25I will sprinkle you with clean water, and you will be clean and acceptable to me. I will wash away everything that makes you unclean, and I will remove your disgusting idols (people, places, things, thoughts and attitudes we defer to before God)* . 26I will take away your stubborn heart and give you a new heart and a desire to be faithful. You will have only pure thoughts, 27because I will put my Spirit in you and make you eager (and able)* to obey my laws and teachings. 28You will once again live in the land (place of abundance and wholeness)* I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
Ez. 36:27-28 (CEV) * paretheses mine
The Lord wants to give each of us a “heart of flesh” so that we will be pliable and responsive to Him. When touched by the finger of God, a tender heart yields to the pressure and assumes the form He desires, much like a lump of clay that allows the potter to determine the shape of the vessel.
To aid in this process, God has sent the Holy Spirit to indwell each believer and awaken responsiveness in him or her. By yielding to the Spirit’s promptings with ready obedience, the heart becomes increasingly tender and sensitive to His leading. The Lord is able to impart greater understanding of His Word to a soft heart because it has faithfully accepted and obeyed previous teachings.
Any resistance to God will result in hardening. But those who are accustomed to intimacy with Christ—which is the result of submission to Him—will be quick to deal with sin and return to the place of obedience and blessing.
People with tender hearts stay closely connected to the body of Christ, seeking to build up and encourage others in their walk of faith. Such individuals are not only receptive to what God wants to tell them; they are also teachable, in that they are willing to listen and be corrected by others.
When you read your Bible and pray, let your heart be soft toward the words of God. As He pokes His finger into each hard area, listen to His instructions, and rely on the Spirit’s power to help you yield and obey. Let Him shape you into a beautiful and useful vessel.
BE BLESSED AND BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!!
DAWN
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
"Sweet Aroma"
VERY NICE STORY.....
Devotion:
A sweet thing happened recently. It was Sunday morning at church, and the congregation was standing, singing hymns. My precious little boy was beside me with his arms wrapped around my waist. Every few minutes, he pressed his face into my shirt. After several times, I finally determined he was sniffing me, so I leaned down and quietly asked why. He stood on his tip toes, put his face close to mine and whispered, "Because you smell like fruit, Mommy! It smells really good!" I smiled and knew what he smelled was one of my favorite perfumes which has a clean, sweet, fruity aroma.
God turned my thoughts to how we're to be a pleasing aroma to Him, through thoughts, actions and behaviors carried out in the Spirit. Ephesians 5:2 encourages us to "...live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (NIV).
What does that really mean? How can we offer a fragrant offering that is pleasing to God and be a fragrance to those around us?
There is a Hawaiian saying, "Tiny is the flower, yet it scents the grasses around it." What a great illustration of how the smallest things can have impactful results. The fact that the flower is small and seemingly insignificant, does not keep it from spreading the fragrance it was created to share. In fact, often the smallest flower can have the most potent fragrance!
Sometimes we may feel like a tiny flower. We wonder if we are really capable of doing anything big or important for Christ. Insecurities, feelings of unworthiness or life challenges prevent us from seeing how God can use us to bless Him and impact others. It is not the size of the actions that matter, but the aroma that is created by those actions. Each time we do something in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness we offer a fragrant offering to God. And we help others learn how to be a little fragrant flower too, in a big world that can be pretty stinky.
Each one of us can choose what fragrance we exude. It might be a good idea to ask from time to time, What type of fragrance am I leaving behind? How am I affecting the world around me with the gifts God gave me? Am I exuding a spiritual aroma that is a fragrant offering to Christ?
Our lingering fragrance should be one of love and kindness, not anger and harshness. Patience and faithfulness, not intolerance and selfishness. And lifting people's spirits with joy and peace, not leaving them discouraged and broken. Our fragrance should be sowing seeds that point to the goodness of Christ.
When God created flowers, He intentionally created them to give off a sweet aroma. And He created us just the same. So, what fragrance are you wearing today?
Application Steps:
1)"Spritz" on a sweet fragrance today that is pleasing to Christ.
2)Consider how you can "scent the grasses" in your life with God's love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.
Reflections:
1)Think about the spiritual fragrance you have been wearing lately, and the impact it has on others.
2)Do you think God is pleased with your lingering fragrance?
Power Verses:
2 Corinthians 2:15, "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." (NIV
BE BLESSED AND SAFE OUT THERE!
Devotion:
A sweet thing happened recently. It was Sunday morning at church, and the congregation was standing, singing hymns. My precious little boy was beside me with his arms wrapped around my waist. Every few minutes, he pressed his face into my shirt. After several times, I finally determined he was sniffing me, so I leaned down and quietly asked why. He stood on his tip toes, put his face close to mine and whispered, "Because you smell like fruit, Mommy! It smells really good!" I smiled and knew what he smelled was one of my favorite perfumes which has a clean, sweet, fruity aroma.
God turned my thoughts to how we're to be a pleasing aroma to Him, through thoughts, actions and behaviors carried out in the Spirit. Ephesians 5:2 encourages us to "...live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (NIV).
What does that really mean? How can we offer a fragrant offering that is pleasing to God and be a fragrance to those around us?
There is a Hawaiian saying, "Tiny is the flower, yet it scents the grasses around it." What a great illustration of how the smallest things can have impactful results. The fact that the flower is small and seemingly insignificant, does not keep it from spreading the fragrance it was created to share. In fact, often the smallest flower can have the most potent fragrance!
Sometimes we may feel like a tiny flower. We wonder if we are really capable of doing anything big or important for Christ. Insecurities, feelings of unworthiness or life challenges prevent us from seeing how God can use us to bless Him and impact others. It is not the size of the actions that matter, but the aroma that is created by those actions. Each time we do something in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness we offer a fragrant offering to God. And we help others learn how to be a little fragrant flower too, in a big world that can be pretty stinky.
Each one of us can choose what fragrance we exude. It might be a good idea to ask from time to time, What type of fragrance am I leaving behind? How am I affecting the world around me with the gifts God gave me? Am I exuding a spiritual aroma that is a fragrant offering to Christ?
Our lingering fragrance should be one of love and kindness, not anger and harshness. Patience and faithfulness, not intolerance and selfishness. And lifting people's spirits with joy and peace, not leaving them discouraged and broken. Our fragrance should be sowing seeds that point to the goodness of Christ.
When God created flowers, He intentionally created them to give off a sweet aroma. And He created us just the same. So, what fragrance are you wearing today?
Dear Lord, teach me how to smell like You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Application Steps:
1)"Spritz" on a sweet fragrance today that is pleasing to Christ.
2)Consider how you can "scent the grasses" in your life with God's love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.
Reflections:
1)Think about the spiritual fragrance you have been wearing lately, and the impact it has on others.
2)Do you think God is pleased with your lingering fragrance?
Power Verses:
2 Corinthians 2:15, "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." (NIV
BE BLESSED AND SAFE OUT THERE!
Friday, February 5, 2010
"Grace for Times of Trouble"
READ
1 Peter 5:5-7
Trouble is an ever-present reality in our world, and there is no way for any of us to totally escape its grip. How do you respond when difficulty pays you a visit? Do you attempt to escape or stoically endure? Are you one who suffers in silence, or do you let everyone know about your hardship?
As believers in Jesus Christ, we usually turn immediately to the Lord, praying that He will change the situation and release us from its clutches. That is exactly what Paul did regarding his "thorn in the flesh." On three different occassions, he asked for it to be removed; however, Gods final answer was that the thorn would remain.
When the Lord says no to our requests for relief, He says yes to something even greater--His all-sufficient grace. There is no thorn too big for Him to handle in this way. Our loving heavenly Father will never give you a trial without also supplying His abundant strength to endure it. The sufferings that God allows in our life are given to us for His good purpose. The apostle's thorn was designed to provide him with precisely what he needed: humility. The Lord has the same care and concern for you that He had for Paul, and His intention is for your benefit.
BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER
DAWN
1 Peter 5:5-7
Trouble is an ever-present reality in our world, and there is no way for any of us to totally escape its grip. How do you respond when difficulty pays you a visit? Do you attempt to escape or stoically endure? Are you one who suffers in silence, or do you let everyone know about your hardship?
As believers in Jesus Christ, we usually turn immediately to the Lord, praying that He will change the situation and release us from its clutches. That is exactly what Paul did regarding his "thorn in the flesh." On three different occassions, he asked for it to be removed; however, Gods final answer was that the thorn would remain.
When the Lord says no to our requests for relief, He says yes to something even greater--His all-sufficient grace. There is no thorn too big for Him to handle in this way. Our loving heavenly Father will never give you a trial without also supplying His abundant strength to endure it. The sufferings that God allows in our life are given to us for His good purpose. The apostle's thorn was designed to provide him with precisely what he needed: humility. The Lord has the same care and concern for you that He had for Paul, and His intention is for your benefit.
BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER
DAWN
Thursday, February 4, 2010
"The Danger of a Hardening Heart"
7 That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice, 8 don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. 9 There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. 10 So I was angry with them, and I said,
‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ 11 So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”[a] 12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters.[b] Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. 14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. 15 Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.”[c]
16 And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? 18 And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? 19 So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. Heb. 3:7-19 (NLT)
God repeatedly calls to His children, but the condition of each heart determines the result. Those with soft and tender hearts hear His voice and yield to Him in obedience, but those with hard hearts resist His warnings and instructions. Surprisingly, upon hearing the same voice, some believers are motivated to a deeper and more obedient relationship with the Lord, while others reject and refuse Him.
Since hardening is a slow process that’s often accompanied by rationalizations and excuses, the danger signs may not be readily recognized. How do you respond when the Lord speaks to you through His Word, your conscience, or messages based on Scripture?
Carefully consider the following characteristics of a hardening heart:
1. Insensitivity or resistance to what God says
2. Refusal to put yourself under His authority
3. Disobedience to what you know the Lord is instructing you to do
4. Justification of sinful conduct
5. Resistance to the reproof of others
6. Preoccupation with the things of this world (career, relationships, possessions)
7. Little interest in spiritual matters
8. Absence of private devotion (Bible reading and prayer)
9. Avoidance of public worship (gathering with other believers)
A hard heart does not have to stay in that condition. If you have discovered any of the above traits in your life, begin today to return to the Lord. Ask Him to give you a new heart to know Him (Jer. 24:7). Remember, He specializes in making all things new (2 Cor. 5:17).
LETS ALL TRY TO BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER
DAWN
‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ 11 So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”[a] 12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters.[b] Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. 14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. 15 Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.”[c]
16 And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? 18 And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? 19 So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. Heb. 3:7-19 (NLT)
God repeatedly calls to His children, but the condition of each heart determines the result. Those with soft and tender hearts hear His voice and yield to Him in obedience, but those with hard hearts resist His warnings and instructions. Surprisingly, upon hearing the same voice, some believers are motivated to a deeper and more obedient relationship with the Lord, while others reject and refuse Him.
Since hardening is a slow process that’s often accompanied by rationalizations and excuses, the danger signs may not be readily recognized. How do you respond when the Lord speaks to you through His Word, your conscience, or messages based on Scripture?
Carefully consider the following characteristics of a hardening heart:
1. Insensitivity or resistance to what God says
2. Refusal to put yourself under His authority
3. Disobedience to what you know the Lord is instructing you to do
4. Justification of sinful conduct
5. Resistance to the reproof of others
6. Preoccupation with the things of this world (career, relationships, possessions)
7. Little interest in spiritual matters
8. Absence of private devotion (Bible reading and prayer)
9. Avoidance of public worship (gathering with other believers)
A hard heart does not have to stay in that condition. If you have discovered any of the above traits in your life, begin today to return to the Lord. Ask Him to give you a new heart to know Him (Jer. 24:7). Remember, He specializes in making all things new (2 Cor. 5:17).
LETS ALL TRY TO BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER
DAWN
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
"The Cost of Our Salvation"
5)Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] 6)Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [[a]possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not [b]think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped [c]or retained, 7) But stripped Himself [of all privileges and [d]rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. 8)And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross! Phil. 2:5-8
In our world of electronic banking and charge cards, it’s easy to ignore what things cost. The same is true with sin. Our culture enjoys temporary pleasures while disregarding what God says is the price of transgression (Rom. 6:23a).
The Bible tells us what it cost Jesus to pay for our sin. For our sake, He suffered . . . Physical pain. In the hours leading to His crucifixion, Jesus was mocked, beaten, and humiliated. In His weakened state, He was forced to carry the instrument of His death—the cross. Then He was nailed to it and hoisted up to die an excruciating death.
Man’s sin. Jesus lived a perfect life on earth and never knew the disgrace of sin or the bitterness of regret. But at the cross, the Father placed all of mankind’s sins upon the Savior (2 Cor. 5:21). There, Christ experienced the fullness of our transgressions, guilt, and shame.
Abandonment. In the final hours, Jesus was separated from His Father (Mark 15:34), their fellowship broken for the only time since eternity past. Our sin became the barrier that kept them apart until Christ’s work of atonement was finished (John 19:30). Divine judgment. God’s wrath was poured out upon our Lord because of man’s sin. Christ experienced the condemnation that we deserved.
Our Savior suffered greatly on our behalf. He gave His life so we might become part of God’s family (John 1:12). He calls us to a life of sacrificial service—doing the Father’s work and living to please Him. In light of what our salvation cost, how can we do anything less?
**BY PASTOR CHARLES STANLEY**
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!!
DAWN
In our world of electronic banking and charge cards, it’s easy to ignore what things cost. The same is true with sin. Our culture enjoys temporary pleasures while disregarding what God says is the price of transgression (Rom. 6:23a).
The Bible tells us what it cost Jesus to pay for our sin. For our sake, He suffered . . . Physical pain. In the hours leading to His crucifixion, Jesus was mocked, beaten, and humiliated. In His weakened state, He was forced to carry the instrument of His death—the cross. Then He was nailed to it and hoisted up to die an excruciating death.
Man’s sin. Jesus lived a perfect life on earth and never knew the disgrace of sin or the bitterness of regret. But at the cross, the Father placed all of mankind’s sins upon the Savior (2 Cor. 5:21). There, Christ experienced the fullness of our transgressions, guilt, and shame.
Abandonment. In the final hours, Jesus was separated from His Father (Mark 15:34), their fellowship broken for the only time since eternity past. Our sin became the barrier that kept them apart until Christ’s work of atonement was finished (John 19:30). Divine judgment. God’s wrath was poured out upon our Lord because of man’s sin. Christ experienced the condemnation that we deserved.
Our Savior suffered greatly on our behalf. He gave His life so we might become part of God’s family (John 1:12). He calls us to a life of sacrificial service—doing the Father’s work and living to please Him. In light of what our salvation cost, how can we do anything less?
**BY PASTOR CHARLES STANLEY**
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!!
DAWN
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
"Get on the Hope Train"
As followers of Jesus, we need to keep thinking and talking about hope. But hope in itself doesn't mean much without an object. Hope must have a target. It's not typical to hope in Jesus Christ. It is typical to hope in my finances, my family, my career, or my marriage. I can hope in a leader or cause. We put our hope in many things other than in Christ. But we learn that none of those things are worthy of our ultimate hope. None of them! The only reliable place to rest our hearts is in Jesus Christ. But that hope is not intuitive - or normal. Hoping may be a habit, but we have to learn to hope in Christ.
The word hope means "a confident expectation of something better." Hope in Christ realizes, "Hey! My best days are ahead of me. Life isn't all in the rearview mirror for me now. In Christ I've got some things I'm looking forward to - not just in this life, but in the life to come." That kind of self-talk stirs up hope within us.
It's important to recognize the battle that we're facing and practice the hope that we find in our King. Learning implies a training process. It's trial and error. You're like, "Yeah, I kind of got off the Hope Train this week." Get back on! That's why we come to church. Hope training is why we hang out with other Christians. I don't know what you are feeling today, but if you kind of got off the Hope Train, climb back on!
Now that means we intentionally exchange doubt for hope. Instead of discouragement and despair, we choose hope. I think we need to look to other people who are good models of hope. I am aware of a woman in our church who I have watched over the last couple of years. I have prayed earnestly from a distance as she has gone through an awful circumstance in her family - with no end in sight. Yet she has strengthened many people with her stalwart faith and unyielding joy in the Lord. The examples of other believers' lives are all around us. These people may not be perfect, but they challenge us to do better. And you can't know how much staying on the Hope Train will encourage others.
**FROM WALK IN THE WORD**
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!
DAWN
The word hope means "a confident expectation of something better." Hope in Christ realizes, "Hey! My best days are ahead of me. Life isn't all in the rearview mirror for me now. In Christ I've got some things I'm looking forward to - not just in this life, but in the life to come." That kind of self-talk stirs up hope within us.
It's important to recognize the battle that we're facing and practice the hope that we find in our King. Learning implies a training process. It's trial and error. You're like, "Yeah, I kind of got off the Hope Train this week." Get back on! That's why we come to church. Hope training is why we hang out with other Christians. I don't know what you are feeling today, but if you kind of got off the Hope Train, climb back on!
Now that means we intentionally exchange doubt for hope. Instead of discouragement and despair, we choose hope. I think we need to look to other people who are good models of hope. I am aware of a woman in our church who I have watched over the last couple of years. I have prayed earnestly from a distance as she has gone through an awful circumstance in her family - with no end in sight. Yet she has strengthened many people with her stalwart faith and unyielding joy in the Lord. The examples of other believers' lives are all around us. These people may not be perfect, but they challenge us to do better. And you can't know how much staying on the Hope Train will encourage others.
**FROM WALK IN THE WORD**
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!
DAWN
Monday, February 1, 2010
"Look to Jesus and Live"
I persnoally believe that when we rely strictly on ourselves to live, we only live partially. Jesus is the only one who has your back 100%! When they say put on the "Armor of God", that means to rely totally on Jesus to get you thru any situation and KNOW that you can live free.
READ
John 3:7-15
Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus was packed with symbolism. He compared salvation to a second birth and likened the Holy Spirit’s work to the wind. But then the Lord used an Old Testament illustration that might seem odd to modern readers—He said the Son of Man must be lifted up, just as Moses lifted the bronze serpent (Num. 21:1-9).
Nicodemus would have been familiar with the story: En route to the Promised Land, the Israelites once complained about going the long way around enemy territory. God responded by sending poisonous snakes into their midst. A bite victim would die unless he or she looked at the bronze serpent hanging from a pole in the camp. The statue was a symbolic representation of God’s presence among the Israelites as well as a reminder that He was their deliverer.
While we might not mix spiritual birth and a snake on a pole in one testimony, Jesus did so for a good reason. These metaphors describe related events. The Messiah was explaining that He must be lifted onto the cross as a sacrifice for all of mankind’s wrongs. A new birth is impossible unless somebody pays the price for our sinful condition. Those who look to Jesus and believe will be forgiven, saved, and born again.
Jesus’ message to Nicodemus becomes clear when we understand how the pieces fit together. The Savior is saying that He must die on the cross so that sinful human beings can be born again. Have you looked to Jesus Christ for salvation? He is the only way to new life.
BE BLESSED AND BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!
DAWN
READ
John 3:7-15
Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus was packed with symbolism. He compared salvation to a second birth and likened the Holy Spirit’s work to the wind. But then the Lord used an Old Testament illustration that might seem odd to modern readers—He said the Son of Man must be lifted up, just as Moses lifted the bronze serpent (Num. 21:1-9).
Nicodemus would have been familiar with the story: En route to the Promised Land, the Israelites once complained about going the long way around enemy territory. God responded by sending poisonous snakes into their midst. A bite victim would die unless he or she looked at the bronze serpent hanging from a pole in the camp. The statue was a symbolic representation of God’s presence among the Israelites as well as a reminder that He was their deliverer.
While we might not mix spiritual birth and a snake on a pole in one testimony, Jesus did so for a good reason. These metaphors describe related events. The Messiah was explaining that He must be lifted onto the cross as a sacrifice for all of mankind’s wrongs. A new birth is impossible unless somebody pays the price for our sinful condition. Those who look to Jesus and believe will be forgiven, saved, and born again.
Jesus’ message to Nicodemus becomes clear when we understand how the pieces fit together. The Savior is saying that He must die on the cross so that sinful human beings can be born again. Have you looked to Jesus Christ for salvation? He is the only way to new life.
BE BLESSED AND BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!
DAWN
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