Category Archives: Knowing Him

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July 28, 2016

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Attitudes & Behavior, Fruit of the Spirit, God's Grace & Love, Joy, Knowing Him, Peace of God, Today: Make it Count, Trusting God

FILLED WITH JOY

Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right. [Psalm 97:11 (NLT)]

I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. [Psalm 9:2 (NLT)]

CLOWNSWhat makes us happy? Could it be a phone call from a good friend? Is it when we’ve made a profit in the stock market or received a large commission check? Are we pleased when our checkbook balances on the first attempt or when the accountant informs us that a large tax refund will be in the mail? Are we happy when someone sends us flowers or our child brings home a good report card? Does finding the ideal gift for our spouse’s birthday or receiving the perfect gift for ours give us happiness? Would we be happier if we could enjoy two weeks at a luxury resort or had a state-of-the-art home theatre or gourmet kitchen?

Happiness tends to depend on external circumstances. Joy, however, is something we can have regardless of what is occurring around us. We are made happy by something that happens to us. In contrast, we are filled with joy by something that happens in us: God’s love.

We’ve all known people who almost radiate with joy. They seem to light up a room when they enter it. When we analyze their lives, however, we often find situations that would surely bring us unhappiness. Their family might be in debt, the husband may be unemployed, or a child might be developmentally disabled. They may have a chronic illness or be in physical pain. In spite of their troubles, however, these people seem incredibly blessed—they’re so much at peace and so full of joy. Why? Because, true joy is not dependent on circumstances. It comes from a steady relationship with God. Whenever I get to know people who sparkle with joy, I discover that they are radiating the joy that comes from a relationship with God. When our lives are linked with God, they will be filled with joy, no matter what our condition may be.

Our God is so wonderfully good, and lovely, and blessed in every way that the mere fact of belonging to him is enough for an untellable fullness of joy! [Hannah Whitall Smith]

Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength! [Nehemiah 8:10b (NLT)]

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July 27, 2016

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Faith & Hope, God's Grace & Love, God's Promises, Knowing Him, Trusting God

GOING UPHILL

No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it. [1 Corinthians 10:13 (NET)]

sign to Rothorn in BrienzFrom today’s verse, you might think I’m going to say that God will never give us more than we can bear. That Christianese sentiment, however, comes from 1 Corinthians 10 and is about temptation, not difficulties and afflictions. The belief that God will never give us any burden or challenge we can’t bear puts the emphasis on us and our strength rather than where it should be—on God and His power! In 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote of being so burdened beyond his strength that he despaired of even living. Clearly, there will be times in our lives when we will be given far more than we can possibly bear by ourselves.

Florida is pretty much flat as a pancake and my husband and I can hike and bike long distances with little or no effort. We thought we were nearly invincible until we returned to the rolling hills of the Midwest and the mountain trails of our beloved Rockies. As I trudged up my first steep hill, I was sure God made it longer and higher in my absence; all I wanted was for someone to carry me!

Although I’ve been working on getting stronger since returning north, God’s spiritual training is quite different from physical training. Unlike a cross-country coach, God doesn’t train us on steeper and steeper hills so we can eventually run up them without needing to stop and catch our breath. He keeps challenging us with uphill climbs so that we learn to trust Him to raise us up. We’re not supposed to be lifting the heavy weight of life’s burdens; that’s God’s job. When we encounter the steep grades, he doesn’t expect us to climb them by ourselves; he wants us to learn to let Him empower us. Our faith isn’t demonstrated by how strong we are but by how readily we recognize that we’re too weak to ascend life’s hills and peaks by ourselves. Our faith is revealed by our willingness to trust God enough to let Him bear our burdens, lift us over the barriers, and get us up the mountains.

Without topographical challenges, I’d overestimated my fitness and strength until my first trek from the lake up to our house (100 paces and every one of them uphill) left me exhausted. When we live in a spiritual flatland with no challenges, we tend to overrate our strength as well. Mistakenly, we think we’re strong enough to conquer life’s trials on our own and stop depending on God’s power. He regularly gives us hills, not to get us powerful enough to climb them alone but to have faith enough to give every uphill climb to Him. We’ll then realize that it is our faith, not our strength, that carries and sustains us.

Thank you, God, for the challenges of life, not because they strengthen us enough to go it alone, but because they strengthen our trust and dependence on you.

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living. Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. He delivered us from so great a risk of death, and he will deliver us. We have set our hope on him that he will deliver us yet again. [2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (NET)]

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July 20, 2016

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Attitudes & Behavior, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Knowing Him, Prayer, Today: Make it Count

NOT JUST FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Can anyone tell the Lord what to do? Who can teach him or give him advice? With whom does God consult in order to know and understand and to learn how things should be done? [Isaiah 40:13-14 (GNT)]

turk's cap lily

Thinking of my friend who wanted to refrain from calling on her friends until she “really needed” them made me think how we tend to set aside nice things for the really important events or special occasions of life. Reserved for some special occasion, we have living rooms that aren’t lived in and dining rooms that aren’t dined in. We women have bath salts, scented soaps and lotions, perfumes and fragrant candles given to us and then we stash them away for a special time of pampering (that never happens). We save the sterling flatware for the elegant dinners that never seem to occur. Yet, unless it is used, sterling silver won’t develop its characteristic patina that only grows more beautiful with time and use. Friends, sterling silver, dining rooms, living rooms, and spa goodies—they’re all meant to be used and appreciated. If we’ve been blessed with supportive friends or beautiful things, we should avail ourselves of them. After all, every day with which we’re blessed is a special occasion.

Saving people and things for that special event or when we’re in desperate straits got me thinking about the way we pray. Do we keep our little concerns to ourselves and reserve our prayers for the big problems, the special occasions, the times we’re at the end of the rope and “really need” Him? Is ours a fallback or special occasion God we approach only when all else fails? Do we keep Him in reserve and only use him when in crisis mode? Nothing is too small or trivial to God. If it’s important to us; it’s important to Him; if it’s troubling us, it’s troubling Him; and, if we’re thankful for it (no matter how small it may be), He wants to hear our thanks and praise. While I can decide whether to use the crystal goblets or Lenox china for my guests, I don’t think I’m the one who is supposed to decide what is God’s business and what is mine—especially since it all is His! Let’s not save God for special occasions like we do the silver or Waterford crystal; let Him be like our stainless flatware and plastic glasses—our “everyday” God!

What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!
 What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!
[“What a Friend We Have in Jesus (Joseph Scriven)]

The Lord said, “I was ready to answer my people’s prayers, but they did not pray. I was ready for them to find me, but they did not even try. The nation did not pray to me, even though I was always ready to answer, ‘Here I am; I will help you.’ [Isaiah 65:1 (GNT)]

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July 7, 2016

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Attitudes & Behavior, Knowing Him, Love & Works, Obedience, Prayer, Salvation: A New You, Sharing Our Faith, Spiritual Gifts, Today: Make it Count

A LIVING SACRIFICE

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. [Romans 12:1 (NLT)]

cathedral of st francis - Santa Fe8554awebDoes God truly have our bodies? Are we His twenty-four/seven or just for a few hours on Sunday? Do we worship with our entire selves or with just our lips? In the Old Testament, the sacrifices were dead animals; in the New Testament, the sacrifices are living Christians. Jesus died for us; we are to sacrifice ourselves and live for Him. Do our lives constitute a holy sacrifice?

Heavenly Father, I give you my eyes—show me how to use them to see what you want to have done. I give you my hands—show me how to use them to serve you. I give you my voice—show me how to use it to teach, encourage and console. I give you my arms—show me how to use them to offer both welcome and comfort. I give you my feet—show me how to use them to spread your holy word. Fill my mind with your wisdom, my heart with your love, and my soul with your Holy Spirit. I am yours, Lord, give me a task.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
[Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi]

Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. [Romans 6:13b (NLT)]

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June 23, 2016

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Challenges & Difficulty, Faith & Hope, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Prayer, Trusting God, Worry

BLESS THE CHILDREN

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. [Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)]

And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. … Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. [Matthew 18:5-6,10 (NLT)]

awebLike all children, my grands are growing up and new challenges face them every day. The eldest is now driving and old enough to date. Come fall, she’ll be looking at colleges, two others will start junior high school, one enters kindergarten and the youngest is off to nursery school. Where did the time go?

One look back at my childhood (especially my teen years), tells me that I kept my guardian angel working overtime. Not wanting my grands to make the same mistakes I did, I’d love to put a protective bubble around each one of them. It would shield them from evil influences, bad people, poor choices and dangerous situations. Although a protective bubble won’t work, perhaps the armor of God will. While not the typical school uniform, we can clothe our children with the belt of God’s truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the peace of the gospel on their feet, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation. Although weapons aren’t allowed in school, we can arm them with the sword of God’s word and the power of prayer. In the end, however, it will be their battle to fight and not ours.

Blessed Lord, thank you for the children you have given us; please protect them. Shield them from influences that run counter to your teachings. May they come to know both you and your word so they can withstand the challenges of this troubled and confusing world. Movies, magazines, television, music, books, social media and even their peers bombard them with opinions, advice, and examples that challenge their values and faith. Fill their lives with positive influences to inspire, teach and guide them. May they flourish and grow in their relationship with you. Let your light shine brightly in their lives so that all of their attitudes and actions honor your holy name.

If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. Psalm 91:9-12 (NLT)

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. [Psalm 1:1-3 (NLT)]

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June 17, 2016

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Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Grace & Love, God's Promises, Knowing Him, Thanks & Praise, Trusting God

A PARENT’S LOVE

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. [Psalm 103:8 (NLT)]

swans (mute) - parent's loveweb

Like most parents, there were times my husband and I were exasperated by, disappointed in, displeased with, and ticked off at our children. While we tried to be compassionate and merciful, we weren’t necessarily slow to get angry. In spite of our anger, however, like God, we were always filled with unfailing love. We could be disappointed, distressed, and even hurt by our children yet we persisted in our love for them. Even though they weren’t always loveable—in fact, there were times they were barely likeable—we loved them unconditionally. After all, they were our children—a part of us. Fortunately, they all survived our less than perfect parenting and have grown into wonderful adults and loving parents with children of their own. While we settle into enjoying grandparenthood, they are now experiencing for themselves the challenges of parenting and the tremendous power of parental love.

If mothers and fathers, mere flawed humans, can continue to love their children in spite of wrecked cars, skipped school or broken laws, our perfect God can easily persist in loving His children in spite of their myriad offenses. If mortal parents can still love children that deceive them, treat them with contempt, or disappoint them, think about how much our divine God can continue to love His children regardless of their transgressions. Consider how much more able He is to have unfailing love for His offspring than an ordinary man or woman. I don’t know how He manages it, but He does. He may be angry and disappointed with us, but He continues to love us.

Thank you, Father God, for not losing faith in your children; thank you for your unfailing love and forgiveness.

Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them in the depths of the ocean! You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago. [Micah 7:18-20 (NLT)]

Copyright © 2016 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.