Don't Under Estimate Deception

What is Deception?

According to a Christian definition about deception, (Job 13:4) The definition of deception includes manufacturing in the eyes of someone that something is of value when it has no value.

As to my experiences and observation, "it is a false representation of what is bad."

In our world today, most of us are victims of deception. Have you not wonder why our lives seems to get worst everyday? Its because of deception! Sad to say but most people do not highly put their trust on God, they do rely on themselves that's why they based their decisions to what they think is right, unfortunately most of what we think of are false representations.

Crimes are unstoppable and is increasing in a rapid rate. But if you ask those criminals for some reasons why they did a certain crime, they do not have any answer and it seems that they are confused. Same thing with corrupt politicians, people with vices, school dropouts,early pregnant ladies, addicts, broken families etc.

Whether you like it or not, the reason why our situation gets worst is because of our wrong actions that we did based from our wrong perceptions. Believe me, everything that's happening are just the effects of false representation of what should be right thing.

The truth is, we are all deceived. In John 10:10, it says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." What normally happens is that we are destroyed and that we did not have life to the full. Why? Its because we do really on ourselves, not on God that's why we are deceived repeatedly.


Always Remember:
According to one of my favorite verse Proverbs 3:7 "Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil." It is very clearly stated that we should not be wise for ourselves. We have limited knowledge about what is better for us.

Do not under estimate deception because its been ruining peoples lives.


By: Edwin Joseph

Uniquely You

“He gave…to each according to his ability.”
Matthew 25:15 NKJV

Da Vinci painted one Mona Lisa. Beethoven composed one Fifth Symphony. And God made one version of you. He custom designed you for a one-of-a-kind assignment. Mine like a gold digger the unique-to-you nuggets from your life…

When God gives an assignment, he also gives the skill. Study your skills, then, to reveal your assignment.

Look at you. Your uncanny ease with numbers. Your quenchless curiosity about chemistry. Others stare at blueprints and yawn; you read them and drool. “I was made to do this,” you say.

Our Maker gives assignments to people, “to each according to each one’s unique ability.” As he calls, he equips. Look back over your life. What have you consistently done well? What have you loved to do? Stand at the intersection of your affections and successes and find your uniqueness.


From: Max Lucado

When Satan Attacks

Ephesians 6:11 - 12
Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

As we humans tend to do or to believe everything to one extreme or another, I am going to divide us into 2 groups. 1 - Those who blame Satan for everything bad in their lives. 2 - Those that pretend Satan does not exist. Which one are you? Hopefully, by the end of this, you may lean more toward the middle somewhere.

You cannot read these verses without coming to an understanding that Satan is indeed real and that we - as Christians - are at war with him and his hordes of demons. However, these verses do not remove the fact that we are pretty good at sinning on our own (ref. Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ). Nor do they remove the fact that our God tests us and disciplines us in order to grow us into the Christians He wants us to be. I think it is good to stop here and meditate on this:

James 1:12 - 15
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

So what does a satanic attack look like and how can we stand against them? I wish I had the one perfect answer for you, but I do not. However, what I can offer are my own personal struggles and how I deal with them.

There are many things that happen in my life that are bad that are simply results from the sins in my life that come from being a sinner such as debt, weight gain, snapping at my kids, laughing at my wife when she runs into an exercise bike because she didn't turn on the light - not that this ever happened (and I made sure she was ok first). I do not go around giving Satan credit for these. I beat myself up about them. I ask God to change me and strengthen me to make be better. I discipline myself to overcome these.

So, from where do the satanic attacks come? For me, I find that satanic attacks are more frequently mental attacks. I say "for me" because "for Job" they were definitely physical attacks. But in my case, they are mental. Small things will happen around me (things that are everyday type things), and I will begin having thoughts that make the small situation into something it is not - and was never going to be. These thoughts could be classified as lustful, power-hungry, greedy, selfish, etc. I believe that these are real satanic attacks on me to get me to follow through with decisions that will be divisive or hurtful to those close to me. I cannot describe them much more than that. I finish by saying I have come to recognize them as attacks because try as I may, I am unable to simply dismiss them and start thinking of something new. The barrage continues.

There are only 2 things that I have found that help me during these times. Prayer and the Bible! I talk to God about what is happening. I voice my concerns. And I read His Word searching for answers to what I am dealing with.

I feel as if I have typed a bunch of rubbish above. I hope that is not the case. I hope that in these words, you have found some kind of truth or hope that can help you continue in your Christian walk.


From: Delve Into Jesus - Donald Buttram

The Assigning of the Call

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church . . . — Colossians 1:24



We take our own spiritual consecration and try to make it into a call of God, but when we get right with Him He brushes all this aside. Then He gives us a tremendous, riveting pain to fasten our attention on something that we never even dreamed could be His call for us. And for one radiant, flashing moment we see His purpose, and we say, "Here am I! Send me" ( Isaiah 6:8 ).

This call has nothing to do with personal sanctification, but with being made broken bread and poured-out wine. Yet God can never make us into wine if we object to the fingers He chooses to use to crush us. We say, "If God would only use His own fingers, and make me broken bread and poured-out wine in a special way, then I wouldn’t object!" But when He uses someone we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, to crush us, then we object. Yet we must never try to choose the place of our own martyrdom. If we are ever going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed— you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed.

I wonder what finger and thumb God has been using to squeeze you? Have you been as hard as a marble and escaped? If you are not ripe yet, and if God had squeezed you anyway, the wine produced would have been remarkably bitter. To be a holy person means that the elements of our natural life experience the very presence of God as they are providentially broken in His service. We have to be placed into God and brought into agreement with Him before we can be broken bread in His hands. Stay right with God and let Him do as He likes, and you will find that He is producing the kind of bread and wine that will benefit His other children.



From: RBC - Utmost For His Highest

Time management

James 4:14-15: “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that’” (NASB).

God wants our eyes to be fixed on Him. The world offers many distractions, and we may substitute our obedience for earthly indulgence. The more we do this, the more we learn to settle for less. John Piper, from his book A Hunger for God, notes, “If we don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because we have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.”

Our children listen to us say we want to do God’s will, and they watch us to see how it is done. Let your example be that of a deep relationship with Christ that satisfies and compels you to seek His will over your own.

Approach the banquet of God’s fullness, and bring your children with you!



From: CrossWalk Devotionals

The Little Children

We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
-2 Corinthians 5:20 (NRSV)

OUR Bible-study group gathered with nine girls around the long, cafeteria-style table in their dorm area as they watched us closely. These children aged 11-17 had been ordered by the court to stay in this facility short-term. We were there to celebrate anyone who had a birthday that month, bringing along cupcakes, games, and small gifts, including Bibles.

The girls, wary at first, quickly warmed to the celebration as we played games, ate, and just talked with them. We also listened. Although we couldn't legally ask them why they were there, their prayer requests spoke volumes: "I want my mom to stop using drugs." "To change my life around." "To find a good foster home." "For my brother, who is missing." These children, caught in the midst of challenging circumstances, were all searching for love and acceptance.

The world can be a terrifying, cruel place, but we have the message of hope. The children at the detention center gave us a priceless gift that day, reminding us that there are opportunities to share God's love and acceptance with God's children the world over, including those in our own backyards.


Prayer
Lord, help us always to be good examples of your loving grace to those around us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.



From: UpperRoom Devotionals - Beth Mathison

A SONG IN THE NIGHT

"I call to remembrance my song in the night...." “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many shall see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.” Psalm 77:6, 40:3

“A song in the night".... what does that mean? David said, “He heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet upon 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” (Psalm 40:1-3). David reflects his thanksgiving to God for redeeming him from the depths of sin. He now rejoices in all God has done, instilling in his heart the song of deliverance, liberty, and freedom. It’s a new song…one he had never experienced before, because now he is reconciled to God, brought into an intimate relationship with Him, and now rejoices in communicating in blessed fellowship with Him.

Many other followers of Christ knew this “song in the night” that resulted from God’s presence and power manifested within them. Paul and Silas were unjustly imprisoned, beaten with many lashes, chained to stocks, and guarded by hostile guards in the darkness of night. Instead of complaining about their devastating conditions, we read…“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God.” Their eyes were fixed on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of their faith. God gave them a “song in the night” that overcame all that men could place upon them. God can give us a “song in the night” when humanly speaking, there is no song to sing.

I had this experience in 1944 when fighting in W.W.II in Germany. Cold, wet, and snowing, the Germans began an artillery barrage on our position. Suddenly a shell exploded in a tree above me, and I was critically wounded. Both of my forearms and right leg were almost blown off. A piece of shrapnel pierced the back of my neck just missing my spine a quarter of an inch. BUT HE WAS THERE! They pulled me out of my muddy foxhole and laid me across the hood of a jeep, and we started back to the medical tent just behind the front line. God gave me a “song in the night” and I started singing “Only trust Him, only trust Him, He will save you, He will save you now.” Thinking I would not make it to the first-aid station, I was going to sing my way right into the presence of the Lord!

God puts within the hearts of His own a child-like faith that “dares to trust Him” regardless of circumstances…an unwavering confidence in His providential care that finds an inner peace only God can give. This is God’s doing and “it is marvelous in His sight."

Let me ask you. Do you know this wonderful Lord that can take the brokenness of our lives and make something beautiful out of them? Have you this intimate personal relationship that comes by placing your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior? You can as you DARE TO BELIEVE and entrust your all to the ONE who can lift you out of the miry pit, set your feet upon the rock Christ Jesus, and put a new song in your mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. He will give you a “song in the night" in the midst of the darkness of life! Let HIM be the Lord of your life and live His life through you.



From: Literature International Ministry - Ed Powell

My Life’s in Good Hands

Luke 12:6-7
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”


Who rules your life?

Have you ever seen those bumper stickers that say, “God is my co-pilot?” If you want God to be in total control of your life, how can he just be the “co” pilot? Shouldn’t he be the Pilot? Watch lava sometime on T.V. As it flows it oozes into the smallest cracks and crevices of the earth. That’s the way our lives should be with God. Surrendering every crack and crevice of our life to God is hard, but that is what he asks us to do.

God knows you better than you know yourself. In Psalm 139:2-3 it says “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar…you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word comes out of my mouth, you know it completely.” Yep! God can read your mind! And He isn’t even a fortuneteller with a crystal ball!

Consider these words from Psalm 139:6-7: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” God knows everywhere you go and everything you feel! God is closer than your shadow!

Look at Joseph in Genesis 37-47. He was just a teenager when his brothers sold him into slavery. In Egypt, one bad thing after another happened to him, but he continued to trust God because he understood that God was in control of his life. Eventually, he became the second most powerful man in Egypt. Check out how God blessed Joseph for trusting in Him!

Give God every crevice in your life: your friends, your music, the movies you watch, the books and magazines you read, your parents, the places you hang out, and your future. In Psalm 139:13 it says that he knit you together in your mother’s womb and his eyes saw your unformed body. Doesn’t it make sense to let the person that made you and intricately knows you have control of your destiny?

The truth is, even if we don’t yield our lives to him, he’s in control anyway. You might as well give up, wave your white flag and throw your arms in the air. Don’t fool yourself. God controls your life, no matter what you think. Comfort yourself with this reality. Life will be much easier when you quit trying to swim upstream away from God and instead swim along side him! It’s mighty exhausting swimming away from Almighty God!


Today’s Prayer:

Dear Father, I praise you for breathing life into my unformed body. I thank you Lord for caring about the number of sparrows, and for caring so much more about me. If You, O God, can raise people from the dead, then you can certainly take care of me. God, I give you complete control of my life. Help me to walk in your ways. Please accomplish your purpose in my life. Amen.



From: New Wine Skin - Written by Anne Parker

The Awareness of the Call

. . . for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! — 1 Corinthians 9:16


We are inclined to forget the deeply spiritual and supernatural touch of God. If you are able to tell exactly where you were when you received the call of God and can explain all about it, I question whether you have truly been called. The call of God does not come like that; it is much more supernatural. The realization of the call in a person’s life may come like a clap of thunder or it may dawn gradually. But however quickly or slowly this awareness comes, it is always accompanied with an undercurrent of the supernatural— something that is inexpressible and produces a "glow." At any moment the sudden awareness of this incalculable, supernatural, surprising call that has taken hold of your life may break through— "I chose you . . ." ( John 15:16 ). The call of God has nothing to do with salvation and sanctification. You are not called to preach the gospel because you are sanctified; the call to preach the gospel is infinitely different. Paul describes it as a compulsion that was placed upon him.

If you have ignored, and thereby removed, the great supernatural call of God in your life, take a review of your circumstances. See where you have put your own ideas of service or your particular abilities ahead of the call of God. Paul said, ". . . woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!" He had become aware of the call of God, and his compulsion to "preach the gospel" was so strong that nothing else was any longer even a competitor for his strength.

If a man or woman is called of God, it doesn’t matter how difficult the circumstances may be. God orchestrates every force at work for His purpose in the end. If you will agree with God’s purpose, He will bring not only your conscious level but also all the deeper levels of your life, which you yourself cannot reach, into perfect harmony.



From: RBC - Utmost For His Highest

Six Hours One Friday

“He really was the Son of God!”
Matthew 27:54

To the casual observer the six hours are mundane…

God is on a cross. The creator of the universe is being executed.

Spit and blood are caked on his cheeks, and his lips are cracked and swollen. Thorns rip his scalp. His lungs scream with pain. His legs knot with cramps. Taut nerves threaten to snap as pain twangs her morbid melody. Yet, death is not ready. And there is no one to save him, for he is sacrificing himself.

It is no normal six hours…it is no normal Friday.

Let me ask you a question: What do you do with this day in history? What do you do with its claims?

If it really happened…if God did commandeer his own crucifixion…if he did turn his back on his own son…those six hours were no normal six hours. They were the most critical hours is history.



From: Max Lucado

How Many Angels Can Stand on the Head of a Pin?

And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."
John 1: 51

Today is a little-known feast day on the Christian calendar: the feast of the Archangels. This feast day originated in eastern Christendom before making its way onto the western calendar. This points to a commonly cited difference between East and West: eastern Christians often focus on the unseen supernatural or mystical aspects of the faith more so than their western brothers and sisters.

Modern westerners, immersed in a culture that prizes concrete, scientific observation, are often uncomfortable with talk of angels or miracles. Some modern scholars are so uncomfortable with the spiritual events in the Bible they’ve dedicated their careers to seeking a practical explanation for every single verse. (They’ve yet to succeed).

Of course, being “spiritual” doesn’t necessarily mean you are wiser or holier. There are plenty of misguided individuals in the world who claim to tap into the spiritual realm. In Finding Calcutta, Professor Mary Poplin echoes Paul’s words to the Ephesians when she points out “spiritual is not synonymous with good; spiritual forces may be good or evil, healthy or destructive.”

So what can God’s Word, our most trusted source, teach us about angels and the spiritual realm? While we can’t cover everything here, let’s take a closer look at two angels specifically named in Scripture: Michael and Gabriel

Michael: The name “Michael” means “Who is like God?” We first meet Michael in the Old Testament book of Daniel where he is called “one of the chief princes” (Dan 10: 13) and is identified as a protector of God’s people (Dan. 12: 1). Some scholars believe Michael was the angel who stood between the Israelites and the Egyptians in the parting of the Red Sea. We later see him in the book of Revelation as a warrior who commands an angelic army in battle against Satan and other evil spirits (Revelation 12: 7-9). Michael’s mightiness mirrors God’s strength and justice.

Gabriel: The name Gabriel means “Strength of God.” Scriptures reveal him to be a messenger of God who consistently played a key role in announcing the coming of the Messiah. Like Michael, he first appears in the book of Daniel where he predicts the coming of Christ (Dan 8: 16 – 26). In the New Testament, Gabriel appears to the priest, Zechariah, informing him that he and Elizabeth will miraculously conceive John the Baptist. (Luke 1: 19). But his most famous appearance is to the young, virgin Mary of Nazareth to deliver one of the greatest messages in human history:

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end. (Luke 1: 31 0 33)

Some theologians believe Gabriel was also the angel who visited Joseph in a dream, who brought ”glad tidings of great joy” to the shepherds on Christmas, and who later warned Mary and Joseph about Herod’s terrible decree.

Beyond these two special angels we read of countless unnamed angels throughout Scripture -- protecting the Israelites, singing on Christmas night, comforting Jesus before His agony, and accompanying our Lord on his return at the end of time.

What can we learn from these biblical accounts? Well, we’ll probably never have the answer to the century-old debate, “How many angels can stand on the head of a pin?” but we do know:

1. There is a spiritual realm, and much of God’s plans for heaven and earth unfold beyond our five senses. Truly, "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Cor 2: 9).
2. God loves us so much that at certain times He employs his heavenly court to come to our aide.
3. Evil spiritual beings exist – some of them fallen angels like we read in Revelation - and we must be careful to focus our lives on God and His grace to avoid the influence of evil.

Intersecting Faith & Life: You and I are definitely not angels, but we are called to do God’s work here on earth. Be someone’s “Michael” this week by defending or protecting them. Be someone’s “Gabriel” by sharing the good news of the Gospel.




From: CrossWalk Devotionals

THE BROOK DRIED UP

“And it came to pass after a while, that the book dried up, because there had been no rain.” 1 Kings 17:7

I am continually amazed at the leading and working of the Holy Spirit from day to day. Elijah had just spoken to Ahab that there would be no dew or rain for years. Then the Lord told him to go to the brook Cherith, where he would have water from the brook, and ravens to feed him each morning and evening. This seems to be an unusual leading by God, but as Elijah obeyed, he saw the hand and provision of the Lord in it all.

How often God deals with us in a similar manner. It is in the “interlude of His leading” that He teaches us the providence of loss, and the mystery of failure. In the awareness of our emptiness see anew the faithfulness of His care and provision. We have all gone through these perplexing experiences, but how blessed to gain through loss and grow in grace as we dare to trust His hand, when we cannot see His way.

After awhile, the brook dried up. Was God failing him? No, He was ready to move Elijah to another place where God was to use him in the lives of two very needy people. Have you experienced the "drying up" of some earthly resource, that, unknown to you, was the “crutch” on which you were leaning for support and care? Suddenly, it dried up. What now? God wants us to realize as never before, our hope, our help, and our strength are in God who made heaven and earth…the ONE who said…“I will never leave you or forsake you.”

During this “quiet time of trusting God,” Elijah’s faith was strengthened, his concept of God was enlarged, and he was being prepared by God for greater things. When the time came, God said, “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” But who was this woman? She was one who had but a handful of meal and a little oil in a cruse. She was going to use this meager food to prepare the last meal for her and her son, that they might eat it, and die. THIS is the woman that was to sustain Elijah! And what did Elijah ask of this destitute woman? “Bring me, please, a piece of bread.” If we would have been the woman, we probably would have said, “Are you kidding me? I have only one very small portion of food left for me and my son. We are going to eat that, and then we’re going to die!”

Elijah’s expectation was in God! When the woman obeyed Elijah and brought him the food, GOD multiplied her resources. “For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry.” GOD has resources that we know nothing of. We must learn the difference between “trusting in the gift” and “trusting in the GIVER.”

The widow’s son becomes ill and dies. Elijah takes him to his upper room and lays him on the bed, and cries out to the Lord. “The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned unto him, and he lived.”

Shrink not from the “interlude of God’s leading.” He is preparing you for greater things for His glory. “Let Him do what seemeth to Him good,” that in “all things He will be magnified.”



From: Literature International Ministry - Ed Powell

Token Worship

The Lord has told us what is good. What he requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.
-Micah 6:8 (TEV)

EACH day as I prepare for work, my routine is the same. In fact, I go through the motions with little thought. At times I can't remember performing individual tasks associated with getting ready. Likewise, though I attend church three times a week, tithe regularly, and serve in the church, I sometimes find myself going through the motions when it comes to worship.

In today's suggested reading, we see that God had a complaint against the people of Israel. They had rejected God's covenant and forgotten what God had done for them; they offered business-as-usual worship. They brought gifts and offerings with insincere and ungrateful hearts. But God is not honored by token worship.

Might God have a similar complaint against me? At times my prayers are shallow and repetitive, my mind is preoccupied with the events of the day, and my tithes and offerings are brought with an unappreciative heart. Am I guilty of token worship? After all, God is concerned with our hearts, our attitudes, and our living "in humble fellowship with our God."


Prayer
Dear God, forgive our shallow acts of worship. Help us to prepare our minds and hearts before we enter worship so that we come before you "in spirit and in truth." (See John 4:23.) Amen.



From: UpperRoom Devotionals - Terry Thomas Bowman

Failing to Protect Our Future

READ | 2 Samuel 11:1-17

Yesterday we learned that Esau sold his future for a bowl of stew. His blindness to what was truly valuable caused him to lose his inheritance. There are other people who can teach us additional lessons about protecting our future.

David was chosen by God to lead the nation, and for many years, he pursued the Lord’s plan. However, his desire for Bathsheba led him to commit adultery and arrange for her husband to die. Because he chose to gratify his own wishes instead of following God’s ways, he fell into sin. When confronted by the prophet Nathan, David sincerely repented (2 Sam. 12:7, 13), but he and his family were deeply affected by his mistake.

Samson was another one who knew what the Lord required but disobeyed—like David, he gave up blessings for temporal pleasure. Losing sight of God’s purpose for him, Samson chose instead to please his untrustworthy companion, Delilah (Judg. 16:15-17). As a result, he spend his last years in disgrace.

A final example is Judas Iscariot, who wanted Jesus to establish the kingdom of God immediately. Because he valued earthly matters above spiritual ones, he rejected Jesus’ teachings and tried to manipulate events to his own liking. He was convinced he knew what was right.

To avoid the kind of mistakes these men made, we need to be committed to setting aside our own desires in favor of God’s will. In other words, we must value the eternal over the temporal and be satisfied with what the Lord has planned.


From: Early Light Devotional

God Goes with Us

“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.”
Genesis 28:15 NIV

When God calls us into the deep valley of death, he will be with us. Dare we think that he would abandon us in the moment of death?...Would the shepherd require his sheep to journey to the highlands alone? Of course not. Would God require his child to journey to eternity alone? Absolutely not! He is with you!

What God said to Moses, he says to you: “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exod. 33:14 NIV).

What God said to Jacob, he says to you: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go” (Gen. 28:15 NIV).

What God said to Joshua, he says to you: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Josh. 1:5 NIV).



From: Max Lucado

The "Go" of Renunciation

. . . someone said to Him, ’Lord, I will follow You wherever You go’ —Luke 9:57


Our Lord’s attitude toward this man was one of severe discouragement, "for He knew what was in man" ( John 2:25 ). We would have said, "I can’t imagine why He lost the opportunity of winning that man! Imagine being so cold to him and turning him away so discouraged!" Never apologize for your Lord. The words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to be hurt or offended. Jesus Christ had no tenderness whatsoever toward anything that was ultimately going to ruin a person in his service to God. Our Lord’s answers were not based on some whim or impulsive thought, but on the knowledge of "what was in man." If the Spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord that hurts you, you can be sure that there is something in you that He wants to hurt to the point of its death.

Luke 9:58 . These words destroy the argument of serving Jesus Christ because it is a pleasant thing to do. And the strictness of the rejection that He demands of me allows for nothing to remain in my life but my Lord, myself, and a sense of desperate hope. He says that I must let everyone else come or go, and that I must be guided solely by my relationship to Him. And He says, ". . . the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

Luke 9:59 . This man did not want to disappoint Jesus, nor did he want to show a lack of respect for his father. We put our sense of loyalty to our relatives ahead of our loyalty to Jesus Christ, forcing Him to take last place. When your loyalties conflict, always obey Jesus Christ whatever the cost.

Luke 9:61 . The person who says, "Lord, I will follow You, but . . .," is the person who is intensely ready to go, but never goes. This man had reservations about going. The exacting call of Jesus has no room for good-byes; good-byes, as we often use them, are pagan, not Christian, because they divert us from the call. Once the call of God comes to you, start going and never stop.



From: RBC - Utmost For His Highest

God's Sandpaper

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
-Psalm 80:3 (NRSV)

A few years ago, my son and I restored an old desk that had several layers of paint on it. We gathered the necessary materials - paint stripper, putty knives, rubber gloves, and sandpaper. First we applied the paint stripper, let it stand, and scraped off the old layers of paint. Then we sanded off the remaining bits of paint, making sure to get into all the little nooks and crannies. To our delight, beautiful light oak wood began to appear under all those layers. Finally, we applied a new coat of stain and two coats of varnish to protect the bare wood. The desk was like new again, restored to its original look. It sits in my study today as a beautiful reminder of what its creator intended.

We too can be restored, to be the people that God intends us to be. But like the paint layers on that old desk, over time we have accumulated layers of sin that need to be removed. When we allow Christ into our lives, he will penetrate the areas that need forgiveness and restoration. And when we are new again, Christ covers us with love to protect us. Because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we can be saved from our sin.


Prayer
Renewing God, restore us to you, and make us the people you created us to be. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.


From: UpperRoom Devotionals

LIVING WITH THE WIND IN YOUR FACE

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

The winds of life blow in both directions. Sometimes with the wind to our back circumstances we encounter are encouraging, helpful, and inspiring. They push us forward with renewed vigor and determination. Then there are times when we live with the wind blowing fiercely in our face. These are the times when adversity, trials, and devastating circumstances almost consume us, and we find ourselves leaning hard upon the faithfulness of God in child-like trust.

When we are loyal and committed to God, we can rest in His providential care, His interceding for us, and His plan and purpose in our lives. So often we look at our circumstances as if God had no part in engineering them. “God certainly can’t be in this”…and we relate to them with indifference, and respond as if they were coincidental. It is “in all things” that God designs His purpose for our lives. Not all things are pleasant, but they are necessary to “bend our heart and will” to be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:28-29).

Peter tells us that “the trial of our faith is precious” (1 Peter 1:7). When the winds of life blow in our face, God may be working to impart, or bring to maturity, His grace within our lives. In either situation, we can take comfort that His hand of grace and love is upon us for our good and His glory.

How imperative it is for us to be sensitive to the “working of the Holy Spirit" within our lives. How merciful and gracious God is to awaken us, prompt us, and penetrate our hearts when we need to align our lives anew to His will. Thus, the “winds of the Spirit" blow within us to focus our hearts once again on HIM alone.

Oswald Chambers wrote, “God does not give us overcoming life. He gives us life as we overcome. God never gives strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment.” It is in common practical everyday things that God wants to reveal to us His overcoming mercy and grace. Oh, that we might see His hand in ALL things. However the winds may blow, to the believer, it is the Lord that is in control. So let it blow as it will, for “HE doeth all things well, and will perfect, and bring to maturity, that which He hath begun” (Philippians 1:6).

As the winds of life blow, we need an intense narrowing of our interests and concerns on earth, and enlarge our devotion to God. We need to refine the direction of our heart, concentrate on His will in our life, and seek to surrender every phase of our life to the control of His lordship. Then the interweaving of the “tapestry of our life” will reflect the beauty of His design and reveal the magnitude of His abounding grace.

The cords of His choosing will include the dark colors that take us into distressing and difficult times. But these form the background and serve to highlight the glorious colors that radiate His care and compassion for us. May we yield to the “winds of the Spirit,” that we may be all He wants us to be, and the channel of blessing through which the Holy Spirit can flow freely and fully for His glory.

“He bringeth forth the wind out of His treasures” (Jeremiah 51:16).



From: Literature International Ministry - Ed Powell

Lessons From Eve’s Life

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.’”
Genesis 2: 16,17, King James Version



“We who live beneath a sky still streaked with the smoke of crematoria, have paid a high price to find out that evil is really evil.”
Francois Mauriac

INSPIRATION

“The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation.”
C. S. Lewis

All this week, we have been studying about Eve – the first woman. She is called by some the “mother of us all.” As we have reviewed her life; we have looked at Eve’s garden home – Eden. We have found out more about Eve’s mate – Adam. We spent a day – sadly I might add – trying to better understand Eve’s hurt – the beguiling act that seduced Eve into folly and death. Thankfully we found out that an Almighty, Loving Creator – God our Father – stepped forward, when the unthinkable happened, with a plan so comprehensibly kind – that it was meant to rescue even the meanest and most vile person on earth.

This brings us to our lesson for today. The greatest lesson to come out of the Garden of Eden. And it is this lesson God wanted Adam and Eve and you and me to understand.

If you will again read the quote that begins our “Inspiration” today, words penned by the thoughtful C. S. Lewis, I find that his description of God really puts the focus where it should be in the “Eden Story.” Out of the tragedy that we call sin, God gave us a glimpse into “His compulsion” as C. S. Lewis calls it. The apostle Peter put it even plainer: “God is not willing that any should perish.”

For you and me, this is the grand lesson of Eden. God could have left the disobedient Adam and Eve to die – period. He could have walked away and said, “You thought you wanted wisdom – now you have it! Knowledge of good and evil. You are on your own.” But God didn’t do this! It is because God knows something about you and me that we still don’t like to admit-- we can’t fix ourselves. We can’t save ourselves. We can’t lift ourselves out of the pit alone. We can’t! But God can! And it is “His compulsion” to do so because His nature is absolute, complete and total love. He can’t walk by even one of His children, and leave them forgotten without putting Himself on the line, with everything He’s got, to save every wayward child. Even when it meant sending His Son to show us that the serpent really was a liar. Sin does cause death and disobedience does bring separation from God. And separate from God, I can’t live. In the words of Dag Hammerskjold, who himself searched and found the all-encompassing love of God:

“We die on the day when our lives cease to be illumined by the steady radiance renewed daily, of a wonder, the Source of which is beyond reason.”

Ask me whether I can understand the lengths God would go to in saving me from the poison of sin, and I will tell you, “I can’t understand.” But we can believe and accept, which as we will see in upcoming weeks, was exactly what many of Adam and Eve’s offspring chose to do – right down to this very day.

But there is one last thing I would be remiss if I didn’t mention about the Eden story. God not only promised a Saviour but He delivered on His promise! Then He added that “something extra!” He promised that a day would come when there would be a “new tree.” The apostle John calls it the “Tree of Life.” In Revelation, in giving us a portrayal of God’s heavenly kingdom, this is what John wrote: “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse”… (Revelation 22: 1-3, K.J.V.).

There it is! In the last book and last chapter of the Bible, we are promised that the curse that came from Adam and Eve’s fall in Eden – will be broken. And that – dear daughters and sons of Eve – is the “compulsion” of God, to break the curse of sin in your life and mine. This is why, I believe with all my heart, that my loving Father, when He created Adam and Eve, planted a seed in their hearts. Jean Paul Richter describes it this way: “God is an utterable sigh, planted in the depths of the soul.” That seed when watered everyday will blossom into the beautiful life God has planned for each of us. For God, still today, continues to call His daughters and sons back to their Eden home – the home our Father originally created for us.

“Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden, but sin is forbidden because it is hurtful.”
Benjamin Franklin




From: CrossWalk Devotionals - Transformation Garden

In God's Spotlight

John 3:21
“Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”


Living in the Light

Imagine you are playing the lead role in the school drama production. The cast has rehearsed for weeks on end until everyone knows exactly what to do on every line of every scene. The curtain goes up and the play begins. After about thirty seconds you realize that the house lights are on while the stage is in total darkness. Woe be unto the lighting guy if that happened!

When we go to a play, the audience sits in darkness while stage lights illuminate the actors. Spotlights may even follow the movements of key characters to emphasize the importance of what is happening. In a similar way, athletes don’t hide away in the darkness as they set out to win the state tournament. And, professional musicians stand on stage and strut their stuff under huge spotlights so everyone can enjoy the performance.

When we’re living in the light rather than in darkness, others will see what we’re doing. God’s Word is like the script or musical score that we practice until we’ve got it down pat.

We read it over and over, and we practice doing what it says. For instance, we might read Ephesians 4:29 which says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” After thinking about this verse, we realize that certain off-color phrases and expressions have snuck into our conversations lately. We determine to correct ourselves. After a while a friend will realizes that we’ve cleaned up our language and asks us why. When that happens, God’s spotlight is shining on us full strength. As a result, it may be possible for us to tell our friend a little something about our relationship with God.

This one example shows how the truth of God’s Word comes into the light by the way we live. If we will practice the principles of scripture, eventually someone will notice and wonder what’s up with us.


Today’s Prayer:
Dear Lord, please show me ways of letting your light shine through my life. Help me not to be afraid to do what your word teaches, even if it means being different from my friends. Please, give me the confidence I need to live in the light. Help me let your goodness shine through my life and make my friends want to know you, too. Amen.



From: New Wine Skin - Written by Martha E Menne

Go the Distance

“Those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved.”
Matthew 24:13

Jesus doesn’t say if you succeed you will be saved. Or if you come out on top you will be saved. He says if you endure. An accurate rendering would be, “If you hang in there until the end…if you go the distance.”

The Brazilians have a great phrase for this. In Portuguese, a person who has the ability to hang in and not give up has garra. Garra means “claws.” What imagery! A person with garra has claws that burrow into the side of the cliff and keep him from falling.

So do the saved. They may get close to the edge; they may even stumble and slide. But they will dig their nails into the rock of God and hang on.

Jesus gives you this assurance. Hang on. He’ll make sure you get home.



From: Max Lucado

GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4

When we built our house a block from the ocean in Ormond-by-the-Sea, Florida, the builder had a “Standard Code” enforced by the county. Our house had to be constructed to withstand the rain and winds from a hurricane up to 150 mph. From past experience, the code was established so builders would not side step strong reinforcements of steel and concrete to secure homes from future hurricanes. This is a benefit for all, and is reassuring when you are in one of these devastating storms.

When you become a believer, God does not leave us to fight the storms of life alone, but has provided the resources of His grace to be our strength and foundation. We are His “purchased possession” and given the privilege of abiding “under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91). God has “given unto us exceeding great and precious promises” which meet every need we will ever encounter. They are the steel girders, the cement reinforcement, and “standard code,” by which we can stand safe and secure against the furious encounters of Satan to defeat us. We must understand these promises are made available to us, but must be “appropriated by faith” in order to make them a reality in our lives.

God's promises are like a "life preserver" and the "lifeboat" on a ship. They are provided for our safety and security in case of an emergency, but they are of no use unless we appropriate them for our safety and security. The verse says…“by these” (that is, the promises of God)if we by faith “APPROPRIATE” them and in unwavering trust make them our own, we will “begin” to grow in grace and be “partakers of the divine nature.” This is not “our” doing, but the ministry of the Holy Spirit within us. He awakens us to our need, reveals God’s promises to us, then encourages us to exercise believing faith in Christ. God makes them a reality in our life. These promises are not to be “museum pieces,” but foundational stones of strength, security, and a blessed refuge from the onslaught of satanic powers and the difficult encounters of life.

God wants us to be “partakers of the divine nature.” You might say, “What does that mean?” It means, God wants us to be “Christ-like” in the whole of our life, “having escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Peter gives us an insight in this. He says of our adorning, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Peter 3:3). God wants us to be clothed with the “virtues of Christ”…with the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control).

I often hear people say, and sincerely mean it…“God bless you”…to which I reply, “He will if I let Him!” This is so applicable to these “exceeding great and precious promises.” Claim what God has provided to you…open your heart to the leading of the Holy Spirit…respond in believing faith…and know the joy of being “conformed to the image of His Son.”



From: Literature International Ministry - Ed Powell

Eve's Mistake

“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, ‘yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’ And the woman said unto the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.’”
Genesis 3: 1-3, King James Version

EXPLORATION

“Eve’s Mistake”

“Great blunders are often made, like large ropes, of a multitude of fibers.”
Victor Hugo

What “fibers” make up the rope of mistakes I have made in my life?

INSPIRATION

“My (daughter), if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.”
Proverbs 1: 10, N.I.V.

I want to ask you a question that came to my mind as I read Genesis 3: 1-3, the text that begins our devotional today. Here’s the question:

“If there were one day in my life that I could ‘do over’, what day would it be?”

If you and I asked Eve if she could have a “do over” day, I believe without a doubt she would tell us she wanted back the day she wandered to a tree, a forbidden tree, and began to talk to a serpent. How Eve wished that day had never happened! But it did and before we heap all our anger on Eve, I think it is wise for us, as her daughters, to look closely at this situation and see what we can learn from it.

Genesis 2 portrays such an ideal situation. A garden home. Animals as friends. A place of relaxation and joy. And the whipped cream and cherry on top of the sundae was a marriage performed by God. A happy couple living in Paradise. It sounds fabulous! It was fabulous!

Here again, we have one of those times when the Bible doesn’t give us a lot of detail. We do know that one day, something happened to end the blissful existence forever! Did Eve wander away from Adam intentionally? I doubt it. Did Adam act carelessly toward Eve so she felt alone? I don’t believe that either, although I’ve heard both theories thrown around in religious discussions.

I may be totally off base, but I think Eve’s garden wandering toward the forbidden tree was totally innocent.

Let me give you an example. My husband and I grew up as children in Southern California near a beautiful spot called Descanso Gardens. Neither of our families had a great deal of money, and years ago, admission to the garden was free. On the weekends, we often went to the gardens to smell the gardenias and roses and walk the beautiful foliaged paths. I’ll never forget one time becoming so absorbed in looking at some of the flowers, I became completely separated from the rest of the family. I began to wander down one path after another trying to find my way back to the front gate. I didn’t get lost or separated on purpose. I just became so focused on what I was doing at the moment, I lost track of everything else.

Eve’s Lesson #1 – Watch what you focus on. In Eve’s case, it was something good. But even something good can distract us from what we should be doing. I can’t tell you how often in my own life I’ve found myself so involved in “church” duties and social activities to the detriment of my personal time with God. Singing in the choir or teaching children’s classes or visiting the sick are admirable and desirable activities. But not if I become so consumed doing them I forget to spend time with the Man – Jesus—who I claim to be doing all my good deeds for.

Eve lost focus. With diverted attention, Eve suddenly heard a voice coming out of a tree. Low and behold – it was a talking serpent! I’m sorry, but if I had been Eve, I’d have done exactly what she did. I’d ask myself, “Are my eyes deceiving me?” I’d take a second look. And then, please note what the serpent asked. “Yea, hath God said, ‘Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’” (Genesis 3:1)

Eve’s Lesson #2 – There’s no such thing as an “innocent” question when you are talking to a serpent. And I might add, watch out for serpents because they come in all forms, shapes and genders! You see, the serpent didn’t start out with a temptation! He began with an innocent question. He was only gathering information. “My dear Eve, what was it that God told you? Did God say you can’t eat of any tree?” Now look closely at this question. Already the serpent was making God sound arbitrary. “Did God really say you can’t eat of any tree?” Here’s where Eve made a huge mistake. She decided to defend God to a serpent, when in fact she should have run to God for protection. However, before we decry Eve’s behavior and say how stupid, I know I need to look in the mirror at myself for I have had many a “good” discussion with a serpent only to later find myself in the pit with a viper who did not have my ultimate good as their goal. This brings us to the next lesson.

Eve’s Lesson #3 – The serpent was more subtil. In the Hebrew, “subtil” means crafty and cunning. The dictionary further expands the meaning this way: “Something or someone that executes with or displays ingenuity. Someone who is delicately shrewd and pleasing.” All you have to do is see a skilled magician display their wares to understand how easy it is to fool any of us. But in a perfect garden, with a cunning serpent, Eve found herself “beguiled.” And that was the very word she used when God asked her what happened at the tree. She said, “The serpent seduced me.” Yes, the Hebrew word for “beguiled” is “seduced.” Girls, we have let too many serpents “seduce” us down through history. And men, you have let too many serpents “seduce” you down through history, as well. Seductive Sin. The serpent that strikes, bites, and destroys.

There’s one final lesson we need to learn from Eve.

Eve’s Lesson #4 – Watch what you desire. Genesis 3: 6 (K.J.V.) is one of the most instructive texts in the entire Bible. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit therefore, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.”… We could spend an entire week studying this one text but let’s just look at some of the “highlights” or in this case the “low lights.” Eve saw something. A beautiful tree. A talking serpent. Luscious fruit. Do you know what else she saw? She saw the serpent in the tree with the fruit – and the serpent wasn’t dead. Furthermore, Eve heard the serpent say, “God is wrong. You eat this fruit, you won’t die. You’ll be smart. Smarter than you can imagine. Smart like God himself.” Yes, Eve saw fruit that was good for food; fruit that was beautiful; and fruit that would make her wise. She was no dummy. This was a smart move! How many times have I told myself that something I desire is a “smart move,” too! So I take like Eve, and consume to my own painful downfall. Then Eve, who was created to “aid” Adam, handed him fruit and without question, he gobbled it down.

Many years ago, as a young teenager I was in a Bible class with a group of kids and we got to discussing whose fault the “sin” mess was. A very deep topic for 14-year-olds. I was sitting next to a guy known to “mouth off” with snappy comments. He looked at me and said, “Well if it wasn’t for you females this whole mess wouldn’t have happened.” Not to be outdone I looked him in the eye and said, “Well, at least Eve thought she was going to be smarter by eating the fruit. Adam just put the fruit in his mouth without asking a question.” Then to get in one last jab I retorted, “You guys will eat anything if it’s handed to you by a beautiful woman.”

I know, because I’ve heard discussions through the years in devoutly religious circles, where the blame for this mess we call sin is laid at the feet of women. I believe some people just do this as an excuse to try to put women down and demean their value and worth.

Today, as we looked at the saddest event in the history of the universe, I want to end by focusing on what God said. He didn’t blame Adam or Eve. He focused on the serpent, “Thou hast done this!” (Genesis 3: 14). God focused on the cunning, crafty, seductive serpent because He wants us to learn that the best and only way to avoid sin is to stay away from the serpent. As Thomas Brooks so insightfully wrote “(She) that will play with Satan’s bait, will quickly be taken with Satan’s hook.” However, don’t despair! While today we met the crafty serpent, tomorrow we will meet Eve’s healer – the One who took on the cunning serpent and crushed his power – forever!

“If you have been tempted into evil, fly from it. It is not falling into the water, but lying in it that drowns.”



From: CrossWalk Devotionals - Transformation Garden

Priorities

Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
-Matthew 6:33 (NRSV)

ONE of the biggest dilemmas for most people is juggling the roles and responsibilities of modern life. These roles clash with one another, competing for our time. The constant struggle to choose takes our physical, emotional, and spiritual energy. We may feel life is out of control as we go in different directions and find no satisfaction in any of our accomplishments.

Turning to God can give us peace in the midst of this chaos. Through the years I have come to realize that the most important priority in my life is to cultivate a personal, intimate relationship with God. When I commit to doing what God has called me to do, my choices become clearer. This puts my other responsibilities and roles in perspective, blessed by God's wisdom.


Prayer
God, we want to have a personal relationship with you. Help us to put you first. We pray as Jesus taught us, saying, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."


Thought for the Day
When we put relationship with God first, the rest of life becomes manageable.



From: UpperRoom Devotionals - Ana María Viader

The "Go" of Relationship

Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. — Matthew 5:41


Our Lord’s teaching can be summed up in this: the relationship that He demands for us is an impossible one unless He has done a super-natural work in us. Jesus Christ demands that His disciple does not allow even the slightest trace of resentment in his heart when faced with tyranny and injustice. No amount of enthusiasm will ever stand up to the strain that Jesus Christ will put upon His servant. Only one thing will bear the strain, and that is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ Himself— a relationship that has been examined, purified, and tested until only one purpose remains and I can truly say, "I am here for God to send me where He will." Everything else may become blurred, but this relationship with Jesus Christ must never be.

The Sermon on the Mount is not some unattainable goal; it is a statement of what will happen in me when Jesus Christ has changed my nature by putting His own nature in me. Jesus Christ is the only One who can fulfill the Sermon on the Mount.

If we are to be disciples of Jesus, we must be made disciples supernaturally. And as long as we consciously maintain the determined purpose to be His disciples, we can be sure that we are not disciples. Jesus says, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you. . ." ( John 15:16 ). That is the way the grace of God begins. It is a constraint we can never escape; we can disobey it, but we can never start it or produce it ourselves. We are drawn to God by a work of His supernatural grace, and we can never trace back to find where the work began. Our Lord’s making of a disciple is supernatural. He does not build on any natural capacity of ours at all. God does not ask us to do the things that are naturally easy for us— He only asks us to do the things that we are perfectly fit to do through His grace, and that is where the cross we must bear will always come.



From: RBC - Utmost For His Highest

Being Someone's Blessing

It's a famous declaration for us christians that we are born to bless God and those people around us. From those past years that we had lived our lives, did we serve us a blessing for some people?

We are ought to be givers, not merely takers. It may be hard but change should come our way. Disregard selfish thoughts and learn how to think about people. Living our life here in on earth requires give and take situation.

As I was praying to God what word He has for me today, I came to the point when I met a friend of mine outside the church. He was just sitting and it seems that he was expecting something that he doesn't know. It was time for me to go home but I spent additional time with my friend. Both of us started sharing every experiences we are having on a daily basis as a christian.

What's the best thing about our talk is that both of us serve as a blessing through those experiences that we shared.

Being a blessing is not just about giving something, and item, money, object, time etc. Far more than those material things are those encouraging words that we share and advice especially if it comes directly from God.

As you spend your day, do you have that goal of being a blessing for other people?
According to Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."


Quick Note:
I unexpectedly visited a website name "BlessingsFOrLife". It may seem very simple but if you truly have some stories that you believe could uplift other people, you may share it through that website.

Always Remember: BE SOMEONE'S BLESSING



By: Edwin Joseph

Get Over Yourself

“In humility consider others better than yourselves.”
Philippians 2:3 NIV

Columnist Rick Reilly gave this advice to rookie professional athletes: “Stop thumping your chest. The line blocked, the quarterback threw you a perfect spiral while getting his head knocked off, and the good receiver blew the double coverage. Get over yourself.”

The truth is, every touchdown in life is a team effort. Applaud your teammates. An elementary-age boy came home from the tryouts for the school play. “Mommy, Mommy,” he announced, “I got a part. I’ve been chosen to sit in the audience and cheer.” When you have a chance to clap and cheer, do you take it? If you do, your head is starting to fit your hat size.


From: Max Lucado

LIVING FOR CHRIST

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

God has given us life and surrounded us with immeasurable blessings of His creation. We live in a country in which we have the liberty and freedom to conduct our lives any way we please, as long as we abide by the laws that protect us. Ask yourself…“Is the motive of ALL I do directed toward being all God wants me to be? Is Christ my PRIORITY? Not one of many priorities, but THE PRIORITY of my life. Are my efforts, time, energy, purpose, plans, and the whole of my life subject to His authority and sovereign lordship?

When Christ is THE PRIORITY, our daily walk will be centered first on Christ. You might say, “I have a job that requires much of my time. I have responsibilities in my church I’m committed to. I have civic duties and social involvements I am engaged in. I have a family to care for and activities I share with them. Many things consume my time.”

There are two things you said that pinpoint your problem. Let’s look at them closely. First are the words “many things.” You must evaluate whether GOD wants you to be involved in ALL of “these things” that consume your life. All of these things may be perfectly right in themselves…BUT, not when they “take precedent” over what GOD wants you to do. Are they opportunities pursued by you to satisfy your ego, pride or your self interests? Are ALL these “things” HIS will for you to do?

Second, you mentioned that “many things consume MY TIME.” Whoa! Who said the time GOD has given you by His grace is YOUR time? Do you merit this time? Did you earn this time? Do you deserve this time? I’m afraid we all have to answer with an honest NO! Every moment we have, we need to realize that it is TIME ENTRUSTED TO US. Time in which we are to be stewards as to HOW we use it.

It is a “gift from God” and we will be held responsible for how we invest our life in the time HE gives us. Certainly not to fill it with non-essentials that sap our energy, undermine our relationships, or strap us into the “mold of this world.” Our problem lies when we subject ourselves to everything, everywhere, and then ask ourselves, ”Where is the Lord in all of this?” The answer is…right where YOU left Him!

It is imperative to evaluate HOW and WHAT we commit ourselves to. Every opportunity” is NOT God’s will for us to be involved in. We must know the mind of the Lord in these things. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and ALL THESE THINGS shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

God is concerned with our “peripheral endeavors.” He wants us in the “center of His will” where all of the action is. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In ALL thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

HIS way is simple, yet profound. We make it difficult and confusing. Ask God for spiritual discernment for ALL of your endeavors so you will “have the mind of Christ.” Dare to trust Him and persevere with unwavering faith in our Almighty God!


From: Literature International Ministry - Ed Powell

A Gentle Answer

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
-Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)

AS I waited for someone to pick up the telephone, I was tense and upset. As the consumer, I had a grievance and they were going to know it. "Hi, I was calling regarding the computer your husband sold me," I said tersely, wasting no time in pleasantries. "It won't boot up; it hasn't for the last month. Do you think he could come and fix it?" I wanted them to know I was serious and to not waste my time with excuses. But there were none.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," was the sympathetic answer on the other side. "How awful not to be able to use your computer for so long! As soon as my husband returns, I'll let him know what's going on."

I hung up feeling a bit foolish. Her gentle words had deflated my anger like a popped balloon. Then I realized, How many times when we have a legitimate grievance do we feel justified in being rude and short-tempered? Though all of us have to deal with our share of challenges and irritations, as Christians we can face them with grace and kindness and so represent Christ well.

I never met this woman or spoke with her again, but she taught me a lesson I will never forget. Her gentle answer was more effective in teaching me than the most eloquent sermon I've ever heard.


Prayer
Father, help us to mirror the character of your son, Jesus, not only in the good times but also when we are tired, frustrated, and upset. Amen.



From: UpperRoom Devotionals - Gabriella Perella Savarese

ONE

“We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NIV)


What difference can one make? In a world of over 6 billion people, what can one do? In Jesus’ three years of ministry on this earth, thousands followed Him. Thousands needed Him. Out of the thousands Jesus ministered to, one mattered …


the one waiting at the pool of Bethesda.
the one leper who was healed.
the one woman at the well.
the one whose son died.
the one who touched the hem of His garment.
the one whose demon was cast out.
the one whose sight was restored.


One matters. One can also make a difference. One has power.

One mattered to us as a ministry when we received a plea through our prayer line. She was about to take her life. She felt she had nothing to live for, no reason, and no hope. We heard her cry, the soul-reaching, heart-breaking cry of one.

At Proverbs 31 Ministries, the cry of one stops our “normal” work day noise and we gather together to pray. As we joined hands and prayed for the cry of this one, the room was filled with God’s presence and His love for this one. He answered our prayer for one and, with praise and thanksgiving, she cried out again:

“Lord, Jesus, I give you praise and humble thanks. I was in extreme distress. I screamed out in pain into cyberspace, overwhelmed and gripped in an attack. I was caught in a suicide space falling and planned to die. I was trapped and could not escape this. I was terrified and ashamed, caught in a deep undercurrent of self destructive feelings. There was no way out. The pressures were too much. Then I received an answer to my cries. Help, love and concern flooded into this dark space, people who cared and stayed with me, passing all kinds of lifelines, they prayed for me. Thank you Lord for these dear and true daughters of Yours.”

As daughters of Christ, His chosen ones, it is our delightful purpose to reflect Jesus, the One and only, to one at a time.

Sometimes it can be overwhelming to think of Jesus sending us into the world to preach the good news. But it doesn't have to be. When we reach out to just one person in Jesus' name, we change the world.

Did you know that you are one of 250,000 subscribers of Encouragement for Today devotion? Just think if every one receiving this devotion reached out in Jesus' name today to pray for a hurting soul, help a neighbor, bless a co-worker, encourage a child, mentor a friend, or come alongside a ministry and partner together to reach just one. What a difference we could make!

Dear Lord, In this world one seems insignificant but with You one is very powerful. It is my desire to be one who reflects and pleases You in everything I do, everyday of my life. Forgive me when I fall short. Help me see the world through the lenses of Your eyes and respond to what I see with the actions of Your hands and Your feet, with the words of Your mouth and the thoughts of Your mind. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.



From: CrossWalk Devotionals - Encouragement For Today

The "Go" of Preparation

If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift — Matthew 5:23-24


It is easy for us to imagine that we will suddenly come to a point in our lives where we are fully prepared, but preparation is not suddenly accomplished. In fact, it is a process that must be steadily maintained. It is dangerous to become settled and complacent in our present level of experience. The Christian life requires preparation and more preparation.

The sense of sacrifice in the Christian life is readily appealing to a new Christian. From a human standpoint, the one thing that attracts us to Jesus Christ is our sense of the heroic, and a close examination of us by our Lord’s words suddenly puts this tide of enthusiasm to the test. ". . . go your way. First be reconciled to your brother. . . ." The "go" of preparation is to allow the Word of God to examine you closely. Your sense of heroic sacrifice is not good enough. The thing the Holy Spirit will detect in you is your nature that can never work in His service. And no one but God can detect that nature in you. Do you have anything to hide from God? If you do, then let God search you with His light. If there is sin in your life, don’t just admit it— confess it. Are you willing to obey your Lord and Master, whatever the humiliation to your right to yourself may be?

Never disregard a conviction that the Holy Spirit brings to you. If it is important enough for the Spirit of God to bring it to your mind, it is the very thing He is detecting in you. You were looking for some big thing to give up, while God is telling you of some tiny thing that must go. But behind that tiny thing lies the stronghold of obstinacy, and you say, "I will not give up my right to myself"— the very thing that God intends you to give up if you are to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.


From: RBC - Utmost For His Highest

Refuse Trashy Thoughts

“As he thinks in his heart, so he is.”
Proverbs 23:7 NKJV


To listen to our vocabulary you’d think we are the victims of our thoughts. “Don’t talk to me,” we say. “I’m in a bad mood.” As if a mood were a place to which we were assigned (“I can’t call you. I’m in Bosnia.”) rather than an emotion we permit.

Or we say, “Don’t mess with her. She has a bad disposition.” Is a disposition something we “have”? Like a cold or the flu? Are we the victims of the emotional bacteria of the season? Or do we have a choice?

Paul says we do: “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

Do you hear some battlefield jargon in that passage—“capture every thought,” “make it give up” and “obey Christ”? You get the impression that we are the soldiers and the thoughts are the enemies. Our assignment is to protect the boat and refuse entrance to trashy thoughts. The minute they appear…we go into action. “This heart belongs to God,” we declare, “and you aren’t getting on board.”

I WILL GO BEFORE YOU

“For I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight.” Isaiah 45:2

What a tremendous covenant promise God has made to those who will dare to turn from their self-imposed ways, exercise child-like faith in Him, and follow Him. So often we fall into the shallow security of the present, by not allowing the sins and failures of our past to help us, and to challenge us for the future. The lessons God has tried to impress upon our hearts from the trials we have endured, should propel us to new ventures of undaunted faith, steadfast reliance on Him, and triumph!

But have we so learned? Do we recognize the impetuous haste in which we respond to life’s encounters, when patient perseverance is needed? Is present anxiety and concern causing us to lunge forward with impulsive thoughtlessness? Do we fail to remember how devastating our actions were, when we unconsciously disregarded holy concern, inward inability and weakness, trusting in our resources rather than God?

How rewarding it is to transform this destructive anxiety into constructive thoughtfulness, finding our point of reference in God, His Word, and the Holy Spirit. How destructive it is to rely on our carnal nature, that exalts the sinful resources of SELF. Our strength is found in Christ, our focus is to be fixed on Christ, our hope is secured in HIS faithfulness, not ours!

Satan points his ugly finger at our failures, and delights to see us rush to acknowledge…“Yes, I’ve failed again, I’ve been neglectful again, I’ve fallen into the same trap again!” We are admitting that “I” have failed. GOOD! But we must also recognize that sometimes we act impulsively within the realm of "our" strength, and do not rely upon the ONE who is the SOURCE OF OUR STRENGTH--Jesus Christ. We were "ambushed" by the enemy, forced to engage in warfare, and unknowingly fight the enemy in "our" strength…not HIS. God has promised that we “are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

Why do we do this? I think we live in the “UNCONSCIOUS REALITY” of simply not “abiding in Christ.” Unconsciously, we rely upon “our” resources, gifts, personality, and ability. We think, “I really don’t need to involve God in all of this, I can handle it.” But we do so to our own peril. We are living within the walls of our own self-inflicted bondage, rather than “walking in companionship” with Christ. We become engrossed with "our" concerns, "our" involvement, and "our" interest, which all may be good in themselves, BUT we do so, at the expense and exclusion of, unwavering trust and reliance in Christ. Therefore, in the haste of our unfocused actions we forget that “of Him, and through Him, and to Him, ARE ALL THINGS, to whom be glory forever” (Romans 11:36). This is a constant challenge to every believer, not occasionally, but every day! BUT…God has promised to be our refuge and strength, our shield and defense, our sure foundation, the resource for ALL our need as we trust Him!

“I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight.” For what purpose? That you may know that “I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name, YOU ARE MINE…For I am the Lord, your God” (Isaiah 43:1-3). A provision beyond our comprehension, by the ONE who has made it all possible--Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.



From: Literature International Ministry - Ed Powell

The Missionary’s Goal

He . . . said to them, ’Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem . . . ’ — Luke 18:31


In our natural life our ambitions change as we grow, but in the Christian life the goal is given at the very beginning, and the beginning and the end are exactly the same, namely, our Lord Himself. We start with Christ and we end with Him?". . . till we all come . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ . . ." ( Ephesians 4:13 ), not simply to our own idea of what the Christian life should be. The goal of the missionary is to do God’s will, not to be useful or to win the lost. A missionary is useful and he does win the lost, but that is not his goal. His goal is to do the will of his Lord.

In our Lord’s life, Jerusalem was the place where He reached the culmination of His Father’s will upon the cross, and unless we go there with Jesus we will have no friendship or fellowship with Him. Nothing ever diverted our Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He never hurried through certain villages where He was persecuted, or lingered in others where He was blessed. Neither gratitude nor ingratitude turned our Lord even the slightest degree away from His purpose to go "up to Jerusalem."

"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master" ( Matthew 10:24 ). In other words, the same things that happened to our Lord will happen to us on our way to our "Jerusalem." There will be works of God exhibited through us, people will get blessed, and one or two will show gratitude while the rest will show total ingratitude, but nothing must divert us from going "up to [our] Jerusalem."

". . . there they crucified Him . . ." ( Luke 23:33 ). That is what happened when our Lord reached Jerusalem, and that event is the doorway to our salvation. The saints, however, do not end in crucifixion; by the Lord’s grace they end in glory. In the meantime our watchword should be summed up by each of us saying, "I too go ’up to Jerusalem.’ "



From: RBC - Utmost For His Highest

Change Comes Along

Our Unbelief

Jesus said, "All things can be done for the one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out, "I believe; help my unbelief!"
- Mark 9:23-24 (NRSV)

THE drive to the hospital was snowy. The grandparents in my car were in shock. Their daughter and five-year-old grandson had been in a terrible traffic accident. The daughter came away uninjured, but the grandson had fared much worse. The grandparents in my car were pleading with the Savior much as the father in the Mark 9 passage pleaded for his son's healing.

As the days of waiting passed, they were desperate to find the right prayer. The condition of the child worsened; the church stood with them, praying through the pain. How could we believe? We began praying, "Lord, help our unbelief."

The Lord heard and gave those grandparents a week more with their grandson. That helped them to deal with the tragedy they were facing. As the little boy neared death, we learned that another family was praying as well. Their little girl needed a heart. God helped two families through times of great pain. Though one child died, the little girl whose name we never learned lives on. The family's compassion mirrors the compassion of the One who helps our unbelief.


Prayer
Loving Father, strengthen our faith in the most painful moments of life. Amen.


From: UpperRoom - David B. Smith

Wait ’till You See Me When I’m Done

Philippians 1:6
He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.


God Finishes the Job

God chose you, called you, declared you not guilty, and is now glorifying you. Sometimes we think that God can’t possibly make us to be like Jesus. But, He can because he is God. He can and he will—It’s a promise.

It’s very interesting to watch a master potter work, especially if you can track the whole process of making a single bowl. First, he prepares the clay, which involves wetting it, beating it, cutting it, and kneading it over and over again. It often takes a total of several hours over two or three days to make the clay just right.

When the clay is ready the potter places it on a wheel that spins it while he presses on it to make the shape emerge. He pushes and pulls and cuts and carves until the shape he has in mind emerges. Then, he sets it on a shelf for a few days to dry before firing it.

The firing process is usually done in two stages. The first stage hardens the clay so it isn’t so fragile while the artist applies the glaze. After the first firing, the potter applies glaze to the bowl. The glaze is very thin clay with chemicals that will change into beautiful colors as they melt. At this point, the piece still looks like some carefully shaped and hardened dirt. The final firing heats the bowl to over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes the bowl very hard and durable. It also reveals the colors and designs the potter applied to the surface. Only after the clay has been beaten, shaped, stretched, and fired can we see the beauty that was in the mind of the potter from the very beginning.

Remember that God is the master potter of your life. He planned, prepared, and organized every part of who you are and what you will experience so that he can reveal the beauty he has in mind. He will keep on working, forgiving, and training you throughout your whole life. He will keep the heat on when it’s needed. But, he’ll also give you times of rest and peace.

The most important facts in all of life are these: God loves you and there is nothing that can keep him from making you perfect and complete. When you stand before him in heaven one day, all the beauty he built into your character will be clearly seen. Don’t be surprised when you realize that you look very much like Jesus, the glorious Son of God.


Today’s Prayer:
Lord God, I praise you that you do have a plan to make me perfect and complete, just like Jesus. I also praise you for being so loving and powerful because that makes me confident that you will complete the job you’re doing on me. Please help me.


From: New Wine Skin - Written by Martha E Menne

Your Home and Family

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named” Ephesians 3:14-15

I am going home for a few days to see my family. As I say the words “home” and “family,” I catch myself wondering what my definition of these two words really are to me today. Technically, I have three families: one in my own home, the second in the family I grew up, and third is the family of God. The same context applies to with the word “home.” For some of us, home is somewhere away from the family and vice versa. Confusing? Now let’s add what Paul says about our “family.” We are all one big family in heaven and earth named by our heavenly Father. Our real home awaits us in heaven. Until then, we all seek and search for that loving embrace and acceptance from our earthly homes and families.

So, what is the point? For me, every time I “go home,” I end up dealing with certain emotions, feelings and thoughts. Some are pleasant and some are not. Death, divorce and disease are just a few of those unpleasant ones that have touched my family. However, there is also that family connection God has put within all of us of a desire to spend time together and have fellowship. For me though, I am most thankful for the family of Christ. As I look around my life today, I realize that the friendships I have represent the family that God has given me. I am so very thankful for the love and fellowship in the body of Christ.

Even if our earthly families are not the most stable and strong, we can be encouraged to know that our heavenly family is one in the Lord. It will not matter when we get to heaven who did what to whom or how much pain was involved. Our heavenly Father will take care of us all and home will be with Him. The old saying says that, “home is where the heart is.” I believe that to be true. If my heart is with Jesus, then there my home is also, not just with Jesus in heaven but here on earth with His family. I love and appreciate my family very much but I take much comfort in knowing that I have the greatest family of all in the body of Christ.



From: CrossWalk Devotionals - Daily Disciples

Do It For GOD!

Col 3:23 - 24

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.


Do all things for the glory of God. NO matter how small or how big it is, don't forget to work on it not just for your own sake but for God. What does this really mean?

Serving God is not limited on being part of the ministry, being a preacher, being an evangelist etc. Serving God is about dedicating everything that you do for Him. On our everyday lives, we individually have our own schedules and things to work on. Sometimes we view our work as something done for our own selves.

Christians should be good stewards. Whether we are an employee, a businessman, a professional, we are ought to do it with excellence as for God commanded us to work on things with all our hearts, right? There is no excuse. If we will simply learn to do things for the glory of God, I'm quite sure that we would be able to do things far more than the expected.

Let me give you an example, I have a new dog in our house. At first, we are just tying him anywhere. Somehow it stinks that's why my parents decided to build a cage for that new dog. My father did not buy a cage and so he grabbed some scrap metals and combined them to create a somehow decent doghouse. Since its for scrap, my father asked me to paint it. At first I thought it was a fun task to do but later on I realized that it's a little bit tiring because I'm not used to it.

Then a certain conviction tells me to pray. As I was praying, I was reminded of Colossians 3:23. Though I was tired, I sincerely prayed and thanked God about the dog, about those painting experience. I realized that even if its not human, still we need to be good stewards of everything God gave us.

Sometimes, we only become good stewards about big and valuable things. Again, being good stewards should not show selectiveness on things being take care of. The bible says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,".


By Edwin Joseph

Salvation the Simple Way

Romans 10:9-10
”If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”


Salvation by grace, not works

One of the first things a lifeguard has to do is help the victim calm down so he isn’t struggling against the efforts of the one who is trying to save him. Sometimes it take a blow to the head that either knocks the victim out or shocks him out of his panic so he can listen to the lifeguard’s instructions. If the victim struggles, or tries to help, it may endanger both his own life and the lifeguard’s. The best thing he can do is relax and let the expert in life-saving take over.

Jesus did everything needed to purchase our salvation. He paid the death penalty we deserve by dying in our place. It’s all done except our acceptance of the gift God has so graciously offered us.

You can receive Jesus into your heart right now. It’s so simple, you can hardly believe it. Just talk to God as if he were sitting right next to you. Tell him that you are sorry for breaking his standards of right actions and attitudes. Tell him that you believe Jesus is his Son and that he died for you. Ask him to forgive you and clean up your heart. If you’re sincere as you pray, you become a child of God forever the second you finish praying.

If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, try sharing Romans 10:8-10 with a friend who doesn’t yet know God. Before sharing, ask God to open your friend’s heart and mind to receive the wonderful gift of salvation. Show him/her right in the Scripture that all he/she has to do to have eternal life is believe and confess.


Today’s Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I thank you that you have made the plan of salvation so simple. I recognize that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I do believe that you are the Lord and that God did raise you from the dead. I choose you as my Savior. I love you, Jesus. Amen.



From: New Wine Skin - Written by Martha E Menne