The Treasure of Thrown Away Food

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ."

 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)

Devotion:


If there was ever a secret for unleashing God's powerful peace in a situation, it's developing a heart of true thanksgiving. My son, Jackson, knows this. I came to understand how powerfully he knows this when editing a paper he wrote recently. Jackson hasn't always lived in the safety and security of our home. For the first 13 years of his life, he lived in a forgotten orphanage in the third world country of Liberia, Africa.


Jackson's paper was about the corruption and greed that caused the civil war in his native land. He did a great job recounting the facts of the story. But the difference between Jackson and most other kids explaining a historical event, is before we adopted him - he lived in the midst of the horrific conditions of this war.

During one part of the paper, he described what it felt like to be naked digging through the trash looking for the treasure of thrown away food.  The treasure of thrown away food.

I can hardly type those words without crying. This is my son.

And yet, despite the horrific conditions of his childhood there was an unexplainable thread of peace woven through his recollection of the story. A powerful peace centered in the awareness of God's presence.

The truly thankful person is a truly peaceful person. They have made a habit no matter what to notice, pause and choose.

Noticing something for which to be thankful no matter what circumstance they're in.

Pausing to acknowledge this something as a reminder of God's presence.

Choosing to focus on God's presence until His powerful peace is unleashed.



I doubt any of us will find our treasure in thrown away food today. But will we be a noticer, a pauser, a chooser - a person of thanksgiving no matter what circumstance we're facing?

I find this truth about the power of thanksgiving over and over in Scripture. What was the prayer Daniel prayed right before being thrown in the lion's den and witnessing God miraculously shutting the lion's mouths? Thanksgiving.

After three days in the belly of a fish, what was the cry of Jonah's heart right before he was finally delivered onto dry land? Thanksgiving.
How are we instructed to pray in Philippians 4:6 when we feel anxious? With thanksgiving.

And what is the outcome of each of these situations where thanksgiving is proclaimed? Peace. Powerful, unexplainable, uncontainable peace.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 4:7, NIV).


One of Webster's official definitions of thanksgiving is: "a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness."

I wonder how we might celebrate God's divine goodness today?

I wonder what might happen if we decide in the midst of our circumstances today to notice, pause, and choose something for which we can truly be thankful..

Dear Lord, will You help me to notice things for which I can be thankful in each circumstance I face today? Will You help me remember to pause and acknowledge this as evidence of Your presence? And will You help me to remember to choose to focus on Your presence until Your powerful peace rushes into my heart and helps me see everything more clearly? Thank You for the reality that being thankful truly changes everything. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application Steps:

Start a thankful journal where you daily list five things each day for which you are thankful. Do this for the next 30 days and see how much more peaceful your mindset about life becomes.


Reflections:

What makes you grumpy and steals your propensity to be thankful?

Think of someone in your sphere of influence who is really thankful. Despite the circumstances they face, are they more peaceful? How does this inspire you?


Power Verses:

1 Chronicles 16:34, "Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." (NKJ)


1 Chronicles 23: 30, "They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening." (NIV)


[via Lysa TerKeurst]


Be Blessed!
 
Dawn

When Trouble Comes

"He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and

honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and

show him My salvation."  

Psalm 91:15–16

Are you facing an emergency today? Dial 911—Psalm 91:1, that is. God can use adversity in the life of the Christian. None of us wants adversity in our lives, but God can be glorified through it. It might be a sickness that looks life-threatening, and then God heals you. Or it might be a sickness that He allows you to experience, but He is glorified in the midst of it.

Psalm 91 does not say you will never die. But it is saying that you won't die before your time. It is saying that until God is done with you, His angels will keep you in all your ways . . . in your ups and downs, when you are awake and asleep, in the sunshine and the rain.

What is your part? It is to dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty. It is to live in quiet and resting and enduring and remaining, with consistency.

Your objective as a Christian should be to stay as close to the Lord as you possibly can. Because this all-powerful, all-knowing God possesses heaven and earth, has made a covenant with you, loves you, and offers to protect and provide for you, you should make it your objective to get closer to Him, asking, How can I walk so closely with Him that I will be in His very shadow?

You should periodically ask yourself whether you are meeting the criteria of this great psalm, whether you are living up to the conditions that have been set forth. If your answer is yes, then you have God's word that these promises will be activated in your life.
 
[via Harvest Ministries]
Be Blessed!
 
Dawn

Your Hiding Place

You are my hiding place; you shall preserve me

 from trouble; you shall surround me with

songs of deliverance. 

 Psalm 32:7

When you were a child, did you have a hiding place you would run to when you were afraid or wanted to be alone?

God wants to be your hiding place. And the good news is that you can retreat to this hiding place wherever you are. When you have a conflict at work and don't know what to say or how to deal with it, you can retreat into the secret place of the Most High as you are living in fellowship and communion with God. When you are tied up in bumper-to-bumper traffic, you can abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Have you ever tried to walk in someone's shadow? It can be done, but you really have to stay close. That is the picture given in Psalm 91:1, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." God says, "I want you to dwell in Me. I want to be your hiding place. I want you to be so close that you are actually in My very shadow."

This gives you courage to face life. The Old Testament tells the story of Elijah, who boldly stormed into the court of Ahab, the most wicked king that Israel had ever known. With incredible courage and boldness, he delivered bad news to Ahab and turned and walked out. Though he was in the court of a powerful monarch, Elijah recognized he was also in the presence of an even more powerful Monarch. He was dwelling in the secret place of the Most High.


If you kneel before God, you can stand before any man. Are you walking in fellowship with Him?

(via Harvest Ministries)
Be Blessed All!
 
Dawn

What's in a Name

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most

High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my

 fortress; my God, in Him I will trust." 

 Psalm 91:1–2

To show us different facets of His nature, God gives us different names for himself. The words used in Psalm 91:1–2 include ‘Elyôwn, Shaddai, Jehovah, and ’Elōhîm. First, we have "the Most High:" "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High. . . ." The Hebrew word used here for Most High, ‘Elyôwn, speaks of possession. It is the idea of owning something. It simply reminds us that God owns and possesses everything, and that includes you and me.

Then there is the word "Almighty:" "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. . . ." That is the word Shaddai. The thought here is of provision. It is wonderful to know that God owns everything. But it also wonderful to know that He wants to provide for us. Not only is He a living God, but He also is a giving God.

Then we have "the Lord:" "I will say of the Lord. . . ." That phrase "the Lord" is Jehovah, a unique name God called Himself before His own people, the Jews. It speaks of covenant and His promise to them.

Finally, there is "My God:" "My God, in whom I trust." That is the Hebrew word ’Elōhîm, which tells us there is one God who is triune, or three in one: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It also reminds us of the power of God.


So when we put it all together, we see that the all-knowing, all-powerful God who possesses heaven and Earth, who has entered into a special covenant with us, wants to provide for our needs. I want to know more about this God, don't you?
 
Be Blessed!
 
Dawn

Promises... with a Prerequisite

He who dwells in the secret place of

the Most High

shall abide under the shadow of the

Almighty.  

Psalm 91:1

Without question, Psalm 91 is a real gem among the psalms. Next to Psalm 23, it probably has brought more encouragement and comfort throughout the centuries than any other psalm.

But it is worth noting that the blessings promised in Psalm 91 are not for just anyone. They are specifically given to believers—and not just to believers in general, but to believers who specifically meet the requirements found in it. Psalm 91 is full of conditional promises. That is, God promises to do certain things for us, hinging on us doing certain things that are required.

Verse 1 begins, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High. . . " The word "dwells" could be translated as "quiet and resting, enduring and remaining with consistency." It is very similar to the word "abide," which we see often in the New Testament. Jesus said, "He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit" (John 15:5). That word "abide" means, "to stay in a given place, to maintain unbroken fellowship and communion with another."

Here's what God is saying: If you want to experience the promises of Psalm 91—My protection, My provision, and My blessing—you must dwell in the secret place of the Most High. You must remain in constant fellowship with Me."

We have relationship with God because we have put our faith in Jesus Christ and have turned from our sin. But are we living in constant fellowship with God? Many believers are not.

God is interested in a relationship with you, not just on Sundays, but throughout the week. He wants you to dwell in the secret place of the Most High.
 
(via Harvest Minsitries)
 
Be Blessed!
 
Dawn

The Blessings of Inadequacy

4) We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5) It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6) He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.  2Cor. 3: 4-6 (NLT)

Life is filled with struggles that reveal human inadequacy. Physical problems leave us weak and unable to cope, relational troubles bring confusion and stress, continual battles with bad habits and addictions make us feel defeated, and financial or job demands damage our self-worth. No one likes the frustration and fear of facing challenges which are too big to handle, but God can use them for our good.


Maybe you have never considered inadequacy a blessing. After all, it arouses all sorts of uncomfortable emotions that make us feel useless, insignificant, and weak. But God can turn all the negatives into blessings if we acknowledge our helplessness, depend on His strength, and step into our challenges with confidence in Him.

Inadequacy can be a blessing since it . . .

1. Drives us to God as we recognize our helplessness.

2. Relieves us of the burden of trying to do God’s will in our own strength.

3. Motivates us to live in the power of the Holy Spirit.

4. Provides the Lord an opportunity to demonstrate what He can do.

5. Increases our usefulness to God by humbling our pride.

6. Allows Christ to receive all the glory.

7. Gives peace as we rely on Him.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, believers have the ability to endure difficulty or accomplish whatever the Lord calls them to do. By claiming the adequacy of Christ, we can face every circumstance with a sense of awesome confidence, not in ourselves but in God, who is totally capable.

(via Dr. Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
 
Dawn

How To Measure Success

We live in a world where success is defined in innumerable ways, most of which are wrong. Sadly, even the professing church has been prone to increasingly err in its understanding of true, Biblical success.


Whether the pressuring voices come from within the church or without, we must not give in to their distortions and perversions of what God says success really is.

Paul says toward the very end of his life, writing to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."

Paul had achieved great fame and power very early on in his life, outdistancing many of his contemporaries in terms of Bible knowledge and understanding (Galatians 1:14). He was mentored by the best Jewish teacher of all (Acts 22:3), and he was considered a man of high rank. But these things he counted as loss (Philippians 3:7).

This was not because there was evil in leading or having status, but it was that he had pursued these kinds of things at the expense of pursuing God. Thus, he chose to abandon the "success" which he had experienced in persecuting Christ in exchange for service to Christ, choosing rather to suffer with Him (Romans 8:17).

Paul understood that success is not what we can achieve or gain in terms of worldly things. It is not a race for rank, money, publicity or power. Sometimes he had much, and sometimes he had little (Philippians 4:12).

But in all things he was content, and as he wrote to Timothy, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). Thus, Paul measured success by the state of his heart in relation to God. Godliness, faithfulness, and contentment were paramount in terms of how he wanted his life defined.


From Paul’s testimony, we can conclude that success contains the following elements:

1) living life as a sacrifice, pouring out the love of God to others in service and ministry for the sake of Christ

2) fighting the good fight of faith, continuing to preach the gospel and contending for truth without compromise no matter the cost (2 Timothy 3:14)

3) finishing the course, persevering in godliness and not being disqualified from effective ministry due to a lack of discipline (1 Corinthians 9:27)

4) keeping the faith, continuing to serve Christ and abounding in the work of the Lord, wherever He has called us, never growing weary of loving Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Interestingly, Paul didn’t measure his success by how many converts he had or by how many people read his letters; rather, he was concerned with faithfulness, holiness, and endurance. He didn’t judge himself based upon how much he suffered but upon how he suffered for Christ’s sake.

Paul’s criteria for success had nothing to do with what others of the day thought of him or even what people in times to come, people like us today, would think. He trusted Christ that he would be faithful to bear fruit and advance the kingdom if only he would be faithful and maintain obedience to the truth of the gospel (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

This impacted every area of his life so that Christ would be honored in each and every conversation, in each and every relationship, in each and every business venture, and in each and every message preached. No area of his life was exempted from needing to meet the Biblical criteria for true success.

Our hope should be that we can come to the end of our lives, whenever that may be, and look back as Paul did, with joy, hope, and exaltation because by faith we will have lived as holy sacrifices, having fought the good fight, having kept the faith, and having finished the race (2 Timothy 4:7).

We ought to want to hear our Savior say to us one day, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23). There is no clearer definition and affirmation of success than that.