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01-20-2009, 09:23 PM
Men and Women in the Church
8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; 9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. 1 Timothy 2
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Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, 'Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.' 'Who are my mother and my brothers?' he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.' Mark 3:31-35
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Don't turn back
A long journey, undertaken on foot, is accomplished one step at a time; a book is written one word at a time; and a life of holiness is lived one day at a time.
For that reason it takes patience to accomplish all three.
To live a holy life requires much patience and few they are who have the patience to become a saint.
Brethren, we are on a road that leads to Heaven and the journey may be a long one filled with many difficulties and sufferings.
Don't turn back.
Don't take detours.
Do not look for shortcuts because they all lead to blind alleys.
Do not allow others to side track you unto roads that lead nowhere, but instead keep on the road that leads to Heaven.
Neither turning to the left nor to the right but keep on going on the road that leads straight to Heaven.
Hallelujah!
©01/21/2001 Jim Welch
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Our Darkest Hour
And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves; but he [Jesus] was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us; we perish (Mt. 8:24-25).
I once watched a seen on the television show, "Little House on the Prairie" in which the Ingles family were going through a desperate time. I do not really remember what was wrong, but I remembered one of the ways they chose to deal with their circumstances. One of the family members read from the Psalms while the others sat by and listened. This seemed to help give them hope in the midst of their darkest storm.
As I thought about this, I wondered how many of us today handle our darkest hour in a similar fashion. Do we come together and read aloud the scriptures, or do we withdraw to our own quiet corner in despair? Do we quickly come to God and ask Him for His help, or do we sit motionless, staring into space like helpless zombies?
The disciples were afraid because of the storm. And because of that fear they felt certain they would perish. Yet, even still, they knew where to run. They knew who to turn to.
Within our dark storms, the fountains of worry and fear spring up all around. We easily lose sight of God, because we get to where we cannot see anything but the problems. The more we focus on the problems, the bigger they become. They begin to overwhelm, and we soon find ourselves victims of circumstance. The situation becomes more and more powerful, demanding all of our energy, time and attention, until we are weak and unable to do anything but think about the unconquerable happening.
What can be done? For starters we need to force ourselves to move our focus away from the problem and toward the solution. Coming together with others and reading the Word of God is a way to provide hope, encouragement and strength. It is a way for us to take control of the immense problem and put it into perspective. It is nothing God cannot handle. It is nothing that took God by surprise. And it is nothing He cannot help us through. Compared to Him--it is nothing.
We have our own ways of handling painful and troublesome situations. If we are honest with ourselves, many of us might agree that our own ways usually draw us to wallow in pools of self pity, or cause us to retreat and lick our wounds. We do at times handle things fairly well. We get by. We make it through. Yet, there is a way that is best. A way that can bring the good, out of what may appear to be a bad situation. We just have to let go of our way and allow ourselves to be lifted up by the Hand of God.
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 (Rom. 8:28).
Day by Day Devotionals
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January 21
Read Exodus 11 -- 13 http://www.studylight.org/desk/?l=en&query=ex+11-ex+13§ion=0&translation=kjv&oq=
Highlights In Today's Reading:
The blood from the passover lamb must be applied to the lintel and the two side posts. . . . as the Lord had commanded (12:22).
The Egyptians and the Israelites alike were sinners by nature. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The Holy God cannot ignore sin. So the death sentence was passed upon all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Ex. 11:5) where Israelites and Egyptians both dwelt.
However, God provided a way of deliverance for the Israelites because of His covenant with Abraham. But it was surely not by works of their righteousness — they had none. The sentence of death must be executed, but for all who believed in the One True God, a substitute was offered. The sentence of death fell upon an innocent victim, a lamb without blemish (12:5), and its blood was applied as God had directed.
God gave specific qualifications for the Israelites to be passed over (12:27). They were also to follow His instructions exactly to fulfill their part of the Covenant. They placed faith in God by obeying His command and ate all the lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs (12:7-10). Jesus fulfilled Passover by offering His innocent blood in our stead. Christians are also called to fulfill our part of the New Covenant by obeying all the Word of God and living sanctified (separated, dedicated) lives. As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (behavior) (I Pet. 1:15).
The old life and all that it meant in Egypt was gone. This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you (Ex. 12:2). The same is true for a believer today: Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Cor. 5:17). All that attracted our attention in the old life — the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (I John 2:16) — have no spiritual value and cannot bring eternal life. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life (John 3:36). It is also true that not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven (Matt. 7:21).
The lamb was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ our Passover . . . (who was) sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (I Cor. 5:7-8).
Thought for Today:
The old hymn still asks the most important question ever asked: "Are you washed in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?"
Christ Revealed:
By the blood applied to the door posts. Jesus is not "a door," but "The Door" to heaven. There is no other way to heaven except through Him (Ex. 12:7,12-13,21-23; John 10:9;14:6; Acts 4:10-12).
Word Studies:
11:7 move his tongue = bark, growl; 12:9 purtenance = internal organs; 12:11 your loins girded = dressed ready for travel; 12:22 hyssop = common plant of the mint family; lintel = crosspiece above the door; 12:36 spoiled = took all the valuables; 13:2 Sanctify = Dedicate; 13:3 leavened bread = bread with yeast — symbolic of corruption and evil; 13:12 matrix = womb; 13:16 token = reminder that we belong to God; frontlets = small leather box containing Scripture; 13:17 repent = change their minds; 13:18 harnessed = in military order.
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I like it Dark
John 3:20
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Fear of the Light
My junior high school was heated by a huge coal-burning furnace. Entrance to the furnace room was down a dark, narrow stairway under the stage in the auditorium. One day when I got to school, I noticed the principal and several teachers standing near the top of those stairs. All of us students realized something serious had happened. We stood around our lockers trying to figure out what was going on.
Soon after the bell rang for first period class, the principal called an assembly of the whole student body. He announced that the janitor had fortunately discovered a fire in a trashcan at the bottom of the stairs. After looking through the papers and other trash, the janitor had found the remains of a cigarette. Since neither the janitor, the principal nor any of the rest of the staff had been on the stairs that morning, he pointed out that a student must have thrown the cigarette away to keep from getting in trouble. Then, he warned everyone of the terrible danger we had all been exposed to and demanded that no one ever smoke in the building again.
This incident illustrates how evil hates the light. Whoever had been smoking on the stairs leading to the basement felt the need to hide. An adult would have simply gone outside to his car or walked around the block while smoking. Only a student would feel the need to hide in the darkness. He hid because he didn’t want his “evil deed” to be exposed.
Nothing has changed since the very first sin was committed thousands of years ago. As soon as Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they hid. Of course, we look at their action and think, “How stupid can you get? Surely they knew God would find them!” But, don’t we do the exact same thing? Instead of owning up to our sin and disobedience we try to hide it by making excuses or blaming others.
Of course, our attempts at hiding our sins are about as effective as Adam and Eve’s. God sees right through us. He calls us out into the open and insists that we expose ourselves to his holy light. Then, he does the very same thing he did for Adam and Eve. He forgives us and hides our sin. God hid Adam and Eve’s nakedness by killing some animals and clothing them in their skins. He hides our sin behind the blood of His Son Jesus who died so we could be forgiven.
Today’s Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you for making me see how foolish it is to think I can hide my sins from you. More than that, thank you for loving me so much that you sent Jesus to die for me so you could cover my sins up and make me a person who loves the light. Amen.
Written by Martha E Menne
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1 Minute Daily Devotions
January 21, 2009
A Regular Meeting
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed." - Mark 1:35
You know, one of the reasons I love to be at the Sea of Galilee region in Israel is because it's one of those places where you can still see what it was like in Jesus' day. It's a place where you can very easily visualize Jesus wandering up in the hills - whether in the early morning, early evening, or even in the middle of the night - and finding a quiet place, just to spend time with His Father. So, I ask you, "If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to spend time with His Father, don't you think you do, as well?"
Let me share a personal insight. On my own, I am too selfish, too lazy, and too busy to arrange regular time alone with God. I just don't have the discipline to make that happen. And I'll bet you have the same issues standing between you and a direct relationship with your Heavenly Father. If so, here is my secret to overcoming my self-made obstacles and creating a lifestyle of regular time alone with God - ask Him. Simply ask God to give you the hunger to know Him and the determination to make it happen. He'll be glad to teach you how to create the discipline and opportunity to have a regular meeting with Him!
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Census
Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 24:1-17; Psalm 44:6-7.
We take census taking for granted in America, and every 10 years we expect a knock on our door. But when King David made a census of the fighting men, the Lord punished him.
Why would it be wrong to take a census of the fighting men? David found that he had 800,000 men in Israel and in Judah there were 500,000. Now when David planned a war, he would automatically calculate his strength against his enemy's strength, trusting in the number of men he had, rather than in the strength of the Lord to win the victory.
When we are fighting our battles do we take a census of our strengths, or do we depend on the Lord for victory?
Moment of Meditation: Our strengths in themselves are no match for the devices of the devil.
A Talk with Jesus: Jesus, I depend upon You, and You alone, to bring me victory over all of the enemy's attacks in my life.
For Further Study: Ephesians 6:10-18
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One Flesh
Daily Devotional for January 21
Genesis 2:24 "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
God intended marriages to be one. Cleave means
* So close together that air can't get through
* Stuck together as two pieces of wood glued to strengthen each other
* Joined together in sex
Oneness will bring in happiness and safety.
In today's world the wife works. The husband works. They are both tired when they come home. The next thing you know, division has stepped in because the god of the air: satan, in Ephesians 2:2 has broken the oneness of love and replaced it with the spirit of confusion. "Why did we ever get married?" "Look at all the money problems we have." The next step, sad to say, is a broken marriage.
Do not be ignorant, satan is the cause of this kind of hurt. God wants us to love our spouse. He wants us to be one. He would like to see us happy and content.
Bible References (KJV)
Ephesians 2:2 "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience"
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The Hindrance Of Pride
January 21st
READ: Mark 11:1-25
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins (Mark 11:24-25).
What Jesus is saying is, "The great hindrance to having faith in God is pride, the pride that refuses to forgive. That is like a mountain that fills up your whole life. All you can see is that big mountain looming before you, and it is blocking the life of God in your life. You have the power to have that removed if, when you stand and pray, you will forgive those who have offended you." Because the only thing that stops us from forgiving one another is pride. We feel justified in wanting others to forgive us but also in feeling that we have to exact a price for the hurt they have caused us. So, in many ways—subtle, or direct and open—we insist that we will not forgive, that our offenders have to pay for what they have done to us. Somehow, we are going to make them crawl, make them beg or plead for forgiveness. "And that," Jesus says, "is a great mountain that needs to be removed, for it is blocking the flow of the life of God to your faith." So when you stand and pray, life will flow from God when you are able to recognize that you, too, need forgiveness. God has forgiven you. God has offered it freely to you; give it just as freely to the one who has offended you.
After many years of ministry, I can recite evidence by the yard that this is true. The one thing above all else that seems to block the flow of the life of God to an individual, to a church, or to a nation, is this unwillingness to forgive, this holding of grudges, this desire to put somebody down in order to feel good yourself, this unwillingness to set these things aside and let God heal all the hurts of life.
That is why Jesus puts His finger on this one thing. Is this not amazing? The nation Israel lost its life because it would not forgive the Gentiles, the Romans, who had offended and grieved it. Instead, it gathered its robes of self-righteousness about it and looked with pride up to God and said, "I thank God I am not like these other people." God says that is what ends the life of a nation. That is what ends the life of a church. And that is what ends the spiritual life of an individual, as it cuts him or her off.
Father, how many times I have refused the forgiving word, the restoring act, only to be tormented by fears and anxieties and worries. Thank You for the forgiveness that is mine in Jesus Christ. Teach me to extend it to those around me.
This daily devotion was inspired by one of Ray's sermons.
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To Seek and Save the Lost
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10.
The heaven-appointed Teacher appears, and He is no less a personage than the Son of the Infinite God. Unroll the scroll, and read of Him. Moses declared to the children of Israel: "The Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." Here is the prediction announcing the distinguished arrival. His words were not to be disregarded; for His authority was supreme, and His power invincible.
Unroll the scroll still further, and read what Isaiah says of His work: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." . . .
Again we read of Christ as the messenger of the covenant yet to come, and as the Sun of Righteousness yet to arise. The prophets made Him their earliest and their latest theme. . . .
At His coming [the Jews] did not receive Him, because they had gathered a false idea as to the manner of His coming. This Jesus, a peasant and a carpenter, of obscure origin, the Son of God, the Messiah? It could not be.
But the peculiarity separating the Jews from other nations disappeared in Christ. He placed Himself where He could give instruction to all classes of people. Often He told them that He was related to the whole human family, Jew and Gentile. "I am not come to call the [self] righteous, but sinners to repentance," He declared. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. For this He left the ninety and nine; for this He laid off His royal robes, and veiled His divinity with humanity. The whole world is Christ's field of labor. A sphere narrower than this does not enter His thoughts (Signs of the Times, June 24, 1897).
From Lift Him Up - Page 27
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aralysis of the Pharisees
by Momong January 21st, 2009 [Wednesday]
Mark 3: 1-6
Heb 7: 1-3 / Psa 110
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than destroy it?” But they remained silent.
(Mark 3:4)
Lack of compassion leads to Pride,
The Pharisees’ paralysis;
But it can never be denied,
Love will heal us of that disease.
Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched Him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark 3:1-6)
Reflection
Imagine that. The Pharisees would rather join forces with the Herodians, their enemies (supporters of Rome) than acknowledge the compassion of Jesus for the invalid, and rejoice in the miracle of the man’s restored hand. They would rather plot to kill — on a Sabbath at that — than to investigate further if Jesus was really from God or God Himself. Why were their hearts so hardened? Because the works of our Lord were threatening their all-important positions as spiritual leaders of the people. Because of their envy and pride, their accusation that Jesus was violating the Sabbath by healing was a lame excuse to justify their evil scheme. They were in fact the ones violating this sacred day by plotting an evil deed. Their hearts had become so paralyzed by the sins of hypocrisy and lack of compassion that there was no longer any hope for them to be reformed. They had become morally atrophied.
It is quite strange that nobody in the synagogue spoke up to answer the Lord’s question that doing good and saving a life are indeed lawful on a Sabbath. Nor was a single voice heard praising God for the miracle that Jesus performed.
Reflecting on today’s Gospel, let us ask ourselves these questions: Is there any part in my life that has become paralyzed because of inactivity or silence? Has my compassion for the poor and the sick shriveled because of my own selfish concerns? Or have I been mute as if my tongue has become stiff because I fail to proclaim the Word of God? Have I lost my flexibility to change my position when I know I’m in the wrong? Am I content to just close my mind to the truth? Do I at times feel that perhaps my faith has withered, because my prayers have become mechanical, or observing the ‘Sabbath’ (Sunday Mass) has become an obligatory ritual? If most of my answers are “Yes”, then I have become no different from the Pharisees.
Our faith needs to be regularly exercised if it has to be strengthened by the grace of God. We can do this by constantly stretching out to others — in sharing God’s Word, in praying for the healing of the sick and the dying, and in extending helping hands to the needy. Otherwise, spiritual inactivity will surely lead to a paralyzed faith.
Father God, grant me the grace to do my best in helping others in need, as our Lord Jesus has shown in today’s Gospel. I would rather have a paralyzed hand than an atrophied heart. Amen.
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THE JOY OF MY LIFE
“There had been a humble willingness to have Him with me -- and He came.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 12
I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.” Psalm 40:8
For what it's worth: In the last years of my drinking, there was no joy. No wonder I wanted to end my life. But God would not cooperate, so the constant misery forced me to seek help. That was the best decision of my bad-decision life, because it gradually brought into my life everything I had ever sought. I was blind to it for a long time, but now I see clearly how God knew what He had written on my heart. He knew what would make me happy. He had been trying to tell me all along, but I would not listen, until I finally stopped fighting Him and surrendered, thanks to Alcoholics Anonymous. Without AA I would never have come to understand the life-giving significance of a “conscious contact” with my Higher Power. There are many ways to express what man ultimately seeks in life, but I have found from personal experience, when God and I are together there is joy in my life. And all I have to do is have “a humble willingness”, and He always comes to me. You see, He always knew that, down deep in my being, what I really sought was to be with Him each day, doing what He wants me to do that day. That is the fulfillment of my once empty soul, my purpose in life, and the joy of my life!
God bless you!
Joe W.
8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; 9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. 1 Timothy 2
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Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, 'Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.' 'Who are my mother and my brothers?' he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.' Mark 3:31-35
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Don't turn back
A long journey, undertaken on foot, is accomplished one step at a time; a book is written one word at a time; and a life of holiness is lived one day at a time.
For that reason it takes patience to accomplish all three.
To live a holy life requires much patience and few they are who have the patience to become a saint.
Brethren, we are on a road that leads to Heaven and the journey may be a long one filled with many difficulties and sufferings.
Don't turn back.
Don't take detours.
Do not look for shortcuts because they all lead to blind alleys.
Do not allow others to side track you unto roads that lead nowhere, but instead keep on the road that leads to Heaven.
Neither turning to the left nor to the right but keep on going on the road that leads straight to Heaven.
Hallelujah!
©01/21/2001 Jim Welch
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Our Darkest Hour
And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves; but he [Jesus] was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us; we perish (Mt. 8:24-25).
I once watched a seen on the television show, "Little House on the Prairie" in which the Ingles family were going through a desperate time. I do not really remember what was wrong, but I remembered one of the ways they chose to deal with their circumstances. One of the family members read from the Psalms while the others sat by and listened. This seemed to help give them hope in the midst of their darkest storm.
As I thought about this, I wondered how many of us today handle our darkest hour in a similar fashion. Do we come together and read aloud the scriptures, or do we withdraw to our own quiet corner in despair? Do we quickly come to God and ask Him for His help, or do we sit motionless, staring into space like helpless zombies?
The disciples were afraid because of the storm. And because of that fear they felt certain they would perish. Yet, even still, they knew where to run. They knew who to turn to.
Within our dark storms, the fountains of worry and fear spring up all around. We easily lose sight of God, because we get to where we cannot see anything but the problems. The more we focus on the problems, the bigger they become. They begin to overwhelm, and we soon find ourselves victims of circumstance. The situation becomes more and more powerful, demanding all of our energy, time and attention, until we are weak and unable to do anything but think about the unconquerable happening.
What can be done? For starters we need to force ourselves to move our focus away from the problem and toward the solution. Coming together with others and reading the Word of God is a way to provide hope, encouragement and strength. It is a way for us to take control of the immense problem and put it into perspective. It is nothing God cannot handle. It is nothing that took God by surprise. And it is nothing He cannot help us through. Compared to Him--it is nothing.
We have our own ways of handling painful and troublesome situations. If we are honest with ourselves, many of us might agree that our own ways usually draw us to wallow in pools of self pity, or cause us to retreat and lick our wounds. We do at times handle things fairly well. We get by. We make it through. Yet, there is a way that is best. A way that can bring the good, out of what may appear to be a bad situation. We just have to let go of our way and allow ourselves to be lifted up by the Hand of God.
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 (Rom. 8:28).
Day by Day Devotionals
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January 21
Read Exodus 11 -- 13 http://www.studylight.org/desk/?l=en&query=ex+11-ex+13§ion=0&translation=kjv&oq=
Highlights In Today's Reading:
The blood from the passover lamb must be applied to the lintel and the two side posts. . . . as the Lord had commanded (12:22).
The Egyptians and the Israelites alike were sinners by nature. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The Holy God cannot ignore sin. So the death sentence was passed upon all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Ex. 11:5) where Israelites and Egyptians both dwelt.
However, God provided a way of deliverance for the Israelites because of His covenant with Abraham. But it was surely not by works of their righteousness — they had none. The sentence of death must be executed, but for all who believed in the One True God, a substitute was offered. The sentence of death fell upon an innocent victim, a lamb without blemish (12:5), and its blood was applied as God had directed.
God gave specific qualifications for the Israelites to be passed over (12:27). They were also to follow His instructions exactly to fulfill their part of the Covenant. They placed faith in God by obeying His command and ate all the lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs (12:7-10). Jesus fulfilled Passover by offering His innocent blood in our stead. Christians are also called to fulfill our part of the New Covenant by obeying all the Word of God and living sanctified (separated, dedicated) lives. As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (behavior) (I Pet. 1:15).
The old life and all that it meant in Egypt was gone. This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you (Ex. 12:2). The same is true for a believer today: Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Cor. 5:17). All that attracted our attention in the old life — the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (I John 2:16) — have no spiritual value and cannot bring eternal life. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life (John 3:36). It is also true that not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven (Matt. 7:21).
The lamb was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ our Passover . . . (who was) sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (I Cor. 5:7-8).
Thought for Today:
The old hymn still asks the most important question ever asked: "Are you washed in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?"
Christ Revealed:
By the blood applied to the door posts. Jesus is not "a door," but "The Door" to heaven. There is no other way to heaven except through Him (Ex. 12:7,12-13,21-23; John 10:9;14:6; Acts 4:10-12).
Word Studies:
11:7 move his tongue = bark, growl; 12:9 purtenance = internal organs; 12:11 your loins girded = dressed ready for travel; 12:22 hyssop = common plant of the mint family; lintel = crosspiece above the door; 12:36 spoiled = took all the valuables; 13:2 Sanctify = Dedicate; 13:3 leavened bread = bread with yeast — symbolic of corruption and evil; 13:12 matrix = womb; 13:16 token = reminder that we belong to God; frontlets = small leather box containing Scripture; 13:17 repent = change their minds; 13:18 harnessed = in military order.
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I like it Dark
John 3:20
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Fear of the Light
My junior high school was heated by a huge coal-burning furnace. Entrance to the furnace room was down a dark, narrow stairway under the stage in the auditorium. One day when I got to school, I noticed the principal and several teachers standing near the top of those stairs. All of us students realized something serious had happened. We stood around our lockers trying to figure out what was going on.
Soon after the bell rang for first period class, the principal called an assembly of the whole student body. He announced that the janitor had fortunately discovered a fire in a trashcan at the bottom of the stairs. After looking through the papers and other trash, the janitor had found the remains of a cigarette. Since neither the janitor, the principal nor any of the rest of the staff had been on the stairs that morning, he pointed out that a student must have thrown the cigarette away to keep from getting in trouble. Then, he warned everyone of the terrible danger we had all been exposed to and demanded that no one ever smoke in the building again.
This incident illustrates how evil hates the light. Whoever had been smoking on the stairs leading to the basement felt the need to hide. An adult would have simply gone outside to his car or walked around the block while smoking. Only a student would feel the need to hide in the darkness. He hid because he didn’t want his “evil deed” to be exposed.
Nothing has changed since the very first sin was committed thousands of years ago. As soon as Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they hid. Of course, we look at their action and think, “How stupid can you get? Surely they knew God would find them!” But, don’t we do the exact same thing? Instead of owning up to our sin and disobedience we try to hide it by making excuses or blaming others.
Of course, our attempts at hiding our sins are about as effective as Adam and Eve’s. God sees right through us. He calls us out into the open and insists that we expose ourselves to his holy light. Then, he does the very same thing he did for Adam and Eve. He forgives us and hides our sin. God hid Adam and Eve’s nakedness by killing some animals and clothing them in their skins. He hides our sin behind the blood of His Son Jesus who died so we could be forgiven.
Today’s Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you for making me see how foolish it is to think I can hide my sins from you. More than that, thank you for loving me so much that you sent Jesus to die for me so you could cover my sins up and make me a person who loves the light. Amen.
Written by Martha E Menne
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1 Minute Daily Devotions
January 21, 2009
A Regular Meeting
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed." - Mark 1:35
You know, one of the reasons I love to be at the Sea of Galilee region in Israel is because it's one of those places where you can still see what it was like in Jesus' day. It's a place where you can very easily visualize Jesus wandering up in the hills - whether in the early morning, early evening, or even in the middle of the night - and finding a quiet place, just to spend time with His Father. So, I ask you, "If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to spend time with His Father, don't you think you do, as well?"
Let me share a personal insight. On my own, I am too selfish, too lazy, and too busy to arrange regular time alone with God. I just don't have the discipline to make that happen. And I'll bet you have the same issues standing between you and a direct relationship with your Heavenly Father. If so, here is my secret to overcoming my self-made obstacles and creating a lifestyle of regular time alone with God - ask Him. Simply ask God to give you the hunger to know Him and the determination to make it happen. He'll be glad to teach you how to create the discipline and opportunity to have a regular meeting with Him!
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Census
Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 24:1-17; Psalm 44:6-7.
We take census taking for granted in America, and every 10 years we expect a knock on our door. But when King David made a census of the fighting men, the Lord punished him.
Why would it be wrong to take a census of the fighting men? David found that he had 800,000 men in Israel and in Judah there were 500,000. Now when David planned a war, he would automatically calculate his strength against his enemy's strength, trusting in the number of men he had, rather than in the strength of the Lord to win the victory.
When we are fighting our battles do we take a census of our strengths, or do we depend on the Lord for victory?
Moment of Meditation: Our strengths in themselves are no match for the devices of the devil.
A Talk with Jesus: Jesus, I depend upon You, and You alone, to bring me victory over all of the enemy's attacks in my life.
For Further Study: Ephesians 6:10-18
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One Flesh
Daily Devotional for January 21
Genesis 2:24 "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
God intended marriages to be one. Cleave means
* So close together that air can't get through
* Stuck together as two pieces of wood glued to strengthen each other
* Joined together in sex
Oneness will bring in happiness and safety.
In today's world the wife works. The husband works. They are both tired when they come home. The next thing you know, division has stepped in because the god of the air: satan, in Ephesians 2:2 has broken the oneness of love and replaced it with the spirit of confusion. "Why did we ever get married?" "Look at all the money problems we have." The next step, sad to say, is a broken marriage.
Do not be ignorant, satan is the cause of this kind of hurt. God wants us to love our spouse. He wants us to be one. He would like to see us happy and content.
Bible References (KJV)
Ephesians 2:2 "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience"
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The Hindrance Of Pride
January 21st
READ: Mark 11:1-25
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins (Mark 11:24-25).
What Jesus is saying is, "The great hindrance to having faith in God is pride, the pride that refuses to forgive. That is like a mountain that fills up your whole life. All you can see is that big mountain looming before you, and it is blocking the life of God in your life. You have the power to have that removed if, when you stand and pray, you will forgive those who have offended you." Because the only thing that stops us from forgiving one another is pride. We feel justified in wanting others to forgive us but also in feeling that we have to exact a price for the hurt they have caused us. So, in many ways—subtle, or direct and open—we insist that we will not forgive, that our offenders have to pay for what they have done to us. Somehow, we are going to make them crawl, make them beg or plead for forgiveness. "And that," Jesus says, "is a great mountain that needs to be removed, for it is blocking the flow of the life of God to your faith." So when you stand and pray, life will flow from God when you are able to recognize that you, too, need forgiveness. God has forgiven you. God has offered it freely to you; give it just as freely to the one who has offended you.
After many years of ministry, I can recite evidence by the yard that this is true. The one thing above all else that seems to block the flow of the life of God to an individual, to a church, or to a nation, is this unwillingness to forgive, this holding of grudges, this desire to put somebody down in order to feel good yourself, this unwillingness to set these things aside and let God heal all the hurts of life.
That is why Jesus puts His finger on this one thing. Is this not amazing? The nation Israel lost its life because it would not forgive the Gentiles, the Romans, who had offended and grieved it. Instead, it gathered its robes of self-righteousness about it and looked with pride up to God and said, "I thank God I am not like these other people." God says that is what ends the life of a nation. That is what ends the life of a church. And that is what ends the spiritual life of an individual, as it cuts him or her off.
Father, how many times I have refused the forgiving word, the restoring act, only to be tormented by fears and anxieties and worries. Thank You for the forgiveness that is mine in Jesus Christ. Teach me to extend it to those around me.
This daily devotion was inspired by one of Ray's sermons.
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To Seek and Save the Lost
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10.
The heaven-appointed Teacher appears, and He is no less a personage than the Son of the Infinite God. Unroll the scroll, and read of Him. Moses declared to the children of Israel: "The Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." Here is the prediction announcing the distinguished arrival. His words were not to be disregarded; for His authority was supreme, and His power invincible.
Unroll the scroll still further, and read what Isaiah says of His work: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." . . .
Again we read of Christ as the messenger of the covenant yet to come, and as the Sun of Righteousness yet to arise. The prophets made Him their earliest and their latest theme. . . .
At His coming [the Jews] did not receive Him, because they had gathered a false idea as to the manner of His coming. This Jesus, a peasant and a carpenter, of obscure origin, the Son of God, the Messiah? It could not be.
But the peculiarity separating the Jews from other nations disappeared in Christ. He placed Himself where He could give instruction to all classes of people. Often He told them that He was related to the whole human family, Jew and Gentile. "I am not come to call the [self] righteous, but sinners to repentance," He declared. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. For this He left the ninety and nine; for this He laid off His royal robes, and veiled His divinity with humanity. The whole world is Christ's field of labor. A sphere narrower than this does not enter His thoughts (Signs of the Times, June 24, 1897).
From Lift Him Up - Page 27
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aralysis of the Pharisees
by Momong January 21st, 2009 [Wednesday]
Mark 3: 1-6
Heb 7: 1-3 / Psa 110
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than destroy it?” But they remained silent.
(Mark 3:4)
Lack of compassion leads to Pride,
The Pharisees’ paralysis;
But it can never be denied,
Love will heal us of that disease.
Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched Him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark 3:1-6)
Reflection
Imagine that. The Pharisees would rather join forces with the Herodians, their enemies (supporters of Rome) than acknowledge the compassion of Jesus for the invalid, and rejoice in the miracle of the man’s restored hand. They would rather plot to kill — on a Sabbath at that — than to investigate further if Jesus was really from God or God Himself. Why were their hearts so hardened? Because the works of our Lord were threatening their all-important positions as spiritual leaders of the people. Because of their envy and pride, their accusation that Jesus was violating the Sabbath by healing was a lame excuse to justify their evil scheme. They were in fact the ones violating this sacred day by plotting an evil deed. Their hearts had become so paralyzed by the sins of hypocrisy and lack of compassion that there was no longer any hope for them to be reformed. They had become morally atrophied.
It is quite strange that nobody in the synagogue spoke up to answer the Lord’s question that doing good and saving a life are indeed lawful on a Sabbath. Nor was a single voice heard praising God for the miracle that Jesus performed.
Reflecting on today’s Gospel, let us ask ourselves these questions: Is there any part in my life that has become paralyzed because of inactivity or silence? Has my compassion for the poor and the sick shriveled because of my own selfish concerns? Or have I been mute as if my tongue has become stiff because I fail to proclaim the Word of God? Have I lost my flexibility to change my position when I know I’m in the wrong? Am I content to just close my mind to the truth? Do I at times feel that perhaps my faith has withered, because my prayers have become mechanical, or observing the ‘Sabbath’ (Sunday Mass) has become an obligatory ritual? If most of my answers are “Yes”, then I have become no different from the Pharisees.
Our faith needs to be regularly exercised if it has to be strengthened by the grace of God. We can do this by constantly stretching out to others — in sharing God’s Word, in praying for the healing of the sick and the dying, and in extending helping hands to the needy. Otherwise, spiritual inactivity will surely lead to a paralyzed faith.
Father God, grant me the grace to do my best in helping others in need, as our Lord Jesus has shown in today’s Gospel. I would rather have a paralyzed hand than an atrophied heart. Amen.
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THE JOY OF MY LIFE
“There had been a humble willingness to have Him with me -- and He came.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 12
I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.” Psalm 40:8
For what it's worth: In the last years of my drinking, there was no joy. No wonder I wanted to end my life. But God would not cooperate, so the constant misery forced me to seek help. That was the best decision of my bad-decision life, because it gradually brought into my life everything I had ever sought. I was blind to it for a long time, but now I see clearly how God knew what He had written on my heart. He knew what would make me happy. He had been trying to tell me all along, but I would not listen, until I finally stopped fighting Him and surrendered, thanks to Alcoholics Anonymous. Without AA I would never have come to understand the life-giving significance of a “conscious contact” with my Higher Power. There are many ways to express what man ultimately seeks in life, but I have found from personal experience, when God and I are together there is joy in my life. And all I have to do is have “a humble willingness”, and He always comes to me. You see, He always knew that, down deep in my being, what I really sought was to be with Him each day, doing what He wants me to do that day. That is the fulfillment of my once empty soul, my purpose in life, and the joy of my life!
God bless you!
Joe W.