Author Archives: jsjdevotions

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September 14, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Peace of God, Prayer

GET SOME REST

9-15-14 REST53-cropWEBCrowds of people were coming and going so that Jesus and his followers did not even have time to eat. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves, and we will go to a lonely place to get some rest.” [Mark 6:31(NCV)]

I read the above verse and walked over to my laptop; I had the perfect meditation to write. Then a voice told me, “Stop! Read the verse again!” As I did, I realized the verse was meant for me at that very moment. It wasn’t time to start writing; it was time to stop and spend time with Him. It was time to rest in His presence and so I did. Instead of writing, I took a much needed break. I took a long walk along a remote country road and savored His presence. Sometimes, we need to halt what we’re so busy doing and take the time to be taught and healed, loved and blessed, rested and restored.

Father, help us be diligent in our work for you but stop us when, instead of being productive, we are simply busy. Never let us forget the most important thing is to spend time with you.

Guide us in our daily life and remind us when it’s time to restrain our activities so we can spend quiet time resting at your side.

I will take care of my sheep and lead them to rest, declares the Almighty Lord. [Ezekiel 34:15 (NCV)]

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September 10, 2014

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Prayer

HOW DO YOU GET TO HEAVEN?

And when you pray, don’t be like those people who don’t know God. They continue saying things that mean nothing, thinking that God will hear them because of their many words. [Matthew 6:7 (NCV)]

Remember the old joke, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer, of course, is, “Practice, practice, practice!”

In his book Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcom Gladwell posits that it takes 10,000 hours of dedicated practice to master a skill. He’s not speaking of senseless repetition or only choosing to work at skills one has already attained, but rather serious, mentally challenging and deliberate practice. Perhaps that’s why some of us don’t seem very good at prayer: we haven’t practiced nearly enough! Sure, we’ve said prayers for many years, but we probably haven’t diligently practiced praying. I’m not sure that a quick grace thoughtlessly repeated before a meal or a relieved sigh of, “Thank God!” even count! There’s probably been a good bit of mindless repetition and lack of concentration in many of our prayers. Most likely, we are pretty practiced in praying for ourselves, fair at praying for others (when we remember), but we could definitely spend more time on praise and thanksgiving (especially when times are tough). I suspect that both soul searching and confession definitely need lots of work. Does practice make praying perfect? Probably not, but it sure will make mindful praying a habit!

To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. [Martin Luther King, Jr.]

Continue praying, keeping alert, and always thanking God. [Colossians 4:2 (NCV)]

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September 9, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Joy, Thanks & Praise

IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)]

We arrived at our cottage, anticipating a relaxing afternoon. The power had gone out in one refrigerator, however, and the clean-up was a long, smelly and unpleasant task. Once done, I hoped to enjoy the last of the afternoon reading in the sunroom. The locked door into the room, however, refused to unlock and could not be opened! Short of breaking the door, I wasn’t going to be reading in there that day. At least, there was hope of a nice hot shower, until I discovered we had no hot water; the pilot light on the water heater had gone out. A warm stinky fridge, a broken lock and no hot water were not the best way to start a holiday weekend.

Yet, when it came time for grace that evening, after asking God to forgive my afternoon’s litany of complaints, we thanked him for the blessings of the day. We thanked him for the blessing of two refrigerators and for discovering the dead one before it had gotten any worse. We thanked him for the handyman who responded so promptly to our call and not only repaired the door lock but also a broken light. We thanked God for the blessing of a vacation home, especially when so many have lost their only home. I added special thanks for having a husband who knows how to light a pilot light.

Blessings and gratitude go hand in hand, but not necessarily in that order. For many people, the better life is, the more thankful they become. Their good fortune determines their thankfulness. Outer circumstances, however, shouldn’t determine the joy we have in our lives. We need to learn to be thankful for everything that comes our way. The more appreciation and gratitude we have, the more happiness and contentment we’ll experience, even in less than stellar conditions. Granted, it’s not always easy to see the positive in all things, but we need to be thankful anyway. Without a doubt, we all have more than we deserve!

Father in heaven, remind us to count our blessings, not our troubles or grief, and most certainly not our minor aggravations and petty annoyances. Only then will we experience the serenity and joy you have promised us. Fill our hearts with gratitude in all circumstances and keep our lips from complaint.

Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect. We take what we can get and are thankful it’s no worse than it is. [Margaret Mitchell]

This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. [Psalm 118:23-24 (NLT)]

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September 8, 2014

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God's Grace & Love, God's Word: The Bible, Wisdom & Guidance

THE BOOK OF LOVE

At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.” [Matthew 11:25 (NLT)]

“Who, who-oo-oh, who wrote the book of love?” we all sang while listening to the oldie station on the car radio. Then a small voice from the back seat piped up, “I know who wrote the Book of Love: Jesus!” I’m pretty sure The Monotones didn’t have this interpretation in mind when they sang the song back in 1958, but there was wisdom and understanding in the child’s simple statement. We all probably have the Book of Love sitting on our book shelves, although we call it the Bible. Best of all, we all know its author! Now, whenever I hear this song (and since my husband loves old rock ‘n’ roll, I hear it often), it has become a song of praise and thanksgiving for me. Why not pick up the Book of Love and read a bit today!

The Book of Love
[Warren Davis, George Malone and Charles Patrick]

I wonder, wonder who, who-oo-ooh, who
Who wrote the Book Of Love
Tell me, tell me, tell me
Oh, who wrote the Book Of Love
I’ve got to know the answer
Was it someone from above
(Oh, I wonder, wonder who, mmbadoo-ooh, who)
(Who wrote the Book Of Love)

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)]

 

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September 7, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Joy, Peace of God

DON’T WORRY; BE HAPPY!

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice! … Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:4,6-7 (NLT)]

“Rejoice!” Paul wrote to the church at Philippi. He wrote these joyful words while awaiting trial in a Roman prison. Rather than feeling defeated during his captivity, Paul used his imprisonment as an opportunity to continue to preach the gospel and spread the joy of God’s word. Instead of being depressed by his situation, he knew how to be satisfied regardless of his situation. In fact, Paul thanked God for his difficult circumstances.

We don’t need to be in prison to be depressed, angry or resentful. There are many times in our lives when things go terribly wrong: a child becomes addicted, a parent suffers a debilitating disease, a friend gets cancer, a job is lost, a business goes bankrupt, the stock market crashes, a marriage fails, or a lawsuit is filed. We need to learn from Paul to “always be full of joy in the Lord” regardless of our circumstances.

Where the soul is full of peace and joy, outward surrounding and circumstances are of comparatively little account. [Hannah Whitall Smith]

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. [Philippians 4:8 (MSG)]

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September 3, 2014

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Faith & Hope, God's Promises, Today: Make it Count

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. [Lamentations 3:22-23 (NRSV)]

Forgive us, Father for not being nearly as faithful to you and you are to us. Unfortunately, our faith tends to waver with our circumstances; thankfully, your does not! Thank you for this new day and the promise of a fresh start. Let your Holy Spirit empty our hearts of regret and fear, anger and discontent. Fill us with the love, faith and hope that comes only from you.

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. [Psalm 89:1-2 (NSRV)] 

“Great is Thy Faithfulness”
[Thomas Chisholm (1925)]

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

 “Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.      

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!