You've Got A Friend
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Posted:Apr 2, 2014 4:29 am
Last Updated:Apr 9, 2014 6:27 pm 9437 Views
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Read: Psalm 23
[Jesus said,] I have called you friends.John 15:15
Bible in a Year:
Judges 16-18; Luke 7:1-30
One of the ironic consequences of the sweeping growth of social media is that we often find ourselves more personally isolated. One online article warns: âThose who oppose leading ones life primarily or exclusively online claim that virtual friends are not adequate substitutes for real-world friends, and . . . individuals who substitute virtual friends for physical friends become even lonelier and more depressive than before.
Technology aside, all of us battle with seasons of loneliness, wondering if anyone knows, understands, or cares about the burdens we carry or the struggles we face. But followers of Christ have an assurance that brings comfort to our weary hearts. The comforting presence of the Savior is promised in words that are undeniable, for the psalmist David wrote, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me (Ps. 23:4).
Whether isolated by our own choices, by the cultural trends that surround us, or by the painful losses of life, all who know Christ can rest in the presence of the Shepherd of our hearts. What a friend we have in Jesus!
Iâve found a Friend; O such a Friend!
He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus He bound me to Him.
Those who know Jesus as their Friend are never alone.
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Free Tomatoes
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Posted:Apr 1, 2014 5:05 am
Last Updated:Apr 1, 2014 5:07 am 9216 Views
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Read: Exodus 35:20-29
Everyone whose spirit was willing . . . brought the Lordâs offering for the work of the tabernacle. âExodus 35:21
Bible in a Year:
Judges 13-15; Luke 6:27-49
Packing groceries into the trunk of my car, I glanced at the vehicle next to me. Through the back window, I could see baskets full of bright red tomatoes shiny, plump, and better looking than any I had seen in the store. When the car's owner appeared seconds later, I said, What great looking tomatoes! She replied, I had a good crop this year. Would you like some? Surprised by her willingness to share, I gladly accepted. She gave me several free tomatoes to take home they tasted as good as they looked!
We see an even greater spirit of generosity in the Israelites when they gave to build the tabernacle of the Lord. When asked to provide materials for the sanctuary, everyone whose spirit was willing . . . brought the Lords offering for the work of the tabernacle (Ex. 35:21). The Israelites eagerly donated their gold jewelry, colored thread, fine linen, silver, bronze, gemstones, and spices. Some also gave their time and talents (vv.25-26).
If we follow the Israelitesâ example and willingly donate our resources, we please and honor God with our attitude and offerings. The Lord, who sees and knows our thoughts and hearts, loves cheerful givers. He Himself is the best example of generosity
(John 3:16).
Dear Jesus, You gave everything You had
for my sake. Help me to give with
a willing heart so that my gifts
will truly honor You.
The state of our heart is more important than the size of our gift.
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Bottled Water Binge
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Posted:Mar 31, 2014 5:16 am
Last Updated:Mar 31, 2014 5:20 am 8697 Views
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Read: Romans 5:12-21
Through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men.
Romans 5.18
Bible in a Year:
Judges 11-12; Luke 6:1-26
Here in the United States, we've been on a bottled water binge for a number of years. Even though most people have a safe supply of water that is free and readily available from faucets and drinking fountains, they still purchase bottled water. Choosing to pay for something that I can enjoy at no cost doesn't make sense to me, but some people believe that a product they pay for is superior to anything they receive free.
This sometimes carries over into our spiritual lives. Some struggle to accept that salvation is a gift. They want to do something to earn it. The problem is, no one can afford it. The price of salvation is perfection Matt. 19.21, and Jesus is the only person who could pay the price Rom. 5.18. To anyone who thirsts, He promises to âgive of the fountain of the water of life freely Rev. 21.6.
Some people try to purchase the living water of salvation with good deeds and charitable donations. Although these are forms of spiritual service valued by God, they are not what God requires for the forgiveness of our sin. Jesus already paid the price by dying in our place, and He offers to quench our spiritual thirst when we drink freely from God's
fountain that will never run dry.
Jesus is the Living Water's
Just one drink will make you whole;
Drawing daily from that wellspring
Brings refreshment to the soul.
Jesus is the only fountain who can satisfy the thirsty soul.
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Waiting
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Posted:Mar 28, 2014 4:58 am
Last Updated:May 24, 2024 12:58 am 8367 Views
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Read: Psalm 130
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer. Romans 12:12
Bible in a Year:
Judges 4-6; Luke 4:31-44
Day after day for years Harry shared with the Lord his concern for his -in-law John who had turned away from God. But then Harry died. A few months later, John turned back to God. When his mother-in-law Marsha told him that Harry had been praying for him every day, John replied, I waited too long. But Marsha joyfully shared: The Lord is still answering the prayers Harry prayed during his earthly life.
Harrys story is an encouragement to us who pray and wait. He continued steadfastly in prayer and waited patiently (Rom. 12.12.
The author of Psalm 130 experienced waiting in prayer. He said, .I wait for the Lord, my soul waits (v.5). He found hope in God because he knew that âwith the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption (v.).
Author Samuel Enyia wrote about Gods timing: God does not depend on our time. Our time is chronological and linear but God . . . is timeless. He will act at the fullness of His time. Our prayer . . . may not necessarily rush God into action, but . . . places us before Him in fellowship.
What a privilege we have to fellowship with God in prayer and to wait for the answer in the fullness of His time.
Pray on! Pray on! Cease not to pray,
And should the answer tarry, wait;
Thy God will come, will surely come,
And He can never come too late.
God may delay our request, but He will never disappoint our trust.
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The Link Of LIfe
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Posted:Mar 27, 2014 6:03 am
Last Updated:Mar 27, 2014 6:06 am 8404 Views
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Read: Titus 3:1-11
According to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5
Bible in a Year:
Judges 1-3; Luke 4:1-30
By the time he was 16, Morris Frank (1908-1980) had lost his sight in both eyes. Several years later, he traveled to Switzerland where he met Buddy, the canine who would help to inspire Franks involvement with the Seeing Eye guide-school.
With Buddy leading the way, Frank learned to navigate busy sidewalks and intersections. Describing the freedom his guide provided, Frank said, It was glorious: just [Buddy] and a leather strap, linking me to life. Buddy gave Morris Frank a new kind of access to the world around him.
Gods Holy Spirit gives us access to abundant spiritual life in Christ. When we accept Christ as Lord, God washes our sins away and renews us by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior Titus 3:5-6 ). Once we know Christ, the Holy Spirit helps us experience Gods love (Rom. 5.5, understand Gods Word (John 14.26), pray Rom. 8.26, and abound in hope Rom. 15.13.
Today, as you think about your relationship with God, remember that the Spirit is your guide to life in Christ (Rom. 8.14.
Holy Spirit, Light divine,
Shine upon this heart of mine.
Chase the shades of night away;
Turn my darkness into day.
The Holy Spirit guides us into knowledge and spiritual growth.
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Out OF Chaos
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Posted:Mar 26, 2014 4:03 am
Last Updated:Mar 26, 2014 4:05 am 8480 Views
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Read: Exodus 8:1-15
Speak evil of no one, . . . be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. Titus 3:2
Bible in a Year:
Joshua 22-24; Luke 3
Everything I observe makes me believe this is true: Order is not natural. When I consider my office, Iâm astounded at how quickly it descends into chaos and how long it takes me to restore order. Order requires intervention; it does not happen naturally.
I shouldnt be surprised. Gods role in bringing order out of chaos is a prominent biblical theme. He did it when He was creating the nation of Israel Ex. 7.14. When God said it was time to bring the Hebrew people out of Egypt, Pharaoh objected. His nations economy depended on the Hebrew workers, so Pharaoh didnt want to lose them. To change Pharaohs mind, God sent 10 plagues to convince him. Pharaohs magicians were able to duplicate the first two plagues. But they could not reverse the plagues any of them. They could cause chaos, but they could not restore order. Only God can do that.
With effort, we can bring order to our living spaces, but none of us can bring order out of the emotional and spiritual chaos of our lives. Only God can do that. He restores order to chaotic situations when we live as God intended speaking no evil, being peaceable and gentle, and showing humility to all (Titus 3:2).
Father, our world and our lives do have much chaos
and confusion. We need You to restore our souls.
Help us to live as You want us to live
loving others.
When we put our problems in Gods hands, He puts His peace in our hearts.
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Who's At The Center?
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Posted:Mar 25, 2014 4:44 am
Last Updated:Mar 25, 2014 4:46 am 8354 Views
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Read: Psalm 33.6-19
The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Psalm 33.11
Bible in a Year:
Joshua 19-21; Luke 2.25-52
Recently, I had what for me was a Copernican moment: I am not at the center of the universe. The world doesnt revolve around me. It doesnt move at my pace, in my terms, nor in accord with my preferences.
Though we might wish it to be otherwise, life is not all about us. Everything revolves around the Lord. In Psalm 33, we read that all nature revolves around Him and His control (vv.6-9. He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the ocean in vast reservoirs. Everything in nature operates in accordance with the laws He has set.
The nations also revolve around the Lord (vv.10-12. No plan or scheme can stand up against Gods. Ultimately, it is the Lords plan that will
Our life is created to be centered on God, not self. How thankful we stand forever. His intentions can never be shaken.
Finally, the lives of all humanity revolve around the Lord (vv.13-19. God sees the whole human race. He made our hearts, and He understands everything we do. And He has the power to intervene in our lives and deliver us from situations spinning out of control.
can be to serve such a powerful God, who has every aspect of our lives under His control.
Teach me, Lord, to live out the truth of Psalm 33.
May I revere You as I should. May I and all the
inhabitants of the world stand in awe of You,
for Your counsel and plans stand forever.
When we die to all about us, we live to God above us.
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Gentle Witness
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Posted:Mar 24, 2014 8:56 am
Last Updated:May 24, 2024 12:58 am 8404 Views
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Read: Acts 1:1-11
You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1.8
Bible in a Year:
Joshua 16-18; Luke 2:1-24
Years ago, I was hospitalized following a life-threatening, 38-foot fall from a bridge. While I was there, the wife of the man in the next bed stopped to speak to me. My husband just told me what happened to you, she said. We believe God spared your life because He wants to use you. Wve been praying for you.
I was stunned. I had grown up going to church, but I had never imagined that God would want to be involved in my life. Her words pointed me to a Savior I had heard of but did not know and marked the beginning of my coming to Christ. I cherish the memory of those words from a gentle witness who cared enough to say something to a stranger about the God whose love is real. Her words conveyed care and concern, and offered purpose and promise.
Jesus challenged His disciples and us to tell others about the love of God: You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1.8.
Through the Holy Spirit our words and witness can have the power to make an eternal difference in the lives of others.
I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love,
I love to tell the story, because I know this true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.
A caring word can accomplish more than we could ever imagine
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Prone To Wander
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Posted:Mar 14, 2014 5:23 am
Last Updated:Mar 14, 2014 5:25 am 8449 Views
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Read: Psalm 119:9-16
With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
ÂÂPsalm 119:10
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 23-25; Mark 14:1-26
One of my favorite classic hymns is Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing which was written in 1757 by 22-year-old Robert Robinson. In the hymns lyrics is a line that always captures my attention and forces me to do some self-evaluation. The line says, Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.I feel that way sometimes. Too often I find myself distracted and drifting, instead of having my heart and mind focused on the Savior who loves me and gave Himself for me. Robert Robinson and I are not alone in this.
In those seasons of wandering, our heart of hearts doesnt want to drift from God but, like Paul, we often do what we dont want to do (Rom. .19, and we desperately need to turn back to the Shepherd of our heart who can draw us to Himself. David wrote of this struggle in His great anthem to the Scriptures, Psalm 119, saying, With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!(v.10.
Sometimes, even when our hearts long to seek God, the distractions of life can draw us away from Him and His Word. How grateful we can be for a patient, compassionate heavenly Father whose grace is always sufficient even when we are prone to wander!
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Heres my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Our tendency to wander is matched by Gods willingness to pursue
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Without Power
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Posted:Mar 13, 2014 8:51 am
Last Updated:Mar 13, 2014 8:53 am 8310 Views
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Read: Isaiah 40.27-31; 41.10
He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Isaiah 40.29
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 20-22; Mark 13:21-37
In late October 2012, a hurricane-spawned superstorm struck the heavily populated northeastern US, leaving massive flooding and destruction in its wake. During the storm, more than 8 million customers lost electricity. Power outages alone caused shortages of food, fuel, and water, along with the chaos of gridlocked transportation. The howling winds and surging waters left many neighborhoods crushed, flooded, and choked with mountains of sand. Media coverage of the event reported: Millions Without Power.
Like a storm of nature, a personal tragedy can often leave us feeling powerless and in the dark. During such times, God's Word assures us of His help: He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength Isa. 40.29.
At our lowest point, drained of emotional resources, we can place our hope in the Lord and find our strength in Him. He promises us that, for each new day, Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint v.31.
God is our spiritual power source in every storm of life.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home!
It takes the storm to prove the real shelter.
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