Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotional

January 04, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     

Why Can I Not Follow You Now?
Peter said to Him, 'Lord, why can I not follow You now?' -John 13:37


There are times when you can't understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don't fill it with busyness, just wait. The time of waiting may come to teach you the meaning of sanctification- to be set apart from sin and made holy- or it may come after the process of sanctification has begun to teach you what service means. Never run before God gives you His direction. If you have the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt- wait.

At first you may see clearly what God's will is- the severance of a friendship, the breaking off of a business relationship, or something else you feel is distinctly God's will for you to do. But never act on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will cause difficult situations to arise which will take years to untangle. Wait for God's timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment. When it is a question of the providential will of God, wait for God to move.

Peter did not wait for God. He predicted in his own mind where the test would come, and it came where he did not expect it. "I will lay down my life for Your sake." Peter's statement was honest but ignorant. "Jesus answered him, ' . . . the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times' " (John 13:38). This was said with a deeper knowledge of Peter than Peter had of himself. He could not follow Jesus because he did not know himself or his own capabilities well enough. Natural devotion may be enough to attract us to Jesus, to make us feel His irresistible charm, but it will never make us disciples. Natural devotion will deny Jesus, always falling short of what it means to truly follow Him.


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Living for Whom?
Today I want us to return to Luke 12, but focus on verses 16-19,

Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'"

This guy is classic! While he was rich, he was only rich toward himself. He did not have any thoughts about being rich toward the Kingdom of God. He was totally self-centered.

In fact, in the few short verses where this man speaks, verses 17, 18, and 19, he uses six "I"s, five "my"s, and four "I will"s. He says, "My crops, my barns, my goods, my soul." Pretty self-centered!

Yes, his land brought forth an incredible harvest, but who provided the fertile soil? Who provided the rain? Who provided the sunshine? Who gave him his health? Who gave him the ability to think and plan? In fact, for that matter, who gave him his soul?

In Ezekiel 18:4 God says, "All souls are Mine."

This man totally left God out of his plans. Everything he did, he did for himself. And God said he was a fool. On the very same day he made his boast, his soul was required of him.

Instead of a barn, he had a burial; instead of living in the lap of luxury, he had to stand before God and give an account of his life.


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AN UNCOMPROMISING LOVE
In HIS Presence: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25).

Most of us have either read or heard a sermon preached on the Scripture quoted above. The apostle Paul was writing to believers in Ephesus-a city that was one of the most pagan at the time. These early believers were just beginning to understand what it meant to love others the way that Jesus loved people. So Paul added an important detail to his teaching-he instructed husbands to love their wives the way Christ loves the church.

When we talk about loving to this degree, we are talking about sacrifice and commitment. This is exactly what Jesus did for each one of us. He sacrificed His life and committed Himself to us. Wives need to know that their husbands are willing to do the same for them.

Jesus is our loving Savior. Likewise, there will be times when wives need to view their husbands as saviors-not taking the place of Christ, but listening to their daily struggles and providing the protection they need from harm.

If you have never opened your heart to Christ's love, then you will not know how to love the way He loved. In fact, a person can be saved and still not experience the depth of God's love. However, when you ask Him to teach you the right way to love, He will do it. No matter what your past contains, He will broaden your ability to love with His same love.

One Minute Please

Love is measured by sacrifice, not by enjoyment.


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     

The Life of Power to Follow
Jesus answered him, 'Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward' -John 13:36


"And when He had spoken this, He said to him, 'Follow Me' " (John 21:19). Three years earlier Jesus had said, "Follow Me" (Matthew 4:19), and Peter followed with no hesitation. The irresistible attraction of Jesus was upon him and he did not need the Holy Spirit to help him do it. Later he came to the place where he denied Jesus, and his heart broke. Then he received the Holy Spirit and Jesus said again, "Follow Me" (John 21:19). Now no one is in front of Peter except the Lord Jesus Christ. The first "Follow Me" was nothing mysterious; it was an external following. Jesus is now asking for an internal sacrifice and yielding (see John 21:18).

Between these two times Peter denied Jesus with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69-75). But then he came completely to the end of himself and all of his self-sufficiency. There was no part of himself he would ever rely on again. In his state of destitution, he was finally ready to receive all that the risen Lord had for him. ". . . He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit' " (John 20:22). No matter what changes God has performed in you, never rely on them. Build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spirit He gives.

All our promises and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to accomplish them. When we come to the end of ourselves, not just mentally but completely, we are able to "receive the Holy Spirit." "Receive the Holy Spirit "- the idea is that of invasion. There is now only One who directs the course of your life, the Lord Jesus Christ.


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God's Strength
I have a lifeguard friend who told me once,

"Bayless, if we've got someone who's drowning, we'll go out in the water. But if they won't calm down, we won't touch them. Because if we get out there and they're panicking, they'll grab us and drown us both. If we can get them to calm down, that's one thing. But if we can't, we wait until they exhaust themselves, and then we save them."

And you know, this is how we often act in our relationship with God!

A lot of the time, you and I come to the absolute end of our strength before we lay hold of God's strength. This is especially true when it comes to the subject of healing.

Maybe you would admit that you're there right now... that you feel like you are finished... that you can't go on. If so, take hold of God's strength.

When you are weak, His strength is made perfect. When you come to the end of your strength, that's where God's strength begins!

In my life as a pastor, I've found that many people have been misinformed when it comes to what God has to say about healing. They struggle and struggle, never going to God's Word to see what He says.

That's why I hope you will spend time reading the Bible and that you will find it a real blessing. I pray that it will help align your thinking about healing with God's thinking about healing!


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GOD'S LOVE IS ETERNAL
In HIS Presence: God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:.

God commands husbands to love their wives. However, He never instructs a wife to do the same. She is commanded, instead, to respect her mate. This may seem like an odd way to address the subject of love, but God is not saying that women should dismiss this commandment.

Rather, God is love, and His love lives within us. Therefore, we are commanded to love one another with the love of Christ. From God's perspective, a woman's love comes as a direct response to her husband's salvation and the fight of love he gives to her. It begins with the foundation of respect and flourishes.

If husbands are going to be biblical lovers, they also must become biblical saviors. Jesus Christ did not die for us because we were lovable. He died for us in order to make us lovable. His gift of salvation is the greatest form of love. When we were lost in sin, He died for you and me. It is his love that draws us to Himself. We are saved by love so that we can receive His love.

Many times, we think of love as being hot or cold-on or off-but God's love is eternal. It has no ending. In order to experience it, however, we must come to a point where we accept and respect the fact that He loves us. Once we do this, we discover the irresistible love of God for ourselves.

One Minute Please:

Husbands have a Deliverer in Christ, and wives need to have a deliverer in them.


God bless

[Judy Harder]

Worship
He moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord -Genesis 12:8


Worship is giving God the best that He has given you. Be careful what you do with the best you have. Whenever you get a blessing from God, give it back to Him as a love-gift. Take time to meditate before God and offer the blessing back to Him in a deliberate act of worship. If you hoard it for yourself, it will turn into spiritual dry rot, as the manna did when it was hoarded (see Exodus 16:20). God will never allow you to keep a spiritual blessing completely for yourself. It must be given back to Him so that He can make it a blessing to others.

Bethel is the symbol of fellowship with God; Ai is the symbol of the world. Abram "pitched his tent" between the two. The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and oneness with Him. Rushing in and out of worship is wrong every time- there is always plenty of time to worship God. Days set apart for quiet can be a trap, detracting from the need to have daily quiet time with God. That is why we must "pitch our tents" where we will always have quiet times with Him, however noisy our times with the world may be. There are not three levels of spiritual life- worship, waiting, and work. Yet some of us seem to jump like spiritual frogs from worship to waiting, and from waiting to work. God's idea is that the three should go together as one. They were always together in the life of our Lord and in perfect harmony. It is a discipline that must be developed; it will not happen overnight.


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Power in His Name


When I was a young Christian, I moved to Mexico to help out with an evangelist who was preaching there. Thousands of people would show up for this guy's crusade meetings, and hundreds of people were getting saved and healed.

During one of our meetings, a demon-possessed guy showed up, and he started jumping up and down, throwing rocks and boards (some of them with nails protruding from them) into the crowd. He acted like a wild animal!

One of the guys working for the crusade came to me (I happened to be standing closest to him) and said, "Bayless, take care of that." I thought, "Excuse me? I'm just a new Christian!" But nevertheless, I walked over to the demon-possessed guy and said, "In the name of Jesus," and he became like a little puppy.

I said, "Sit down," and he sat down, and I laid my hands on him and commanded the evil spirit to go in Jesus' name, and he was fine. He actually spoke intelligibly after that, and we led him to Christ. It was an amazing thing!

I tell you this because I want you to know that there is authority and power in the name of Jesus-and you can exercise that authority. It doesn't matter if you're a new Christian or not. Jesus has delegated the authority in His name to every member of the body of Christ. There is power in Jesus' name to deliver you and to bring deliverance to others through you.

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Before Rushing Down the Aisle
Scripture Readings: Romans 5:1-3

I'm sure you've noticed how many single people really want to get married, and how most married couples are always trying to set up their single friends. And of course, I'm sure you've heard (especially at Christmas get togethers) grandparents, aunts, uncles, and parents always asking the single relatives in the family, "Sooo . . . anyone special in your life?"

Yes, marriage is something very special, but it is never something to rush into. Too often people rush into marriage before they've been able to define themselves and become complete in God. Some people think getting married will make them happy and complete, but putting two incomplete people together does not equal a whole, but rather two unhappy people in an unhappy marriage.

We can't look to others to make us happy; we have to look to God. Those who are single should define themselves in God and find happiness in Him, and those matchmakers out there should help their single friends and family with this process-helping them become whole, before starting to try to find them the perfect person to marry.


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     



Compromise
As we continue our consideration of prosperity, I want to turn your attention to Luke 12:31,

"But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

This is a simple but powerful principle for life: We have to put God's Kingdom first if we are to realize God's prosperity.

A lot of Christians get caught up in the drive for prosperity and forget that God's greatest desire is for us to pursue His Kingdom. In fact, I think some of God's children today are frustrated as they are endeavoring to prosper. They can see the promise of prosperity in the Word, yet they are coming up short, and they are asking, "God, what's up?"

I really think this is an issue of the heart. God is not prospering them because they may not be mature enough spiritually to handle the degree of prosperity they are seeking. It might do them harm.

This brings to mind a young coworker of mine from a number of years ago. He was a believer but was struggling financially. One night we were in a restaurant after work when he shared a difficult struggle he was going through.

We prayed that God would do something supernatural to help him in his time of need. Two days later, he got an unexpected inheritance. It was huge! And you know what? The next week he wasn't at work. Instead he was out partying. All of a sudden, his church life stopped and he walked away from his relationship with God. He didn't have the maturity to handle the success.

I think success has ruined more people than failure. It has been said that money is the most dangerous thing God can put into your trust.

Seek after God. And when He prospers you, keep seeking after Him!


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Inner-Searching

May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless . . . -1 Thessalonians 5:23


"Your whole spirit . . . ." The great, mysterious work of the Holy Spirit is in the deep recesses of our being which we cannot reach. Read Psalm 139 . The psalmist implies- "O Lord, You are the God of the early mornings, the God of the late nights, the God of the mountain peaks, and the God of the sea. But, my God, my soul has horizons further away than those of early mornings, deeper darkness than the nights of earth, higher peaks than any mountain peaks, greater depths than any sea in nature. You who are the God of all these, be my God. I cannot reach to the heights or to the depths; there are motives I cannot discover, dreams I cannot realize. My God, search me."

Do we believe that God can fortify and protect our thought processes far beyond where we can go? ". . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). If this verse means cleansing only on our conscious level, may God have mercy on us. The man who has been dulled by sin will say that he is not even conscious of it. But the cleansing from sin we experience will reach to the heights and depths of our spirit if we will "walk in the light as He is in the light" (1 John 1:7). The same Spirit that fed the life of Jesus Christ will feed the life of our spirit. It is only when we are protected by God with the miraculous sacredness of the Holy Spirit that our spirit, soul, and body can be preserved in pure uprightness until the coming of Jesus-no longer condemned in God's sight.

We should more frequently allow our minds to meditate on these great, massive truths of God.

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Look for Opportunities to Encourage
Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11; Hebrews 10:24-25; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Isaiah 43:5

Are you one of them? They're out there right now. There are millions of them. In your city. In your neighborhood. In your church. Perhaps, even in your home. You may even be one of them . . . Who are they?

People in desperate need of encouragement.

Let's face it . . . life can be hard. The Christian walk is a narrow road that can be smooth one minute and bumpy the next, filled with twists and turns and trials and triumphs. All of us face moments when we feel like it takes everything we've got just to keep going.

In those moments, we need an encouraging word. We need someone who will speak the truth to us in love. We need the light of God's love to fill us with the hope, faith and strength we need to rise again.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, the Apostle Paul challenged Christians to encourage one another. As followers of Christ, we should ALWAYS be on the lookout for opportunities to encourage others! Are you?


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

January 10, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     

The Opened Sight
I now send you, to open their eyes . . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . -Acts 26:17-18


This verse is the greatest example of the true essence of the message of a disciple of Jesus Christ in all of the New Testament.

God's first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words, ". . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . ." When a person fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has never received anything. The only sign that a person is saved is that he has received something from Jesus Christ. Our job as workers for God is to open people's eyes so that they may turn themselves from darkness to light. But that is not salvation; it is conversion-only the effort of an awakened human being. I do not think it is too broad a statement to say that the majority of so-called Christians are like this. Their eyes are open, but they have received nothing. Conversion is not regeneration. This is a neglected fact in our preaching today. When a person is born again, he knows that it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision. People may make vows and promises, and may be determined to follow through, but none of this is salvation. Salvation means that we are brought to the place where we are able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins.

This is followed by God's second mighty work of grace: ". . . an inheritance among those who are sanctified . . . ." In sanctification, the one who has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God's ministry to others.
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The Secret to God's Provision
In Luke 12:31-32 Jesus tells us,

"But seek the kingdom of God...." (In Matthew 6:33, He said, "Seek first the kingdom of God...and all these things shall be added to you.") "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

The secret to receiving God's provision is to put God's Kingdom first, then everything else will be added to you. That includes all the things you worry about and strive after. God promises He will add them to you.

I know for some people it is just too simplistic. It is just a childish notion to be brushed aside. But, to do so is a grave mistake. Never underestimate the power of obedience. When we obey God and get our priorities in line, it unlocks and releases incredible blessings in our life.

When we put the spiritual above the material, when we put the cause and the mission of God's Kingdom before our own personal desires, it will cause things to be added to our lives.

I remember reading about J.L. Kraft. He began his business by selling cheese on the streets in Chicago, but failed miserably. One day a Christian friend told him, "J.L., you don't have God first in your life, or in your business. Put Him first in all things you do, and you will see a different outcome."

From that day on, he put God's Kingdom first in every way and he built the largest cheese empire in the world.

First things first. Jesus said, "Do not worry. Just get your priorities in line, and God will take care of you."


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Make a Difference One by One
A father and son were walking along a beach after a powerful storm. In fact, the storm was so strong that as the waves crashed and the wind blew, hundreds of starfish were washed ashore and left far from the water they needed to survive.

As they walked, the father and son began a rescue mission, picking up starfish one by one and throwing them back into the ocean. When the boy looked at the hundreds of remaining starfish, he became discouraged. "Dad, there's too many. We can't save them all. We can't make a difference!"

The father looked at the starfish in his hand. The creature would have never made it back into the ocean on its own. As he threw the starfish back in the ocean, he told his son, "We're making a difference to this one."

You can make a difference too . . . even if it's only one by one. God has called each of us - not just the pastor or the missionary - to be a voice of encouragement to someone. Bless someone. Make a difference.


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     



What My Obedience to God Costs Other People
As they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon . . . , and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus -Luke 23:26


If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the pain begins. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything- it is a delight. But to those who do not love Him, our obedience does cost a great deal. If we obey God, it will mean that other people's plans are upset. They will ridicule us as if to say, "You call this Christianity?" We could prevent the suffering, but not if we are obedient to God. We must let the cost be paid.

When our obedience begins to cost others, our human pride entrenches itself and we say, "I will never accept anything from anyone." But we must, or disobey God. We have no right to think that the type of relationships we have with others should be any different from those the Lord Himself had (see Luke 8:1-3).

A lack of progress in our spiritual life results when we try to bear all the costs ourselves. And actually, we cannot. Because we are so involved in the universal purposes of God, others are immediately affected by our obedience to Him. Will we remain faithful in our obedience to God and be willing to suffer the humiliation of refusing to be independent? Or will we do just the opposite and say, "I will not cause other people to suffer"? We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but it will grieve our Lord. If, however, we obey God, He will care for those who have suffered the consequences of our obedience. We must simply obey and leave all the consequences with Him.

Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience to Him.


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What Has You?
In Mark 10:17-22, this is what we read,

Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'" And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth." Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

This is an interesting passage, isn't it?! I think verse 22 could probably be read as "great possessions had him," and we wouldn't do too much damage to the text. Possessions possessed him, and he went away from his conversation with Jesus sorrowful.

When Jesus met this guy, He was able to cut right to the heart issue, what controlled his life. Verse 21 could be paraphrased, "Okay, you really want it? Here's your roadblock, baby." It was the guy's attitude toward his stuff.

This man loved possessions, wealth, and the things of this life more than he loved Jesus.

Where are you today, my friend? Have you allowed our world to con you into believing that you should base your life on the stuff you accumulate? Or do you love God the most?


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Encouragement Always Speaks Truth in Love
Scripture Reading: Galatians 6:1-5; Romans 12:3; James 5:19-20; James 2:13

Most of us, at one time or another, have had someone in our lives who encouraged us. Perhaps it was a parent, teacher, coach or pastor. There are few things in life as meaningful as a timely word of encouragement that builds us up and helps us through hard times.

Over my years of ministry, I have found that a voice of encouragement can be life-affirming, while a voice of discouragement can wield a mortal blow. People must always choose which voice they'll be.

As we encourage, we should always speak truth. Discouragement is so often built on a lie, driven by the wrong information. When we encourage people with the truth, we show them we truly care.

God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

January 12, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     



Have You Ever Been Alone with God? (1)
When they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples -Mark 4:34


Our Solitude with Him. Jesus doesn't take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains things to us as we are able to understand them. The lives of others are examples for us, but God requires us to examine our own souls. It is slow work- so slow that it takes God all of time and eternity to make a man or woman conform to His purpose. We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don't even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it. But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage?

We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride. If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we will never say, "Oh, I'm so unworthy." We will understand that this goes without saying. But as long as there is any doubt that we are unworthy, God will continue to close us in until He gets us alone. Whenever there is any element of pride or conceit remaining, Jesus can't teach us anything. He will allow us to experience heartbreak or the disappointment we feel when our intellectual pride is wounded. He will reveal numerous misplaced affections or desires- things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. Many things are shown to us, often without effect. But when God gets us alone over them, they will be clear.


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Giving When No One Sees

Matthew 6:1-4 gives some important insight into giving,

"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."

Jesus points us to a truth that is vital to us as Christians: Giving is an issue of the heart.

God will not honor your giving if, when you give, your heart is saying, "I want everyone to know what I'm doing. I want to be noticed when I give. I want everyone to know just how generous and kind I am and what a benevolent heart I have."

We should give with a pure motive. When we give with the right motive, not to be seen by men but out of a right heart, God will reward us openly. That may not exactly translate into dollars and cents, but it will translate into tangible blessings, things that people can see.

If nobody else knows you kicked in the extra hundred bucks, don't worry about it. God sees, and He has a way of rewarding you openly. Everyone will recognize the hand of God is on you. God's blessings will come into your life.

So when you give, check your heart to make sure you are giving with the right motive.


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The Lesson of the Cross

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 2 Corinthians 5:11-16; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

As Jesus hung on Calvary, He took on our sin debt to redeem us from the law. His death satisfied God's divine law to overcome the problem of sin and the condemnation of death. When God looks at us, He sees only the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

All the sin of the world for all time - every millennium, every age - was placed on the person of Jesus Christ at Calvary. When Jesus rose from the dead, He was victorious over sin and death, destroying death's authority over us.

From the moment of resurrection, Jesus shares this victory with all who believe in Him. This victory is a gift of grace. God forgives the sins of everyone who accepts His Son as their Lord and Savior.

Every believer can live life in great anticipation of spending eternity in the presence of our Lord.


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

January 13, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     

 

When He was alone . . . the twelve asked Him about the parable -Mark 4:10


His Solitude with Us. When God gets us alone through suffering, heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted desires, a broken friendship, or a new friendship- when He gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us. Notice Jesus Christ's training of the Twelve. It was the disciples, not the crowd outside, who were confused. His disciples constantly asked Him questions, and He constantly explained things to them, but they didn't understand until after they received the Holy Spirit (see John 14:26).

As you journey with God, the only thing He intends to be clear is the way He deals with your soul. The sorrows and difficulties in the lives of others will be absolutely confusing to you. We think we understand another person's struggle until God reveals the same shortcomings in our lives. There are vast areas of stubbornness and ignorance the Holy Spirit has to reveal in each of us, but it can only be done when Jesus gets us alone. Are we alone with Him now? Or are we more concerned with our own ideas, friendships, and cares for our bodies? Jesus cannot teach us anything until we quiet all our intellectual questions and get alone with Him.



Have You Ever Been Alone with God? (2)


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A Matter of the Heart

God cares deeply about the motivations of our hearts. Yesterday, we saw that the heart is what matters most in giving. In Matthew 6:6, 17-18, we are shown just how important the heart is to God.

First Jesus deals with our heart when we pray,

"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

Next He deals with our heart when fasting,

"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

Jesus wants you and me to pray with the right heart, not seeking the praise of others. And the same is true with fasting. When you fast, you are not supposed to let everybody know.

When you fast, if somebody says, "Hey, would you like to go to lunch today?" and you reply, "I can't. I'm fasting," they may think, "Wow, he's spiritual!" but that is all the reward you get, right there, so you better enjoy it.

What is Jesus' point? When we give to the poor, when we pray, when we fast, we do not do it to get the applause or recognition of men. We do it out of obedience to God, out of love for our fellow men, and just wanting to help somebody else who is trying to make it through the day on this planet.

That is why we should do it. That is the right motivation of the heart.


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Reversing the Curses in Your Life

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 5:1-19

Everyday, people live under the curse of defeat, which takes on many different forms. It could be recurring disease, depression, one financial problem after another, family problems passed down from generation to generation.

For the Christian, there is always hope. Jesus came to reverse every curse and give us power to conquer anything that might hold us down. God specializes in making the impossible possible.

In 2 Kings 5:1-19 is the story of Naaman, a valiant warrior who led his country to victory. Cursed with leprosy, an incurable disease that left its victims sick and social isolated, Naaman sought help from the prophet, Elisha. After dipping seven times in the Jordan River at Elisha's command -- Naaman initially scoffed at - the Syrian warrior was healed. Naaman turned his heart to worship God of Israel, the reverser of the curse.

Like Naaman, commit to see your cleansing through. God will redeem what you thought was impossible to restore.



God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

January 16, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     

The Voice of the Nature of God
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' -Isaiah 6:8


When we talk about the call of God, we often forget the most important thing, namely, the nature of Him who calls. There are many things calling each of us today. Some of these calls will be answered, and others will not even be heard. The call is the expression of the nature of the One who calls, and we can only recognize the call if that same nature is in us. The call of God is the expression of God's nature, not ours. God providentially weaves the threads of His call through our lives, and only we can distinguish them. It is the threading of God's voice directly to us over a certain concern, and it is useless to seek another person's opinion of it. Our dealings over the call of God should be kept exclusively between ourselves and Him.

The call of God is not a reflection of my nature; my personal desires and temperament are of no consideration. As long as I dwell on my own qualities and traits and think about what I am suited for, I will never hear the call of God. But when God brings me into the right relationship with Himself, I will be in the same condition Isaiah was. Isaiah was so attuned to God, because of the great crisis he had just endured, that the call of God penetrated his soul. The majority of us cannot hear anything but ourselves. And we cannot hear anything God says. But to be brought to the place where we can hear the call of God is to be profoundly changed.
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When God Has Our Hearts
In Matthew 6:25-26, Jesus applies all we have covered over the last few days,

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"

Given the context of the preceding verses, Jesus is telling us that if God is first in our giving, then He indeed has our heart. If He has our hearts, He can guide us and meet our needs, and we have no need to worry about provision for our life.

He feeds the birds. He will take care of you. Do not worry. Obey Him, trust Him, and look to Him for your daily bread.

Matthew 6:33 says,

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."


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Don't Set Yourself Up for Failure

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 5:1-19 and Philippians 1:6

God can reverse every curse in your life - from the financial and physical to the generational and spiritual.The prophet Elisha would not accept payment from General Naaman for God's restoration of the warrior's health, but the prophet's servant Gehazi couldn't resist. He lied, took the payment and hid it. Elisha knew what Gehazi had done and rebuked him for jumping ahead of God's provision and blessing. Gehazi set himself up for failure, and his punishment was the curse of leprosy.

Seven years later because of God's divine arrangement, Gehazi was able to take and hide a load of riches from an abandoned Syrian camp. A changed man, Gehazi generously shared the loot with the children of Israel, and God restored his health and promoted him to the king's advisory board.

If you are wrestling with a curse, or have given in to its control, God wants to accomplish something in you greater than just getting rid of your problems.Put your trust in God and obey His Word, and you too, like Gehazi, can enjoy a comeback.


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

January 17, 2011


Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     

The Call of the Natural Life
When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me . . . -Galatians 1:15-16


The call of God is not a call to serve Him in any particular way. My contact with the nature of God will shape my understanding of His call and will help me realize what I truly desire to do for Him. The call of God is an expression of His nature; the service which results in my life is suited to me and is an expression of my nature. The call of the natural life was stated by the apostle Paul- "When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him [that is, purely and solemnly express Him] among the Gentiles . . . ."

Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion. But strictly speaking, there is no call to that. Service is what I bring to the relationship and is the reflection of my identification with the nature of God. Service becomes a natural part of my life. God brings me into the proper relationship with Himself so that I can understand His call, and then I serve Him on my own out of a motivation of absolute love. Service to God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature that has heard the call of God. Service is an expression of my nature, and God's call is an expression of His nature. Therefore, when I receive His nature and hear His call, His divine voice resounds throughout His nature and mine and the two become one in service. The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and out of devotion to Him service becomes my everyday way of life.
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Go Fish
Over the next seven devotionals, I want to talk to you about the number one business of the Church: the business of winning souls. It is what I call "The Seven Cs of Soul Winning."

The first "C"-commission-is found in Mark 16:15. These are some of the last words Jesus spoke before He ascended into heaven,

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

Could it be any clearer? Jesus said, "Go." Dare we say, "No"? He said, "Go."

That is the opposite of "stay," isn't it? G G-O.

God wants you and me to take the Gospel to Others.

You and I need to get out into the world! Jesus was not crucified between two candles on a church altar. He was crucified out in the byways and highways of humanity, and that is where we must take the message.

Jesus said, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." That is a promise. But you know what? You have to get to the water if you are going to catch fish. You have to get out of the four church walls, out to where hurting humanity is, and engage them with the gospel.

A while back, I went backpacking with my two sons in a very remote area. We found a pristine lake where just about every time we would put a line in the water, we would catch a fish.

We also had this incredible camp. But you know what? If we wanted to catch fish, we had to go down to the water. No one could catch a fish sitting in camp.

A lot of Christians just hang around the camp. They form fishing clubs and talk about how important it is to fish. But they don't fish.

God wants us to go fish!


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Don't Settle for Less

Scripture Reading: Philippians 1:21; Luke 17:19; John 10:10

In my teaching series, Reversing the Curses in Your Life, I go great deal into the reversal of fortune that Elisha's servant Gehazi experienced (Read 2 Kings 7:3-16; 8:4).

His story is an important one for all of us. His life after the curse was far better than it was before. No curse is irreversible . . . whether you inherited it or brought it on yourself, you don't have to settle for it.

When God committed to being our Father, He committed to maturing us completely. It may take trials, suffering, loss, even curses to conform us to Jesus' image, but God will settle for nothing less in our lives.

Here's a bit of advice when you need reverse of the curse: Keep the right perspective. Submit to God's plan. Humble yourself. Commit to do whatever God requires. Trust in the power of God. Have faith. Believe in Jesus' promises. Praise God for what He is able to do.

Pass your test. Don't settle for less.

God bless