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01-22-2009, 10:00 PM
A New Covenant
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds[b] I will remember no more.”[c]
13 In that He says, “A new covenant, ” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8
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Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:1-5
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Apply His words to your whole life
Stand firm in the things that Jesus Christ has taught you and never stray.
Walk through life with the Master's words brought to your remembrance every day.
Come, let us follow Jesus and the words He had to say.
Apply His words to your whole life and every word obey.
You shall become like a house that is built on a rock that will never fall.
This great certainty and security is granted to everyone who gives Jesus Christ his all and all.
Every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God set your heart to do.
Reaffirm your life to God everyday and to Jesus Christ our Lord to be forever true.
Brethren if you do this our God will pour out His Blessings on you.
©01/23/2001 Jim Welch
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Meeting Needs
Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26).
Time and again all throughout scripture, God promises us that He will take care of us. Matthew six makes specific references to food, water and clothing. Yet the context of scripture indicates that it is God who meets all of your needs. Philippians 4:19 tells us "But my God shall supply all of your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
We have a difficult time remembering that He supplies for the things mentioned in Matthew six, let alone everything else. For some odd reason, we think that by our abilities we get a job. And that by our work, we earn an income. And that by our income, we are able to have food to eat, clothing to wear and a house to live in. We take the responsibility to provide for our families seriously and believe that since working is what God expects of us, then His expectation is as far as He goes with us. Sure, we say God gives us this or that, but underneath it all we often feel it is us who has provided these things. This must be so, otherwise we wouldn't worry so much when we find ourselves out of work. Who we trust shines through when we are unemployed. We pray and everything, but we then scramble for classified adds and job applications--ready to take just about anything that means a steady paycheck.
Such situations are difficult to be sure, but they can be a lot easier to endure when we stop putting our trust in what we can do to provide and start looking to see what God has provided us to do.
He Knows
When things are not as clear,
as we thought that they might be.
And our not so distant future's filled,
with great uncertainty.
It's then I need to cling to God,
more fervent than before.
And seek an open window,
when it seems He's shut the door.
For I know there are more avenues,
than I can sometimes see.
And God will never close the door,
to just abandon me.
At times my way of thinking,
doesn't match His way divine.
Or things I seek do not fall in,
His way, His place, or time.
So now I must determine,
to let go of it all.
And know that God is faithful,
to make the judgment call.
He knows the road ahead of me,
contains some rocks and weeds.
And He alone knows what it takes,
to fill all of my needs.
God knows our needs, but He needs to know we trust Him to meet those needs. If we do trust Him with the faith of a child, then we can rest worry free in the interim.
". . .God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say in confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. . ." (Heb. 13:5-6).
Day by Day Devotionals
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Read Exodus 17 -- 19
Highlights In Today's Reading:
The Israelites are called a peculiar treasure (19:5), which meant they are now set apart as a precious treasure to the Lord.
Israel had journeyed to Marah where they could not drink the water because it was bitter. The people began to criticize Moses saying: What shall we drink? (15:24) — as if the God who destroyed Pharaoh's army couldn't provide water.
After this experience we are again saddened by another inexcusable complaint from the Israelites. God had demonstrated that He can do anything, but the children of Israel constantly questioned His power to supply their daily needs. Their complete lack of trust was evidenced by the question: Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? (Ps. 78:19). Again, Israel was faced with a test to their dependence upon God. This time it was not the bitter water they couldn't drink, but the total absence of water.
There is no record that even one Israelite died of thirst. The children of Israel had journeyed according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim (Ex. 17:1). The Lord knew there was no water there. This illustrates the fact that God always arranges to test and develop our faith. God desires to bring us to the place where we no longer rely upon material and human resources.
Although we often seek advice from others, we should try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world (I John 4:1).
Often when we reach some particular difficulty or discouraging situation, we find it easy to blame ourselves or our Christian brethren or condemning someone for our uncomfortable situation, just as the Israelites blamed Moses — as if everything were his fault. Those who are led by the Lord must expect to encounter many unexpected situations that will test their faith in the faithfulness of God.
Job or emotional stress, discontent, faultfinding, hate, jealousy — all are evidence of self demanding its own way. But, more seriously, they are expressions of distrust in the wisdom and goodness of God. It's easy to praise the Lord when our needs are quickly met. However, faith is not based on favorable circumstances, but on the Lord Jesus Christ. All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).
Thought for Today:
Trusting the Word of God that he will supply all your need according to His riches seems to be a life lesson that we must continually learn (Phil. 4:19).
Christ Revealed:
As the Rock and the Water that came forth from it (Ex. 17:6). They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed (accompanied) them: and that Rock was Christ (I Cor. 10:4; compare John 7:38).
Word Studies:
17:2 chide with = angrily criticized; tempt = test; 17:12 heavy = too tired from holding up his hands; stayed = supported; 17:13 discomfited = defeated; 17:15 Jehovah-nissi = the Lord is my banner; 18:7 obeisance = an expression of respect; 18:8 travail = hardships they endured; 19:4 bare you on = sustained you on; 19:5 peculiar treasure = exclusive, special possession; 19:16 trembled = were terrified; 19:21 charge = admonish.
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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 23, 2009
Bone-Headed Honesty
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another." - Colossians 3:13
As a new husband, I made the decision to always be totally honest with Anne. So, whenever I had a lustful thought, I'd say, "You know, I could be sexually attracted to her." Well, after about a year of this, Anne just plain exploded! "Don't tell me that stuff!" she stated, "You're driving me crazy!" Hey, I was trying to be honest. But, it finally registered that maybe I hadn't really handled that situation very well. True, I needed to confess my sin-thought to God, but I was foolish to create that insecurity for my wife. To her, in that case, I should have kept my confessing between God and me.
But when sin goes beyond thoughts and some action has taken place - such as dabbling in pornography - then that sin does need to be confessed to your wife. Your marriage will never have the closeness God intends unless you and your partner are honest on this subject.
And a word to the wives: if your husband is man enough to confess a problem that he's dealing with, I hope that you'll seek to forgive. You say, "But I've been deceived. I've been betrayed." Yes you have, but I hope you'll seek to forgive. Because an opportunity is created when your husband genuinely repents and you are willing to forgive. It's an opportunity for a new beginning, to be close in your marriage; an opportunity of love and respect, just as God desires.
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True Strength
Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 11:11-12, 16-17; 12:1; 1 Corinthians 1:25.
Rehoboam, son of Solomon, served God only three years after he succeeded his father as king. After he established his kingdom and strengthened himself, he forsook the Lord, and all Israel followed him.
How typical! We seek the Lord when we are weak and afraid, but when we perceive ourselves to be strong and established, we don't need God any more. And we encourage others who look to us for guidance to forsake Him as well.
If you have reached some pinnacle of success in life, beware that you don't forsake the Lord. Now matter how secure and strong you feel, your soul's enemy is always stronger. If you forsake the Lord, you will ultimately fail.
Moment of Meditation: God's weakness is stronger that man's greatest strength.
A Talk with Jesus: Lord, let us never forget you, no matter what our accomplishments are.
For Further Study: Mark 8:31-37; Colossians 3:1-3.
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No Fear
Daily Devotional for January 23
1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
The fear of failure stops more people from doing anything. A person may have a good idea, but because they feel in their emotions they would fail, they never start.
Fear is one of the weapons satan uses to stop the work of God. A person may start Bible College and quit, because satan sends all kinds of negative thoughts such as "you cannot make it", until that thought becomes action, causing this person to fear that they can't make it. Things may go wrong and they quit.
Love is always saying we can make it, because in love there is no negativity, only encouragement. We can do it. Love is the fortress against the attacks of the kingdom of darkness. For love never faileth. No not once. God is love.
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The Attitude That Matters
January 23rd
READ: Mark 12:28-44
I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on (Mark 12:43b-44).
The religious performance among these scribes and Pharisees had reached such an absurd state of affairs that some of the Pharisees, before they made their contribution to the great collection box Jesus was watching here, actually summoned a trumpeter to go before them to get everybody's attention. Then the Pharisee would come up and proudly deposit a bag of gold in the treasury chest. He wanted everybody to see his ample gift.
I heard about a dear man standing up in a meeting where an offering was taken who said, "I want to give $100—anonymously." But in this passage Jesus said the one who really moved His heart and contributed tremendously to the kingdom of God was a little unnamed, unknown widow who had no influence, who had no outward posture of being worth anything. She came and put in two tiny coins that added up to no more than a penny; but because she loved the Lord her God with all her heart, all her soul, all her strength, and all her mind, she gave it. And Jesus said, "She has done more for the kingdom of heaven than all the outward performances of all these others combined." What is that saying to us?
We are so intent upon the fact that God wants some kind of activity on our part. We think that the way to serve God is to do spectacular or showy things—to win a lot of people to Christ or to give our time or work in open ways. Yet the Scriptures tell us over and over that works are just the channel. God wants performance, but only if the attitude of our heart is right. If you cannot do anything outwardly, your attitude may still be right—your attitude toward your neighbor and friends and your children and your husband and your wife and your boss and those who irritate you. If your attitude is one of love, love received from the God who loves you, then you are advancing the kingdom of God far, far more than all that is done outwardly by the greatest saints of our day and time.
Is that not amazing! God says, "You can serve me in the quiet of your home and by the gentle, sweet spirit that you display in the midst of pressures and problems. You have done more to advance the kingdom of God than those who get out and proclaim the word on public address systems everywhere." That is the way God sees life.
That is both discouraging and encouraging. It is discouraging for those of us who have a public ministry. We are mentally jotting down in the back of our minds how impressed God ought to be with our performance. But God is looking at our heart. This is encouraging for us to remember in those private moments when our attitude changes. Nobody was watching, nobody saw what we were thinking, yet, instead of being short and caustic and sarcastic, we were sweet and patient and gentle. Jesus says the kingdom of God is advanced by that attitude.
Lord, You have called me to this way of life, and You must empower it. Help me to be a loving instrument expressing Your quality of life today.
This daily devotion was inspired by one of Ray's sermons
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A Restorer
Thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Isa. 58:12.
The Son of God came to the world as a restorer. He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Every word He uttered was spirit and life. He spoke with authority, conscious of His power to bless humanity, and deliver the captives bound by Satan; conscious also that by His presence He could bring to the world fullness of joy. He longed to help every oppressed and suffering member of the human family, and show that it was His prerogative to bless, not to condemn.
It was no robbery for Christ to do the works of God; for this was the purpose He came from heaven to fulfill, and for this the treasures of eternity were at His command. In the disposal of His gifts He was to know no control. He passed by the self-exalted, the honored, and the rich, and mingled with the poor and oppressed, bringing into their lives a brightness, a hope, and an aspiration they had never before known. He pronounced a blessing on all who should suffer for His sake, declaring: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." . . .
Christ distinctly appropriated to Himself the right to authority and allegiance. "Ye call me Master and Lord," He said, "and ye say well; for so I am." "One is your Master, even Christ." Thus He maintained the dignity that belonged to His name, and the authority and power He possessed in heaven.
There were occasions when He spoke with the dignity of His own true greatness. "He that hath ears to hear," He said, "let him hear." In these words He was only repeating the command of God, when from His excellent glory the Infinite One had declared, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him."Standing amid the frowning Pharisees, who sought to make their own importance felt, Christ did not hesitate to compare Himself with the most distinguished representative men who had walked the earth, and to claim preeminence above them all.
Jonah was one of these men, held in high estimation by the Jewish nation . . . . As Christ recalled to the minds of His hearers, Jonah's message and his instrumentality in saving that people, He said: "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here."
Christ knew that the Israelites regarded Solomon as the greatest king that ever wielded a scepter over an earthly kingdom.. . . Yet Christ declared: . . . "Behold, a greater than Solomon is here" (Youth`s Instructor, Sept. 23, 1897).
From Lift Him Up - Page 29
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BLESSED TO BE A MEMBER
“They have found wisdom beyond their usual capability.” 12&12 p.104
“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.” Proverbs 24:3
For what it's worth: Wisdom was not one of my strengths. I was immature and foolish. Fortunately, God takes care of children, fools and drunks. I had triple coverage, and God knew I needed to be with wise people who could guide me by example. I would not listen to words alone. And I was not easily impressed. But the degree of sharing and action in Alcoholics Anonymous kept me coming back. I am still coming back, because of what I found here in AA. Here is a program founded upon the wisdom of personal experience, with the understanding that can only come from walking in the shoes of others, and established on the basis of actively giving to others. Actually, once an AA member is given even a drop of that wisdom and understanding, they can not keep it unless they give it away. I am blessed, indeed, to be a member of this wondrous Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous!
God bless you!
Joe W.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds[b] I will remember no more.”[c]
13 In that He says, “A new covenant, ” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8
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Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:1-5
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Apply His words to your whole life
Stand firm in the things that Jesus Christ has taught you and never stray.
Walk through life with the Master's words brought to your remembrance every day.
Come, let us follow Jesus and the words He had to say.
Apply His words to your whole life and every word obey.
You shall become like a house that is built on a rock that will never fall.
This great certainty and security is granted to everyone who gives Jesus Christ his all and all.
Every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God set your heart to do.
Reaffirm your life to God everyday and to Jesus Christ our Lord to be forever true.
Brethren if you do this our God will pour out His Blessings on you.
©01/23/2001 Jim Welch
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Meeting Needs
Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26).
Time and again all throughout scripture, God promises us that He will take care of us. Matthew six makes specific references to food, water and clothing. Yet the context of scripture indicates that it is God who meets all of your needs. Philippians 4:19 tells us "But my God shall supply all of your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
We have a difficult time remembering that He supplies for the things mentioned in Matthew six, let alone everything else. For some odd reason, we think that by our abilities we get a job. And that by our work, we earn an income. And that by our income, we are able to have food to eat, clothing to wear and a house to live in. We take the responsibility to provide for our families seriously and believe that since working is what God expects of us, then His expectation is as far as He goes with us. Sure, we say God gives us this or that, but underneath it all we often feel it is us who has provided these things. This must be so, otherwise we wouldn't worry so much when we find ourselves out of work. Who we trust shines through when we are unemployed. We pray and everything, but we then scramble for classified adds and job applications--ready to take just about anything that means a steady paycheck.
Such situations are difficult to be sure, but they can be a lot easier to endure when we stop putting our trust in what we can do to provide and start looking to see what God has provided us to do.
He Knows
When things are not as clear,
as we thought that they might be.
And our not so distant future's filled,
with great uncertainty.
It's then I need to cling to God,
more fervent than before.
And seek an open window,
when it seems He's shut the door.
For I know there are more avenues,
than I can sometimes see.
And God will never close the door,
to just abandon me.
At times my way of thinking,
doesn't match His way divine.
Or things I seek do not fall in,
His way, His place, or time.
So now I must determine,
to let go of it all.
And know that God is faithful,
to make the judgment call.
He knows the road ahead of me,
contains some rocks and weeds.
And He alone knows what it takes,
to fill all of my needs.
God knows our needs, but He needs to know we trust Him to meet those needs. If we do trust Him with the faith of a child, then we can rest worry free in the interim.
". . .God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say in confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. . ." (Heb. 13:5-6).
Day by Day Devotionals
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Read Exodus 17 -- 19
Highlights In Today's Reading:
The Israelites are called a peculiar treasure (19:5), which meant they are now set apart as a precious treasure to the Lord.
Israel had journeyed to Marah where they could not drink the water because it was bitter. The people began to criticize Moses saying: What shall we drink? (15:24) — as if the God who destroyed Pharaoh's army couldn't provide water.
After this experience we are again saddened by another inexcusable complaint from the Israelites. God had demonstrated that He can do anything, but the children of Israel constantly questioned His power to supply their daily needs. Their complete lack of trust was evidenced by the question: Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? (Ps. 78:19). Again, Israel was faced with a test to their dependence upon God. This time it was not the bitter water they couldn't drink, but the total absence of water.
There is no record that even one Israelite died of thirst. The children of Israel had journeyed according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim (Ex. 17:1). The Lord knew there was no water there. This illustrates the fact that God always arranges to test and develop our faith. God desires to bring us to the place where we no longer rely upon material and human resources.
Although we often seek advice from others, we should try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world (I John 4:1).
Often when we reach some particular difficulty or discouraging situation, we find it easy to blame ourselves or our Christian brethren or condemning someone for our uncomfortable situation, just as the Israelites blamed Moses — as if everything were his fault. Those who are led by the Lord must expect to encounter many unexpected situations that will test their faith in the faithfulness of God.
Job or emotional stress, discontent, faultfinding, hate, jealousy — all are evidence of self demanding its own way. But, more seriously, they are expressions of distrust in the wisdom and goodness of God. It's easy to praise the Lord when our needs are quickly met. However, faith is not based on favorable circumstances, but on the Lord Jesus Christ. All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).
Thought for Today:
Trusting the Word of God that he will supply all your need according to His riches seems to be a life lesson that we must continually learn (Phil. 4:19).
Christ Revealed:
As the Rock and the Water that came forth from it (Ex. 17:6). They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed (accompanied) them: and that Rock was Christ (I Cor. 10:4; compare John 7:38).
Word Studies:
17:2 chide with = angrily criticized; tempt = test; 17:12 heavy = too tired from holding up his hands; stayed = supported; 17:13 discomfited = defeated; 17:15 Jehovah-nissi = the Lord is my banner; 18:7 obeisance = an expression of respect; 18:8 travail = hardships they endured; 19:4 bare you on = sustained you on; 19:5 peculiar treasure = exclusive, special possession; 19:16 trembled = were terrified; 19:21 charge = admonish.
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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 23, 2009
Bone-Headed Honesty
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another." - Colossians 3:13
As a new husband, I made the decision to always be totally honest with Anne. So, whenever I had a lustful thought, I'd say, "You know, I could be sexually attracted to her." Well, after about a year of this, Anne just plain exploded! "Don't tell me that stuff!" she stated, "You're driving me crazy!" Hey, I was trying to be honest. But, it finally registered that maybe I hadn't really handled that situation very well. True, I needed to confess my sin-thought to God, but I was foolish to create that insecurity for my wife. To her, in that case, I should have kept my confessing between God and me.
But when sin goes beyond thoughts and some action has taken place - such as dabbling in pornography - then that sin does need to be confessed to your wife. Your marriage will never have the closeness God intends unless you and your partner are honest on this subject.
And a word to the wives: if your husband is man enough to confess a problem that he's dealing with, I hope that you'll seek to forgive. You say, "But I've been deceived. I've been betrayed." Yes you have, but I hope you'll seek to forgive. Because an opportunity is created when your husband genuinely repents and you are willing to forgive. It's an opportunity for a new beginning, to be close in your marriage; an opportunity of love and respect, just as God desires.
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True Strength
Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 11:11-12, 16-17; 12:1; 1 Corinthians 1:25.
Rehoboam, son of Solomon, served God only three years after he succeeded his father as king. After he established his kingdom and strengthened himself, he forsook the Lord, and all Israel followed him.
How typical! We seek the Lord when we are weak and afraid, but when we perceive ourselves to be strong and established, we don't need God any more. And we encourage others who look to us for guidance to forsake Him as well.
If you have reached some pinnacle of success in life, beware that you don't forsake the Lord. Now matter how secure and strong you feel, your soul's enemy is always stronger. If you forsake the Lord, you will ultimately fail.
Moment of Meditation: God's weakness is stronger that man's greatest strength.
A Talk with Jesus: Lord, let us never forget you, no matter what our accomplishments are.
For Further Study: Mark 8:31-37; Colossians 3:1-3.
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No Fear
Daily Devotional for January 23
1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
The fear of failure stops more people from doing anything. A person may have a good idea, but because they feel in their emotions they would fail, they never start.
Fear is one of the weapons satan uses to stop the work of God. A person may start Bible College and quit, because satan sends all kinds of negative thoughts such as "you cannot make it", until that thought becomes action, causing this person to fear that they can't make it. Things may go wrong and they quit.
Love is always saying we can make it, because in love there is no negativity, only encouragement. We can do it. Love is the fortress against the attacks of the kingdom of darkness. For love never faileth. No not once. God is love.
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The Attitude That Matters
January 23rd
READ: Mark 12:28-44
I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on (Mark 12:43b-44).
The religious performance among these scribes and Pharisees had reached such an absurd state of affairs that some of the Pharisees, before they made their contribution to the great collection box Jesus was watching here, actually summoned a trumpeter to go before them to get everybody's attention. Then the Pharisee would come up and proudly deposit a bag of gold in the treasury chest. He wanted everybody to see his ample gift.
I heard about a dear man standing up in a meeting where an offering was taken who said, "I want to give $100—anonymously." But in this passage Jesus said the one who really moved His heart and contributed tremendously to the kingdom of God was a little unnamed, unknown widow who had no influence, who had no outward posture of being worth anything. She came and put in two tiny coins that added up to no more than a penny; but because she loved the Lord her God with all her heart, all her soul, all her strength, and all her mind, she gave it. And Jesus said, "She has done more for the kingdom of heaven than all the outward performances of all these others combined." What is that saying to us?
We are so intent upon the fact that God wants some kind of activity on our part. We think that the way to serve God is to do spectacular or showy things—to win a lot of people to Christ or to give our time or work in open ways. Yet the Scriptures tell us over and over that works are just the channel. God wants performance, but only if the attitude of our heart is right. If you cannot do anything outwardly, your attitude may still be right—your attitude toward your neighbor and friends and your children and your husband and your wife and your boss and those who irritate you. If your attitude is one of love, love received from the God who loves you, then you are advancing the kingdom of God far, far more than all that is done outwardly by the greatest saints of our day and time.
Is that not amazing! God says, "You can serve me in the quiet of your home and by the gentle, sweet spirit that you display in the midst of pressures and problems. You have done more to advance the kingdom of God than those who get out and proclaim the word on public address systems everywhere." That is the way God sees life.
That is both discouraging and encouraging. It is discouraging for those of us who have a public ministry. We are mentally jotting down in the back of our minds how impressed God ought to be with our performance. But God is looking at our heart. This is encouraging for us to remember in those private moments when our attitude changes. Nobody was watching, nobody saw what we were thinking, yet, instead of being short and caustic and sarcastic, we were sweet and patient and gentle. Jesus says the kingdom of God is advanced by that attitude.
Lord, You have called me to this way of life, and You must empower it. Help me to be a loving instrument expressing Your quality of life today.
This daily devotion was inspired by one of Ray's sermons
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A Restorer
Thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Isa. 58:12.
The Son of God came to the world as a restorer. He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Every word He uttered was spirit and life. He spoke with authority, conscious of His power to bless humanity, and deliver the captives bound by Satan; conscious also that by His presence He could bring to the world fullness of joy. He longed to help every oppressed and suffering member of the human family, and show that it was His prerogative to bless, not to condemn.
It was no robbery for Christ to do the works of God; for this was the purpose He came from heaven to fulfill, and for this the treasures of eternity were at His command. In the disposal of His gifts He was to know no control. He passed by the self-exalted, the honored, and the rich, and mingled with the poor and oppressed, bringing into their lives a brightness, a hope, and an aspiration they had never before known. He pronounced a blessing on all who should suffer for His sake, declaring: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." . . .
Christ distinctly appropriated to Himself the right to authority and allegiance. "Ye call me Master and Lord," He said, "and ye say well; for so I am." "One is your Master, even Christ." Thus He maintained the dignity that belonged to His name, and the authority and power He possessed in heaven.
There were occasions when He spoke with the dignity of His own true greatness. "He that hath ears to hear," He said, "let him hear." In these words He was only repeating the command of God, when from His excellent glory the Infinite One had declared, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him."Standing amid the frowning Pharisees, who sought to make their own importance felt, Christ did not hesitate to compare Himself with the most distinguished representative men who had walked the earth, and to claim preeminence above them all.
Jonah was one of these men, held in high estimation by the Jewish nation . . . . As Christ recalled to the minds of His hearers, Jonah's message and his instrumentality in saving that people, He said: "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here."
Christ knew that the Israelites regarded Solomon as the greatest king that ever wielded a scepter over an earthly kingdom.. . . Yet Christ declared: . . . "Behold, a greater than Solomon is here" (Youth`s Instructor, Sept. 23, 1897).
From Lift Him Up - Page 29
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BLESSED TO BE A MEMBER
“They have found wisdom beyond their usual capability.” 12&12 p.104
“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.” Proverbs 24:3
For what it's worth: Wisdom was not one of my strengths. I was immature and foolish. Fortunately, God takes care of children, fools and drunks. I had triple coverage, and God knew I needed to be with wise people who could guide me by example. I would not listen to words alone. And I was not easily impressed. But the degree of sharing and action in Alcoholics Anonymous kept me coming back. I am still coming back, because of what I found here in AA. Here is a program founded upon the wisdom of personal experience, with the understanding that can only come from walking in the shoes of others, and established on the basis of actively giving to others. Actually, once an AA member is given even a drop of that wisdom and understanding, they can not keep it unless they give it away. I am blessed, indeed, to be a member of this wondrous Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous!
God bless you!
Joe W.