Author Archives: jsjdevotions

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August 14, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Holy Spirit

A GENTLE REMINDER

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach them with a blue cord. When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do. The tassels will help you remember that you must obey all my commands and be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt that I might be your God. I am the Lord your God!” [Numbers 15:37-41 (NLT)]

Unlike the Israelites, we don’t wear tassels on the hems of our coats  to help us remember our faith, but perhaps we should. I often wear a small cross around my neck. When I put it on, I try not to think of it as a piece of jewelry but rather as a visible reminder of who I am and how I should behave. It reminds me to let the Holy Spirit not the wholly me run my life. We shouldn’t need a cross on a chain or tassels on our coats, however, to remind us; it should be our nature. This morning, let’s put on the Holy Spirit and let his presence continually remind us to live His way, not ours.

Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. [Romans 13:14a (NLT)]

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August 13, 2014

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Prayer, Thanks & Praise, Trusting God

HE’S OUR FRIEND; LET’S TREAT HIM LIKE A GOOD ONE!

And so it happened just as the Scriptures say, that Abraham trusted God, and the Lord declared him good in God’s sight, and he was even called “the friend of God.” [James 2:23 (TLB)]

Have you ever required a favor from someone who is just a passing acquaintance? Have you ever had to share intimate details of your life with someone you don’t know well? Have you ever let a friendship go by the wayside only to discover that you need that friend’s assistance or advice? It’s not easy, is it? If we’re not in the habit of calling on God with good news, it becomes increasingly difficult to call on Him in difficult times.

On the other hand, have you ever had a “friend” who only calls when he or she wants something from you? They never call to share their good news, only the bad, or only when they have a need you can fulfill. How does God feel when we only call Him with bad news and an urgent request for his speedy intervention?

Let’s not be “fair weather” friends with our Lord. After all, He’s there for us in all weather conditions: hurricanes and calm, downpours and drought, tornadoes and blue skies. Let’s call Him regularly and share both joy and sorrow, success and failures, thanks and petitions, faith and despair.

But God is my helper. He is a friend of mine! [Psalm 54:4 (NLT)]

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August 12, 2014

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Bible Stories, God's Grace & Love, Thanks & Praise

A FATHER’S SACRIFICE

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.[John 3:16 (NLT)]

Although God couldn’t and wouldn’t allow Abraham to sacrifice his son, another father did make such a sacrifice: God himself. He sacrificed his only son! It’s doubtful that Abraham told Sarah of the planned sacrifice; God didn’t tell Mary that her son would be sacrificed either. Isaac carried the wood for the fire that would burn him and Jesus carried the wooden cross, the instrument of his death. There is no mention of Isaac fighting Abraham as his father bound the boy’s hands and placed him on the sacrificial altar; he was an obedient son. Jesus, too, was an obedient son, as he walked the road to Golgotha and allowed the nails to be driven into his hands. Isaac asked the whereabouts of the sacrificial lamb and Abraham responded that God would provide. Jesus knew that God had provided and that he was the sacrificial lamb.

God couldn’t allow Abraham to sacrifice his son, but He so loved us that he sacrificed his son for our salvation. Thank you, God; thank you.

God sent his son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. [John 3:7 (NLT)]

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August 10, 2014

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Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works

WHEN ONE PART SUFFERS, WE ALL DO

Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. [Matthew 24:9 (NLT)]

This morning, while we sit peacefully in our churches and worship without fear, Christians in the Middle East are victims in a campaign of terror. Iraqi extremists are systematically wiping out the Assyrian Christians of northern Iraq, an ancient culture that converted to Christianity early in the first century. Offered the choices of abandoning their homes, paying an enormous tax, immediately converting to Islam or death, it appears that no matter what choice is made, death is usually the result. This is not a political forum and I can’t pretend to have any idea how to end this tragedy, but I know we can’t ignore religious persecution just because it is on the other side of the world. Something has to be done to ensure the rights and physical survival of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Action must be taken to protect the Assyrians, humanitarian efforts are desperately needed to aid the many refugees, and displaced families should be allowed to safely return to their ancestral homes. Please, remember these fellow Christians in your prayers.

Father, give courage, strength and hope to those who are persecuted because of their belief in you. Guide the world’s leaders to find a way to stop this campaign of terror. Guide us to know how we, as members of the Christian community, can help them in their troubles. Protect your suffering children and fill our hearts with love and compassion.

Not only do Assyrian Christians lay claim to some of the oldest literary, architectural, and geographical artefacts of Christianity, they also speak the language of Jesus. All of this history – along with the lives of thousands of families – is on the verge of destruction. Christianity is facing extinction in the places where it first emerged. [Op-Ed by Nuri Kino, in 8/4/2014 “Huffington/World Post”]

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. [1 Corinthians 12:26-27 (NLT)]

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. [1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT)]

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August 7, 2014

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Peace of God, Trusting God

OUR ROCK OF REFUGE

ROCK9393aWEBTurn your ear toward me. Rescue me quickly. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me. [Psalm 31:2 (GW)]

Naomi Sachs, a landscape architect and designer of hospital healing gardens, says this about safe havens: “We feel safest when we can see with a clear view – prospect – from a safe vantage point without being seen – refuge.” While hiking one day, I saw a rock that made me think of David’s “rock of refuge.” High in the mountains, it afforded a clear view of the valley below and yet provided both a place of concealment and shelter from a storm. Of course, David was speaking figuratively when he likened God to a rock of refuge. It was not until I read Sachs’ words, however, that I truly understood why this metaphor is so apropos. We can’t all climb a mountain and rest in the shade of a huge boulder while gazing out at the world below us, but we all do have a rock of refuge that welcomes us: our Lord. He not only provides a vantage point for our lives but also shelter, protection and salvation.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my Savior, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the strength of my salvation, my stronghold. [Psalm 18:2 (GW)]

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August 6, 2014

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Obedience, Prayer

LISTENING

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. [Psalm 5:3 (NLT)]

I expect God to listen to me, but do I listen to him?
When he calls, do I answer?
When he speaks, do I hear?
When he commands, do I obey?
Perhaps it’s time to remember why He gave me two ears and only one mouth!

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. [Epictetus]

Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea! Answer me because you are faithful and righteous. [Psalm 143:1 (NLT)]