"Your word have I treasured in my heart, that I many not sin against You." Psalm 119:11
About 4 years ago I decided to make a New Year's Resolution. I know, we all do them and most often then not they only last a few months at the most. As time goes on the desire to do something or be something better lessens until we're back to our old self. That year I decided to read through my Bible in one year. I had only done that once in my life and many attempts to do it again always failed. That year I decided would be different. And different it was because it's something I've done every year since.
I want to challenge you to join me this year. It's not hard and when you start doing it you really do learn more about the Bible and what God is calling you to be. I know some of the Old Testament is rather boring and sometimes confusing but if it's read often it starts to sink in and make sense. You begin to see why you should read it and how important it is to what Jesus did for us which is recorded in the New Testament.
I will post a Bible reading guide at the bottom of each devotional thought. I will give you a variety of ways to read through the Bible so you can choose which one fits your personality and needs. I will also be adding a weekend Bible Reading post so you can keep going every day.
The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible
See you all in the new year!!
Krista Jones
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
"Teach Me What I Need to Know"
"Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise, apply your heart to what I teach." Proverbs 22:17
Everybody should have a friend like Ralph.
He can fix a lamp or a lawn mower, refinish furniture, build bookshelves. All by himself he has transformed his garage into a workshop and completely remodeled his mother's house.
One day, marveling at these results over coffee, I asked, "Ralph, where did you learn to do all this? Who taught you - your father?"
Thoughtfully he sipped his coffee, his blue eyes twinkling, "I never knew my father," he said. "But I did meet a good carpenter a long time ago. And he still helps me In fact, every time I have a problem, all I have to do is stop and ask him, "Teach me what I need to know.' And he does. This morning, for instance, those boards just wouldn't work. But after I'd stopped and asked him, 'What am I doing wrong?' the answer came: I was cutting them too short."
Then Ralph gave me the words of his own special prayer:
Jesus stand beside me.
Guide and direct my life.
Teach me what I need to know.
Help me with my work.
Let me serve You and others,
That I may be worthy of God's grace.
Ralph's special prayer has become a part of my own life now. I say it every morning. And all day. Whenever I am anxious or confused about a situation, one phrase of the prayer comes to my rescue: "Teach me what I need to know." Of all the things Ralph has done to help me, his prayer has helped most of all.
By Marjorie Holmes, take from, "Women's Devotional Bible"
Everybody should have a friend like Ralph.
He can fix a lamp or a lawn mower, refinish furniture, build bookshelves. All by himself he has transformed his garage into a workshop and completely remodeled his mother's house.
One day, marveling at these results over coffee, I asked, "Ralph, where did you learn to do all this? Who taught you - your father?"
Thoughtfully he sipped his coffee, his blue eyes twinkling, "I never knew my father," he said. "But I did meet a good carpenter a long time ago. And he still helps me In fact, every time I have a problem, all I have to do is stop and ask him, "Teach me what I need to know.' And he does. This morning, for instance, those boards just wouldn't work. But after I'd stopped and asked him, 'What am I doing wrong?' the answer came: I was cutting them too short."
Then Ralph gave me the words of his own special prayer:
Jesus stand beside me.
Guide and direct my life.
Teach me what I need to know.
Help me with my work.
Let me serve You and others,
That I may be worthy of God's grace.
Ralph's special prayer has become a part of my own life now. I say it every morning. And all day. Whenever I am anxious or confused about a situation, one phrase of the prayer comes to my rescue: "Teach me what I need to know." Of all the things Ralph has done to help me, his prayer has helped most of all.
By Marjorie Holmes, take from, "Women's Devotional Bible"
Monday, December 29, 2008
How deep is your Yearning?
I'm amazed at the depth of yearning, humbled and repentance of the people in Nehemiah. After the wall of Jerusalem was restored and as they were being read and taught from the Book of the Law, they realized how guilty they had been. Nehemiah 9:3 says, "While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God." My study notes say that a fourth of the day is about 3 hours. Thus these people stood before God for about 6 hours listening, worshiping and confessing. There was no clock watching, backside numbing, falling asleep. No, they were on fire with yearning.
Jumping ahead to the end of Nehemiah 9 after a lengthy history of the Israelites and what God did for them. Verse 38 says, "Now because of all this we are making an agreement in writing; and on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests." But this agreement did not stop with the leaders, Levites and priests for we see in Nehemiah 10:29 that everyone else was, "joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God's law, which was given through Moses, God's servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of God our Lord and His ordinances and His statues." These people were serious enough to take on a curse from God in order to keep His commandments. They humbled themselves and brought themselves under the umbrella of God once more.
My devotional hit upon humility this morning. Ahh, yes Lord, I hear you!
"The dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Matt. 15:27
While Jesus was ministering in Tyre and Sidon a women came to Him asking that He heal her daughter. According to His wisdom He hesitated until her persistent pleading drew from Him these words; "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs."
"Both the humility and the quick, eager faith of this woman appear in her response. 'Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.' She was not offended by the figure our Lord had used. She was willing to be as a little dog under the Master's table. The children were first served, and then the pieces they let fall belonged to the dogs. All she asked was the portion that ordinarily went to the dogs. And even the crumbs from that table were enough fro her, more than the richest dainties from any other table.
"Thus both humility and faith were shown in her answer; and in both she is an example to us. We should come to Christ with a deep sense of our unworthiness, ready to take the lowest place. It is such a precious thing to be permitted to take even the crumbs from the Master's table, that we should exult in the privilege. The crumbs of His grace and love are better then the richest feasts of this world.
Not worthy, Lord, to gather up the crumbs
With trembling hand that from Thy table fall,
A weary, heave-laden sinner comes
To plead thy promise and obey thy call.
"Yet we are not fed with crumbs; we are seated at the full table, with the richest provisions before us. The prodigal, returning, asked only to be made a servant, as he felt unworthy to be restored to a son's place. But father-love knew no such half-way restoration as that. The white robe, the ring, the shoes, were given to him, insignia of sonship. God puts the lowliest and unworthiest at once into the children's place, and feeds them abundantly." - J. R. Miller (from Com Ye Apart) - Streams in the Desert Volume 2
Krista Jones
5.28.08
Jumping ahead to the end of Nehemiah 9 after a lengthy history of the Israelites and what God did for them. Verse 38 says, "Now because of all this we are making an agreement in writing; and on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests." But this agreement did not stop with the leaders, Levites and priests for we see in Nehemiah 10:29 that everyone else was, "joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God's law, which was given through Moses, God's servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of God our Lord and His ordinances and His statues." These people were serious enough to take on a curse from God in order to keep His commandments. They humbled themselves and brought themselves under the umbrella of God once more.
My devotional hit upon humility this morning. Ahh, yes Lord, I hear you!
"The dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Matt. 15:27
While Jesus was ministering in Tyre and Sidon a women came to Him asking that He heal her daughter. According to His wisdom He hesitated until her persistent pleading drew from Him these words; "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs."
"Both the humility and the quick, eager faith of this woman appear in her response. 'Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.' She was not offended by the figure our Lord had used. She was willing to be as a little dog under the Master's table. The children were first served, and then the pieces they let fall belonged to the dogs. All she asked was the portion that ordinarily went to the dogs. And even the crumbs from that table were enough fro her, more than the richest dainties from any other table.
"Thus both humility and faith were shown in her answer; and in both she is an example to us. We should come to Christ with a deep sense of our unworthiness, ready to take the lowest place. It is such a precious thing to be permitted to take even the crumbs from the Master's table, that we should exult in the privilege. The crumbs of His grace and love are better then the richest feasts of this world.
Not worthy, Lord, to gather up the crumbs
With trembling hand that from Thy table fall,
A weary, heave-laden sinner comes
To plead thy promise and obey thy call.
"Yet we are not fed with crumbs; we are seated at the full table, with the richest provisions before us. The prodigal, returning, asked only to be made a servant, as he felt unworthy to be restored to a son's place. But father-love knew no such half-way restoration as that. The white robe, the ring, the shoes, were given to him, insignia of sonship. God puts the lowliest and unworthiest at once into the children's place, and feeds them abundantly." - J. R. Miller (from Com Ye Apart) - Streams in the Desert Volume 2
Krista Jones
5.28.08
Friday, December 26, 2008
Holiness Among Us
"Shout and be glad, Jerusalem. I am coming and I will live among you," says the Lord." Zechariah 2:10
God became a baby. He entered a world . . . of problems and heartaches.
"The Word became human and lived her on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness" John 1:14 (NLT).
The operative word of the verse is among. He lived among us. He donned the costliest of robes; a human body. He made a throne out of a manger and a royal court out of some cows. He took a common name - Jesus - and made it holy. He took a common people and made them the same. He could have lived over us or away from us. But he didn't. He lived among us.
He became a friend of the sinner and brother of the poor. - When Christ Comes
By Max Lucado, taken from "Grace for the Moment"
God became a baby. He entered a world . . . of problems and heartaches.
"The Word became human and lived her on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness" John 1:14 (NLT).
The operative word of the verse is among. He lived among us. He donned the costliest of robes; a human body. He made a throne out of a manger and a royal court out of some cows. He took a common name - Jesus - and made it holy. He took a common people and made them the same. He could have lived over us or away from us. But he didn't. He lived among us.
He became a friend of the sinner and brother of the poor. - When Christ Comes
By Max Lucado, taken from "Grace for the Moment"
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Unto You
"Unto you," yes, even you, O weary heart and worn,
Unto you whose feet are tired, whose trembling hands are torn;
"Unto you," this sacred morn, come tidings from above
Which whisper of a Saviour born, and speaks His tones of love.
"Unto you," yes, even you, is Jesus born today,
If you will meekly give Him room, and bid your sweet Guest stay;
Though all the world may have their share, yet He is all for you,
He'll rest His head within your heart, and shed His love to true.
He does not ask for palace rare, to make His royal home,
He does not seek for costly fare, but love's sweet bidding, "Come";
He seeks a subject fond and true to yield to His blest sway,
To let the brightness of His smile light up your weary way.
"Unto you," though least of all His little ones today.
The star of Bethlehem doth shine, with gladness in its ray;
"Unto you," though small your strength, and weak the praise you bring,
"Unto you," dear trembling one, He comes your Lord and King.
"Unto you," this Christmas-tide; with your longing heart
The angels sing their song again, with all their heavenly art,
Nay, sweeter far than their sweet song, the Spirit from above
Small bring the tidings of your King, and whisper of His love.
Carry Judd Montgomery
Unto you whose feet are tired, whose trembling hands are torn;
"Unto you," this sacred morn, come tidings from above
Which whisper of a Saviour born, and speaks His tones of love.
"Unto you," yes, even you, is Jesus born today,
If you will meekly give Him room, and bid your sweet Guest stay;
Though all the world may have their share, yet He is all for you,
He'll rest His head within your heart, and shed His love to true.
He does not ask for palace rare, to make His royal home,
He does not seek for costly fare, but love's sweet bidding, "Come";
He seeks a subject fond and true to yield to His blest sway,
To let the brightness of His smile light up your weary way.
"Unto you," though least of all His little ones today.
The star of Bethlehem doth shine, with gladness in its ray;
"Unto you," though small your strength, and weak the praise you bring,
"Unto you," dear trembling one, He comes your Lord and King.
"Unto you," this Christmas-tide; with your longing heart
The angels sing their song again, with all their heavenly art,
Nay, sweeter far than their sweet song, the Spirit from above
Small bring the tidings of your King, and whisper of His love.
Carry Judd Montgomery
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Eve
". . . shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night" Luke 2:8
Jesus said: I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep" John 10:11
It was Christmas Eve, 1875. Ira D. Sankey was traveling by steamboat up the Delaware River. It was a calm, starlight evening, and there were many passengers gathered on deck. Mr Sankey was asked to sing. He stood leaning against one of the great funnels of the boat, and his eyes were raised to the starry heavens in quiet prayer. It was his intention to sing a Christmas song, but he was driven almost against his will to sing 'Saviour Like a Shepherd Leads Us.'
"There was a deep stillness. Words and melody, welling forth from the singer's soul, floated out over the deck and the quiet river. Every heart was touched.
"After the song ended, a man with a rough, weather-beaten face came up to Mr. Stankey and said, 'Did you ever serve in the Union army?'
"'Yes,' answered Mr. Sankey, 'in the spring of 1860.'
"'Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright, moonlight night in 1862?'
"'yes,' answered Mr. Sankey, very much surprised.
"'So did I,' said the stranger, 'but I was serving in the Confederate army. When I saw you standing at your post I said to myself, 'That fellow will never get away from her alive.' I raised my musket and took aim. I was standing in the shadow, completely concealed, while the full light of the moon was falling upon you. At that instant, just as a moment ago, your raised your eyes to Heaven and began to sing. music especially song, has always had a wonderful power over me, and I took my finger off the trigger.'
"'Let him sing his song to the end.' I said to myself. 'I can shoot him afterwards. He's my victim at all events, and my bullet cannot miss him.' But the song you san then was the song you sang just now. I heard the words perfectly:
We are Thine, do Thou befriend us,
Be the guardian of our way.
"'When you had finished your song it was impossible for me to take aim at you again. I thought, 'The Lord, who is able to save that man from certain death, must surely be great and mighty,' and my arm of its own accord dropped limp at my side.'
"Since that time I have wondered about, far and wide, but when I just now saw you standing there praying as on that other occasion, I recognized you. Then my heat was wounded by your wong. Now I ask that you hep me find a cure for my sick soul.'
"Deeply moved, Mr. Sankey threw his arms about the man who in the days of the war had been his enemy. And that night the stranger found the Good Shepherd as his Saviour.' - (from "It Happened on Christmas Eve")
Compiled by Mrs. Charles Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert Vol. 2"
Jesus said: I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep" John 10:11
It was Christmas Eve, 1875. Ira D. Sankey was traveling by steamboat up the Delaware River. It was a calm, starlight evening, and there were many passengers gathered on deck. Mr Sankey was asked to sing. He stood leaning against one of the great funnels of the boat, and his eyes were raised to the starry heavens in quiet prayer. It was his intention to sing a Christmas song, but he was driven almost against his will to sing 'Saviour Like a Shepherd Leads Us.'
"There was a deep stillness. Words and melody, welling forth from the singer's soul, floated out over the deck and the quiet river. Every heart was touched.
"After the song ended, a man with a rough, weather-beaten face came up to Mr. Stankey and said, 'Did you ever serve in the Union army?'
"'Yes,' answered Mr. Sankey, 'in the spring of 1860.'
"'Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright, moonlight night in 1862?'
"'yes,' answered Mr. Sankey, very much surprised.
"'So did I,' said the stranger, 'but I was serving in the Confederate army. When I saw you standing at your post I said to myself, 'That fellow will never get away from her alive.' I raised my musket and took aim. I was standing in the shadow, completely concealed, while the full light of the moon was falling upon you. At that instant, just as a moment ago, your raised your eyes to Heaven and began to sing. music especially song, has always had a wonderful power over me, and I took my finger off the trigger.'
"'Let him sing his song to the end.' I said to myself. 'I can shoot him afterwards. He's my victim at all events, and my bullet cannot miss him.' But the song you san then was the song you sang just now. I heard the words perfectly:
We are Thine, do Thou befriend us,
Be the guardian of our way.
"'When you had finished your song it was impossible for me to take aim at you again. I thought, 'The Lord, who is able to save that man from certain death, must surely be great and mighty,' and my arm of its own accord dropped limp at my side.'
"Since that time I have wondered about, far and wide, but when I just now saw you standing there praying as on that other occasion, I recognized you. Then my heat was wounded by your wong. Now I ask that you hep me find a cure for my sick soul.'
"Deeply moved, Mr. Sankey threw his arms about the man who in the days of the war had been his enemy. And that night the stranger found the Good Shepherd as his Saviour.' - (from "It Happened on Christmas Eve")
Compiled by Mrs. Charles Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert Vol. 2"
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
A Lovely Flower
"Who art thou that judgest another?" James 4:12
One Christmas someone sent Mr. Whittier a gentian flower pressed between two panes of glass. Seen from one side it appeared only a blurred mass of something without beauty. But seen from the other side of the glass the exquisite beauty of the flower appeared, in all its delicate loveliness. Whether the gift was lovely or not to the view depended on the side from which one looked at it. The poet hung the gift on the window pane, putting the blurred side out and the lovely flower side toward his room. Those who passed by without looking up, marked only a 'gray disk of clouded glass' seeing no beauty; but the poet, sitting within, looked at the token, and saw outlined against the winter sky all the exquisite loveliness of the flower;
They cannot from their outlook see
The perfect grace it hath for me;
For there the flower, whose fringes through
The frosty breath of autumn blew,
Turns from without its face of bloom
To the warm tropic of my room.
As fair as when beside its brook
The hue of bending skies it took.
But deeper meanings come to me,
My half-immortal flower, from thee;
Man judges from a partial view,
None ever yet his brother knew;
The Eternal Eye that sees the whole
May better read the darkened soul,
And find, to outward sense denied,
The flower upon its inmost side.
- John Greenleaf Whittier
"Too often we look upon the blurred side of actions - yes, of people too. We do not see the loveliness that there is on the other side. We are all continually misinterpreting others. There is a flower side in many an act which we condemn because we see only the blurred side. Let us train ourselves to believe the best always of people and of actions, and find some beauty in everything" - J.R. Miller (from Thoughts for the Thoughtful).
Compiled by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert, Vol. 2"
One Christmas someone sent Mr. Whittier a gentian flower pressed between two panes of glass. Seen from one side it appeared only a blurred mass of something without beauty. But seen from the other side of the glass the exquisite beauty of the flower appeared, in all its delicate loveliness. Whether the gift was lovely or not to the view depended on the side from which one looked at it. The poet hung the gift on the window pane, putting the blurred side out and the lovely flower side toward his room. Those who passed by without looking up, marked only a 'gray disk of clouded glass' seeing no beauty; but the poet, sitting within, looked at the token, and saw outlined against the winter sky all the exquisite loveliness of the flower;
They cannot from their outlook see
The perfect grace it hath for me;
For there the flower, whose fringes through
The frosty breath of autumn blew,
Turns from without its face of bloom
To the warm tropic of my room.
As fair as when beside its brook
The hue of bending skies it took.
But deeper meanings come to me,
My half-immortal flower, from thee;
Man judges from a partial view,
None ever yet his brother knew;
The Eternal Eye that sees the whole
May better read the darkened soul,
And find, to outward sense denied,
The flower upon its inmost side.
- John Greenleaf Whittier
"Too often we look upon the blurred side of actions - yes, of people too. We do not see the loveliness that there is on the other side. We are all continually misinterpreting others. There is a flower side in many an act which we condemn because we see only the blurred side. Let us train ourselves to believe the best always of people and of actions, and find some beauty in everything" - J.R. Miller (from Thoughts for the Thoughtful).
Compiled by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert, Vol. 2"
Monday, December 22, 2008
Fear Not!
"And the angel said unto them. Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." Luke 2:10
What a beautiful message spoken by the angels to the humble shepherds as they watched over their flocks that night! HOw startled they must have been when out from the heavens there burst upon them the strains of sweetest music! Little wonder that they trembled at this unusual happening and were "sore afraid." How tender and assuring must have been the voice that bade them, "Far not." And thus the angel's announcement was made on that night of all nights; that holy nights; and Bethlehem's manager cradled a King! Your King! My King! The wide world's King! The God-sent King, from "out of the ivory palaces, into a wold of woe" - because "God so love!"
A number of years ago Dr. Cortland Myers, then pastor of Tremont Temple, Boston, when preaching from the text, Fear Not!" made several never-to-be-forgotten remarks, so applicable to this strange hour in the history of our stricken world. He said: "The two words, 'Fear Not' are the thrush-notes of the Bible! The thrush songs in the depths of the forest; a bit of music like that which occurs nowhere else in all the bird-world. It is marvelously sweet. It is unique, and absolutely alone. There is nothing else like it - and man's genius has many times tried to capture it and thrust it within the bars of music, and always failed in the attempt. It seems almost as if this is the note that was dropped out of the angel's music. Maybe they left it in the world the night they sang at Bethlehem; for, they had it in the Christmas anthem. Maybe they forgot it and let it here! It is a part of the angel's music. But is it a part of real life? Does it belong in reality, to every man's life and to all conditions of life? Is it a certainty? Something substantial? It is a positive reality! It is a part of the music of life; one of the high notes of music! 'Fear Not!'"
By Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert Vol. 2
What a beautiful message spoken by the angels to the humble shepherds as they watched over their flocks that night! HOw startled they must have been when out from the heavens there burst upon them the strains of sweetest music! Little wonder that they trembled at this unusual happening and were "sore afraid." How tender and assuring must have been the voice that bade them, "Far not." And thus the angel's announcement was made on that night of all nights; that holy nights; and Bethlehem's manager cradled a King! Your King! My King! The wide world's King! The God-sent King, from "out of the ivory palaces, into a wold of woe" - because "God so love!"
A number of years ago Dr. Cortland Myers, then pastor of Tremont Temple, Boston, when preaching from the text, Fear Not!" made several never-to-be-forgotten remarks, so applicable to this strange hour in the history of our stricken world. He said: "The two words, 'Fear Not' are the thrush-notes of the Bible! The thrush songs in the depths of the forest; a bit of music like that which occurs nowhere else in all the bird-world. It is marvelously sweet. It is unique, and absolutely alone. There is nothing else like it - and man's genius has many times tried to capture it and thrust it within the bars of music, and always failed in the attempt. It seems almost as if this is the note that was dropped out of the angel's music. Maybe they left it in the world the night they sang at Bethlehem; for, they had it in the Christmas anthem. Maybe they forgot it and let it here! It is a part of the angel's music. But is it a part of real life? Does it belong in reality, to every man's life and to all conditions of life? Is it a certainty? Something substantial? It is a positive reality! It is a part of the music of life; one of the high notes of music! 'Fear Not!'"
By Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert Vol. 2
Friday, December 19, 2008
Transforming into Butterflies
I have been reading, "Gripped by the Greatness of God" about the book of Isaiah for the second time. I like what this paragraph in the Gripped book says, "Contrary to popular opinion, God does not offer to forgive us simply so we can come to a crisis of conversion and receive the eternal benefits of His forgiveness. God cleanses us because He wants to transform us, to make us holy just as He is." Pg. 34
God wants to transform us! The one verse on transforming that came to mind was 2 Cor. 3:18, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." My study notes say, "We who believe are made partakers of this glory by being gradually transformed into the likeness of Christ." We all wear veils to cover our mistakes, past and hurts. But here God is calling us to remove them one by one and transform us into His likeness. This process is one that will take a lifetime and I need to be patient to move forward at the pace God sets. I want to rush into maturity but rushing will only cause me to miss learning.
I Peter I:14-19 says, "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.' If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your satay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable thins like sliver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.". My study notes say of I Peter 1:16, "To be holy is to be set apart - set apart from sin and impurity, and set apart to God. The complete moral perfection of God, whose eyes are too pure to look on evil with favor, should move His people to strive for moral purity."
We are like butterflies working ourselves out of our cocoon. If we rush it or are allowed help, our new wings will become weakened and useless. But through toil and pain, we gain strength as we work to get out. We want to strive for strong wings to carry us through the battle field of life. Becoming like our Savior will take time and His ultimate goal for us is to be more like Him in His holiness.
Krista Jones
5.25.08
God wants to transform us! The one verse on transforming that came to mind was 2 Cor. 3:18, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." My study notes say, "We who believe are made partakers of this glory by being gradually transformed into the likeness of Christ." We all wear veils to cover our mistakes, past and hurts. But here God is calling us to remove them one by one and transform us into His likeness. This process is one that will take a lifetime and I need to be patient to move forward at the pace God sets. I want to rush into maturity but rushing will only cause me to miss learning.
I Peter I:14-19 says, "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.' If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your satay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable thins like sliver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.". My study notes say of I Peter 1:16, "To be holy is to be set apart - set apart from sin and impurity, and set apart to God. The complete moral perfection of God, whose eyes are too pure to look on evil with favor, should move His people to strive for moral purity."
We are like butterflies working ourselves out of our cocoon. If we rush it or are allowed help, our new wings will become weakened and useless. But through toil and pain, we gain strength as we work to get out. We want to strive for strong wings to carry us through the battle field of life. Becoming like our Savior will take time and His ultimate goal for us is to be more like Him in His holiness.
Krista Jones
5.25.08
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Spiritual Force
"All these things are against me" (Gen. 42:36).
"All things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28).
Many people are wanting power. Now how is power produced? The other day we passed the great works where the trolley engines are supplied with electricity. We heard the hum and roar of the countless wheels, and we asked our friend,
"How do they make the power?"
"Why," he said, "just by the revolution of those wheels and the friction they produce. The rubbing creates the electric current."
And so, when God wants to bring more power into your life, He brings more pressure. He is generating spiritual force by hard rubbing. Some do not like it and try to run away from the pressure, instead of getting the power and using it to rise above the painful causes.
Opposition is essential to a true equilibrium of forces. The centripetal and centrifugal forces acting in opposition to each other keep our planet in her orbit. The one propelling, and the other repelling, so act and re-act, that instead of sweeping off into space in a pathway of desolation, she pursues her even orbit around her solar centre.
So God guides our lives. It is not enough to have an impelling force--we need just as much a repelling force, and so He holds us back by the testing ordeals of life, by the pressure of temptation and trial, by the things that seem against us, but really are furthering our way and establishing our goings.
Let us thank Him for both, let us take the weights as well as the wings, and thus divinely impelled, let us press on with faith and patience in our high and heavenly calling. --A. B. Simpson
In a factory building there are wheels and gearings,
There are cranks and pulleys, beltings tight or slack--
Some are whirling swiftly, some are turning slowly,
Some are thrusting forward, some are pulling back;
Some are smooth and silent, some are rough and noisy,
Pounding, rattling, clanking, moving with a jerk;
In a wild confusion in a seeming chaos,
Lifting, pushing, driving--but they do their work.
From the mightiest lever to the tiniest pinion,
All things move together for the purpose planned;
And behind the working is a mind controlling,
And a force directing, and a guiding hand.
So all things are working for the Lord's beloved;
Some things might be hurtful if alone they stood;
Some might seem to hinder; some might draw us backward;
But they work together, and they work for good,
All the thwarted longings, all the stern denials,
All the contradictions, hard to understand.
And the force that holds them, speeds them and retards them,
Stops and starts and guides them--is our Father's hand.
--Annie Johnson Flint
Compiled by Mrs. Charles Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert"
"All things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28).
Many people are wanting power. Now how is power produced? The other day we passed the great works where the trolley engines are supplied with electricity. We heard the hum and roar of the countless wheels, and we asked our friend,
"How do they make the power?"
"Why," he said, "just by the revolution of those wheels and the friction they produce. The rubbing creates the electric current."
And so, when God wants to bring more power into your life, He brings more pressure. He is generating spiritual force by hard rubbing. Some do not like it and try to run away from the pressure, instead of getting the power and using it to rise above the painful causes.
Opposition is essential to a true equilibrium of forces. The centripetal and centrifugal forces acting in opposition to each other keep our planet in her orbit. The one propelling, and the other repelling, so act and re-act, that instead of sweeping off into space in a pathway of desolation, she pursues her even orbit around her solar centre.
So God guides our lives. It is not enough to have an impelling force--we need just as much a repelling force, and so He holds us back by the testing ordeals of life, by the pressure of temptation and trial, by the things that seem against us, but really are furthering our way and establishing our goings.
Let us thank Him for both, let us take the weights as well as the wings, and thus divinely impelled, let us press on with faith and patience in our high and heavenly calling. --A. B. Simpson
In a factory building there are wheels and gearings,
There are cranks and pulleys, beltings tight or slack--
Some are whirling swiftly, some are turning slowly,
Some are thrusting forward, some are pulling back;
Some are smooth and silent, some are rough and noisy,
Pounding, rattling, clanking, moving with a jerk;
In a wild confusion in a seeming chaos,
Lifting, pushing, driving--but they do their work.
From the mightiest lever to the tiniest pinion,
All things move together for the purpose planned;
And behind the working is a mind controlling,
And a force directing, and a guiding hand.
So all things are working for the Lord's beloved;
Some things might be hurtful if alone they stood;
Some might seem to hinder; some might draw us backward;
But they work together, and they work for good,
All the thwarted longings, all the stern denials,
All the contradictions, hard to understand.
And the force that holds them, speeds them and retards them,
Stops and starts and guides them--is our Father's hand.
--Annie Johnson Flint
Compiled by Mrs. Charles Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert"
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
World Concord
"And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:4).
Oh, that these happy times were come! At present the nations are heavily armed and are inventing weapons more and more terrible, as if the chief end of man could only be answered by destroying myriads of his fellows. Yet peace will prevail one day; yes, and so prevail that the instruments of destruction shall be beaten into other shapes and used for better purposes. How will this come about? By trade? By civilization? By arbitration? We do not believe it. Past experience forbids our trusting to means so feeble. Peace will be established only by the reign of the Prince of Peace. He must teach the people by His Spirit, renew their hearts by His grace, and reign over them by His supreme power, and then will they cease to wound and kill. Man is a monster when once his blood is up, and only the LORD Jesus can turn this lion into a lamb. By changing man's heart, his bloodthirsty passions are removed. Let every reader of this book of promises offer special prayer today to the LORD and Giver of Peace that He would speedily put an end to war and establish concord over the whole world.
By C.H. Spurgeon, taken from "Faith's Checkbook"
Oh, that these happy times were come! At present the nations are heavily armed and are inventing weapons more and more terrible, as if the chief end of man could only be answered by destroying myriads of his fellows. Yet peace will prevail one day; yes, and so prevail that the instruments of destruction shall be beaten into other shapes and used for better purposes. How will this come about? By trade? By civilization? By arbitration? We do not believe it. Past experience forbids our trusting to means so feeble. Peace will be established only by the reign of the Prince of Peace. He must teach the people by His Spirit, renew their hearts by His grace, and reign over them by His supreme power, and then will they cease to wound and kill. Man is a monster when once his blood is up, and only the LORD Jesus can turn this lion into a lamb. By changing man's heart, his bloodthirsty passions are removed. Let every reader of this book of promises offer special prayer today to the LORD and Giver of Peace that He would speedily put an end to war and establish concord over the whole world.
By C.H. Spurgeon, taken from "Faith's Checkbook"
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
"Approved to God"
"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15
If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don’t, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth. Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else. But you must be willing to go through God’s winepress where the grapes are crushed. You must struggle, experiment, and rehearse your words to express God’s truth clearly. Then the time will come when that very expression will become God’s wine of strength to someone else. But if you are not diligent and say, "I’m not going to study and struggle to express this truth in my own words; I’ll just borrow my words from someone else," then the words will be of no value to you or to others. Try to state to yourself what you believe to be the absolute truth of God, and you will be allowing God the opportunity to pass it on through you to someone else.
Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study. The author or speaker from whom you learn the most is not the one who teaches you something you didn’t know before, but the one who helps you take a truth with which you have quietly struggled, give it expression, and speak it clearly and boldly.
By Oswald Chambers, taken from "My Utmost for His Highest"
If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don’t, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth. Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else. But you must be willing to go through God’s winepress where the grapes are crushed. You must struggle, experiment, and rehearse your words to express God’s truth clearly. Then the time will come when that very expression will become God’s wine of strength to someone else. But if you are not diligent and say, "I’m not going to study and struggle to express this truth in my own words; I’ll just borrow my words from someone else," then the words will be of no value to you or to others. Try to state to yourself what you believe to be the absolute truth of God, and you will be allowing God the opportunity to pass it on through you to someone else.
Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study. The author or speaker from whom you learn the most is not the one who teaches you something you didn’t know before, but the one who helps you take a truth with which you have quietly struggled, give it expression, and speak it clearly and boldly.
By Oswald Chambers, taken from "My Utmost for His Highest"
Monday, December 15, 2008
Never Disappointed
"There has not failed one word of all His good promise." 1 Kings 8:56
As an avid baseball fan, my favorite team is the Chicago Cubs. The interesting thing about being a Cubs fan is that the team has a way of letting us down. They have not won a World Series since 1908. And while they often have great promise at the beginning of the season, they usually disappoint their loyal fans in the end. One die-hard fan had it right when he said, “If they didn’t disappoint us, they wouldn’t be our Cubs!”
Thankfully, God is not like the Cubs! You can count on Him. He will not disappoint you in the end. He always keeps His promises, and His Word provides comfort, hope, and wise advice that never fails.
When King Solomon dedicated the temple, he attested to the fact that God had not let His people down: “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise” (1 Kings 8:56).
Thousands of years later, those words still ring true. And better yet, we are heirs of the greatest fulfilled promise of all time—Jesus! The longer you know Him, the more compelling He becomes.
So if you are looking for someone who won’t disappoint you, look no further. Jesus never fails! — Joe Stowell
All that I need He will always be,
All that I need till His face I see;
All that I need through eternity,
Jesus is all I need. —Rowe
Taken from "Our Daily Bread"
As an avid baseball fan, my favorite team is the Chicago Cubs. The interesting thing about being a Cubs fan is that the team has a way of letting us down. They have not won a World Series since 1908. And while they often have great promise at the beginning of the season, they usually disappoint their loyal fans in the end. One die-hard fan had it right when he said, “If they didn’t disappoint us, they wouldn’t be our Cubs!”
Thankfully, God is not like the Cubs! You can count on Him. He will not disappoint you in the end. He always keeps His promises, and His Word provides comfort, hope, and wise advice that never fails.
When King Solomon dedicated the temple, he attested to the fact that God had not let His people down: “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise” (1 Kings 8:56).
Thousands of years later, those words still ring true. And better yet, we are heirs of the greatest fulfilled promise of all time—Jesus! The longer you know Him, the more compelling He becomes.
So if you are looking for someone who won’t disappoint you, look no further. Jesus never fails! — Joe Stowell
All that I need He will always be,
All that I need till His face I see;
All that I need through eternity,
Jesus is all I need. —Rowe
Taken from "Our Daily Bread"
Friday, December 12, 2008
How strong are your Tent Pegs?
This week I've been reading out of the book of Ezra and finding that I'm really enjoying it this time around. Here are a few golden nuggets I've picked up through this year's reading.
Ezra 7:10 says, "For Ezra had set his heart to study to law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel."
If you jump to Neh. 8 we see that Ezra was making good on his desire to study, practice and teach when he read the book of the Law of Moses "before the assembly of men, women and all who cold listen with understanding" (Neh. 8:2). It is here that he read and taught from early morning until midday. While he read the people began to worship and bow down before the Lord God (Neh. 8:6). Because of this the people began to turn back to God.
Ezra 8:21-23 says, "Then I (Ezra) proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, "The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against those who forsake Him. So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty."
My study notes say of verse 22 that Ezra was talking about holy shame. He was practicing what he was studying and teaching - that he had faith in God's ability to protect them on their journey. In that time the those traveling was dangerous.
Ezra 9:5-15 is a prayer of confession for the guilt of the sin the people were in by intermarrying with the nations around them. Verse 9:8 says, "But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us an escaped remnant to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage."
Even through their sin God had been keeping a remnant alive as He had promised David. I like what Ezra said about giving them a peg in His holy place. A peg (or nail) is like a nail driven into a wall or a tent peg driving into the ground. Compared to the rest of the tent the peg seems to be the smallest accessory. Yet, without it the tent would not be able to stand secure. The tent peg has to be strong, steadfast and do it's job. A weak peg will only cause the tent to become weak. In some cases it might be in a small spot but the consequences of one peg becoming weak opens the door for others to weaken and bring the tent down. We've experienced this last year while on our camping trip to Lake Wenantchee. Our first camping spot was beautiful. It overlooked the lake and surrounded by woods. Yet it was extremely windy. Putting a tent up in the wind is interesting. We'd get one or two pegs into the ground, turn around to do another only to have a big gust of wind whip under the tent and pull the pegs up. Why? Because we had a few cheap tent pegs. It weakened the whole tent and came out of the ground often during our stay. It wasn't until we moved off the ridge to a less windy spot did the tent pegs work. They were too weak to withstand the pressure.
I fell in love with Ezra's walk. His steadfastness in his constant desire to study, practice and teach. Even in times of danger he refused to turn to human resources to protect Him. It was evident in how God used Him in an important role in the history of preserving and turning His people back to Him. Oh Lord God, I pray that I may have that same desire to practice what I read and learn from your Word. May I be a strong peg for Your Kingdom. Amen
Krista Jones
5.23.08
Ezra 7:10 says, "For Ezra had set his heart to study to law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel."
If you jump to Neh. 8 we see that Ezra was making good on his desire to study, practice and teach when he read the book of the Law of Moses "before the assembly of men, women and all who cold listen with understanding" (Neh. 8:2). It is here that he read and taught from early morning until midday. While he read the people began to worship and bow down before the Lord God (Neh. 8:6). Because of this the people began to turn back to God.
Ezra 8:21-23 says, "Then I (Ezra) proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, "The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against those who forsake Him. So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty."
My study notes say of verse 22 that Ezra was talking about holy shame. He was practicing what he was studying and teaching - that he had faith in God's ability to protect them on their journey. In that time the those traveling was dangerous.
Ezra 9:5-15 is a prayer of confession for the guilt of the sin the people were in by intermarrying with the nations around them. Verse 9:8 says, "But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us an escaped remnant to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage."
Even through their sin God had been keeping a remnant alive as He had promised David. I like what Ezra said about giving them a peg in His holy place. A peg (or nail) is like a nail driven into a wall or a tent peg driving into the ground. Compared to the rest of the tent the peg seems to be the smallest accessory. Yet, without it the tent would not be able to stand secure. The tent peg has to be strong, steadfast and do it's job. A weak peg will only cause the tent to become weak. In some cases it might be in a small spot but the consequences of one peg becoming weak opens the door for others to weaken and bring the tent down. We've experienced this last year while on our camping trip to Lake Wenantchee. Our first camping spot was beautiful. It overlooked the lake and surrounded by woods. Yet it was extremely windy. Putting a tent up in the wind is interesting. We'd get one or two pegs into the ground, turn around to do another only to have a big gust of wind whip under the tent and pull the pegs up. Why? Because we had a few cheap tent pegs. It weakened the whole tent and came out of the ground often during our stay. It wasn't until we moved off the ridge to a less windy spot did the tent pegs work. They were too weak to withstand the pressure.
I fell in love with Ezra's walk. His steadfastness in his constant desire to study, practice and teach. Even in times of danger he refused to turn to human resources to protect Him. It was evident in how God used Him in an important role in the history of preserving and turning His people back to Him. Oh Lord God, I pray that I may have that same desire to practice what I read and learn from your Word. May I be a strong peg for Your Kingdom. Amen
Krista Jones
5.23.08
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Praise Him For . . .
"Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!" Psalm 148:3
The sky and the stars, the waves and the sea,
The dew on the grass, the leaves on a tree
Are constant reminders of God and His nearness,
Proclaiming His presence with crystal-like clearness.
Thought: Today the marvels of God's creations will amaze and astound you. Share with a child the thrill of a glorious sunrise, a daz-zling sunset, or a spectacular starry sky.
By Helen Steiner Rice
The sky and the stars, the waves and the sea,
The dew on the grass, the leaves on a tree
Are constant reminders of God and His nearness,
Proclaiming His presence with crystal-like clearness.
Thought: Today the marvels of God's creations will amaze and astound you. Share with a child the thrill of a glorious sunrise, a daz-zling sunset, or a spectacular starry sky.
By Helen Steiner Rice
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Changing Times and Unchanging Thirst
"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." John 7:38
There is a well-known saying which I think originated with the French, that the more things change the more they remain the same.
The wisdom of this saying may be seen in almost every department of human life, the reason probably being that of all the things that change and still remain unchanged, there is no better example than human nature itself.
And when do we see the unchanging quality of human nature more perfectly than at Christmas-time? Consider the radical difference between today's world and the world into which the Baby Jesus was born. Compared with our twentieth-century civilization, everything surrounding the wondrous Child was crude and primitive. Jesus was born in a stable, not in a hospital; His mother was attended by a midwife, not by a skilled scientist; His baby face was lighted by a tallow candle, not by an electric bulb; He traveled into Egypt on the back of the lowly burro, not by auto or streamlined train.
Thought: Our great grandparents lived in a radically different world than ours. So shall our great grandchildren. But all of us have intense heart-thirst and find it satisfied only in Christ!
By A.W. Tozer
There is a well-known saying which I think originated with the French, that the more things change the more they remain the same.
The wisdom of this saying may be seen in almost every department of human life, the reason probably being that of all the things that change and still remain unchanged, there is no better example than human nature itself.
And when do we see the unchanging quality of human nature more perfectly than at Christmas-time? Consider the radical difference between today's world and the world into which the Baby Jesus was born. Compared with our twentieth-century civilization, everything surrounding the wondrous Child was crude and primitive. Jesus was born in a stable, not in a hospital; His mother was attended by a midwife, not by a skilled scientist; His baby face was lighted by a tallow candle, not by an electric bulb; He traveled into Egypt on the back of the lowly burro, not by auto or streamlined train.
Thought: Our great grandparents lived in a radically different world than ours. So shall our great grandchildren. But all of us have intense heart-thirst and find it satisfied only in Christ!
By A.W. Tozer
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Christian Perfection
"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect . . ." Philippians 3:12
It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do— God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life. How can we say, "It could never be God’s will for me to be sick"? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son ( Isaiah 53:10 ), why shouldn’t He bruise you? What shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to Him whether you are well or sick.
Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that hits you is the pointlessness of the things you have to do. The next thought that strikes you is that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives may leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary— that through your own human effort and devotion you can attain God’s standard for your life. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God’s purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants.
By Oswald Chambers, taken from "My Utmost For His Highest"
It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do— God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life. How can we say, "It could never be God’s will for me to be sick"? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son ( Isaiah 53:10 ), why shouldn’t He bruise you? What shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to Him whether you are well or sick.
Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that hits you is the pointlessness of the things you have to do. The next thought that strikes you is that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives may leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary— that through your own human effort and devotion you can attain God’s standard for your life. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God’s purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants.
By Oswald Chambers, taken from "My Utmost For His Highest"
Monday, December 08, 2008
Weeping with Joy
Cyrus reigned over Persia and was used by God to bring the people of Israel back together and rebuild the temple. As the foundation of the temple was completed the people were filled with joy and began to shout loudly. Ezra 3:12 says, "Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' households, the old men how had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy."
Haggai says of this event, "Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?" My study notes say, that some of the older exiles had seen Solomon's magnificent temple, destroyed by the Babylonians 66 years earlier. This one seemed like nothing in comparison to the original. The older exiles must have been beyond excited to be given the opportunity to rebuilt the temple. Yet, after seeing the new foundation after their hard toil over it, they were filled with joy yet sadness over how it looked.
At times in our lives there is sorrow. We weep over what has become of what we've built up in ourselves, families and jobs. It might be that we were once walking side-by-side with the Lord and something changed that caused us to pull back. Those are hard times when you realize you are no longer on the mountain but in the valley wondering what happened. But then God calls us to Him and restores us as we slowly climb out of that valley and up by Him on the high mountain. "He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places." Psalm 18:33. That is when our tears turn to shouts of joy as we continue to be restored and healed. Psalm 126:5-6 says, "Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a should to joy, bringing his sheaves with him."
Oh Lord, may you give me hinds' feet to climb up to the high places nearer to You. Restore me to Yourself. Thank you that you bring joy after weeping. Healing after wounding. May I be more like You and less like me. Amen!
Krista Jones
5.22.08
Haggai says of this event, "Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?" My study notes say, that some of the older exiles had seen Solomon's magnificent temple, destroyed by the Babylonians 66 years earlier. This one seemed like nothing in comparison to the original. The older exiles must have been beyond excited to be given the opportunity to rebuilt the temple. Yet, after seeing the new foundation after their hard toil over it, they were filled with joy yet sadness over how it looked.
At times in our lives there is sorrow. We weep over what has become of what we've built up in ourselves, families and jobs. It might be that we were once walking side-by-side with the Lord and something changed that caused us to pull back. Those are hard times when you realize you are no longer on the mountain but in the valley wondering what happened. But then God calls us to Him and restores us as we slowly climb out of that valley and up by Him on the high mountain. "He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places." Psalm 18:33. That is when our tears turn to shouts of joy as we continue to be restored and healed. Psalm 126:5-6 says, "Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a should to joy, bringing his sheaves with him."
Oh Lord, may you give me hinds' feet to climb up to the high places nearer to You. Restore me to Yourself. Thank you that you bring joy after weeping. Healing after wounding. May I be more like You and less like me. Amen!
Krista Jones
5.22.08
Friday, December 05, 2008
A Passion For People
"He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." 2 Corinthians 5:15
Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
This quote appears on a Web site intended to help people discover what they are passionate about so they can live with greater significance.
The apostle Paul’s passion in life was largely driven by concern for the eternal destiny of others. In 2 Corinthians 5, he names three things that fueled his passion. First, he recognized that he was accountable to Christ for his service and wanted to give a good accounting at the judgment seat of Christ (vv.9-10). Second, Paul was driven by Christ’s love and a desire that others would know the love that he had experienced. In verse 14 he wrote, “For the love of Christ compels us.” Finally, he understood that a lost and dying world needs the Savior (v.20).
What are you passionate about? Paul’s passion for people was fueled by the love of Christ—and ours should be as well. Let’s apply Twain’s words of challenge to our efforts in outreach: “Sail away from the safe harbor.” Share the love of Christ with someone today. — Bill Crowder
Set us afire, Lord, stir us we pray!
While the world perishes, we go our way
Purposeless, passionless, day after day;
Set us afire, Lord, stir us we pray! —Cushman
Taken from "Our Daily Bread"
Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
This quote appears on a Web site intended to help people discover what they are passionate about so they can live with greater significance.
The apostle Paul’s passion in life was largely driven by concern for the eternal destiny of others. In 2 Corinthians 5, he names three things that fueled his passion. First, he recognized that he was accountable to Christ for his service and wanted to give a good accounting at the judgment seat of Christ (vv.9-10). Second, Paul was driven by Christ’s love and a desire that others would know the love that he had experienced. In verse 14 he wrote, “For the love of Christ compels us.” Finally, he understood that a lost and dying world needs the Savior (v.20).
What are you passionate about? Paul’s passion for people was fueled by the love of Christ—and ours should be as well. Let’s apply Twain’s words of challenge to our efforts in outreach: “Sail away from the safe harbor.” Share the love of Christ with someone today. — Bill Crowder
Set us afire, Lord, stir us we pray!
While the world perishes, we go our way
Purposeless, passionless, day after day;
Set us afire, Lord, stir us we pray! —Cushman
Taken from "Our Daily Bread"
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Desperate Days
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11:6).
The faith for desperate days.
The Bible is full of such days. Its record is made up of them, its songs are inspired by them, its prophecy is concerned with them, and its revelation has come through them.
The desperate days are the stepping-stones in the path of light. They seem to have been God's opportunity and man's school of wisdom.
There is a story of an Old Testament love feast in Psalm 107, and in every story of deliverance the point of desperation gave God His chance. The "wit's end" of desperation was the beginning of God's power. Recall the promise of seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sands of the sea, to a couple as good as dead. Read again the story of the Red Sea and its deliverance, and of Jordan with its ark standing mid-stream. Study once more the prayers of Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, when they were sore pressed and knew not what to do. Go over the history of Nehemiah, Daniel, Hosea, and Habakkuk. Stand with awe in the darkness of Gethsemane, and linger by the grave in Joseph's garden through those terrible days. Call the witnesses of the early Church, and ask the apostles the story of their desperate days.
Desperation is better than despair.
Faith did not make our desperate days. Its work is to sustain and solve them. The only alternative to a desperate faith is despair, and faith holds on and prevails.
There is no more heroic example of desperate faith than that of the three Hebrew children. The situation was desperate, but they answered bravely, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden
image which thou hast set up." I like that, "but if not !"
I have only space to mention Gethsemane. Ponder deeply its "Nevertheless." "If it is possible…nevertheless!" Deep darkness had settled upon the soul of our Lord. Trust meant anguish unto blood and darkness to the descent of hell--Nevertheless! Nevertheless!!
Now get your hymn book and sing your favorite hymn of desperate faith. --Rev. S. Chadwick
"When obstacles and trials seem
Like prison walls to be,
I do the little I can do
And leave the rest to Thee.
"And when there seems no chance, no change,
From grief can set me free,
Hope finds its strength in helplessness,
And calmly waits for Thee."
By Mrs. Charles Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert"
The faith for desperate days.
The Bible is full of such days. Its record is made up of them, its songs are inspired by them, its prophecy is concerned with them, and its revelation has come through them.
The desperate days are the stepping-stones in the path of light. They seem to have been God's opportunity and man's school of wisdom.
There is a story of an Old Testament love feast in Psalm 107, and in every story of deliverance the point of desperation gave God His chance. The "wit's end" of desperation was the beginning of God's power. Recall the promise of seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sands of the sea, to a couple as good as dead. Read again the story of the Red Sea and its deliverance, and of Jordan with its ark standing mid-stream. Study once more the prayers of Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, when they were sore pressed and knew not what to do. Go over the history of Nehemiah, Daniel, Hosea, and Habakkuk. Stand with awe in the darkness of Gethsemane, and linger by the grave in Joseph's garden through those terrible days. Call the witnesses of the early Church, and ask the apostles the story of their desperate days.
Desperation is better than despair.
Faith did not make our desperate days. Its work is to sustain and solve them. The only alternative to a desperate faith is despair, and faith holds on and prevails.
There is no more heroic example of desperate faith than that of the three Hebrew children. The situation was desperate, but they answered bravely, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden
image which thou hast set up." I like that, "but if not !"
I have only space to mention Gethsemane. Ponder deeply its "Nevertheless." "If it is possible…nevertheless!" Deep darkness had settled upon the soul of our Lord. Trust meant anguish unto blood and darkness to the descent of hell--Nevertheless! Nevertheless!!
Now get your hymn book and sing your favorite hymn of desperate faith. --Rev. S. Chadwick
"When obstacles and trials seem
Like prison walls to be,
I do the little I can do
And leave the rest to Thee.
"And when there seems no chance, no change,
From grief can set me free,
Hope finds its strength in helplessness,
And calmly waits for Thee."
By Mrs. Charles Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert"
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Fighting a Large Battle?
2 Chronicles 14:9-15 tells of a battle King Asa fought against Zerah the Ethiopian. What amazes me is that Zerah brought an army of a million men and 300 chariots. It doesn't say how many men Asa had but I'm thinking it wasn't as many as Zerah brought. Can't imagine what the scene looked like from Asa's point of view. To look over the vast army of men coming towards him ready for battle.
It is at this moment where he turns towards the Lord, "Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, "Lord, there is no one besides You to help in this battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against the multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against You."' (verse 11). God came to his aid and struck the Ethiopians so they fled before him. In verse 13 it says that so many of them fell that they could not recover.
Only God, in His greatness and power could help Asa defeat such a large army. And it was Asa's obedience and trust in God that allowed God to work in his life and the life of the nation.
Zechariah 4:6 says, "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."
Sometimes things come into our lives that we don't understand. They seem to be as large as the army Zerah brought and loom before us so greatly that we don't have the power to look beyond. They seem to crush you from every side and you are left wondering why you're experiencing these things and how can they ever be changed.
My devotional today spoke of this:
"God with power and might at His disposal yet works in this wise. His quiet performances are indirect, deep, serene, and seemingly slow, and have to be explored to be understood and appreciated. he quietly and confidently moves working wonders day after day. In everyday experiences, at work, in church, and in society, it sometimes appears as though God were being defeated, and the movements of His grace and providence were failures, and that all His plans were reversed flowing upstream in the opposite direction from the ocean of blessings. One has but to look up and cast his gaze out from the shore of frustrating encirclements of the present and consider the entire stream of God's purpose among His people in order to see that He is continually winning the battle in quiet circuitous ways.
The Lord makes his conquests by keeping His saints in utter dependence upon Him making them live by faith."
I cannot always understand,
The way God leadeth me,
The why, and when and wherefore
Is oft a mystery
But I can trust His wisdom,
I know His way is best,
His heart knows no unkindness,
And on His love I rest.
- Unknown
Krista Jones
5.14.08
It is at this moment where he turns towards the Lord, "Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, "Lord, there is no one besides You to help in this battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against the multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against You."' (verse 11). God came to his aid and struck the Ethiopians so they fled before him. In verse 13 it says that so many of them fell that they could not recover.
Only God, in His greatness and power could help Asa defeat such a large army. And it was Asa's obedience and trust in God that allowed God to work in his life and the life of the nation.
Zechariah 4:6 says, "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."
Sometimes things come into our lives that we don't understand. They seem to be as large as the army Zerah brought and loom before us so greatly that we don't have the power to look beyond. They seem to crush you from every side and you are left wondering why you're experiencing these things and how can they ever be changed.
My devotional today spoke of this:
"God with power and might at His disposal yet works in this wise. His quiet performances are indirect, deep, serene, and seemingly slow, and have to be explored to be understood and appreciated. he quietly and confidently moves working wonders day after day. In everyday experiences, at work, in church, and in society, it sometimes appears as though God were being defeated, and the movements of His grace and providence were failures, and that all His plans were reversed flowing upstream in the opposite direction from the ocean of blessings. One has but to look up and cast his gaze out from the shore of frustrating encirclements of the present and consider the entire stream of God's purpose among His people in order to see that He is continually winning the battle in quiet circuitous ways.
The Lord makes his conquests by keeping His saints in utter dependence upon Him making them live by faith."
I cannot always understand,
The way God leadeth me,
The why, and when and wherefore
Is oft a mystery
But I can trust His wisdom,
I know His way is best,
His heart knows no unkindness,
And on His love I rest.
- Unknown
Krista Jones
5.14.08
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Your Crown of Glory
"They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb . . . and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Rev. 12:11).
When James and John came to Christ with their mother, asking Him to give them the best place in the kingdom, He did not refuse their request, but told them it would be given to them if they could do His work, drink His cup, and be baptized with His baptism.
Do we want the competition? The greatest things are always hedged about by the hardest things, and we, too, shall find mountains and forests and chariots of iron. Hardship is the price of coronation. Triumphal arches are not woven out of rose blossoms and silken cords, but of hard blows and bloody scars. The very hardships that you are enduring in your life today are given by the Master for the explicit purpose of enabling you to win your crown.
Do not wait for some ideal situation, some romantic difficulty, some far-away emergency; but rise to meet the actual conditions which the Providence of God has placed around you today. Your crown of glory lies embedded in the very heart of these things--those hardships and trials that are pressing you this very hour, week and month of your life. The hardest things are not those that the world knows of. Down in your secret soul unseen and unknown by any but Jesus, there is a little trial that you would not dare to mention that is harder for you to bear than martyrdom.
There, beloved, lies your crown. God help you to overcome, and sometime wear it. --Selected
"It matters not how the battle goes,
The day how long;
Faint not! Fight on!
Tomorrow comes the song."
By Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Dessert"
When James and John came to Christ with their mother, asking Him to give them the best place in the kingdom, He did not refuse their request, but told them it would be given to them if they could do His work, drink His cup, and be baptized with His baptism.
Do we want the competition? The greatest things are always hedged about by the hardest things, and we, too, shall find mountains and forests and chariots of iron. Hardship is the price of coronation. Triumphal arches are not woven out of rose blossoms and silken cords, but of hard blows and bloody scars. The very hardships that you are enduring in your life today are given by the Master for the explicit purpose of enabling you to win your crown.
Do not wait for some ideal situation, some romantic difficulty, some far-away emergency; but rise to meet the actual conditions which the Providence of God has placed around you today. Your crown of glory lies embedded in the very heart of these things--those hardships and trials that are pressing you this very hour, week and month of your life. The hardest things are not those that the world knows of. Down in your secret soul unseen and unknown by any but Jesus, there is a little trial that you would not dare to mention that is harder for you to bear than martyrdom.
There, beloved, lies your crown. God help you to overcome, and sometime wear it. --Selected
"It matters not how the battle goes,
The day how long;
Faint not! Fight on!
Tomorrow comes the song."
By Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Dessert"
Monday, December 01, 2008
December's Memory Verse
Lamentations 3:22-23
"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease. For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning: Great is Thy faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NASB - New American Standard Bible)
November's Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 2:15
October's Memory Verse: Proverbs 16:1-3
September's Memory Verse: Proverbs 17:9
Remember the key is to review review review. Always review the verses you've already memorized along with learning this month's verse.
"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease. For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning: Great is Thy faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NASB - New American Standard Bible)
November's Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 2:15
October's Memory Verse: Proverbs 16:1-3
September's Memory Verse: Proverbs 17:9
Remember the key is to review review review. Always review the verses you've already memorized along with learning this month's verse.
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