DEVITION - TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST, 2011

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1^ST,  2011

“THE POWERFUL INFLUENCE OFO MUSIC"

BY

ADRIAN ROGERS

". . . and bringing into captivity every though to the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5

Satan is waging a battle to control the thought life of America's teenagers.

The typical teenager listens to an average of 10,500 hours of rock music from the seventh to the tenth grade. That's only 500 hours shy of all the time he/she spends in school from first through twelfth grade!

Do you have any idea of the fatalism bombarding the airwaves everyday into young people's heads? The National Education Association estimates that a percentage of the 5,000 teenage suicides we have in America every year are caused by the fatalistic music of today's youth.

Someone has said, "You let me write the songs that a nation sings, and I don't care who makes its laws."

Is there a teen in your life? If so, spend some time this week talking with them about the music they listen to and the healthy choices they need to make to take back the ground Satan is trying to conquer with his onslaught of fatalistic music.

DEVOTION - MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 2011

MONDAY, JANUARY 31^ST,  2011

“BE PREPARED"

BY

ALISTAIR  BEGG

2 Samuel 5:24

The members of Christ's Church should be very prayerful, always seeking the unction of the Holy One to rest upon their hearts, that the kingdom of Christ may come, and that His "will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." But there are times when God seems especially to favor Zion; such seasons ought to be to them like "the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees." We ought then to be doubly prayerful, doubly earnest, wrestling more at the throne than we have been used to do. Action should then be prompt and vigorous.

The tide is flowing--now let us pull manfully for the shore. O for Pentecostal outpourings and Pentecostal labors. Christian, in yourself there are times "when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees." You have a peculiar power in prayer; the Spirit of God gives you joy and gladness; the Scripture is open to you; the promises are applied; you walk in the light of God's countenance; you have peculiar freedom and liberty in devotion, and more closeness of communion with Christ than before. Now, at such joyous periods when you hear the "sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees," is the time to rouse yourself; now is the time to get rid of any evil habit, while God the Spirit helps your infirmities. Spread your sail; but remember what you sometimes sing--

I can only spread the sail;
But God must breathe the auspicious gale.

Only be sure you have the sail up. Do not miss the gale for want of preparation for it. Seek help from God, that you may be more earnest in duty when made more strong in faith, that you may be more constant in prayer when you have more liberty at the throne, that you may be more holy in your conversation while you live more closely with Christ.

DEVOTION - SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2011

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29^TH,  2011

“saints or Ain'ts"

BY

SKIP HEITZIG

When you hear the word "saint," what comes to mind? Depending on your background, you might think of a person with a glowing Frisbee above his head. Or you might think of heaven: "Oh, yes, that's where all the saints live!" You might even think of a football team.

I looked up "saint" in the dictionary and found this: "An officially recognized person through canonization, as preeminent for holiness; one of the spirits of the departed, now in heaven." So according to Webster, a saint is a near-perfect person, now dead.

But what is a saint in the Bible? In most of Paul's letters, he makes reference to "the saints." Here are some from Philippians: "To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi" (1:1). "Greet every saint in Christ Jesus" (4:21). "All the saints greet you" (4:22).

So the Word of God says saints are on earth, living with us. You could take all of humanity and separate them into two categories, the saints and the "ain'ts." You either belong to God or you don't. If you belong to Jesus Christ, you are a saint. You are a "separated one." That's what the word means, one who is separated for God's purpose here on earth. Here are some traits of saints.

A saint belongs to two kingdoms. Though he has a physical address, here on the earth, he has a spiritual address as well: "in Christ Jesus." He has a dual citizenship. He lives as an alien on the earth because his true citizenship is in heaven. And therefore he keeps a light touch on this life because he knows it's only temporary.

A saint behaves submissively. That's because he is also a slave. Saints are bondservants to Christ (1:1). They have been bought with a price, the blood of Jesus Christ, and they willingly obey Him. They are committed to the command in James 1:22, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

A saint believes in the scriptures. This is a telltale sign. A saint loves the Bible. Some people will read the Bible, but the saint will feed on it. There's a direct correlation between your love for the Bible and your relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible is the saint's lifeline.

A saint benefits spiritually. Paul always started his letters by talking about grace. If God owns you, you'll be reaping the benefits of experiencing His grace and enjoying His blessings of peace, joy and contentment.

So the bottom line is this: Does God own you, or are you earthbound? Measure yourself by the four criteria above. Are you a saint or an "ain't"?

Copyright © 2011 by Connection Communications. All rights reserved.

DEVOTION - FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28^TH,  2011

“"Father, Son and Holy Scriptures?"

By Os Hillman

"Jesus answered: Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?'" (John 14:9).

The disciples had been with Jesus for three years. They'd seen miracles - dead men came back to life, the sick were healed, and water was turned to wine. These were but a few of the hundreds of miracles they saw Jesus perform. However, even after these experiences, they lacked one important thing - intimacy with Jesus. They didn't really know Jesus.

This must have been a great disappointment to Jesus. He'd invested so much into developing a close and intimate relationship with the twelve. Consider that they spent three years with their Master. They learned about Him during those years. However, they had knowledge without intimacy. They experienced God's power individually and He even performed miracles through their own lives. Sometimes it is easier to do the work of God without the intimacy with God.

A friend once commented about the current condition of much of the mainline churches today: "You'd think the trinity was the Father, Son and Holy Scriptures versus the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." There's never been a better description of the Church today.

But, alas, this is a challenge to my own walk with God. It is easy for me to fall into this trap of working so hard for Jesus that I forget to work with Jesus. Jesus desires intimacy more than works. He tells us in John 15:5: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." Whatever works we do must be a fruit of our intimacy with Him.

Lord, help us not to just know about you. We desire to know you.

DEVOTION - THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2011

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27^TH,  2011

“How God Turns Your Blunders into Something BEAUTIFUL”

BY

DR JACK GRAHAM

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words." So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the LORD came to me: "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel."

Jeremiah 18:1-6

It was Benjamin Disraeli who once said concerning life, "Youth is a blunder, maturity is a struggle, and old age is a regret." Well, let me tell you why that's certainly not true for those in Christ.

The ancient art of making pottery is virtually unchanged even today. It's been my privilege to visit Israel and to see this art practiced just as it was thousands of years ago.

A potter will take a helpless, lifeless lump of clay and then knead it and squeeze it until it's soft and pliable. And then when he gets it just right, he takes that piece of clay and he does something called throwing, where he places the clay on a spinning table.

And as that clay is placed upon that turning wheel, the potter's hands then begin to pressure the clay and work it until he makes something beautiful out of that old ugly piece of clay.

Here's the lesson God wanted Jeremiah to hear: He is the true master craftsman. He is a potter who is making something beautiful out of every life. He will take the old ugly mistakes and sins and make them into something completely new!

Benjamin Disraeli was wrong because when you truly know God, you can live victoriously! So whatever the ugliness is in your life, be assured that through the blood of Christ, God molds you and makes you into something beautiful!

LIFE'S BLUNDERS AND SINS DON'T HAVE TO STICK WITH YOU FOREVER BECAUSE IN CHRIST, GOD WILL FORM YOU INTO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL!