God's Heart - Misty Edwards

"God is not deceived by externals." Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis

"Even though they (people in the last days) will make a show of being religious, their religion won't be real. Don't have anything to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:5

"Little children keep yourselves from idols." 1 John 5:21

"Thus does the world forget You, its Creator, and falls in love with what You have created instead of You." Saint Augstine of Hippo

"Idolatry is not only the adoration of images...but also trust in one's own righteousness, works, and merits, and putting confidences in riches and power." Martin Luther


God's Heart by Misty Edwards
Music video from kcrn31pan1c, age 21 (IHOP)

A Father's Love

The Word of the Lord to Jeremiah:

I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them.

I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.

I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul. (Jeremiah 32:37-41)

SITUATION Jeremiah did not just preach doom and gloom. He told the people to hope in God, who would restore them.

OBSERVATION Christians must never lose all hope. Our belief in Jesus Christ gives us hope for the future.

INSPIRATION For thousand of years, using his wit and charm, man had tired to be friends with God. And for thousand of years he had let God down more than he had lifted him up. He's done the very thing he promised he'd never do. It was a fiasco. Even the holiest of the hero's sometimes forgot whose side they were on. Some of the scenarios in the Bible look more like the adventures of Sinbad the sailor than stories for vacation Bible school Remember these characters?

Aaron, Right-hand man to Moses. Witness of the plagues. Member of the "Red Sea riverbed Expedition." Holy priest of God. But if he was so saintly, what is he doing leading the Israelites in fireside aerobics in front of the golden calf?

The sons of Jacob. The fathers of the tribes of Israel. Great-grandson of Abraham. Yet; if they were so special why were they gagging their younger brother and sending him to Egypt?

David. The man after God's own heart. The King's king. The giant-slayer and song-writer. He's also the guy whose glasses got steamy as a result of a barn on a roof. Unfortunately, the water wasn't his, nor was the woman he was watching.

And Samson. Swooning on Deliah's couch, drunk on the wine, perfume, and soft lights. He's thinking. She's putting on something more comfortable. She's thinking, I know I put those shears in here somewhere.

Adam adorned in fig leaves and stains of forbidden fruit. Moses throwing both a staff and temper tantrum. King Saul looking into a crystal ball for the will of God. Noah , drunk and naked in his own tent.

These are the chosen ones of God? This is the royal lineage of the King? These are the one who were to carry out God's mission?

It's easy to see the absurdity.

Why didn't he give up? Why didn't he let the globe spin off its axis?

Even after generations of people had spit in his face, he stilled loved them. After a nation of chosen ones had stripped him naked and ripped his incarnated flesh, he still died for them. And even today, after billions have chosen to prostitute themselves before the pimps of power, fame, and wealth, he still waits for them.

It is inexplicable. It doesn't have a drop of logic nor a tread of rationality.

And yet, it is that very irrationality that gives the gospel its greatest defense. For only God could love like that. (From God Came Near by Max Lucado)

APPLICATION Do this project with someone close to you: spend an hour on your own making a list of all God has done for you. Then share together and rejoice in his goodness and faithfulness.

EXPLORATION Hope --Proverbs 13:123; Isaiah 40:31; Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 15:13; Hebrews 11:1.

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus; Max Lucado General Editor; New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Carried To The Table

"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." Revelation 2:7

"One breath of paradise will extinguish all the adverse winds of earth." Aiden Wilson (A.W.) Pink

"Turn thee unto me; and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted." Psalm 25:16

"The past cannot be changed, but our response to it can be." Erwin W. Lutzer

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." Edwin Hubbel (E.H.) Chapin

"We often learn more of God under the rod that strikes us, than under the staff that comforts us." Stephen Charnock

Carried To The Table by Leeland
Music video from koolchristiangirl

Confessions

WORDS OF LIFE

Weekly Devotional

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Confessions

with Tom Davis

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“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray forone another so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)

Tom Davis is the author of Confessions of a Good Christian Guy: The Secrets Men Keep and the Grace that Saves Them.

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My story is not one where I came to Christ and everything was perfect.

I had walked the aisle and accepted Christ as a ten-year old boy going to church with my grandparents. I walked down the aisle many, many times to ensure that I was good and saved. My prayer life was serious. God showed up in incredible ways in my life. Still, like so many who come from a dysfunctional, broken and abusive home, the accumulation of pain was more than I could handle.

I first tried to cover up my pain with alcohol, since that was what had been modeled in my home. When that didn’t work, I tried drugs. Then I tried sex. Finally I decided that money was the answer. If I had money then I could BE someone; I would be seen and feel important.

I got to a place where I had more money than I could spend and partied with all the “cool” people on a regular basis. But I was still empty on the inside. I was still a miserable wreck trying to self-medicate with drugs, alcohol and sex.

Through all of this, I was crying out to God. I so desperately wanted to be good. I wanted to be a Christian who had the right façade and who did the right things. I had this idea of what a good Christian looked like and I knew that if I didn’t look this way then something was wrong with me. Who I was really didn’t matter; it was what I did, how I looked. It was the mask I was trying to put on. I tried very hard to cultivate the right Christian image, but it wasn’t who I was on the inside.

Our culture is so fascinated by image. Image is everything. That love and fixation on image has transferred itself into the church. For the church, in order to be a good Christian we have to look a certain way; we have to be perfect. We have to put on facades and we can’t have any issues. We certainly can’t be struggling with any sin. The church that is supposed to be the safest place on earth becomes the place where nobody wants to be transparent and vulnerable because we know what it will cost us.

Even though I managed to walk away from a life of larceny, drugs and booze by selling everything and enrolling in Bible College, I was still a prisoner of my past.

I was a junior high youth pastor when the FBI caught up with me and I went to federal prison. My worst nightmare stared me in the face -- all of my secrets would be revealed. The rejection and condemnation facing me was fearsome.

I confessed everything to the FBI and, by God’s grace, experienced mercy at the hands of a federal judge. God’s grace carried me through my time in prison and I realized the truth of Timothy 1:15-16 in a very genuine way. Christ came into the world to save sinners. I’m proof. The Lord has demonstrated His patience in my life because I never could have made it without Him.

The truth of my story is the most powerful tool I have to dispel lies in my own life. Being honest helps remove the obstacles that hinder authenticity with God, self, and others. Sin loves the dark, but if we force it into the light we take away its power. When we uncover our pasts, they have no power over us.

I’ve chosen not to lie anymore. I’ve chosen to reveal the real me, continually saved by grace. Living a lie will eventually separate us from the things that matter the most. It ultimately destroys us, those around us and the relationships we most care about.

I’ve learned that there’s very little God can do with our “good Christian” facades, but there’s a lot He can do with our honest pain (1 John 1:7-9). If God could help me in my miserable state, He can certainly help you wherever you are. Just the tiniest bit of faith can transform a desperate situation into an opportunity for God’s outrageous grace.

We need God’s grace to truly live. When we’re committing sin, when we’re repenting of sin or when we’re working ourselves out of the effects of sin, God’s grace is always with us. No matter what damage has been done, it’s never too late to build or restore.

This Week Be honest about your past and present. Confess all of your weaknesses, fears, hurts and sins to the Lord. Ask Him to make His grace real to you.

Prayer “Lord, I am going to be utterly honest with You. These are the issues I have in my life (list them as best you can). Please give me the wisdom I need to deal with them. Help me to experience Your grace so that I am truly alive in walking everything out. Amen.”

Watch Tom Davis, along with co-author Tammy Maltby, Monday and Tuesday (September 1-2) on LIFE Today.

Fingerprints of God

"Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise." James 5:13

"Happiness is a great love and much serving." Olive Schriener

"Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

"Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an action and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny." William James

"A cheerful look makes a dish a feast." George Herbert



Fingerprints of God - Steven Curtis Chapman
Music Video by theredhead521

Fingerprints Left Behind

Fingerprints Left Behind

Martha Meister Kiely

"Establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." Psalm 90:17

The poet may claim that great men leave footprints behind them on the sands of time, but any mother knows that what children leave behind them on windows and woodwork and cake icing is fingerprints. Nevertheless, both speak eloquently of our mark upon the world around us. No one passes through this life--or even lives a single day--without influencing it for better or for worst.

Mussolini said that he wanted to make a mark on the world like the claws of a lion. He did, and the bleeding wounds left behind are still unhealed.

John Wesley sought only to glorify God and make him know to others. He left behind him nothing but a good library or books, a well-worn clergyman's gown, a much abused reputation, and The Methodist Church.

Today leave a mark of kindness upon those you touch.

SCRIPTURE Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6: 1-10)

PRAY Almighty God, help me to reach out this day in helpfulness and generosity. May those who most need to feel the touch of my hands this day be touched by my compassion. Establish thou the work of my hands, O Lord, that I may a part of the world's answer instead of a part of it's problem. Amen.

Devotions for Women at Home, Martha Meister Kiely, pg 51, Abingdon Press ISBN 0-687-10679-6

But It Wouldn't Be Love

"And as the hands of Jesus opened for the nail,

the doors of heaven opened for you."

Max Lucado

(He Chose the Nails)

READ Mark 15

SITUATION Judas betrayed Jesus, and the religious authorities arrested God's Son. The disciples scattered, and Peter denied him three times. Jesus beaten and mocked throughout the night, provided salvation through his death and resurrection.

OBSERVATION The hours before Jesus' crucifixion were extremely painful for him, yet he faced the sacrifice with love, courage, and conviction so great hat he willingly gave up his life for us!

INSPIRATION He looked around the hill and foresaw a scene. Three figures hung on three crosses. Arms spread. Heads fallen forward. They moaned with the wind.

Men clad in soldiers' garb sat on the ground near the trio. They played games in the dirt and laughed.

Men clad in religion stood off to one side. They smiled. Arrogant, cocky. They had protected God, they thought, by killing this false one.

Women clad in sorrow huddled at the foot of the hill. Speechless. Faces tear streaked. Eyes downward. One put her arm around another and tried to lead her away. She wouldn't leave. "I will stay," she said softly. "I will stay."

All heaven stood to fight. All nature rose to rescue. All eternity poised to protect. But the Creator gave no command.

"It must be done...," he said, and withdrew.

But as he stepped back in time, he heard the cry that he would someday scream: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" He wrenched at tomorrow's agony.

The angle spoke again, "It would be less painful..."

The Creator interrupted softly, "But it wouldn't be love." (From In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado)

APPLICATION What have you given up for others recently? Remember how great Christ's generosity was to you as you think of these "sacrifices."

EXPLORATION Christ's Sacrifice --John 3:16; Romans 5:6-8; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 12:1-3.

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus; Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Eternal Security

This is the vision of Obadiah.

We have heard a message from the Lord.

A messenger has been sent among the nations, saying,

"Attack! Let's go attack Edom!"

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"Soon I will make you the smallest of nations.

You will be greatly hated by everyone.

Your pride has fooled you,

you who live in the hollow places of the cliff.

Your home is up high,

you who say to yourself,

'No one can bring me down to the ground.'

Even if you fly high like the eagle

and make your nest among the stars,

I will bring you down from there," says the Lord.

"You will really be ruined!

If thieves came to you,

if robbers came by night,

they would steal only enough for themselves.

If workers came and picked the grapes from your vines,

they would leave a few behind.

But you, Edom, will really lose everything!

People will find all your hidden treasures!

All the people who are your friends

will force you out of the land.

The people who are at peace with you

will trick you and defeat you.

Those who eat your bread with you now

are planning a trap for you,

and you will not notice it..." (1-7)

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But on Mount Zion some will escape the judgment,

and it will be a holy place.

The people of Jacob will be like a fire

and the people of Joseph like a flame.

But the people of Esau will be like dry stalks.

The people of Jacob will set them on fire

and burn them up.

There will be no one left of the people of Esau."

This will happen because the Lord has said it... (17-18)

SITUATION A bloody feud between Edom and Israel continued from the days of Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:19-34). Obadiah denounced Edom's cruelty and pride, and then prophesied that Israel would be restored as a nation with extended territory.

OBSERVATION God always protects and takes care of his children. With God on their side, His children are never underdogs.

INSPIRATION I have never met a Christian who had lost their assurance. Our security rests in the hands of an unconditionally loving heavenly Father. One who gave His best to insure our fellowship with Him forever. Our assurance rests in understanding and acceptance of these glorious truths.

For some people, the problem is erroneous teaching; for others, the problem is guilt. But whatever the reason, the result is the same, a lack of assurance. And when assurance goes, the basic building blocks of the relationship go also.

More is at stake than assurance. The very gospel itself comes under attack when the eternal security of the believer is questioned. Placing the responsibility for maintaining salvation on the believer is adding works to grace. Salvation would no longer be a gift. It would become trade--our faithfulness for His faithfulness.

This is a far cry from the good news Jesus preached and Paul heralded. Their gospel was salvation by faith--and only by faith.

The salvation spoken of by Jesus and Paul takes place at the moment in time yet seals the believer for all time. This faith moves the Judge not only to forgive and pardon the sinner, but to adopt him into His own family as well.

...Why the mercy? Why the kindness? The only answer is love--love of such magnitude that all human illustrations fall short, love that is unconditional at its core with no hidden agendas and no fine print. God's love is such that He accepts us just the way we are but refuses to leave us there...

God has gone to great lengths to make our relationship with Him possible. Doing so cost Him His Son. But the sacrifice of His Son did far more than merely provide us with the possibility of such a relationship: it guaranteed the permanency of that relationship as well.

Your salvation is secure. My prayer is that you would experience the assurance of this precious and costly gift. (From Eternal Security by Charles Stanley)

APPLICATION Have you ever felt that you were out of favor with God? Did you try to ask Jesus into your heart again, and again? Jesus comes the first time! He stays! Be confident that he will never leave you for you are his child.

EXPLORATION Security -- Psalm 17:8-9; 18:2-3; 27:1; Proverbs 18:10; 1 Peter 1:3-4.

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus - Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Sunrise

"Man cannot cover what God would reveal." Thomas Campbell

"The core of Christian revelation is that Jesus Christ is the sole legitimate Lord of all human lives." Hendrik Kramer

"In revelation, God is the agent as well as the object. It is not just that men speak about God, or for God; God speaks for Himself, and talks to us in person." James Innell (J.I.) Packer

"As it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" --these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit." 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NRSV

"As prayer is the voice of man to God, so revelation is the voice of God to man." John Henry Newman



Sunrise by Nichole Nordeman
Music video from koolchristiangirl

Everyday Miracles

Job continued to speak:

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"How I wish for the months that have passed

and the days when God watched over me.

God's lamp shined on my head,

and I walked through darkness by his light.

I wish for the days when I was strong, '

when God's close friendship blessed my house.

The Almighty was still with me,

and my children were all around me.

It was as if my path were covered with cream

and the rocks poured out olive oil for me.

I would go to the city gate,

and sit in the public square

When the young men saw me,

they would step aside,

and the old men would stand up in respect.

The leading men stopped speaking

and covered their mouths with their hands.

The voices of the important men were quiet,

as if their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

Anyone who heard me spoke well of me,

and those who saw me praised me,

because I saved the poor who called out

and the orphan who had no one to help.

Job 29:1-12

SITUATION Job described his role in the community. He may have been a judge or city official. In his position he sought justice and cared for the needy.

OBSERVATION Be careful to avoid pride because of your status. Job did not use his position for evil.

INSPIRATION The little house made me think of pictures I'd seen of the United States during the Depression. Unlit kerosene lanterns (no electricity). Basins of water to wash up in (no running water). A wall lined with well-worn hoes, shovels, and picks (no modern equipment). The kitchen was a separate hut that sat next to the front door of the house. I was intrigued by the stove. It was made of hard, backed mud, molded in a long narrow piece about four feet long and three feet tall. A four or five inch tough ran down the center to hold the wood. The ever-present pots cooking the beans and rice straddled the hot trough. I felt a long way from Rio.

Senor Jose took me on a tour through his segment of the world. For thirty-seven years he had plowed and tilled his two acres. It was obvious that he knew every hole and turn.

"I fed fourteen mouths off this land," he smiled, fingering a lettuce plant. "Where did you say you were from?"

"The U.S."

"What do you do there?"

I explained a bit about my work...

"A missionary, huh?" Your job must be pretty easy."

"How's that?" I asked.

"I have not trouble believing in God. After I see what he has done on my little farm, year after year. It is easy to believe." He smiled another toothless grin and yelled to his wife to bring out some beans.

As we drove home, I couldn't help thinking about senor Jose. My, what a simple life. No traffic jams, airline schedules, or long lines. Far removed from Wall Street, IRS, and mortgages, unacquainted with Johannine theology, Martin Luther, or Christian evidences.

I thought of his faith, his ability to believe, and his surprise that there were some who couldn't. I compared his faith with others I knew had more difficulty believing; a university student, a wealthy import-export man, an engineer. There was such a difference between Jose and the others.

His faith was rooted in the simple miracles that he witnessed every day.

A small seed becoming a towering tree.

A thin stalk pushing back the earth.

A rainbow arching in the midst of the thundercloud.

It was easy for him to believe. I can see why. Someone who witnesses God's daily display of majesty doesn't find the secret of Easter absurd. Someone who depends upon the mysteries of nature for his livelihood doesn't find it difficult to depend on an unseen God for his salvation.

God's testimony. When was the last time you witnessed it? A stroll though knee-high grass in a green meadow? An hour listening to seagulls or looking at seashells on the beach? Or witnessing the shafts of sunlight brighten the snow on a crisp winter dawn. Miracles that almost match the magnitude of the empty tomb happen all around us; we only have to pay attention. (From No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado)

APPLICATION Look around. What can you observe that speaks mightily about God's care and concern in your family, in nature, and in world events? Use your simple discovery in a conversation with a younger person this week. Help that person to built trust in God.

EXPLORATION God's Care-- Psalm 10:17-18; Proverbs 23:10-11; 1 Peter 3:15-16.

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus; Max Lucado General Editor; New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

You Are Worthy Of My Praise

"But if from thence thou shall seek the Lord thy God, they shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." Deuteronomy 4:29 KJV

"If we seek God for our own good and profit, we are not seeking God." Meister Eckhart

"All of heaven is waiting to help those who will discover the will of God and do it." J. Robert Ashcroft

"When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart. I will let you find me, says the Lord." Jeremiah 29:13-14 NRSV

You Are Worthy of My Praise (Vineyard)
Music Video by Charlesc28

Are you so vain that you probably don't think this PSALM is about you?

Lord, your name is everlasting;

Lord, you will be remembered forever.

The Lord defends his people

and has mercy on his servants.

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The idols of other nations are made of silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

They have mouths, but they cannot speak.

They have eyes, but they cannot see.

They have ears, but they cannot hear.

They have no breath in their mouths.

People who make idols will be like them,

and so will those who trust in them.

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Family of Israel, praise the Lord.

Family of Aaron, praise the Lord.

Family of Levi, praise the Lord.

You who respect the Lord should praise him.

You people of Israel, praise the Lord on Mount Zion.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 135: 14-21


SITUATION This writer praised God because God choose Israel as his people. God created a beautiful world, and God has greater power than any other god.

OBSERVATION God's children worship only him, while the heathen worship idols in vain.

INSPIRATION We usually think of an idol as a religious figure carved out of wood or stone, perhaps in some primitive tribe, far removed from civilization. Be we have our "idols" today, because an idol is something that you worship in place of the living God. Some people worship the idol of beauty or sexual pleasure. Some people worship the idol of money and security--although I have observed that the more money some people have the more insecure they become. Some people worship at the shrine of power, constantly scheming for ways they can dominate others.

...What is your idol? What really, honestly, dominates your life? What are your priorities, and what are the real (although perhaps hidden) motives in your everyday living? Is Christ on the throne of your life, or is it self? You don't have to practice voodoo to be a follower of a strange cult to have been deceived....Anything that entices you away from a wholehearted commitment to Christ is being used of Satan to deceive you. (From Approaching Hoofbeats by Billy Graham)

APPLICATION What inhibits your relationship with God? Get rid of distractions: pay off your credit cards, turn off the television for a night, and leave the motor home parked for the weekend. Take time to improve your friendship with God this week.

EXPLORATION Idols -- Deuteronomy 32:16; Psalm 96:5; Isaiah 2:8-9; Colossians 3:5-6; Revelation 9:20

The Devotional Bible -Experiencing The Heart of Jesus - Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

All My Tears, Julie Miller

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusted in thee." Isaiah 26:3

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell and hell of heaven." John Milton

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." Edwin Hubbel (E.H.) Chapin

"Never judge God by suffering, but judge suffering by the Cross." Fr. Andrew

"We often learn more of God under the rod that strikes us, than under the staff that comforts us." Stephen Charnock


All My Tears by Julie Miller
Music Video from Beanscot

A Cry For Help

A CRY FOR HELP

Psalm 69

God, save me,
because the water has risen to my neck.
I'm sinking down into the mud,
and there is nothing to stand on.
I am in deep water,
and the flood covers me.
I am tired from calling for help;
my throat is sore.
My eyes are tired from waiting for God to help me.
There are more people who hate me for no reason
than hairs on my head;
powerful enemies want to destroy me for no reason.
They make me pay back what I did not steal.

God, you know what I have done wrong;
I cannot hide my guilt from you.
Lord God All-Powerful,
do not let those who hope in you be ashamed because of me.
God of Israel,
do not let your worshipers be disgraced because of me.
For you, I carry this shame,
and my face is covered with disgrace.
I am like a stranger to my closest relatives
and a foreigner to my mother's children.
My strong love for your Temple completely controls me.
When people insult you,
it hurts me.
When I cry and go without food,
they make fun of me.
When I wear clothes of sadness,
they joke about me.
They make fun of me in public places,
and the drunkards make up songs about me.

But I pray to you,
Lord, for favor.
God, because of your great love,
answer me.
You are truly able to save.
Pull me from the mud,
and do not let me sink.
Save me from those who hate me
and from the deep water.
Do not let the flood drown me
or the deep water swallow me
or the grave close its mouth over me.
Lord, answer me because your love is so good.
Because of your great kindness,
turn to me.
Do not hide from me,
your servant. I am in trouble.
Hurry to help me!
Come near and save me;
rescue me from my enemies.

You see my shame and disgrace.
You know all my enemies
and what they have said.
Insults have broken my heart
and left me weak.
I looked for sympathy,
but there was none;
I found no one to comfort me.
They put poison in my food
and gave me vinegar to drink.

Let their own feasts cause their ruin;
let their feasts trap them and pay them back.
Let their eyes be closed so they cannot see
and their backs be forever weak from troubles.
Pour your anger out on them;
let your anger catch up with them.
May their place be empty;
leave no one to live in their tents.
They chase after those you have hurt,
and they talk about the pain of those you have wounded.
Charge them with crime after crime,
and do not let them have anything good.
Wipe their names from the book of life,
and do not list them with those who do what is right.

I am sad and hurting.
God, save me and protect me.

I will praise God in a song
and will honor him by giving thanks.
That will please the Lord more than offering him cattle,
more than sacrificing a bull with horns and hoofs.
Poor people will see this and be glad.
Be encouraged, you who worship God.
The Lord listens to those in need
and does not look down on captives.

Heaven and earth should praise him,
the seas and everything in them.
God will save Jerusalem and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will live there and own the land.
The descendants of his servants will inherit that land,
and those who love him will live there.

New Century Version

NIV LIFE APPLICATION BIBLE STUDY NOTES

This is one of the most quoted Psalm's in the New Testament; and it is often applied to the ministry and suffering of Jesus. Verse 4, like John 15:25, speaks of Jesus many enemies. the experience of being scorned by his brothers (69:8) is expressed in John 7:5. Verse 9 portrays David's zeal for God; Christ showed great zeal when he threw the money changers out of the temple (John 2:14-17). Paul quoted part of 69:9 in Romans 15:3. Christ's great suffering is portrayed in 69:20, 21 (Matthew 27:24; Mark 15:23; Luke 23:36; John 19:28-30). Verses 22 through 28 are quoted in Romans 11:9, 10; and Peter applied 69:25 to Judas (Acts 1:20).

David cried out until he was physically exhausted, with a parched throat and blurred vision. Yet he still trusted God to save him. When devastated by death or tragedy, we need not collapse or despair because we can turn to God and ask him to save us and help us. The tears will still come; but we will not be crying in vain.

Brave

"Of all passions, fear weakens judgment most." Cardinal de Retz

"Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear those who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28 NRSV

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Psalm 111:10 KJV

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31 KJV

"The chains of love are stronger than the chains of fear." William Gurnall

"We fear men so much, because we fear God so little. One fear cures another. When man's terror scares you, turn your thought to the wrath of God." William Gurnall

Brave by Nichole Nordeman
Music Video from: Gynn85

Fear

"The cure for fear is faith."

Norman Vincent Peale

FEAR

Faith is often the child of fear.

Fear propelled Peter out of the boat. He'd ridden these waves before. He knew what these storms could do. He'd heard the stories. He'd seen the wreckage. He knew the widows. He knew the storm could kill. And he wanted out...

Look into his eyes tonight and see fear--a suffocating, heart racing fear of a man who has no way out.

But out of his fear would be born an act of faith, for faith is often the child of fear.

If Peter had seen Jesus walking on the water during a calm, peaceful day, do you think he would have walked out to him?

Nor do I.

Had the lake been carpet smooth and the journey pleasant, do you think that Peter would have begged Jesus to take him on a stroll across the top of the water? Doubtful.

But give a man a choice between sure death and a crazy chance, and he'll take a chance...every time.

Great acts of faith are seldom born out of calm calculation.

It wasn't logic that caused Moses to raise his staff on the bank of the Red Sea.

It wasn't medical research that convinced Naaman to dip seven times in the river.

It wasn't common sense that caused Paul to abandon the Law and embrace grace.

And it wasn't a confident committee that prayed in a small room in Jerusalem for Peter's release from prison. It was a fearful, desperate, band of backed-into-a-corner believers. It was a church with no options. A congregation of have-nots pleading for help.

And never were they stronger.

At the beginning of every act of faith, there is often a seed of fear.

STUDY GUIDES
READ MATTHEW
14:24-31

* Describe a time when something very unexpected terrified you?

* In what ways do you think our desperation fuels our faith?

* Describe the ways that fear can both prompt our faith and destroy our faith?

* What kinds of things do you fear in life?

* What convinces you, as Peter was convinced, that getting to God is better than sitting in your fear?

* As you compare your fears to Peter's fear for safety, what would be your equivalent of walking on water (that risk you would take to get to where God is)?

* What do you think Peter brought out of the storm experience that the other disciples (who stayed in the boat) didn't?

* What does prayer have to do with our ability to bring God into the midst of our fears?

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus, Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Worm Theology

Job 25

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:

"God rules and he must be honored;

he set up order in his high heaven.

No one can count God's armies.

His light shines on all people.

So no one can be good in the presence of God,

and no one born to a woman can be pure.

Even the moon is not bright

and the stars are not pure in his eyes.

People are much less! They are like insects.

They are only worms!"

READ Job 25:1--26:14

SITUATION The discussion between Job and his friends continued. Bildad replied to Job's claim of innocence. Job responded sarcastically to Bildad (26:2-4) because his advice lacked consolation.

OBSERVATION Man cannot be compared with God. God's immensity cannot be measured.

INSPIRATION Ever get a song on your mind? ....It happened to me last week .... I found myself listening to what Watts wrote over two centuries ago.

Alas! and did my Savior bleed?

And did my Sovereign die?

Would he devote that sacred head

For such a worm as I?

I frowned at that last line faded away. "A worm"? Does God see people as "worms"? When Christ died did he "devote that sacred head " for worms? Now, obviously, Watts wanted to portray a vivid illustration of sinful mankind --lost, undeserving, spiritually worthless, wicked within. Dipping his brush in Job 25 and Isaiah 41, the hymnist painted such a picture using the very term Scripture uses --worm. He was biblical and therefore justified his choice of terms for the text. Frankly, we were worm-like when our righteous God found us--lowly, wandering, dirty, unattractive, grubby creatures.

But that doesn't mean we work hard at making ourselves into worms now. A child of God is not a worm. If God had wanted you to be a worm, He could have very easily made you one! ...When Watts wrote of worms he was merely using a word picture. Many others however, have framed it as a model to follow, calling it humility. This "worm theology" creates enormous problems.

It wears many faces--all sad. It crawls out from between the mattress and springs in the morning, telling itself, "I'm nothing, I'm a worm. Woe, woe. I can't do anything and even if I appear to be doing something, it's not really me. Woe! I must annihilate self-respect..crucify all motivation and ambition...I'm a worm. Good for nothing except crawling very slowly, drowning in mud puddles, or getting stepped on. Woe, woe, woe."

There's one main problem with this sort of thinking--it's phony. No matter how diligently we labor to appear genuinely humble, it amounts to nothing more than trying to look good in another way....

And therein lies the ugly sin: PRIDE.

Heretical though it may sound, no one who actually hates himself can adequately share the love of Christ. Our Lord taught that we were to love our neighbors as we love ourselves....

Have you taken time this week to consider before your Lord who you really are?

Sinful? Oh yes. Undeserving? Absolutely. Imperfect Who isn't. Selfish? Indeed. Wrong? More often than not.

But a worm? Useless? Unimportant? Spineless? Meaningless? No, not that. God declared us righteous. He lifted us out of miry clay and set us upon a rock. He invites us to approach Him with boldness. And He means it! (From Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life by Charles Swindoll)

APPLICATION Although God has vast power, he still cares greatly for His children. Explore the verses below. Copy two on an index card and place the card where you will see it often. Remember that God never forgets who you are and what you are facing.

EXPLORATION Value of People -- Genesis 1:26; Job 32:8; John 3:16; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 1:5

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus - Max Lucado General Editor; New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Let Us Not Be Like Others

D

Let Us Not Be Like Others

s

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (1 Thessalonians Chapter 5)
d

CHECKLIST FOR

ENCOURAGERS

d

The command to "encourage" is found throughout the Bible. In 1 Thessalonians 15:11-23, Paul gives many examples of how we can encourage others:

5:11 Build each other up. (Point out to someone a quality you appreciate in him or her.)

5:12 Respect Leaders. (Look for ways to cooperate.)

5:13 Hold Leaders in high regard. (Hold back your next critical comment about those in positions of responsibility. Say "thank-you" to your leaders for their efforts.

5:14 Live in Peace. (Search for ways to get along with others.)

5:14 Encourage the timid. ( Encourage those who are weak by loving them and praying for them.)

5:14 Be patient. (Think of a situation that tries your patience and plan ahead of time how you can stay calm.)

5:15 Resist revenge. (Instead of planning to get even with those who mistrust you, do good to them.)

5:16 Be joyful. (Remember that even in the midst of turmoil, God is in control.)

5:17 Pray continually. (God is always with you--talk to him.)

5:18 Give thanks. (Make a list of all the gifts God has given you, give thanks to God for each one.)

5:19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire. (Cooperate with the Spirit the next time he prompts you to participate in a Christian meeting.)

5:20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt. (Receive God's word from those who speak for him.)

5:22 Avoid every kind of evil. (Avoid situations where you will be drawn into temptation.)

5:23 Count on God's contrast help. (Realize that the Christian life is to be lived not in our own strength but through God's power.)

NIV Life Application Study Bible, page 2177 Zondervan Press

If You Say Go

"To be a saint does not mean never to sin. It means to start again with humility and joy after each fall." Dom Helder Camara

"What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and to enjoy him for ever." The Shorter Catechism

"We are mirrors of God, created to reflect Him. Even when the water is not calm, it reflects the sky." Ernesto Cardenal

"No soldiers of Christ are ever lost, missing, or left dead on the battlefield." John Charles Ryle

"The Christian life is not a playground; it is a battleground." Warren W. Wiersbe

"Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present world darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:11-12


If You Say Go - Diane Thiel and Rita Spriger
Movie Clips from "The End of the Spear"
Music Video from Ladilamborn

That Still Small Voice

That Still Small Voice

Elijah Runs Away

1 Kings 19

King Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how Elijah had killed all the prophets with a sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "May the gods punish me terribly if by this time tomorrow I don't kill you just as you killed those prophets."

When Elijah heard this, he was afraid and ran for his life, taking his servant with him. When they came to Beersheba in Judah, Elijah left his servant there. Then Elijah walked for a whole day into the desert. He sat down under a bush and asked to die. "I have had enough, Lord," he prayed. "Let me die. I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the tree and slept.

Suddenly an angel came to him and touched him. "Get up and eat," the angel said. Elijah saw near his head a loaf baked over coals and a jar of water, so he ate and drank. Then he went back to sleep.

Later the Lord's angel came to him a second time. The angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat. If you don't, the journey will be too hard for you." So Elijah got up and ate and drank. The food made him strong enough to walk for forty days and nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. There Elijah went into a cave and stayed all night.

Then the Lord spoke his word to him: "Elijah! Why are you here?"

He answered, "Lord God All-Powerful, I have always served you as well as I could. But the people of Israel have broken their agreement with you, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets with swords. I am the only prophet left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."

The Lord said to Elijah,

"Go, stand in front of me on the mountain, and I will pass by you."

Then a very strong wind blew until it caused the mountains to fall apart and large rocks to break in front of the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

After the fire, there was a quiet, gentle sound. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.

Then a voice said to him, "Elijah! Why are you here?"

He answered, "Lord God All-Powerful, I have always served you as well as I could. But the people of Israel have broken their agreement with you, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets with swords. I am the only prophet left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."

The Lord said to him, "Go back on the road that leads to the desert around Damascus. Enter that city, and pour olive oil on Hazael to make him king over Aram. Then pour oil on Jehu son of Nimshi to make him king over Israel. Next, pour oil on Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to make him a prophet in your place. Jehu will kill anyone who escapes from Hazael's sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes from Jehu's sword. I have seven thousand people left in Israel who have never bowed down before Baal and whose mouths have never kissed his idol."


So Elijah left that place and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field with a team of oxen. He owned twelve teams of oxen and was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah came up to Elisha, took off his coat, and put it on Elisha. Then Elisha left his oxen and ran to follow Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and my mother good-bye," Elisha said. "Then I will go with you."

Elijah answered, "Go back. It does not matter to me."

So Elisha went back and took his pair of oxen and killed them. He used their wooden yoke for a fire. Then he cooked the meat and gave it to the people. After they ate it, Elisha left and followed Elijah and became his helper.

DEFINING PERFECT OBEDIENCE

Glenn H. Jackson

...."But know that the Lord has set apart

the godly man for Himself;

the Lord hears when I call to Him.

Tremble, and do not sin;

meditate in your heart upon your bed,

and be still.

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,

and trust in the Lord....

Thou hast put gladness in my heart....

in peace I will both lie down and sleep,

for Thou alone, O Lord,

dost make me to dwell in safety"....

Psalm 4:3-5, 7a, 8 NASB

What a joy it is to serve the Lord from a pure and obedient heart. What gladness fills the heart of all those who hearken diligently to the voice of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God before all else. Indeed, there are many times when our souls - even though they may be "renewed" to a great degree - have not quite captured the "fulness" of the revelation of God's will that has been revealed to our inner man [spirit] by the Holy Spirit.

It is at such times that the child of God must "relentlessly pursue" the carrying out of the instructions they have been given by God. For, in matters such as this, any "hesitation" or reluctance becomes the doorway to doubt and unbelief - which in turn will lead to certain disobedience.

When we are given a task to do we must, of course, first be certain that it lines up with the written Word of God and, in "knowing" that it does, we must be truly still before God with a sensitive heart - ever listening for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.

It is in this area of guidance where many believers depart from the "perfect" obedience that the Heavenly Father so desires of His children. For it is only continual fellowship with God that will bring us to the place where we can "hear" clearly the voice of our Good Shepherd above the noise and confusion and distractions of the world.

Therefore, as we abide in the Word of God [and He abides in us] our lives will enter into the "rest" and divine assurance that is the spontaneous by- product of a heart that abides in perfect obedience.

"Perfect" obedience - as defined by the wisdom of God - is a product of having both the "exact" knowledge of God's Word, through a "revelation" given by the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom and unction, that comes from hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, moment to moment.

This "abiding" wisdom then enables one to apply the "true" or "exact" knowledge they have had revealed to their hearts directly to the "circumstances" of the moment, thus keeping that child of God continually in the narrow path of perfect obedience - as they continually act upon the commands that they have been given.

The key to this prosperous life of obedience is the time one spends "ministering" to the Father and His Word - in stillness before Him in the "inner chamber". This allows Him to commune with them, and also impart the deepest desires [thoughts and intentions] of His tender and loving heart towards them.

One cannot enter into the presence of the Father in the "inner chamber" and not be spiritually strengthened for every task that is before them. It is in this place of intimate communion and fellowship that one is empowered to abide in a perfect obedience - there is NO other way.

These things that I have spoken of are the essence of the "true riches" and, indeed, it is certain that all else pales in comparison with abiding in the glorious presence of Almighty God!

Related Scriptures: Ephesians 1:17-23; Colossians 1:9-14; Romans 8:14; Proverbs 3:13-26; Psalm 91:1-16.

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