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10-06-2008, 10:40 PM
He Delights In Me
"Because he delights in me, he saved me." Psalm 18:19
God delights in me? What a wonderful surprise it was for me to read those words, "He delights in me." That is beyond my comprehension, but that is what the Psalm says. Why? Why would he delight in me? Have I done anything worthy of delight? Surely not, yet He delights in me, that is grace. It is pure grace. I surely do not deserve His delight, but it exemplifies just how great His love is for His children. He saved us because he delights in us. God loves us. He would not have sent His beloved Son to die for us if it was not the case. Beyond that, God longs for a relationship with each of His children. The story in Genesis tells us that God walked in the garden and communed with Adam and Eve. He delighted in that relationship. When they chose knowledge over that relationship with God, it broke His heart. Many today are still making that choice. Choosing knowledge over relationship. Down through the ages God has continued to reach out to those who reach out to him. He longs for us to be near Him. He desires our fellowship. He delights in us, the way any father would in his children. How little we know about our Father. How little we comprehend of His intense desire to have us need Him. How we must grieve Him when He sees He is not at the top of our priority list. How patient He is with us, His sinful, wayward children! Yet He delights in us. Will we not take delight in Him? He takes joy in our presence with Him. Will we not take joy in spending time with Him? He loves us with an everlasting love; a love we will never fully comprehend. Will we not develop that same kind of intense love for our Father? The choice is ours.
Father, I cannot fathom how great your love is for me! That you took delight in me while I was yet a sinner and gave your son to save me is beyond my comprehension. I long to bring you more delight. I long to serve you in a way that will make you smile. I desire to spend time with the Father who loves me with an everlasting love. I love you Lord; make this love burn more intensely within me. You bring me such joy, I want to bring you joy, too. This is the desire of my heart. Amen Quiet Waters
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WHOSE SIN?
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. "Teacher," his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?"
"It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him. All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end. But while I am still here in the world, I am the light of the world."
John 9:1-5
When I read this passage of scripture I immediately thought of a little girl at the daycare where Cody went when he was very little and I also had Timothy. She was born with one eye. The ladies at the daycare said that some people believe the little girl was born with one eye because the mother was frightened by a snake while she was pregnant. Well, I don't believe that. I believe it is just as Jesus taught here � God wants to prove Himself to the people in that little girl's life.
Around that same time, a great man of God in our area was going through a physical storm; he had a "temporary" deformity in one of his eyes because of a disease in his body. Many people speculated about why he was faced with such a sad storm, but when I read this passage of scripture my heart leaped within me. God assured me that this mighty man of God was and is being used of God in such a powerful way that God allowed this to happen to him so that He could prove Himself to those under this man's teaching and to others who watch him on television every week.
What about you? Are you in a storm that other people think is a result of God's punishment in your life? Be encouraged. No matter what God has allowed in your life, whether it is the rod of His discipline or just a matter of His wanting to prove Himself � He is with you.
The most important thing any of us can do is to heed Jesus' warning in this passage of scripture. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned to us by our Father before the night falls and all work comes to an end.
What has God called you to do? Have you grown weary in well-doing? Well, get back up, shake off the dust, and put your hand back on the plow. God ain't finished with you yet!
Oh, Lord, I pray right now that You would restore our spiritual passion. I praise You for never giving up on Your children. Forgive us Father for a fledging faith. Open our eyes that we may see the next step You call us to do. Thank You for walking with us through our storm! Help us light our corner of the world for Your Kingdom. The Well
-----
The Burden-Bearers
Nehemiah 4:10, 17
Pastor Carl H Stevens
"The strength of the burden-bearers is weakening, and there is much rubbish; we are not able to work on the wall" (Nehemiah 4:10, Amplified). How important do you think your prayer life is to the local assembly you are a part of? In this passage, we see that Nehemiah needed those who could bear great burdens. This was necessary to finish the wall.
As Nehemiah needed those people to carry these burdens, consider the even greater need your local assembly has for you to help carry its burdens to God. Each assembly needs those who will go to their "prayer closet" to intercede and petition God for those who are "working on the wall." There will often be obstacles that will prohibit the "wall" from being completed, but those who faithfully pray can persevere until they see the task accomplished.
The role of the burden-bearer cannot be emphasized enough. Consider verse 17a, "Those who built the wall and those who bore burdens loaded themselves so that everyone worked." It was necessary for them to bear great loads so that those who worked could fight with one hand and work with the other. Their importance in getting the wall completed was vital; likewise, each church needs those who will be available in prayer. What an outstanding privilege it is to hold up other members in the Body of Christ by going to God in prayer and bearing their burdens.
And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
Nehemiah 4:10,17
-----
Who's am I?
"HE CHOSE THE WEAK THINGS OF THIS WORLD TO PUT THE POWERFUL TO SHAME."
1 CORINTHIANS 1:27
A lot of people spend time trying to work out 'Who am I?'. For Christians the question is slightly different, 'Whose am I?' When you invited Jesus into your life, everything changed. For starters you're not an outsider anymore but a fully accepted member of God's family, with an open door to your heavenly Father and all the cool stuff that goes with that. Knowing whose you are allows you to live your life from a place of strength and not weakness, faith and not fear. Yes you still have limitations but you won't be afraid of getting things wrong; you'll be secure enough in God's strength to let Him step in and help you when you're stuck. All this raises that age-old question; why does God use 'weak' people? Because weak people are aware of their need for help! 'Weak' people pray to God differently! They remember where they were when God found them and what He brought them through, and they say, 'It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect' (Psalm 18:32 NKJ).[k1] That old geezer Job knew whose he was and it made it possible for him to not give up even when it hurt. Listen: 'I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread' (Job 23:12 AMP). You belong to God, treasure that today. Word4U2Day
-----
Remember Lot's wife
Let everything you do be in accord with the Will of God and in agreement with the precepts of the Kingdom of Heaven.
No one is going to steal in Heaven and no one is going to lie in Heaven.
Brethren, if you deem yourself to be a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven then you should divest yourself of the sins of the flesh and endow yourself with Heavenly virtues.
Jesus Christ came that we might live a holy and sanctified life bearing much fruit of the Spirit.
Grace is the divine assistance of Jesus Christ given man for his regeneration and sanctification.
If we go back to living a sinful life after we were purged of our sins by the Grace of Christ, then we have fallen from Grace.
Remember Lot's wife.
©10/07/2001 Jim Welch
-----
Devotional For Dieters
October 7
Hebrews 10:39
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Darren felt bad withdrawing from the group, but he had to. The other three men kept cheating on their diets, and that was no help at all. Each time they gave in to temptation, Darren asked himself why he tried so hard when everyone else quit. Darren needed strength and support, not more temptation. At least on his own he stood a fighting chance. Darren prayed for guidance. Dieting was hard enough without other people making it harder. We need to attach ourselves to those who are serious and committed to losing weight. God will help us have all the strength we need to keep on our diets.
Today's thought: The weight that I've lost, was of minimal cost!
-----
A PLACE OF MULTIPLE BLESSINGS
“You will be bound to them with new and wonderful ties, for you will escape disaster together and you will commence shoulder to shoulder your common journey.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 152-153
“They cried to you and were saved.” Psalm 22:5
For what it's worth: As devastating as was my alcoholism, my recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous has been equally or more beneficial in every regard. The power of AA and the grace of God have restored every loss a hundredfold. Moreover, God has used every drop of suffering I ever experienced to help another poor soul. In Twelve Step work, I see the shocking suffering caused by alcoholism to individuals and families. But in the rooms of recovery I also am blessed to witness the miraculous healing that occurs in AA, Al-anon and Alateen. Our Heavenly Father has not only rescued us from the fires of hell, He has brought us to a place of multiple blessings.
God bless you!
Joe W.
"Because he delights in me, he saved me." Psalm 18:19
God delights in me? What a wonderful surprise it was for me to read those words, "He delights in me." That is beyond my comprehension, but that is what the Psalm says. Why? Why would he delight in me? Have I done anything worthy of delight? Surely not, yet He delights in me, that is grace. It is pure grace. I surely do not deserve His delight, but it exemplifies just how great His love is for His children. He saved us because he delights in us. God loves us. He would not have sent His beloved Son to die for us if it was not the case. Beyond that, God longs for a relationship with each of His children. The story in Genesis tells us that God walked in the garden and communed with Adam and Eve. He delighted in that relationship. When they chose knowledge over that relationship with God, it broke His heart. Many today are still making that choice. Choosing knowledge over relationship. Down through the ages God has continued to reach out to those who reach out to him. He longs for us to be near Him. He desires our fellowship. He delights in us, the way any father would in his children. How little we know about our Father. How little we comprehend of His intense desire to have us need Him. How we must grieve Him when He sees He is not at the top of our priority list. How patient He is with us, His sinful, wayward children! Yet He delights in us. Will we not take delight in Him? He takes joy in our presence with Him. Will we not take joy in spending time with Him? He loves us with an everlasting love; a love we will never fully comprehend. Will we not develop that same kind of intense love for our Father? The choice is ours.
Father, I cannot fathom how great your love is for me! That you took delight in me while I was yet a sinner and gave your son to save me is beyond my comprehension. I long to bring you more delight. I long to serve you in a way that will make you smile. I desire to spend time with the Father who loves me with an everlasting love. I love you Lord; make this love burn more intensely within me. You bring me such joy, I want to bring you joy, too. This is the desire of my heart. Amen Quiet Waters
-----
WHOSE SIN?
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. "Teacher," his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?"
"It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him. All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end. But while I am still here in the world, I am the light of the world."
John 9:1-5
When I read this passage of scripture I immediately thought of a little girl at the daycare where Cody went when he was very little and I also had Timothy. She was born with one eye. The ladies at the daycare said that some people believe the little girl was born with one eye because the mother was frightened by a snake while she was pregnant. Well, I don't believe that. I believe it is just as Jesus taught here � God wants to prove Himself to the people in that little girl's life.
Around that same time, a great man of God in our area was going through a physical storm; he had a "temporary" deformity in one of his eyes because of a disease in his body. Many people speculated about why he was faced with such a sad storm, but when I read this passage of scripture my heart leaped within me. God assured me that this mighty man of God was and is being used of God in such a powerful way that God allowed this to happen to him so that He could prove Himself to those under this man's teaching and to others who watch him on television every week.
What about you? Are you in a storm that other people think is a result of God's punishment in your life? Be encouraged. No matter what God has allowed in your life, whether it is the rod of His discipline or just a matter of His wanting to prove Himself � He is with you.
The most important thing any of us can do is to heed Jesus' warning in this passage of scripture. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned to us by our Father before the night falls and all work comes to an end.
What has God called you to do? Have you grown weary in well-doing? Well, get back up, shake off the dust, and put your hand back on the plow. God ain't finished with you yet!
Oh, Lord, I pray right now that You would restore our spiritual passion. I praise You for never giving up on Your children. Forgive us Father for a fledging faith. Open our eyes that we may see the next step You call us to do. Thank You for walking with us through our storm! Help us light our corner of the world for Your Kingdom. The Well
-----
The Burden-Bearers
Nehemiah 4:10, 17
Pastor Carl H Stevens
"The strength of the burden-bearers is weakening, and there is much rubbish; we are not able to work on the wall" (Nehemiah 4:10, Amplified). How important do you think your prayer life is to the local assembly you are a part of? In this passage, we see that Nehemiah needed those who could bear great burdens. This was necessary to finish the wall.
As Nehemiah needed those people to carry these burdens, consider the even greater need your local assembly has for you to help carry its burdens to God. Each assembly needs those who will go to their "prayer closet" to intercede and petition God for those who are "working on the wall." There will often be obstacles that will prohibit the "wall" from being completed, but those who faithfully pray can persevere until they see the task accomplished.
The role of the burden-bearer cannot be emphasized enough. Consider verse 17a, "Those who built the wall and those who bore burdens loaded themselves so that everyone worked." It was necessary for them to bear great loads so that those who worked could fight with one hand and work with the other. Their importance in getting the wall completed was vital; likewise, each church needs those who will be available in prayer. What an outstanding privilege it is to hold up other members in the Body of Christ by going to God in prayer and bearing their burdens.
And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
Nehemiah 4:10,17
-----
Who's am I?
"HE CHOSE THE WEAK THINGS OF THIS WORLD TO PUT THE POWERFUL TO SHAME."
1 CORINTHIANS 1:27
A lot of people spend time trying to work out 'Who am I?'. For Christians the question is slightly different, 'Whose am I?' When you invited Jesus into your life, everything changed. For starters you're not an outsider anymore but a fully accepted member of God's family, with an open door to your heavenly Father and all the cool stuff that goes with that. Knowing whose you are allows you to live your life from a place of strength and not weakness, faith and not fear. Yes you still have limitations but you won't be afraid of getting things wrong; you'll be secure enough in God's strength to let Him step in and help you when you're stuck. All this raises that age-old question; why does God use 'weak' people? Because weak people are aware of their need for help! 'Weak' people pray to God differently! They remember where they were when God found them and what He brought them through, and they say, 'It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect' (Psalm 18:32 NKJ).[k1] That old geezer Job knew whose he was and it made it possible for him to not give up even when it hurt. Listen: 'I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread' (Job 23:12 AMP). You belong to God, treasure that today. Word4U2Day
-----
Remember Lot's wife
Let everything you do be in accord with the Will of God and in agreement with the precepts of the Kingdom of Heaven.
No one is going to steal in Heaven and no one is going to lie in Heaven.
Brethren, if you deem yourself to be a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven then you should divest yourself of the sins of the flesh and endow yourself with Heavenly virtues.
Jesus Christ came that we might live a holy and sanctified life bearing much fruit of the Spirit.
Grace is the divine assistance of Jesus Christ given man for his regeneration and sanctification.
If we go back to living a sinful life after we were purged of our sins by the Grace of Christ, then we have fallen from Grace.
Remember Lot's wife.
©10/07/2001 Jim Welch
-----
Devotional For Dieters
October 7
Hebrews 10:39
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Darren felt bad withdrawing from the group, but he had to. The other three men kept cheating on their diets, and that was no help at all. Each time they gave in to temptation, Darren asked himself why he tried so hard when everyone else quit. Darren needed strength and support, not more temptation. At least on his own he stood a fighting chance. Darren prayed for guidance. Dieting was hard enough without other people making it harder. We need to attach ourselves to those who are serious and committed to losing weight. God will help us have all the strength we need to keep on our diets.
Today's thought: The weight that I've lost, was of minimal cost!
-----
A PLACE OF MULTIPLE BLESSINGS
“You will be bound to them with new and wonderful ties, for you will escape disaster together and you will commence shoulder to shoulder your common journey.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 152-153
“They cried to you and were saved.” Psalm 22:5
For what it's worth: As devastating as was my alcoholism, my recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous has been equally or more beneficial in every regard. The power of AA and the grace of God have restored every loss a hundredfold. Moreover, God has used every drop of suffering I ever experienced to help another poor soul. In Twelve Step work, I see the shocking suffering caused by alcoholism to individuals and families. But in the rooms of recovery I also am blessed to witness the miraculous healing that occurs in AA, Al-anon and Alateen. Our Heavenly Father has not only rescued us from the fires of hell, He has brought us to a place of multiple blessings.
God bless you!
Joe W.