Daily Devotional - 11/18

Prayer Focus - Needs


Day 7
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
One thing that is needed in your family
One thing that is needed at your work or in your social circle
One thing that is needed in your life



Pray about:
How it will help those concerned with their spiritual life
How it will help those concerned with their physical life
How it will help those concerned with their emotional life
How it will help those concerned with their mental life



Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.




Psalms 78




"The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan." ( vs. 9-12)


"They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God spread a table in the desert? When He struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly. But can He also give us food? Can He supply meat for His people?' when the Lord heard them, He was very angry; His fire broke out against Jacob, and His wrath rose against Israel, for they did not believe in God or trust in His deliverance." (vs. 18-22)


"In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of His wonders, they did not believe. So He ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him; they eagerly turned to Him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter Him with their mouths, lying to Him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to Him, they were not faithful to His covenant. Yet He was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time He restrained His anger and did not stir up His full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return." (vs. 32-39)


There are many ways to displease God and this psalm uses the stories of the Israelites to remind us of what to avoid. The first thing to avoid is turning back on the day of battle. We are equipped for whatever we have to face because we have God with us. We must go up to battle when it is time. Next we must remember God's covenant and keep His laws. We have to obey. The third pitfall to avoid is ingratitude. We have to remember the miracles and wonders He has done in our lives and in the lives of those around us. The fourth way to displease God is to put Him willfully to the test. We do not need to make Him prove anything. He has already proved enough. We need to start believing and living out His word. Then we will see the victories in Christ. Next we need to not speak against God. We don't need to be doubting Him or being dissatisfied with what He provides. We can be so spoiled. We have our minds set on one thing and when God provides for us in a different way, we say, "Yeah but what about this?" We can be displeased in the midst of plenty. This is just not right.

We can anger God. Sometimes we think that no matter what, God just keeps on forgiving and doesn't really care what happens in our lives, good or bad. As long as most of the time we are decent people, (by our standards of course), then we will be okay with God as well. This is just not true. God went to so much trouble and pain to save us that it does matter to Him. He is invested in us and what we do. Each time we sin, it is a reminder to Him what Jesus had to go through. We need to realize this and realize that the Israelites wandered in the desert because of all of these previously mentioned sins. They did not get to go to the promised land, all because they did not go up to take what God had promised. They doubted God could get them into the promised land and so they got just what they believed. Let us believe in God and trust in His deliverance. Let us enter into His rest. Let us strive to avoid these problems that brought the Israelites down. We can be faithful. We can make it, with God.



Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


The Israelites were Your promised people and You went to so much trouble to get them out of Egypt. You worked so many miracles in their lives and yet they still doubted and turned back on the day of battle. It is so important that we don't do this. We have to strive to believe and have faith. We want to enter into Your eternal rest. You have provided. Help us to live in such a way as to embrace Your will and covenants. You are great. We are grateful to be with You.


In Jesus' Name,
Amen




QFT



1. Do I turn back on the day of battle? Am I being a soldier of Christ? What battles am I being called to fight? What is my reaction? How can I be a better warrior?


2. Am I putting God to the test? Do I demand God prove Himself to me? In what areas am I tempted to do this?


3. What is my speech like towards God? Do I utter more praise or doubting? How can I focus more on praise and less on doubt?


4. Am I loyal to God? How do I show my loyalty? In what ways have I been unfaithful? How can I change this?