God is in Control -- Romans 8:28-29
November 14, 2007
Nothing that happens is beyond God's control. Ultimately, whatever comes into our life is either sent by our Father or permitted by Him, and that which does not enter is withheld according to His will. But believers sometimes get so caught up in the moment that they forget about the Lord's omnipotence. Then when life is challenging or uncomfortable, the temptation is to react against whatever seems to be causing them trouble. Fired? Blame the boss. Single? Blame the opposite sex.
To illustrate this idea, think about a child who has to swallow a nasty-tasting antibiotic. In a fit of frustration, he slaps away the bottle from his mother's hand, even though the container is only a "secondary agent." Mom is the one who dispenses the medicine, but since he cannot slap her, he turns his irritation against the vessel.
When we "slap away the bottle," we take out our anger and resentment on the vessel the Lord is using instead of accepting that His will is at work. God does assure us He is working out the details of our life for good, but we cannot assume this means everything will turn out to our liking.
...
[More]
Posted at: 10:54 AM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink
The Benefits of Being Devoted to Prayer -- Romans 12:10-12
November 9, 2007
Jesus loved to talk to His Father and often sought the opportunity to be alone with Him. At times, He would speak with God in front of large groups of people or ask a few of His close disciples to join Him in prayer. Because Jesus prayed frequently, He followed God's lead, joined in His work, and spoke the Father's words to the people around Him.
When we are serious about prayer, our intimacy with the Lord begins to grow. We come to know God better the more we listen and speak with Him, and as that happens, we start to view the world from a divine perspective. The things that matter to God will become our concerns as well, and our prayers will increasingly reflect His interests. Experiencing answered prayer will encourage us and grow our faith.
Over time, the discipline of prayer should begin to have a purifying effect upon us. The Holy Spirit works God's truth deep into our hearts as we allow regular study of Scripture to fuel our communion with Him. Consistent exposure to the Word will reveal personal areas of ungodliness, and the Spirit will give us power to change. What's more,...
[More]
Posted at: 09:17 AM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink
Laboring for God -- John 12:20-26
November 2, 2007
As followers of Jesus Christ, we're to be living examples of His life. In other words, we're to be people through whom the Holy Spirit carries out the Lord's work. To follow Jesus' example, we must do three things.
First, learn how to live as God's servants. We need to release control over our time, talent, and treasure. And we need to accept our commission to work in His kingdom. Like our Savior, we're not to act independently (John 5:19). Our assignment is to do whatever God asks.
Second, we should be ready to answer His call to aid others. There's a natural desire to limit our circle to people like us. But we must fight against this tendency. God asks that we reach out to offer help wherever there's a need. Whether it's for strangers or for individuals we know. Strengthening our relationship with the Lord will help us recognize and act on the opportunities He's placed before us.
Third, Hebrews 10:24 says we should motivate one another to good deeds. We should encourage each other to choose godliness and service over worldly pleasure and self-centeredness. Believers are to encourage in each other attitudes of...
[More]
Posted at: 09:56 AM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink
Grace-Filled Speech -- Titus 2:7-8
October 29, 2007
Words are powerful. Harsh remarks can cause a destructive chain reaction, like a match in the forest during a drought. Kind comments feel like a light summer rain that brings relief from the heat of day.
We can know our words are the refreshing kind--seasoned with grace--when...
• Our tone and manner reflect the way we want others to speak to us. Talking pleasantly should not depend on whether others are kind with their words. Grace-filled speech consistently uses a gentle voice and positive body language.
• What we say about others is similar to what we would want said of us. All of us hope to hear our weaknesses minimized and our strengths emphasized--and to be given the benefit of the doubt in confusing situations.
• We speak only words we know to be true. Gossip and lies have no place in a Christian's conversation. The Lord opposes lying tongues and false witnesses (Proverbs 6:16-19).
• Our speech is edifying. Speaking fairly and positively of others is part of godly speech.
Transforming our conversation begins on the inside with the right heart attitude. As we saturate our minds with the...
[More]
Posted at: 10:06 AM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink
Get Real!
October 12, 2007
I was sitting in Sunday School listening to prayer requests being mentioned.
Prayer needs varied - someone's neighbors were having marital problems; a co-worker was having a problem with her boss; a friend whose child was being rebellious; a family member's health issues.
A few were personal requests such as an important decision about work, a scheduled surgery, and safe travels for vacation.
All the prayer requests were valid and prayer-worthy, but I started to wonder if we were really being real with one another.
Why were we not asking for prayers for our own struggles - our own personal struggles, our own children, or our own challenges in living a Christ-like life?
I had many prayer requests on my heart that morning but instead of sharing them with my Christian friends, I kept them hidden in my heart. Part of me yearned for their prayers, but part of me also feared sharing my most personal issues and concerns with others. Instead of focusing on the truth that God would hear the prayers of these prayer warriors and divinely intervene in my life, I focused on my own insecurities, and the fear of being judged for circumstances in my life...
[More]
Posted at: 12:33 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink
Unconditional Peace -- Matthew 6:31-34
October 11, 2007
When hardships come, a person's heart is prone to feel anxious and unsettled. But believers do not have to feel this way; we can be at peace even in the worst of times. The Bible says that God loves us and will be our rock in a constantly changing world (Psalm 18:2). This means we are not left alone to face our painful situations. When we trust the Lord's assurances, we can be calm, no matter what the situation may be.
To lay claim to God's assurance, we must put our faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, because we cannot know peace if our eternal security is in question. Once we have become believers, it is vitally important that we make a regular practice of confronting, confessing, and turning away from our wrongs. Otherwise, sin will disrupt our fellowship with the Lord (Psalm 66:18). Sin and peace cannot inhabit the same heart.
Similarly, a heart cannot hold both anxiety and peace, which is why Jesus encouraged His followers to be concerned only with the needs of today (Matthew 6:31-34). Worrying about a troubling situation and seeking a solution apart from God leaves us in...
[More]
Posted at: 03:30 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink
Admin's Blog
September 25, 2007
Hi,
This is our devotional blogspot. You can post your comments, sharing, devotionals and reflections to our posted topics...etc. Lets hear what you have to say.
Have fun,
Posted at: 04:57 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink
