DEVOTION THURS 7-01-10

A DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

THURSDAY JULY 1ST, 2010

"A TIME TO GIVE”

BY

Gary Chapman

Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

—JOHN 12:3

Margaret Jensen grew up as the daughter of a pastor during the Depression. She remembers the day her family awaited her father's paycheck so they could buy food. When her father arrived home, he handed her mother not money but a string of pearls. He bowed low and told his wife, "Mama.… You have such a beautiful throat, you should wear pearls."

Margaret's mother graciously accepted the impractical gift and said she would wear it always. As Margaret writes,"Later she told me, ‘There is a time and place for everything. Sometimes we need pearls more than potatoes. That was the time for pearls.' "

Graciously receiving an act of kindness is a way of treating others courteously. When Mary anointed Jesus's feet with expensive perfume, Judas objected. But Jesus said, "Leave her alone.… It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial" (John 12:5, 7). Mary was the sister of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Her act was likely an expression of deep appreciation for what Jesus had done. Jesus courteously accepted it and did not question her motive.

Some of us find it easier to give than to receive. But when we show courtesy by receiving what others offer us, we are giving them the opportunity to know the joy of loving.

Prayer

Father, I pray for the courtesy to receive the gifts of others well

DEVOTION WEDNESDAY 6-30-10

A DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

WEDNESDAY JUNE 30TH, 2010

"Jesus: The Name”

BY

Pastor Bob Coy

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 (NKJV)

No study of the names of God could be complete without addressing the name of Jesus. The name Jesus is so familiar to us that it's difficult to imagine a time when it wasn't a part of our vocabulary. But despite its familiarity, there's meaning in this name that's not so obvious on the surface.

For starters, Jesus is a transliteration of the Hebrew name Yeshua or Yehowshuwa. Dig a little deeper and you find that the name Yehowshuwa comes from the words Jehovah and yasha. Jehovah is the personal name of God, and the word yasha literally means "to be saved" or "to be delivered." When we put this all together, we see that the name Jesus, when taken back to its Hebrew roots, means "God saves."

It doesn't get any more spot-on than that! And it brings new meaning to the statement above: "He will save His people from their sins." The name of Jesus wasn't randomly pulled out of a hat. It was specifically and deliberately chosen to identify God's Son, because everything about Him, from the cradle to the grave, was about the salvation He would secure for us.

Every time we say the name Jesus, it's a declaration of what He was all about. We declare His earthly mission and His eternal passion to save. He is the God who is not interested in serving Himself, but in saving others…saving us…even though we don't deserve it.

Yet despite the fact we don't deserve to be saved, He has saved us. Not because of who we are, but simply because of who He is. And there's no stronger exclamation mark of God's heart to save than the name Jesus!

DEVOTION TUESDAY 6-29-10

A DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

TUESDAY JUNE 29TH, 2010

"GOD IS PRESENT IN DARK TIMES”

BY

Dr Charles Stanley

Genesis 39:1-23

In this day of "instant" news, we regularly see images of calamity in our world. And on a personal level, we experience seasons of hardship as well. The same is true of friends and family who encounter difficulties with children, job layoffs, and marriage breakups.

As Christians, we have a heavenly Father who has promised to be with us in our troubles. We can rely on Him—He knows what will happen before we do; nothing is hidden from His sight (Heb. 4:13). He sees in the darkness of troubled times as clearly as He does in the daylight (Ps. 139:11-12). Through His Spirit, He offers us the comfort, strength, and wisdom to persevere. The story of Joseph illustrates this truth. After being rejected by his brothers at a young age and sold into slavery, he was falsely accused by his master's wife and imprisoned. But in the midst of those terrible times, the young Hebrew man experienced God's presence and favor.

I doubt Joseph comprehended the Lord's intentions during his slavery and imprisonment. But later on, as second-in-command to Pharaoh, he understood God's purpose in allowing those difficult years. In the end, Joseph testified to what he knew to be true. His brothers had meant to harm him, but God used all the hardship to accomplish His good plan (Gen. 45:4-8; 50:20).

When troubles hit, remember what is true and take heart. The indwelling Holy Spirit has the resources to provide what we need, equip us for the journey, and sustain us with His presence throughout the dark days. Nothing can stop the purposes of our Lord from being carried out (Isa. 14:27).

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org

DEVOTION MONDAY 6-28-10

A DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

MONDAY JUNE 28TH, 2010

"RADICALLY IMPROVED"

BY

Greg Laurie

We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.

—2 Corinthians 5:2

This may come as a revelation to some, but our bodies were not meant to last forever. They are a temporary place to house our souls. The Bible tells us, "For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands" (2 Corinthians 5: 2).

Our new bodies will, in some ways, be like our old bodies, but in other ways they will be different—and without question, radically improved. Our minds will be redeemed from the limitations that sin has placed upon them. As we get older, we tend to forget more and more things, like the names of certain people and where we parked the car. But in heaven, our minds will be operating at maximum capacity. We will know more in heaven than we know on Earth. As 1 Corinthians 15:43 says, "Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength." There will be no effects of aging. There will be no disabilities.

Our resurrection bodies will resemble that of Jesus, because 1 John 3:2 tells us, "Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is."

It is great to think about heaven, because we have so much to look forward to. But while we are looking forward to it, let's also pray that God will help us to make a difference on Earth.

Copyright © 2010 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

DEVOTION SATURDAY 6-26-10

A DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

SATURDAY JUNE 26TH, 2010

"TRUE FAITH"

BY

Bayless Conley

James 2:14-20 tells us the substance of true faith,

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

My favorite translation of this last verse is, "Faith without actions that correspond is dead." Faith must have actions that correspond with it.

You can talk about catching fish, about what lures you are going to use, and how you are going to cook them after you catch them, but if you never throw a line in the water, you are not going to catch a fish.

Or it's like the golfer who comes to a 3-par hole with a lake right in front of the green and says, "No problem, I can hit that green with my six iron." Then he digs out an old ratty golf ball. If he truly believes he can hit the green, he will hit his brand new $3 golf ball!

For faith to be genuine, it has to have corresponding actions.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God

DEVOTION FRIDAY 6-25-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

FRIDAY JUNE 25TH, 2010

"TAKE TIME FOR OTHERS"

From

LivingFree.org

Today's Scripture

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

Thoughts for Today

Hurry sickness can affect every area of our lives—including the people we care most about. When we are so busy that it's hurry, hurry, hurry all the time, we often hurt those we love, especially our family. By putting our to-do lists above their needs. By neglecting to spend quality time with them. By being so wrapped up in what we are doing that we are not sensitive to what is happening in their lives.

The pursuits that keep us so busy might be worthwhile. Serving as a parent officer for our child's team or club. Volunteering at church. Serving at a community kitchen. Helping our neighbors. Being active in a ministry. Even if our motives for getting involved in all the busyness were good, sometimes we get so wrapped up in the doing that we begin to suffer from hurry sickness. And one of the first things that happens is distorted priorities-and that affects our relationships.

They should understand, we think. After all, I'm doing this for them (or for a good cause). But our most important cause is right there at home. When our activities, no matter how worthwhile they seem, begin to have negative effects on our spouse or our children, it's time to reevaluate.

Consider this…

Hurry sickness can sneak up on us. We are scurrying along taking care of all we've committed to do, getting busier and busier. Then something is said or done in our family that shocks us into realizing that something is wrong. Without meaning to, we have allowed all these good pursuits to interfere with our relationship with God—and with those we care about the most.

It's time to ask our family how they feel. It's time to seek God's point of view—and His guidance. It's time to get some of the hurry out of our life and focus on what counts the most.

Prayer

Father, I didn't mean for this to happen. I just kept getting involved in one activity after another. I wanted to do good. But I realize now that I became so focused on what I wanted to do, that I took my focus off You and my family. Please forgive me. Help me to find my way back to doing things Your way. In Jesus' name …

DEVOTION THURS 6- 24-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

THURSDAY JUNE 24TH, 2010

"YOU’RE CALLED TO TRUE REPENTENCE"

By

Dr Jack Graham

"… I [Jesus] tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

--Luke 13:5

There's a word in Scripture that you don't hear very much these days. It's the word "repent."

The word repent means that one moment you're walking away from God, but then you turn around and start walking toward him. You turn around and trust in Jesus Christ and receive him as your Lord and Savior.

So, in today's verse, we find Jesus using this word. He's saying, "Unless you repent… unless you turn from your sinful ways and start walking with me… you will perish."

You see, repentance requires that you and I make a clean break from the world… a clean break with sin…. and a clean break with the past. God hasn't called you to be a borderline believer—he wants your whole heart. He wants you to give him your all.

So how are you living? Maybe you've come out of the world, but just barely. Well, if your life still resembles that of an unbeliever, you haven't truly repented, have you?

Let me challenge you to truly repent and make a clean break with sin and your past.

Separate yourself from the world and walk with Christ. Then take a stand for your Savior… and experience the joy and newness of life that comes from living in complete obedience

GOD HASN'T CALLED YOU TO BE A BORDERLINE BELIEVER.

HE WANTS YOUR WHOLE HEART.

DEVOTION WEDNESDAY 6-23-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

WEDNESDAY JUNE 23RD, 2010

"JESUS IDENTFIES WITH OUR NEEDS"

By

Dr Charles Stanley

Hebrews 4:14-16

We often forget that during His stay on earth, Jesus identified with us—not only in meeting our needs but also in experiencing His own. Although Christ was fully God, He was at the same time completely human, with all of humanity's weaknesses except for sin.

When Jesus had finished a 40-day fast in the wilderness, He experienced physical hunger and an onslaught of temptation from the Devil (Matt. 4:1-2). Later, after an exhausting day of healing, teaching, and feeding a crowd of more than 5,000, the Son of God required time alone with His Father for spiritual refreshment (Matt. 14:23). And in the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ was under tremendous spiritual and emotional pressure as He faced the ordeal of paying for the sins of mankind through His death on a cross (Matt. 26:38-39).

In each weakness, Jesus turned to His Father. The Word of God was His defense in temptation, prayer was His source of strength for ministry, and submission to the Father's will was His pathway to victory over sin and death. By passing through every difficult situation without sin, He became our High Priest, who intercedes for us and invites us to draw near to the God's throne for help in time of need.

Whatever your needs may be, you can follow Christ's example and experience the Father's provision. The Word of God is your protection, prayer is your strength, and submission to the Father is the way to victory over sin. Draw near with confidence, and let the Lord shower you with His grace.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org

DEVOTION TUESDAY 6-22-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

TUESDAY JUNE 22ND, 2010

"Live Wisely"

By

Greg Laurie

“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

—Psalm 90:12

There is one thing we all have been given that is the same is life. We all have been given our lives to use for the glory of God. We don't know how long the time span will last. We know the date of our birth, but we usually don't know the date of our death. However, we have a lot to do with that time in between, how we invest it, and how we use it for the glory of God.

We make a big mistake when we think we will live long lives, because no one has that assurance. As Moses prayed, "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). Indeed, the Bible says there is "a time to be born, and a time to die" (Ecclesiastes 3:2). We don't know when that time will come for us, so we want to live our lives wisely in the interim.

So how should we be living? For what purpose are we put on this earth? Why are we here? According to Scripture, we are here to glorify God. We exist to bring glory to the One who made us. In fact, one of the songs we will be singing in heaven is, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created" (Revelation 4:11). We exist for the pleasure of God. We exist to bring glory to Him.

The Bible tells us that we are to redeem the time because the days are evil (see Ephesians 5:16). As one translation puts it, we are to make sacred and wise use of every opportunity. God has given us this special gift called life. So let's use it wisely.

Copyright © 2010 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

DEVOTION MONDAY 6-21-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

MONDAY JUNE 21ST, 2010

”THE POWER OF WORDS”

From – New Life Daily Devotions

Bible Reading: James 3:5-10

We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

Words can hurt terribly! We've all said things that we regret. Stinging words leave their mark, and we can't take away the sting or erase the emotional impact they have. We may have made our tongues a tool of deception. Learning to tell lies expertly, we may have shattered someone's trust. We may have used our words to attack and wound our children and our spouses.

James recognized the terrible power of our words: "The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth" (James 3:5-10).

There seems to be no final cure for this unruly member of our body. We need to respect what great damage it can do. Kids may chant, "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me." But this is a weak defense against a verbal weapon that can shatter our spirit. Whom have we hurt with our words?

Our words are like fire: we cannot control them or reverse the damage they cause.

DEVOTION SATURDAY 6-19-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

SATURDAY JUNE 19TH, 2010

”DADS WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE”

By DR JACK GRAHAM

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

--1 Peter 4:7

We live in desperately wicked times. I've said that many times, and it's true. It's a reflection of the last days in which we live. And for this reason, it's never been more important for fathers to pursue God with their whole hearts.

Your kids need to see the authentic witness of Christ alive in you! They need to see you praying, serving God, and showing love and respect to their mother. And your kids need you to be actively present in their lives, providing love and guidance that aligns with the witness of your daily life.

It's hard to live this kind of life if you're allowing your mind to be numbed or your judgment clouded. Don't let yourself be intoxicated by the spirit of this age, but as Peter said, be "self-controlled and sober-minded."

Now, I know many men who think they've blown it with their kids. But there's hope and restoration in Jesus Christ.

Let me challenge you to do something today.

If you want to make a difference in the lives of your children, start by getting on your knees in prayer. Answer God's call to grow closer to him and to live a holy life before the Lord and your family.

YOUR KIDS NEED TO SEE THE AUTHENTIC WITNESS OF CHRIST ALIVE IN YOU!

DEVOTION FRIDAY 6-18-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

FRIDAY JUNE 18TH, 2010

“BEARING IT ALL”

By STEPHEN DAVEY

2 Corinthians 5:21

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Do you understand the concept of Christ's bearing the sin of the world? I can only imagine a fraction of what it means. Mark Mosley captured a small drop from the ocean of truth encompassing this profound act of infinite sacrifice. This is his humbling reminder of just how far Christ went on our behalf:

Jesus bore the sins of the Assyrians, who gloated over the captives they had skinned alive; the sins of SS troops, machine-gunning women and children running from burning synagogues with clothing ablaze.

Jesus bore the sins of child molesters, making sure their victims never have to testify; the sins of the Pharaohs, sacrificing thousands of laborers' lives, to build themselves deifying tombs.

Jesus was tossed about in these endless storms: enraged fathers beating toddlers to death; pimps seducing runaways into lives of drugs and prostitution; church ladies cannibalizing other church ladies over coffee; Canaanites throwing their children to Moloch, their sun god; impoverished parents in China selling their children into slavery.

Jesus bore the sins of embezzlers; gangsters; bullies; rapists; liars; the indifferent; the sadistic; the self-righteous Bible-believing leaders praying long and loud, while their wives sat in back pews praying that heavy make-up covered their bruises.

It is a scene of unbearable horror and unspeakable madness. He is the accused for us all, bearing the weight of abused children; families destroyed by adultery or apathy; civilizations decaying; wars ravaging victims. Yet, through it all, deep in the terror of hell, He keeps His eyes wide open.

He is not just a bystander caught in the accident; He has come deliberately. He will accept it all, absorbing the full force of this storm of wrath in His body, His mind, His heart, and His soul, until there is nothing left to feel.

Finally, the tumbling will slow a bit; the storm will slacken, and Jesus will lift Himself on His nailed feet to snatch a gasp of air and force His swollen tongue to shout, "It is finished—I've come; I've seen; I've paid for it all."

I would add to that last line, "And I have borne all this for them." The mercy that God expended upon mankind at the cross was immeasurable. Christ died for the worst of sinners, and loved the most hateful of enemies. What a powerful reminder of God's enormous love! Christ bore our sin and our punishment so we could bear His righteousness and His reward.

This is the greatest reversal in all of human history: Sinners become sons of God, because the Son of God became sin . . . for us!

Prayer Point: Although you can never begin to grasp the extent of Christ's sacrifice on your behalf, thank Him for the part that you can understand: that He took your place on the cross so that you could have a place with Him in heaven

DEVOTION THURS 6- 17-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

THURSDAY JUNE 17TH, 2010

”THE SECRET OF SUFFERING”

By DR ED YOUNG

We're all familiar with the cliché "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." But for many of us that phrase is incomplete. It should continue, "the tough get going in the opposite direction!" So often we retreat from the tough times and question the plan of a God who would allow us to experience pain. But He is neither a wasteful Father, nor a cruel one. Suffering presents us with a personal challenge: we can either use our suffering as a bridge in building relationships with others, or we can view it as a wall that separates us from those around us. The choice is ours.

James writes that suffering is actually productive. It produces endurance in us by stretching our faith. Paul adds that it makes us useful to others, because the God of all comfort "comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (II Corinthians 1:4)

Maybe like Joseph, you are in the pit. Maybe you're waiting in a dark, windowless place of suffering. Perhaps your personal "pit" is so deep and dark that it has caused you to question the very existence of God. If so, take heart in this basic biblical principle: those whom God would greatly use and bless will always experience a time of suffering. It is not possible to be used significantly by God in any area of endeavor without suffering. You don't have to consider the suffering itself joy…but joy will be the end of what God will do with it if you trust Him.

MEMORY VERSE

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

DEVOTION WEDNESDAY 6-16-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

WEDNESDAY JUNE 16TH, 2010

”Materialism – Time with God”

By John North

Read Luke 12:13-21

Then [Jesus] said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions. (v. 15)

Life is not about what you have; it is about your relationship to God!

Get out your Bible and read the full passage referred to above. After Jesus describes that man's life, He says, "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God".

Catalogues can be fun to flick through, but don't you find that as you flip through the latest ones, whether they are clothing catalogues or electronics catalogues or catalogues for books or houses or cars or computers or games or music—when you look, you want? And if you keep looking and longing, you can get consumed with your desire for something. Your life becomes "about" that thing.

God is saying to you today that your life is not about any of these things—your life is about Him and His will for you. Start spending more time in His "spiritual catalogue"—the Bible—and start getting consumed with your desire for the life described in there.

Then you will find that you are not "laying up treasure for yourself," but you are "rich toward God"! There's nothing you can buy that feels as good as having a rich relationship with God.

DEVOTION TUESDAY 6-15-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

TUESDAY JUNE 15TH, 2010

”Gratitude” – A Good Thing

From bbh

All things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God - 2 Corinthians 4:15

Every person, every situation, everything is allowed through the wise and omnipotent hand of God for your sakes. He is, like the potter, shaping this world for His own purposes, and He purposes your good, if you are one of His.

As Paul wrote in his first letter to Corinth, "the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours" (1 Corinthians 3:22). God has subdued even your greatest enemies, so they now work for your good.

But the good of those who love God is not God's only motivation. His primary motivation, because He is God, is always and rightly His own glory. And so, we are reminded, God has purposed our good for His glory.

It is the great purpose of God that His abundant and conquering grace should redound to His own glory. It is only right that it would be so, like an author or a painter or a sculptor being credited for his masterpieces. But how does abundant grace resonate to His glory? Through the thanksgiving of many.

God will be glorified by us, no matter what — either in forgiving us or in condemning us. But our goal should be that He is glorified in us. When we grab from the gracious hand of God and run away thoughtlessly to enjoy His benefits, His abundant grace does not receive the glory it deserves.

So, dear pardoned sinner and beneficiary of divine goodness: make yourself today a soundboard for the glory of God. May each blessing sent your way reverberate to the glory of His name, through your conscious and joyful thanksgiving.

DEVOTION MONDAY 6-14-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

MONDAY JUNE 14TH, 2010

”Free From the Fear of Death”

By

Neil Anderson

1 Corinthians 15:55

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?

Most phobias can be reduced to a fear of man or death. Death looms over many as the ultimate fear-object. The fact that death is imminent is clearly established in Scripture: "It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

But Christians need not fear death. Jesus removed death as a legitimate fear-object by taking away its power when He died for our sins. Jesus Himself said, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25, 26). Even though we will eventually die physically, we will continue to live spiritually.

Every child of God is spiritually alive, and even physical death cannot separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38). Paul says, "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). Why? When we physically die, we will receive a resurrected body and be far better off than we are today. Try putting something else into Paul's formula; for instance, "For me to live is success." Then to die would be what? Loss! "For me to live is a good physical body." Again, to die would be loss.

I often ask people, "What is the worst thing that could happen to you?" "Well, I could die," they answer. To which I respond, "Then you have nothing to fear, since the Bible says death may be the best thing that could happen to you!" The ultimate value is not physical life but spiritual life. If our life is hidden in Christ, then we won't suffer loss when we physically die. We can only gain. We can say confidently with Paul, "O death where is your sting?" The person who is free from the fear of death is free to live today.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You have freed me to live fully in the here and now. I leave the time of my departure in Your hands.

DEVOTION SATURDAY 6-12-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

SATURDAY JUNE 12TH, 2010

”EL-sela" 

GOD MY ROCK TO STAND  ON

By

Pastor Bob Coy

“I will say to God my Rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?" Psalms 42:9 (NKJV)

Although Psalm 42 isn't officially attributed to David, many Bible scholars believe he's the author of this Psalm. That being the case, let's take a closer look at what he's really saying as he speaks of "God my Rock."

Remember that David lived as a fugitive before he was crowned king. Saul was filled with insecurity and envy, and he was bent on finding and killing the young up-start named David. Consequently, David did a lot of running and hiding in the Middle East, where the terrain is often punctuated by rocky formations.

For a fugitive like David, these rocks were an essential ally. They gave him the chance to rest and recover. They were also a hiding place that concealed him from Saul's soldiers. These weren't just rocks, they were lifesavers.

With that in mind, we see a deeper significance when we come to "God my Rock." In the Hebrew, it's the words El (God) and sela (rock), but not just any type of rock. More specifically, this word is linked to the idea of a "split rock." It speaks of a rocky crag filled with crevices and clefts that are ideal for hiding.

So when David calls God, El-sela, he's drawing attention to the fact that God is his hiding place and his protection from those who were pursuing him. He was a fugitive, he was on the run, but he was safe because of El-sela.

We don't find ourselves hunted the same way David was, but we can all relate to what it's like to be hounded and harassed by an adversary. It's in these times, when we're feeling like the proverbial fugitive, that we need to recognize our God is El-sela, the One who conceals and protects us from the enemy.

DEVOTION FRIDAY 6-11-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

FRIDAY JUNE 11TH, 2010

”The Potter’s Wheel"

By

Leslie Snyder

So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: "O, house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the Lord. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand…" 
—Jeremiah 18: 3-6

I like to get my hands messy. Maybe that's what led me into ceramics class in college. As the only one in the class who wasn't an art major, I was well out of my comfort zone. Throughout the semester, we learned about types of clay, textures and techniques. But what I really wanted to do was use the potter's wheel. Our instructor made it look so easy. Sit down at the wheel, roll up your sleeves, throw down your prepared clay, get it wet, start the wheel, press the clay, and create a cool-looking bowl, jar, plate or whatever you wanted!

When it was my turn, I went to the wheel and threw the clay on it… but missed. It hit the floor. I tried again. This time I hit the wheel. Success! Now I had to shape the clay into a "hockey puck" that was completely even and centered on the wheel. Hours later, I was frazzled. My back hurt from being hunched over the wheel, my shoulder was sore from throwing the clay, my fingers were cramped from kneading the clay and my wrists seemed frozen in place from pressing hard enough to make a "hockey puck." It took me the rest of the semester to create something - anything - worth taking home.

Creating a masterpiece takes time. It takes patience, creativity, vision and forethought. That's how God described His role in Jeremiah's life. God is the potter, Jeremiah (and we) are the clay. Isaiah 45:9 states, "Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?'" and Isaiah 64: 8 reads, "Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand."

So often, we want to be control, telling God what we want Him to do in our lives, how we want Him to answer a specific prayer or how we want Him to work something out. But who are we to tell our Creator what to do or how to answer a prayer or how to respond to a request? Like Jeremiah, our role is to be the clay. This means we are to patiently undergo the processes of preparation, centering, shaping, and refining at the will of our Creator, and not the other way around.

FURTHER READING:

Romans 9:21; 2 Timothy 2:20; Genesis 1:2

DEVOTION THURS 6- 10-10

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR

THURSDAY JUNE 10TH, 2010

”Pray for Revival"

By

Dr. Jack Graham

And he [Jesus] said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour?"

--Matthew 26:40

Have you ever noticed how often our self confidence leads to a lack of dependence upon the Lord in prayer?

You and I get so busy that we take our eyes off him and when our focus is off the Lord, we are set up for spiritual failure. If you don't believe me, ask Simon Peter. Remember before his arrest, when Jesus found Simon Peter sleeping rather than praying? Well, at that moment, prayerlessness was Peter's downfall.

I believe prayerlessness is one of the biggest issues facing the American church today. We know we need a cultural revolution and that we are headed for disaster unless God's people return to him. But too often the church tries to fight the cultural battle with physical weapons.

So let me remind you that the agenda of the church is not just stopping abortion, or the gay agenda, or the demise of the culture through the media.

Even though we want these things to stop, the only way we will win these battles is on our knees in prayer. The only way America will change is one life at a time… one heart at a time. And that means God's people must be in prayer.

Let's get our eyes off ourselves and back on God. Without him we can do nothing.

THE ONLY WAY AMERICA WILL CHANGE IS

ONE LIFE AT A TIME… ONE HEART AT A TIME.

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For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.org