Read:
2 Corinthians 4:16
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day
A young china man wanted to change the world. When he was twenty, he said, "I'm going to change the world." When he was thirty, he said, "I'd like to change Asia." when he was forty he said, "We'll, I'd just like to change China." When he was fifty he said, "I'd like to change my province." When he was sixty, he said, Maybe I can just change my village." When he turned seventy, he said, "I need to change myself." How many of us have such a heart to do great things for the Lord. We really have a sincere heart, but our soul hasn't been strengthened enough to do the things we want to do. We may go for a while, but ultimately we will give up and faint. Our soul is our mind, will, and emotions. The bible Say's to renew our mind, and the word of God will touch our emotions and our will becomes disciplined to do those great things for the Lord. Some of us need a spiritual rebirth, but some of us need a character rebirth. When we build our house (soul) upon the rock (Christ) we will surely stand in the winds of trials and hard times, but when we build our house (soul) upon the sand (worldly principles) then we will surely fall. Our inner man has been born again, but our flesh has to be put under subjection, and our soul has to be built upon the rock of Christ. As our inner man grows our mind, will, and emotions grows as well, and will always glorify Christ Jesus. Spiritual growth is crucial for moving into the calling that God has got for us here on earth. As our devotional life and faithfulness in our home church increases, so shall the calling and gifts' begin to increase and unfold before us. I want to encourage you today to let God's word so fill your heart. It is always internal, then external.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you fill our hearts with you beautiful word. We long to trust you Lord and have patience. You will move us Lord at the right time, and you will take us where we need to go in our destiny here on earth. Touch us by your spirit. Amen
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
July 9th Devotional
Read:
Psalms 40:2
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
There was a Baptist preacher who had a large church. He was a very devout Christian, and people were drawn to his love for the word and for people, until his life totally changed. He found himself in a pit and didn't know why all of this happened. He also made records, and would record songs and loved to worship the Lord. He developed a flu that attacked his vocal chords. For three years he couldn't talk, sing, and the pastor said that it felt like two big hands were pressing against his vocal chords. The doctor told him that he would never talk again. It was getting worse and worse, and the church prayed for healing but it never came, at least not when he expected it to. He never gave up hope. He had to resign from being pastor, and it made it hard financially for the whole family. He had a lovely family that was behind him, but they didn't know how to deal with all this pit stuff. One day, after a long three years of chaos, the baptist preacher went to church to teach. They set up a vocal microphone that was very sensitive, and he would have to literally scream just to get a small scratchy sound out of his vocals. It was about all over for this pastor. He went to church that morning as usual, and he began to read a scripture in psalms about God delivering us from the pit. Immediately when he said the word pit his voice began to come back. Tears filled the church as he began to preach his first message without a scratch in his voice at all. They began to worship the Lord that morning for his healing power. The pastor went to the doctor and the doctor couldn't explain what had happened. The doctor told him, "I can explain away the nerves that could possibly rebuild itself, but the scar damage is a mystery. I have no answer why you are talking today." It is an impossiblity that you are standing here talking to me. It was doctor Jesus that got a hold of him. I want to encourage you today to hang in there when you find yourself in a pit. I don't have all of the answers why God doesn't just snap his finger in a pit experience, but the Lord will deliver us as we stay focused on Him. There was a miracle that early Sunday morning, and many were touched and faith was built in that pastor. If you find yourself in pit experience land just keep your eyes upon Jesus. Be patient in His presence, and don't let your pit experience define who you are for God is there with you the whole way.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you help us through those pit experiences. Sometimes Lord you snap your finger, and sometimes you build character in those trials we seem to face. We ask that you give us the grace in times of trouble, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Psalms 40:2
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
There was a Baptist preacher who had a large church. He was a very devout Christian, and people were drawn to his love for the word and for people, until his life totally changed. He found himself in a pit and didn't know why all of this happened. He also made records, and would record songs and loved to worship the Lord. He developed a flu that attacked his vocal chords. For three years he couldn't talk, sing, and the pastor said that it felt like two big hands were pressing against his vocal chords. The doctor told him that he would never talk again. It was getting worse and worse, and the church prayed for healing but it never came, at least not when he expected it to. He never gave up hope. He had to resign from being pastor, and it made it hard financially for the whole family. He had a lovely family that was behind him, but they didn't know how to deal with all this pit stuff. One day, after a long three years of chaos, the baptist preacher went to church to teach. They set up a vocal microphone that was very sensitive, and he would have to literally scream just to get a small scratchy sound out of his vocals. It was about all over for this pastor. He went to church that morning as usual, and he began to read a scripture in psalms about God delivering us from the pit. Immediately when he said the word pit his voice began to come back. Tears filled the church as he began to preach his first message without a scratch in his voice at all. They began to worship the Lord that morning for his healing power. The pastor went to the doctor and the doctor couldn't explain what had happened. The doctor told him, "I can explain away the nerves that could possibly rebuild itself, but the scar damage is a mystery. I have no answer why you are talking today." It is an impossiblity that you are standing here talking to me. It was doctor Jesus that got a hold of him. I want to encourage you today to hang in there when you find yourself in a pit. I don't have all of the answers why God doesn't just snap his finger in a pit experience, but the Lord will deliver us as we stay focused on Him. There was a miracle that early Sunday morning, and many were touched and faith was built in that pastor. If you find yourself in pit experience land just keep your eyes upon Jesus. Be patient in His presence, and don't let your pit experience define who you are for God is there with you the whole way.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you help us through those pit experiences. Sometimes Lord you snap your finger, and sometimes you build character in those trials we seem to face. We ask that you give us the grace in times of trouble, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Jesus should Be More Like Santa by Mel Montgomery July 7th Devotional
Jesus Should Be More Like Santa
by Mel C. Montgomery
Read:
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
I stood in a mall during Christmas time years ago and watched a mall Santa. It was interesting. Children came right up to him without any fear at all. He was sitting there alone, and I watched this little 3 or 4 year old girl pull away from her mother, walk all by herself with no prompting, and she climbed up on Santa's lap and put her arm around his neck. To see a child leave her mother and go to a stranger caught my attention. After the girl left, I walked up to the man who was portraying Santa and I asked him, "What I just saw that girl do--walk up to you with no fear--is that normal?" He replied, "Oh yes." I asked further, "You mean children aren't sometimes afraid of you? You're sitting there, a large man, dressed in bright clothes, wearing a long beard which children rarely see--children never react in fear to you?" He said, "I've done this for a number of years, and for a child to be afraid of me is a very rare occurrence. Perhaps only once or twice in all the years I've done this. They know Santa loves them and can be trusted." This made a deep impression on me. Another incident that made a strong impression on me was visiting a prayer room in an old-line Pentecostal church before the service began. People were hollering and praying. I looked over at a young child, a boy perhaps 5, kneeling on the floor. He was crying and screaming hysterically. His father was standing over him, shouting, "You better let Jesus know you're sorry!" The child fearfully screamed, "I'm sorry Jesus! I'M SORRY JESUS!" The father continued, "I MEAN YOU BETTER LET JESUS KNOW YOU'RE REALLY SORRY BOY FOR WHAT YOU DONE OR HE WON'T FORGIVE YOU!" Even more hysterically the child screamed, "I'M SORRY JESUS FOR WHAT I DID! I'M REALLY, REALLY SORRY!" The father continued, "BOY, YOU BETTER REALLY MEAN IT!" The boy screamed even louder, "I REALLY MEAN IT JESUS! I'M REALLY, REALLY, REALLY SORRY JESUS!" Sickened, I could listen to no more, and I left. Strange how so many Christians teach children to have no fear of Santa, because Santa loves them unconditionally. But they teach their children to fear a disapproving Jesus who loves them only when they are good. It is surprising how many children, raised in traditional Pentecostal or extremely strict Christian homes, reject the faith when they are older and throw themselves into sin. That boy in the prayer room--where will he end up? Probably out in the world, hating God, hating Christ, and bitter against the faith that you and I have found to be so rich and life changing. Or he may very well end up screaming at his own fearful son in a prayer room somewhere. The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in. Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them."--Mark 10:13,14 The Message Bible.
Children's image of Jesus needs to be more like their understanding of Santa--trustworthy, on their side, with them in the difficult times of life, ready to quickly forgive their sins and mistakes, and loving them with a love that survives the ages.
comment by Keith Edwards:
I want for us to see ourselves how God really sees us. He love us, and we need a revelation of His love in our lives like never before. To see ourselves how God sees us will give us that strength and power to walk in the spirit of God. It will help us to do what we can't do in our own strength, and it will give us a healthy fear that will allow us to look up at Daddy God and tell him, "I love you Father!"
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you give us the right perspective on who you really are. We pray for our children and youth of today, and we ask that we would impart who you really are in a world that is full of self, pride, and lack of trust. Amen.
by Mel C. Montgomery
Read:
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
I stood in a mall during Christmas time years ago and watched a mall Santa. It was interesting. Children came right up to him without any fear at all. He was sitting there alone, and I watched this little 3 or 4 year old girl pull away from her mother, walk all by herself with no prompting, and she climbed up on Santa's lap and put her arm around his neck. To see a child leave her mother and go to a stranger caught my attention. After the girl left, I walked up to the man who was portraying Santa and I asked him, "What I just saw that girl do--walk up to you with no fear--is that normal?" He replied, "Oh yes." I asked further, "You mean children aren't sometimes afraid of you? You're sitting there, a large man, dressed in bright clothes, wearing a long beard which children rarely see--children never react in fear to you?" He said, "I've done this for a number of years, and for a child to be afraid of me is a very rare occurrence. Perhaps only once or twice in all the years I've done this. They know Santa loves them and can be trusted." This made a deep impression on me. Another incident that made a strong impression on me was visiting a prayer room in an old-line Pentecostal church before the service began. People were hollering and praying. I looked over at a young child, a boy perhaps 5, kneeling on the floor. He was crying and screaming hysterically. His father was standing over him, shouting, "You better let Jesus know you're sorry!" The child fearfully screamed, "I'm sorry Jesus! I'M SORRY JESUS!" The father continued, "I MEAN YOU BETTER LET JESUS KNOW YOU'RE REALLY SORRY BOY FOR WHAT YOU DONE OR HE WON'T FORGIVE YOU!" Even more hysterically the child screamed, "I'M SORRY JESUS FOR WHAT I DID! I'M REALLY, REALLY SORRY!" The father continued, "BOY, YOU BETTER REALLY MEAN IT!" The boy screamed even louder, "I REALLY MEAN IT JESUS! I'M REALLY, REALLY, REALLY SORRY JESUS!" Sickened, I could listen to no more, and I left. Strange how so many Christians teach children to have no fear of Santa, because Santa loves them unconditionally. But they teach their children to fear a disapproving Jesus who loves them only when they are good. It is surprising how many children, raised in traditional Pentecostal or extremely strict Christian homes, reject the faith when they are older and throw themselves into sin. That boy in the prayer room--where will he end up? Probably out in the world, hating God, hating Christ, and bitter against the faith that you and I have found to be so rich and life changing. Or he may very well end up screaming at his own fearful son in a prayer room somewhere. The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in. Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them."--Mark 10:13,14 The Message Bible.
Children's image of Jesus needs to be more like their understanding of Santa--trustworthy, on their side, with them in the difficult times of life, ready to quickly forgive their sins and mistakes, and loving them with a love that survives the ages.
comment by Keith Edwards:
I want for us to see ourselves how God really sees us. He love us, and we need a revelation of His love in our lives like never before. To see ourselves how God sees us will give us that strength and power to walk in the spirit of God. It will help us to do what we can't do in our own strength, and it will give us a healthy fear that will allow us to look up at Daddy God and tell him, "I love you Father!"
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you give us the right perspective on who you really are. We pray for our children and youth of today, and we ask that we would impart who you really are in a world that is full of self, pride, and lack of trust. Amen.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Fellowship With Believers July 6th Devotional
Read:
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Corinthians 1:9
9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
A man told his wife one Sunday morning that he didn't feel like going to church, and to give him three reasons why he should go? His wife was trying to encourage him and told him the three reasons why he should go. One reason is that you are the head of the house and you need to set an example. The second reason is that the bible says to not forsake the assembling of others. The third reason is that you're the pastor. This sounds about how we get sometimes. It can happen to any of us, whether we are a called into full time ministry, or we are advancing God's kingdom at our job. We get weary in our soul, and we sometimes can't find the strength to carry on. Fellowship with other believers and our own devotion are the two essential keys to grow in the Lord. There is power in fellowship. Great things happened in Acts when the church had fellowship together. It can be tough at times to fellowship with one another, but it is such a blessing as well to bind together as one. There's an old poem that was written and it is true at times. "To live above with those we love, we'll, that will be full of glory, but to live below with those we know, we'll, that's another story." The scriptures teach that Christ is the head and we are the body. We need to reach out our hands to a world that don't know Christ. We can't be the body of Christ in a pure way if we don't have consistent fellowship with a home church. There is such a power with small groups, bible studies, and other home groups branched from the church. We need to be the body of Christ to a hurting world, and we need to bind together like never before. If we are the body, then why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His hands healing?. why aren't His words teaching? Let's be the body of Christ and lets go forth in His mighty name.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you give us the revelation of coming together as one. Give us wisdom as the church, and help us to reach out to a hurting world that needs to see Jesus. Help us to be your hands and touch those around us in your name we pray. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Corinthians 1:9
9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
A man told his wife one Sunday morning that he didn't feel like going to church, and to give him three reasons why he should go? His wife was trying to encourage him and told him the three reasons why he should go. One reason is that you are the head of the house and you need to set an example. The second reason is that the bible says to not forsake the assembling of others. The third reason is that you're the pastor. This sounds about how we get sometimes. It can happen to any of us, whether we are a called into full time ministry, or we are advancing God's kingdom at our job. We get weary in our soul, and we sometimes can't find the strength to carry on. Fellowship with other believers and our own devotion are the two essential keys to grow in the Lord. There is power in fellowship. Great things happened in Acts when the church had fellowship together. It can be tough at times to fellowship with one another, but it is such a blessing as well to bind together as one. There's an old poem that was written and it is true at times. "To live above with those we love, we'll, that will be full of glory, but to live below with those we know, we'll, that's another story." The scriptures teach that Christ is the head and we are the body. We need to reach out our hands to a world that don't know Christ. We can't be the body of Christ in a pure way if we don't have consistent fellowship with a home church. There is such a power with small groups, bible studies, and other home groups branched from the church. We need to be the body of Christ to a hurting world, and we need to bind together like never before. If we are the body, then why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His hands healing?. why aren't His words teaching? Let's be the body of Christ and lets go forth in His mighty name.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you give us the revelation of coming together as one. Give us wisdom as the church, and help us to reach out to a hurting world that needs to see Jesus. Help us to be your hands and touch those around us in your name we pray. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Monday, July 5, 2010
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