Think: November 22, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2013.

THINK

DEFINITION:

Form a mental concept of; hold as a belief or opinion; exercise the mind; to employ one's mind rationally in evaluating a situation.

SCRIPTURE:

For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

We are often asked how to develop a Godly attitude in our daily living. Much of our actions and our desires are controlled by the way we think. Our thoughts motivate us to do the things we do. Many people we talk to have an inferior feeling due to fear that has come from sin in their life and they have a constant fear and want to overcome this fear.

Following are a few principles that if they become part of your daily thinking they will motivate a change in your attitude from fear to faith. Allowing these principles to guide your daily thought process will soon help you to develop a positive Godly mental attitude.

Here are eight constructive suggestions that you can think about daily and apply then to your life as necessary.

•             Today I will think like a dynamic servant of God because as the scripture says (above), I am what I think

•             I am not always what I think I am; I am what I think. 

•             I am not what I eat; I am what I think.

•             Clothes do not make the man or woman; thinking makes the man or woman.

•             I will keep my thought processes active and open to the voice of God.

•             God did not call me to a life of failure, but to a life of success.

•             I cannot fail as long as I do His will. I will allow Him to work in and through me today, motivating my every thought.

•             Because my God is a great God, I will think with confidence on every issue that comes my way knowing that my thoughts never can be greater than my God's. 

Make your commitment today to think like a dynamic servant of God. A dynamic servant of God thinks by faith and not with or by fear. You think by choice. You can think good or you can think evil. It is your choice but remember you cannot have it both ways, by thinking good and evil at the same time. We really have two ways to think, the righteous way or the unrighteous way.

In Isaiah 55:8-9 it reads: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." When you really want to work at your thinking process remember to keep your thought process, your thinking, focused on the Word of God and open to the voice of God. Learn to listen for God's voice.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Timothy 1:15.

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

PRAYER:

Help me to be alert so that when my spiritual alarm goes off I will be quick to draw back and reject any unwise choices. Help me to realize that my conscience is not designed to be my guide but it is a tool of the Holy Spirit dealing within me. Help me to be submissive to the Holy Spirit so I can conform to the likeness of Christ.

Gems of Encouragement: November 23, 2013

GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2013

PROVERB:

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord man avoids evil. Proverbs 16:6

PROMISE:

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in a belly of a huge fish, so the Son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40

PRAISE:

That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. I Corinthians 15:3-4

He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Matthew 28:6

Meekness: November 21, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2013.

MEEKNESS

DEFINITION:

Submissive; humble; gentleness.

SCRIPTURE:

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: 

Jesus spoke to the multitudes and said "Blessed are the meek." When He used the word meek He was talking about being gentle and humble. The meek prosper in this world because they are the ones who have their ego and self-righteous know-it-all attitude under control.

Many believers today often forget God in their daily decision making and try to live their life the way they want to live it. They want to be in control. When this happens, we as believers need to ask God to teach us meekness so that we can live in obedience to Him and depend on His guidance and His strength.

The way God wants us to live usually contradicts the world’s way of living. When we live in obedience to God, we must be willing to do and say what non-believers will think strange.

Moses succumbed to ego and self-righteousness. He thought he could use his own power to bring about deliverance for God's people from slavery. He misused his power by killing an Egyptian, which only dissipated his power because he lost the respect of his own people. (Exodus 2: 11-15) God had to teach him meekness and in Numbers 12:3 we read that after Moses learned his lesson by recognizing the insufficiency of his own power, Moses became very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.

It is important for us to understand that power without control dissipates into useless energy. Some time ago we spent a few relaxing days at Niagara Falls. This is one of the most spectacular sights we have ever seen. We watched and listened to the roar of 6 million cubic feet of water come over those falls every minute. This makes it the most powerful waterfall in North America. More than 50% of the river's water is diverted before it reaches the falls via four huge tunnels. The diverted water passes through hydroelectric turbines that supplies power to nearby areas of Canada and the United States before it returns to the river well past the falls. The power of the river was brought under control to produce beneficial energy.

This is a marvelous example for us to understand that power without control will most often go into useless energy. We as believers need to let go of our personal power and let God's power flow through our lives. Nothing is more powerful than the power that we can have when under God's control. It is only when we let God be in control that we will one day receive all that God has in store for us.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse this week is found in I Timothy 1:15.

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 

PRAYER:

Help us to strive to do Your will so that we may experience Your power in our lives. When we struggle to succeed and realize we might fail in our own power, help us to realize that it is by Your strength that we need to succeed.

Goal: November 20, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2013.

GOAL

DEFINITION:

The result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end.

SCRIPTURE:

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: 

During one's lifetime we have many opportunities to set goals. We set these goals, some consciously and some unconsciously. For example, as a child we unconsciously set a goal to quit crawling and start walking. As students in school we set goals in classes, in sports and in activities.

As we grew older we set goals for advance schooling or job selections. We set goals for leaving home and living on our own. We set goals in our married life and then years later as we retired. The point we are making is that every day we live we have opportunities to set goals. The importance of a goal is that it motivates us to achieve.

Years ago I (Ken) developed the habit of writing out a list every night outlining my goals for the next day. I still do that now after all these years. We believe that people accomplish more when they set and record goals in life.

But the most important goals that we need to set are the spiritual goals in our lives. Some of these include the goals we set after we have accepted Jesus as our Savior. The most important goals we should set are to read the Bible and pray every day. We, as believers, need to set goals for our spiritual growth that includes studying God's Word and praying for our role in reaching the world we live in.

The Apostle Paul clearly states his most important goal in the verse we have put at the top of this devotional. He tells us that he presses toward that goal. It is not instantly attained. It is a process. In other words everyday he pushes himself to the commitment he made in his life to know Christ Jesus and to be more like Jesus every day. And part of this commitment was his communication with God, asking Him for direction and wisdom to keep him obedient to God's leading in his life. Paul’s goal was Christ-likeness.

Paul goes on in this verse to tell us that his ultimate goal was the prize of the upward call of Jesus. He daily looked forward to the day he would be called to heaven to be with his Lord and be completely transformed to Christ-likeness. What a clear directive Paul gives to all believers in this verse. Now it is our responsibility to act. It is our responsibility to set Paul's goal as ours.

Are there things in your life that you must change because they are hindering your goal to be more like Jesus Christ? We urge you to learn to set goals for your daily life. As a believer in Jesus, what are you doing to be a witness for Him? We are commanded as believers to "GO." If we are not reaching out to others to show our love for Jesus we are failing. God wants us to set goals and then act on them. When you include God in setting your spiritual goals, watch out what He will do for you.

LEARNING: 

Our memory verse this week is found in I Timothy 1:15.

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

PRAYER:

Lord, help me to be aware of those things that are hindering my relationship with You. Help me set goals today that will make me fruitful for You. May my family join me as together we can make an impact for You as we press toward the prize of spending an eternity with You.  

Gentle: November 19, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2013.

GENTLE

DEFINITION:

Mild in manner or disposition; tender; peaceful; tame; kind; submissive. 

SCRIPTURE:

Rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very special in the sight of the Lord. I Peter 3:4.

See, your king comes to you gentle and riding on a donkey. Matthew 21:5.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29.

To speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. Titus 3:2

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

One of the characteristics of Jesus is that He is gentle. Matthew describes Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem as the coming of a gentle king. Kings are usually tyrants and arrogant and war-like. Jesus is the opposite. He is gentle, humble and peaceful. Jesus is depicted as a shepherd and a shepherd gently leads his sheep and carries the lambs that need help. He never forcefully drives his sheep. 

Gentleness is not weakness. Jesus was pictured as both a Lamb and a Lion. Jesus, the Lamb of God, was the symbol of gentleness and submissiveness to God’s will. Jesus, the Lion, was the symbol of authority and power.

The prophet Isaiah tells of the coming of the Lord and in Isaiah 40:11 says "He will feed His flock like a Shepherd; He will gather His lambs with His arm, and carry them close to His heart, and gently lead those who have young." How comforting and encouraging to know that we have a gentle Savior who not only leads us in the right path but when the going gets hard He lifts us up and carries us close to His heart.

During Jesus ministry on earth parents sought to bring their small children to Jesus for His blessing. The disciples tried to stop them, thinking that children were too insignificant to take up the time of Jesus and interrupt His ministry. Jesus rebuked the disciples and gently and tenderly called the children to come to Him, saying to His disciples, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Luke 18:15-16). Our gentle Savior invites all, no matter how young or old or how insignificant we might think we are, to come to Him.

The scriptures give us many illustrations on how Jesus was gentle to those He met. We are called to follow in the steps of Jesus and live by the example He sets for us (I Peter 2:21). We need to be gentle in all that we do. We need to be gentle to our spouses, to our children, to our family and to our friends. Gentleness requires showing consideration for others. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:5 to "Let your gentleness be evident to all."

Most of us are not gentle by nature. In II Timothy 2:24, the Apostle Paul exhorts us as Christians by saying: "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach and be patient." The scripture also reminds us that we need wisdom as given to us from God which is pure, peaceable and gentle. James 3:17.

In Proverbs 15:1 it tells us that a gentle or kind answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Our challenge to you today is to be gentle in your speech and treat people with consideration and kindness. We are sure that you will get a response from those who know you that will bless you.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Timothy 1:15.

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

PRAYER:

Thank You Lord for being my gentle Savior and shepherd who leads me in the right path. Help me to be gentle in all that I say to people and in all that I do.  Help me to show my love for my Lord by my gentle spirit and by my acts of kindness.

Trouble: November 18, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2013.

TROUBLE

DEFINITION:

A condition or cause of distress and concern; difficulty; annoy; worry.

SCRIPTURE:

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. Psalm 91:15.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble You preserve my life. Psalm 138:7

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

In the third chapter of Daniel you can read about the trouble that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had because they refused to bow to the golden image that their King Nebuchadnezzar required all to bow to. The scripture tells us that the King was furious and in a rage and gave the command to bring these three men before him. The King asked them if it was true that they would not serve his gods or worship the gold image that he had set up.

The King told them to bow now or they would be thrown into a burning furnace. Now it would seem that these men were in more trouble than they could handle. They had to choose the path of righteousness or the path of wickedness. They knew, as believers in God, it would be disobedient to God if they bowed down to false images or gods, however, if they did not bow to the image they would be disobedient to the King and it would cost them their lives.

They now knew they had to make a choice and answer the King. They must either bow down or face death in the fiery furnace. They did not hesitate in giving the King their answer. They would not bow down to the image. They believed God could save them but even if God chose not to save them, they could not worship false gods.

The King was now really full of fury and ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than normal. Now these three men really were in trouble. The King had the three men bound and thrown into the furnace. These men knew their only hope was their total trust in God and that God would be with them in this time of trouble in their lives.

Then the King was astonished at what he saw. He asked his counselors if they only put three men into the furnace because he could now see four. The King said that the fourth man is like the Son of God. He ordered the men to be taken out of the furnace and then said to the men who came out of the furnace to come to him. Then the King said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego" and the King decreed that no man should speak against the God of these men or if they did that they would be sliced to pieces.

The King acknowledged that their God was the true God with these words: "For no other God can save this way."

In times of trouble, we may feel like we are in the fiery furnace and we wonder why does God allow believers to experience so much trouble. The reality is that God does allow believers to be in the fire for reasons we do not know; however this we do know, that when any of His children are in the fire, He is right there with them.

What a wonderful illustration and example God has given us in this event. If God could help these men in their time of trouble, surely He can be with us in our times of trouble. Remember that it is the troubles of life that helps shape us into what God wants us to be.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Timothy 1:15.

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

PRAYER:

Thank You for this illustration that You have given us in Your Word and for promises given in Psalms that You will be with us in our times of trouble. Keep us strong when trouble comes our way so we do not compromise our faith and be disobedient to You. We acknowledge You as the one and only true God.