Daily Devotional - 10/8/15

Prayer Focus - Needs



Day 6
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be
One person that you need to apologize to, resolve a conflict with, or forgive
One dream that you need to surrender to God
One challenge that you need to face and deal with
One health issue that you need to deal with
One sin you need to overcome



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



Psalms 98


"Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him. The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations.  He has remembered His love and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."  ( vs. 1 - 3  )


We are told again to sing a new song!  We are told to be different; to start over.  Why is this so important to God?  This first verse holds the key.  God has done marvelous things; He has brought salvation and not just salvation for the Jewish nation, but for the whole world.  The whole Bible is an amazing story written over a long period of time by various authors that tells the story of a loving God seeking to restore a lost relationship with His creation.  God has always been after us to give us the chance to start over; to sing a new song.  He had so many dreams and desires for a people that would love Him and He has patiently been pursuing the human race and each one of us ever since the fall.  He is not satisfied with anyone being lost.  He includes story after story of how He feels about each and every person that turns back to Him.  He rejoices over the returned souls.  What an amazing thought that I am that loved.  In another part of the Scriptures it states that even if our mothers and fathers could forget us, God would not be able to.  We are etched in His heart and soul.  We are His.  This is why we are to rejoice.  This is why we are to sing a new song; because God has made it possible.

Another wonderful thought I have about this verse is that it shows the universality of a faith in God.  It is not limited to one country or group of people.  It is for everyone.  Sometimes I think that those of us in America, think that Christianity has to look like American Christianity to be real, but this is so far from the truth.  The Scriptures do not tell us what our dress should look like or what our songs should be or how each step of our worship service should go.  It speaks to the heart.  It speaks of loving God and loving others.  If I am in another country, true Christianity will look like the people in that country with all their rich heritage loving God and others with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.  What is important is our hearts.  So if I worship outside in a field or I worship in a grand cathedral, it is all the same.  I am worshipping God.  I hope that we can open up our eyes to the love of God for all people and all nations.  God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. We should too.



Key verses:


I Timothy 2: 1 - 4

"I urge, then, first of all, that request, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."


Jeremiah 29: 11-13

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you.'" 


Luke 15:6 - 7

"Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'  I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."


Isaiah 49:14 - 16

"But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.' 

'Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.'"


Acts 17: 26 - 27

"From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, thought He is not far from each one of us.


Galatians 3: 26 - 29

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."




Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


You have done amazing miracles.  You have worked salvation for the whole world.  You have pursued us relentlessly.  We have never been loved as we are with You.  You love in a perfect manner and all that You bring into our lives is what we need to grow and change.  Help us to love as You love.  Help us to sing this new song and not be bound up with our traditions.  We can truly change the world if we love.  We thank You for giving us this task.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1.  What marvelous things have I seen God do in my life?  Am I grateful on a regular basis for these things?  Why or why not?  How can I increase my appreciation for what has God has done for me?

2. Have I experienced a fresh start with God?  What was this experience like and when did it take place?  What did I leave behind? 

3. How do I feel about people that do not share my faith?  Am I concerned about them being found by God?  Why do I feel this way?  Am I helping others to find God?  Why or why not?  What can I do to be more involved with helping others?

4. How do I feel about people that are different from me?  How do I feel about people that worship differently from me?  Am I prejudice in any way?  How is this unlike God?  What can I do to change?

5. Am I holding onto any religious traditions?  Do I think people have to worship exactly as I do to be right with God?  Why or why not?  What can I do to reach out to others that differ from me religiously and show them the love of God?

Daily Devotional - 10/5/15

Prayer Focus - Needs



Day 3
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be
One person that you need to apologize to, resolve a conflict with, or forgive
One dream that you need to surrender to God



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



Psalms 95


"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.

Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did."  ( vs. 6 - 9  )


We are the flock under God's care.  Sheep need a shepherd. They are not the smartest animals in the world and they need to be led and cared for in an intensive manner if they are going to live and thrive.  Although it is not that flattering to be compared to sheep, it is fitting.  We do need a lot of help.  We do easily go astray and get lost.  It is good to know that we have a good shepherd that we can follow.  He cares for us in so many ways.  I love to read the 23 psalm which most people know and which once again refers to God as our shepherd.  It is as follows:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters,

He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." 

I love the beautiful portrayal of God's care for us expressed here.  I love the idea that I do not have to be in want and that as I go through my life here, I do not have to fear evil; not because it does not exist, but because God is with me.

I do have a responsibility in this scenario, however.  I have to listen to God's voice.  If I am a sheep and my shepherd is calling me, I need to go to my shepherd.  I need to let him take care of me.  If I continue to run away, I will only get myself into further trouble.  If I am sick and need medication, I will only become more sick.  I must heed to my master's voice.  So I need to see that God is my shepherd, and then I need to follow and obey.  I can't harden my heart.  I must soften it. I need to remember all that God has already done for me and trust that if anyone can help me, then it will be Him.  I must stop testing God and asking that He prove something to me.  God does not have to prove anything to me.  He already has.  I just need to accept what I am and where I am and be a sheep basking in the love of a good shepherd.





Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


You are the Good Shepherd.  You know how to take care of us.  Help us to run to You, not away from You.  Help us to do as You say and reap the benefits.  Help us to remember how far You have brought us so far.  You will not leave us wandering in the desert.  You will bring us to a good land if we follow.  Help us to follow, now and always.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1.  Am I worshipping God on a regular basis?  Do I feel He deserves my worship?  Do I know how to worship?   How can I learn to do this or to do this better?

2. What do I know about sheep?  What can I learn about sheep?  How am I like a sheep?  How is God like a shepherd?  What can I learn about God's nature by looking at this comparison? 

3. Do I listen to God's voice or do I ignore it?  Do I think the Bible or Scriptures are God's actual word, as though He were right here speaking to me?  Why or why not?  If I did see the Scriptures in this manner, how might that affect my reaction?  How can I learn to listen to God's voice better?

4. Do I heed God's voice?  Do I do what I think God is calling me to do or do I reason the feeling away?  Have I hardened my heart to God's calling and voice?  How?  How can I change?

5. Do I ever test or try God?  How do I do this?  Why do I do this?  Is this a trust issue?  What can I do to stop testing God and to start trusting Him more?