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May 4, 2007
Christians In Recovery
Daily Spiritual Meditations
Daily Recovery Readings
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To be rich in God is better than being rich in goods. --Daily Bread
Nothing is too great and nothing is too small to commit into the hands of the Lord. --A.W. Pink
One encounter with Jesus Christ is enough to change you, instantly, forever.
--Luis Palau
When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present, I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed to me. --John Wesley
God wants us not only to learn more about Him, but also to live for Him and do His will.
God answers prayer in His own way and in His own time.
God hears and answers every prayer.
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A Long Lonely Road
I made a discovery this past weekend. There are not many people on the highways of northern Saskatchewan on a Sunday morning. My husband and I attended a conference in Melfort SK. and unfortunately he took ill on Saturday night so rather than attend the church service as planned, we decided to run for home. The Flu, or food poisoning had high-jacked our plans. It's an eight hour drive so we left as soon as we were able Sunday morning.
I don't usually like driving for that length of time; I have a hard time staying awake after three to four hours. I knew my husband would sleep most of the way, and I can't drink regular coffee so I started praying that the Lord would keep me alert. I knew there would not be much to look at as we drove. Or so I thought.
It's a rather melancholy time to drive the prairies. Everything is a pale tawny brown - no shoots of life showing yet. We saw a small group of pronghorn antelope - just in time to slow down and avoid hitting one of them. They were the colour of the prairie but for their distinctive white markings. The skies were the colour of lead and a faint haze often sprayed the windshield. The last of the snow had melted that week, leaving large pools of water on the surface of the ground. Birds were everywhere. We saw flocks of Canada geese, hundreds of ducks and large graceful white swans flying high on their way north.
As our vehicle sped across the prairie I thought of how tiny we would seem to those birds looking down from such a height. Compared to their fragility, I tended to think of us as the stronger entity, but then I thought of how they would see us. Our vehicle probably looked like a dinky toy, its noise muffled or perhaps even muted by the distance. To those birds, we were probably quite insignificant as they set about their purpose in migration. We weren't even a small distraction to them.
Then I pondered how God sees us from on high. We aren't a distraction to Him, either. How astounding to realize that! God's eyes are continually on each of us, whether we are sitting in our living room, in a church sanctuary, or speeding across a lonely prairie at 100 kilometers an hour. He knows where we are, He's watching out for us, and He cares where we are going.
King David's psalm 121 states this plainly. He tells the people of Israel "... the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore" (Ps.121:8).
The Lord did keep me awake and alert on that lonely drive across the prairie. He gave me lots to see and lots to think about. Wherever we are, He is there - above us, before us, behind us and beside us. With us always. What a comfort! ----The Spur
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What is your Goal?
I used to dread hearing those words when I was younger and just going with the girl that was to be my wife. Her father would constantly drill me with endless questions and lectures and one of his favorite questions was "What's your goal boy?" Over and over again I would hear that question. He would tell me you will never be anything boy....you'll never have anything....you can't make a patch on &%$#*.(he wasn't saved and neither were we at that point) In a way his little tirades actually did the work of reverse psychology. I was determined to show him he was wrong.
I set a goal to own a home quickly and we did in less than 2 years we moved in to a brand new home that I helped to build with sweat equity.
I became a sales trainer and department manager for a company and we were doing good in the world's eyes....but there was an emptiness that had to be filled in our lives.
That void was filled when we both received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
Little did we know the path He had marked out for us to follow...and that is the thrust of this Thought for Today.....His purposes.
My goals changed rapidly as I started to see that God had a plan and my heart was being drawn closer to Him. Everything else is growing dimmer and dimmer in the light of His glory and grace.
My goal began to be and still is to go always toward His goal for my life. He called me for His purpose and I need to find that purpose so at the end of my life here on earth I will hear the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant........enter in to the joy of the Lord."
Phil 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
What's your goal? --Pastor Charles Kitner
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Good-For-Nothing Joe
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven."So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:1-6
In the express lane at the store, Joe stood on one foot and then the other, waiting to pay the cashier for the brown sugar he had promised to get for Grannie Moore. The conversation of the two elderly men in front of him caught his attention. "I declare," complained one, "that grandson of mine is good for nothin'. His folks hire someone to mow their lawn while that kid sits in front of the TV all day."
"Yep," the other agreed, "this younger generation is spoiled rotten, if you ask me. Good for nothing is right!" All the way back to Grannie's, Joe fumed. He knew lots of kids who were good for lots of things.
When Joe handed Grannie her brown sugar and the change he'd gotten back, she tried to return the money to him. "No. No," said Joe, putting his hands in his pockets. "The store was right on my way. I was glad to stop there for you."
As soon as Joe got home, his mother put her coat on. "Watch Sherrie for me, please, Joe," she said. "I need to run a few errands." Joe nodded, and while Sherrie played on the swing set, Joe finished trimming a hedge his dad had started.
At the dinner table that evening, Joe repeated the conversation he had heard at the supermarket. Just talking about it upset him. "Those guys made me so mad," he sputtered.
"Well, they did have a point," said Dad. Joe's head jerked up. "A lot of kids today are good-for- nothing," added Dad. "Take yourself for instance."
Mom almost dropped her fork. "Don, are you saying that Joe is good for nothing?" she asked.
"We-e-e-l-l," drawled Dad, "today he ran an errand for Grannie Moore. How much did you get paid for that, Joe?"
Joe shrugged. "Nothing," he said.
"Then you babysat Sherrie for your mother," said Dad, "and I notice that you trimmed the hedge for me. What did you get paid for those jobs?"
"Well, nothing," Joe responded.
"Then I guess you're good for nothing, Joe." Dad laughed. "And I reckon there are a lot more kids out there who are just as good-for-nothing as you are." Joe and the rest of the family laughed along with him.
MEMORY VERSE: Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Matthew 6:20
HOW ABOUT YOU? Are you good for nothing, or do you expect to be paid for everything you do? Why not start doing at least one good deed a day for nothing? Don't expect anything in return-not even praise or thanks. God is pleased by such actions. You can be sure that in heaven God will reward His children for all the things they've done for nothing.
THE KEY: Do good-for nothing --Keys for Kids Daily Devotional
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Loving Others Through Parables
The sun and the wind decided to have a contest one day to see which of them was the strongest. When they saw a man walking down the street wearing a warm winter coat, they agreed that whoever could get the man’s coat off would truly be the strongest.
The wind thought this would be a piece of cake, so he began to blow with all his might. But the harder he blew, the tighter the man held onto his coat. Eventually, the wind gave up, and the sun took a turn. The sun came out from behind a cloud and began to shine brighter and brighter. As the man got hotter and hotter, he finally took off the coat of his own accord. The wind had to concede that the sun was indeed stronger.
When trying to get your family and friends to put their faith more fully in God, which approach do you think would work best? To blow harder and harder like the wind, or to shine brighter and brighter like the sun?
I had to use this illustration one day to help a friend. Although he meant well, his actions towards others often had the effect of
repelling them from what he wanted them to do, rather than drawing them to do it of their own accord. I could have just told him directly what was happening, but I felt by using a parable, he might be able to see better what was really happening.
Jesus knew the power of parables, too. He told them often, like the seven parables He told in Matthew chapter 13: the parables of the sower, the weeds, the mustard seed, the yeast, the hidden treasure, the pearl, and the net. In fact, Matthew says: “Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable” (Matthew 13:34).
Why did Jesus use so many parables? When the disciples asked Jesus this question, He replied, in part: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.” People can often see a point better when it is illustrated as an external reality first, then they can apply it internally to their own lives. When confronted directly, people’s defensiveness can sometimes cloud their thinking to words that could otherwise be truly helpful.
The prophet Nathan used this approach when speaking to King David, a man who was blessed with many things, but who had committed adultery by taking another man’s wife. Nathan said:
“There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the
traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”
Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:1b-7a)
David immediately saw his own wicked actions in the story and broke down in true repentance.
The next time you have to approach someone with something that might be hard to share directly, try using a parable, an illustration or a story. Rather than blowing harder and harder like the wind, try shining brighter and brighter like the sun!
Prayer: “Father, give me wisdom to know how to approach those I love, so that they may hear Your truth in a way that moves them to action. In Jesus’ name, Amen." --Eric Elder
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Every action you take is a seed you sow, and every seed you sow is a harvest you'll reap.
Have you ever had a thought like this: "Nobody would ever notice"? Or this: "It's just a little thing"? But to God, every action -- big or small -- is important, because every action you take is a seed you sow.
For example, say that you tell your boss you worked eight hours when really you only worked six. But on the other hand, it's only two hours, and "nobody will ever notice." However, you're sowing seeds of dishonesty in your life that will reap a harvest of the very same thing.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8) Don't think that you can lie to someone (i.e. sow a seed of dishonesty), but yet expect to reap a harvest of truth in your life.
Proverbs 22:8 warns that He who sows wickedness reaps trouble.
Therefore, be very careful about how you act in every area of life, because every action you take is a seed you sow, and every seed you sow is a harvest you'll reap.
Not every good idea is a God idea.
What God may tell your friend to do might be a terrible thing for you to do. For example, say you start doing something because someone else says it is a good idea, but you find it a struggle. In that case, you may be struggling because God hasn't given you the grace to do what your friend told you to do. In other words, just because other people tell you to do "good" things, doesn't necessarily mean you should.
Furthermore, if God instructs you to do something, be assured that His plan is better than any other plan you could have. For example, God's plan for Jonah was for him to "go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it" (Jonah 1:2). However, Jonah didn't like that, and so he came up with his own idea: Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish (Jonah 1:3). To Jonah, running away to Tarshish seemed like a much better plan than traveling to Nineveh. But it wasn't God's plan. And so Jonah's plan failed miserably as will any plan that is against God's plan. Jonah ended up in so much trouble as a result of his plan that he realized he should have followed God's plan in the first place (Jonah 3:1-3). In short, Jonah's "good" idea was anything but a God idea.
In your life today, don't do what sounds "good" to you; instead, do what God tells you to do. Stop following "good" plans and start following God's plans. --Christ Notes
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Need Some Encouragement?
As I was praying this morning, the LORD impressed upon my heart that as Christians we must do better at encouraging each other. The Word of God says, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first”(Hebrews 3:13).
See if you agree with my observation about encouragement. I think there are by far, many more people who need encouraged than those who do the encouraging. We can so easily become critical, skeptical and judgmental which robs us of an encouraging spirit. Rather than becoming a person of encouraging words, we can become a person of discouraging words.
When we add “dis” to a word, it is usually turned into its opposite. Able becomes disable. Content becomes discontent. Encourage becomes discourage—just the opposite.
Are you an encourager? As fellow Christians we are to encourage one another. Often we are unable to be an encourager because we have become discouraged. We become so unsettled by the trials in our lives that we begin possessing a discouraging spirit. Then we actually start tearing down others through our own discouragement. Others start pulling away from us, which makes us even more discouraged.
So, before we can become an encourager we must learn to stay encouraged even while dealing with our own personal unsettling trials. If we don’t, then the evil one wins through his temptations.
“We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless”(I Thessalonians 3:2-5).
Consider this. What if you decided right now, at this point in your life that you are going to lay down your life for Christ and become a servant of Jesus whose purpose, mission and goal is to be known as the most encouraging person this world has ever seen?
What if every day you made it your agenda to speak encouraging, supportive and loving words to every person you meet throughout the day?
What if you were to develop a Spirit-led plan listing exact people to encourage and you wrote it down in a book, marking them off as you were able to bless them with a prayer or some sort of encouragement?
Now, let’s talk about where the rubber hits the road. You’ve decided not to encourage certain people because you don’t like them, or you don’t like what they did to you or someone else. In fact, if the devil has his way with you, you may start to discourage them through unkind actions and words. This is not of God. Nor is it God-honoring in any way at all. It is a disgrace to the grace of God. In other words, God has shown His wonderful grace to you, but you are not extending His grace to others.
Decide today to be a man or woman of great encouragement. When you die perhaps your tombstone will read “Here is an encourager like the world has never seen before.”
Isn’t that better than people saying under their breath, “Oh, I’m so glad there is one less complainer and griper in the world.”
“He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing”(I Thessalonians 5:10-11).
“These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you”(Titus 2:15).
“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching”(Hebrews 10:25).
Dear Heavenly Father, form and fashion us into the greatest encouragers this world has ever known! LORD, when the devil tries to use our day to day struggles and trials to kill our encouraging spirit, we pray that You will fill us with great encouragement. Forgive us for being so discouraging at times. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, AMEN! --Pastor David L. Burns
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Have a “GREAT” Response!
Great rewards are waiting for those who endure testing, including the power of God and a crown of life. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12). If we could learn how to have the right response to every situation involving reviling, we would take a giant leap toward daily success.
Accusations that produce anger confirm to bystanders that we are at least partially at fault, but a joyful response is a strong witness of innocence.
G—Give thanks: “In every thing [including reviling] give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thessalonians 5:18). If our first response is to thank God, we will have the right heart attitude to understand the deeper reasons for God allowing it to happen.
R—Rejoice: “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Giving thanks is an act of the will; rejoicing is a response of the spirit when we list the benefits that God intends to give us through the trial.
E—Engraft God’s Word: “…Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). During His wilderness trial, Jesus defeated Satan three times using Scripture: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). We are to follow His example.
A—Appeal to God: “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 50:15). Crying out to God is powerful! David testified, “When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me” (Psalm 56:9).
T—Triumph With Good Works: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). It is through good works that we put to shame those “that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ” (I Peter 3:16).
Every relationship in your life will be successful if these five responses become an immediate response to attacks.
May God give us the wisdom and grace to have a GREAT response, beginning now!
"… Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven …” (Matthew 5:11–12).
--Through Christ our Lord, Bill Gothard
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The Devil and the Cat
I was only ten years old and my cousin Linda was eleven that summer when we went to stay with Grandma and Grandpa on their farm in Georgia. I wasn't very happy about going but mom said she just couldn't put up with me getting into trouble all summer. She needed to work and I needed to learn some discipline. Since Dad had left two years ago I had gotten too big for my britches she said.
I think cousin Linda was there for the same lessons since she sure was a mean little girl; she teased me relentlessly and was always trying to get me in trouble. No matter how hard I tried she would always outsmart me and when I did get her she would always turn the tables and start crying which got me into trouble anyway.
Grandpa wasted no time in putting me to work. First thing in the morning there were eggs to gather and chickens to feed.
Three cows to milk and feed, then we ate breakfast before going out to the garden. It seemed there were always weeds to pull. I never knew weeds could grow so fast. Since the corn and the other crops still had some growing to do, after lunch grandpa usually took me fishing which was fun except then we had to clean them which wasn't so much fun.
One day Grandpa gave me a sling shot. He said I could have it as long as I played with it in the woods. I practiced for days but never could hit anything I was aiming at. Walking back to the house one day completely disgusted with myself for being such a bad shot I saw Grandma's cat out hunting mice in the field; Â Â Â without thinking I picked up a small rock and fired away at the cat, a perfect shot hit the cat right in the head. When I got to it there it lay dead as could be. I was in shock and in my panic I hid it in the bushes only to look up and see Cousin Linda watching me.
Linda didn't say a word. She just smiled at me with a look that I sure didn't like. After dinner that night Grandma told Linda to gather up the dishes and help her wash them. Linda said, "Bobby told me he wanted to help you tonight."
Then she whispered to me, "Remember the cat?" So I helped Grandma do the dishes.
The next day after lunch Grandpa asked if we wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I need Linda to stay and help me here at the house, you take Bobby." Linda smiled and said, "That's all right Grandma, Bobby said he wanted to stay and help you today." She whispered again to me "Remember the cat?" So I stayed and helped Grandma while Linda went fishing.
After several days of me doing all of my chores and Linda's too I couldn't stand it anymore. I went to Grandma and confessed about killing the cat. To my great surprise Grandma knelt down and put her arms around me and said, "Oh sweetheart I know because I was standing at the kitchen window watching you. I saw the whole thing but because I love you, I forgave you knowing you have a good heart and would not have used the sling shot if you had known in advance what the outcome would have been. I was just wondering how long you would let Linda make a slave out of you."
What a lesson I learned that day! Whatever it is that we have done in the past, whatever horrible sin we have committed, we can't let Satan make a slave out of us by throwing it back in our face to keep us in sin. We need to always realize that God was standing in the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen everything we have ever done in our lives. He just wants us to know He loves us and that if we'll come to Him He will forgive us. He's just wondering how long we'll let Satan make a slave out of us.
The great thing about God is when we ask for forgiveness He not only forgives but also forgets. Psalms 103: 8-13 KJV
8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Whatever hold Satan has on you today, give it to Father and be a slave no longer for He will remove it as far as the East is from the West. --Bob Goulding
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Small Straws in a Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Stay in the flow of My Spirit. Your tendency at this time will be to try to rush things or to move out ahead of My timing and divine order, which would not be good. Trust Me to go before you and make a clear path for you to follow. I will lead you along a path that you have not known and bring you to your destiny in ways that you would not have expected, says the Lord. But, you must follow Me.
Isaiah 42:16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.
Have I not said that you were entering a season of growth and increase? Growth and expansion do not come without the stretching. Yet, when you are being stretched, My people, I hear groaning and complaining. Do not look on this stretching as something to avoid unless you want to stay on the other side of the river where you have become established in a place of comfort. If you want to enter the season of progression and expansion then you must rejoice in the stretch, which is actually the outer manifestation of what is happening inwardly, says the Lord.
Joshua 24:14 "Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!
There are hindering forces set in opposition to impede your progress. These evil spirits will both attack you directly and affect your work through stubbornness in people. Remember that your war is not with people, but against the powers of darkness that control people. Rise up against these hindering spirits and command their assignment against you to cease, says the Lord. I have given you this authority by way of the Cross. Use it!
Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
I have caused you to rise up and let your light shine. I have stirred your heart. And, you have responded. You have risen up in your heart. You were sitting down, and now you are standing up in your inner man. You will open your mouth, and I will fill it as you pray My will. I am well pleased, beloved, says the Lord!
Psalms 81:10 I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
You have been in a critical time in which your motives, attitudes, and decisions have become seeds that will reap an extraordinary harvest. You are now emerging from this time and will be able to see clearly the results of your thoughts and actions as your inner man is revealed by the light of My presence, says the Lord. Do not despair when you see your flaws and imperfections. This light of correction will cause you to be purified and will ultimately make you stronger.
Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.
I keep having a vision of butterflies breaking out of their cocoons as their transformation is complete. And, I heard the Lord say, "You are coming out of a long period of transformation and change and will emerge in newness of life and with greater strength and purpose." I thought of David's cave of Adullam where his kingdom was established and his mighty army came together, and I believe there are many in the Body of Christ who have been in that cave of seclusion who are about to come forth in the power of Almighty God!
1 Samuel 22:1 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.
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The Courts of God
The moment we enter through the Gate of Jesus Christ, by believing in Him for the forgiveness of our sins, we dramatically alter our eternity; "I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved" (John 10:9). We were once blind and destined for eternal separation from God, but now we "see" and will spend eternity as His child in Heaven. After passing through the Gate, God begins to conform us "to the likeness of His Son" (Romans 8:29), until our sole desire is to bring Him glory, and praise His name forever.
At times, this process can be painful. It can hurt to strip away layers of pride and crawl from under the dominion of our old sinful nature - it can hurt to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus. But as we persevere and catch a glimpse of His glory, we will never again desire to be away from His presence.
Psalm 84:10 "Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."
A single day in the presence of God is better than a thousand days anywhere else - better than ANYTHING this world can offer. If we do not believe this truth, we have not yet been in His presence - we have not yet tasted the sweet fruit of His Spirit. And if we believe and have experienced the peaceful joy of His courts but are now consumed and burdened by the trials of this world, then perhaps we've simply forgotten how sweet and fulfilling His presence can be.
Let me paraphrase the second part of the above verse: "I would rather be the lowest and most insignificant servant in the house of God, so I could be near Him, than to live as a ruler in the greatest of mansions but apart from His presence." This passion to be in the presence of God is also recorded earlier: "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God" (Psalm 84:2).
Our Heavenly Father longs for us to have this same passion in our life; "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise" (Psalm 100:4). So if this passion has faded due to distractions and entanglements, know that He is calling for us to return. The courts of God's holy temple now reside within every believer; "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that His Spirit lives in you" (1 Corinthians 3:16). His presence is available to us right now! No matter how distant we may feel, He's really closer than we imagine.
Let's fill His temple with praise! Let's return to a life focused on passionate worship. Let's determine to spend every moment of every day rejoicing in the courts of God. Have a Great Day! --Steve Troxel
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"My Unseen Guest"
God walks the trail with me each day,
He is my Friend, My Guide
However long or steep the road,
He's ever by my side.
He sits with me in evening's hush;
We speak, we laugh, we pray,
And my heart sings a joyful song...
He's never far away.
And through each dark and lonely night,
He's guarding from above.
In perfect peace, I rest secure
In His eternal love.
--Lee Simmons
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I am redeemed, but not with silver;
I am bought, but not with gold;
Bought with a price—the blood of Jesus,
Precious price of love untold.
--Gray
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If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. John 15:18-21
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7
"Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." Luke 6:37-38
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. John 4:34-37
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8
For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Final Instructions
Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-28
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:3-14
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Spring Clean-up
But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:8-14
"Where are you, Mom?" called Tiffany as she came into the house.
"In the bedroom," Mom called back. Looking in, Tiffany saw piles of old clothes, jewelry, and books scattered around the room. "I'm cleaning my drawers and closets," explained Mom. "Why keep clothes or jewelry I never wear? Some of this is going to the mission store, and the rest is going in the trash."
"Wow!" said Tiffany. "Want some help packing it up?"
"Sure-but why don't you go through some of your things, too?" suggested Mom. "Get rid of what you don't use." Tiffany frowned. "Go on," said Mom. "Some of your clothes have gotten too small and should be replaced."
Tiffany brightened. "Replaced? What a good idea!" she exclaimed. She left and returned a little later with a big box. "Look, Mom! Check it out," she said with a grin as she pulled out an old, stuffed bear. "Look at this-there's hardly any stuffing left inside. And this old sweatshirt is three sizes too small for me now."
Mom smiled and nodded, and together they sorted through rest of the things.
At suppertime, Tiffany told her father about all the things they found to get rid of. "You should probably get rid of some junk, too," she said. "I bet you haven't dumped stuff for ages."
Dad grinned. "It hasn't been that long," he objected. "In fact, I got rid of a lot of junk not too long ago-right after I was saved, actually. I got rid of several old, bad habits."
"Dad! That's not anything like cleaning closets," protested Tiffany.
"In a way it is," said Dad.
"Well, I was saved when I was just a little girl," replied Tiffany. "I didn't really have any bad habits to get rid of."
"No?" Mom's brows went up. "You used to tell a lot of lies, remember?"
"Oh, yeah." Tiffany blushed. "I forgot about that. I used to get mad quickly, too. I guess I did have some garbage to get rid of-I still do sometimes."
"We all need to check our lives daily to see if they please the Lord," said Dad. "When we belong to Him we're 'new creatures' and want our lives to show that. We need to replace old, bad habits with new, good ones-like church attendance, prayer, maintaining a good attitude, and helping others."
MEMORY VERSE: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
HOW ABOUT YOU? Are there old, bad habits you should throw away? Smoking? Alcohol? Drugs? Hopefully, you were saved before you got into anything such as that. But how about bad language? Cheating? Lying? An unforgiving spirit? Selfishness? Get rid of bad habits and make room for new, good ones. Surrender to God and live as a "new creature" in Christ.
THE KEY: Throw out bad habits Keys for Kids Daily Devotional
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Sweet Temptation
Jesus said, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." Matthew 26:41
I read recently about certain ants that have a passion for the sweet glandular substance given off by the caterpillar of a large blue butterfly. According to the article, the ants can become so enthralled by the substance they carry the supplier into their nest with great delight. What they don't realize is that the caterpillar gorges himself on the ant larva.
Usually such a threat would be attacked by an army of ants and destroyed or repelled. However, because they enjoy the caterpillar's tasty secretions so much, they become "addicted" to it. In so doing they are oblivious to the fact that their young are being destroyed!
In reality many of us are addicted to something. It may not be drugs or alcohol, but anything we habitually or compulsively use or do to avoid facing our inner unresolved problems (such as fears, hurts, losses, anger, guilt, inadequacies, etc.), is an addiction. It may be work, religion, gambling, spending, eating, smoking, relationships, sex or any of a score of other things—some of which may be very enjoyable.
Of one thing we can be sure, when our life is being controlled by addictions, we don't grow and we can damage and even destroy our children, our closest relationships, and our physical, emotional or spiritual health. Besides, an addiction is often a counterfeit of the real thing and when we settle for the counterfeit we can stop ourselves finding the genuine.
Only when we are ruthlessly honest with ourselves and admit to God and at least one other safe person that we are addicted can we get God's help to face the causes behind our addictions and seek the help we need to overcome them.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, if there is anything I am doing or using to medicate or deaden any unresolved problems in my life, please deliver me from the sin of denial and give me the courage to admit my problems and find the help I need to face and resolve them. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name. Amen." --Daily Encounter
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Patience In Prayer
When the idea is not right, God says, "NO".
No - when the idea is not the best.
No - when the idea is absolutely wrong.
No - when though it may help you,
It would create problems for someone else.
When the time is not right, God says, "SLOW".
What a catastrophe it would be if God answered every prayer at the snap of your fingers.
Do you know what would happen?
God would become your servant, not your master.
Suddenly God would be working for you instead of you working for God.
When you are not right, God says,"GROW".
The selfish person has to grow in unselfishness.
The cautious person must grow in courage.
The timid person must grow in confidence,
The dominating person must grow in sensitivity.
The critical person must grow in tolerance.
The negative person must grow in positive attitudes.
The pleasure-seeking person must grow in compassion for suffering people.
When everything is all right, God says,"GO".
Then miracles happen:
A hopeless alcoholic is set free.
A drug addict finds release.
A doubter becomes a child in his belief.
Diseased tissue responds to treatment, and healing begins.
The door to your dream suddenly swings open and there stands God saying, "GO!".
Remember:
God's delays are not God's denials.
God's timing is perfect.
Patience is what we need in prayer.
--Joe Gatuslao
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Read Through The Bible
Genesis 28
So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: "Do not marry a Canaanite woman. Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother's father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother. May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham." Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau. Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, "Do not marry a Canaanite woman," and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac; so he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.
Jacob's Dream at Bethel
Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."
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Dear God, Give us courage to face each new challenge and to move into unknown territory with trust in you. Help us to reflect your perfect love toward all your children. Amen.
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