Author Archives: jsjdevotions

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September 22, 2014

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God's Grace & Love, Knowing Him

IS GOD REAL?

“I am a God who is near. I am also a God who is far away,” declares the Lord. “No one can hide so that I can’t see him,” declares the Lord.  “I fill heaven and earth!” declares the Lord. [Jeremiah 23:23-24 (GW)]

Just because it seems impossible to understand God doesn’t mean that He isn’t tangible or real. For many, “God” is more of a vague abstract concept than an actual being: an impersonal entity or force that simply orchestrates events with no apparent purpose. They picture God as an all-powerful transcendent “something.” God, however, isn’t a “something”; God is a “someone” with whom we have a personal relationship, with whom we can talk every day, all day long. He knows our names as well as we know His; He plans our lives more carefully than we schedule our own calendars; He loves us more than even our parents did. God keeps track of our sorrows, collects our tears and forgives our sins. Yes, He is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, and truly beyond our limited comprehension, but He is a being. There is nothing abstract or theoretical about Him. We are connected to Him and made in His image. We may not be able to understand, see or touch Him, but He is real.

God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep that it is impossible to explain his decisions or to understand his ways. “Who knows how the Lord thinks? Who can become his adviser?” Who gave the Lord something which the Lord must pay back? Everything is from him and by him and for him. Glory belongs to him forever! Amen! [Romans 11:33-36 (GW)]

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September 21, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, God's Grace & Love, Joy, Peace of God

MY DAY OF REST

On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. [Genesis 2:2-3 (NLT)]

You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. [Exodus 20:9a (NLT)]

The words “frazzled”, “rushed”, and “stressed” have been creeping into my vocabulary all too frequently. “Busy” seemed to be a recurring theme in my recent writing and “rest” seemed to be a recurrent theme in my daily Bible reading and prayers. Could God be telling me something? Today’s Bible study took me to the above verses from Genesis and Exodus. I don’t think God could have made it much clearer than that! Even He took a day of rest after a busy week and, from now on, I will too. My messages will continue to be posted, but only six days a week. Sundays will be my day of rest and restoration.

Today, be sure to enjoy your day of rest. Listen to your pastor’s message; worship with joy and thanksgiving. Read the Bible. Write your own prayer or meditation. Take a break; God did! Spend the day in prayer, love, and laughter and, above all, rest quietly in God’s loving arms.

Rest time is not waste time. It is economy to gather fresh strength… It is wisdom to take occasional furlough. In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less. [Charles Spurgeon]

Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. [Psalm 116:7 (NLT)]

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September 20, 2014

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Faith & Hope, God's Plan, God's Promises, Prayer, Worry

A GODSEND

We don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself speaks to God for us. He begs God for us, speaking to him with feelings too deep for words. God already knows our deepest thoughts. And he understands what the Spirit is saying, because the Spirit speaks for his people in the way that agrees with what God wants. We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. These are the people God chose, because that was his plan. [Romans 8:26b-28 (ERV)]

The three of us had been trying to solve a difficult situation for most of the summer. No solution seemed quite right. Not knowing how we were going to deal with this problem, I had simply given it to God, praying that He would guide us. We didn’t know what we needed exactly but surely He would provide whatever it was. As our deadline for a decision approached, we began to fret over finding the correct resolution. Suddenly, we realized the answer was looking us in the face. God had provided exactly what we required! Some would say it was a stroke of luck to find the answer to our prayers, a person, at a time in her life when she needed us as well. Luck had nothing to do with it. This person is truly a Godsend. I have no doubt that God saw our need, and hers, and set a series of events in place over the summer that brought us all together at exactly the right time.

Thank you, Lord, for your provision and for knowing what we need far better than we ourselves do.

I am praying to you in my time of trouble. I know you will answer me. [Psalm 86:7 (ERV)]

I will answer them before they call for help. I will help them before they finish asking. [Isaiah 65:24 (ERV)]

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September 19, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Holy Spirit, Love & Works, Salvation: A New You

BUSTED!

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? [James 2:14 (NLT)]

While enjoying lunch with a group of church women, the person across from me asked if I could deliver “Meals on Wheels” the following week. Knowing how busy my life has been of late, I reluctantly looked at my calendar, secretly hoping every day was booked between 11 and 2. Monday through Thursday were, but Friday was open. I wanted to say, “I’m sorry, but it just won’t work!” I was sorely tempted to do so until the Holy Spirit pointed out the irony of the situation. You see, I’d just finished writing yesterday’s message about sharing God’s love and compassion and there I was: unwilling to share even a few hours. Rather hypocritical, to say the least! Yes, I was busy, but if I had time for a “Boot Camp” class that Friday morning, I could certainly find time to deliver some meals in the afternoon. Granted, I had lots to do but so did the “Meals on Wheels” chairperson. She has a family with youngsters still at home yet, for twenty years, she’s spent countless hours lining up drivers and delivering food to shut-ins! We’re all busy, but God is never too busy when we call on Him. After that rebuke from the Holy Spirit, I cheerfully said I’d do it.

We “Christians” can be the worst hypocrites of all. We may say all of the right things, but often don’t live them. We preach forgiveness, but hold grudges. We speak of generosity, but only give our leftovers to God and those in need. We say we love, but hold prejudices. We say “judge not” but act as judge and jury when it comes to the behavior of others. We say we pray, but frequently don’t; we say we trust God, but let fear and despair lead us; and we say we read the Bible, but rarely do. Being a Christian, however, is not just talking like Christ; it is being like Him!

Father, forgive us when it’s only our words that are “Christian” and not our behavior. Fill us with your Holy Spirit, point out the errors of our ways, and transform our lives so that we carry the message of Christ in all we say and do.

Why is it that a community that talks so much about supernatural transformation shows so little of that transformation? We will have to be men and women who embody the message that we are preaching, whose lives are faithful to the claims we are making. [Ravi Zacharias]

If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. [1 John 2:4-6 (NLT)]

 

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September 17, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Salvation: A New You

FORGET THE BOTOX!

For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation and adorn the wretched with victory. [Psalm 149:4 (AMP)]

Forget the facials, Botox, facelifts and tummy tucks; forget the trips to the gym, spa, and beauty salon. This news could put the personal trainers, plastic surgeons, barbers, beauticians and aestheticians out of business! The work God can do on us sounds like the best make-over ever. Anyone for a trip to God’s spa?

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. [Romans 12:2 (NLT)]

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September 15, 2014

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Fear & Doubt, God's Word: The Bible, Knowing Him

TRUST THE ONE YOU FEAR

All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. … He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly. [Psalm 115:11,13 (NLT)]

Even though we know that the words “Fear the Lord” don’t necessarily mean we have to cower in terror, we may still find that phrase troubling when used in reference to our relationship with God. Many of us were afraid of people in our own families so we may carry some heavy baggage when we see the word “fear” in our Bible reading. There are some who grew up in homes where there were arguments instead of discussions and shouting instead of speaking. While punishment was readily handed out, forgiveness wasn’t readily offered. Perhaps there were more tears than laughter and more hostile silences than words of comfort. Children were afraid to approach their parents with a problem because, instead of a solution, they would get a lecture on how their failures brought on the difficulty in the first place. There may even have been outright abuse.

Psalm 115 tells us that, if we fear the Lord, we can trust Him and He will bless us. How are we supposed to trust a god who frightens or terrorizes us as a parent or someone else in authority might have done in the past? If you find it troubling when the word “fear” is used in the context of your connection to God, look to other translations. For example, instead of the word “fear,” the Easy-to-Read Version often uses the word “respect,” the Good News Translation frequently uses the words “honor” and “obey,” and the Message Bible uses “worship.”

God does not want us filled with terror at his presence nor does He does want us cowering in a corner, afraid to seek him. He wants to have a relationship with us, one that is based on love not dread, trust not anxiety, and reverence not fright.

You must fear the Lord your God, serve him… [Deuteronomy 6:13a (GW)]

Revere the Lord your God, serve him… [Deuteronomy 6:13a (CEV)]

Respect the Lord your God and serve only him.… [Deuteronomy 6:13a (ERV)]

Honor the Lord your God, worship only him… [Deuteronomy 6:13a (GNT)]

When you are full, don’t forget to be reverent to him and to serve him… [Deuteronomy 6:13a (TLB)]