AS MY FAMILY TRIES TO COP WITH THIS HORRIBLE THING THAT HAS HAPPENED, I AM ENCOURAGED TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT ALONE....
The apostle Paul was in a Roman dungeon for his faithfulness to the gospel. But one night, Jesus Christ paid him a visit:
But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Be of good cheer (or courage), Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome." (Acts 23:11) Jesus was revealing to the great apostle that he was more than aware of his situation. Just because he was in a prison didn't mean that God had lost track of him.
There is a story of a minister who came to visit John Bunyan, the minister who wrote Pilgrim's Progress, in prison. He told Bunyan, "Friend, the Lord sent me to you, and I have been seeking for you in half the prisons in England." "No, that cannot be," Bunyan said. "For if the Lord had sent you to me, you would have come here at once, for He knows I have been here for years."
Jesus is there with us in our "prisons," as well. For some people, it is a literal jail cell they are in because they have broken the law. Yet, as they have asked for God's forgiveness, Jesus is with them there in that prison cell.
Maybe you are in a different kind of prison right now, the prison of a hospital bed. You would love to get up and just walk out, but you can't. Even so, Jesus is there in that hospital room, convalescent home, or room in their home, saying, "Be courageous. You are not alone, and I am fully aware of your suffering."
Perhaps it is a prison cell of mourning, because of the loss of a loved one through death. Whatever or wherever your prison is, Jesus is there with you now. Jesus also knows what lies ahead. That is why He came to Paul in this hour of need, because He knew he would need this special touch.
Paul was not really privy to what was going on all around him at this point. He did not know that 40 men had taken an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul! Sometimes, ignorance can be bliss. Many times, it's really a good thing that we don't know all that is swirling around us in both the supernatural and natural realm.
God reveals to us as much as we need to know, when we need to know it. Not necessarily more and certainly not less, but what we need to know. Your troubles, though unexpected, did not come as a surprise to God.
The military has a term it uses for sensitive information. If it is necessary for you to know something, it's on a "need-to-know basis." In the same way, God gives us what we "need to know," when we need it.
In closng, a quote from C.H. Spurgeon that should bring hope to any Christian facing a trial:
The Lord knows all about your troubles before they come to you; He anticipates them by His tender foresight. Before Satan can draw the bow, the preserver of men will put His beloved beyond the reach of the arrow. Before the weapon is forged in the furnace, and prepared on the anvil, He knows how to provide us with armor of proof which shall blunt the edge of the sword and break the point of the spear.
BE BLESSED!
DAWN
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Fellowship with Jesus
38)The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village. When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39)She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. 40)Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn't it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!" 41)The Lord answered, "Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, 42)but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her."
Two sisters, Mary and Martha, were busy preparing for Jesus’ visit. Upon His arrival, the first sister turned her attention to Him while the second was distracted by the preparations (v. 40). She became agitated that Mary was no longer helping. We may be thinking Martha is right—if there is still work to be done, her sister should not be sitting down. Then we hear Jesus’ perspective. Observing that Martha was worried and upset about many things when only one thing was needed, He said Mary had chosen what was better (v. 42).
There are some important lessons to be learned from this story. First, to have fellowship with Jesus, we may have to leave some things undone. Jesus knew how hard the women had been working and how much Martha longed to finish the tasks. But their greatest need was to spend time with Him. Their focus was to be on listening, learning, and interacting with Him.
The second lesson is that our choice to forgo an activity may be misunderstood. Martha certainly didn’t comprehend her sister’s decision. What’s more, if we fail to take time with Him, there may be unpleasant consequences. Martha’s distraction led to worry and agitation. Jesus invited her to choose the better way—namely, to be with Him.
Establishing a habit of communing with the Lord is essential to our spiritual health. Connecting with Him regularly will sharpen our focus on what is most important and help us separate what is good from God’s best. Even in our daily work, we can learn how to maintain an awareness of Him
BE BLESSED!
DAWN
Two sisters, Mary and Martha, were busy preparing for Jesus’ visit. Upon His arrival, the first sister turned her attention to Him while the second was distracted by the preparations (v. 40). She became agitated that Mary was no longer helping. We may be thinking Martha is right—if there is still work to be done, her sister should not be sitting down. Then we hear Jesus’ perspective. Observing that Martha was worried and upset about many things when only one thing was needed, He said Mary had chosen what was better (v. 42).
There are some important lessons to be learned from this story. First, to have fellowship with Jesus, we may have to leave some things undone. Jesus knew how hard the women had been working and how much Martha longed to finish the tasks. But their greatest need was to spend time with Him. Their focus was to be on listening, learning, and interacting with Him.
The second lesson is that our choice to forgo an activity may be misunderstood. Martha certainly didn’t comprehend her sister’s decision. What’s more, if we fail to take time with Him, there may be unpleasant consequences. Martha’s distraction led to worry and agitation. Jesus invited her to choose the better way—namely, to be with Him.
Establishing a habit of communing with the Lord is essential to our spiritual health. Connecting with Him regularly will sharpen our focus on what is most important and help us separate what is good from God’s best. Even in our daily work, we can learn how to maintain an awareness of Him
BE BLESSED!
DAWN
Thursday, May 6, 2010
A Constant Necessity
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. — Mark 1:35
Not only did Jesus command us to pray, but He also left us an example of prayer. Jesus was constantly praying. As He walked our planet and breathed our air as God in human form, He felt the need to be in constant communion with His Father. In fact, it was not uncommon to see Jesus praying while the disciples were sleeping.
When He fed the five thousand, He looked up toward heaven and asked God's blessing on the food. Matthew's Gospel tells us that mothers brought their children to Jesus so that He could lay His hands on them and pray for them. When He raised Lazarus from the dead, He first spoke to His Father, saying, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me" (John 11:41–42). Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come forth!"
We know that while He was in Gethsemane, He prayed, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). As He hung on the very cross of Calvary His first statement was, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). And later He prayed, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46).
The point is that if Jesus felt the necessity to pray constantly, then how much more should we? If you want to grow spiritually, then prayer must be a vital and regular part of your life. Pray all the time. Pray about all things. Jesus has given us that example to follow. So we, too, need to be people of prayer.
PRAY FOR SOMEONE TODAY & BE BLESSED!
DAWN
Not only did Jesus command us to pray, but He also left us an example of prayer. Jesus was constantly praying. As He walked our planet and breathed our air as God in human form, He felt the need to be in constant communion with His Father. In fact, it was not uncommon to see Jesus praying while the disciples were sleeping.
When He fed the five thousand, He looked up toward heaven and asked God's blessing on the food. Matthew's Gospel tells us that mothers brought their children to Jesus so that He could lay His hands on them and pray for them. When He raised Lazarus from the dead, He first spoke to His Father, saying, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me" (John 11:41–42). Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come forth!"
We know that while He was in Gethsemane, He prayed, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). As He hung on the very cross of Calvary His first statement was, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). And later He prayed, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46).
The point is that if Jesus felt the necessity to pray constantly, then how much more should we? If you want to grow spiritually, then prayer must be a vital and regular part of your life. Pray all the time. Pray about all things. Jesus has given us that example to follow. So we, too, need to be people of prayer.
PRAY FOR SOMEONE TODAY & BE BLESSED!
DAWN
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Living By The Holy Spirit's Power
16 )So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17) The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Galatians 5:16-17 ( NLT)
No matter how long we have walked with God, our flesh never improves; it never becomes more like the Spirit over time! That's why we are told to crucify it and walk each day by the power God's indwelling Spirit provides. Listen: '… obey only the Holy Spirit's instructions… then you will not always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to… we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do; and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has His way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures… But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control… ' (Galatians 5:16-17, 22-23 TLB).
Is such a lifestyle possible? Yes, but you must do four things:
1) recognize that you are a target for the enemy and protect yourself with God's Word and prayer
2) get rid of the one sin that repeatedly defeats you: '… lay aside… the sin which so easily ensnares… ' (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV)
3) be continually filled with the Spirit's power. Without it, you lose every time
4) stand in God's strength, not your own. How? By fighting until you experience victory. His might, plus your choice to obey and keep on fighting, always lead to a clear and lasting victory!
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!
DAWN
No matter how long we have walked with God, our flesh never improves; it never becomes more like the Spirit over time! That's why we are told to crucify it and walk each day by the power God's indwelling Spirit provides. Listen: '… obey only the Holy Spirit's instructions… then you will not always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to… we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do; and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has His way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures… But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control… ' (Galatians 5:16-17, 22-23 TLB).
Is such a lifestyle possible? Yes, but you must do four things:
1) recognize that you are a target for the enemy and protect yourself with God's Word and prayer
2) get rid of the one sin that repeatedly defeats you: '… lay aside… the sin which so easily ensnares… ' (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV)
3) be continually filled with the Spirit's power. Without it, you lose every time
4) stand in God's strength, not your own. How? By fighting until you experience victory. His might, plus your choice to obey and keep on fighting, always lead to a clear and lasting victory!
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!
DAWN
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Choosing to Grow
Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. — 2 Timothy 2:22
From the moment you get up in the morning to the moment you lay your head down on your pillow at night, you will have made hundreds, maybe even thousands, of choices.
That is why ordering at some restaurants is no easy task. The menu resembles a small telephone book. There are too many options. One of the reasons I like In-N-Out Burger is that your options are simple: a hamburger, french fries, a drink, or maybe a shake. Of course, there are some variations to that, like adding cheese or ordering it animal-style. But that is pretty much it.
Life is filled with choices. There are some choices that don't mean a lot, while other choices mean a whole lot. And it comes down to this: we make our choices, and our choices make us. So if you want to grow spiritually, you will. And if you don't want to grow spiritually, you won't. Either you will go forward as a Christian, or you will go backward. Either you will progress, or you will regress. Either you will gain ground, or you will lose ground. And if you stand still, then you will lose ground.
The reason some Christians succeed while others who make a profession of faith fail miserably comes down to choices. It is not the luck of the draw or something that happens randomly. It is because people make the right choice to do the right thing. There are choices that will impair our spiritual growth, and there are choices that will enhance it.
That is why we need to make a commitment to seek to grow spiritually on a daily basis—not to just hold our ground, but to gain ground in our relationship with Christ. Let's commit ourselves to spiritual growth.
BE BLESSED!
DAWN
From the moment you get up in the morning to the moment you lay your head down on your pillow at night, you will have made hundreds, maybe even thousands, of choices.
That is why ordering at some restaurants is no easy task. The menu resembles a small telephone book. There are too many options. One of the reasons I like In-N-Out Burger is that your options are simple: a hamburger, french fries, a drink, or maybe a shake. Of course, there are some variations to that, like adding cheese or ordering it animal-style. But that is pretty much it.
Life is filled with choices. There are some choices that don't mean a lot, while other choices mean a whole lot. And it comes down to this: we make our choices, and our choices make us. So if you want to grow spiritually, you will. And if you don't want to grow spiritually, you won't. Either you will go forward as a Christian, or you will go backward. Either you will progress, or you will regress. Either you will gain ground, or you will lose ground. And if you stand still, then you will lose ground.
The reason some Christians succeed while others who make a profession of faith fail miserably comes down to choices. It is not the luck of the draw or something that happens randomly. It is because people make the right choice to do the right thing. There are choices that will impair our spiritual growth, and there are choices that will enhance it.
That is why we need to make a commitment to seek to grow spiritually on a daily basis—not to just hold our ground, but to gain ground in our relationship with Christ. Let's commit ourselves to spiritual growth.
BE BLESSED!
DAWN
Monday, May 3, 2010
The Sacrificial Lamb
Hebrews 10:1-14
God’s grace has no limits. His mercy can reach the darkest part of our hearts. What’s more, the forgiveness Jesus offered on the cross stretches back to earth’s first day and forward to its last. Christ not only erased our past, present, and future sin; He also paid for the wrongs of every generation.
When the ancient Israelites brought a goat or a lamb to the temple for a sacrifice, they placed their hands on its head and confessed their sins. The priest then killed the animal and sprinkled some of its blood on the altar of atonement. The ritual symbolized a confessor’s payment for sin. But the lamb could not actually take on the sin and die in place of the Israelite (Heb. 10:4).
If an animal’s blood could actually erase a sin-debt, we’d still be offering those frequent sacrifices, and Jesus’ death would have been unnecessary. Yet we must remember that, though the act itself had no saving power, the ritual of sacrifice was God’s idea (Lev. 4). He established such offerings as a powerful illustration of the seriousness and penalty of sin. The practice also pointed to Christ’s perfect sacrificial death on our behalf and the salvation He offers. To use a modern metaphor, sacrifice can be thought of as a credit card. God accepted the lamb’s blood as temporary payment. When the bill came due, Jesus Christ paid the sin-debt in full.
Modern believers practice certain biblical rituals too. But we are not pardoned through prayer, Bible reading, or even the act of confession. Like the Israelites, we must also look to a lamb—the Lamb of God. When we receive Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins, we are forgiven forever.
BE BLESSED
DAWN
God’s grace has no limits. His mercy can reach the darkest part of our hearts. What’s more, the forgiveness Jesus offered on the cross stretches back to earth’s first day and forward to its last. Christ not only erased our past, present, and future sin; He also paid for the wrongs of every generation.
When the ancient Israelites brought a goat or a lamb to the temple for a sacrifice, they placed their hands on its head and confessed their sins. The priest then killed the animal and sprinkled some of its blood on the altar of atonement. The ritual symbolized a confessor’s payment for sin. But the lamb could not actually take on the sin and die in place of the Israelite (Heb. 10:4).
If an animal’s blood could actually erase a sin-debt, we’d still be offering those frequent sacrifices, and Jesus’ death would have been unnecessary. Yet we must remember that, though the act itself had no saving power, the ritual of sacrifice was God’s idea (Lev. 4). He established such offerings as a powerful illustration of the seriousness and penalty of sin. The practice also pointed to Christ’s perfect sacrificial death on our behalf and the salvation He offers. To use a modern metaphor, sacrifice can be thought of as a credit card. God accepted the lamb’s blood as temporary payment. When the bill came due, Jesus Christ paid the sin-debt in full.
Modern believers practice certain biblical rituals too. But we are not pardoned through prayer, Bible reading, or even the act of confession. Like the Israelites, we must also look to a lamb—the Lamb of God. When we receive Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins, we are forgiven forever.
BE BLESSED
DAWN
Sunday, May 2, 2010
WEEKEND DEVOTIONAL:The Cross: Grace Displayed
READ
Romans 3:21-27
At Calvary, the Lord displayed His grace for the entire world to see. The cross represents the intersection of His holiness and His love. From there, He poured out mercy on an undeserving population: all of humanity, including you and me. Our holy God is absolutely without fault. He’s so “perfectly perfect” that no earthly man or woman can look upon Him and live (Ex. 33:20). The problem has to do with our sinful nature—we all have an inborn desire to rebel against His authority (Rom. 3:10). Anyone who thinks otherwise is deceiving himself (1 John 1:8). It’s important to understand that God hates sin. He cannot abide evil in His presence, so He pronounced a death sentence on sinners (Rom. 6:23).
But Scripture also tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8), and He created people with the intention of caring for them. What’s more, the Lord desires that all people spend eternity with Him. Yet there remains the problem of our sin and the death penalty that we owe.
The Lord cannot violate His own nature. Though God loves mankind, His holiness would be compromised if He permitted the filth of sin into His presence. So the Father made a way to cleanse dirty hearts and transform wayward natures: He put the sin of all mankind on Jesus Christ’s shoulders.
The Father sent His holy Son to be a perfect sacrifice on our behalf. Jesus Christ took our sin upon Himself and died on the cross in our place. When we trust Him as our Savior and receive His forgiveness, we are made new—holy, perfect, and welcome in our Father’s presence.
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!
DAWN
Romans 3:21-27
At Calvary, the Lord displayed His grace for the entire world to see. The cross represents the intersection of His holiness and His love. From there, He poured out mercy on an undeserving population: all of humanity, including you and me. Our holy God is absolutely without fault. He’s so “perfectly perfect” that no earthly man or woman can look upon Him and live (Ex. 33:20). The problem has to do with our sinful nature—we all have an inborn desire to rebel against His authority (Rom. 3:10). Anyone who thinks otherwise is deceiving himself (1 John 1:8). It’s important to understand that God hates sin. He cannot abide evil in His presence, so He pronounced a death sentence on sinners (Rom. 6:23).
But Scripture also tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8), and He created people with the intention of caring for them. What’s more, the Lord desires that all people spend eternity with Him. Yet there remains the problem of our sin and the death penalty that we owe.
The Lord cannot violate His own nature. Though God loves mankind, His holiness would be compromised if He permitted the filth of sin into His presence. So the Father made a way to cleanse dirty hearts and transform wayward natures: He put the sin of all mankind on Jesus Christ’s shoulders.
The Father sent His holy Son to be a perfect sacrifice on our behalf. Jesus Christ took our sin upon Himself and died on the cross in our place. When we trust Him as our Savior and receive His forgiveness, we are made new—holy, perfect, and welcome in our Father’s presence.
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!
DAWN
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