Daily Christian Wisdom

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Will Your House Stand?

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, becuasee it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand." Matthew 7:24-26

In the early days of building our church's worship center I got a fresh appreciation for how important the foundation is. The construction project was on schedule and within budget when wham - we were broadsided by a major set-back. The structural engineer said that the steel supports needed to go deeper into the soil for more stability. Considering the cost (millions) and delay (months), I asked if it was really all that critical. He answered, "Only if you want the building to stand under the pressure."

Jesus knew good construction, too. In Matthew 7, He reports on two building projects. One house, built on sand, gets flattened by a storm; the other, built on a rock, stands strong. Of course His parallel was obvious - two men encountered storms, but the one riveted to the rock stood despite the pressure.

There isn't a one among us who hasn't wondered if his or her life can withstand the pressure.

It really depends on what convictions you have drilled deep into your soul about how you conduct your life. Is your foundation solid?

The wise man who built his house upon the rock, paid the cost, made the effort, and his house stood against the storms of life. Jesus called him, rock-solid: "Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock." (v.24)

Wisdom is not in the knowing; wisdom is in the doing. Will I measure up, stand up, and hold up under the pressure? Jesus answered, 'It depends, Will you listen up and live up to what the Scripture says to do?'

The world would divide us in a lot of different ways = by education, employment, economic status, racial diversity or social background. God's Word divides us two ways: the wise and the foolish.

Wise people hear the Word of God and do what it says. Foolish people hear the Word of God but they don't do what it says.

The good news is that God is an equal opportunity dispenser of wisdom. He doesn't favor intelligence or education, affluence or age. Proverbs 9:10 assures us that wisdom is available to everyone and begins with the fear of the Lord. What does that mean? Well, for starters, it's doing what He says - quickly and willingly . . . simply because He is God.

Proverbs is essentially about doing the wisdom of God. No doubt you too feel the urgency to apply vertical wisdom in horizontal living. Every season is overflowing with choices for us to be wise or foolish Every time you turn around, you're faced with the option to obey God's Word or not. I'll save you the trouble of finding out - the choice to disregard God's Word never goes anywhere good, but your decision to be a do-er of the Word and not just a hearer always yields blessing.


"Whatever else you get," Proverbs 4:7 says, "get wisdom." James 1:5 promises that if you ask God for it He will give it. Put it at the top of your request list. Make it your priority. Learn from God, learn from followers of Christ, hunger and thirst for a godly perspective and then live it out.

Get wisdom because God wants to give it to you. Get it because it's what will keep your house standing no matter how fierce the storm.

taken from one of James McDonalds teachings. Walk in the Word

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Is Suffering Inevitable?

For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
1 Peter 3:17, NAS

Suffering. It's not standard daily devotional fare, because let's face it, usually we want to begin or end our day being uplifted, or even better, lifting up God, rather than focusing on our pains and problems.
But there's the rub... we allhave pains and problems. Christian and non-Christian. Lifelong disciple and baby believer. Red and yellow, black and white. Everyone, from the moment he or she was born, has struggled, tried, failed, hurt, sinned, misunderstood, and reacted. Humanity shares a true brotherhood over suffering, one that we might understand a lot better if suffering weren't also so relative. By which I mean, one person's issues may sound simple, easy-to-solve, even petty to another. "That's nothing compared to what I've had to endure!"

But the fact is, your sorrows and difficulties are real to you. It's one reason why I'm no fan of when people say a certain place or time in their lives isn't "the real world," as if the spot they are currently tucked away at is immune from any degree of difficulty.

Suffering is very real, and there's certainly no reason any Christian would expect life to be otherwise. We purport to follow a "Suffering Savior." His stripes have healed us, and wow do we seem to feel them sometimes, which is as it should be, as we deserved them instead of Him. If we agree that no person but one - no matter where they lived or how easy or hard they had it - has escaped sin's corruption, then how much more must we agree that truly NO person has escaped suffering?

Look at what Peter suggests in today's verse: you can suffer for doing good, or you can suffer for doing bad. By extension, some of the problems in your life may be a result of your own rebellion, while other hurts may naturally result from walking so closely with Christ that you ache at the injustice and hardship around you, with the world despising and persecuting you.

In the classic allegory Hinds' Feet on High Places, Much-Afraid journeys with companions named Sorrow and Suffering, and these two assist her in her climb up the Injury Precipice, which is a part of her transformation into "Grace and Glory."
The same is true for you. Your sufferings have informed you, educated you, helped you along in your journey. You may despise them, but they are yours. And they will be with you whether you are doing right, or not. Of course, the nature of them will be quite different.

There may be one way, though, to avoid suffering. There's a third option, left out here by Peter, but not left out by John in the Revelation. It's the lukewarm response to life, the do-nothing approach. This is the approach that cocoons itself off from life and all of its pain. And make no mistake, "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something," says that famous theologian the Man in Black in The Princess Bride.

You may not feel anything from inside a cocoon; in fact, it may be an abundance of pain and suffering that forced you in there. But remember, no creature that cocoons itself is intended to stay locked up forever. The point is to be rested, healed, matured, transformed. To become more beautiful, useful. Even the emerging process itself carries a degree of struggle, but one that, if the insect did not go through itself, would leave it too weak to fly.

So be lifted up in your suffering today.

It is a companion.
It is designed to transform you.
It gives you a share in the inheritance of Christ and the brotherhood of humanity.
And it gives you empathy, which gives you every excuse for ministry.

Intersecting Faith & Life:
Make it your goal to partake, as much as possible, only of the brand of suffering that comes from doing what is right according to God's Word.

Shawn McEvoy, crosswalk devotions

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God is the One who can calm the raging storm. God is the One who can turn things around with a word. God is the One who can make a way where there seems to be no way. God is the One who can heal the sick, raise the dead, and make an immediate difference no matter how bleak the circumstances. Put your hope in Him, and praise Him for His presence in your life!
Moving today can be today for you if you will get your eyes off your problems and onto the problem-solver. The song says it best, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

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Prayer is an important part of our daily Christian walk. I can't imagine going through my day without first seeking the Lord about the day, putting on my armor, and at the close of day, pray before going to sleep. We hadnt done that for a long time, but we have been doing so now for a while and praying in the mornings - makes the day easier and eases the heart when you pray for others needs. Putting on your armor helps to keep the enemy at arms length - and praying at bedtime for your finished day... helps ease the sleep. that is why I chose this devotion today. d'gal

Pray First, Pray Most



One of our Brazilian church leaders taught me something about earnest prayer. He met Christ during a yearlong stay in a drug-rehab center. His therapy included three one-hour sessions of prayer a day. Patients weren't required to pray, but they were required to attend the prayer meeting. Dozens of recovering drug addicts spent sixty uninterrupted minutes on their knees.
I expressed amazement and confessed that my prayers were short and formal. He invited (dared?) me to meet him for prayer. I did the next day. We knelt on the concrete floor of our small church auditorium and began to talk to God. Change that. I talked; he cried, wailed, begged, cajoled, and pleaded. He pounded his fists on the floor, shook a fist toward heaven, confessed, and reconfessed every sin. He recited every promise in the Bible as if God needed a reminder. He prayed like Moses.

When God determined to destroy the Israelites for their golden calf stunt, "Moses begged the Lord his God and said, ‘Lord, don't let your anger destroy your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with your great power and strength. Don't let the people of Egypt say, "The Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt for an evil purpose." . . . Remember the men who served you—Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. You promised with an oath to them'" (Ex. 32:11-13 NCV).

Moses on Mount Sinai is not calm and quiet, with folded hands and a serene expression. He's on his face one minute, in God's the next. He's on his knees, pointing his finger, lifting his hands. Shedding tears. Shredding his cloak. Wrestling like Jacob at Jabbok for the lives of his people. And God heard him! "So the Lord changed his mind and did not destroy the people as he had said he might" (v.14 NCV).

Our passionate prayers move the heart of God. "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16). Prayer does not change God's nature; who he is will never be altered. Prayer does, however, impact the flow of history. God has wired his world for power, but he calls on us to flip the switch.

Most of us struggle with prayer. We forget to pray, and when we remember, we hurry through prayers with hollow words. Our minds drift; our thoughts scatter like a covey of quail. Why is this? Prayer requires minimal effort. No location is prescribed. No particular clothing is required. No title or office is stipulated. Yet you'd think we were wrestling a greased pig.

Speaking of pigs, Satan seeks to interrupt our prayers. Our battle with prayer is not entirely our fault. The devil knows the stories; he witnessed the angel in Peter's cell and the revival in Jerusalem. He knows what happens when we pray. "Our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy's strong places" (2 Cor. 10:4 NCV).

Satan is not troubled when Max writes books or prepares sermons, but his knobby knees tremble when Max prays. Satan does not stutter or stumble when you walk through church doors or attend committee meetings. Demons aren't flustered when you read this book. But the walls of hell shake when one person with an honest heart and faithful confession says, "Oh, God, how great thou art."

Satan keeps you and me from prayer. He tries to position himself between us and God. But he scampers like a spooked dog when we move forward. So let's do.
Let's pray, first. Traveling to help the hungry? Be sure to bathe your mission in prayer. Working to disentangle the knots of injustice? Pray. Weary with a world of racism and division? So is God. And he would love to talk to you about it.

Let's pray, most. Did God call us to preach without ceasing? Or teach without ceasing? Or have committee meetings without ceasing? Or sing without ceasing? No, but he did call us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17).

Did Jesus declare: My house shall be called a house of study? Fellowship? Music? A house of exposition? A house of activities? No, but he did say, "My house will be called a house of prayer" (Mark 11:17 NIV).

No other spiritual activity is guaranteed such results. "When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action" (Matt. 18:19 MSG). He is moved by the humble, prayerful heart.

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ.
(Colossians 4:2-3 NLT)
Prayer
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, you created all that exists, and you keep it running through your infinite wisdom and boundless power. Yet you invite me to come to you in prayer, boldly and with the expectation that you will hear me and answer me. Teach me, Lord, to take full advantage of this amazing privilege, especially in regard to reaching others with your love. Give me a heart for those who have yet to experience the fullness of your grace, and prompt me to pray for them and for their welfare, both in this world and in eternity. Lord, bring me to the front lines of this battle. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.


by Max Lucado, Upwords Devotions

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DON'T DESPAIR

Why are you in despair, O my soul? Psalm 42:11

My favorite Old Testament person is David. He was such a special guy. He was the only man in the Bible to have been given the wonderful moniker of "a man after God's heart." I love David's faith and passion for the Lord as evidenced when he faced off with the blaspheming giant, Goliath of Gath, and defeated him with a sling shot and a stick. I love his tenderness and grace as he dealt so lovingly with Jonathan's crippled son, Mephibosheth. And I love his honesty as he shares the struggles of his life in vivid detail throughout the book of Psalms.

Even in the midst of great discouragement, in the midst of enemies all around him, in the midst of King Saul trying his best to kill him, David clung to the promises of God. He knew he had been anointed by God to be the next king of Israel. Although at times that promise must have seemed more like a pipe dream, David held to it despite all the obstacles before him.

As far as I am concerned, Psalm 27:13-14 are two of the most encouraging verses in the Bible as David says, "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord." David believed he would see the goodness of God in his lifetime. He believed he would see the great promises of God fulfilled in his days. AND HE DID!

BELIEVE AND WAIT
What are you and I to do when we face discouraging circumstances? What are we to do when everything inside of us says, "Things are terrible and not going to get better - just DESPAIR!"? Take hold of God's promises and wait on Him to come through. Take courage in the fact that God sees where you are, He knows what you are going through, and He cares for your soul. He has a wonderful plan for all those who will trust in Him and go His way.

AND REMEMBER THIS
God is always working behind the scenes. Even when you think He is asleep in the boat, the truth is He is working in ways you cannot see and do not know. Instead of speaking and praying words of doubt, unbelief and despair, start speaking and praying words of faith.
Pray this type of prayer:
"God, even though I cannot see You doing anything in my dark situation, I know by faith that You are working on my behalf. I am one day closer to seeing a major breakthrough in these great problems of mine. I praise You that I AM going to see Your goodness manifest itself in my life before too long. I choose to wait on You; and I take courage in Your matchless presence and wonderful promises!"

You are NOT going to live permanently in the valley of the shadow of death. You are coming out of that valley one day soon - perhaps today! Believe it, receive it and begin now to make your celebration plans. Good things always come to those who faithfully wait on the Lord.

jeff schreve, from His heart devotions

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"Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs; . . . they shall afflict them four hundred years; . . . and afterward they shall come out with great substance." Genesis 15:13-14

An assured part of God's pledged blessing to us is delay and suffering. A delay in Abram's own lifetime that seemed to put God's pledge beyond fulfillment was followed by seemingly unendurable delay of Abram's descendants. But it was only a delay; they 'came out with great substance.' The pledge was redeemed.
God is going to test me with delays; and with the delays will come suffering, but through it all stands God's pledge; His new covenant with me in Christ, and His inviolable promise of every lesser blessing that I need. The delay and the suffering are part of the promised blessing; let me praise Him for them today; and let me wait on the Lord and be of good courage and He will strengthen my heart.

from Streams in the Desert.

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I dont know why I chose this as todays devotion. I know it wasnt because the fact that Deborah was a woman, but maybe because she was an encourager to others.
And after all, isnt that part of what we are doing here for each other? encouraging each other that we will get thru this journey. well, hope it touches you some. It did touch me.


Deborah Leads the Way

Deborah said, "Go! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?" (Judges 4:14 NIV).
Friend To Friend
Women leaders in the Old Testament are few and far between. However, Deborah's story in the fourth chapter of Judges is enough to make any woman proud. I'm sure she would have been a Girlfriend in God.
Deborah was a prophetess and led Israel during a time when her people were being oppressed by the pagan king of Canaan. Her name meant "bee" and she was a busy bee indeed. She served as counselor, judge, and warrior. Deborah held court under a Palm tree which became know as the Palm of Deborah.

One day, Deborah called for Barak, one of the leaders of the Israeli army. God had given her instructions for this mighty warrior whose name meant "thunderbolt." As he approached the tree, she passed along his marching orders direct from his Commanding Officer…God. He was to go into battle. (Judges 4:6-7)
Barak cowered at God's command and like a little boy said, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go" (Judges 4:8). *I do believe that even Moses said this to God. dg

"Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman" (Judges 7:9). (Deborah was not talking about herself, but another woman who would play a major role in the enemies' ultimate defeat. See Judges 4:17-24). Apparently Barak did not trust in the power of God and insisted that this woman of faith accompany him onto the battlefield.

Deborah reprimanded Barak for his lack of faith, but she did not shame him nor did she step in and do his job for him. She acknowledged that he was the warrior who was to lead the men into battle and she was the prophetess who was to encourage and inspire. Deborah didn't take the lead, but rather worked with Barak to accomplish God's goals. She accompanied him to the battlefield, and when it came time for the attack, she spurred him on with encouraging words.

Barak was inspired by this amazing woman. She pumped courage into his failing heart and he did indeed follow God into battle. She taught him not to focus on the nine hundred iron chariots of the opponents but on the mighty arm of God. That day, the LORD confused Sisera and Israel easily routed their enemy. Afterwards, Deborah and Barak sang a duet celebrating the nation's victory.

What can we learn from the power of Deborah's words? Her encouragement spurred Barak to become all that God had called him to be. She not only gave him the gift of encouraging words, but she walked with him to the battlefield as well. Her words not only bolstered Barak's courage, but stoked the smoldering embers of the entire army. She stayed true to her calling as an encourager and helped Barak stay true to his as a warrior. She didn't try to be a one-woman show, but worked with others to fulfill God's purposes in their lives.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, thank You for women like Deborah who show us how to use our words to encourage those in leadership roles. Help me to encourage others to be all You've created them to be and fulfill Your call on their lives.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Go back and read the entire story mentioned in today's devotion. It's found in Judges 4.
What can you learn from Deborah's actions toward Barak?
How can that apply to your role in the church or in your marriage?
I'd love to hear your thoughts about Deborah. What about her role as a judge means the most to you?


sharon jaynes/girlfriends in God

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Maybe God's Waiting on You

Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. Deuteronomy 8:2, NIV

"Sometimes I wait on God to change a situation only to realize he was waiting on me."
A friend of mine said that recently, and that thought has stayed with me ever since. I'm so quick to point to outside circumstances for why God is not changing a particular situation in my life. I question, I complain. And in essence, I Israelitize! That's right. I'm just like a cranky Israelite who's wandering in the wilderness and wondering if I'll ever reach the Promised Land.
As I refreshed my memory about the plight of the Israelites after they had been delivered from Egypt and what happened during their 40-year wilderness experience, I was reminded that they did have a earlier opportunity to enter the Promised Land—two years into their ordeal.


During those two years, the Israelites had been trained and instructed in how to fight battles (it was not if but when they would occur). They were also given laws (The Ten Commandments) and instructed how to worship (detailed plans and guidelines for the Tabernacle, offerings, priests, etc.). So this time period was not for naught. It was to prepare the people, to test them to see if they would trust in God, worship him and submit to him as a unified body.

But they still didn't get it. And in the face of great blessing, they chose not to trust the Lord and disobeyed him.


In Numbers 13:1, we read:

The LORD said to Moses, "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving the Israelites."

There it is, plain as day. God was going to give the Promised Land to the Israelites, and they knew this. But when the twelve spies came back with their report, ten of the twelve prevailed and offered their own plan:

"We went into the land to which you sent us," they said. "And it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. … We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are" (Numbers 13:27-28, 31).

The Israelites were scared and they were "sold," so they began grumbling and weeping aloud. Moses and Aaron quickly tried to reason with the people ("Do not rebel against the LORD"), but it was no use. The Israelites were going to do what they were going to do.


And then the Lord spoke:

For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you (Numbers 14:34).

The Israelites could have experienced tremendous blessing so much sooner. But because of their disobedience, they suffered for 38 more years in the wilderness. They brought it upon themselves! And therefore, they had to wait.


It's a story that shouldn't feel too distant from you and me today—despite the time gap. Think about it. How often have you brought upon yourself the various wilderness experiences in your own life? Times when you're uncomfortable or you don't like your circumstances or you don't understand what is happening and where you're going?


Either we wait for God's perfect plan in our lives and for him to unfold events exactly when and how he wants them to be, or we will wait to get out of what we have planned for ourselves. So what are you waiting on God to do today? And what is God waiting on you to do or to learn or to repent of and confess to him?

The next time you are even thinking about turning away from God's Word and rejecting his plan for your life, remember the Israelites and get on your knees. Remember God's kindness.
Remember his mercy. And remember to wait on your faithful Father whose hand has provided everything an unfaithful people will ever need.

Intersecting Faith & Life:
What are you grumbling about today? What's going on in your current wilderness? Is it a relationship? A work situation? Your spiritual life? What got you there? And what is God asking you to do in the meantime while you wait? If God's waiting on you, then it's time to pay attention and start following his plan for your life.

Further Reading
Isaiah 30:18, NIV
Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV

Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk Devotions

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I picked this one today, because it is almost my story.

I Don't Want to Be a "good" Christian

"Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instruction."

Psalm 119:18 (NLT)

Devotion:
A good Christian should read the Bible.
A good Christian should love the Bible.
A good Christian should understand the Bible.
A good Christian should live the truths of the Bible.

These statements shaped my life and summed up my thoughts about God's Word eleven years ago. In my mind I was not a "good" Christian because none of these statements were true of me. Have you ever made such assumptions about yourself and your thoughts toward the Bible? Do you feel like you can't tell anyone for fear of being judged?

I felt the same way. I truly believed that since I had not attended, nor had any aspirations of ever attending seminary, I was automatically disqualified from understanding the Bible. Therefore, if I did not understand the Bible how could I discover its truths and apply them to my life?

I did not love the Bible. I carried it with me to church. I believed it to be the inerrant and infallible words of God. I also opened the Bible to look up verses so I could fill in the blanks for my Bible studies. However, there was not a desire on my part to know the Bible better. How could I attend church for 30 years, call myself a Christian, and not have a desire to read and know the Bible? What was wrong with me?

All this changed in 2006 when I decided I was going be a "good" Christian and read the entire Bible. With all the self-determination I could muster, I set out to spend the year reading the Bible. I was going to make myself love and understand God's Word so I could be a "good" Christian. What I learned in the first year of reading the Bible was amazing and life-changing. All my wrong assumptions were made right through the light and love of God and His Word.

Did I learn spiritual truths that I could apply to my life? Yes. Did I understand everything I read? No. I learned God's Word is full of rich life application written to produce God's best in my life, however I should not pressure myself to understand it all in one reading. God desires for me to continue to read His Word so He can reveal to me its meaning when He is ready to teach me.

My mind wanted my heart to love God's Word. So, did I fall deeply in love with God's Word the first time I read it? Not right away. If that shocks you, imagine how I felt. The question is better asked in this way: Did I fall deeply in love with wanting to know God and His Word more intimately? The answer is a resounding yes. The love for His Word has developed and deepened over the time that I have invested in reading and studying it.

Of all the lessons I learned the first year I read through the Bible, I suppose the most valuable was I do not want to be a "good" Christian. Gasp. No, I did not nor do I want to be a "good" Christian. Gasp again. The word good is defined as satisfactory in quality, quantity, or degree. Never do I want to be satisfied with the quality and quantity of my life as Christian. Never do I want to be a "good" student of God's Word, one who is a satisfied with her quality and quantity of time in it. I have made a commitment to learn, live, and love God's Word by reading year after year until Jesus comes.

Would you like to join me in 2011?

Dear Lord, thank You for leaving Your Word for us to learn, live, and love. It is our guiding light in our dark world. Will You help to make a commitment to read Your Word daily? I don't want to be a "good" Christian. I want to be a Christian who is never satisfied in my relationship with You and my knowledge of Your powerful, life-changing Word. In Jesus' Name, Amen.




Read Psalm 119.

Reflections:
What are my fears about reading through the Bible?

Am I satisfied with the quantity and quality of time with the Lord?

Power Verses:
Psalm 119:32, "I will pursue your commands for you expand my understanding." (NLT)

Psalm 119:37, "Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your Word." (NLT)

Psalm 119:105, "Your Word is a lamp to guide me and light for my path." (NLT)

wendy pope, encouragement today devotions

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You Are God's Pumpkin

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, "If you boast, boast only about the Lord." —1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NLT)

For most of the country, the crisp cool air of autumn is upon us. A sure sign of autumn is that Christmas decorations are popping up everywhere in retail stores. Halloween costumes and disguises are selling out in stores as trick-or-treaters are ready to take over the streets.
A popular symbol of both harvest time and Halloween is the pumpkin. I was thinking recently that being a Christian is a lot like being a pumpkin. Perhaps you are visualizing this orange, round vegetable and wondering how you could ever be compared to one of these squashes! Simply put, like a child chooses a pumpkin to carve and mold an image upon, so God carves and molds His own unique design in you.


The Scriptures tell us that the Lord chooses us. He lifts us up and washes the dirt from our skin. Then he opens us, connecting deep inside to scoop out all the slimy, yucky stuff, including seeds of doubt, spite, lies, and fear. Then He carves a new creation, and makes our faces shine by putting His light inside for all to see.


Sometimes I feel like I don't want my light to shine because I am ashamed of a thought or action or pattern in my life. I try to hide the light Christ has put in me, and blend in with the crowd. What I forget is that when God carved me, created me, and gave me His Son, I no longer had to count on my own strength. I can count on the Lord's. It is He who washes me clean; it is He who gives me a spirit of strength and perseverance; it is He who makes me pure; it is He who frees me from sin; and it is He who gives me hope. When I realize that my part of the equation is to rely on His strength and power, then I can do as Scriptures say, and shine His light through the power of the Holy Spirit.


What starts as an everyday squash turns into a lantern of light. What starts as an everyday person turns into a beacon of hope for all to see. Through our union with Christ, we are given the light and wisdom of the Holy Spirit who enters and dwells in our lives. It is He who picked you out and carved you just the way He wants you. So make sure you keep your lantern lit for all to see.


GOING DEEPER:
1. What sins are in your life that you need to release and allow the Lord to scoop out for you?

2. Each time you see a pumpkin this autumn, think through why it is so important for you to be a vessel of light representing our Lord.


FURTHER READING:

Psalm 19:7-10; Colossians 2:3

This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden /Homeward devotions

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A Fresh Brewed Faith


Today's Truth
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" (Isaiah 40:29-31, NIV).

Friend To Friend
Every morning I walk straight to the coffee pot and push the ON button. I'm a total coffee girl. I like a piping-hot, extra dark roast with half and half, and I struggle to function without my first cup of coffee. I crave that first sip and relish the warmth of the mug in my hands. I jokingly call it my "warm, happy friend." My mornings just wouldn't be the same without coffee!

We should have the same attitude about our faith. We should wake up each morning bursting at the seams to be with God. To be in His presence. To listen for His still small voice. To savor Him. A faith that is brewed fresh daily strengthens us, renews us, and enables us to mount up with wings like eagles. To experience the power of God in our lives. To run and not grow weary. To walk and not faint.

This energizing, percolated faith is readily available to all who ask, seek and knock (Matthew 7:7-8). How can you experience this power in your life? By getting alone with God, reading the Bible, and listening for His voice each day. "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17, ESV).
Like a morning with no coffee, there are times when we are sluggish in our faith. There are times we need a shot of God-caffeine in our day. A spiritual espresso. What can we do at these times? Are there things in the Scriptures that tell us how can we strengthen and jump-start our faith? Absolutely!

One practical way to build your faith is by remembrance. When David was just a shepherd boy, he had courage to face a giant partly because he remembered the previous victories the Lord allowed him to experience. He approached King Saul with great confidence, saying: "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine" (1Sam 17:36, NIV). His past victories fueled his faith. Ours do the same. We can face our giants with equal confidence when we pause to remember how God has worked in our past.

Corrie Ten Boom said, "Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible."

What has God brought you through in the past? Think on these things, and choose to trust Him to bring you through all you will face today and tomorrow. When you trust God with a fresh brewed faith, He will be your Strength, your Sustainer, and your Hiding Place so you can run and not grow weary - walk and not be faint. Fill up your faith cup right now.

Let's Pray
Dear God, You have brought me through so many challenging times. Please give me a fresh shot of faith that equips me to live today in Your strength. Help me to trust you, and keep me from leaning on my own understanding.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read 1 Samuel 17. Consider specific times that God has moved in your life. Grab a journal and list them out.
Pray for God to increase your faith and give you the strength you need for today.

More From The Girlfriends
Facing any giants? God will strengthen you for the battle. Arm yourself in the power of the Spirit of GOD (Ephesians 6:10-18). When you do, no weapon formed against you can prosper (Isaiah 54:17). Go, fight, win, girlfriend!

gwen smith, girlfriends in God

[dutchgirl1]

Our Burden Bearer


I’ve been to Sunday school enough times to know that God doesn’t take vacations. He doesn’t take a breather, and He doesn’t get much sleep. It’s a basic fact, but I recently found myself in the middle of trials doing the typical “God-where-are-you?” routine. It felt like I carried my troubles all alone without relief or even a glimmer of hope that the end was in sight. So, I asked, If God is here, then why isn’t He helping?

I was contemplating this the other day in my favorite place for deep thought – a bookstore with a cup of coffee in my hand. As I sat down in a Barnes and Noble near my apartment, my prime window spot was perfect for people watching. Sometimes watching the world takes your mind off yourself.

Before I could figure out which latte would lift my spirits, I noticed a young couple with a baby and a toddler walking out of the grocery store next door. They were all carrying bags – even the toddler. He held a package of diapers barely covered in plastic and dragging on the sidewalk.

He was trying his best to hold the bag up, but it was nearly as big as he was. After struggling, the boy and the bag when down to the ground, and I could see him mouthing “help” to his parents, who were several steps ahead of him by now.
If you’ve ever walked with a toddler anywhere, then you know that their little legs can significantly slow down the pace. I was expecting the father to take the bag from the child. Dad certainly wasn’t carrying that much. He seemed strong enough, and it would certainly speed things up.

Instead, his father stopped, put the diapers back in the bag, and helped the boy to his feet. When the child dropped the bag again seconds later, the father did the same. He didn’t scold the child for lagging behind. The third time he looped the boy’s arms through the handles of the bag so he could wear it like a backpack. The boy was all smiles as he walked steadily down the sidewalk.

I thought it was cute at first, but the wisdom in it resounded in my mind. Aren’t we a lot like this child? Whether we asked for it or it was given to us, sometimes we wind up carrying burdens that are too heavy or awkward to handle.

It would be so much simpler if God just took it from us, wouldn’t it? He could send a check in the mail, instantly heal our bodies, or mend our broken relationships. He’s God. That’s got to be nothing for the One who created the universe.

But instead, He lets us carry it. He walks right beside us and adjusts the burden just enough so that it’s bearable. It sounds cruel, but there’s a method here.
James 1:3 simply says that “the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (NIV). Trials sometimes serve no other purpose than to make us tougher. Every day you carry that burden, you’re a little bit stronger than you were the day before. On the surface, it seems sadistic, but in reality it’s the best spiritual fitness regiment you’ll ever be on.

An interesting addendum to this story is that the boy still couldn’t carry the bag on his back. It kept slipping off his tiny shoulders. His father then walked behind him with his hand gently holding the bag up.

You may still feel the burden on your shoulders, but it’s God who’s carrying the bulk of the weight. And it’s comforting to know that He’ll hold you up all the way home.


a CBN devotion
By Jennifer E. Jones

[dutchgirl1]

A MERRY HEART

"A merry heart does good, like medicine. But a broken spirit dries the bones."
Proverbs 17:22

I don't know about you, but my life is very intense. The pressure rarely lets up unless I grab what fleeting moments there are to look on the lighter side.
Sadly, too many of us have lost our sense of humor. This can be danerous. If we lose our sense of humor, our mind might be the next thing to go ! We might not think we can laugh in the midst of all the pressures of life, but we won't make it unless we do.
The gift of laughter may be one of our greatest blessings from God. Maybe that's why the enemy has corrupted humor the same way he's corrupted music. Today's humor is often crude, derogatory, or sexually exploitative. It makes fun of the weak, the needy and the different. I call this the easy 'non-thinking' person's type of humor. It's just not creative.
The most godly people I know - those who've had the greatest spiritual impact on my life - always seem to have the greatest sense of humor. They're at home with laughter as long as it's not at someone's expense. And they can laugh at themselves, too. People who are 'too spiritual' to enjoy a good belly laugh are missing the point.
Few people were more serious about God than the late Leonard Ravenhill. But his writings are laced with wit and the clever turning of a phrase. When I think of him, I always think of his warm laughter and ready smile.
George MacDonald, the famours Christian author from Scotland, said, "It is the heart that is not yet sure of its God that is afraid to laugh in His presence." Charles Spurgeon, who carried a pressing burden for England and survived poverty and the great plague of London, was often criticized for 'frivolity' in the pulpit. He replied, 'This preacher thinks it less a crime to cause momentary laughter than one hour of profound slumber!'
And God has a sense of humor, too. Look at the giraffe, the hippopotamus, and, well, look at us. People are funny! Volumes could be filled on the 'humor of life' and all its little inconsistencies by just observing one day of silly human habits. Real life can be funnier than fiction.
Nobody can see the underside of life's ''tapestry'' as clearly as God, but He doesn't get uptight and stressed out. Maybe that's because He can see the final victorious outcome! Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world". John 16:33

As Christians, we want to be taken seriously because we are serious about God. We want to be seen as credible, stable, single-minded people. But let's not get 'hyper-spiritual' to try to prove our integrity. And let's not let the enemy rob us of the ability to see the funny side of life and laugh at the downright silliness of some situations.
Can you keep a sense of humor in the midst of life's difficult situations? Do you laugh enough? If joyful laughter is an element that's missing from your life, then begin to smile more today than you did yesterday - and let the Lord fill your mouth with laughter.

from Melody Green, a devotion in Proverbs.

[mandymoo]

AMEN! Thanks, d'gal!

[dutchgirl1]

Your Feet in Two Canoes

It's an old joke, but it's still worth repeating. "What did the Indians say when Columbus landed?" Answer: "There goes the neighborhood!" Well, from the Native perspective, that's exactly what happened. As the march of non-Native people spread across this continent, each tribe had to decide how they were going to respond. Some tribes that our On Eagles' Wings team went to in a recent summer historically used a vivid word picture to capture the choice that their people faced.

They talked about the two canoes. They said there were two canoes on this river that divided the world of their people from the world of these new people who had come. One canoe was the ways of the Indian people, the other canoe the ways of the white people. And, as the elders would say, you could not have a foot in each canoe. You had to choose your canoe.

Now Jesus had a lot in common with the Native people of North America. He was a tribal man; He grew up in a village; His country had been taken over by others; He loved nature; He told stories; He was poor; He died a violent death. Now, while He didn't talk about those two canoes, He said something about following Him that sounded very much like it. It's recorded in Matthew 6:24, our word for today from the Word of God.

Jesus simply said, "No man can serve two masters." Or have his feet in two different canoes. You can't claim Jesus as your Lord, the decider of what you do, and have someone or something else that is your deciding factor. Like a man trying to straddle two canoes, you'll be pulled apart.

In spite of the impossibility of living for two masters, so many who say they belong to Jesus are trying to do it - maybe you. You say Jesus is your Lord, but you've got a boyfriend or girlfriend you really revolve your life around. When it comes to a choice between what Jesus wants and what you need to do for money, money wins. Or a choice between what certain friends want and what Jesus wants. The friends win.

You say Jesus is "number one," but what you watch on the Internet or TV is something He died to deliver you from. No matter how much your music is about things that Jesus hates, you just keep hanging onto it. God's book commands you to not be "unequally yoked with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14), but you're in a partnership or a romance that continually forces you to choose between their values and Jesus' values. And all too often, they win. What you do with your body, what you do when you're lonely, what you do when you're tempted, what you do when your temper or your hormones are in control, "Goodbye, Jesus."

But nobody loves you like He does. Nobody else was butchered on a cross to take your hell. He died so you don't have to serve that other master. 1 Peter 2:24 says, "He bore our sins in His own body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness." When you live the opposite of what He wants, you basically say, "I don't care why You died, Jesus. I want this." You might as well just say, "I want this more than You."

Aren't you tired of being torn apart inside, trying to choose between your two masters; trying to live with your feet in two canoes? They continue to drift in opposite directions, and so do you. God has some straight talk to you, right from His Word in Joshua 24:15, "Choose...this day whom you will serve." "Choose!" He said. And choose is what you're going to have to do. Choose the One who loves you most. Choose the One you'll be with forever. Choose Jesus.

ron hutchcraft, a word with you daily devotions

[dutchgirl1]

Today I came across several devotions that seemed to hit home for sharing with you. it is my hope that throughout the day, I will post more of these. hugs, d'gal


Treasures of Darkness

Today's Truth
Isaiah 45:3 "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name."

Friend to Friend
I love a great movie. To me, a movie is only great - no matter what any movie critic says or how many stars the film is granted - when good wins over evil, the right guy gets the right girl, nobody gets hurt and everyone lives happily ever after. A bit naive, I know, but I have decided that there is enough harsh reality traipsing through my daily life without paying to see more on a movie screen. When I sit down in that cushy theatre seat, popcorn and soda in hand, I want happy endings.

With these criteria in mind, I went to see the movie, "Sea Biscuit." God has a way of wrapping remarkable truths in unremarkable circumstances. There I was; munching and sipping away, minding my own business and enjoying my brief respite from the real world, when his words echoed through the movie theatre and slammed into my soul.

"You don't throw a whole life away just because it's a little banged up," he said. I was done. I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the movie but those simple words were written just for me and lingered long after the movie's credits scrolled across the movie screen. We are all "banged up a little" by life. I know what it feels like to be broken and in pain. And I do not like it - a fact that seems meaningless when it comes to facing and dealing with tough experiences in my life. The hits just keep coming. I have a choice to make. I can embrace the pain and brokenness in my life and learn from it or I can surrender to the darkness and hide - and hope it all goes away. Trust me, girlfriend. It doesn't.

In "A Farewell to Arms," Ernest Hemingway writes, "The world breaks everyone and many are strong at the broken places." Jesus says it this way, "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name" (Isaiah 45:3).

Wow! The truth of this verse rocks my world. Don't miss it! God has gone before us and buried a treasure in every problem and stored rich truths in every minute of darkness we will face. The only way we can discover that treasure is to embrace the problem as an opportunity to trust God and uncover a new seed of victory. Some things cannot be learned in the light - they are treasures of the darkness.

Let's Pray
Father, my heart is broken and it seems very dark. I don't understand what You are doing in my life. The darkness is very real and filled with more questions than answers. And I don't like it! But I love You, Lord, so I choose trust instead of fear and faith instead of doubt. Lord, please fill each broken place in my heart with Your mercy and Your grace. Today, I choose You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now it's Your Turn . . . .


God has changed my life through the truths of Psalm 40:1-3.
Psalm 40:1-3 "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God."

Read and memorize Psalm 40:1-3.

Choose to praise God today as you look for the treasures waiting for you in each trial you are facing.

mary southerland, girlfriends in God.


The approaching holidays may be a difficult time for you or for someone in your family that struggles with depression. I encourage you to continue to seek God during these times for His treasures.. in your life and in the life of someone who really needs Him to create a miracle or treasure in their life also.

[dutchgirl1]

I picked this one yesterday because mostly why we are even here. wayward kids.

Child Adrift



"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.
But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers."

Luke 22:31-32 (NLT)

Devotion:

"My child is adrift. How do I let go?" my friend asked with tear-filled eyes.

"You hold on with a tether of prayer," I replied.


Our goal as parents is to raise our children to be independent, faith-filled adults. We teach them right from wrong. We educate them about God and the Bible. We exhibit table manners and good sportsmanship. We demonstrate compassion and empathy for humanity. We subtly point them in the direction of what we suspect will bring them happiness and success. Then they grow-up and seem to drift away from everything we have taught them.


Sometimes, no matter how great the parenting, some children flounder in adulthood. They wander into uncharted territory to test their independence. What's a parent to do then? If the child is of legal age, the best thing a parent can do is to pray. Our key verse demonstrates that this is how Jesus dealt with Simon Peter when he was about to fall into fear and doubt concerning his faith and love for God. Jesus didn't scold, plead or rebuke him. Jesus simply said, "But I have pleaded in prayer for you."


Jesus prayed with complete confidence in the power of God to bring Simon Peter back into the faith and fellowship with the other believers. My favorite part of today's key verse is when Jesus stated, "So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." Many times when a child wanders away from family and faith, we tend to see it as only a negative. However, Jesus saw Simon's weakness in a different light. Jesus knew that after Simon drifted, he would come back stronger in his walk of faith than before. Simon would be able to strengthen other people.


As we pray for our children, their faults, foibles, and faith frailties, let's remind ourselves that these very things may be exactly what God will use for him or her to help others. It is through personal mistakes that our children can learn compassion and empathy for people—especially those who struggle in similar areas. So, as we pray, let's be encouraged by the knowledge that God never wastes a painful experience. He will use drifting children to minister to a hurting world. So go right now and tether your child to God with a lifeline of prayer.


Dear Lord, my child is adrift in a frightening world. Teach me how to pray for my child. Remind me that the most effective thing I can do is to plead for him/her before the throne of God. Help me to convert my worry into prayer. I thank You that You understand my feelings and I can trust in Your sovereignty in my child's life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.








Application Steps:
Find a notebook or prayer journal and begin to journal your prayers for your child. Date each prayer. Every time you begin to feel stress and anxiety over your child's behaviors, write a prayer. In addition, as you see promises of hope and change in your son or daughter, jot them down as a reminder when you feel discouraged and overwrought that God is indeed at work.


Do I believe that prayer is the most effective way to handle my wayward child?

How can I remind myself to pray instead of worry?

When my child turns around, how will he/she be able to strengthen other people?


Power Verses:
Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (NIV)

John 17:15, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." (NIV)

Psalms 27:13-14, "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (NIV)


susanne sheppmann, encouragement today devotions

[dutchgirl1]

A Word to the Wise

Proverbs 2:2-6
Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Mankind has been seeking wisdom and knowledge since the beginning of time, but most people never find it. Why? Because in their pride and arrogance, they have sought for it inside themselves, rejecting God and His Word.

In their minds, wisdom is easy to come by rather than being a treasure that must be sought. Just listen to the best-selling advice of Oprah Winfrey, whom thousands of people follow:


Our real power comes from knowing who we are . . . and that begins with looking inside ourselves in silence. I've always believed you really need no gurus, no leaders, no guides—just yourself. You have all your own best answers. What you're trying to find is already there. Be still and know it.
She could not be more spiritually deceived. Psalm 46:10 does not say "Be still and know yourself," but "Be still and know that I am God." The Bible doesn't teach that our real power comes from within ourselves, but quite the opposite. In John 15:5b, Christ says, ". . . apart from Me you can do nothing," and in Philippians 4:13, Paul states, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." In other words, our power and wisdom come from Christ, not from within ourselves.

So who's right—Oprah or the Bible? Are the answers to life deep within your own heart, or deep within the heart of God? In Jeremiah 17:9, the prophet leaves no room for hesitation on this answer when he proclaims, "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" Put differently, because of sin and our fallen nature, wisdom does not dwell within us. Instead, our hearts are sinful, evil, and prideful. Oprah is tragically mistaken . . . wisdom must come from outside ourselves.
James promised that ". . . if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" ( James 1:5). David wrote, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).

These passages leave no shadow of a doubt as to where true wisdom is found. We are in a world of darkness and in desperate need of light; how distressingly foolish to think that light can be found inside us. Not so! God is that light, and only by coming to know Him through His revealed Word will we be able to gain wisdom.

So, God is the ultimate prize. Seek after Him with all your heart, and along the way, you will discover . . . wisdom.

Prayer Point: Think of ways in which God has given you wisdom in the past, whether it was in making an important decision, turning from a sinful habit, or encouraging a friend. Thank Him for the light you needed to make the right decision or to take the next step. Don't hesitate to pray for more wisdom—you will need it today!

wisdom retreat devotions/stephan daley

[dutchgirl1]

Confession and Compassion

Matthew 9:13
"But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Do you want to sense the maximum attention of God? You must first give Him your maximum attention.

Do you want the Lord to be available to you? You must first be available to Him.

Do you want to touch the heart of God? You must first be available to His moving.

If you want to be part of God's effort to rebuild our broken world through the redeeming gospel of Christ, you must be willing to become part of God's solution—whatever it may be.

Isn't it easier just to pray, "Lord, do this. . . Lord, bless that . . . Lord, help him [or her] . . . Lord, provide in this way . . . Lord, minister in that way"? But what if you heard a voice from heaven that said, "Of the five requests you just prayed, four of them are up to you!"

God's work often requires your willingness. In the parable of the Good Samaritan it becomes clear that anyone who claims the name of Christ is not merely to pray for someone, but to pray for wisdom to know how to help.

Compassion for the lost and needy among us is what draws God's attention, for it comes from a heart modeled after His own.

With this in mind, is it any wonder that the average Christian really doesn't want the maximum attention of God? He or she really doesn't want to become part of His divine solution because it may cause a bit of discomfort or uneasiness.

It is one thing to get on your knees and pray for God to bless a person, but it is quite another to follow up that prayer with a letter, a phone call, a visit, an invitation, a gift.

If your compassion does not extend beyond your prayer time, it isn't genuine.
If we are to gain God's special attention as a co-laborer with Him, we must share in His anguish over the fallen world around us.

Aren't we rather self-centered to expect God to share our distress over what we care about if we don't share His distress over His concerns?

Let's not create a double standard in our thinking and living, but wholeheartedly imitate God's standard—following up with acts of sincere compassion after our prayers.
When we begin to pray and act in this way, we can be sure that God is not only hearing us . . . but He is pleased with us!

Prayer Point: Pray for someone you know who is in need, whether it is physical or spiritual, but start your prayer by asking what you can do to help meet that need. Don't just ask God for the solution—ask Him how you can become part of the solution.

Extra Refreshment: Read Luke 10:25-37.

wisdom retreat w/stephan daley

[dbass]

Many times when a child wanders away from family and faith, we tend to see it as only a negative. However, Jesus saw Simon's weakness in a different light. Jesus knew that after Simon drifted, he would come back stronger in his walk of faith than before. Simon would be able to strengthen other people.


I needed to hear this today! That is my prayer for our kids - that they may come back stronger. I've always known that my daughter will be able to reach others that would never listen to me - never relate to me, so my prayer is that our kids do come back stronger in their walk of faith and that they will be able to strengthen others.
Thanks for posting this!
Deb

[dutchgirl1]

The Only Way to Get Where You Want to Go

It was a big youth event. And, one of the top contemporary Christian bands around was performing that night in a major arena, and I was part of the program, too. I offered to be a backup singer, but apparently they had that covered. I'm a good backup singer actually. I mean, when I sing, people back up! Actually, I was there to speak that night, and, not to do comedy, and it's a good thing, and I had some Native young people from our summer team there with me.
One of them was accompanying me as we tried to connect with some of the team at another entrance. We went through the tunnels that connect the backstage areas of the arena, and everywhere we went, we met those big, beefy security guys. They'd look at my all-access security pass and they'd wave me on. But they weren't quite as friendly to the young team member who was with me. They stopped her and asked her if she had a pass. She didn't. None of the team members did because they weren't on the program. And that's where the magic words came in. They worked for the girl who was with me; they worked every time for the young people who joined me. I would just say, "She's with me. He's with me."


One day you and I will reach the end of our journey here on earth and we'll keep our long-scheduled appointment with God Himself. It's an appointment we can't cancel; we can't postpone. The Bible describes it this way: "Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). If you're like most people, you're hoping God will welcome you into His heaven. The Bible gives only one other alternative and it's an unthinkable way to spend eternity.

A lot of people aren't going to make it. Jesus said, "only a few find the road that leads to eternal life" (Matthew 7:14).
How can you be sure you're going to heaven when you die? We can learn a lot from listening in on a conversation that Jesus had in His last moments before He died on the cross, with a thief who was being crucified on the cross next to Him. It's recorded in Luke 23:42-43, our word for today from the Word of God. The thief speaks first: "'Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'Today you will be with Me in paradise.'" This man was guaranteed by Jesus Himself that he would be in heaven that day because of two words, "With Me." When he stood before God, Jesus would say, "He's with Me."

Will He say that when it's your turn to stand before God? See it all depends on what you're depending on to get you to heaven. You can't get in to heaven with the sin of your life still in God's book, and there's only one way for your sin to be erased.
The eternal death penalty for your sins has to be paid. On that awful cross, God's Son was actually absorbing that penalty so you would never have to pay it. He did your hell so you could have heaven because He loves you beyond words. The Bible says, "Everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name" (Acts 10:43).
If you're pinning your hopes for heaven on anything other than Jesus; your religion, your goodness, your Christian family, your Christian beliefs, you're holding onto a ticket that God will never accept.

Jesus described some people with lots of Christianity who will stand before Him on Judgment Day and He will say these four chilling words to them, "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:24). Because they never got past knowing about Him to knowing Him. Don't let that be you. If you've never really pinned all your hopes on Jesus as your only Rescuer from your sin, this could be a very good day to do that; the only day you can be sure of.

Turn to Jesus and say, "Remember me, Lord." And when you stand at the gates of heaven, you're going in because Jesus will look at you and say those words that decide everything, "He's with Me. She's with Me."

ron hutchcraft, a word w/you devotion

[dutchgirl1]

God's Beloved

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The word beloved is a special word that is reserved by God only for His children. While God has a general love for the whole world and a sustaining love even for His enemies—He sends sunshine to warm them and rain to water their crops, just as He does for believers—this term of endearment is unique for those who are His precious possessions.

You may remember the first time this word was used in the New Testament. Christ was to be baptized by John the Baptist, when a voice echoed from heaven, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased" (Matthew 3:17). It was the voice of God the Father, who loved Christ dearly; that same voice still echoes today, calling you beloved.

You may be thinking to yourself, "How can God call me that? Doesn't He know how unlovable I am?" The answer is simple. He calls you beloved, not because of some righteousness you have in yourself or because you are worthy of it, but because Christ has deposited His righteousness into your personal account.

When the Father looks down upon you, He no longer sees your sin, but instead, He sees the blood of His Son that was shed on your behalf. That is why Paul can say in Romans 8:1, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." You are eternally free in God's eyes, and that is why He loves you as His beloved.

Think of it in terms of marriage. A wedding ceremony does nothing to change the character or personality of the bride or groom. In fact, several weeks after the wedding, both of them are going to realize just how much they need to change. Although their character and personality may not have changed, their status did. They first walked down the aisle as two independent people who could have belonged to anybody, but when they walked back up the aisle, they belonged to each other. Now they were one.

Just the same, when you became a believer you immediately became the bride of Christ. Although the Lord will continually change your character over the course of your life, your status has been changed forever. You are God's special possession and He deeply, unfailingly, eternally loves you.

You forever will be . . . His beloved.

Prayer Point: Thank God for sending His beloved Son to die for your sins, that you could become a beloved child of God.

Extra Refreshment: Read Revelation 19:1-10, describing the marriage supper of the Lamb. It is the day when you, as God's bride, will finally be joined to Him.

stephen daley, wisdom retreat devotions

[dutchgirl1]

The Danger of a Drifting Light

I knew about lighthouses. I never knew about lightships though, until I visited Nantucket, that charming old island that's about 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. In the harbor there, you can tour the now retired Lightship Nantucket. But before the development of modern navigational technology, the work of that ship actually saved many lives. There are deadly shoals that extend south of Nantucket, and the main shipping lanes to New York City run right along the outer edge in what's called the Ambrose Channel. Now, for many decades, the Lightship Nantucket was stationed at the eastern approach to the channel - at what was called the "Times Square of the Atlantic." Well, she dared not leave her position there - because all ship navigation was fixed on that lightship. If the lightship moved, every ship would follow her - possibly to disaster.


Now, to put you and me in this picture, and believe me we're in it, we have to go to our word for today from the Word of God. In Matthew 5:16-18, Jesus tells us: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Now, you don't have to be a great theologian to get this message. If you belong to Jesus, you are a light for the people around you. Maybe it's really dark where you're the light. Well, that's okay. The darker the darkness gets, the more the light shows up. And it only takes a little light to make a big difference in a dark room. Now, here's the problem: if the light starts drifting, all the people who are watching your light will drift with you - possibly to disaster.

See, whether or not you realize it, there are people watching your light. Oh, maybe it's your child, your coworkers, a Christian brother or sister. It might be some family members, folks you minister with. And for any person in your world who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you are the lighthouse or the lightship that may be their only hope of finding their way to heaven. If the light fails, if the light drifts, they will sail right into an eternity you don't even want to think about.

For the sake of the people who are watching your light, you can't afford to drift into negativity, or criticism, or cynicism, or some rebellious attitude. They'll follow you there. If you drift into selfishness, or carelessness about what you look at or listen to. If you drift into gossip, discouragement, compromise, it won't be just you going there. You're affecting other people's course every day. Don't lead them toward the rocks. You've got to hold your position. You're the light!

Maybe you've been covering up your light where you are. You never tell anyone there what you know about Jesus Christ. Or maybe you've turned off your light by doing things that actually discredit your Jesus to those who are basing their opinion of Him on you. Paul said to one group, "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles (that's the unbelievers) because of you." (Romans 2:24) Don't let that be you. Don't be a reason that someone doesn't come to Jesus because of the contradictions in your life.

A drifting light can cost lives. If you go off on a little detour or take a timeout, you'll drag others along with you. You are the light! Stay anchored in Jesus, and never stop pointing people to Him!

ron hutchcraft, a word w/you daily devotions

[dutchgirl1]

It's Time to Do Something!


Today's Truth
1 John 4:11 "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

Friend to Friend
I could not tear my eyes away from the television screen as the 33 miners began to emerge from the depths of what could have been their mass grave. The men had been trapped for more than two months in the collapsed Chilean copper mines nearly half a mile underground. Everything I have read or heard about the tragedy is extraordinary.

The miners survived the early days by rationing food and working together as a team. Each man was assigned a job, one of which was to maintain peace and harmony until they were rescued. The selfless mining supervisor who insisted on being the last to leave his underground prison showed the world what it really means to put others first. I was amazed at the selflessness of the rescue worker who became the initial guinea pig for the rescue capsule and then chose to stay behind - alone - while the world celebrated above.

I wonder how long it will take us to forget. How long will we remember that the world came together to save a group of strangers? Will the powerful lessons of their rescue make any difference in the way we treat each other?

We all know what it is like to be trapped in a pit of some kind. It is probably not a collapsed mine, but pits are all basically the same.

Our world has collapsed under the weight of fear and pain.
No one seems to care. In fact, a lot of people have written us off as a lost cause.
People are too busy to recognize or understand our hopelessness.
Darkness prevails and rescue seems impossible.
We are wounded, sick and tired.
Civil war rages in our soul as we struggle to obey God instead of giving in to sin.

I truly believe that every day is filled with divine appointments - opportunities to rescue people who are trapped in some kind of pit. We miss the emptiness reflected in the eyes of the sales clerk or simply choose to ignore the homeless man begging for money so that he can buy food. After all, we are in a hurry and have more important things to do. The sales clerk would probably be embarrassed if I said anything and that homeless man would probably just use the money I give him for drugs or alcohol.

The ringing phone is someone in need but we don't care enough to answer. Our neighbor does not know God but her life is a mess and we really don't want to get involved. Instead of taking action and doing what we know God wants us to do, we decide that it is enough to pray for that neighbor and leave the messy part of God's work to someone else.

I am so guilty of walking away from someone in need instead of running to their rescue. I am in pain, too, and my pain is more important than theirs. I may not actually say those words but I don't have to. My actions are blatant illustrations of my own egotism and self-absorption.

I do not want to be like the priest who nonchalantly strolled by the wounded and bleeding man lying on the road. I want to be like the Good Samaritan who stopped and saved the wounded man's life. I want to be "God with skin on."

One day, just as rescue workers descended into that Chilean mine, Jesus Christ will descend into this broken world and rescue us from the pit of human frailty. Until then, let's be His hands and feet. Let's love Him so much that we just have to do something about it.

Let's Pray
Father, I come to You today with a heart of praise for the way You meet every need in my life and how You constantly rescue me from the darkness. I want Your heart, Lord. I want to be Your hands and feet to the people You place in my path. Give me eyes to see their need and the courage to do something about it. Please guard my heart against pride and selfishness. I want to please and honor You alone.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
It is sometimes hard to love someone in need, but God calls us to look beyond their rough exterior and see the pain hidden there.

Read Ephesians 4:2. "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." Notice the action words. What would your daily life look like if you took action and lived out this verse?

Is there someone in your life who is hurting? How can you ease their pain?
Is there someone in your life who is wounded? How can you help them heal?
Is there someone in your life who has fallen into some kind of pit? How can you help rescue them?
Make a specific plan to meet a specific need in someone's life today. Then do something about it!

More from the Girlfriends
We are living in tough times. It is easy to get so wrapped up in our own problems that we fail to see the needs of others. Today, I am issuing a challenge to all of us, girlfriends! Look around. Find someone in need and then take action. We are never more like our Father than when we love and serve someone in His name.

mary southerland, girlfriends in God devotions

[dutchgirl1]

I chose this one today because it hit me between the eyes. around the 7th paragraph, this is me or was me maybe still is a little. But anyways hope it ministers to someone. even if this devotion has little to do with you, maybe you know someone..................................



Stand Up Straight, Girlfriend!


Today's Truth
"Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God" (Luke 13:13 NIV).

Friend to Friend
When my brother was a teenager, my mother used to threaten him when he hunched over at the dinner table. "If you don't sit up," she'd say, "I'm going to buy you a back brace from Sears." Now I don't even know if Sears made back braces back then, but it sounded like a pretty good threat to me.

Then I had a son who grew to six feet seemingly overnight. He didn't know what to do with all that height, so he slumped. I tried my best not to say, "If you don't sit up, I'm going to buy you a back brace from Sears."
Then one night, my father-in-law took care of it for me. We were measuring and marking various family members' height on the dining room doorframe. (Yes, you read that correctly-the dining room. Some battles are just not worth fighting). My seventy-seven-year-old father-in-law, who stood at about 5'10", stood with the back of his head against the doorframe. Then he took a deep breath and extended his curved back to its fullest upright position. We marked him at 6'3".
I watched Steven's eyes grow wider as Papa grew taller. He saw firsthand the difference it made to stand up straight. Papa was huge, but his bent over frame hid his once strong healthy stature. Steven caught a glimpse of the strappingly strong frame that we once knew. From that day on, Steve stood straight and tall. Never once have I seen him slump since.

That's what I'm hoping for you. My hope is that you will see women who have stood to their full stature and want to do the same. No more slumping in self-doubt or hunching in half-hearted conviction, but rather standing up to the full stature of a confident woman who knows that she is equipped by God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and enveloped in Jesus Christ.

There are many emotions that cause us to slump spiritually and become crippled emotionally. Worry wears us down. Regret ruins our confidence. Hatred hardens our hearts. Unforgiveness uglies our souls. Bitterness binds our hearts. Insecurity incapacitates our capabilities.

I was crippled for many years. Words from my past told me I was "ugly," "not good enough," and "worthless." Inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy were my three closes companions. I didn't like these three lurking shadows, but they followed me everywhere I went. Stalkers, that's what they were. They stalked me, yelling taunts and accusations that no one heard but me.

The more I listened to them, the more emotionally crippled I became. Then one day, Jesus called me up front. I didn't want to go, mind you. I had grown comfortable hiding in the back where I felt I belonged. I could hear just fine from my seat along the wall. The lighting wasn't as good, but it was enough to get by.

But then Jesus saw me and called me forward. It wasn't that He hadn't seen me all along. After all, He is El Roi, the God who sees. There was never a day when I had not been in His sight. But now the time had come for Him to set me straight in every way. So He called me up front where others could see what He was about to do. Jesus placed his nail-scared hand under my chin and lifted my eyes to meet his. "Sharon, you are free from your infirmity of self-doubt."

It wasn't long after that, words began to flow. From pen to paper, God filled me with words that overflowed to encourage and equip other sisters who needed to experience the same liberating freedom in Christ.

You know what? I'm sure some on-lookers gasped at my courage and glared at my audacity as I stepped out of the shadows onto center stage. "Who does she think she is?" they might have thought.

And I can answer that question. I am a crippled woman who Jesus set free. He calls me a child of God, light of the world, salt of the earth, bride of Christ, redeemed, holy, chosen, ambassador, saint, bride…and that's just for starters. And friend, if you know Jesus Christ as Savior, then that's exactly what He calls you too!

So here I am today and you are reading one of my devotions. A previously emotional cripple set straight and shored up by God.

Is there something in your life that is crippling your spirit? Unforgiveness? Bitterness? Guilt? Resentment? Sorrow? Worry? Regret? Comparison?
If so, cut it loose, cast it off, and throw it away. God calls us sheep; and sheep are not pack animals. We are not meant to carry such burdens with these scrawny legs of ours. If we try, we will only bend under the pressure we were never meant to bear.

Oh friend, He is calling you right now. Whatever has been holding you back from being all God has called you to be and do all God has fashioned you to do…Jesus has come to set you free! Stand up straight! Do you feel the press of His hand on the crook of your back? Do you feel his index finger under the point of your chin?

There's no doubt in my mind that you are reading this devotion because Jesus is calling you from the shadows to join him center stage. He sees you, and now is the time. You've been sitting in the back, in your crippled state far too long. It is time. "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity."

Set me free from my prison that I might praise your name. Psalm 142:7

Now it's Your Turn

I want to go back and ask you the questions I asked in the devotion.
Is there something in your life that is crippling your spirit? Unforgiveness? Bitterness? Guilt? Resentment? Sorrow? Worry? Regret? Comparison? If so, cut it loose, cast it off, and throw it away.

Oh friend, He is calling you right now. Whatever has been holding you back from being all God has called you to be and doing all that God has fashioned you to do…Jesus has come to set you free! Stand up straight! Do you feel the press of His hand on the crook of your back? Do you feel his index finger under the point of your chin?

sharon jaynes, girlfriends in God