DEVOTION - FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2011

FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2011

“DAY AND NIGHT”

BY

PASTOR BOB COY

“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” John 9:4 (NKJV)

John Chapter 9 begins with Jesus and His disciples making their way through Jerusalem. As they walk, they come across a man who was born blind. Because of his disability, this man was forced to beg on the city streets for alms. When the disciples see him, they assume—as most did in that day—that his blindness was God’s punishment for some sin he or his parents had committed. So they ask the Lord whether it was the man or his parents who were to blame.

Jesus says that neither is to blame and explains that the man’s affliction isn’t punishment but was ordained as a backdrop for God’s glory to shine. And as Jesus proceeds to bring light to this man’s darkness, the glory of the Lord does indeed shine!

But Jesus says something before He performs the miracle that gives us insight into His outlook on life. He says that He must do the works of God while it’s day because night is coming. What does that mean? Christ was saying there was a certain window of time (day) where He was going to walk this earth and do His Father’s work. But once He was crucified (night), that window would close.

To put it another way, Jesus understood His life on earth was temporary, and He was going to make the most of the time He had. He didn’t procrastinate or spin his wheels aimlessly. He knew He needed to accomplish the work at hand while there was time.

That’s the same perspective we need to have. When it comes to this life, there’s day and there’s night. There’s time now for us to do certain things. Like Jesus, we need to be wise stewards of the daytime. The window to work is now open, so let’s be faithfully active before it closes

DEVOTION - THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011

“A GOOD THING - COMFORT”

FROM THE

BAPTIST BIBLE HOUR

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted– Matthew 5:4

Jesus is clearly not speaking here of every kind of mourning, some of which is due to the natural consequences of sinful living in a sinful world. Rather, he speaks of those who mourn for their sins, in repentance, recognizing their wickedness before a holy and good God.

It is the “broken and contrite heart” that God will not despise (Psalm 51:17).

Remember the tax collector in Jesus’ parable? (Luke 18:9-14). He could not even look up to heaven, the burden of his own sin and guilt weighed so heavily on him. He smote his own breast and cried “God be merciful to me, the sinner.” This man, Jesus said, went to his home justified before God.

True, spiritual grief is God—not man—centered. People often “mourn” for their mistakes, but only because they are caught in a crime, or suffer themselves, or see loved ones suffer. But all sin (not just “big” sins) should cause the penitent heart to mourn, knowing that it grieves and dishonors God.

True spiritual mourning also leads to true spiritual repentance, a turning away from the old way of life and to the way of Christ (2 Corinthians 7:10). Mourning that is only outward and temporary will not be comforted.

But how will those who truly mourn for sin will be comforted? How will they be consoled when they are mourning because of real sin, real burdens, and real repentance? They will be comforted because, through Christ, the source of their grief will be removed.

In Christ, they find forgiveness, healing, and the power to overcome sin. Ultimately, they will be comforted when they are removed from even the very presence of sin, in heaven. Blessed, they are, indeed who mourn for their sin.

WEDNESDAY - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011

“NINE FILTERS”

BY

DR ED YOUNG

August 24

Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.

Psalm 119:11

There are nine filters through which decisions and actions should be run, executive coach Brad Hays tells leaders. The first is God Himself, and the second is God’s Word. If the action doesn’t glorify God and line up with what Jesus would do, it should be screened out. If there is no biblical support for the intended behavior, then it should be eliminated. That requires that a man or woman have God’s Word stored up inside, and treasured as the most valuable standard for decisions and behaviors.

DEVOTION - SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

“A Final Act of Mercy”

BY

GREG LAURIE

And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. —Luke 22:50–51

Before His death and resurrection, the last miracle of Jesus was not something big and showy like raising someone from the dead or walking on water. It was something that very easily could have been missed.

As the scene was unfolding in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas had betrayed Jesus with a kiss as soldiers came to arrest Him. Peter, taking all of this in, was freaking out. No doubt he was thinking, What is going on here? They can’t take Jesus! So Peter unsheathed his sword and began swinging away. Peter, however, was a fisherman, not a swordsman, so trouble inevitably followed. Malchus, a slave of the high priest who probably was leading the charge toward Jesus, had his ear sliced off.

But Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?” (John 18:11). In Matthew’s Gospel, we also read that Jesus told him, “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (Matthew 26:52–54).

Then Jesus touched the man’s ear—an ear that had been severed—and healed him. Why would Jesus even do that? Malchus had it coming, after all. Yet Jesus cared about people, even His enemies. And it wasn’t long after this that Jesus prayed from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Malchus deserved everything that happened to him. But Jesus, in one final act of mercy, healed him.

Summary sentence: Is there someone in need of your mercy today?

Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries.

DEVOTION - FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2011

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2011

“Your full inheritance as God’s child”

BY

PETE BRISCOE

I beg your pardon,
I never promised you a rose garden.
I could sing you a tune or promise you the moon,
But if that's what it takes to hold you,
I'd just as soon let you go.
—Lynn Anderson (and maybe the Father too?)

Normally, when we hear the word inheritance, we immediately think of money, cars, houses, and businesses passed on to us by a relative. Cool! It's free stuff given because we just happen to be part of the family. Scripture says we are co-heirs with Christ in God's Kingdom. That's just nothing but awesome, too… right? Well, yes and no.

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. —Romans 8:16-18

Somewhere along the line, Christianity was injected with the idea that if we give our lives to Jesus, “everything is going to turn up roses.” Yes, the blessings of being one of God's children are beyond our comprehension. But no, those blessings don't always come as we want them to. He never promised us a rose garden, and if that’s what it takes to hold us, I think He would just as soon let us go. As brothers and sisters of Christ, we don't just share the "good" stuff with Christ; we share all of it.

Jesus, You promised me that I would have trouble in this world (John 16:33). Give me the faith to embrace my sufferings on this Earth as part of the full inheritance of the Father just as You did. Give me just a glimpse of the glory that will be revealed in me so that my suffering can be accepted from an eternal perspective.

DEVOTION - THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011

“A Very Present Help"

by Charles R. Swindoll

Read 1 Samuel 30:1–6

David had reached the point in life where some people think of taking their own lives. He was so far down the ladder of despair that he'd reached the bottom rung. The last stop. The place where you either jump off into oblivion or you cry out to God for His forgiveness. For rescue. The wonderful thing is that we do have that choice, because God never gives up on His children.

David made the right choice. "David was greatly distressed . . . But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God" (1 Samuel 30:6).

Now you're talking, David. That's the way to endure the Slough of Despond. The pits may seem bottomless, but there's hope above. Reach up! Help is there.

For the first time in months, David looks up, and he says, "Oh, God, help me." And He does. He always will. He is "a very present help" when needed.

Dark days call for right thinking and vertical focus. That's what David learns at this moment in his life. He finds that the test isn't designed to throw him on his back and suck him under, it's designed to bring him to his knees so he will look up.

Perhaps you have known the joys and ecstasies of walking with Christ, but in a moment of despondency, you've opted for the wrong fork in the road, and you're now living in the wrong camp . . . you're living in the "carnal corral." In the words of the prophet, you've been like those who "sow the wind and . . . reap the whirlwind" (Hosea 8:7).

But, like David, you've gotten tired of feeling displaced. The disillusionment has bred distrust, and the depression is killing you.

Reach up. Come home. The Father is waiting at the door, ready to forgive and willing to restore. It's time to return and strengthen yourself, yet again, in the Lord your God.

DEVOTION - TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

“No Unbelievers in Hell “

BY

BAYLESS CONLEY

In Luke chapter 16, Jesus tells a very sobering story,

"The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom… Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment'" (Luke 16:22b-23 and 27-28).

Everyone in hell believes in evangelism. They are crying out lest their loved ones end up with them.

Two thousand years have passed and this rich man has had no relief. A billion years from now he will just be getting started in his torment and pain. Listen to his cry, "My brothers! Send someone to my family!"

Hell is for unbelievers but there are no unbelievers in hell!

Several years ago a man came weeping to the altar of our church. A message had been preached that night from these very Scriptures. After giving his heart to Christ (and after a long time of almost uncontrollable weeping), he told us this story:

He said, "I died twice on the operating table during heart surgery. Each time I died, I left my body and went to hell. It was so horrifying that I tried to put it out of my mind. As the message was preached tonight, all the details of my experience came flooding back into my mind."

He did not need to be convinced that hell was real. That night he accepted Christ and was liberated from the fear of returning to that place of torment.

Jesus alone can rescue us from the terrors of hell and bring us safely to heaven. Shouldn't we be telling people there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun? Shouldn't we be warning them and encouraging them to accept Christ—while there is still time?!