Don't Worry!!
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Posted:Apr 14, 2015 4:11 am
Last Updated:Apr 15, 2015 3:11 am 28026 Views
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Read: 1 Peter 5:1-11
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 25-26; Luke 12:32-59
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5.7
George Burns, American actor and humorist, said, If you ask, What is the single most important key to longevity? I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress, and tension. And if you didn't ask me, I'd still have to say it. Burns, who lived to be 100, enjoyed making people laugh, and apparently followed his own advice.
But how can we keep from worrying when our lives are so uncertain, so filled with problems and needs? The apostle Peter offered this encouragement to the followers of Jesus who had been forcibly scattered across Asia during the first century: Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you 1 Peter 5:6-7.
Peter's instructions were not given to help us avoid suffering v.9, but so we can find peace and power to stand victorious against the attacks of Satan vv.8-10. Instead of being consumed by anxiety and worry, we are set free to enjoy God's love for us and express it to each other.
Our goal should not be to see how many years we can live but instead to live fully in loving service to the Lord for all the years we are given.
Lord, I admit that I take things into my own hands and worry. That weighs my spirit down and sometimes robs my nights of rest. Lift the heaviness from my heart as I lean into You.
I will never think of anything that [God, my Father,] will forget, so why should I worry?
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Pray First
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Posted:Apr 13, 2015 3:26 am
Last Updated:Apr 13, 2015 3:28 am 28257 Views
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Read: 1 Samuel 23:1-5
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 22-24; Luke 12:1-31
David inquired of the Lord. 1 Samuel 23.2
When my husband and I supervise our 's piano practice sessions, we begin by asking God to help us. We pray first because neither my husband nor I know how to play the instrument. Together, all three of us are coming to understand musical mysteries such as the meaning of staccato and ÂÂlegato and when to use the piano's black keys.
Prayer becomes a priority when we realize that we need God's help. David needed God's assistance in a dangerous situation as he considered fighting the Philistines in the city of Keilah. Before engaging in battle, David inquired of the Lord, saying,Shall I go and attack these Philistines? 1 Sam. 23.2. God gave His approval. However, David's men admitted that the enemy forces intimidated them. Before a single sword was lifted against the Philistines, David prayed again. God promised him the victory he later claimed v.4.
Does prayer guide our lives, or is it our last resort when trouble strikes? We sometimes fall into the habit of making plans and then asking God to bless them, or praying only in moments of desperation. God does want us to turn to Him in moments of need. But He also wants us to remember that we need Him all the time (Prov. 3.5-6.
Dear God, please guide me as I walk through this life. Help me not to act only by my own wisdom, but to seek Your will in every situation.
God wants us to pray before we do anything at all.
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Sharing A Burger
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Posted:Apr 10, 2015 1:47 am
Last Updated:Apr 11, 2015 6:43 pm 27700 Views
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Read: James 2:14-17
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 15-16; Luke 10:25-42
Do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13.16
Lee Geysbeek of Compassion International told about a woman who had the opportunity to travel to a distant land to visit the she sponsored. She decided to take the , who was living in abject poverty, to a restaurant.
The boy ordered a hamburger, and the sponsor ordered a salad. When the food came to the table, the boy, who assuredly had never had such a meal in his life, surveyed the scene. He looked at his huge hamburger and over at his sponsor's small salad. Then he took his knife and cut the burger in half, offered it to his sponsor, rubbed his tummy, and asked, Hungry?
A who had next to nothing his whole life was willing to share half of what he had with someone he thought might need more. This can be a good reminder the next time we meet someone in physical, emotional, or spiritual need. As followers of Jesus, our faith in Him should be mirrored through our actions James 2.17.
We encounter people in need every day. Some around the globe, some simply around the corner. Some in need of a warm meal, others a kind word. What a difference followers of Christ, who have experienced His love, could make by doing good and sharing Heb. 13.16
Today, Lord, help me see beyond my own problems to the needs of others. Guide my hand to give instead of get, to offer instead of ask, and to bless instead of seeking blessings. May Your name be honored.
To be doing good is man's most glorious task. Sophocles
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Sharing A Burger
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Posted:Apr 10, 2015 1:47 am
Last Updated:May 7, 2024 4:8 am 24284 Views
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Read: James 2:14-17
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 15-16; Luke 10:25-42
Do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. ÂÂHebrews 13.16
Lee Geysbeek of Compassion International told about a woman who had the opportunity to travel to a distant land to visit the she sponsored. She decided to take the , who was living in abject poverty, to a restaurant.
The boy ordered a hamburger, and the sponsor ordered a salad. When the food came to the table, the boy, who assuredly had never had such a meal in his life, surveyed the scene. He looked at his huge hamburger and over at his sponsor's small salad. Then he took his knife and cut the burger in half, offered it to his sponsor, rubbed his tummy, and asked, ÂÂHungry?
A who had next to nothing his whole life was willing to share half of what he had with someone he thought might need more. This can be a good reminder the next time we meet someone in physical, emotional, or spiritual need. As followers of Jesus, our faith in Him should be mirrored through our actions James 2.17.
We encounter people in need every day. Some around the globe, some simply around the corner. Some in need of a warm meal, others a kind word. What a difference followers of Christ, who have experienced His love, could make by doing good and sharing Heb. 13.16
Today, Lord, help me see beyond my own problems to the needs of others. Guide my hand to give instead of get, to offer instead of ask, and to bless instead of seeking blessings. May Your name be honored.
To be doing good is man'ÂÂs most glorious task. ÂÂSophocles
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The Mud Puddle
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Posted:Apr 9, 2015 1:42 am
Last Updated:Apr 10, 2015 3:04 am 18005 Views
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Read: Psalm 119:1-8
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 13-14; Luke 10:1-24
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart! Psalm 119:2
My friend Ed was telling me a story about his little . He was standing in a mud puddle, so Ed told him to get out. But instead, his began running through the puddle. No running through it either, he said. So the boy began walking through the water. When Ed told him, No walking! the boy stood with just his toes in the water, looking defiantly at his dad. The knew what his father wanted, but he didn't want to do it.
Sometimes I'm like that stubborn little boy. I know that what I'm doing isn't pleasing to the Lord, but I do it anyway. God told the of Israel to fully obey the Lord your God (Deut. 2.8.1 ), but they failed repeatedly. The psalmist acknowledged his struggle in Psalm 119,
Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! (v.5 ).
Jealousy, hatred, rebellion they occur all too often. But God provided for our redemption through the sacrifice of His , the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit helps us when we are tempted
(1 Cor. 10.13; and when we confess our wrongdoing, God promises to forgive us
1 John 1:9.
If you are like me and keep running back into the mud puddles of life, don't give up. God will help you to resist temptation, and He will never stop loving you!
Dear Lord, help me when I'm tempted. Bring the promises of the Bible to mind and strengthen me by Your Holy Spirit to say no to temptation. Let all my words and deeds bring honor to Your name.
To master temptation, let Christ master you.
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Fragrant Living
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Posted:Apr 8, 2015 2:20 am
Last Updated:Apr 9, 2015 1:26 pm 10819 Views
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Read: Philippians 4:10-20
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 10-12; Luke 9:37-62
I am full, having received . . . the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma . . . well pleasing to God. Philippians 4.18
I'm grateful that God has given us the sense of smell so we can enjoy the many fragrances of life. I think of how much I enjoy something as simple as the fresh and inviting aroma of after-shave lotion in the morning. Or the mellow smell of fresh-cut grass in the spring. I especially enjoy sitting in the backyard when the delicate scent of my favorite roses fills the air. And then there are the savory aromas of delicious food.
So it catches my attention when the apostle Paul says that our generous acts of love toward others are like a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God Phil. 4.18. When we think of helping those in need, we usually think of it as the right thing to do or even the Christlike thing to do. But Paul says that our intentional act of reaching out to meet someone's need actually fills the throne room of God with a fragrance that brings pleasure to Him.
We can please God with the aromas that rise from being a blessing to others! What an added incentive this is for us to perform deeds of kindness in His name.
Who might need your act of kindness today? Ask God to lead you to someone. Be a blessing. It's a fragrant thing to do!
Here is what I hope to do for others today: ________________
Blessing others is a blessing to God.
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Firm Foundation
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Posted:Apr 7, 2015 8:32 am
Last Updated:Apr 9, 2015 1:25 pm 9931 Views
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Read: Matthew 7:21-27
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 7-9; Luke 9:18-36
Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 7.24
Earthquakes are prevalent in the Pacific Rim region known as the Ring of Fire. Ninety percent of the world's earthquakes and 81 percent of the world's largest earthquakes occur there. I learned that many buildings in the city of Hong Kong have been built on granite, which could help minimize damage in the event of an earthquake. The foundation of buildings is especially important in earthquake-prone regions of the world.
Jesus Christ told His followers that a stable foundation is critical in building lives. He said, Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock
Matt. 7.24-25. The foundation of Jesus Christ is what will give us the stability our hearts and lives need now and into the future.
By allowing the Lord's wisdom to guide us in our relationships, decisions, and priorities, we find that He provides the most trustworthy foundation any life could be built upon.
Gracious Father, You are the Lord God, the King of heaven, and I choose to place my hope in You because You alone are worthy of my trust.
Jesus is the best foundation upon which to build a solid life.
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Solid-Rock Faith
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Posted:Apr 6, 2015 1:17 am
Last Updated:Apr 6, 2015 1:18 am 9146 Views
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Read: Psalm 18:1-3,46
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 4-6; Luke 9:1-17
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. Psalm 18:2
My husband and I both have grandmothers who have lived past 100. Talking with them and their friends, I detect a trend that seems almost universal in the reminiscences of older people: They recall difficult times with a touch of nostalgia. The elderly swap stories about World War II and the Great Depression; they speak fondly of hardships such as blizzards, the childhood outhouse, and the time in college when they ate canned soup and stale bread 3 weeks in a row.
Paradoxically, difficult times may help nourish faith and strengthen personal bonds. Seeing this principle lived out, I can better understand one of the mysteries relating to God. Faith boils down to a question of trust. If I do stand on a solid rock of trust in God (Ps. 18:2), the worst of circumstances will not destroy that relationship.
Solid-rock faith allows me to believe that despite the chaos of the present moment, God does reign. Regardless of how worthless I may feel, I truly matter to a God of love. No pain lasts forever, and no evil triumphs in the end.
Solid-rock faith sees even the darkest deed of all history, the death of Godâs , as a necessary prelude to the brightest moment in all history His resurrection and triumph over death.
Lord, You are the Rock, the object of my faith. My faith stands on You and not on my shifting feelings; otherwise I would be sure to fall.
Christ, the Rock, is our sure hope.
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The Tree Of Love
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Posted:Apr 4, 2015 12:34 am
Last Updated:Apr 4, 2015 12:36 am 8900 Views
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Read: Matthew 27:27-35
Bible in a Year: Ruth 1-4; Luke 8:1-25
[Jesus] bore our sins in His own body on the tree. 1 Peter 2:24
The corkscrew willow tree stood vigil over our backyard for more than 20 years. It shaded all four of our as they played in the yard, and it provided shelter for the neighborhood squirrels. But when springtime came and the tree didn't awaken from its winter slumber, it was time to bring it down.
Every day for a week I worked on that tree first to fell it and then to chop two decades of growth into manageable pieces. It gave me a lot of time to think about trees.
I thought about the first tree the one on which hung the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve just couldn't resist (Gen. 3:6. God used that tree to test their loyalty and trust. Then there the tree in Psalm 1 that reminds us of the fruitfulness of godly living. And in Proverbs 3:18, wisdom is personified as a tree of life.
But it is a transplanted tree that is most important the crude cross of Calvary that was hewn from a sturdy tree. There our Savior hung between heaven and earth to bear every sin of every generation on His shoulders. It stands above all trees as a symbol of love, sacrifice, and salvation.
At Calvary, God's only suffered a horrible death on a cross. That's the tree of life for us.
Father, on this day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we're grateful for the cross and for Your who gave His life so that we might have life. Thank You.
The cross of Christ reveals man's sin at its worst and God's love at its best.
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And Then You Laugh
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Posted:Apr 3, 2015 3:03 am
Last Updated:Apr 3, 2015 3:05 am 9037 Views
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Read: 2 Corinthians 5:1-8
Bible in a Year: Judges 19-21; Luke 7.31-50
[God] made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5.21
Noise. Vibration. Pressure. Fireball. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield used these words to describe being launched into space. As the rocket raced toward the International Space Station, the weight of gravity increased and breathing became difficult. Just when he thought he would pass out, the rocket made a fiery breakthrough into weightlessness. Instead of lapsing into unconsciousness, he broke into laughter.
His description made me think of the days leading to my mother's death. The heaviness of life kept increasing until she no longer had the strength to breathe. She was then released from her pain and broke free into the weightlessness of heaven. I like to think of her laughing when she took her first breath in Jesus presence.
On the Friday we call good, something similar happened to Jesus. God placed on Him the weight of the entire world's sin past, present, and future until He could no longer breathe. Then He said, Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit Luke 23.46. After being suffocated by our sin, Jesus received back from God the life entrusted to Him and now lives where sin and death have no power. All who trust Christ will one day join Him, and I wonder if we'll look back at this life and laugh.
Father in heaven, words cannot describe our gratitude for Your Jesus, who bore the weight of our sins. Thank You that to be absent from this body with its heavy burdens is to be present with You forever.
The sacrifice of Jesus points us to the joy of heaven.
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