulfilling one of your dreams? How might God have been at work even in this seeming failure?

A group of us were sharing dinner and then we gave testimonies about a God who loves His people enough to speak His dreams into their hearts. We heard of an apartment complex for single mothers. A wedding barn and a Christian campground. A new local church being established. Common to all was the desire that God’s name would be made great through each respective leap of faith.

Uncertain about believing in a God who can’t be seen with physical eyes, listening to a voice we can’t record, and following a hand we cannot tangibly touch, we can make faith nothing more than a collection of dry terms as we hunker down in a predictable life. More than something we know or talk about, however, faith must be lived out.

Consider the hall of faith in Hebrews 11:1-40. They built, conceived, offered, promised, blessed, spoke, refused, chose, left, went, overthrew, ruled, received, shut, quenched, escaped, suffered, died. Refusing safety, those who truly believed in God moved in incredible ways—following God to points beyond whatever felt safe and comfortable.

Stepping out into the unknown isn’t easy. Some days it’s downright frightening. Scripture doesn’t give us an exact reason for Joseph’s forthrightness in sharing the dream God had given him. It only details the outcome: rejection, isolation, and injustice. But for Joseph—and for us—the cost of faith pales in comparison to the fulfillment of God’s promise (Genesis 46:5-7; Joshua 24:32; Psalm 105:19).

Believing what God has spoken doesn’t guarantee an easy journey, but it does give us a front-row seat to watch Him at work. For “God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished” (Philippians 1:6).

What’s In The Name?

From: Getmorestrength.org.

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” Exodus 20:7

There are a lot of fun events associated with being a pastor. And while great food at church dinners and getting invited to cool events with people in your church are near the top of the list, there may be nothing that quite compares to sharing some great moments with people — like the birth of babies. But in the joy of it all, there is a problem.

When you arrive at the hospital, you encounter a weary, but thrilled, couple who hand you this tightly wrapped little bundle and then impose on you a serious ethical dilemma. Of course, you are supposed to say, “Oh, my goodness, what a pretty little girl,” or “What a handsome little boy!” The reality is that I’ve never seen a child fresh out that looks anything like handsome or pretty. (Come to think of it, I have seenthree really beautiful babies.)

But once I get past the ethical dilemma by saying something like, “My, isn’t she precious,” the conversation ultimately morphs into an easier realm of interaction regarding the child’s name: “What’s the baby’s name?” . . . “That’s a great name. What does it mean?” The answers vary:

“Oh, it’s his grandfather’s name.”

“Her name means ‘Father’s delight’” or,

“We have no idea; we just chose it from a baby book!”

For most of us, names are relatively insignificant. They are easily changed into nicknames and serve basically to distinguish us from Bob or Ted. But if we look at God’s view of names in the same way, we may have trouble understanding what the big deal is about God’s name. Why would He include the importance of His name in His top-10 list of “Thou Shalt Nots”? How could diminishing His name rank up there with murder, stealing, and adultery?

It doesn’t take much digging through the Bible to realize that names are important to God. Think about Genesis, when God was often giving new names to the main characters—Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, Jacob became Israel. Each change signaled a statement from God about that individual’s character and his or her place in His plan. It wasn’t about God giving a nickname, it was about God assigning identity and worth to these individuals through the meaning of their name.

Most importantly, names are one of God’s key means of revealing His own identity and worth. He reveals His identity when He tells Moses that He is named “Yahweh,” which means, “I Am.” It means that He is eternally existent. He also identifies Himself as “Elohim,” the Almighty God, the God of great power. His names are who He is, not just what we call Him.

God’s names also describe His worth. You may be familiar with names like “Jehovah-Jireh,” meaning that He is the God who will provide. Or “El-Shaddai,” which means that He is completely sufficient. There are, in fact, 210 different names of God throughout Scripture, adding incredible richness and depth to our understanding of God’s identity, worth, and character.

Which is exactly why He takes it so seriously when we degrade His name by using it as though it weren’t sacred and lowering it to mere casual conversation as though it were ordinary. The exclamation, “Oh my God” should be an urgent prayer, not a verbal exclamation point. When we lower the name of God to drag it through a moment of anger or to use it to intimidate or manipulate, we have taken God Himself and lowered Him from His holy position. His name is intrinsically locked into who He is and what He is like. To put it simply, when we hit on His name, we have hit on Him. No wonder He is offended.

So, what’s in a name? If you’re talking about God, the answer is everything!

Joy Comes In The Morning

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April 15

Desperate Situations

“The angel of the Lord came upon him (Peter) and a light shined in the prison; and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off” (Acts 12:7).

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God. . . . And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one’s bands were loosed” (Acts 16:25, 26).

This is God’s way. In the darkest hours of the night, His tread draws near across the billows. As the day of execution is breaking, the angel comes to Peter’s cell. When the scaffold for Mordecai is complete, the royal sleeplessness leads to a reaction in favor of the favored race.

Ah, soul, it may have to come to the worst with thee ere thou art delivered; but thou wilt be delivered! God may keep thee waiting, but he will ever be mindful of His covenant, and will appear to fulfill His inviolable Word.
–F. B. Meyer

***

There’s a simplicity about God in working out His plans, yet a resourcefulness equal to any difficulty, and an unswerving faithfulness to His trusting child, and an unforgetting steadiness in holding to His purpose. Through a fellow-prisoner, then a dream, He lifts Joseph from a prison to a premiership. And the length of stay in the prison prevents dizziness in the premier. It’s safe to trust God’s methods and to go by His clock.
–S. D. Gordon

***

Providence hath a thousand keys to open a thousand sundry doors for the deliverance of His own, when it is even come to a desperate case. Let us be faithful; and care for our own part which is to suffer for Him, and lay Christ’s part on Himself, and leave it there.
–George MacDonald

***

Difficulty is the very atmosphere of miracle — it is miracle in its first stage. If it is to be a great miracle, the condition is not difficulty but impossibility.

The clinging hand of His child makes a desperate situation a delight to Him.

Deliverance…. (reposted from March 30, 2010)

From: Closed Doors, Open Windows, Mrs. Pamela M. Steiner

UPDATE FOR PALM SUNDAY, 2013. 2014! I originally wrote this for Palm Sunday in 2010. Not a lot has changed in 3 4 years…actually not a lot has changed in 2013 2014 years! But, Jesus is STILL the answer…Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever! Amen! (2014)

Psalm 34:4 “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

Deliverance…what does that word mean to you? It has a very welcome sound to the captive…those who are held captive in any kind of prison, whether it be a prison with bars and high walls, or a prison of fear and isolation…the thought of deliverance brings hope and joy and peace. For many in today’s economy, there is a tremendous amount of anxiety over the future…people fear losing their jobs, others fear not being able to find a job. Retired folks are concerned about their savings running out too soon, or having health issues that will rob them of what little security they have left. Our nation is in turmoil over health care reform and the brittle financial and housing market. People look to our national leaders and hope that they will make some wise decisions that will bring relief, and yet that so-called relief often comes with a high price tag that will endanger the future security of our children and grandchildren for many years to come.

Where can we find this deliverance that we are seeking? Is there anyone who can come and set us free from our bondage to fear and doubt?

Psalm 34:15 says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.” Verse 17 says “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.”

The Jews back in the time of Jesus were desperate for a leader who could deliver them from the tyranny of the Roman government. As Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday, the people cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! The King of Israel!” (John 12:13) They hailed Him as their King and Messiah, but they were seeking an earthly king for an earthly kingdom.

A few days later, when Jesus was betrayed by one of His own disciples, He stood before Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate asked Him if He was the King of Jews. Jesus responded to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.”….”My kingdom is not from here…” (John 18:36) He went on to say in verse 37, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Jesus came to prepare our hearts for the kingdom that is yet to come, that is a Heavenly Kingdom. In the meantime, His Holy Spirit gives us strength and grace to endure the trials and tribulations that are common to all of mankind. He came to deliver us from all our fears and troubles. Do we still have financial difficulties? Do we still have health problems or other major concerns? Yes. As long as we are on this earth there will be trouble and sorrow……but hear what Jesus said in John 16:33~

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Through Christ, we are overcomers. “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

Deliverance….yes, that is what Palm Sunday and Easter is all about….Think about it.

This is just the beginning of the story…not the end.

April 15, 2014

Maturing in Prayer
Stormie Omartian

From: Crosswalk.com

“You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:2-3 (NKJV)

During the first couple of years I walked with the Lord, my prayers went something like this:

“God, help me get that job.”

“Jesus, please heal my throat.”

“Lord, send enough money to pay these bills.”

“Father, take away my fear.”

It took me a while to realize that those spur-of-the-moment prayers were not accomplishing much. I guess I thought the idea was to do the best I could on my own, and then if I needed a lifeline from God, I grabbed it. The only problem was I needed a lifeline every other minute.

I loved the Scripture verse that says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7, NKJV). I took God at His Word and was asking, seeking and knocking on a pray-as-you-go basis. I also took to heart the verse that says, “… you do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2b).

Great! I can easily remedy that, I thought, and proceeded to ask God for everything. But I still wasn’t happy, and I didn’t see the kind of answered prayer I desired.

One day as I was reading James 4:2, my eyes were opened to the next verse, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures”(James 4:3).

Could it be that the “God give-me-this, do-that, wave-your-magic-wand-here, get-me-out-of-this-mess” kind of praying was not what God desired for my prayer life? In utter frustration I said, “Lord, teach me how I’m supposed to pray.”

He did exactly that!

I came to understand that prayer is not just asking for things — although that certainly is part of it. Far more importantly, prayer is talking with God. It’s getting close to and spending time with the One you love. It’s seeking Him first, getting to know Him better, being with Him and waiting in His presence.

Prayer is acknowledging Him as the source of power upon whom you can depend. It’s taking the time to say, Speak to my heart, Lord, and tell me what I need to hear. It’s partnering with Him. It’s aligning our spirits with His to see that His perfect will is done. It’s establishing ourselves and our lives as being connected to God.

We can’t receive God’s best for our lives, and we can’t push back the things that were never God’s will for us, except through prayer. We can’t leave our lives to chance. We have to pray about everything all the time, not just when things go wrong.

We have to pray over anything that concerns us, no matter how big … “For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37, NKJV) … or how small … “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30, NKJV).

The Bible tells us the basic qualification for prayer: “he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6b NKJV).

The more you pray, the more you will find to pray about, and the more you’ll be led to pray for others.

Don’t allow discouragement over unanswered prayer to cause you to doubt that God heard you. If you have received Jesus and are praying in His name, then God hears you and something is happening whether you see it manifested in your life now or not. In fact, every time you pray, you’re advancing God’s purposes for you. Without prayer, the full purpose God has for you can’t happen.

Dear Lord, Help me today to draw closer to You, in my words, my thoughts and my deeds. Help me share more of my life with You, and through that, help me discover Your perfect will. In His holy Name I pray, Amen.

Let Your Request Be Known

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April 14

In Everything

“In nothing be anxious” (Phil. 4:6).

No anxiety ought to be found in a believer. Great, many and varied may be our trials, our afflictions, our difficulties, and yet there should be no anxiety under any circumstances, because we have a Father in Heaven who is almighty, who loves His children as He loves His only-begotten Son, and whose very joy and delight it is to succor and help them at all times and under all circumstances. We should attend to the Word, “In nothing be anxious, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

“In everything,” that is not merely when the house is on fire, not merely when the beloved wife and children are on the brink of the grave, but in the smallest matters of life, bring everything before God, the little things, the very little things, what the world calls trifling things — everything — living in holy communion with our Heavenly Father, arid with our precious Lord Jesus all day long. And when we awake at night, by a kind of spiritual instinct again turning to Him, and speaking to Him, bringing our various little matters before Him in the sleepless night, the difficulties in connection with the family, our trade, our profession. Whatever tries us in any way, speak to the Lord about it.

“By prayer and supplication,” taking the place of beggars, with earnestness, with perseverance, going on and waiting, waiting, waiting on God.

“With thanksgiving.” We should at all times lay a good foundation with thanksgiving. If everything else were wanting, this is always present, that He has saved us from hell. Then, that He has given us His Holy Word — His Son, His choicest gift — and the Holy Spirit. Therefore we have abundant reason for thanksgiving. O let us aim at this!

“And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” And this is so great a blessing, so real a blessing, so precious a blessing, that it must be known experimentally to be entered into, for it passeth understanding. O let us lay these things to heart, and the result will be, if we habitually walk in this spirit, we shall far more abundantly glorify God, than as yet we have done.
–George Mueller, in Life of Trust

***

Twice or thrice a day, look to see if your heart is not disquieted about something; and if you find that it is, take care forthwith to restore it to calm.
–Francis De Sales

Inner Invincibility

From: My Utmost For His Highest

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me . . . —Matthew 11:29

Whom the Lord loves He chastens . . .” (Hebrews 12:6). How petty our complaining is! Our Lord begins to bring us to the point where we can have fellowship with Him, only to hear us moan and groan, saying, “Oh Lord, just let me be like other people!” Jesus is asking us to get beside Him and take one end of the yoke, so that we can pull together. That’s why Jesus says to us, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). Are you closely identified with the Lord Jesus like that? If so, you will thank God when you feel the pressure of His hand upon you.

“. . . to those who have no might He increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29). God comes and takes us out of our emotionalism, and then our complaining turns into a hymn of praise. The only way to know the strength of God is to take the yoke of Jesus upon us and to learn from Him.

“. . . the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Where do the saints get their joy? If we did not know some Christians well, we might think from just observing them that they have no burdens at all to bear. But we must lift the veil from our eyes. The fact that the peace, light, and joy of God is in them is proof that a burden is there as well. The burden that God places on us squeezes the grapes in our lives and produces the wine, but most of us see only the wine and not the burden. No power on earth or in hell can conquer the Spirit of God living within the human spirit; it creates an inner invincibility.

If your life is producing only a whine, instead of the wine, then ruthlessly kick it out. It is definitely a crime for a Christian to be weak in God’s strength.

April 14, 2014

If You Really Loved Me, You Would …
Glynnis Whitwer

From: Crosswalk.com

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NIV)

How could he do this to me?

My mind raced as the digital numbers on the clock read 1:25 a.m. Then 2:15 a.m. I rolled on my other side, away from the clock’s red glow, with the hope of finding sleep before my alarm rang in a few short hours. But racing thoughts made sleep impossible.

Earlier that day, I’d learned about some bad choices my son made and then we’d had an argument. This news rattled my confidence as a mother and caused all kinds of questioning thoughts to keep me awake. Was I losing my son? Was he going down the wrong path for good? What did I do wrong?

Somehow, during my middle-of-the-night mental rant, I worked myself to a dangerous place: I doubted my son’s love for me.

After all, my sleepy brain reasoned, if he really loved me, he would never have done what he did. He knew I wouldn’t approve, and yet he still made that choice. How could he?

After that thought had planted itself in my brain, my heart felt vulnerable and in need of protection. Something in my mind whispered, “take cover” and walls started to rise around my heart.

It wasn’t the first time I’ve wanted to retreat from what felt like rejection. Unfortunately, I tend to expect people I love to behave in ways I would … to make choices I would. Or at the very least, to seek my advice and adapt their decisions based on my feedback. When that doesn’t happen, I sometimes translate it as a lack of love.

In those difficult moments, it seems safer to close off parts of my heart when I feel rejected or not validated. But I’ve learned that’s a very lonely way to live. And it’s far from the way God wants me to love.

I’ve struggled with this kind of reaction for years, yet God continually challenges me to stop playing it safe. Loving others isn’t easy. God didn’t call me to play defense when it comes to love; He called me to play offense.

In fact, God modeled this type of love by showing it to me first.

Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Here’s what this verse means to me:

While I was making choices that would hurt God’s heart, He sent His son, Jesus, for me.

While I was rejecting God’s ways, His Son was nailed to a cross for me.

While I was choosing selfish ease and comfort over obedience, Jesus died on that cross for me.

For me! And for you! We are women who don’t always make good choices. We are far from perfect. We’re messy, risky and difficult to love sometimes. And yet God chooses to go on the offensive to show us His love.

My bad choices are just as hurtful to God as my son’s bad choices were to me. Yet not once has God tried to place guilt on me by saying, “If you really loved Me, you wouldn’t have done that.”

In fact, God did just the opposite. When God was justified to condemn me for my willful, selfish choices, He chose to remove my guilt rather than place more on me.

Oh how this truth brings me to my knees! How can I place such heavy expectations on others when God doesn’t place them on me? How can I withhold even an ounce of love to make a point, when I make so many wrong choices of my own?

That night, I confessed my selfish thoughts to God and asked Him to help me be bold enough to be a woman of grace, not guilt. To be a mother who models His love and not my oh-so-flawed version.

The next morning I embraced my son before he left for school. I spoke no words of condemnation, nor did I remind him of his choices. I texted him mid-morning: “I love you.” He texted back the same.

Later, my son walked in the kitchen. “Hey, Mom, can I talk to you?”

We sat in the living room while he admitted how wrong his choices had been. Regret lay heavy; he was sorry. In fact, he was making a change going forward and was thankful for my love.

Not every situation works out that well. But in this instance, I’m thanking God for His quick intervention in my heart and my son’s.

Loving others is messy, and I sure don’t do it as well as God. But with His strength, I’ll keep trying. It’s definitely worth the risk.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me in spite of my wrong thoughts, words and deeds. Help me to love others in spite of theirs and hopefully turn their hearts toward You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Determination To Do Good

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Determination

By David C. McCasland

From: Our Daily Bread

Read: Ruth 1:6,11-18;

Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. —Ruth 1:16

Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 22-24; Luke 12:1-31

During a television news report on the plight of refugees displaced from a war-torn country, I was struck by the words of a 10-year-old girl. Despite there being little possibility of returning to their home, she showed a resilient spirit: “When we go back, I’m going to visit my neighbors; I’m going to play with my friends,” she said with quiet determination. “My father says we don’t have a house. And I said we are going to fix it.”

There is a place for tenacity in life, especially when it is rooted in our faith in God and love for others. The book of Ruth begins with three women bound together by tragedy. After Naomi’s husband and two sons died, she decided to return to her home in Bethlehem and urged her widowed daughters-in-law to stay in their country of Moab. Orpah remained but Ruth vowed to go with Naomi, saying, “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16). When Naomi saw that Ruth “was determined to go with her” (v.18), they began their journey together.

Stubbornness is sometimes rooted in pride, but commitment grows from love. When Jesus went to the cross, “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). From His determination to die for us, we find the resolve to live for Him.

My life, my love, I give to Thee,
Thou Lamb of God who died for me;
Oh, may I ever faithful be,
My Savior and my God! —Hudson

Love calls for commitment.

What To Do When Your Burden Is Overwhelming

From: My Utmost For HIs HIghest

Cast your burden on the Lord . . . —Psalm 55:22

We must recognize the difference between burdens that are right for us to bear and burdens that are wrong. We should never bear the burdens of sin or doubt, but there are some burdens placed on us by God which He does not intend to lift off. God wants us to roll them back on Him— to literally “cast your burden,” which He has given you, “on the Lord . . . .” If we set out to serve God and do His work but get out of touch with Him, the sense of responsibility we feel will be overwhelming and defeating. But if we will only roll back on God the burdens He has placed on us, He will take away that immense feeling of responsibility, replacing it with an awareness and understanding of Himself and His presence.

Many servants set out to serve God with great courage and with the right motives. But with no intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, they are soon defeated. They do not know what to do with their burden, and it produces weariness in their lives. Others will see this and say, “What a sad end to something that had such a great beginning!”

“Cast your burden on the Lord . . . .” You have been bearing it all, but you need to deliberately place one end on God’s shoulder. “. . . the government will be upon His shoulder” (Isaiah 9:6). Commit to God whatever burden He has placed on you. Don’t just cast it aside, but put it over onto Him and place yourself there with it. You will see that your burden is then lightened by the sense of companionship. But you should never try to separate yourself from your burden.

Brand New

From: Getmorestrength.org

“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” Revelation 21:5

I love the smell of a new car. You open the door and, wow, there’s just something about it! If you were like me, you’d buy it just for the aroma. The problem is, soon after you get the car home, the smell’s gone, and all you’re left with are maintenance bills and a whole bunch of payments.

One time Martie and I obliterated any remnants of that “new car” smell on the way to a church dinner. It was one of those all-church affairs where everyone had to bring some food to share. Martie had cooked up a killer ham, complete with all the trimmings and lots of spiced up ham juice filling the bottom of the pan. The dish was perched in the back of the car and—you guessed it—I had to slam on the brakes. Ham juice sloshed all over the seat and the floor! The car never smelled the same again.

What happened to our car on the way to the potluck dinner is a clear reminder that all the stuff that is new and wonderful is headed toward the dumper. Everything starts with the sizzle of “new” only to become old and tatty. The latest piece of technological wizardry is outdated before you get it home from the store. Clothes get ripped, stained, or, even worse, go out of fashion! Our bodies are headed toward the grave and on the way accumulate sags, wrinkles, failing memories, and knees that refuse to cooperate. Nothing stays new. That’s the bad news.

But here’s the good news. God is in the enterprise of making all things new. Look at what the apostle John says in Revelation 21:1-27. He begins the chapter by assuring us that the day is coming when God will make all things new! And what He makes new will never grow old. There will be a new heaven and a new earth: A new place for us to live free of air pollution, flooded basements, peeling wallpaper, and leaky faucets. And, best of all, no global warming, just global glory from the throne of God!

Then John shares the glorious news that all the old things will be destroyed forever. Good riddance to this broken-down, decaying, worn-out world. And better yet, we will no longer have to deal with all the residuals of sin. There will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain. In fact, God Himself will wipe away all of our tears. As the text says, old things will pass away and all things will become new!

Just the thought of it makes me really glad to be a child of God. And to everyone who looks at followers of Christ as being old-fashioned and retro, they better think again. If anyone is all about the future and everything that is new, it’s us! But looking forward to all that is new in Jesus is not an excuse to hunker down and check out of interaction with this fading-away world. As Paul says, we are already new creations in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17) and are called to start living out our newness in our encounters with this fallen world. Love, forgiveness, generosity, compassion, justice, mercy, and righteousness are just a few of the new things that will last forever!

Belonging To God’s Family

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Complete and Effective Dominion

From: My Utmost For HIs Highest

2014

Death no longer has dominion over Him. . . . the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God . . . —Romans 6:9-11

Co-Eternal Life. Eternal life is the life which Jesus Christ exhibited on the human level. And it is this same life, not simply a copy of it, which is made evident in our mortal flesh when we are born again. Eternal life is not a gift from God; eternal life is the gift of God. The energy and the power which was so very evident in Jesus will be exhibited in us by an act of the absolute sovereign grace of God, once we have made that complete and effective decision about sin.

“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you . . .” (Acts 1:8)— not power as a gift from the Holy Spirit; the power is the Holy Spirit, not something that He gives us. The life that was in Jesus becomes ours because of His Cross, once we make the decision to be identified with Him. If it is difficult to get right with God, it is because we refuse to make this moral decision about sin. But once we do decide, the full life of God comes in immediately. Jesus came to give us an endless supply of life— “. . . that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). Eternal life has nothing to do with time. It is the life which Jesus lived when He was down here, and the only Source of life is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even the weakest saint can experience the power of the deity of the Son of God, when he is willing to “let go.” But any effort to “hang on” to the least bit of our own power will only diminish the life of Jesus in us. We have to keep letting go, and slowly, but surely, the great full life of God will invade us, penetrating every part. Then Jesus will have complete and effective dominion in us, and people will take notice that we have been with Him.

April 12

You cannot detain the eagle in the forest. You may gather around him a chorus of the choicest birds; you may give him a perch on the goodliest pine; you may charge winged messengers to bring him choicest dainties; but he will spurn them all. Spreading his lofty wings, and with his eye on the Alpine cliff, he will soar away to his own ancestral halls amid the munition of rocks and the wild music of tempest and waterfall.
The soul of man, in its eagle soarings, will rest with nothing short of the Rock of Ages. Its ancestral halls are the halls of Heaven. Its munitions of rocks are the attributes of God. The sweep of its majestic flight is Eternity! “Lord, THOU hast been our dwelling place in all generations.”
–Macduff

***

“My Home is God Himself”; Christ brought me there.
I laid me down within His mighty arms;
He took me up, and safe from all alarms
He bore me “where no foot but His hath trod,”
Within the holiest at Home with God,
And bade me dwell in Him, rejoicing there.
O Holy Place! O Home divinely fair!
And we, God’s little ones, abiding there.

“My Home is God Himself”; it was not so!
A long, long road I traveled night and day,
And sought to find within myself some way,
Aught I could do, or feel to bring me near;
Self effort failed, and I was filled with fear,
And then I found Christ was the only way,
That I must come to Him and in Him stay,
And God had told me so.

And now “my Home is God,” and sheltered there,
God meets the trials of my earthly life,
God compasses me round from storm and strife,
God takes the burden of my daily care.
O Wondrous Place! O Home divinely fair!
And I, God’s little one, safe hidden there.
Lord, as I dwell in Thee and Thou in me,
So make me dead to everything but Thee;
That as I rest within my Home most fair,
My soul may evermore and only see
My God in everything and everywhere;
My Home is God.
–Author Unknown

The Case for Kindness

From: Get more strength. org

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

A story I heard in the news a few years ago caught my attention. It was about an 85-year-old man who used to eat breakfast in a Kroger supermarket every morning. He was bossy, very particular, and even remarked that the female employees could stand to lose weight. A few weeks after the old man died of cancer, several of the shocked clerks received checks for $10,000 from his estate. Why? Even when the old man had been cranky and insulting, the staff waiting on him had treated him pleasantly and tried to cheer him up with a little tender care! They even went beyond the call of duty by taking turns to visit him in the hospital! Clearly, none of them expected anything in return.

There’s a word for what the Kroger staff extended to him—kindness. What a refreshing story in a world where kindness has become a lost commodity. But if you are a follower of Jesus, then kindness has to be what you dish out on a regular basis. After all, Paul wrote, “Be kind to one to another, tenderhearted” (Ephesians 4:32). And, it needs to be noted, kindness makes the list as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. Kindness is about thinking of others and extending our love and resources to meet their needs and concerns.

But, in case you’re thinking, Right, but what about me? Proverbs 11:17offers a fascinating twist on kindness. It says, “A kind man benefits himself”—which means that there is something in kindness for you!

Treating people with kindness keeps our hearts and attitudes running in the right direction. If we’re not careful, we can easily fall prey to selfishness and indifference in our dealings with people. Planning to be kind gets you out of the what will they do for me world and gets your heart in tune with what can I do for them? Intentional acts of kindness train our hearts to be loving and helpful, which is really a big benefit!

Acts of kindness to friends, spouses, and our children bless us with the privilege of better friendships and more fulfilling relationships. And, most importantly, kindness will make you a lot like Jesus, who was kind to you all the way to His death! Believe me, becoming like Jesus is a huge return on the investment.

Before you get concerned that you don’t have time to be kind, remember that kindness doesn’t always have to be a major event. It doesn’t take a lot of time to hold the door open for the mom with her arms full, or to smile at a senior citizen as you pass by on the sidewalk. Even if you only see the donut guy for 60 seconds each morning, if it’s your intention to bless him with an encouraging word or two or even a tip in the jar, he’ll remember you as friendly and generous. Maybe he’ll sense that you are different from his other customers and may even want to know what it is that makes you different—a wide open door to let him know that Jesus taught you to be kind!

And if you object because no one is ever kind to you, keep in mind that it may just be that they have never been blessed by you being kind to them! When you are kind, people usually look for ways to return the favor. It’s the boomerang effect. As Jesus taught, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12).

Be kind, and watch the blessings flow!

Christ: Our Salvation

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April 11

By Death We Live

“As dying and behold we live” (2 Cor. 6:9).

I had a bed of asters last summer, that reached clear across my garden in the country. Oh, how gaily they bloomed. They were planted late. On the sides were yet fresh blossoming flowers, while the tops had gone to seed. Early frosts came, and I found one day that that long line of radiant beauty was seared, and I said, “Ah! the season is too much for them; they have perished”; and I bade them farewell.

I disliked to go and look at the bed, it looked so like a graveyard of flowers. But, four or five weeks ago one of my men called my attention to the fact that along the whole line of that bed there were asters coming up in the greatest abundance; and I looked, and behold, for every plant that I thought the winter had destroyed there were fifty plants that it had planted. What did those frosts and surly winds do?

They caught my flowers, they slew them, they cast them to the ground, they trod with snowy feet upon them, and they said, leaving their work, “This is the end of you.” And the next spring there were for every root, fifty witnesses to rise up and say, “By death we live.”

And as it is in the floral tribe, so it is in God’s kingdom. By death came everlasting life. By crucifixion and the sepulchre came the throne and the palace of the Eternal God. By overthrow came victory.

Do not be afraid to suffer. Do not be afraid to be overthrown.

It is by being cast down and not destroyed; it is by being shaken to pieces, and the pieces torn to shreds, that men become men of might, and that one a host; whereas men that yield to the appearance of things, and go with the world, have their quick blossoming, their momentary prosperity and then their end, which is an end forever.
–Beecher

***

“Measure thy life by loss and not by gain,
Not by the wine drunk, but by the wine poured forth.
For love’s strength standeth in love’s sacrifice,
And he who suffers most has most to give.”

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

From: Closed Doors, Open Windows, Mrs. Pamela M. Steiner.

Random Journal Day #2…”The SON has Risen!”

(Originally posted April 8, 2012)

As I mentioned last weekend, some of my blogging friends have started a “Random Journal Day” (see the Random Journal Day Link Up) on the weekends, where we are encouraged to pick an entry from a previous journal at random and share it with you…so I looked back through one of my old journals and happened upon a writing that is appropriate for today, Easter. This was originally written on May 3, 2001, but it is still and always will be a message for today. So here goes:

Thursday, May 3, 2001, 6:55 a.m.

“I am sitting on my back porch, watching the sun rise. It is magnificent in it’s glory and beauty. At first I thought the clouds were going to overshadow it, but not so!

Light has conquered darkness…the sun has risen!

Today’s reading in Psalms was Psalm 19:1-6~

‘The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.

There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.

Their line has gone out through all the earth,

and their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,

which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

and rejoices like a strong man to run its race.

Its rising is from one end of heaven,

and its circuit to the other end;

and there is nothing hidden from its heat.’Yes, the true Light, Jesus, has conquered the darkness…the SON has risen!!!

Hallelujah to the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world!Now, I must go out into the world…and be Christ’s “Greatest Sacrament”to a lost and dying world.‘Lord, give me the time and the faith to BE and DO all YOU would have me BE and DO. Amen.’

April 11, 2014 What if I Don’t Get Any More Tomorrows?
Tracie Miles From: Crosswalk.com

“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog — it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” James 4:14 (NLT)

Before the plane backed away from the gate, the flight attendant warned us: “It’s been a rough day in the air. Prepare yourself for tremendous turbulence.” Although I wanted to make a mad dash for the door, I simply tightened my seat belt and prayed for safety. Soon, her verbal warning became a reality.

The plane rocked back and forth, as if it were slamming into walls instead of fluffy clouds. It was a short, but difficult, flight and after several attempts at landing, we were diverted to another airport, adding hours to the trip.

During this extra time in the air, I did a lot of thinking about what was most important in my life. I didn’t really believe we would crash, but I couldn’t keep from wondering … What if the worst happens? What if I don’t get any more tomorrows?

I thought about my loved ones. What were my last words to them? Were they kind or harsh? Were they filled with love, or merely instructions to carry out during my absence? Did I hug everyone and tell them how much they meant to me? If I didn’t make it home, had I prepared my children spiritually and emotionally to handle life, trust God and walk in faith? Had I told my husband how much I appreciated him?

Was there anyone I needed to forgive? Were there people I had been meaning to call or visit but never took the time? Had my priorities and plans been in line with God’s will? Had I sought God’s insight about everything on my to-do list? Had I done all I could to bring glory to God? Would I be ready to meet Jesus face to face?

Although my heart knew God was in control, my mind and emotions ran wild as I peered out the oval window at the dark clouds hovering all around us.

In an effort to ignore the panicked voice over the intercom, I began searching my Bible for scriptures about how God knows the number of our days. The first verse I found was today’s key verse.

In the rest of chapter 4, James reprimands the people for their self-centered living. Their self-indulgent, judgmental and prideful ways caused arguments and quarrels. They were consumed with business profits and neglected to seek God’s insight.

They focused on their personal agendas instead of what actually mattered. They acted as if God didn’t exist, or didn’t matter, and pursued their own plans. They disregarded God’s control over their lives and the number of their days.

James then wrote these words that spoke truth into my heart, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog — it’s here a little while, then it’s gone” (James 4:14).

That passage could have been written to me. Sometimes I focus on my own plans, ignoring that only God knows how long He will allow me to carry them out. Other times, I make plans without seeking God’s will and get distracted by lesser things, instead of what really matters.

James wanted his readers to remember God directs us to live with a holy perspective, knowing every breath we take is one more gift from God. We aren’t promised any tomorrows, so we need to live today with an eternal perspective.

I remained calm in the midst of the airborne chaos, but that time of reflection in the bumpy skies served as a great reminder not to take time for granted. I don’t want to assume I’ll always have another tomorrow, or another chance to love on those I love the most. From now on, I want to include God in my plans and serve Him as best I can.

Lord, forgive me for focusing on my own plans or neglecting to seek Your insight. Help me to never put off until tomorrow what You want me to do today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Covering Sinkholes

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(Pictures of sinkholes)

Covering Sinkholes

by Marvin Williams

From: Our Daily Bread

Read: Psalm 32:1-5

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. —Psalm 32:1

Bible in a Year:
Leviticus 26-27; Mark 2

In late May 2010, tropical storm Agatha hit Central America, producing torrential rains and landslides. Once it finished its course, a 200-foot-deep sinkhole opened in downtown Guatemala City. This sinkhole caused the ground to collapse suddenly, sucking land, electrical poles, and a 3-story building into the depths of the earth.

Though sinkholes can be devastating, the most universal and damaging sinkhole is the one that happens in the human heart. King David was an example of this.

The surface of David’s life looked stable; however, his interior life rested on a fragile foundation. After his sins of adultery and murder, David thought he had successfully hidden his treacherous acts (2 Sam. 11–12). However, God’s intense conviction after Nathan’s confrontation caused him to realize that denying the presence of sin in his life weakened the foundation of his spiritual life. To prevent this spiritual sinkhole from worsening, David acknowledged his sin to God in repentance (Ps. 32:5). As a result, God covered David’s sin and gave him the joy of forgiveness.

We too will experience God’s grace when we confess our sins to Him. He will completely forgive and cover our spiritual sinkholes.

Thinking It Over
What habitual sins, secret addictions, or hidden
vulnerabilities are weakening your interior life?
Remember, God longs to give you complete forgiveness.

When we uncover our sins in repentance God will cover them.

can anybody see god?

From: Inspire21.com

— Author Unknown

A small boy once approached his slightly older sister with a question about God.

“Susie, can anybody ever really see God?” he asked. Busy with other things, Susie curtly replied: “No, of course not, silly. God is so far up in heaven that nobody can see him.”

Time passed, but his question still lingered, so he approached his mother: “Mom, can anybody ever really see God?” “No, not really,” she gently said. “God is a spirit and he dwells in our hearts, but we can never really see him.”

Somewhat satisfied but still wondering, the youngster went on his way. Not long afterwards, his saintly old grandfather took the little boy on a fishing trip. They were having a great time together — it had been an ideal day. The sun was beginning to set with unusual splendor as the day ended.

The old man stopped fishing and turned his full attention to the exquisite beauty unfolding before him. On seeing the face of his grandfather reflecting such deep peace and contentment as he gazed into the magnificent ever-changing sunset, the little boy thought for a moment and finally spoke hesitatingly: “Granddad, I – I wasn’t going to ask anybody else, but I wonder if you can tell me the answer to something I’ve been wondering about a long time. Can anybody, can anybody ever really see God?”

The old man did not even turn his head. A long moment slipped by before he finally answered. “Son,” he quietly said. “It’s getting so I can’t see anything else.”

—

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
— Psalm 19:1-4

Taking the Initiative Against Daydreaming

From: My Utmost For His Highest

Arise, let us go from here —John 14:31

Daydreaming about something in order to do it properly is right, but daydreaming about it when we should be doing it is wrong. In this passage, after having said these wonderful things to His disciples, we might have expected our Lord to tell them to go away and meditate over them all. But Jesus never allowed idle daydreaming. When our purpose is to seek God and to discover His will for us, daydreaming is right and acceptable. But when our inclination is to spend time daydreaming over what we have already been told to do, it is unacceptable and God’s blessing is never on it. God will take the initiative against this kind of daydreaming by prodding us to action. His instructions to us will be along the lines of this: “Don’t sit or stand there, just go!”

If we are quietly waiting before God after He has said to us, “Come aside by yourselves . . .” then that is meditation before Him to seek His will (Mark 6:31). Beware, however, of giving in to mere daydreaming once God has spoken. Allow Him to be the source of all your dreams, joys, and delights, and be careful to go and obey what He has said. If you are in love with someone, you don’t sit and daydream about that person all the time— you go and do something for him. That is what Jesus Christ expects us to do. Daydreaming after God has spoken is an indication that we do not trust Him.

Cause Joy Not Grief

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Why Cause Grief?

February 16, 2014 — by Dave Branon

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Read: Hebrews 13:17-19

Obey those who rule over you, . . . for they watch out for your souls. —Hebrews 13:17

Bible in a Year:
Leviticus 19-20; Matthew 27:51-66

Pastors make an easy target for criticism. Every week they are on display, carefully explaining God’s Word, challenging us toward Christlike living. But sometimes we look to find things to criticize. It’s easy to overlook all the good things a pastor does and focus on our personal opinions.

Like all of us, our pastors are not perfect. So I’m not saying that we should follow them blindly and never confront error through the proper channels. But some words from the writer of Hebrews may help us find the right way of thinking about our leaders who are presenting God’s truth and modeling servant leadership. The writer says, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account” (13:17 niv).

Think about that. Before God, our pastor is responsible for guiding us spiritually. We should want that burden to be joyous, not grievous. The passage indicates that causing grief for the pastor “would be of no benefit” (v.17 niv).

We honor God and make things better for our church when we give honor to those He has appointed as our leaders.

Our gracious Father, thank You for the person
You led to our church as pastor. May we provide
encouragement and support, and may You protect
our pastor from error in both word and actions.

Pastors who preach God’s Word need a good word from God’s people.

The fruit of suffering

From: Our Daily Journey

Feb

by Sheridan Voysey

Luke 23:32-49

Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Read Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, andGalatians 4:13 to see some examples of God redeeming suffering for the sake of others.

How might your suffering develop empathy in you for others who suffer? How might Jesus want to serve others through your pain?

“How are you doing now?” my friend asked as we walked down the path. The last time Adrian and I had spoken, I had told him that my wife and I were not able to have children and the pain this had brought us.

“On the whole,” I said, “we’re doing better. I guess we’re trying to focus on the upside of being childless and the opportunities it brings. You know, like being free to travel.” “Yes,” Adrian said, “although that can take you only so far.” We walked a little farther before he explained what he meant.

“There was no upside to Jesus’ suffering. His crucifixion was a dark, barbaric event. And Jesus never tried to find a positive side to it. Instead, He did something else entirely.” “Go on,” I said. “Have you ever noticed how many people Jesus ministered to as He hung on the cross?” Adrian asked. Then he said, “He ministered to His mother . . . ” “You mean, putting her in John’s care?” I inquired (John 19:26-27). “That’s right. He ministered to the thief crucified next to Him, and to the people who crucified Him (Luke 23:33-34,39-43). His death ministered to the Roman centurion who came to believe in Him (Luke 23:47), and He ministered to us—forgiving our sins through His sacrifice. All of this was done in the middle of Jesus’ suffering, before things came good at His resurrection.”

I thought deeply as we continued down the path.

“Yes, there may be some benefits in being childless, but you will also find it difficult and lonely. If you follow Jesus’ example, however, out of your suffering will come opportunities to minister to people in ways you otherwise couldn’t. For Jesus, crucifixion was a mission field. And with Him, the fruit of our suffering can be service to others too.”

Can You See Her?

From: Getmorestrength.org

Feb

2014

“and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.”Luke 7:38

For most of us, prostitution represents a rather repulsive aspect of the underbelly of society. Given our disdain for such a godless practice, my guess is that few of us have ever thought about the people trapped in the “industry,” let alone the thought of taking the love of Jesus to them. We are far more prone to think of prostitutes with Simon the Pharisee’s sanctimonious aloofness—an aloofness that Jesus never felt.

Simon, the “good” person in town, was repulsed by the prostitute who had gate-crashed his party. The text indicates that he watched with revulsion the outpouring of her love at Jesus’ feet. His buttoned-up, spit-polished religious life had shut her out. Jesus, on the other hand, extended love and forgiveness to her and welcomed her in. What a contrast!

Lisa DePalma is the founder of a ministry to prostitutes on the dark street corners of Chicago. I have been stunned by Lisa’s stories of her work with these shattered lives, and I’ve been gripped by her example of what it means to extend the heart and hands of Jesus to them. Always used and never loved, these prostitutes hear—some of them for the first time—that God has wonderfully loved them through the person of Jesus.

To those of us who have a hard time feeling love and compassion for this kind of woman, Lisa writes these pleading lines.