Day-by-Day – Day 27 – Revival

On April 14, 2009April 13, 2009 By KateIn Devotionals2 Comments

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~Psalm 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

The Christian is so blessed to be settled in the palm of God’s hand! When we set aside our pride and allow the Lord to do His work, we reap peace! Sometimes there just isn’t anything that can be done but to trust in the Lord – to trust Him in such a way that you know He will bring you through your trial.

I think of the Apostle Paul who asked God three times to remove the thorn in his side but the Lord told him His (God’s) grace was sufficient. If I were Paul, this would not have been the answer I wanted. However, look at what Paul reaped! God used him – the New Testament is comprised mostly of his writings. The Holy Spirit used Paul in a mighty way by speaking God’s Word through Paul’s pen. He had been tortured, imprisoned and beaten. Paul truly walked in the midst of trouble.

We should never belittle someone else’s experiences and say their trial is small. Everyone struggles with trials at one time or another. At the time, the burden seems too heavy to bear to that individual. It’s just as equal to them as whatever burden you’re carrying. Everyone carries burdens – the young as well as the old. Burdens have a blessed role in our lives. They fill our hearts with compassion for one another. How can one be compassionate if one never has trials?

Dear Christian, God promises to revive us when we are overburdened with cares, physical ailments and troubles. One of my favorite verses that encourage my spirit is in Isaiah.

~Isaiah 40:29-31 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Day-by-Day – Day 26 – Chosen

On April 12, 2009 By KateIn Devotionals3 Comments

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~Psalm 139:13-16 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

To think that God knew us before we were born is mind boggling to me! God just doesn’t know me, but He knows every part of me. I’m so thankful that He chose to die for me despite of who I am today. I love Spurgeon’s quote:

It’s a good thing God chose me before I was born, because he surely would not have afterwards.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon

I’m also thankful that despite of who I am and the sinner that I am, Christ chose to die for me! It shows how much God loves us!

~Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Day-by-Day – Day 25 – Intercession

On April 11, 2009 By KateIn Devotionals1 Comment

101_1314 Prayers are awesome. They are the Christian’s wonderful connection to God. But just think about it for a moment. How would you feel if you knew that Jesus Christ was praying to His Father for you? If anyone knows you inside out, it’s Christ.

I don’t know about you, but I would rather have my Saviour praying for me than a thousand people!!

~John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

~Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

I love this quote:

If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.
Robert Murray M’Cheyne

Day-by-Day – Day 24 – Fear of God

On April 8, 2009April 7, 2009 By KateIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

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I stand in awe of the God of all creation when I look at the moon and all the stars in the heavens! As a believer, I have a special relationship with God – He is my Heavenly Father. The Bible has much to say about the fear of the Lord. There are 30 verses with that same phrase. One such verse is:

~Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

This fear has nothing to do with being afraid of God and His judgment. We are no longer judged because we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour and His blood is what cleanses us from all unrighteousness. This places us in a different position than the unsaved. The unsaved have every right to be afraid of God and His judgment. But to the believer, we fear him as we do our own earthly father – a reverential fear.

What blessed peace is brought to the heart of the believer knowing that he is a child of the King and no longer needs to be afraid!

There is a difference between fearing God, and being afraid of God; the Godly fear God as a child does his father, the wicked are afraid of God as the prisoner is of the judge.
(Watson, Religion Our True Interest, 9)
Thomas Watson

Day-by-Day – Day 23 – Magnetic Personality

On April 7, 2009April 6, 2009 By KateIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

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As the sun goes down at night, you can still see where you’re going as long as there is the slightest amount of sun still showing. Once the sun has gone down completely, finding one’s way without a flashlight is difficult. Christ compares the Christian as a light to the unsaved world. In a world filled with sin, the believer’s actions and speech should shine a light that reveals Christ to them. The believer’s testimony should be such that it points the lost to salvation.

Christ also compared the believer to salt. Salt adds flavor and can also cause you to thirst. True salvation gives the believer a new life. The believer desires to live a more righteous life and desires to sin less. This leaves an open door to share the gospel with the unsaved. You would not continue to salt your food if the salt had no flavor. Neither will the unbeliever desire anything spiritual, let alone salvation, if the person sharing the gospel does not have the salt he needs.

~Matthew 5:13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Our life should reflect the gospel so the unbeliever can see that we are not phony. The salt of our lives should cause them to thirst after the gospel and desire to learn more about Jesus Christ.

The life of the Christian should be a magnet to draw people to Christ.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Day-by-Day – Day 22 – Relationship

On April 6, 2009April 6, 2009 By KateIn Devotionals1 Comment

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~Psalm 42:1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

As you meditate on your relationship with God, can you speak the words in this Psalm and mean it? Do you thirst after God with the same intensity as a deer would seek water after running through the woods? Do you desire a close relationship with Him with such intensity?

When I was a child, I absolutely loved being with my parents. I felt a sense of security when my Dad was home from work. When he entered the house, it seemed as though nothing could harm me. When I became a child of God, the day I was born-again, I felt this same sense of security. I now had the same type of relationship with the Heavenly Father as I did with my own father. The child of God can run to the Father with the same confidence and assurance as he would to his earthly father. As we grow in Christ toward spiritual maturity through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, we desire a closer fellowship with God than before.

Our hearts should pant/desire a closer relationship with God just as that deer desires a nice cool drink from the brook after an exhausting run through the forest.

Day-by-Day – Day 21 – The Boy and the Duck

On April 3, 2009April 3, 2009 By KateIn Devotionals1 Comment

duck
As we approach Easter, let’s remember why we are really celebrating this holiday. It is not about bunnies or eggs. It is, however, all about forgiveness. I hope you enjoy this story. It’s a good one!

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm.

He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.

As he was walking back he saw Grandma’s pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, ‘Sally, let’s wash the dishes.’

But Sally said, ‘Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.’

Then she whispered to him, ‘Remember the duck?’

So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, ‘I’m sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.’

Sally just smiled and said, ‘well that’s all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help.’

She whispered again, ‘Remember the duck?’ So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s, he finally couldn’t stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.

Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, ‘Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.’

Thought for the day and every day thereafter:

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done… And the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)…whatever it is…You need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.

He has seen your whole life… He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He’s just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but He forgets. It is by God’s grace and mercy that we are saved.

~Author Unknown

Day-by-Day – Day 20 – Wait

On April 2, 2009July 21, 2022 By KateIn Devotionals1 Comment

~ Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Waiting on the Lord is the hardest thing for man to do. It is our nature to resolve a problem or work out a situation right away. However, God’s will may not always be in it. No one likes conflict. No one enjoys going through a difficult marriage or living with chronic pain. Seeking solutions may be good but if they are not centered in God’s will, they will not bring joy.

When a dilemma engulfs you, wait on the Lord as Isaiah exhorts. God will renew your strength. Before you make a decision that will put you on a fast pace to a future you may regret, let the Lord speak to you in His Word. Do not make hasty decisions but let God be at the center of those decisions. He promises to lift you up, strengthen you if you are weary, and give you the strength that you need to continue on.

No problem is too great for Him. But He does not always work in the “here and now.” Sometimes we need to sit back and wait to allow Him the opportunity to work in our situation.

~Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

For the weary believer, waiting is not always what he wants to do. He wishes to be rid of what weighs heavy on his heart. That is the natural man’s way – but it is not God’s way. Allow yourself time to see the hand of God at work in your life. There is promise in waiting!

Day-by-Day – Day 19 – New Life

On April 1, 2009April 1, 2009 By KateIn Devotionals2 Comments

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~John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Twenty-nine years ago, I made a choice in my life that would forever change me. My life was a mess and my marriage was a mess. My solution was cowardly and selfish – I wanted to end it all.

My dear friend came on a holiday and she was used to alter the course of my life forever. I didn’t know it at the time but God would use her to draw me to Him. It was this day that I discovered my religion was in vain. It was this day that I learned a new phrase, “Ye must be born again.” My sinful nature was brought to the forefront and I stood guilty before God. I knew that I could not enter Heaven on my own efforts as I had made quite the mess of my life. When I wrapped my head around Christ’s work on the cross and His shed blood for my sin, I finally understood His saving power. It was at that moment that I repented of my ways, sought forgiveness of my sins, and started my new life in Christ.

~John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

How grateful I am to be called a child of the King! How grateful I am to be counted as one who will enter Heaven, without a shadow of a doubt, when I die! How grateful I am to have God’s Word to read and guide me down this path of life!

A child of God should be a visible beatitude, for joy and happiness, and a living doxology, for gratitude and adoration. Charles H. Spurgeon

Day-by-Day – Day 18 – Old Paths

On March 31, 2009March 26, 2009 By KateIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

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~Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Everything changes around us. Styles, interior decorating, moral standards – but our spiritual lives should not follow the ways of the world. My dear friend sent this to me and I thought it would make a great devotional. I hope you enjoy this dear Saint’s piece!

The Old Paths

I liked the old paths, when
Moms were at home.
Dads were at work.
Brothers went into the army.
And sisters got married BEFORE having children!

Crime did not pay;
Hard work did;
And people knew the difference.

Moms could cook;
Dads would work;
Children would behave.

Husbands were loving;
Wives were supportive;
And children were polite.

Women wore the jewelry;
And Men wore the pants.
Women looked like ladies;
Men looked like gentlemen;
And children looked decent.

People loved the truth,
And hated a lie;
They came to church to get IN,
Not to get OUT!

Hymns sounded Godly;
Sermons sounded helpful;
Rejoicing sounded normal;
And crying sounded sincere.

Cursing was wicked;
Drugs were for illness;
And divorce was unthinkable.

The flag was honored;
America was beautiful;
And God was welcome!

We read the Bible in public;
Prayed in school;
And preached from house to house
To be called an American was worth dying for;
To be called a Christian was worth living for;
To be called a traitor was a shame!

Preachers preached because they had a message;
And Christians rejoiced because they had the VICTORY!
Preachers preached from the Bible;
Singers sang from the heart;
And sinners turned to the Lord to be SAVED!

A new birth meant a new life;
Salvation meant a changed life;
Following Christ led to eternal life.

Being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of God;
Being a deacon meant you would serve the Lord;
Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus;
And being a sinner meant someone was praying for you!

Laws were based on the Bible;
Homes read the Bible;
And churches taught the Bible.

God was worshiped;
Christ was exalted;
And the Holy Spirit was respected..

Church was where you found Christians
On the Lord’s day, rather than in the garden,
On the creek bank, on the golf course,
Or being entertained somewhere else.

I still like the old paths the best!

‘The Old Paths’ was written by a retired minister who lives in Tennessee.

Maranatha – Awaiting Christ's Return

Tag: Devotionals

Day-by-Day – Day 27 – Revival

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Day-by-Day – Day 26 – Chosen

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Day-by-Day – Day 25 – Intercession

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Day-by-Day – Day 24 – Fear of God

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Day-by-Day – Day 23 – Magnetic Personality

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Day-by-Day – Day 22 – Relationship

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Day-by-Day – Day 21 – The Boy and the Duck

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Day-by-Day – Day 20 – Wait

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Day-by-Day – Day 19 – New Life

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Day-by-Day – Day 18 – Old Paths

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