Thursday Devotional...3/8/12

Mistletoe and Fleas

I was standing outside in the sunshine today. The sky was a beautiful dark blue and it seemed to promise me that warmer days would soon be here as I zipped up my jacket against the cold wind. Admiring the beauty of winter I noticed a fallen bit of green lying amongst my plants. Picking it up for a closer look I was surprised to discover a piece of mistletoe. Looking way up into the very large old tree that sits in the middle of our front yard it was easy to see the big healthy ball of mistletoe growing amongst the highest bare branches.

I kept thinking about the fresh, thriving piece of greenery and how it grew even while the tree was bare. A quick search on the internet clarified that mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows in certain trees without soil. I am used to thinking of the word parasite in a negative way. For instance, fleas are parasites to dogs and cats, and we try to get rid of them!

I thought, God, are we like that mistletoe? Are we the fresh green bit of life in a world of winter? Do we attach and grow wherever we end up, while adding love and peace to the lives of others? When our neighbors, coworkers, friends and family look at us, do they see a bright spot? Or are we more often like fleas that pester and annoy the people around us?

Romans 15:1-2, 13 (God’s Word Translation)

So those of us who have a strong faith must be patient with

the weaknesses of those whose faith is not so strong.

We must not think only of ourselves.

We should all be concerned about our neighbor

and the good things that will build his faith.

May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace

through your faith in him. Then you will overflow

with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 12:11 (The Message)

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful;

yet to those who have been trained by it,

afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Dear Lord, Aargh! Why is everything a lesson? Oh yeah, because You love me and will not leave me in my present messed up condition. No matter how good I look on the outside, I want to be truly good on the inside. Thank You, Lord, for all the opportunities I have to practice patience with others. I know it is of little credit to me when I am patient, because it is Your strength in me that makes it possible for me to be positive, considerate, and loving when that is not how I feel .In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

Tuesday Devotional

THE WORD/LOGOS OF GOD

John 1 : 1-4

 In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

 The same was in the beginning with God.

 All things were made by him; and without him

 was not  any thing made that was made.

 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

"The Word" in this passage is translated from the Greek logos, which means "spokesman," "word," or "revelatory thought." It is a name there used for an individual Personage. But who or what is this Logos? Notice the explanation in verse 14:

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)

full of grace and truth."

vs.14

When he was born as Jesus Christ, he was flesh and blood, materialistic, and could be seen, touched, and felt. But what was he? As God—as the Logos? That is answered in John 4:24, "God is a Spirit," and spirit is invisible. We know what was his form and shape as the human Jesus. But of what form and shape was He as the Word?

The Word, then, is a Personage who was made flesh—begotten by God, who through this later begettal became his Father. Yet at that prehistoric time of the first verse of John 1, the Word was not (yet) the Son of God. He divested himself of his glory as a Spirit divinity to be begotten as a human person. He was made God's Son, through being begotten or sired by God and born of the virgin Mary.

So here we find revealed originally two Personages. One is God. And with God in that prehistoric time was another Personage who also was God—one who later was begotten and born as Jesus Christ. But these two Personages were spirit, which is invisible to human eyes unless supernaturally manifested. Yet, at the time described in verse one, Jesus was not the Son of God, and God was not His Father.

submitted by: Annie

Monday Devotional

For A Purpose...

I have wasted so much time in regret, thinking that my life should be much bigger than it is right now. I should have learned more, be making more money, gotten a better idea of who I am, and what my "True Purpose In Life Is". We buy books and study in groups to try to figure it out.

I give myself a hard time over the chances that I did not take, the times that I allowed fear to stop me from doing so many things. The foolish things that I did, putting myself in harms way for the sake of appearing more together that I was or ever could have been back then, Thinking that the relationships that sidetracked me were detours that I still have not recovered from. All of the reasons that I am not growing faster and becoming better than I am right now.

But then, on Thursday night, a speaker at the conference I was attending reminded me that, "Everything done to me, by me and through me was for a purpose." My life so far was to get me here. The detours, were actually side trips to places that I needed to visit in order to learn what was only being taught then and there; for my specific benefit. Even when we are not paying attention, God is orchestrating our lives. Patiently waiting for us to submit ourselves to His Will once again.

Our past is only a wasted one if we choose to see it as a waste. When we allow ourselves to be attentive to the Holy Spirit, memories of our past can serve as a travel guide to someone else. Someone who may be questioning their place and worthiness right now. If we are open to sharing what we learn, it just may allow someone else to accept God's Grace for themselves.

 

Even if all you do today is to help yourself to continue to seek and accept God's forgiveness; you may have served your purpose for today. And who knows what wonderful purposes He has for you tomorrow!

"I cry out to God Most High,

to God who will fulfill His purpose for me."

Psalm 57:2

Written by

Lynda Kinnard

SUFFERING

devotion for Sunday 3/4/12

Many years ago, there was a young girl who liked to be independent. She didn't mind playing by herself, because then she could pretend whatever she wanted and no one would try to change the game or make fun of her for her ideas. She loved to play at the park near her home and was proud that now her mom thought she was old enough to go there on her own. She would play there alone for a long time and then go home when she heard her mom calling her from their front porch.

One day while she was at the park playing by herself, she decided to explore a little more than usual. She headed toward the deep woods behind the park, where she knew she was not supposed to go alone. But there was a man back there with a smile on his face, so she said to herself that she wasn't really alone - there was even an adult there! She kept her distance from the man and wandered back and forth at the edge of the woods, looking down at her feet and kicking the grass with her feet as she walked. Suddenly, she noticed that the man had approached her, and he asked her if she wanted to go exploring. She loved to explore! She even read stories about child explorers, so this really excited her. He seemed friendly enough, even though she could see now that his clothing was a bit ragged, and his hands and face were smudged with a little dirt. The excitement of the adventure overtook any fears she had.

That was soon to change. As soon as she took his hand and they entered the woods, his grip on her hand grew stronger. And when she tried to pull away, he grabbed her arm tighter and dragged her deep into the woods. She wanted to scream but the terror and struggle took away all her breath as she dug her heels into the dirt to no avail. She could barely manage a few grunts as she cried to leave her alone and let her go! But he told her to shut up and continued dragging her until they were at what appeared to be a temporary campsite. There were many unspeakable things that happened next to that little girl. He then tied her up in a most degrading way and left her so he could walk away for a moment. In that instant she felt so weak and helpless, defeated. But she noticed when she gave up struggling, her arms and hands relaxed and the ropes started to slip off her wrists. Her guardian angel helped guide her as she escaped through the woods and was able to make her way back home. It took many years, but she eventually was able to look back at this horrible situation and learn from it and help others who suffer from traumatic events.

This is how life is sometimes. We think we are fine and quite happy to be independent. We "wander off" from God and do things our own way. While we are depending upon ourselves, we become distracted. But Satan, who prowls around like a lion, is ready to pounce when we least expect it and our defenses are down. He is the master of deception and at the opportune moment, snatches us up, overpowers and restrains us. It appears he has cut us off from all help at times, and we may feel we will never be able to return to God. Satan whispers in our ears that God will be angry with us if we try to escape. But nothing could be further from the truth! Once we give up struggling so hard to rescue ourselves and relax, we are able to let go of the situation and let God handle it. He rescues us and welcomes us back with open arms - no angry yelling, no shameful belittling. God gives us the power to escape the clutches of sin, death and the devil. Hopefully we learn from even the worst of our suffering, at least to depend upon God and to know that he is always there for us.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:6-11 NIV

written by Jan Andersen

Saturday Devotional...3/3/12

Again?

As a child, I remember that it felt I was always forgiving someone. Whether it was my bullying brother or cousin, or some bratty kid that treated me badly, it seemed that someone was always being forced to say that they were sorry to me. I know I wasn’t a saint myself, and I had my apologies to make since I did like to tease and sometimes I tried to get back at the bad guy instead of turning the other cheek, but still more often than not, I was the recipient. After awhile, I would get so hurt in my heart I just didn’t feel like forgiving, “Again? I have to forgive again?” Can’t say that I recall the lesson giver, it was probably a parent, grandparent, or maybe even a teacher at the private Christian school I attended, but I learned that “yes” I always had to forgive.

I guess the good thing that came out of it was that I definitely learned to be a forgiving person. I never even held a grudge against the man who abandoned my child and that in itself has always shocked me, but it took me awhile to learn the lesson of “again?”

As a wife, there have been unhealthy recurring patterns over the years in our marriage. I’m sure most couples can relate. Two people learn all the right buttons to push, and when say one is set off by mistake, a familiar ping pong match of words, tones of voices, looks, actions, or lack thereof follows. Though I can say that there has been progress made over the years, sometimes baby steps and other times giant leaps, something that is not always shared with each other is the question I pose to God, “Again? You mean I have to be the first one again? Do I really have to be the one who humbles herself and goes to him with kind words to end this charade? Again?” His answer of course is “yes!”

It’s a good thing that God doesn’t ask “again?” because it seems that I always need this lesson shown to me…again. I’ve found myself asking it in the area of serving…as I’m sure many Christians have. Whether it’s in children’s ministries, Bible Studies, or clean up duty before or after an event, I know many have wondered why they are the only ones who ever volunteer. There have been times I’ve asked God this question as a member of my congregation for one reason or another, “Again? I’m the one left holding the ball again?”

It never occurred to me why this question was repeated in so many areas of my life until a friend of mine gave a testimony. She’d experienced similar situations throughout her life, and her heart was open to hear the Holy Spirit, so God used her to teach all of us who were in her hearing. The question of “again?” is evidence of our sin. It reveals our self-centeredness, being only concerned for ourselves. It shows our inability to love unconditionally like Jesus loves and likewise our need to learn how to let Him love others through us. We’re not supposed to ask “again?” We’re supposed to respond with “always”. When faced with the opportunity, we’re to always do the right thing.

Now that I realize that I’ve done this, I’m surprised at how many different situations I’m tempted to ask “again?” He’s taught me to always forgive, always try to be the first to make amends (unless my husband beats me to it since I think he’s learned the lesson of “always” as well), and to always step up when you have the opportunity. So when I was faced with praying over my son as he was about to play in the last game of his baseball tournament and I was tempted to say, “Again? Do I have to pray for both teams again?” I knew the answer before the thought ever finished forming in my mind. I still wanted my son’s team to win, but I knew I was to pray for both teams even if I didn’t like the other team. I even know this lesson well enough to teach my own kids. So, when they lost to the team with the poor sportsmanship, when they came in second place to the first place team who we all thought didn’t deserve it for one reason or another, and my son looked at me with a look of, “Again? Do I have to congratulate them again? I gave a reassuring nod of, “Yes, you always have to do the right thing.” Yes, we always have to be Christ to the world.

Amie Spruiell

6/17/2011

Friday Devotional...3/2/12

I Hope You Dance

 

A heavy heart is carried by me today as we just lost a dear friend and relative this week. A scripture came to mind as I was contemplating on a devotional for this week.

James Chapter 4 verse 14

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.

 For what is your life?

It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time,

 and then vanisheth away.”

Have you ever put on a small pot of water to boil …and walked away just for a few minutes only to come back to find that all the water had evaporated. That’s exactly what this scripture is saying to us…that “Life is Short” and what you do today and the decisions you make for tomorrow should be weighed. Do we awake in the morning with a thankful heart and thank God that we have one more day on this earth to reach out to those around us or far away to say that we love them, that we appreciate them.. Do we take for granite that tomorrow will always be there for us and therefore put off till tomorrow what we should do today. How about God…Do we tell him everyday “I Love You Lord” and thank him for his saving grace. Can we maybe laugh more or even a little louder, sing in the rain if that’s what you feel, hug that child or grandchild until you grit your teeth….These are just a few things that go through my mind. Lee Ann Womack sang a song that so appropriately says...

“I Hope You Dance”

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder

You get your fill to eat

but always keep that hunger

May you never take one single

breath for granted

God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed

I hope you still feel small

when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes

 I hope one more opens

Promise me that you’ll give faith

a fighting chance

And when you get the choice

to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance

Never settle for the path of least resistance

Living might mean taking chances but they’re worth taking

Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth making

Don’t let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter

When you come close to selling out reconsider

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder

Where the years have gone

By: Glenna Williamson

Thursday Devotional

Not Just a Number

“I don’t think they like me,” I said in a sort of half whisper to my 18 year old son as we walked away from the entrance. We had just arrived at an amusement park and came upon a large group of my kids’ friends and acquaintances. They greeted each other, congratulating, and admiring each other’s brilliant idea to be there and I had noticed one student in particular who didn’t return my hello.

“Mom,” he said rather firmly, “There are almost 7 billion people in the world, what does it matter if one doesn’t like you?”

I thought about this perspective of numbers many times since then. Does one person matter? In our country there are over 330 million people, and in my current state, California, 37 million people reside. Such large numbers make 1, 20, or even 100 seem like very small numbers of people over which to worry. Thankfully from God’s perspective every person is worth considering.

Luke 12:6-7 (New Living Translation)

What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins?

Yet God does not forget a single one of them.

And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.

So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God

than a whole flock of sparrows.

This morning I was reading an article about the Chadron High School shooting outside of Cleveland, Ohio. A student told a reporter that she and a friend crouched down and hid in a teacher’s lounge during the attack. When people started passing on the shooter’s name, the girl next to her, the shooter’s sister, started sobbing. Until that moment, I had been sad to see that another person had chosen violence and that 3 students had died. But the sobs of the sister struck me to my core. They reminded me that God says to weep for those who weep and mourn for those who mourn (see Romans 12:15).

Psalm 34:18 (New Living Translation)
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Thanks to the practically instant news available to us through television and the internet we could spend every day weeping. Yesterday, at least 12 people died when tornados touched down in the mid-west. The list continues. When one person chooses violence, when nature acts up, the effect is so far reaching and the grief is unending. If we can’t make everything better, what can we do?

Zechariah 7:9-10 (Amplified)

'Treat one another justly.
Love your neighbors.
Be compassionate with each other.Don't take advantage of widows, orphans, visitors, and the poor.
Don't plot and scheme against one another—that's evil.'

Dear Lord, thank You that we are not just numbers. Please clean my heart out of selfishness and pour in Your compassion. You do know us and understand how hard it is for us. Thank You that nothing can separate us from Your love. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins