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10-25-2008, 10:35 PM
His Own
“For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own.”
1 Samuel 12:22
God in His great mercy has made us His own. He was pleased to make us His own. It was His desire to have us as His children. God’s love for us is so great that He was not willing to let us go. His love for us is so great that He still desires fellowship and intimacy with us. He longs for us to come home to Him. What kind of God is this who would not give up on such a rebellious people? What kind of God had all the power in the universe and yet he reached out in love to us? What kind of God would stoop to pick up some broken, worthless pieces and lovingly put them back together and miraculously make something of worth from them? Before God created the galaxies, he dreamed of us. All that He created, He created with us in mind. He prepared a very special place where he would have communion with his greatest creation, his children. This is the kind of God who will never let us go. Why? Because His name depends on it, the integrity of who He is is at stake! He was pleased to make us His own and we will be His, you can
count on it!
Father, thank you for dreaming of us before the foundation of the world. Thank you for putting this earth together for us. How much we take for granted! Help us to realize your intense love for us. Let it change us and transform us into faithful children. Help us to want you as much as you want us. Grant us that intense, burning love for you that you have for us. Bring us home, Father, that we might give you the desire of your heart. Amen Quiet Waters
-----
HIS FRIEND
Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear him.
With them he shares the secrets of his covenant.
My eyes are always looking to the Lord for help,
for he alone can rescue me from the traps of my enemies.
Turn to me and have mercy on me,
for I am alone and in deep distress.
My problems go from bad to worse.
Oh, save me from them all!
Feel my pain and see my trouble.
Forgive all my sins.
See how many enemies I have,
and how viciously they hate me!
Protect me! Rescue my life from them!
Do not let me be disgraced,
for I trust in you.
May integrity and honesty protect me,
for I put my hope in you.
Psalm 25:14-21
Can you imagine being friends with someone you are afraid of? Well, that is exactly what God wants for us. He wants us to move from being afraid of Him directly into an intimate relationship with a personal friend. Awesome!
People, this never hit me before, but it's hitting me now. According to this Psalm of David (the man after God's own heart), God only shares "the secrets of his covenant" with those He considers friends; people who aren't afraid to get intimate with Him.
David knew pain. David knew what it was like to walk down the street and be mocked by children and adults. Yet, David stood strong and in the end the Lord truly blessed him in spite of his many sins.
If we are going to be people of integrity and honesty we must be intimately acquainted with God through the salvation offered to us through Jesus and be empowered with the Holy Spirit.
As you go to worship Him this morning simply make yourself vulnerable to His will and way. Let Him be your friend!
Oh, God, to imagine being friends with You, the one and only Holy God, is beyond our comprehension. Yet, I know You are my Creator, my Father, and my Friend! I praise You and worship You! Empower me to serve You by loving others to Your glory! The Well
-----
Being holy is highly preferable to being evil
Being holy is highly preferable to being evil, yet few they are who diligently seek for it.
Holiness is not an accident but a deliberate act done by a person who chooses to be holy.
The reproof of God leads to a pathway of holiness, a road filled with love and peace, that leads to Heaven.
The temptation of Satan leads to a path of wickedness, a road filled with hate, strife and grief, that leads to the fires of hell.
Brethren, choose this day which road you will follow and stick to it.
Don't be lukewarm and try to follow both roads, both good and evil.
Jesus said, " Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
Let us therefore seek to be holy and eschew all evil.
Amen.
©10/26/2001 Jim Welch
-----
Devotional For Dieters
October 26
1 Peter 4:1-2
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Barney knew he could lose weight. He'd given up cigarettes, and that was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. If he could do away with cigarettes, he was positive he could lose weight. A friend had once told him that if he was suffering, he knew he was on the right track. Nothing worth doing came easy. Barney asked God for strength as he set about losing weight. When he felt he was suffering the most, that's when he relied most heavily on God. A little suffering never hurt anyone, especially when it was done in order to attain good health.
-----
A POWERFUL LESSON
“We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 84
"Submit to God and be at peace with him.” Job 22:21
For what it's worth: There was always a war inside of me with me, or outside of me with just about everybody else. I was always losing, but alcohol would deaden the pain of the wounds. However, my Creator must have been watching and knew I was dying, so He directed me to Alcoholics Anonymous. There I was blessed to be able to stop drinking and see and feel the damage I was inflicting on myself and others. As I did so, AA people told me about a Higher Power who could heal me, if only He were sought. I had to stop fighting, surrender my stubborn, false pride, and turn my will and my life over to God’s care. When I finally did, He immediately began treatment. He has done most of the work Himself, but, every now and then He refers me out to trusted professionals for the rest. Along the way, He has taught me a powerful lesson that will keep me from ever being at war with myself or anyone else, if I practice it. That lesson is this: the more I surrender to my Heavenly Father in my daily life, the more peace I find each day.
God bless you!
Joe W.
“For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own.”
1 Samuel 12:22
God in His great mercy has made us His own. He was pleased to make us His own. It was His desire to have us as His children. God’s love for us is so great that He was not willing to let us go. His love for us is so great that He still desires fellowship and intimacy with us. He longs for us to come home to Him. What kind of God is this who would not give up on such a rebellious people? What kind of God had all the power in the universe and yet he reached out in love to us? What kind of God would stoop to pick up some broken, worthless pieces and lovingly put them back together and miraculously make something of worth from them? Before God created the galaxies, he dreamed of us. All that He created, He created with us in mind. He prepared a very special place where he would have communion with his greatest creation, his children. This is the kind of God who will never let us go. Why? Because His name depends on it, the integrity of who He is is at stake! He was pleased to make us His own and we will be His, you can
count on it!
Father, thank you for dreaming of us before the foundation of the world. Thank you for putting this earth together for us. How much we take for granted! Help us to realize your intense love for us. Let it change us and transform us into faithful children. Help us to want you as much as you want us. Grant us that intense, burning love for you that you have for us. Bring us home, Father, that we might give you the desire of your heart. Amen Quiet Waters
-----
HIS FRIEND
Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear him.
With them he shares the secrets of his covenant.
My eyes are always looking to the Lord for help,
for he alone can rescue me from the traps of my enemies.
Turn to me and have mercy on me,
for I am alone and in deep distress.
My problems go from bad to worse.
Oh, save me from them all!
Feel my pain and see my trouble.
Forgive all my sins.
See how many enemies I have,
and how viciously they hate me!
Protect me! Rescue my life from them!
Do not let me be disgraced,
for I trust in you.
May integrity and honesty protect me,
for I put my hope in you.
Psalm 25:14-21
Can you imagine being friends with someone you are afraid of? Well, that is exactly what God wants for us. He wants us to move from being afraid of Him directly into an intimate relationship with a personal friend. Awesome!
People, this never hit me before, but it's hitting me now. According to this Psalm of David (the man after God's own heart), God only shares "the secrets of his covenant" with those He considers friends; people who aren't afraid to get intimate with Him.
David knew pain. David knew what it was like to walk down the street and be mocked by children and adults. Yet, David stood strong and in the end the Lord truly blessed him in spite of his many sins.
If we are going to be people of integrity and honesty we must be intimately acquainted with God through the salvation offered to us through Jesus and be empowered with the Holy Spirit.
As you go to worship Him this morning simply make yourself vulnerable to His will and way. Let Him be your friend!
Oh, God, to imagine being friends with You, the one and only Holy God, is beyond our comprehension. Yet, I know You are my Creator, my Father, and my Friend! I praise You and worship You! Empower me to serve You by loving others to Your glory! The Well
-----
Being holy is highly preferable to being evil
Being holy is highly preferable to being evil, yet few they are who diligently seek for it.
Holiness is not an accident but a deliberate act done by a person who chooses to be holy.
The reproof of God leads to a pathway of holiness, a road filled with love and peace, that leads to Heaven.
The temptation of Satan leads to a path of wickedness, a road filled with hate, strife and grief, that leads to the fires of hell.
Brethren, choose this day which road you will follow and stick to it.
Don't be lukewarm and try to follow both roads, both good and evil.
Jesus said, " Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
Let us therefore seek to be holy and eschew all evil.
Amen.
©10/26/2001 Jim Welch
-----
Devotional For Dieters
October 26
1 Peter 4:1-2
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Barney knew he could lose weight. He'd given up cigarettes, and that was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. If he could do away with cigarettes, he was positive he could lose weight. A friend had once told him that if he was suffering, he knew he was on the right track. Nothing worth doing came easy. Barney asked God for strength as he set about losing weight. When he felt he was suffering the most, that's when he relied most heavily on God. A little suffering never hurt anyone, especially when it was done in order to attain good health.
-----
A POWERFUL LESSON
“We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 84
"Submit to God and be at peace with him.” Job 22:21
For what it's worth: There was always a war inside of me with me, or outside of me with just about everybody else. I was always losing, but alcohol would deaden the pain of the wounds. However, my Creator must have been watching and knew I was dying, so He directed me to Alcoholics Anonymous. There I was blessed to be able to stop drinking and see and feel the damage I was inflicting on myself and others. As I did so, AA people told me about a Higher Power who could heal me, if only He were sought. I had to stop fighting, surrender my stubborn, false pride, and turn my will and my life over to God’s care. When I finally did, He immediately began treatment. He has done most of the work Himself, but, every now and then He refers me out to trusted professionals for the rest. Along the way, He has taught me a powerful lesson that will keep me from ever being at war with myself or anyone else, if I practice it. That lesson is this: the more I surrender to my Heavenly Father in my daily life, the more peace I find each day.
God bless you!
Joe W.