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Category: Devotionals You have viewing the Devotionals category! We invite you to join our website or login if you are already a member! This is an easy one Posted by:  justfoundjesusjuly08   (Posted: 08/05/08 12:30pm) I was just saved last month July 2008 and I really am just now learning about the Bible and everything in it. The church I attend uses the NLT version and I have one of those, I have an Amplified Version, The Message, I attend Bible Study, and as soon as I get the money I will be buying a Daily Devotional Bible as well. The Bible Study class is focusing on Genesis right now, but the next class I would assume would focus on the next 2 books or so since they are kind of small in themselves. I love Liz Curtis Higgs and her Bad Girls of the Bible series, but I can't afford them right now.... plus I want to get to the actual Bible part at this point. Can anyone suggest anything that would help me learn as much as I can? I don't want to sound like I'm cramming for finals or anything, but I'm just very anxious to get into this and get going. Any advice would help here.... thanks all and God Bless!!!... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 6 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by justfoundjesusjuly08)  - Total Views: 16 Abraham's two sons and two blessings but God's covenant is with Abraham and Isaac. Posted by:  kraftykatz   (Posted: 08/04/08 6:06am) Abraham's two sons and two blessings but God's covenant is with Abraham and Isaac. Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac. The covenant with Abraham. Abraham is the father of Ishmael and Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob and Jacob becomes known as Israel. God made a covenant with Abraham and his son Isaac born to wife Sarah. The blessing of Ishmael. God blessed Ishmael; God made him fruitful and multiplied him greatly. He brought forth 12 princes and became a great nation. I have read these verses many times over the years. I never gave much thought to Ishmael and his descendants. God did make him fruitful and multiplied him exceedingly. The entire Arab world is descendant from Ishmael. Genesis 25:12-17 lists the descendants of Ishmael. John Wesley commentary; 1. His posterity shall be numerous; I will multiply him exceedingly; 2. They shall be considerable; twelve princes shall he beget. We may charitably hope that spiritual blessings also were bestowed upon him, though the visible church was not brought out of his loins. Isaac and his blessings. Isaac became the father of Jacob and Esau. From Jacob came the 12 tribes of Israel, known as the Jewish people. Esau took a... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 10 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by abelajohnb)  - Total Views: 116 An Odyssey in the Psalms: Ps31(B) Posted by:  wisemanfromquebec   (Posted: 08/04/08 3:04am) 9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. 10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. 11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbours, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. 12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. 13 For I hear the whispering of many--terror on every side!-as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. In this part of the Psalm, David, in his relationship with his God, hides none of his emotions. He dares to be seen in his true light, without false pretentions. He reveals his true perception of the situation he's going through. He fully exposes his distress, his anguish, his fears, his guilt, his weakness, his shame, the loss of his reputation, his feelings of rejection by his community. His introspection leads him to the conclusion that he has... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 5 Revival Conditions, By A.W. Tozer Posted by:  christiannews   (Posted: 08/04/08 1:12am) For this is what the high and lofty One says - he who lives forever, whose name is holy; 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.' (Isaiah 57:15 NIV) Our mistake is that we want God to send revival on our terms. We want to get the power of God into our hands, to call it to us that it may work for us in promoting and furthering our kind of Christianity. We want still to be in charge, guiding the chariot through the religious sky in the direction we want it to go, shouting "Glory to God," it is true, but modestly accepting a share of the glory for ourselves in a nice inoffensive sort of way. We are calling on God to send fire on our altars, completely ignoring the fact that they are our altars and not God's. And like the prophets of Baal we are working ourselves into a frenzy as if we could by violence command the arm of the Almighty. The whole error results from a confused... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 29 The Light Of The World Posted by:  jesusmymainman   (Posted: 08/01/08 5:02pm) In God there is no darkness He is the light we need throughout our struggles. 1 John 1:5: This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don't tell the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. Jesus has been called the light of the world. Jesus was called the light of the world for a reason. If more people realized this and called on Him then they would see changes in their dark lives. I'm not saying life will be perfect with Jesus you will have struggles, but it is a lot easier with Jesus. You have someone you can go to talk to. When we have darkness in our life then we need light to dispel that darkness. We need Jesus the light of the world who will come and dispel the darkness. The closer you... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 5 All things created by Him and for Him... Posted by:  wormwood   (Posted: 08/01/08 9:09am) I would like this to be a fun blog which requires your imput!!! One of my favorite verses is Colossians 1:16 which declares, "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." Think of it! All things were made by Jesus and for Jesus. Thus, I think Jesus intentionally fashioned his creation to reflect his person and work. All he has made is to glorifiy who he is and what he would do. So I would like to do something fun and ask your help. Look around at creation, and examine not only that the Lord made all things, but that he made them for himself and his glory. How do these things reflect him and glorify him? I will start by listing some things I notice and encourage you to add comments with your insights into Christ's self-disclosing creation. *I think Jesus made caterpillers to turn to butterflies to point men to his going into the grave, kicking out the back end and making it a tunnel to eternal life. *I think Jesus made the... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 4 Cleanse me, restore me, and use me, Psalm 51:1-19. Posted by:  kraftykatz   (Posted: 07/31/08 10:42am) Cleanse me, restore me, and use me, Psalm 51:1-19. Read the entire Psalm and let it touch you, cleanse, restore and use you. Let it become a daily prayer Psalm. Verses 1-7=cleanse me, 8-12=restore me, 13-19=use me. Prayer: Cleanse me, each day cleanse me anew, reveal and remove any unclean thing from me. Prayer: Restore my joy; uphold me with Your Spirit. Prayer: Lord, You do not take pleasure in sacrifice but in obedience. My broken spirit and contrite heart is my sacrifice. David pleaded with God for restoration and cleansing, for God to purify his heart. He knew he sinned and that the sin was against God and only God. His spirit was broken. He was cleansed, restored and used by God. What a wonderful example of obedience is King David. Oh, Lord, let me not live to be useless. John Wesley I have a poem I found that is a prayer about not becoming old and useless. No matter how withered the hands, crippled the joints or weakness of body, let me be of use to my Lord. I do not know if the poem is on the Internet anywhere, so I am not going to write it... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 4 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by kraftykatz)  - Total Views: 48 Jostling For Faith Posted by:  jesusmymainman   (Posted: 07/30/08 6:04pm) There will always be people who try to get us down. There will always be people who come to ask questions with bad intent and try to take our faith away. It is important to have faith that is strong and grounded in the word of the Lord. God's word makes us strong and builds us up. We need to read God's word regularly so we can benefit and be built up. As we read God's word we can become grounded and our roots strong. Even in our weaknesses God's word can make us strong. In our weakness God builds us up. God told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) When we are weak we need God's strength and word even more. It is during our difficulties that we should come before God and admit our weaknesses. When we are weak it is then that God will make us strong and make us stand. When we have problems and difficulties we need to draw close to God and ask Him to lift us up out of our difficulties" Draw near to God and He will draw near to... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 2 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by jesusmymainman)  - Total Views: 31 These things I have not hidden in my heart. Posted by:  kraftykatz   (Posted: 07/29/08 10:54am) These things I have not hidden in my heart! We hide God's word in our hearts so will not sin. If we know His word and have them in our hearts, they will easily be recalled as needed. This is a very important principle of the Christian life, for where a man or woman's treasure is there too will be their heart. God's word is our treasure. When I read this verse Monday morning I thought wow, there are some things that should not be hidden. I have always focused on hiding God's Word in my heart but I never thought about what I should NOT hide in my heart. Five things that should not be hidden in our heart. His righteousness Psalms, 48:10 His faithfulness, Psalms 89:1 His salvation, Psalms 49:15 His loving kindness, Psalms 48:9 His truth, Psalms 45:4 Why should these things not be hidden in my heart? Because people need the Lord and we must be the ones who tell others. If we keep these wonderful things to ourselves, then other will not come to know Him. Yes we have a jealous God and those who do not know Him will spend eternity separate from Him.... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 2 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by blessings2you)  - Total Views: 98 An Odyssey in the Psalms: Ps 31 (A) Posted by:  wisemanfromquebec   (Posted: 07/28/08 2:54am) To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 1 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; (always spare me from knowing shame!) In your righteousness deliver me! Do we have this natural reflex to look into the Lord for a refuge, when everything around us is shaking? When what looked unshakable crumbles, at the least expected time, to who would we turn ourselves? And though, right in front of us, God displays an extraordinary promise! Our Sovereign Shepherd will act according to His righteousness, to free us from these times of anguish! Glory be to His Name! 2Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! (Come quick! Come and deliver me!)Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress, to save me! 3For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; 4you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. (My fortress) These trials which can fall on our existences play as catalysts to lead us to consider our God as our Rock, our Fortress, the only one capable of leading us through the... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 19 I'm Not A Loser, But I'm Not Afraid To Fail Posted by:  surfersteph   (Posted: 07/22/08 3:22pm) This was used as a part of one of Nikes advertising campaign a couple of years ago on big posters in cities with Thierry Henry: ‘‘I'm not a loser, but I'm not afraid to fail.'' A loser is a mentality; an identity tag that we can sometimes hang around our necks. Failure is different. Failure is something that if channelled correctly can lead you onto success in the future. By labelling yourself a loser you basically tell yourself you can't win. It's a statement which won't help you in any way but instead continue to harm you. When failure occurs success is known to occur afterwards. It may not be immediately but eventually it will happen. Great inventors such as Edison and Bell didn't stumble across one day randomly discovering a light bulb or a telephone. It took many many trials and many failures. But people don't remember them as losers; they remember them as intelligent and clever inventors. We need to change the way we see and deal with failures. Instead of letting them get you down and staying down, you need to use them as a springboard to future successes.... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 2 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by happytoberestored)  - Total Views: 47 Exerpts on Love Posted by:  colide4him   (Posted: 07/21/08 1:52pm) "Truely my heart waits silently for God; my deliverance comes from him. In truth He is my rock of deliverance, my tower of strength, so that i stand unshaken... Trust always in God, my people, Pour out your hearts before Him; God is our shelter." -Psalm 62:1,2,8 "A roof over our heads. A hedge. A windbreak. A warm coat. Shelter from the fear of loss of this precious thing called love, from the fear of a life of lonliness without the one person I believed I could ever love. Shelter from attack-from onslaughts of doubt that God would take care of everything if I would simply trust Him- what if He didn't?" -Elizabeth Elliot; Passion and Purity As I was reading this the other day in my quiet time, it really provoked a lot of thoughts within me. A lot of personal questioning. I'll go back to the line, "shelter from the fear of loss of this precious thing called love". As I read that line, I really felt God's hand on my shoulder; like when your dad pats your shoulder when he's about to say something profound and thoughtful. I asked myself, "don't we all want this security? Security... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 2 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by youaregolden)  - Total Views: 68 Knowledge Without Action Is Just Wasted Effort Posted by:  happytoberestored   (Posted: 07/21/08 12:43pm) Knowledge Without Action Is Just Wasted Effort Yes, it is admirable to take on the task of committing various verses of the Holy Bible to memory each day. But, if only in your memory they stay, what have you gained? Yes, it is wise to reflect upon the life of King David and the mistakes he made during his reign as king. But, if you don't apply the learning from his mistakes, what have you gained? James 1:22 tells us: But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Not only is this "gained knowledge" wasted effort, it is part of a life of deceit! Wow. When I take the time to ponder that statement, I see just how deep the deceit goes. We say we have all this "knowledge" of Scripture, yet if we don't act upon it in our lives, just what do we show the world around us? We all know the Bible tells us (because we've learned the verse), "Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." But HOW do we act upon the knowledge of that verse? Do we place things in our... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 2 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by iraqivetsgtret)  - Total Views: 182 First of The Ten Commandments Posted by:  deaconfarley   (Posted: 07/21/08 9:11am) EXODUS 20: 3 - 6 3Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments When was the last time you stopped to think about or even read the Ten Commandments? This is the beginning of God's law to his people. You may be thinking we are under grace now, what does this have to do with me? Again I ask when the last time you read the Ten Commandments. Today I am going to concentrate on the first of the commandments. Before I begin my explanation we must back up to the first two verses of Exodus chapter 20. 1And God spake all these words, saying, 2I am the LORD... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 58 An Odyssey in the Psalms: Psalm 30 Conclusion Posted by:  wisemanfromquebec   (Posted: 07/21/08 3:07am) 6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, "I shall never be moved." 7 By your favour, O LORD, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed. 8To you, O LORD, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: 9 "What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? 10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me O LORD, be my helper!" 11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever! David in these verses shows a truth that a believer has to take and that as soon as possible, through his spiritual life. One day without warning, God will permit that we walk, alone, with no feeling of his marvellous presence. At this time heaven, will seem to look like bronze, and close to our supplications. We will assist at the reunions, witch before, seem rich and full of blessings,... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 63 Too Much Of A Good Thing Posted by:  surfersteph   (Posted: 07/14/08 8:18am) Here is a definition of the process eutrophication: '' Eutrophication is when excess nutrients enter a body of water which results in the excessive growth of certain organisms and eventually leads to the depletion of the oxygen concentration in the water.'' The nutrients are usually Nitrogen and Phosphorus which are most commonly used in artificial fertilisers in agriculture. There are a number of ways by which Nitrogen and Phosphorus enters a water system: - Industry - Agriculture - Construction sites The above sources of Nitrogen and Phosphorus are similar to situations in our own lives: - Industries such as waste disposal contribute to eutrophication. When we attempt to get rid of some of the waste in our lives such as bad attitudes or bad habits, we can end up just burying them like in a landfill site. Once a landfill site is full up it becomes covered and used for other purposes. We sometimes do this in our own lives, by covering the junk we automatically think that it has been dealt with and has disappeared. This is only temporary because nutrients can start to seep out unnoticed. - Like in agriculture we aspire to grow and harvest the best... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 1 Comment (by cowgirldiva)  - Total Views: 48 An Odyssey in the Psalms Psalm 30(A) Posted by:  wisemanfromquebec   (Posted: 07/14/08 3:03am) A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple. In the first verses of this song, David tells us his experience when he underwent difficult times. 1 I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. 2 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. 3 O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. 4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. 5 For his anger is but for a moment and his favour is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Sooner or later, the believer has to examine himself and ask: Will I be perseverant enough to wait for our Redeemer's answer? Have we gained this essential quality that patience is, for a victorious christian life? To Grace, the control over our feelings during trial times should be given. The pilgrim should listen to Her recommendations to persevere, when pain has taken possession... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 2 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by happytoberestored)  - Total Views: 58 Goldie's Devotion Week 1 - 1 Thess. 1 Posted by:  youaregolden   (Posted: 07/09/08 8:14am) Goldie's Devotion Week 1- Their Good Example 1 Thessalonians 1 So that you became examples to all... This church had become followers of the Way of Christ and that simple change of direction has made them examples to all who believe. Was this something that took a few months, they changed over a period of time and no one really noticed too much. Or was this an instant thing? They believed and they saw everything that was wrong. They threw away their idols and followed God. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, These people we sounding forth the Word of God. They were going out there and making people know what has changed them, what God has done, and they weren't being quiet. But also in every place. They weren't just staying at home, but were going everywhere. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. Paul didn't need to tell anyone about their change, it was evident. They were giving, they were sharing God's Word, they were being a good example to all the Christians around, and an amazing witness to the unsaved. How you turned... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 6 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by ifnotforgrace)  - Total Views: 254 will you be out dreamed Posted by:  iamyetalive   (Posted: 07/01/08 5:27pm) We waste our lives because the dreams that we have are not big enough. We do not exceed because somebody has a bigger dream and out dreams us because they see the potential in something that others do not. The C and O Canal (Chesapeake and Ohio Canal) was one man's dream that was supposed to be his gift to a nation. It was supposed to connect the Ohio River to the Chesapeake Bay so that the nation's capital could be in Williamsport Maryland. But the canal was out dreamed. On the same day that a nation surrounded one man's dream another company known as the B and O railroad (Baltimore and Ohio railroad) broke ground. The rail road was said to fail from the very start and the canal was supposed to thrive and become one of the nation's greatest accomplishments. The B and O railroad had a dream, but they didn't go after that dream until they had planned every single step out and made sure that every action that they were going to take was thought about before they ever decided that they would break ground. Because they did that they had success from the day they... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 37 Teamwork Posted by:  surfersteph   (Posted: 06/28/08 1:46am) A farmer used to hitch up his old mule to a two-horse plow everyday and say ''get up Beauregard, get up Satchel, get up Robert, get up Betty Lou''. One day his neighbour hearing the farmer asked ''how many names does the mule have??'' ''Oh he only has one'' answered the farmer. ''His names is Pete. But I put blinders on him and call out all of the other names so he will think that other mules are working with him. He has a better attitude when he's a part of a team.'' Andrew Carnegie: ''Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.'' From personal experience I've found I have always accomplished so much more with a team than I could possibly dream of on my own. As a member of a team you are provided with support, encouragement, wisdom, and so much more.... I can't think of anything better than to be standing along side fellow team members who share your vision and commitment. How much can you accomplish in a team???... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 1 Comment (by cowgirldiva)  - Total Views: 65 Baptist Bread Posted by:  musicalscript   (Posted: 06/26/08 4:35pm) So I've been missing church lately, and feel pretty bad. I work on Sundays. Last week I was running way late on Wednesday. Had to go pay my car payment and was stuck in line way longer than I should have been. This past Wednesday I had a really bad head ache, feeling very dizzy. However, I have gotten a LOT of Bible reading done. I finally organized ALL my index cards into a notebook categorized. On top of my Bible reading I got a Baptist Bread devotional booklet from my church a few weeks ago that I kind of have kept put aside, never really read it. When did I have time? Between work, church, and life.... Aha! I figured it out. I deliver pizzas for a living. Why not read it at red lights, stop signs, traffic stops, etc? Let me tell you. I have another devotional book at home called, Here I am Lord (can not remember the author). I never really got into that. But that Baptist Bread? These are just a group of gentlemen writing daily devotionals for two months at a time. I feel like I get the church lesson without going to church!... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 30 Because you say so I will Posted by:  kdrose   (Posted: 06/25/08 10:09pm) Tonight I read from Luke 5. I especially liked verse 5. "When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch." Now here comes a really good part in verse 5. Simon answered, "Master we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. BUT BECAUSE YOU SAY SO I WILL let down the nets." Isn't that wonderful? Simon is tired and could easily complain but he says because you say so I will. I have come before the Lord many times whining and complaining because I am too tired or it was a long day or maybe even because I have been praying for something and I am not getting the answer that I want,and all the Lord needs me to say is, "because you say so I will. I wish I could say that I have said, "Because you say so I will" every time the Lord has asked something of me. This spoke to me tonight because when I struggle I have given in to being too tired. When the Lord asks something of me I have to be willing to say simply, "Yes, Lord, because... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 55 Devotional Revelation Posted by:  kdrose   (Posted: 06/24/08 9:37pm) The last few days my devotions have been hard. It was a time that I felt like my prayers were not reaching the ceiling. I would sit down to read my Bible and pray and my mind would wander. A millions times I would have the thoughts, \"Why would God love you? God isn\'t answering your prayer.\" Of course being raised in the Church all of my life I know that Satan does not want us to have a relationship with God. I know that but tonight I KNEW that. I had to stop my reading several times to ask God to help me when my mind would wander. My devotion time quickly became a doggy circus. I have four beagles, and my daughter brought over her chihuahua mix for me to dog sit. They are very good dogs and normally only bark when someone knocks at the door. Tonight every time I would get focused they would be running through the house bumping into things, being rambunctious. I would have to stop and settle them down, only to have them all stand at the door howling. After settling them down again I said aloud, \"Satan, I know this is... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 1 Comment (by allforhim)  - Total Views: 89 Lessons Posted by:  ichimj   (Posted: 06/20/08 4:16pm) I learned a valuable lesson today. I took the time to read properly and add an entry to my prayer diary. My daily reading booklet spoke about forgiveness, about how we should forgive those who have wronged us, because how can God forgive us if we don't forgive others. And I started thinking, I've been holding grudges for a long long time; people who spread rumours about me, people who hurt me for no good reason at all... people who scammed me out of money. I thought some more, and write in my prayer diary about one person specifically - a guy who I was seeing before I became a Christian. I only saw him for four days, but he managed to scam me out of a significant amount of money, and just yesterday I was thinking to myself how I wouldn't be in financial difficulties if he hadn't done that to me. So I prayed that I would have the strength to forgive him for being deceitful, and asked for forgiveness for being so silly with my money in the first place! Not long later, I got word from my mammy to check my bank account - she had... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 3 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by allforhim)  - Total Views: 120 An Odyssey in the Psalms: Ps 29 conclusion Posted by:  wisemanfromquebec   (Posted: 06/09/08 4:58pm) 3The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters. 4The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 6He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. 7The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. 8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 9The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, "Glory!" When God speaks, it's His Word in action that we see. The voice of the Lord is described as appearing powerful, majestic. His Word can heal, but also strike as with lightning. Lead to life, but also bring on death. In verse 5, it's mentioned that His voice breaks the cedars. In the Bible, the cedar represents a proud, arrogant type of person who stands against God, which He says in His works. No one with such an attitude can remain standing for long. No matter the depth... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 52 An Odyssey in the Psalms: Psalm 29 (A) Posted by:  wisemanfromquebec   (Posted: 06/06/08 7:53am) A Psalm of David. 1Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 2Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendour of holiness. In this first part of this psalm, we have an exhortation, which we have to take word for word. Man women of children if we are bought by the precious blood of Jesus, we became, by adoption children of God. Then the verses that we read, apply fully to our lives. To render glory to our Creator, to celebrate His renowned name and to adore him, should be our life style. To live glorifying His name, is not only accomplish at church on Sunday or at the weekly prayer meeting, but also in our daily activities, The more the believer will grow, in an intimate relation with our God, the more he will clothe himself in perfection. For this reason the one that belongs to the Eternal, will freely praise and sing his joy to his Redeemer, for who He his, and for the blessings manifested in his life. Why not start to adore at Him at this instant, while we are dressed with His... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 0 Comments  - Total Views: 50 His Compassions Are "New Every Morning" Posted by:  mindy   (Posted: 06/03/08 10:32am) His Compassions Are "New Every Morning" His compassions are "new every morning". (Lam. 3:23) A new compassion was revealed to me from Him this morning. We hear so much about sin causing consequences and how our Lord Jesus bore our sins, but our sins always have "consequences" for us to bear. While it is true that many things done in sin cannot be undone, still I discovered this morning that the "consequences" of forgiven sin, as well as the sin itself, may be put under the blood of Christ; for he said in Isaiah 53:11 (AMP) "He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul and be satisfied; by His knowledge of Himself [which He possesses and imparts to others] shall My [uncompromisingly] righteous One, My Servant, justify and make many righteous--upright and in right standing with God; for He shall bear their iniquities and their guilt [with the consequences, says the Lord]". Once more He fulfilled to me what He has said (that "His mercies are new every morning".) According to this verse, He bore not only our guilt, but also our consequences. What does that mean to the child of God? That means the sins that... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 3 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by greybear)  - Total Views: 160 Throw Aside Every Encumbrance Posted by:  mindy   (Posted: 06/03/08 10:26am) Throw Aside Every Encumbrance When young people study English and American literature, they learn to analyze short stories and novels by considering the different elements of a good piece of literature. They learn that, to be a good story, the story must have a developing conflict. They learn that there are 5 types of conflicts encountered by the protagonist. *Conflict against another person *Conflict against a group or with society in general *Conflict against nature or technology *Conflict against God *Conflict against or within oneself The point is that every good story must have a developing conflict. Why? Because that is basically what life is all about, thanks to the fall of man. God, throughout His Word, compares the Christian's life with military warfare. You may be familiar with Ephesians 6:12-18 where God tells us that, although it seems that our conflicts are with other people or with the system, or even within ourselves, we are really not contending with "physical opponents". Our conflict is "against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere." (AMP Eph. 6:12) Satan knows... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 1 Comment (by greybear)  - Total Views: 120 Praying for wisdom Posted by:  lightbulbs   (Posted: 06/02/08 8:31pm) 1 Kings 3:5 (NIV) 5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." 1 Kings 3:9 (NIV) 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" I am not surprised that God would appear to Solomon in a dream, and ask him for whatever he wanted. That's who our God is. He wants us to pray, He wants us to ask...seek...knock. What really blows my mind is what Solomon answered. He could have asked for anything that he wanted...and yet all he asked for was a "discerning heart to govern your people...to distinguish between right and wrong". To be honest, if that was me God spoke to, I would have presented a long list of things I desire! But Solomon's answer gives us a glimpse of his heart, and an example of what our hearts should desire for also. First, when Solomon answered God, he was not thinking of himself, but of others. He was king, following the footsteps of his father,... Read Full Entry  - Category: Devotionals  - 4 Comments (view first comment - view last comment by tchable)  - Total Views: 150 Inspiration Posted by:  deaconfarley   (Posted: 05/28/08 1:53pm) But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. Job 32:8 -9 What inspires you? Do you have the inspiration of the Almighty? Do you trust what he is telling you? Why are there so many interpretations of the Bible? So the answer to my first question "what inspires you" has to be God. Now I realize that I draw inspiration from a lot of different places; my wife, kids, family and friends are just a few examples, but I am talking about spiritual inspiration. The living word which is the "Holy Bible" is an excellent source of inspiration. Talk to God and take time to listen is another excellent place to find inspi