Dependence: September 4, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2015.

DEPENDENCE

DEFINITION:

The state of relying on or needing someone or something for aid or support; reliance; trust; subordination or subjection.

SCRIPTURE:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5.

Who among you fears the Lord; let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely (have dependence) upon his God. Isaiah 50:10.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

David is a good example for us today as to how in so many cases he put his whole dependence on the Lord. David went from being a shepherd boy to being the King of Israel. As a shepherd boy he had to kill a lion and a bear to protect his sheep. In each instance he gave the Lord credit for delivering him from the problem (the lion and the bear).

David told Saul that he would volunteer to go and fight Goliath. Saul was against it because he was so young. But David responded to Saul by saying, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the jaw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine.” I Samuel 17:37. David did not trust in his own ability and strength but in his dependence on the Lord.

Just as a young child depends on his or her parents for almost everything, we as believers in Christ need to depend totally on God. When we rely on our own understanding and wisdom, we often find we do not have the answer we need to get us through the situation we face. Our wisdom is limited but our God’s is not.

We need to learn the independent side of dependence as we walk in our Christian life. We need to show our independence by separating ourselves from the sinful activities of this world while depending every moment on the leading of the Lord in our lives.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Isaiah 53:6.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

PRAYER:

Help me to put my complete trust in You. Help me to depend on Your leading and not on my own understanding.

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Deliverance: September 3, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

DELIVERANCE

DEFINITION:

To rescue or save from evil; salvation; redemption.

SCRIPTURE:

And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly Kingdom. II Timothy 4:18.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

When Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden for their sin, all mankind from that point forward were condemned and were to live in a world subject to the evil devices of Satan. Thankfully, because of God’s love for us, He had a plan of deliverance through His Son’s death on the cross to redeem us from death into eternal life. As believers, when we accept Jesus as our Savior and repent of our sins, we are saved from paying the penalty for our sins and but we must still live in a world subject to the evil that Satan brings into it.

God has not left us defenseless against Satan’s temptations and evil influence in this world. God has given us the Bible. The truth of God’s Word is more powerful than any of Satan’s evil devices.

God’s Word will strengthen our faith and draw us into a right relationship with our Lord. It can’t help us if we leave it on a shelf. We must read it.

In Matthew 6:9-13 Jesus gave us an example as how to pray. He taught us to ask for deliverance from evil. There should be no doubt that we need to pray for deliverance every day from the evil that surrounds us. Prayer is a strong defense against evil.

The Apostle Paul went through many trials and persecutions and in II Timothy 3:11 he said that the Lord delivered him from all of them. This did not just happen accidently. Paul had a relationship with our Lord that included daily communication. It is from his personal experience that Paul assures us that the Lord will deliver us from all evil and bring us safely to His heavenly kingdom.

Paul also tells us in II Corinthians 1:10 that God delivers us from death. In Colossians 1:3, Paul tells us that God delivers us from the power of darkness which is Satan. What wonderful assurances we have as believers of the deliverances from evil that we have through Jesus Christ each day. On the cross Jesus conquered death and Satan.

There is no evil of any kind that our Lord cannot overcome. Yes, we are living in a sinful and cruel world but as believers we have so much to thank our Lord for including the deliverance that He gives us from our trials and temptations.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Isaiah 53:6.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

PRAYER:

How grateful our family is for the deliverance that You continually give us from the evil, trials and the temptations we face in life. Make today a special day of victory as we do all we can to honor You.

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Deal: September 2, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2015.

DEAL

DEFINITION:

Negotiate; trade; do business with; an agreement; a bargain or agreement for mutual understanding.

SCRIPTURE:

I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired servants. Luke 15:19.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

We often hear of people trying to make a deal with God. Our relationship with God has no room for negotiations. Have you ever heard a person say to God that they would serve Him but please do not take away my freedom to act as I see fit. This does not work with God. We have learned over the years to put our trust in God and ask Him to lead us every day. Deals just do not work with God. And when you do what we suggested here you will soon find out that God will do bigger things for you than you ever thought could happen.

We have often referred in these devotionals to the parable about the prodigal son that we read about in Luke. The prodigal son did what many of us try to do with God. He had left home with his share of the riches of his inheritance. He lost everything and decided to return home. He did not know if he would be accepted based on how he had made a fool of himself when he left home and dishonored his father. So he thought he would go home and make a deal with his father.

There were three kinds of servants in that day. There were part time day workers that came and were paid on a day by day basis. There were the hired servants that worked very long hours but were able to live in town so they had their own independence. And finally they had bond servants that lived on the estate and gave all of themselves, day and night, to serve the family.

The prodigal son had hit bottom with nowhere to turn so he decided to return to make a deal with his father to become a hired servant. He felt that if his father would agree he could get paid and continue his independence. But his father had a better deal for him. He received him back as his son and welcomed him back with open arms and complete forgiveness.

Just like the prodigal son’s father, Jesus has his arms wide open ready and willing to receive us as repenting sinners back into His family. We do not have to negotiate a deal with God to become a part of the family of God. Before we were created God set a deal. It is simply stated in Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” All those who welcome Jesus as Lord of their lives God welcomes into His family. It is ours to accept or reject the offer.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Isaiah 53:6.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

PRAYER:

Thank You dear Lord for the deal you have given me by sending Your only Son to this earth to die on the cross to pay the debt for my sins. I welcome Jesus into my life and thank You that now You have received me with welcoming open arms into Your family.

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Stress: September 1, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2015.

STRESS

DEFINITION:

Physical or emotional strain or tension; worry; anxiety; a response of the body to a stimulus such as pain or fear, that disturbs a person mentally or emotionally.

SCRIPTURE:

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Mark 1:35.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

People all around us seem to be stressed about situations they are facing daily. Medical professionals tell us that stress is a killer. But really we cannot escape stress because the very nature of our lifestyle today brings about stressful situations.

Therefore, what we need to focus on is not the situations but how are we going to handle such situations. Many people try to escape their stressful situations by resorting to drugs, medications, alcohol, sex, gambling, or anything else that brings temporary relief from a situation of stress they are facing. Unfortunately, none of these methods are effective. We can assure you that the ultimate solution to every stressful situation you may face comes from God.

Jesus experienced stress, but He knew exactly how to handle it. Large crowds of people came from all parts of Palestine to hear Jesus preach and to seek healing for their diseases or to have demons cast out. Jesus is concerned about us and He does not ignore the needs of those who come to Him.

Everywhere Jesus went large crowds followed. In Mark 3:9 the crowd was so large that Jesus told the disciples “to have a boat ready for Him lest the crowd crush Him.” And in verse 20 we read that He went to a house but the crowd gathered so that He and His disciples could not eat. He always got away from the stressful situation and went somewhere alone to pray.

After feeding the 5,000 Jesus needed a break from the stress of the crowd and in Luke 9:18 we find Jesus praying alone. Jesus took time to pray. He needed time to talk to God alone. If Jesus needed time alone with God, how much more do we need it?

The Apostle Paul, after he was dramatically saved, he was under real stress from guilt he felt because he persecuted Christians and now was a follower of Jesus. So after his conversion he headed for a wilderness desert in Arabia to seek solitude with God. We can read about this in Galatians 1:17. When we are under stress, time alone in prayer with God is vital and He will set us free from stress.

The Lord wants us to be alone with Him for two primary reasons. Because God created us in His image, He wants us to develop a relationship with Him. No other creature on earth was given this privilege by God. In fact solitude, being alone with God, is the only way we will cultivate an intimate relationship with Christ which will provide the strength and faith we need to overcome any stress we may face.

Being alone with God will also prepare us for the events we will face ahead of us. This is why we should spend time alone with God every morning so we can experience God’s reassurance presence in our daily walk. When we are alone with God we need to first, read God’s Word and listen to what He is saying through the Word. Secondly, communicate to God through prayer. This should be a time to focus on being more sensitive to the Lord’s presence not on our needs and requests.

There are so many benefits for us personally when we spend time alone with God. It will make our busy days more fruitful. It will equip us to face a tough day including trials, heartaches and burdens. It will strip us of our pride, protect our health and make a difference in our relationships with family, friends and others. And most important it will give us peace and joy, greater strength and a new trust in God.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Isaiah 53:6.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

PRAYER:

Help me to handle the stress in my life by spending more time with You alone. May the benefits You bestow upon me be overwhelming and make me humble before You.

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True Love: August 31, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY AUGUST 31, 2015.

TRUE LOVE

DEFINITION:

A profoundly tender, passionate affection that is real and genuine and unconditional.

SCRIPTURE:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. I John 4:7-8.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Today we will continue our thoughts that we began last Friday. We will discuss what true love is and what is the nature of love?

In today’s world people are confused about love. For most people love has come to mean a relationship based on sexual attraction. True love is the most important of all human qualities and the most needed to have a fulfilled life. True love involves the giving of oneself in service to someone else.

Love is a commitment to the satisfaction, security and development of the person who is loved and a commitment to the fulfilment of their needs, whatever they are, always asking what is best for the other person.

Love is a commitment to another person that requires faithfulness and is motivated by a desire to see the one loved become who God wants him or her be. Affection and desire are often equated with love but they are not necessarily the same thing. Only God can fill our empty souls looking for affection or a desire for love.

There is only one true genuine love, and it is the love of Almighty God. God’s true love is unconditional; God demonstrates His love for us in this: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8. He is the source of love and He desires to fill our empty souls with His love.

God’s love is active and powerful and it brings healing, builds a sense of self-worth, produces a feeling of emotional completeness and gives a feeling of security. God’s love helps us to love those who have wronged us, enables us to be kind to those who have misunderstood us, and empowers us to serve others joyfully.

This kind of fulfilling love is only found when one has a personal relationship with Christ. At the moment of salvation, He plants His love in our hearts. Then as we grow spiritually, His love within us matures and we are able to show true love to others.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Isaiah 53:6.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

PRAYER:

Help our family to direct people today to a saving knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ. Help us to encourage those that are hurting and lonely how to find the love of Christ in their hearts.

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