DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 7.15.16

Almighty God “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Genesis 17:1)   This is the first of 48 occurrences of the designation of God by the term “Almighty” in the Old Testament. There are also nine times in the New Testament where God is called “Almighty,” plus once where He is called “omnipotent.” The last time it occurs is very near the end of the Bible, telling us that there is no special temple in the holy city, “for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it” (Revelation 21:22).   Thus, in the first and last books of the Bible, and often in between, we are reminded that our God is an omnipotent God. As Jeremiah prayed; “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee” (Jeremiah 32:17).   Sarah “laughed” when God said that she would bear a son in her old age, but God responded: “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14). Many years later, the angel told the Virgin Mary that she would have a son, and she said: “How shall this be?” (Luke 1:34.) The angel replied: “With God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).   Some things God cannot do, of course, for “God cannot be tempted with evil” (James 1:13) and He “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2), so whatever He does is right and whatever He says is true. We may not always understand just why He does or says something, but in eternity we shall learn that He was indeed able to do what He says. He is omnipotent!   God did create the cosmos in all its macroscopic complexity and all the living kinds with their microscopic complexity. “I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). HMM

His Kingdom Is Forever
“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

 

The final verse of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” describes our tools and comportment while in the battle, and the final victory.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours thro’ Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
As the King’s soldiers, we have God-given abilities and possessions, most notably the indwelling God’s Spirit and empowering gifts. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9). “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4). We should “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28) and focus on Him, “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts”—even goods and kindred (Luke 9:60-62), if need be. “We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13).

 

As of yet the battle continues. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3:21), “and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). JDM

 

Click here for the sheet music for this hymn.

 

His Doom Is Sure
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)

 

The third verse of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” focuses on Satan’s end. God has willed triumph through His truth.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear; for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim—we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

When Satan was cast from heaven, fully a third of the angels fell with him (Revelation 12:4), such that a “legion” of them could inhabit one individual (Mark 5:9). But God has other plans for His children. He desires “to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18). He desires us to “resist the devil” (James 4:7) and not “give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27).

 

He also has plans for Satan, including “everlasting chains under darkness” (Jude 1:6), and “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Just one word and Satan will be “cast into the lake of fire and . . . tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). Jesus, anticipating His execution, spoke of it triumphantly. This had been His Father’s will all along. “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:31-32), and now the battle is His. JDM

 

Click here for the sheet music for this hymn.

 

How Does God Hear?
“Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.” (2 Chronicles 6:21)

 

No less than eight times in Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple does he beseech God to “hear from heaven” (see 2 Chronicles 6:21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 33, 35, 39). But the obvious question is just how can God hear our prayers, especially those uttered only in silence?

 

The answer is in both God’s omniscience and His omnipresence. Although God is indeed on His heavenly throne, He is also right here! “O LORD,” David prayed, “thou hast searched me, and known me. . . . thou understandest my thought afar off” (Psalm 139:1-2). He can, and does, hear our prayers. “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?” (Psalm 94:9).

 

In a manner of speaking, He hears the prayers of redeemed children today even more directly than in David’s day, for we who trust in Christ have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit. “God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them” (2 Corinthians 6:16). “The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12).

 

God can indeed hear our prayers. But there are times when He refuses to hear! “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God . . . that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2).

 

Yes, but if we ask anything according to His will (and this implies first living according to His will), “he heareth us: and . . . we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1 John 5:14-15). HMM

 

A Mind to Work
“So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.” (Nehemiah 4:6)

 

The ambitious project of rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall, with all its gates and other structures, was completed in less than two months (Nehemiah 6:15), for all “the people had a mind to work.” This was in spite of the danger from the external enemies who wanted to delay the work if they could.

 

The third chapter of Nehemiah has a remarkable list of the workmen on the wall. Men of all walks of life participated, each with an assigned portion of the work as organized by Nehemiah. The first verse of the chapter tells of the work done by Eliashib, the high priest, and all the other priests; the last verse lists the contribution of the goldsmiths and the merchants. There were the Nethinims (v. 26), apothecaries (v. 8), rulers (i.e., “mayors,” vv. 9, 12, 14-16), and various others. At least one man even had his daughters working (v. 12). Only the nobles of the Tekoites “put not their necks to the work of their LORD” (v. 5).

 

This would be a good model for any doctrinally sound, Bible-believing church, school, or other Christian ministry. It’s a lesson we would do well to learn. The mission and its goal are surely more important than the special desires or interests of any individual or group. At the same time, enforced cooperation will only breed resentment and inefficiency. The people themselves must be led to understand it as not just a job to do, but as a divine calling they themselves must have “a mind to the work.” Otherwise they should probably be encouraged to work elsewhere.

 

The early Christians served “daily with one accord . . . and singleness of heart, . . . And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:46-47). That’s the way it should be. HMM

 

 How to Cry Out to God Matthew 14:29-30
The phone rings, and you answer. A sullen voice informs you of a tragedy. Your heart is so heavy that you feel as though you could die. What do you do?
Bad news, danger, and pain all cause us to look for help. As believers, we dwell with the almighty God, who is able to aid us. At those moments when we are sideswiped by life�s circumstances, we should cry out to Him.
In the Bible, crying out refers to speaking audibly with great emotion concerning an urgent need. God invites us to use this form of prayer to communicate that we desperately need His mercy.
It takes both faith and humility to share our heart�s concern aloud. Crying out, then, is a way for God�s children to express trust in the Lord�s ability and willingness to help. By calling upon Him with such urgency, wealso lay down our pride and any attitude of self-sufficiency.
The Word of God assures us that our Father hears our cries and responds. In Psalm 3:4, for example, David wrote, �I was crying to the Lord with my voice, and He answered from His holy mountain.� When we call aloud for help in Jesus� name, we invite His power into the situation. Remember that there is strength in just speaking His name.
When we cry out to God, He may remove the problem immediately, yet we often have to wait for His perfect timing. Harsh circumstances might even be allowed to remain for His good purposes. But we can always count on His comfort and presence, which enable us to live with joy and hope.
Peace, Joy, and Contentment 
Nehemiah 2:1-8
Discouragement can rob peace, joy, and contentment. But I have great news if you feel disheartened: You�re not stuck!
I�ve known people who appeared to be in an impossible situation. A few years later, however, they were in a terrific place, either in terms of their circumstances or their emotions. The reason? They never gave up. Instead of sulking in self-pity, they chose to believe God, step out in faith, and climb out of the emotional pit.
Nehemiah is a good example. He had every reason to feel defeated, because his people were in trouble. After receiving news that the city wall had been destroyed, this man of God acknowledged profound disappointment and grieved. Though pain flooded his soul, he didn�t allow himself to stay in that low place. Instead, Nehemiah cried out to God, seeking direction.
Sadness in the presence of royalty was punishable by death. But the Lord answered Nehemiah�s prayer with amazing power, prompting the king to notice his servant�s sad countenance and then toask what he could do to help. This miracle led to the rebuilding of the wall and the redemption of God�s people.
The Lord can take an impossible situation--no matter what it is--and move in ways mightier than you can imagine.
Do you live in eager expectation of what the Lord will do? Or have you chosen to linger in the depths of despair? Like Nehemiah, turn your disappointment into a petition for God�s help. He can restore your hope and prevent negative emotions from gaining a stranglehold on your life.
The Trap of Discouragement
Habakkuk 1:2
Do you feel stuck in discouragement? If so, you are not alone.
At some point everyone experiences dashed hopes. Disappointment--an emotional response to a failed expectation--is the normal initial reaction. But allowed to linger, it can turn into discouragement, which hovers like a dense cloud. When that�s the case, there is no sense of joy or contentment, no matter what you do.
The circumstances that trigger these emotions may be unavoidable, but the way we respond is a choice. We can either let sadness overwhelm our souls or face the situation with courage and bring it before the One who can help us.
Living in discouragement will divide the mind, making it hard to focus on anything besides our pain. Then as anger becomes habitual, we�ll look for someone to blame--whether God, people around us, or ourself.
Frustration that isn�t handled well may develop into depression, which in turn can estrange us from others--people do not enjoy the company of someone who�s bitter and defeated. This isolation leads to a low self-esteem. Finally, in a fog of discouragement, we can make poor decisions based on crushed emotions instead of truth. Obviously, choosing this self-destructive path is not God�s best for our lives.
Though we�ll all face disappointment from time to time, believers are not to wallow in it. Instead, God wants us to trust Him with everything--even our unmet expectations and deepest sadnesses. Remember, there is divine purpose for everything He allows to touch His children�s lives (Rom. 8:28).
When I Feel Like a Fraud
KRISTI WOODS, COMPEL Member

�My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.� Psalm 121:2 (NIV)

Sometimes I feel like a fraud. It happened again the other day.
My child found trouble at school. His wrestle with a heart issue surfaced and accountability was deemed necessary.
In the midst of his struggle, I also struggled. I wrestled with feeling like a Christian fraud: I thought you were supposed to be a good Christian mom. If you raised him right, he wouldn�t have these problems. What will others think?
Thoughts roared. My worth quaked. I wanted to run and hide. I began to question how worthwhile my Christian mothering was, how sincere my own faith stood. The feelings pounded with force.
But then I remembered where true help is found, and the view changed. In the midst of an emotional whirlwind, the Lord set my eyes on Psalm 121.
Its message rang clear. True help comes from only one place: the Lord.
Its lesson rooted deep. Its impact proved life-changing. And it was in dire need of use against feelings of fraud. I needed help!
Portions of Psalm 121 rushed from my mouth: ï¿½I lift up my eyes. My help comes from You, LORD, Maker of heaven and earth.�
I sputtered the confession a second time, clawing to escape fraud�s lie: �I lift up my eyes. My help comes from You, LORD, Maker of heaven and earth.�
I assured myself with the confession three times. It was a coaxing of the necessary kind.
Clinging to this truth mirrored hanging on a cliff, clawing for dear life. It was hard! The weight of past habits pulled on me, but I was determined.
I did feel like a fraud, like a bad mom whose Christian flag apparently waved at half-staff or whose wilted flower lay lifeless on the dirt, kicked and trampled on by passersby.
But that wasn�t truth.
I did feel like a mom whose child might wrestle needlessly or walk away from their faith altogether.
But that wasn�t mine to control. It was mine to pray over.
I did question if there was something I didn�t handle or instill appropriately.
But then, I purposefully stopped believing the feelings and intentionally looked to the Lord. And I was helped.
As I climbed this mountain of despair, the Lord offered the only �arm-up� to true safety available. Grasping trust in His Word was thought-changing, like pulling up and over the cliff�s edge. Our God is a life-saving, thought-changing God.
Our children, spouses, or others don�t define us. Truth does, His help assures.
People are not our salvation. Jesus is.
Others� works aren�t stars on our performance chart. His grace has approved us, simply by faith.
We aren�t what we feel and certainly aren�t a fraud when troubles rise. We are what God says we are -- accepted, dearly loved and forgiven.
Thankfully, help isn�t found in fraudulent feelings. They�ll tout their story and we might be tempted to believe, but true help is found by looking to the Lord, the very One who made heaven and earth. True help is found in His truth. On that, we can assuredly stand firm.
Father, I desire to trust You in every area of my life. Forgive me for times when I�ve run to other counsel. Cause me to trust in and be changed by Your truth. Steep me in Your help for my worth, direction, wisdom and more. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus� Name, Amen.
Seeing Beauty Instead of Pain
LYSA TERKEURST

�The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life�s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.� Luke 8:14 (NIV)

My life has not been a bed of roses.
What an odd statement. It�s supposed to mean that I haven�t lived a life without snags and hurt. However, think of an actual bed of roses. Doesn�t it have both thorns and flowers?
My aunt grew roses for years. She�s the one I lived with for almost a year when I was in middle school and my family was falling apart. I remember her telling me not to run through her rose garden. After all, she had what seemed like hundreds of other acres that unfolded in wide open fields. I could run there.
But I didn�t want to.
I only wanted to run through the rose garden. I wanted to spread my arms wide open and run between the rows brushing my fingertips across all the velvety blooms. I wanted some of the blooms to burst and shower petals all around. Then I could gather the petals and spread them along my path.
As if I could carve a new place in this world lined with beauty and void of adult words like divorce, rejection and hate ... I wanted my world to be soft, pink and lovely. I didn�t want to think about my dad leaving our family. My heart couldn�t process how he not only didn�t live with us anymore, but he was also slowly pulling back from participating in our lives all together.
So, I took a running start with my arms outstretched only to be shocked with searing pain within the first few steps.

Thorns. Big, mean, vicious thorns. Thorns that ripped my flesh and opened up the flood of tears I�d been so determined to hold back. Suddenly, I hated that bush. I wanted to chop it down and beat it into the ground. But I couldn�t do it. I couldn�t bring myself to destroy something that produced such beauty.

I stood back from the source of my pain and wondered, Should I call it a bush of thorns or a bush of flowers? Really, it could go either way.
Suddenly I wasn�t just staring at a bush. I was staring at my life. My life. Such a bed of roses.
Would I see the hurt or would I see the beauty?
Luke 8:14 says, ï¿½The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life�s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.� The seed being referred to here is the Word of God. Isn�t it interesting that people who are choked by life�s circumstances and never mature are referred to as having thorns in the soil of their soul?
Yes, life sometimes hands us thorns but we have the choice to park our mind on the thorn or on the beauty it can eventually produce in us, if only we�ll cling tightly to God�s Word. How a person thinks is how they will eventually become.
If we dwell on the negative in life, we�ll become negative and God�s Word will have a hard time taking root in our souls. If, however, we acknowledge the negative but choose instead to look for the good that can come from it, God�s Word will take root in our souls and produce a lush crop of beauty.
It all comes down to choice. That day in my aunt�s garden, I chose to be aware of the thorns but park my mind on the beautiful roses.
And over the years, I have come to the place in my life where I realize I can focus on the hurt my dad�s absence caused or choose to focus on other things in my life. Beautiful things.
It�s been more than 25 years since I�ve seen my dad. That�s hard on a girl�s heart. But where he fell so short, God has filled in many gaps. I don�t have to be the child of a broken parent the rest of my life, I can be a child of God. Loved. Truly loved.
And that is a beautiful truth I can let flourish in my heart.

Dear Lord, it can be really hard to focus on the petals rather than the thorns of life. But I want the soil of my soul to be healthy and ready to receive Your Word. Will You produce beauty in my life despite the thorns by which I�ve been so hurt? In Jesus� Name, Amen.

How�s Your Heart?
BOYD BAILEY

�Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.� Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

�How�s your heart?� This is the question he asked me almost every time we talked, which was often. But I will not hear these words from him anymore in this life.
Recently after a 2-1/2 year battle with cancer, Scott -- my friend and coworker -- went to be with Jesus. I miss him, and selfishly, I need to hear his loving question: �Boyd, how is your heart?�
To me, Scott was a spiritual doctor who cared about my heart�s condition. He knew the quality of my life depended on the health of my heart. He reminded me of my need for the Great Physician.
Today�s key verse says everything flows from your heart -- your hopes, your dreams, your fears, your anxieties, your anger, your forgiveness, your humility, your peace, your greed, your generosity, and your love. Yes, everything that makes you who you are is in your heart. So above all else, your heart needs a guard -- and God is your guard.
When the Holy Spirit fills your heart by faith, He flushes out sin and leaves enough room for the Fruit of the Spirit. Only a heart guarded by God can bear up under the influence of ungodliness. A heart submitted to Christ in prayer is protected by Christ with peace.
�And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus� (Philippians 4:7, NIV).
Unhealthy heart conditions include:

• Faintheartedness
• Loss of heart
• A broken heart
• A foolish heart
• A hard heart

The remedy for these spiritual ailments is a whole heart for Jesus.
You may feel fainthearted today -- weary in your faith and work. If so, take time to slow down, rest and allow the Holy Spirit to restore your heart to wholeness.

A loss of heart is a reflection of hope deferred, which creates a sickly soul condition. But hope in Christ gives your heart peace and reassurance.

Perhaps your heart is broken by past hurt or present rejection. Seek your heavenly Father to be forgiven and to forgive.
Be on guard! A foolish heart forgets God or even stops believing God. Excessive worry can act like a form of atheism. When we are paralyzed by fear and anxiety, we sometimes behave as if God does not exist. So, we must guard against a foolish heart by gaining a heart of wisdom.
Most disturbing is a hard heart -- someone jaded by injustice and/or the lack of integrity in others. Fortunately, by faith in Jesus a hard heart can be replaced by a heart born from above. A heart from the Lord gives us a heart for the Lord.
So, in honor of Scott, let me ask you, friend, �How is your heart?�
Heavenly Father, I ask that You would give me Your heart of love, grace and forgiveness. In Jesus� Name, Amen.

 Hide It in Your Heart - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org

 

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. -Ephesians 6:17

 

What is the primary weapon we should use to resist temptation? Answer: the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, He responded again and again, "It is written . . ." He was showing us how to use God's Word when attacks come.

 

Writing about the armor of God, the apostle Paul said, "Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). Among the things he listed in Ephesians 6, there is only one offensive weapon: "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

 

God has given us His Word as the primary weapon to defend ourselves. There is power in His Word. Psalm 119:9 says, "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word." Interestingly, this is addressed to a young man. If you are young, how do you live a pure life? By listening to what the Word of God says.

 

A few verses later the psalmist says, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (verse 11). This means memorizing the Bible.

 

You might be thinking, I can't. I'm not good at memorizing things.

 

Just think about all the things you have memorized without even knowing it. You have song lyrics memorized. You remember trivia about sports figures. You have all kinds of things in the memory banks of your mind because they interest you and you fill your mind with them.

 

Open up some space for the Word of God. I have verses today floating around in my brain that I memorized at the age of seventeen, verses that have stayed with me all these years.

 

We need to know the Word of God.