Why Didn't I Go to Church?

Monday Devotional for 7/1/13

I meant to go to church but it didn't fit in my day. I had too much to do. Someone was sick. I had to be someplace. I needed to take a shower. I needed to help someone. I couldn't leave the dog. Today is my only day off. Today is the only day I can sleep in. I am on vacation. I didn't want to go alone. I was too upset. I didn't have anything nice or clean to wear. I didn't have anything to wear that I felt like wearing. I didn't want to see that certain someone. I don't think the pastor is as serious as he should be. I think the pastor is a little too serious. I hardly know anyone. No one will even notice if I'm not there.

I hate to admit it but 95% of the reason I didn't go to church is because I didn't want to. The other 5% was the circumstance I used as my excuse to explain my absence to myself.


For many years we steadfastly attended our church every time the doors were open. We became friends with the other members. We celebrated and mourned life events together. We helped each other. It was a time of growth in our own family as we grew spiritually and physically. We did not agree with every idea or thought of our Christian brothers and sisters, or pastors and leaders. But we agreed that God had a purpose for each of our lives. We agreed that the best way to discover that purpose was to learn more about Him and draw closer to Him. The easiest way to do that was by going to church.

I do not think that God is mad at me or you when we do not go to church. But I believe we miss out on a few good things. One of those things is the opportunity to be a friend to someone new or familiar. Going to church is not to follow a religious rule or to prove how great we are doing. It is for our benefit, our help, our support, and our growth.

So let’s do it—full of belief,

 confident that we’re presentable inside and out.

 Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going.

 He always keeps his word.

 Let’s see how inventive we can be

 in encouraging love and helping out,

 not avoiding worshiping together as some do

 but spurring each other on,

 especially as we see the big Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:22-25 MSG

Dear Lord, how grateful I am for Your patience. Please help me to remember that it is not all about me and what I feel like. Please give me strength to persevere in faith in You. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

POWERLESS......(SUNDAY)

Devotional for 6/30/13

We have had the hottest week of the year this past week here in Phoenix. And of course, one evening our power went out - no lights, no T.V., and most disturbing, no A.C.  I had to make the best of it, light candles as the sun set, and use my cell phone to call the electric company. Then I had to sit and wait. The rest was out of my hands.  I hate being powerless!  

Sometimes we feel powerless in life.  Perhaps it is with children, when we have difficulty getting them to behave. Or it may be over something we thought our spouse was going to do but keeps putting off.  There might be a health issue that is out of our control.  Or someone may be spreading false information about us and won't stop.  Maybe it is about a habit we feel we can't break.  Or there may be someone in the family with an addiction and we feel helpless over the situation, or even an addiction of our own that we feel powerless to stop.  There are many life situations that can elude our control.  

Feeling powerless is not usually a good feeling.  It may bring up thoughts of "worst possible scenarios" in our heads.  This can lead to all kinds of fear if we let it.  But it is when we are completely powerless that we can be forced to fully realize that only God can help us.  This is most evident when considering our sinfulness and our salvation.  There is no way any of us can earn our way into heaven.  But in our complete powerlessness, Jesus comes to lift us up.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 NIV

Dear Lord in Heaven - all powerful, all knowing, ever-present God.  I know that I am powerless over these things in my life right now...  I turn it all over to you.  Please help me to continue to rely on you as you handle these issues.  Give me the strength to make it through and the knowledge to know what you desire me to do.  Help my intentions and actions to remain pure.  Forgive me where I have done wrong, and help me to live a life of gratitude for your sacrifice and mercy.  In Jesus name,  AMEN.

written by Jan Andersen

Who Are We?...Saturday

Devotional...6/29/13 

                                     Who Am I?

Am I who you think I am
Peeking at me through those rose colored glasses
Believing I can do no wrong
Dancing down the roads of my time
To achieve a perfect life?

                                            
 Or….

Am I who I think you think I am
Watching me fall over and over
Judging that I will never succeed
Hobbling down the unpaved roads
To disembark in failure?

Or….

Am I who I think I am
Looking at the underbelly
Knowing all the bad choices
Racing down roads traveled in error
To places I should not go?

Or….

Am I who I sometimes think I am
Considering some of my actions
Aware of what good I have done
Traveling down the higher road sometimes
To where His warmth is felt?

Where is the real me in all of that?

I am all that and more...

My Creator tells me that
I am who He thinks I am
Glancing down from the height of heaven
All knowing of who I try to be
Leading me beside waters still or churning
Toward the safe haven He has offered me.

(C)Corinne H. Mustafa

We always ask this question of ourselves. Our answers often reflect our particular feelings of well being on the day we are asking this question. The answer can be good or bad. Usually when it is bad it is because our knowledge of our "underbelly" is the filter through which we are looking. God does not look through this filter. He sees us as redeemed.

I was going to write more, but I think that the following song says it all. Please click on the link, close your eyes and listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X4ySrigfO8

So, who are you???

THANKSGIVING...Friday

Devotional...6/28/13

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise;

give thanks to Him and praise His name.” 

– Psalm 100:4

    

Someone told me a story recently about a friend of hers who sent self-addressed stamped card to her grandchildren with the gifts she sent them to teach them it is proper to say “thank you” for presents!  I think she should have said something to her children, rather, reminding them about properly raising grateful children.

     Even Christians often live lives toward God with a spirit of ungratefulness.  Lie in bed some morning and start counting the blessings you should be grateful for without even getting up.  You will soon begin to name so many you cannot even count them.  Being a nurse has made me aware of many blessings of health and wholeness which we should be grateful for every day which many people do not have.  We live in a society which is beyond the conception of how most people in third world countries live and yet we often take all of it for granted.

     The material things do not even touch what we should be most grateful for – the love of God for us in giving His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we can have fellowship with Him here on earth and the promise of eternal life with Him in heaven.   Do we thank God for the gift of faith and for the grace He gives us to live each day?  Do we thank Him for the direction and guidance He gives us in His Word, the Bible?  Do we thank and praise Him just to thank and praise Him for Who He is?  Praise His Name!

Written by  

Carol Lynn Steficek

Love Revealed Part Four...Thrusday

Devotional;;;6/17/13   

Lesson 1... 

          http://paintgodintoyourday.blogspot.com/2013/06/love-revealedpart-one.html

Lesson 2...

          http://paintgodintoyourday.blogspot.com/2013/06/love-revealedpart-two.html

Lesson 3...

          http://paintgodintoyourday.blogspot.com/2013/06/love-revealedpart-three.html

“Love Revealed”

Lesson 4

“With Which He Loved Us”

But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Eph 2:4-10 NKJV

Re-read this with your name in it.

BUT God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved _____, even

when _____ was dead in trespasses, made _____ alive together with Christ, (by grace _____ has been saved), and raised up together, and made _____ sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness

toward _____ in Christ Jesus.  For by grace _____has been saved through faith, and that not of

myself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest _____should boast.  For _____you are His

workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand

that _____ should walk in them.

God is rich in mercy. Do you know what rich means?   It does not mean a wee bit but it means   abundantly and abounding. Imagine His mercies toward you.  See it over flowing. Yes, His abundant mercies are yours.  He has a great and personal love with which He loves you even when you rejected Him.  God made you alive together with Christ. Jesus resides in you my precious child.  Yes you have been raised up and made to sit together in the heavenly places In Jesus.  Now is the time that He wants to show His exceeding riches of His grace in kindness towards you.  It is by grace that you have been saved, there is nothing that you can ever do to earn it. There is no work for you to do. It is not you fulfilling the Law’s.  It is a gift my beloved. You are His workmanship, His handiwork, for you are God’s own child.  You have been  recreated in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared for you beforehand that you should walk in them.  You say but I do not know what He has prepared for me.  Oh my beloved as you sit at His feet, as you read His word He will reveal to you.  Oh my child He has already put the plans in your heart.  Get still before Him allow Him to speak to you in His still small voice.  Oh what love He has bestowed on you.  Oh what mighty and marvelous plans He has prepared for you, receive it and believe it.

Written by

Kathryn Hanson

"Continuous Renewed Mind"...Wednesday

Devotional...6/26/13                  

It never ceases to amaze me that as long as I keep my mind stayed on the Lord and on good thoughts, things go very well for me in my life. It is when I began to dwell on those things that are negative and dark, I can quickly spiral down into depression and discouragement. I can dive into that depression within a matter of minutes.

That is why the Lord tells us  in his word ini
Philippians 4:8 

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, 
whatever things are noble, 

whatever things are just, 
whatever things are pure, 

whatever things are lovely,
 whatever things are of good report,

 if there is any virtue 
and if there is anything praiseworthy

---meditate on these things."

We can be confident and assured that if we follow that passage continually in our life, we can experience God's peace and rest regardless of what is going on around us. Keeping our mind's stayed on Christ and all of His goodness is a great habit to have every moment, hour, and day of our life. I am ever so thankful that God's word truly works as we apply it in our life.

In His Radical Love,
Sandy Billingham

Hate the Sinner, Love the Sinner

Devotional for Tuesday, 6/25/13

I grow tomato plants. I should say, each year I plant seeds, water them, and protect them as best I know how. Sometimes I have an abundance of fruit and in other years I have to buy more from the grocery store than I am able to pick. One thing I have discovered is that when the tomatoes are still green, an intense period of heat will turn them into a beautiful, gorgeous red fruit worth having.

That's what it is like in my personal walk as a follower of Christ. I study His word, I pray, I spend time getting Godly counsel from more mature women, I go to church, I listen to sermons online, give to others, help with projects for the poor, etc. These are all good things and they develop green fruit in me: such as kindness, patience, goodness, faithfulness, love, joy, gentleness, and self-control. But I have discovered that it takes intense life challenges for any of these desirable traits to grow into real worthwhile lasting character in me.

This is where my family and friends come into God's plan. I refer to them as God's preferred tools for helping. There is no one more honest, gut-wrenchingly so, than a frustrated child, who sees more clearly than I do when I am saying one thing yet doing another. What should I do when my child does something wrong? "Angry at the sinner' is my natural reaction as I am mortified that this person whom I love so intensely has done something wrong and possibly even harmed someone else in the process. Even when they are sorry, I am thinking, "How could you?" Where is God's unconditional love in that? How am I using self-control if I dump every emotion surging through me all over this child, this person, this sinner?

I have discovered that the only way to be kind and gentle in a crisis is to practice being kind and gentle all the time. I have to practice being kind and gentle during little things, like someone cutting in front of me in line at the store, or my husband forgetting something, or a car cutting me off in traffic. Personally, I believe that if I just practiced patience and gentleness while driving, I would likely be the nicest person ever:)

I am not saying I think I should allow people to cut in front of me. I am saying that I can choose to be polite no matter what is going on.

There are no shortcuts to developing Godly character - every time I open my mouth, I am responsible for what comes out of it - whether it is loving and good - or ugly and rude - or sassy and stinging. If I want to 'Hate the Sin, but Love the Sinner' I am going to have to keep practicing God's kind of love. The kind of love that cares about people in spite of where they are at - and the kind of love that can love an angry child/friend/husband who doesn't love you at that moment.

Trust steadily in God,

 hope unswervingly,

 love extravagantly.

 And the best of the three is love.

I Corinthians 13:13b MSG

Dear God, please help me to be patient when I feel like no one is being patient with me. Because I know Lord, that You are being patient with me. Thank You for holding me accountable for my sin, for not leaving me in my sin, and for loving this sinner. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

Can You Hear Me Now?

Devotional for Monday, 6/24/13

When my cell phone rang at 8 this morning from an unfamiliar area code, I let it go to voice mail. It turned out to be my brother on his new cell phone. When I called him back, he apparently didn’t recognize my number so he let it go to voice mail. While I was leaving a message, he tried calling again. When we finally connected the fun really began. I have to say my brother is almost 82 years old and is just now starting to use a cell phone (I could hear his son-in-law in the back ground trying to instruct him). Anyway, we finally connected and had a short conversation. Oh, yes, my brother is slightly hard of hearing and only caught about half of what I was saying.

This whole situation started my mind working, although it was 8 am and my mind does not usually wake up until at least 9 am. What if we had to talk to Jesus on a cell phone?

 

First of all we would have to know His number. When we call we would have to wait for Him to pick up. If he was busy, then we would listen to His message, “I’m sorry, I am not available right now but if you will leave your name and number I will get back to you as soon as possible. Have a blessed day.” Now how to word a message back to Him? “Hi this is Jackie again, I was wondering if we could do lunch? I have something rather urgent to talk to you about, please call me back.” 

Aren’t you glad we don’t have to play telephone tag with the Lord? We are never put on hold and He always has the time to listen. He even gave us His private phone number.

Call to Me and I will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3 NASB 

Lord, thank You for always picking up when I call. Thank You that You are always willing to listen and to help me in the way that is best for me – even if I have asked for a different way. Thank You for caring about each one of us and all we are going through. In Your precious name, amen.

Written by Jacquelin Gilmer

OF SHEEP, SNAKES AND DOVES

Sunday Devotional ....  6/23/13

Have you ever been called a sheep?  It has several possible meanings.  Some people use it to mean lacking independence, unable to think for yourself, or even stupid.  Or they might be meaning "docile" or "bashful".  Sheep can also refer to being a member of the church, as in "the sheep of his flock".  Sometimes in the Bible, reference to sheep means the good people and goats refers to wicked people.

What about a snake?  We often think of it as something that bites and might be venomous.  When we refer to someone as a snake, it is often thought of as a negative term: sneaky, manipulative, deceitful, evil.  We hear of the serpent in the Garden of Eden as being the Devil himself, and upon being cursed by God he was made to crawl on his belly all the days of his life. But there is also the bronze snake on a pole that when looked at, healed people of venomous snake bites (Numbers 21).

And how about a dove?  That is usually a positive one!  It can mean kind, peaceful or even a sexually attractive woman. The Bible uses "dove" to describe a beautiful woman's eyes (Song of Songs) but also as easily deceived and senseless (Ephraim in Hosea 7).  The dove is also how the Holy Spirit appears in the Bible.

But there is one verse in the Bible where the disciples were told they would be like all three of these animals. This should also apply to us as believers today sent out into the world to share the Gospel.

"Listen! I am sending you, and you will be like sheep among wolves. So be smart like snakes. But also be like doves and do nothing wrong." Matthew 10:16 ESV 

"You will be like sheep among wolves": you will be persecuted.

"So be smart like snakes": be shrewd and sly, clever about what you are doing.

"Be like doves and do nothing wrong": be pure in what you do.

May God always help us to be clever and pure in our witness, even and especially when persecuted! 

written by Jan Andersen

WORRY?

Saturday Devotional...6/22/13

A wise man once said "WORRY IS A PRAYER TO THE WRONG god."

          Matthew 6:25, 32-34

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life,  as to what 

you will eat or drink;  nor for 

your body, as to what you 

will put on. Is not life more 

than food, and the body more than clothing? .......32 For the Gentiles 

eagerly seek all these things;  

for your heavenly Father knows 

that you need all these things.

33 But seek first His kingdom

 and His righteousness, and 

all these things   will be added to you.  

34 "So do  not  worry about tomorrow;  

for tomorrow  will care for itself.  

Each day has  enough trouble of its own.

Worry results when we think we can handle our problems without God's help.

1 Peter 5:6-7 

Therefore humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, 

that He may exalt you at the proper time, 

7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

It is a mistake to think we can handle the small problems and let God deal with the major worries. Small worries can mushroom into major proportions without relying on God's assistance!

WORRY IS A PRAYER TO THE WRONG god! 

Written by 
S. Finnell

Shared by 

Corinne Mustafa

FAITH

Friday Devotional...6/21/13

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 

II Corinthians 5:7

     I frequently pray that God would make the things of heaven and the unseen world more real to me than the world I live in.  Why?  I believe that since this world is so temporary and our lives are so short, that we need to have a vision of the fact that this journey is through the wilderness and we are on the path to our true eternal home.

     God has proved to me many times that “faith” sees the unseen and a person sometimes merely has to wait upon God’s timing to see prayers manifested before our eyes.  Do you need help in making a wise decision regarding something?  Do you need healing?  Do you need help with finding a job or with your finances?  Trust God and continue to step out in faith.  Thank God that He loves you and has your best interests at heart and know that His provision is always there.

     God is the only One worthy of our trust and faith.  The Bible is full of His promises to us and examples of His provision to His people from the beginning of creation.  We need to learn to have expectant faith, that goes beyond our immediate vision and understanding to the One who holds the universe in His hand and yet care enough about each one of us to have numbered the hairs on our heads.

     We walk by faith and not by sight, trusting in the hand that both holds and guides us.  Have faith in God.  Never take your eyes off Jesus!

          Written by 

                          Carol Lynn Steficek

Love Revealed...Part Three

Thursday Devotional...6/20/13

Love Revealed...Part Three

This is the third lesson in a series of eight that are being featured on Thursdays in WFM. If you did not read the first two installment you can click on the links below to read the previous lessons before you read this week's lesson.

Lesson 1... 

          http://paintgodintoyourday.blogspot.com/2013/06/love-revealedpart-one.html

Lesson 2...

          http://paintgodintoyourday.blogspot.com/2013/06/love-revealedpart-two.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Love Revealed”

Lesson 4

"In this is Love"

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  

                                                   In this is love, not that we loved God,

                                                   but that He loved us and sent His son 

                                          to be the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins.  

                                                                1 John 4:9-10 

                                                                      NKJV

In this the love of God was made actual, visible toward you.  Do you see what the Father did for you He sent His love directly to you in flesh and blood?.  He sent His son Jesus Christ.  It had nothing to do with you loving Him first, but it had everything to do with Him loving you just as you are.  It did and does not matter what you have done or what you will do HE LOVES YOU and He proved it by giving forth from Himself.  Do you see He gave from Himself.

You have the life of God in you.  You have the very character and nature of God living in you.  The life of God is flowing through your Spirit into your body, making the power of God and the presence of God a reality in your life.  You are capable of fulfilling God's purpose through His power and presence flowing through you.

The following is a love letter from the Father, I do not know who wrote it, but allow it to minister to you, read it as if it was written to you, I know if our Father God wrote you a letter it would be similar to this one.

LOVE LETTER FROM THE FATHER

What you are about to read is true and it's words will change your life  if you let them, for they come from the very heart of God. 

He loves you and he is the Father you have been looking for all your life.

This is His love letter to you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My child you may not know me, but I know everything about you.  I know when you sit down and when you rise up.  I am familiar with all your ways.  Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.  For you were made in MY image.  In me you live and move and have your being, for you are my offspring.  I knew you even before you were conceived.  I CHOSE you when I planned creation, you were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book.  I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live.  

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  I knit you together in your mother’s womb.   I brought you forth on the day you were born.  I have been misrepresented by those who do not know me.  I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love.  And it is My DESIRE to lavish my love on you, simply because you are my child and I am your Father.  I offer you more than your earthly father ever could, for I am the perfect Father.

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand, for I am your provider and I meet ALL your needs.  My plan for your future has ALWAYS been filled with hope because I love you with an everlasting love.  My thoughts towards you are countless as the sand on the seashore, and I rejoice over you with singing.  I will never stop doing good to you.  For you are my treasured possession.  

I desire to establish you with all MY heart and all MY soul, and I want to show you great and marvelous things.  If you seek me with ALL of YOUR HEART you WILL find me.  Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart.  For it is I who gave you those desires.  I am able to do more for you then you could possibly imagine.  For I am your greatest encourager   I am also the Father who COMFORTS you in all your troubles.  

When you are brokenhearted I am close to you.  As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to My heart.  One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes and I will take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.  I am YOUR Father, and I love you even as I loved My son, Jesus.  For in Jesus My love for you is revealed.  

He is the exact representation of my being; He came to demonstrate that I am for you not against you and to tell you that I am not counting your sins.  Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you.  I gave up everything I love, that I might gain your love.  If you receive the gift of my son Jesus you receive me, and nothing will ever separate you from my love again.  Come home and I will throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.  I have always been Father, and will always be Father.  My question is will you be my child?  I am waiting for you.

Love,

 Your Dad, Almighty God

Written and shared by...

Kathryn Hanson...

"Effective Prayers Avail Much"

Wednesday Devotional...6/18/13

I was shopping today for a specific item that I could not find anywhere. I searched for a nearby employee to ask if she could help me. Lo and behold she knew exactly where it was, in which I was very thankful and let her know. I felt a nudge in my heart to ask her if there was anything specific I could pray for. She immediately said yes, and that very recently her nephew had died unexpectedly. I shared that I would most definitely be praying for her and her family for God's comfort, healing and peace.

I don't think many of us fully realize the power of prayer when we connect with our Mighty God. Prayer is a simple act yet when we are plugged into the power of God we can be assured mountains will be moved! As we pray in faith believing God hears and answers, lifes are forever changed and God is lifted up.

In James 5:16B it says...

"The effective, fervent prayer 

of a righteous man avails much." 

When our relationship with Christ is right and pure, we can be confident the heavens will open as we pray and intercede on behalf of others.

I count it a privilege to stand in the gap for those in need. As we pray and watch the hand of God move, we can clearly know that many shall see His goodness and give Him all the glory!

In His Radical Love, 

Sandy Billingham