Weekly Devo "Trade In Deceit For Deliverance" - 12/10/12

from Lenae, GEMS Training Manager

 

TRADE IN DECEIT FOR DELIVERANCE

              “This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, ‘The Babylonians will surely leave us.’ They will not!”

Jeremiah 37:9

When Zedekiah was king of Judah, the people dismissed God’s word like junk mail to a recycling bin, yet they still wanted His help. When threatened by their enemy the king sent a message to Jeremiah saying, “Please pray for us to the LORD our God” (Jeremiah 37:3).

God responded, “Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, ‘The Babylonians will surely leave us’ They will not!” (37:9). Jeremiah repeatedly told the king to obey God, and the king repeatedly disregarded the warnings. Zedekiah chose to listen to his fears (38:19) and his friends (38:22) instead of listening to God. In the end, he watched the Babylonians slaughter his sons before they blinded and bound him (39:6).

Zedekiah deceived himself into thinking he could ignore God’s instruction and yet implore His intercession. He feared political ramifications and public opinion, more then He feared God. He was a double-minded man, (James 1:8) whose deceitful thoughts led to his defeat and disgrace.

In chapter 9 of Jeremiah God tells the people that they live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refused to acknowledge God (v. 6). How true of our culture yet today!

Our world has deceived itself into thinking that truth is relevant and if it feels right, then it must be right. Even the body of Christ has deceived itself into thinking we can pick and choose which of God’s commands we’ll obey and which ones we’ll sideline because they’re too costly, radical, or difficult.

In his book, Our Favorite Sins–The Sins We Commit & How You Can Quit, Todd. D. Hunter writes, “Temptations almost always come wrapped in some sort of lie or deception. The fraud provides the alleged reason we should give in to the temptation.”

Do not be deceived into thinking that disobedience is no big deal or that there’s no way out of the temptations that lure you. Jesus is our Deliverer! Keep your eyes on the LORD, your ear attentive to His Word, your mind fixed on His truth, and He will deliver you from the snares of the world, the lies of the deceiver, and your own double-minded thoughts.

  

Think on it: What command of God have you deceived yourself into ignoring? Ask Him to deliver you and set your feet firmly on His path of righteousness.

From all inordinate and sinful affections; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil…Good Lord, deliver us.

Book of Common Prayer

Weekly Devo - "Trade in Sin For Second Chances" - 12/3/12

from Lenae, GEMS Training Manager

TRADE IN SIN FOR SECOND CHANCES

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

1 John 2:1

By the time Jonathan Edwards was nineteen years old, he consciously set his mind on living for the glory of God alone. He penned seventy personal mission statements, each beginning with an unyielding affirmation “Resolved.” One reads, Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking.

Pondering the day at the end of the day is a wise spiritual discipline in respect to eating, drinking, and more. Did I act in the best way I possibly could in respect to how I used my time, money, and words? Who was the center of my thoughts, conversations, and actions today–God, others, or me?

If our evening ponderings are a repetitive playlist of past sins, there’s a temptation to quit trying to live God’s way. If we are sickened by our sins, surely God is weary and will give up on us, too. How many times will He forgive? What’s the maximum number of second chances He allocates to one person?

The enemy wants us to believe these despairing thoughts. He accuses in hopes we’ll quit rather than to turn to God whose mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). Thankfully, God does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities (Psalm 103:10). He is compassionate, forgiving, and generous with second-chances.  

When Abraham not once, but twice told rulers that Sarai was his sister instead of his wife, God responded with grace and made him the father of many nations. When Jonah disobeyed God, he wasn’t left at the bottom of the sea. God rescued him and gave him a second chance to go to Nineveh and proclaim His message. When Peter denied the Lord, not once, twice, but three times before the rooster’s second crow, Jesus prepared breakfast on the beach and gave opportunity for Peter to reaffirm his love for Him.

When we sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One (1 John 2:1). When we confess our sins He lavishly trades them in with forgiveness and the gift of a second chance.

Think on it: What area of your life have you given up on ever seeing change in your thought patterns or behavior? Trade in your sin for His second chance.

God waits for the chances we give Him to show His great generosity.

Saint John Chrysostom

Weekly Devo - "TRADE IN “I CAN’T!” FOR “I AM HELPING ME!” - 11/26/12

from Lenae, GEMS Training Manager

 

TRADE IN “I CAN’T!” FOR “I AM HELPING ME!”

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Can you identify?

·      I can’t get up early or stay up late to have quiet time with God. I need more sleep than most.

·      I can’t make my mind stop worrying. I’m wired anxious.

·      I can’t share my faith with strangers. I don’t have the gift of evangelism.

·      I can’t practice hospitality. My home is too small, I’m too busy, and I can’t cook.

·      I can’t ________________________________________________.

Standing on holy ground, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God, yet he wasn’t a bit timid to make excuses for how he couldn’t obey God (Exodus 3, 4).

Moses said, “I can’t!” God said, “I AM!” “I AM WHO I AM. This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation” (Exodus 3:14-15).

Before we come down too hard on Moses, let’s be frank. The guy was right. On his own, he couldn’t do what God was asking him to do. None of us can. We need I AM! We need His Son, His Spirit, His Word, His power, His help, His strength, His wisdom, His guidance, His timing, His resources, His people, to do what He calls us to do.  His grace is sufficient. His power is perfect in our weakness.

Billy Sunday said, “An excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.” We can make all kinds of excuses for ignoring God’s whispers and commands. I’m too busy, I don’t feel like it, it’ll be awkward, I don’t know where to start, it’s too difficult, costly, and more. Moses had his own set of excuses and God’s anger burned against him. The good news is that God didn’t give up on Moses and He won’t give up on us either.

Think on I AM’s promise as you turn from your “I can’t” to God’s call. He says to you and me: do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

Think on it: On an index card write an “I can’t” that you’ve spent most of your life believing. On the opposite side write, “I can do everything through I AM who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

Faith sees the opportunities while unbelief sees the obstacles. Are you arguing with God about something He wants you to do?

Warren W. Wiersbe

Weekly Devotional - "Think About Interruptions" 11/12/12

by Lenae, GEMS Training Manager

THINK ABOUT INTERRUPTIONS

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

What best describes your personality?

a.     Go with the flow. Life is an adventure; I thoughtlessly roll wherever it takes me.

b.     Highly structured. You can set your watch by my habits and routine.

c.      Interruptible. I have a plan for the day, but if I experience divine appointments, I adjust my day and follow His leading.

There are our natural tendencies to the way we think through our days and respond to the unexpected and then there’s God’s way, so beautifully and rightly demonstrated in Jesus’ example.

From a human perspective, Jesus was interrupted often, especially at mealtime. In Mark 3 when Jesus and His disciples entered a home, a loud crowd gathered and they were not even able to eat (Mark 3:20). His family heard about what must’ve become a regular pattern to His days, and they were concerned. They wanted to take charge of Him, and said, “He is out of his mind” (Mark 3:21).

Jesus didn’t share their mindset. He saw individuals, not interruptions. He understood that God’s divine appointments must trump lists and lunch plans. He called the people to Himself and spoke to them (Mark 3:23).

On a different occasion, The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:30-31).

Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Can you almost feel your muscles relax as you think of climbing into a boat with Jesus for some peace? “Finally!” you think. “It’s about time I get some me time!” You’ve worked hard, you reported to Jesus all that you accomplished, and you’re eager for some needed R&R. But when your boat docks you discover that the crowds have moved into your space and schedule. From a human perspective, it looks like an interruption. Through Jesus’ eyes, it’s a divine appointment. He sees people who are like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus had compassion on them, taught them, and at the end of the day, rather then sending them home hungry, He fed all 5,000 with five loaves and two fish (Mark 6:32-42).

No matter what our personality, God wants our thoughts about our time and to-do lists to walk in step with the Spirit instead of our rigid thinking about personal time entitlement.

Think on it: What right thinking thoughts can you choose when “interruptions” come your way today?

To paraphrase C. S. Lewis, there is not a square inch of our lives that is not claimed by God and counterclaimed by ourselves. If we believe God is sovereign, however, we will see all of life as mission and be led to submit the square inches we otherwise hold so tightly to the Maker of inches and hands.

Jared Wilson