: Devotion for week of January 30, 2007:

Do  you have a best friend? How many times a week do you talk with them? How do you feel when you go a long time without talking or hanging out with them?

Do you talk to God as much as your best friend? (just a thought)

Prayer doesn't come easy for everybody. Sometimes it's awkward, sometimes you wonder even if God is listening. So what is prayer? Well it's talking to God. What do you mean? That's it!? I'm glad you asked. It is. Prayer should be a part of our everyday lives. Prayer is a conversation we have with the creator of the universe. He speaks to us when we read His word and we talk to him through prayer.

Listen to this: "Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit." (Eph 6:18 NLT)

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. (Phil 4:6 NLT)

"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will  find grace to help us when we need it. (Heb 4:16 NLT)

 

God wants to hear from us. He wants us around! We just need to make the time to talk with Him. It's part of how we grow in our faith. The more we converse with God the more we will know Him. GOD LOVE YOU! So do I.

 

:Week of February 12:

Have you ever thought that you had everything under control, that you had everything figured out? Listen to this:

"The best equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a great warrior. Don't count on your warhorse to give you victory-for all its strength, it cannot save you. But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on His unfailing love...We depend on the Lord alone to save us. Only He can help us, protecting us like a sheild...Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you." Psalm 33:16-18,20,22

Wow! I have been there thinking I am in control of pretty much my  whole life but then something usually will happen that shakes the very foundation I stand on. I believe that is God's way of getting our attention. We need to realize that HE IS IN CONTROL, not me! Did you catch the part of God's unfailing love? He will protect us like a shield. He loves us and nothing comes into our lives with Him knowing it. God knows us so much more than we give Him credit for. Think about that this week. God knows me (the real me) and wants me to know He loves me with an UNFAILING love!!!

 

::Week of Feb. 19:

Isaiah 43:1-2 says, "But now this is what the Lord says- he who created you, O jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

This was written to the people of Judah and Jerusalem back in Isaiah's day. We can take this and apply it to our lives today. God loves us so much just like He loves the Jewish people, and ALL people! The point is that God will be with us during the tough times in our lives. God calls us by name. We are His! That is such a remarkable thought. We are God's. Have you ever sat down and thought about that? You are God's child. He will never leave you. He will be with you during the good times...and the bad. Think about this this week. Read Isaiah 43:1-2 a few times until it sinks in. Be ready to meet with God.

Week of March 19th

Christianity teaches of a God who is Father. World views or world religions speak of a God who is judge. Only in Christianity is this view of God as Father. No other system speaks of an authentic, genuine, and personal relationship between the creator and humans. This is one of the distinctions of Christianity with other religions.  The Bible talks clearly about God as Father and uses intimate terms of how God relates to His creation. Check this out:

"All those led by God's Spirit are God's sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father!' The Spirit testifies together with our spirit that we are God's children, and if children, also heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ-seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him"...Rom 8:14-17

Look at all the terms that describe a relationship with God.  We can come boldly to God with all of our problems, struggles, and needs. He cares for us. He wants us to picture Him as a Father.

Week of April 2

Warning: LONG POST AHEAD

Have you ever read in the Scriptures from the 3rd book in the New Testament called Luke, the story of the "good Samaritan"? The story is about a man who is traveling on a road, mugged, beaten, and left for dead on the side of the road. Two people pass by, one a priest, another a Levite (significant because only Levities could be priests). They see the guy on the side of the road and pass by on the other side. Very nice of them don't you think? Finally, a Samaritan comes by, bandages up the guy and takes him to an inn (hotel in today's culture). The Samaritan tells the inn manager to put everything this guy needs to get better on his tab and when he returns next time he will settle the bill. What is so significant to this story? Well we have to look at the audience to whom Jesus was telling this story. It was a lawyer, or an "expert in the Law". Now this was not an attorney like today. This was a religious person or religious leader of the day (a Pharisee), say like a pastor. This guy tries to show Jesus up. He asks the question what do I have to do to inherit eternal life? Jesus responds with the question, What does the Law say? The "expert in the Law" says, love God with everything you have and love your neighbor as yourself". Jesus says that's right. Do this and you will live. Now if the guy doesn't want to be outdone. So he shoots back, who is my neighbor? Jesus then goes into the preceding story about the Samaritan. See,  the Pharisees had their own definition of who their "neighbors" were. According to those definitions he was piously obeying the Law. Jesus uses this story to completely destroy this guys way  of thinking. The Pharisees hated the Samaritans. They were half-breeds. Part Jew, part Gentile. By Jesus saying that the hero of the story is a Samaritan He causes this guy to see the limits of his love and exposes the hatred and prejudices of his heart. Therefore, exposing the lack of obedience to the command of loving your neighbor. If you read this story in Luke chapter 10:25-37 notice the "experts" response. He couldn't even say the word "Samaritan".  The expert got the point Jesus was trying to make. We need to love EVERYONE!!! Even those we don't like.

 

Week of April 9

I know it's Wednesday and I'm just posting this. Things are very hectic around here lately. I am reminded during these times to slow down or as Psalm  46 says, "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth". I know we are all busy and with school heating up with the homework, tests and of course finals coming up it's not easy for us to be still, to take time out of our schedules and stop, to be intentionally doing nothing but think about God, to pray,  to get quit.  I hope you will take some time to do this. I will this week!

 

Week of April 16

Well it's Monday and I'm actually on time with this post for once. I've been re-reading an incredible book called Velvet Elvis. I know weird title but a great book (makes you think). I was reminded that I should be pursuing the life that Jesus taught and said was possible like being more genuine, compassionate, loving, forgiving, honest, and peaceful. When I look at my life at times, I don't have those characteristics. I do struggle at times as we all do. God is so much bigger than us that He knows we will screw up and not live life as He wants for us but He loves us  anyway! Read John 3:16-17 and think about your life. God loved you so much that He gave..