Daily Devotion

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During seminary, I worked in a nursing home. As I spent time talking to these men and women, at some point nearly every patient would describe the loneliness of their present lives and the realization that they were outliving their peers. Most wondered if anyone would remember them when they passed from this life.

It isn’t just the elderly who can feel lonely and forgotten. In fact, many of us feel trapped and alone, set aside by circumstances fair and unfair. Sometimes we even experience what the Old Testament character Joseph did: people failing to remember us when there’s every reason they should.

Genesis 40 describes Joseph’s experiences as he’s trapped in prison. The cupbearer had been freed and returned to the king’s service, just as Joseph told him would happen (vv.9-13). Joseph had asked to be mentioned to Pharaoh, but the cupbearer forgot him (vv.14,23).

We may feel forgotten. Yet, like Joseph, we are not (42:9-13). Jesus sits at the right hand of God, and our prayers reach the throne of the King without fail because our Savior is our Mediator. When we feel alone, let’s remember to rest in the confidence of Jesus’ promise to be with us forever (Matt. 28:20).

Lord, let me be found serving others, as Joseph
did, in those hours when I feel most forgotten.
May I never be the “cupbearer” who fails to bring
the lonely and hurting to Your attention in prayer.
Jesus never abandons or forgets His own.

Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. —Genesis 40:23

 

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"About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'” - Matthew 27:46 NASB

Many Christians have a hard time understanding why on the cross Christ cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" On the surface, it seems contradictory to what we know of Christ, His understanding of His earthly mission, and His relationship with God. But the truth is that instead of being a contradiction, these words are actually a wonderful blessing for all of us!

Understand that when Jesus said those words, it was the exact moment He took all our sins upon Himself. And because God will have nothing to do with sin, Jesus was separated from His Heavenly Father. It's a picture of God having to turn away when His Son took that awful punishment of absorbing all of our sins. So, Jesus cried out because He was separated from His Father for the only time in all eternity.

Here is what is so wonderful about Christ doing this. What do we do when we face tragedy, disappointments, and rejection in our lives? Our tendency is to cry out to God, "Why? Why have You allowed this?" It's so encouraging to realize that the God of the universe understands when we ask Him, "Why?" He knows pain and He knows what it's like to ask, "Why Lord? Why?"

 

[bluesniper3906]

"About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'” - Matthew 27:46 NASB

Many Christians have a hard time understanding why on the cross Christ cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" On the surface, it seems contradictory to what we know of Christ, His understanding of His earthly mission, and His relationship with God. But the truth is that instead of being a contradiction, these words are actually a wonderful blessing for all of us!

Understand that when Jesus said those words, it was the exact moment He took all our sins upon Himself. And because God will have nothing to do with sin, Jesus was separated from His Heavenly Father. It's a picture of God having to turn away when His Son took that awful punishment of absorbing all of our sins. So, Jesus cried out because He was separated from His Father for the only time in all eternity.

Here is what is so wonderful about Christ doing this. What do we do when we face tragedy, disappointments, and rejection in our lives? Our tendency is to cry out to God, "Why? Why have You allowed this?" It's so encouraging to realize that the God of the universe understands when we ask Him, "Why?" He knows pain and He knows what it's like to ask, "Why Lord? Why?"

When a test or trial came into our lives, we could really turn such event into a blessings if we only knew the secret. Instead of asking, "Lord, Why is it happened to me ?" We could simply ask, "LORD, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANTED ME TO LEARN?"
Stay blessed everyone!

 

[boldstardex]

Pandora is one of the musical marvels of the Internet age. It helps you create your own personal radio station by allowing you to “customize” your music. It plays a song and you then click a thumbs up or thumbs down sign to indicate whether or not you like it. You end up with a grouping of only songs that you like.

Unfortunately, sometimes we do that with the Bible too. People may choose some Scripture passages they especially like and ignore others, and so they “customize” it to their preferences. The psalmist looked at God’s Word this way: “The entirety of Your Word is truth” (Ps. 119:160). And the apostle Paul told Timothy, a young pastor, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable” (2 Tim. 3:16).

The Scriptures were important to Jesus (Matt. 5:17-18), but He looked at them differently than the religious leaders of His day. To Him, “You shall not murder” was on the level of being “angry with [a] brother without a cause” (vv.21-22). Far from customizing Scripture, He was concerned about the motivation of people’s hearts in applying all of it.

As we embrace God’s Word more fully, we’ll know Him more deeply and desire to honor Him.

Lord, I don’t want to treat Your Word lightly or
to dismiss what seems too difficult. Show me
my heart and help me to obey from the heart
whatever You tell me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
When you open your Bible, ask the Author to open your heart.

 

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Sir Christopher Wren designed and built more than 50 church buildings in London during the late 1600s. His design style had two prominent features—the first of which was sturdy, tall steeples. The second, however, was more profound. Wren was convinced that all of the windows in his churches must use clear glass as opposed to the stained glass so popular in churches of that era. In part, his reason for the clear glass is found in words attributed to him: “God’s greatest gift to man is light.” Allowing light to bathe people as they worshiped was, to Wren, a celebration of that gift.

In the Genesis account, on the first day of creation God made light (1:3). The light God created is even more than just a means by which to see. It’s a picture of what Christ brought when He entered this darkened world. In John 8:12, our Lord said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” To the follower of Christ, light is one of the great reminders of the character of our Savior and the quality of the life He has given us through His sacrifice on the cross.

Wren was right. God’s greatest gift to man is light—Jesus Christ, the Light of the world!

Creator God, I thank You that You spoke light
into the darkness of the universe, and I thank
You that You brought light into the darkness
of my heart through Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus came to give light to a dark world.

I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. —John 8:12

 

[bluesniper3906]

A person who lived in the light carry one of many characters of the LORD, the glorious shine of His name that nothing in this world could paralleled. Shine JESUS! Shine! To GOD be the glory!

 

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On My Side
After diminutive Olympic athlete Gabby Douglas captured two gold medals in the 2012 London Games, she made this proclamation: “God will never fail you. He’s always on your side.”

Sometimes this kind of statement by an athlete can be misunderstood. It can be taken to mean that if I’m competing against you in a sports contest and I have God’s help, there is no way I can lose. But if we turn to Psalm 118:5-6, we get the true picture of what this line means. The psalmist wrote, “I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lordis on my side; I will not fear.”

Another version translates verse 6 as “the Lord is with me” (niv). It’s the idea that when trouble comes into our lives, God, who is full of mercy and love (which “endures forever,” v.4) will always be attentive to us and provide the protection we need.

We don’t have to be an Olympic champion to appreciate this kind of divine attention. This is what we need when the economy falters and our finances can’t keep up. It’s what we need when a relationship we cherished falls apart. No matter what our situation, as Christ-followers we know where to find help. “The Lord is on my side.”

Be still, my soul—the Lord is on thy side!
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide—
In every change He faithful will remain. —von Schlegel
In the midst of every trial, God is on our side.

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. —Psalm 118:6

 

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The Next Chapter

Steve was almost 5 when his father, missionary pilot Nate Saint, was killed in 1956, along with four other men, by the Waodani tribe in Ecuador. But as a result of the love and forgiveness demonstrated by the families of the martyred men, there is now a growing community of believers among the Waodani.

As an adult, Steve moved back to Ecuador and became friends with Mincaye, one of the men who killed his father. Steve’s motto is: “Let God Write Your Story.” He says, “You have a lot of people . . . who want to write their own story and have God be their editor when [it] goes wrong. I decided long ago to let God write my story.” When Steve suffered a serious accident in 2012, he reassured his family: “Let’s let God write this chapter too.” His faith continues to carry him toward recovery.

The story continues to unfold for all followers of Jesus Christ. None of us knows how the next chapter of our life will read. But as we look to Jesus and “run with endurance the race that is set before us,” we can trust Him—the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:1-2). Jesus wrote the beginning of our story, and He’ll write the next chapter and the ending as well.

When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o’er life’s finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe. —McCheyne
Let your life tell the story of Christ’s love and mercy to the world around you.

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. —Hebrews 12:1-2

 

[bluesniper3906]

HIS MERCY ENDURES ENDLESSLY

It is through the Lord's love that we have not come to destruction, because his mercies have no limit.
They are new every morning; great is your good faith. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Truly we are short fall of His glory. No matter how we tried to become perfect in the eyes if the LORD, still, our weaknesses prevail. We should be thankful that despite of our weaknesses, GOD's mercy were truly amazing. For His mercy have no limit. To GOD be the glory and honor!

 

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What’s At Stake?
August 26, 2013 — by Anne Cetas

To stake or not to stake? That’s the question Marilyn faced when she planted a tree sapling last summer. The salesman said, “Stake it for one year so it will be supported in strong winds. Then remove them so it can grow deep roots on its own.” But a neighbor told her, “Staking may cause more harm than good. The tree needs to start building strong roots right away, or it may never. Not staking is best for long-term health.”

We wonder about that question in relationships too. For instance, if someone has gotten himself into trouble, do we “stake him down” by rescuing him, or do we let the person “grow strong roots” on his own by allowing him to face the consequences of his choices? Obviously it depends on what seems best for the person’s long-term spiritual health. What does love do, and when does it do it? Proverbs 19 gives opposite thoughts: We are to have “pity” and lend our assistance (v.17), yet there are dangers in rescuing another because you might need to do it again (v.19). Providing the right help requires wisdom beyond our own.

God hasn’t left us on our own. He will give us the wisdom when we ask Him. And as we lean on Him, our own roots will grow deep in Him as well.

We lack wisdom, Lord, in many situations.
We know we’ll make mistakes, but teach us to
be dependent on You. Thank You that You will
be faithful. Grow our roots deep in You.
Real wisdom is looking at the world from God’s point of view.

Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days. —Proverbs 19:20

 

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SOLEMN AND WHOLE-HEARTEDLY
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16b)
It is not the quantity of prayers, not the way we uttered it or even how flambouyantly said our sufflications. It' simply the solemnity and whole-hearted prayers that GOD would eventully turn his eyes and ear for us.
Stay blessed!

 

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What Made You Fall In Love?AUG 27 2013
But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. - Revelation 2:4

As the pastor of a large church, it's not uncommon for couples to ask my advice on how to save their marriages. In fact, my wife and I come into contact with people whose marriages are struggling on a regular basis. It's a sad thing when that happens because we know, in reality, that they may not make it. One thing we've learned to ask is, “Why did you fall in love in the first place? What was it that attracted you to your mate?” Out of the deadness of lost love, we sometimes see a flicker of hope that can be rekindled.

Jesus makes this comparison in our relationship with Him. When we drift away from loving Him most – more than anyone or anything, He says [my paraphrase], "Remember how it was when you fell in love with Me? There was joy, excitement, and gratitude for forgiveness, salvation and eternal life." Then Jesus tells His church, "Remember where you have fallen and do the deeds you did at first." What did a fallen Christian do when they came to Christ in faith and loved Him most? They wanted to be with Him, to know Him, to worship Him. To be with Him equals prayer, Bible study, and worship. They wanted to please Him, trust Him, follow Him and obey Him. They wanted to tell others about Him - like someone in love – to share with others the greatness of Jesus.

Is your marriage struggling? Are you a Christian who is struggling and you've drifted away from the Lord? Remember what it was like when you fell in love with your spouse and do what you did back then. Likewise, remember what it was like when you fell in love with Jesus and rekindle that joyful relationship with your Creator. In doing that, you might find that finding joy in your marriage also becomes easier in the process.

 

[bluesniper3906]

Indeed, for a relationship to last long, Christ should always be the center of their lives. When a relationship was kept alone by man and woman, the tendency of being broken was there. For human chain is weak but if Christ is in the midst of a couple's life, surely He could bind us with something that can't be broken. HIS INFINITE LOVE!
To GOD be the glory!

 

[bluesniper3906]

Indeed, for a relationship to last long, Christ should always be the center of their lives. When a relationship was kept alone by man and woman, the tendency of being broken was there. For human chain is weak but if Christ is in the midst of a couple's life, surely He could bind us with something that can't be broken. HIS INFINITE LOVE!
To GOD be the glory!

 

[bluesniper3906]

LISTEN WELL
So Eli said to Samuel, Go back: and if the voice comes again, let your answer be, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open. So Samuel went back to his bed. 1Samuel 3:9
Every pillars of Christian faith successfully lived their faith through careful listening to every instructions of the LORD. From Abraham, Moises , Jacob and many others; they've earned the trust of the Lord, thus enable them to received great rewards. Stay blessed everyone! ride safe!

 

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Right In Our Own Eyes AUG 30 2013
"Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." - Exodus 20:3 KJV

We each go down a road in life, and along the way we search for values that define us - who we are, what we stand for, and how we want to treat others and be treated in return. Every person has values – even the mafia and drug lords; even Hitler. Confusion about values comes because man starts at the wrong place - with himself. We’re filled with a culture of many people that are seeking to do what is “right in their own eyes” and it’s led to chaos - morally, spiritually, emotionally and relationally. I urge you to start with God’s number one commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Some argue that what is most important to you is really your god. So, what’s most important to you? Is it family, success, money, power, and possessions, happiness? What is your most important value? When it’s anyone or anything besides God, it’s a "god" (little "g") and our value orientation gets out of whack.

When we start from the wrong place, we always wind up lost and confused, following false "gods." God says, "Start with Me; put Me first and all other values have a way of falling into place." It’s the key to right values.

 

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LISTEN TO JESUS
Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Has God really said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'" (Gen 3:1)
Don't we know that Satan regularly to us? And most of the time, we've entertained his thoughts? We must be very careful in dealing with the tactics of the enemy. If we felt that we're been falling into his trap, talk to Jesus right away, open tha Bible so that through God's word, we may easily prevent rhe enemy in holding us. To GOD be the glory!

 

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Cupbearer To The King
September 2, 2013 — by Randy Kilgore


Read: Nehemiah 2:1-8
Why is your face sad? . . . What do you request? —Nehemiah 2:2,4
Bible in a Year:
Psalms 137-139; 1 Corinthians 13
One of my favorite Bible passages that applies to work is Nehemiah 1–2. King Artaxerxes’ employee Nehemiah had been such an exemplary worker that the king wanted to honor him by helping him when he was sad that Jerusalem was still in ruins. He asked Nehemiah, “Why is your face sad? . . . What do you request?” (2:2,4). He wasn’t just any worker for the king, he was the cupbearer, the man who tasted the king’s drink to protect him from being poisoned. In order to have earned such a position, he apparently worked hard and honored God in everything he did. And the king granted his requests.

God cares about the way we work. Colossians 3:23 tells us, “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” We can follow Nehemiah’s example in these ways: Be such a competent and trusted worker that God is honored (Neh. 1:11–2:6). Care passionately about others and what’s important to them. Take action, occasionally even risky action, to honor what’s important to God and to fellow believers (2:3-6).

When we honor God in work, our employers may notice. But even if they don’t, our heart’s desire and purpose should be to honor the One we really serve—the Lord our God (Col. 3:17,23).

O Lord, may the way I serve tell Your story!
I want to bring You all the glory in my work,
at home, and everywhere I go. Fill me and use
me to bless others and honor You today.
God honors faith because faith honors God.

 

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Not Interested In Religion
September 3, 2013 — by Anne Cetas
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: John 5:18,37-47
How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! —Matthew 23:37
Bible in a Year:
Psalms 140-142; 1 Corinthians 14:1-20
A radio ad for a church caught my attention: “Because you’ve heard about Christianity, you might not be interested in religion. Well, it might surprise you—Jesus wasn’t interested in religion either. But He was big on relationship and teaching us to love one another.” It continued, “You may not like everything about our church, but we offer authentic relationship, and we’re learning to love God and each other. You’re welcome to visit.”

This church may have overstated things about Jesus and religion because Scripture does speak of “true religion” in James 1:27 as helpful deeds toward others. But Jesus did have difficulties with religious people of His day. He said the Pharisees, guided by tradition and rules not by love for the Lord, “outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside [they] are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matt. 23:28). They didn’t have the love of God in their hearts (John 5:42). Jesus wanted relationship with them, but they were “not willing to come to [Him]” (v.40).

If being “religious” means following a set of rules so we can look good—instead of enjoying a relationship with the Savior—Jesus isn’t interested. He offers forgiveness and love to all who want an intimate relationship with Him.

True religion is to know
The love that Christ imparts;
True religion is to show
This love to burdened hearts. —D. DeHaan
There is a longing in every heart that only Jesus can satisfy.

 

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A Special Day
September 4, 2013 — by Dave Branon

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Luke 11:1-4
This is the day the Lord has made. —Psalm 118:24
Bible in a Year:
Psalms 143-145; 1 Corinthians 14:21-40
What’s special about September 4? Perhaps it’s your birthday or anniversary. That would make it special. Or maybe you could celebrate the historic events of this day. For instance, in 1781, the city of Los Angeles, California, was founded. Or this: In 1993, Jim Abbott, a pitcher for the New York Yankees, didn’t let anyone get a hit off his pitches—and he was born without a right hand. Or if you’re a TV fan: In 1951, the first live US coast-to-coast television broadcast was aired from San Francisco.

But what if none of these events and facts seem to make your September 4 special? Try these ideas:

Today God gives you a new opportunity to praise Him. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Today God provides for you and wants your trust. “Give us day by day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3).

Today God wants to speak to you through His Word. The believers at Berea “searched the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11).

Today God desires to renew your inner person. “The inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16).

With God as your guide, September 4—and every day—can be special.

This is the day the Lord hath made,
He calls the hours His own;
Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad,
And praise surround the throne. —Watts
Each new day gives us new reasons to praise the Lord.