Weekly Devo - "EGO = Edging God Out" - 8/26/13

from Lenae, GEMS Training Manager

 

EGO = Edging God Out 

In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Psalm 10:4

Within a blog post Regi Campbell defined ego with an acronym: Edging God Out. He wrote, “’When we’re going for what we want, irrespective of what God wants, our ego is in charge and we start ‘edging God out.’”

Egos edge God out and off the center stage position He should have in our lives. Pride puffs us up and pushes God from the throne of our hearts. Prideful people have no room in their thoughts for God.

God’s Word is clear. Pride is a serious sin. He hates it! Pride seeks God’s rightful place within our hearts and fails to acknowledge humble dependence on Him in all things. The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished  (Proverbs 16:5)

Prideful people edge God out of their plans by running into the day without prayer and guidance from His Word. Their actions demonstrate they don’t need God or His help. They can handle things on their own! The humble make much of God by acknowledging that they need Him every hour. They commit all that they do to Him (Proverbs 16:3).

Prideful people edge God out of their conversations when they misuse His name, gossip, and judge. They twist their stories to make much of themselves, and manipulate discussions for personal gain. Humble people use their words to honor and exalt God, and to look out for the interests of others. Their prayer is that all the words they speak and think be pleasing to Him (Psalm 19:14).

Prideful people edge God out of their lives by putting false idols on the throne of their hearts. They seek the gods of comfort and security in their bank accounts instead of His provision. They look for affirmation and approval from others instead of their identity in Christ. They’re white knuckled and anxious as they seek control and power rather than trusting in their Father’s sovereign care.

Scripture says that God looks intently at the humble. He shows pleasure, favor, and care to those who walk humbly with Him. “This is the one to whom I will look: he (she) who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isaiah 66:2, ESV).

HE>i: Is there anything edging God out of being the center of your life? If so, humble yourself in prayer and ask Jesus to be the center. 

At every stage of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is the greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend.

John Stott

Weekly Devo - "Fly to Higher Ground" - 8/12/2013

from Lenae, GEMS Training Manager

 

Fly to Higher Ground

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,

nor his ear too dull to hear.

Isaiah 59:1 

On this morning’s jog down our gravel roads there were three birds running in front of me, obviously frightened. It must’ve been my heavy breathing that scared them. It certainly wasn’t the speed of my approach! It looked comical as the birds ran as fast their feet could mange. I wondered, “Why run when you can fly?” As if they heard my thoughts, they did just that and flew to higher ground.

Why run when you can fly? It’s a question worth asking. When problems and pain come our way do we run in our own strength or fly to God, the Rock who is higher than I (Psalm 61:2)? In every circumstance, temptation, need, and grief His arm is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear (Isaiah 59:1)!

1 Samuel 30 records that the Amalekites attacked the city of Ziklag, burned it, and took captive all the women and children, both young and old. David and his men experienced deep grief. Crushed with distress and bitterness, the men ran to self-reliance. They took things into their own hands and talked of stoning David. David chose to fly to higher ground. David found strength in the LORD his God (1 Samuel 30:6).

When Esther learned of Haman’s plan to destroy the Jews, Mordecai urged her not to run into the supposed protection of the palace for personal escape. She listened and chose to fly to the LORD whose arm is not too short to save, nor His ear to dull to hear (Isaiah 59:1). She asked the Jews to join her in a three day fast. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish (Esther 4:16).

When the music sounded signaling that all peoples and nations were to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego soared by faith. Rather then caving to peer pressure as the people around them bowed low, they testified that the God we serve is able to save us from it [blazing furnace], and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up (Daniel 3:17-18).

The blazing furnace of grief, attacks from the enemy, and temptation to bow to false gods is not unique to David, Esther, or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. It’s our story, too. Let’s refuse to run when we can fly.  Lift up your eyes to the hills. Our help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2). He’s the greatest!

HE>i: Where do you turn when faced with loss and adversity?

When I get overwhelmed, confused, exhausted, I need a safe place where I can run and be protected. I need the name of the Lord.

Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Weekly Devo - "Making God Visible" - 8/5/2013

from Lenae, GEMS Training Manager

 

Making God Visible 

Then the LORD said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you.”

Exodus 34:10

One of the ways God reveals His greatness is through His people. Here are a few from many examples in Scripture.

Shiphrah and Puah. These Hebrew midwives ignored the king of Egypt’s command to murder the newborn Hebrew boys. God used them to make His faithfulness visible among the people (Exodus 1).

The Israelites. On the shore of the Red Sea God told the Israelites not to fear the Egyptians. He would fight for them. Their job was to be still. Not an easy task when you see a vast Egyptian army marching toward you! God used them to make Himself visible as Savior and Deliverer (Exodus 14).

Nehemiah. By talking and walking with God, Nehemiah accomplished the impossible. Under his leadership the wall around Jerusalem was rebuilt in 52 days. God used Nehemiah to make Himself visible as the Great God. Jesus said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

Daniel. He had every reason to despair. He was deported to an idolatrous foreign land with thousands of his countrymen and was hated to the point of a murder plot by fellow administrators. God used Daniel to make His sovereignty and absolute reign visible. Kevin DeYoung writes, “Providence is for our comfort. We can be patient when things go against us. We can be thankful when things go well. We can have confidence for the future.”

John the Baptist. He clearly knew his position. While his disciples panicked that people were starting to follow Jesus rather than John, John was filled with joy. God used John the Baptist as a visible voice of one calling in the desert and preparing the way for the promised King. John beautifully lived what he taught when he said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).

You and me. For God to become greater and for us to become less means making Him visible by the way we love God and others (Matthew 22:36-40). Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

HE>i: How are we making God visible to those around us today?

The church is the witness and theater of God’s glory.

Christopher W. Morgan

He is Greater! - Weekly Devo 7/26/13

From Lenae, GEMS Training Manager

 He is Greater! 

[Jethro said], “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”

Exodus 18:11

Imagine the family reunion. After a time of separation, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro traveled through the desert and brought Moses his wife Zipporah and his sons Gershom and Eliezer. What joy to be together again! Surely the neighbors heard the laughter and chatter through the tent walls!

Moses filled them in on all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He spoke of God’s active, vigilant care in the Passover celebration and the crossing of the Red Sea. He may have even taught them the song of victory and celebration that they sang after everyone was safely on the other side. He marveled at the invisible God making Himself visible with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. He told of deliverance in the midst of difficulties, and how God fought for them. Even the names of his children articulated God’s greatness. Eliezer’s name means, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh” (Exodus 18:4).

Moses recounted what God was doing in his life and it had a profound impact on those who listened. Jethro, who was family and the priest of Midian, responded with great delight and faith. He said, “Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly” (Exodus 18:10-11).

Think about your most recent conversations with family, friends, co-workers, or neighbors. How did our words influence others? Did they display or diminish God’s greatness? 

Worry and anxiety tells others that God is not big enough to handle today’s troubles. Control issues demonstrate that surrendering to God is too risky. Living overwhelmed by life tells others that our great God really isn’t that big.

To influence others with the truth of God’s greatness, we must speak and live it! Walking humbly with God reveals our dependence on Him in all things. Speaking of His sovereign care and sufficiency confirms our absolute trust in His ways and plans, and radical obedience shows others that He is our first and greatest love.

HE>i: Over the last 24 hours how have our conversations influenced others to think about God?

And it is like that, the way the sand moves, every word moving either one way or the other-words raising Christ or building self higher. Words praising Him or wrangling to be praised ourselves.

Ann Voskamp