Tuesday Devotional...2/7/12

John 4:24

 God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him

must worship Him in spirit and in truth
God is Spirit, and nowhere, not even in one verse, does it say that God does not have a body. He is perfect, immortal, infinite, immutable, self-existing, omnipotent, omniscient, invisible, impartial, absolutely holy, full of knowledge and wisdom, and sufficient to provide for His entire creation.

Like any other person He has names, and in His case, many names. And just as our names identify us as specific individuals, His names identify Him. He has titles by which He is known. Men and women have titles by which they are known.

The Bible shows that He has a head, hair, face, arms, fingers, hands, waist, loins, eyes, eyelids, nostrils, ears, mouth, lips, tongue, breath, feet, and back parts. God even speaks of His heart! He rests, but He does not get tired. He feels things. He eats and drinks, and the alcohol in wine, as Judges 9:13 says, has an effect on Him: It cheers His heart. He laughs. He becomes angry. He speaks in a small still voice; He roars from Zion. As a man, He wept. Sounds a great deal like us, does it not? It should because we are made in His image and likeness.

But there is even more. He goes about from place to place in a body, just like anybody else. He rides in a vehicle. He walks. He plants. He works. He lives in a spiritual place called heaven.

Yet, despite all these biblical descriptions, the men and women who claim that God has no body never cite any other passage except John 4:24 as proof. But He has revealed Himself in so many different ways in His Word that what these people say turns God into a liar who deceives mankind about what He is like.

Let us be clear: John 4:24 does not teach that God has no body. It, plus a multitude of passages that we have read or alluded to, expand our understanding about the properties of spirit—about what spirit bodies are like. Spirit is just as real as matter, except that it is a much higher type of substance and is governed by higher laws.

John 4:24 is a statement of fact, but it does not define or analyze spirit. The properties of spirit are described throughout the Bible, as those who actually saw and heard God and interacted with Him reported their experiences.

Either they are right, or these modern writers are.

They cannot both be right

because they contradict each other.

Which will we believe?

submitted : by Annie

Monday Devotional...2/6/12

ME, BITTER??  OH PLEASE!!!

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,

brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Ephesians 4:30-32

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,

 but rather expose them.

Ephesians 5:11

Big Sigh!!!

I had a great word placed on my heart a week ago to share with you all. I went to science camp with my two children and it was amazing. I was up in the mountains and was just amazed by God’s beautiful creation. The word He placed on my heart at science camp was about seeing Him during the dark moments in our lives.

We went on a night hike and we had to do what was called a solo walk. We were guided to a certain point in our walk, and the guide would stop us and say, “Ok, now you walk the path by yourself until you see the light.” I thought, “WOW, here’s the topic for my devotional." God reminded me through out my solo walk that He was with me the entire time. I was excited to get home and write my devotional.

Well my friends, was I wrong. I went to visit a friend of mine this past weekend and we started to have a deep conversation about life. She shared with me that she heard an amazing service on bitterness. Her pastor was talking about how deep bitterness can be and how, when we become bitter, we miss the grace of God. Moving forward in our faith requires for us to release all bitterness. Many of us are stuck in bitterness and we don’t realize it. We live everyday and do not realize the bitterness that is brewing in us. We become desensitized to it.

How many times do we say, me bitter?? Oh please!! We say, I’m not bitter, I’m just mad, or I’m just hurt! Lets ask ourselves, with whom or what circumstance are we bitter towards? How do we grow in Christ when we are bitter?? I have to say that I'm listening to the service my friend told me about. I have to confess, God is shedding some light on my heart. Yes, there is some bitterness brewing in my heart. I don’t know how this devotion can encourage you, but I pray it makes  you examine your heart.

Our goal is to be like Christ; we need to empty out all of our junk so He can fill us up with Him. How can Christ live in us if we also have bitterness being a resident in us?? We tend to have expectations of people in our lives, and, when they let us down, bitterness comes in. We tend to allow for the enemy to whisper in our ear of how we were let down, and, sooner then we know it, we get angry, we feel rage. We see the person who did us wrong through bitter eyes. We need to stop entertaining the enemy. We must come to a place of surrender. Give it to God, and tell the enemy that enough is enough!! Don’t let bitterness take over your heart and don’t let bitterness hinder your walk with God!

Be blessed!!

Written by

LIZ CHAVEZ

COINCIDENCE?

Devotional for Sunday 02/05/12

Sometimes things happen unexpectedly. Two seemingly different events come together, supposedly by chance, that have some connection. Coincidence? Perhaps...

A young mother driving down a dark road with her infant strapped in a car seat suddenly has a flat tire. She pulls off the road, saying a quick prayer, turns on her overhead light and tries to use her cell phone but has no connection. Another car approaches hers and slows down. Her heart starts racing. Her thoughts fly, "Is this a safe person? Am I and my baby at risk? What else can I do?" She locks all the doors, turns the light off and sits there, waiting and praying. The car turns around and pulls over behind hers, the headlights glaring into her rearview mirror, making it difficult to see. A dark figure gets out of the driver's side of that car and approaches her vehicle. He is a man dressed in black clothing, silhouetted by his headlights, walking slowly toward her, bent over a bit, staring into her windows...

An elderly woman who lived alone fell at her home. She was able to crawl to the phone to call 911. The ambulance took her to the hospital where X-rays showed that she had a broken hip. She would have to undergo surgery in a couple of hours. She made a quick phone call to her pastor who dropped everything to come to her side and say a prayer that God would guide the surgeon's hands and all those caring for his member, and that God's healing hand would speed her recovery. As he left her room, the surgical team was preparing to take her to the surgical suite. He drove away from the hospital and discovered that his normal route was shut down due to a huge accident. He said a quick prayer for those involved, and chose to take his own back-route that he knew instead of the detour. On his way down the winding dark road, he saw it... a car pulled over to the side with a flat tire with a woman and an infant inside, so he stopped to help... Coincidence?

Perhaps you have had things happen in your life that could be simply explained away as coincidence. But are they? Perhaps.... But if we know and believe what God says, maybe it is more than that.

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. Proverbs 16:33 NIV

There are people who think that what we call God answering our prayers is just coincidence. But we know from the Bible that ALL things are able to be controlled by God if he chooses. He can work things together, things that are seemingly separate events, and He can create a serendipitous result, or even bring about a life-saving occurrence.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV

The next time a supposed "coincidence" occurs, think about it. Could it have been God's hand at work, a "God-incidence" perhaps?!?

Dear Lord in heaven, I know that you are the almighty and all powerful God above and that you know what needs to happen here on earth. I pray that you will work all things together that happen in my life that they may be for my own good and for your glory. Let me be a witness to the world of your loving presence and guiding hand. May I see more in my life experiences than what others might call coincidences, and may I be your tool to show them the way, the truth and the life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Written by Jan Andersen

Saturday Devotional...2/4/12

Blinded by Love

Most of us have read of the dysfunction in the ancient patriarchal families of the Bible. Recently, reading about Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Esau, reminded me how important it is to seek God’s will for our children.

It’s amazing and almost unbelievable that Isaac, who had a father of amazing faith and wisdom, was so mixed up himself about which one of his own children was to receive the blessing from God. The one who would be used to further God’s plan, Jacob, was not the son Isaac intended to bless.

Now, I know that for many, the way this story turns out stirs up emotion about fairness, but what stood out to me the most was the failure of the parents to seek God. If Isaac had sought God’s wisdom and counsel throughout parenthood, wouldn’t he then have been lined up with God’s will? I believe so. He quite possibly would have recognized the tendency of Esau towards pride and arrogance, and taught him differently. He could have guided Jacob to use his shrewd mind righteously instead of sinfully. No doubt, years of animosity and contention could have been avoided between the brothers. And maybe Esau would have ended up with a portion of the blessing instead of just a curse.

I know Isaac had hopes and dreams for Esau, but was blinded by his love and emotions. I know my husband and I have hopes and dreams for our children, and it’s possible that we too have been blind in some areas because of our love and emotions. In fact, we’ve recently discussed how unrealistic some of our hopes have been. Having one adult child, one teenager, and two adolescents, we’ve had to let go of certain expectations and especially our sadness that they had not been met to begin with.

A difficult task to accomplish on our own, we leaned on God for comfort, and sought His wisdom for all of our children. Now, we are reevaluating our dreams for them. We’re asking God to reveal to us the areas that we’ve been blind in. I have no doubt that He will birth in us the same dreams He has for our children. They are truly in His hands, and the future He has planned for them is better than we could ever imagine.

Amie Spruiell

2-03-2012

How much wood would a wood chuck cut

if a wood chuck would cut wood

Salmon vs: Man

I find it amazing how the Lord brings me to a place of mind to show me an example of what I may be trying to say/write. Jesus spoke in parables to those he was ministering to (in the new testament) to give an illustration that they would understand…a lot of times regarding the land they lived on for harvesting their crops or just simple stories of God’s good earth. Jesus knew that if he spoke in their language of understanding, they’d get it!

In Romans chapter 7, Paul speaks of the law, (the old testament law) comparing it to the new law concerning the law of sin and death. The law of battling with our flesh that we all deal with.

Here are a few of the scriptures in Romans 7 that Paul spoke of:

(18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,)

dwelleth no good thing;

for to will is present with me;

but how to perform that which is good I find not.

(19) For the good that I would I do not;

but the evil which I would not, that I do.

(23) But I see another law in my members

having warred against the law of my mind,

and taking me captive by the law of sin being in my members.

(24) O wretched man that I am!

Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

(25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then I myself with the mind truly serve the Law of God,

and with the flesh the law of sin.

Oh my goodness!! These verses are somewhat mind boggling. What was Paul trying to say “That what I would, I do not …but that which I do not that I would” Wow, that’s like a tongue twister as I try to translate it all in my brain!

In my simple way of thinking, I see that in this flesh is no good thing…and although we try to do our best for the Lord, we sometimes battle against our flesh and do not the things that we know God wants us to do or not to do….does that make sense?

I thought of (fish) in particular Salmon. Why do Salmon swim upstream to spawn? Why do we fight against our flesh?

Salmon swim upstream to return to the place they remember being hatched for refuge. Salmon successfully spawn, hatch and live in the shallows of riverbeds and streams because of the suitable environment. There, the eggs are able to hatch without floating off or being washed away by heavy tide. After hatching their babies, the tiny salmon will stay in the safety of the nest until the end of their time, then they will leave the nest to make their way downstream….and the cycle starts all over again.

The same is kind of like how we are….we fight against our flesh (like the Salmon fight to swim up stream.) For there is a purpose for our battles with the flesh…and that is, that we may fight the good fight of faith keeping our eyes on the goal, to find that nest of safety in Jesus Christ our Savior… Heaven being our goal. We must be born again just like the newly hatched little salmon.

I seem to find solace in some of our old Christian songs, as it not only ministers to my soul, but it deepens my faith and connects me (as you will) to the Lord. One particular song that comes to mind is:

Thank God for the Blood that washes whiter than snow.

Amen, Amen !

Written by: Glenna Williamson

Thursday Devotional...2/2/12

Family and Friendships

The chapel was warm and bright. Voices mingled with some background music as first, second and third cousins whispered, waved and winked to one another across the pews. Great Aunts and Uncles reacted with amazement at the growth of loved ones, who had once been so little, had so much time really passed?

Happiness and excitement poured from their lips as they greeted each other. How truly wonderful it was to see them again. Oh, we should do this more often. Yes. Yes we should.

Five generations of family filled all the rows. A beautiful casket holding the earthly remains of a loved one was front and center in the room surrounded by bright cascades of flowers. The dearly departed one was the cause for this gathering. This was the story of sadness in their eyes.

As I watched the whole world of emotions playing across their faces I wondered what it would be like to be a part of such a large family. What is it like to live close enough that you attend every graduation, wedding and funeral? What does it feel like to BE close enough in relationship to be invited to every big event? Do you start to feel obligated? Or bored? Or aggravated? Or jealous? Or like a failure? When you decide that you don’t measure up to the person you always thought you would be, even said you would be, and you being the big mouth of the family, do you shy away? Do you slip in the back to pay your respects and slip out just as quietly?

Family and friendship require work, effort, and commitment. No relationship should be one way all the time (except for infants). Do you miss someone? Call them, email them, or send them a note. Were harsh words left between you? Apologize, extend the hand of reconciliation, now, while you have the chance. Most of us need the little reminders that people still care about us when time has passed. Hey, I like little reminders that the other person knows I still exist when only a week or two has passed!

We may not live close to family. We may not be a part of what we would call a warm family. But God has provided a way. As He always does, He has us covered. The local church is full of people who love God and if we give them a chance they will love us too. By the very nature of salvation they are our brothers and sisters in Christ, we all have the same heavenly Father. But we must approach people with the intent to be friends not just have friends.

By the way, we must be prepared to get our feelings hurt. That’s what people do, whether intentionally, thoughtlessly, or carelessly, it happens. Truth be told, we do it to them too. No one is perfect but God. What does God’s Word tell us about cultivating good relationships?

Proverbs 17:9 (New Living Translation)

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,

but dwelling on it separates close friends.

Romans 14:1-4 (The Message)

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned,

God can handle that without your help.

Dear Lord, thank You for watching over me and giving me wisdom when I ask. Help me to not fall into isolation to avoid being hurt. Please help me to cause no harm to others by my words or actions. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

Wednesday Devotional 1/2/12

"Maintaining Peace and Joy"

It truly is amazing when having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ we can walk in peace and joy no matter what the circumstances. That is just one of the many perks in knowing and walking with Jesus.

When we become Christ's child we have access to His promises. God's promises are always true and solid. Our place is to lay hold of His promises and stand firm and steadfast in His promises. That is when the victory comes forth. When we refuse to give into disappointment, discouragement and hopelessness, but hold strong to God's word. If God said His promises are for me then I will not question Him or waver. 

God's word says in 2 Corinthians 1:20,

 " For all the promises of God in Him are Yes,

And in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us."

Lay hold and say Yes to His promises today. Experience His promises in fresh and new ways like never before. That is God's heart for His people.

Rich Blessings,

Sandy Billingham