DEVOTION - MONDAY, MAY 23, 2011

MONDAY, MAY 23, 2011

“SENSING SIN”

BY

BOB COY

The seventh chapter in Joshua stands as a powerful warning of sin’s infectious effects. In short, it tells the story of a man named Achan and how his personal act of disobedience caused a national crisis.

Israel had begun its conquest of the Promised Land, and one city after another fell in their path, including Jericho. And it was there that God specifically commanded the Israelites to not touch or take any of the victory spoils, which is exactly what Achan did. He secretly snagged a few pieces of silver, a wedge of gold, and a Babylonian garment, and he buried them under his tent. God saw this and removed His hand of protection from His people.

Joshua, Israel’s commander, was unaware of what Achan had done, and went ahead with an invasion of Ai, which ended in disaster. Joshua couldn’t figure it out. Why had they been defeated like this? Had God forsaken them? Notice what happens when Joshua falls on his face and gets alone with God:

So the LORD said to Joshua… “Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived…” (Joshua 7:10-11 NKJV)

In his solitude with the Lord, Joshua discovered that there was a serious sin issue in Israel. Sin was brought to light and eventually dealt with. But please note that it was one-on-one time with the Holy One that got things going in the right direction.

This example can carry over into our lives, as well. When our lives are consumed with people and relationships, it’s often hard to discern sin’s presence in our hearts. But when we are set apart and in the holy presence of God, we become more sensitive to sin that needs to be dealt with.

Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?

DEVOTION - SATURDAY , MAY 21, 2011

SATURDAY,  MAY 21,  2011

“FRIENDSHIP OF GOD”

BY

DR JAMES MACDONALD

Psalm 25:14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.

It's hard to read that verse and not do a double take. You're like, "Friendship?  How does that connect with the ‘for those who fear him' part of the verse?" The Bible is full of these stop-you-dead-in-your-tracks statements. God's Word will make you think about what you think you know. This verse tells us that fear is the foundation of our relationship with God. Fear is not the life that we're living in Him today. It's the foundation of that life.

I John 4:18 says that "perfect love casts out fear . . . and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." When I'm walking in the ways of the Lord and in fellowship with the Lord, I grow up into a love relationship with God. But I'm really glad I still have that fear foundation. What if I'm tempted to be a selfish moron later today? I've got that foundation reminding me, "What will the God you fear think of this?" So you want your relationship with God to be built on a foundation of fear, but then grown up into a love relationship with God: "The friendship of the Lord."

Actually the word friendship in this verse can also be translated secret or intimate. This interesting word in the Hebrew refers to the confidential counsel that you would get from a close friend. So, the secret, intimate, confidential counsel that comes from the friendship of the Lord "is for those who fear Him." God shares His best stuff with the people who fear Him. This is the closeness of trusting God.

My dad was a big-time disciplinarian. "Wait 'til your father gets home" had real meaning in our house. Now I have a friendship with my parents. We laugh together. We cry together. We pray together. I have the most amazing relationship with my parents. But even when I talk to them about something difficult—especially with my dad—I still choose my words carefully because they're my parents.

Even in our friendship relationship with God there's still that sense of "He's God; I'm not." It's an intimacy, but it's an intimacy that has the foundation of healthy fear.
—James MacDonald

DEVOTION - FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011

FRIDAY,  MAY 20,  2011

“WINNING WALK RADIO”

BY

DR ED YOUNG

For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
2 Peter 1:4

Siring means sharing. In fathering a child, a man passes on the essence of himself, while recognizing the child will have his distinct ways. All humans are created by God, but sin separated us from His character. In the salvation covenant through Christ, the Creator becomes Abba Father—“Dad.” The new birth means we participate in God’s very nature. The moment each of my sons came into the world, my home, food and resources were theirs. So when we are born into God’s Kingdom through Jesus Christ, all His promises are ours, by inheritance.

DEVOTION - THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011

THURSDAY,  MAY 19,  2011

“LIVING THE ADVENTURE OF TRUST AND OBEDIENCE”

BY

JACK GRAHAM

Commit your way to the LORD;
            trust in him, and he will act.

Psalm 37:5

I remember how I used to wake up every morning and watch the sun rise over the ocean at our home in Florida. The church I pastored, which was right on the Atlantic Ocean, was a wonderful place with such wonderful people. It felt like Deb and I had been on a honeymoon throughout all our days there. We had no desire, no thought, and no contemplation of ever wanting to leave.

So when I first heard from a pastoral search committee in Texas, it was a call from out of nowhere. But as I began speaking with the committee chair, I sensed in my heart that God was in this. And after many conversations and much prayer, Deb and I came to a place where we had to say, “Lord, we’re simply going to trust you.”

It soon became abundantly clear that God was calling us to leave our Florida home for me to pastor a church in Texas. And today, that church has seen tremendous growth and is doing things for the Kingdom that I never could’ve imagined! But it took Deb and me years of trust and obedience for God to bring us to where we are today.

Maybe God’s calling you out of your comfort zone and into the unknown. No matter where he calls you, live each day in trust and obedience to him and he’ll take you places you’ve never imagined!

LIVE EACH DAY IN FULL TRUST AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD AND YOU’LL EXPERIENCE HIS POWER IN AMAZING WAYS!

DEV0TION - SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2011

SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2011

“TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS”

BY

ADRIAN ROGERS

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22

I ask some Christians, “How are you doing?” They say, “Okay—under the circumstances.” How did you ever get there?

Circumstances are like a mattress. You’re supposed to be on it, not under it. Under the circumstances, you suffocate; on them you rest pretty well.

The only way you can run the race is to take your eyes off things or people around you and look to Jesus. He’s the author of the race. He’s the goal to which you run. If you look to Jesus to supply your every need for the race, you’ll find faith growing in your heart and in your life. You see, it’s not great faith in God; it is faith in a great God.

Do you have a hymnal in your home? Find the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Helen Lemmel and make it your anthem!