Todays insight; Each of the devotionals today brought on a confirmation with each of them. That is how the Lord works. He does not keep you guessing. He may keep you waiting, but it is for a reason. His reason.
In the first devotional I understand what Mr. Simpson was refering to. My life has become so much easier with God's divine love. I have been told by so many people, even someone I have met for the first time how happy a person I am. Also how loving I come across to them. This is what A. B. Simpson writes below "It is to take the heart of Jesus for our love and claim its love for every need of life, whether it be toward God or toward others." Amen to that.
In the poem that followed by Harriet Beecher Stowe it speaks about "peaceful stillness". The deeper we are in the Lord, the more peace we have in our souls. Praise God!
As I read Max Lucado's short devotional I thought of how many doubting Thomas' are in my life. I am always asking God, "please show me how to reach them!"
Charles Stanley writes in his devotional about a period of suffering. I was thinking back as God was working with me to bring His outreach ministry into fruitfulness, that I had time of suffering. Several times presenting programs I felt very uncomfortable, ackward and questioned "why I was picked to do this." I now understand it is through those trials that I became as Charles Stanley writes, "prepared and equipped to serve Him". This sentence that Mr. Stanley wrote in his devotional today explains how God worked with me, "The Lord molds His children in proportion to their willingness to be shaped for divinely appointed work."
Finally in the last devotional I can say 100%, "I am not a Do Not Touch Christian". I truly mean it when I tell everyone I meet, "God loves you and I love you!" As I was ministering to the residents today at Lakeshore Skilled Nursing in one of the songs, "The King Is Coming", is the lyric line, "little children and the aged, hand in hand all aglow, who we crippled, broken and ruined, clad in garments white as snow!" My friends, "the King is coming", praise God, He's coming for me, and I pray you too!!!
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
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A devotional by A. B. Simpson
"The anointing which ye have received" (1 John 2:27).
This is the secret of the deeper life, but "That ye may be rooted and grounded in love," is the substance of it, and the sweetness of it. The fulness of the divine love in the heart will make everything easy. It is very easy to do things that we love to do, and it is very easy to trust one whom we love, and the more we realize their love the more we will trust them for it.
It is the source of healing. The tide of love flowing through our bodies will strangely strengthen our very frame, and the love of our Lord will become a continual spring of youth and freshness in our physical being. The secret of love is very simple. It is to take the heart of Jesus for our love and claim its love for every need of life, whether it be toward God or toward others.
It is very sweet to think of persons in this way, "I will take the heart of Jesus toward them, to let me love them as He loves them." Then we can love even the unworthy in some measure, if we shall see them in the light of His love and hope, as they shall be, and not as they now are, unworthy of our love.
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From Mrs. Charles Cowman Devotional - Streams in the Desert
When winds are raging o'er the upper ocean,
And billows wild contend with angry roar,
'Tis said, far down beneath the wild commotion,
That peaceful stillness reigneth evermore.
Far, far beneath, the noise of tempest dieth,
And silver waves chime ever peacefully,
And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er it flieth,
Disturbs the Sabbath of that deeper sea.
So to the heart that knows Thy love, O Purest,
There is a temple sacred evermore,
And all the babble of life's angry voices
Dies in hushed silence at its peaceful door.
Far, far away, the roar of passion dieth,
And loving thoughts rise calm and peacefully,
And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er it flieth,
Disturbs the soul that dwells, O Lord, in Thee.
--Harriet Beecher Stowe
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Back From The Dead
By Max Lucado
“Thomas said, ‘I will not believe it until I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were.’” John 20:25
Jesus gave Thomas exactly what he requested. He extended his hands one more time. And was Thomas ever surprised. He did a double take, fell flat on his face, and cried, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
Jesus must have smiled. He knew he had a winner in Thomas . . . Legend has him hopping a freighter to India where they had to kill him to get him to quit talking about his friend who came back from the dead.
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A Time to Suffer by Charles Stanley
James 1:1-4
Yesterday's devotion noted that Joseph suffered 13 years before he was pulled from adversity. God could have fixed that mess more quickly or, better yet, prevented Joseph from enduring it at all. But can you imagine a 17-year-old boy skipping into Egypt and sitting down at Pharaoh's right hand? Certainly the Lord's power could make such an unlikely event happen. But would a slightly arrogant, ignorant Hebrew teenager make a good leader? Not until God made him into one.
Our suffering lasts only as long as necessary for God to accomplish His purpose. He is interested in equipping servants and molding followers rather than in providing carefree lives. Yet the Father deeply loves His children—that's why He shares in their hurts and limits the hardship so it doesn't extend one moment beyond its usefulness.
Adversity is God's sharpest and strongest tool for re-forming believers to Christ's image, but He will not force change. The Lord molds His children in proportion to their willingness to be shaped for divinely appointed work. We can refuse to submit to His craftsmanship, but rebellion only prolongs the pain. The wise approach is to say, "God, I do not understand why You have allowed this hardship, but I am willing to follow You through it."
The faithful child of God emerges from trials prepared and equipped to serve God. This is the believer who values obedience and prioritizes prayer and Bible study long before adversity comes. When the going gets tough, he knows that the Holy Spirit's power is sufficient to carry him through.
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For Decoration Only by Marilyn Ehle
“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus…” Colossians 3:17
The beautiful building surrounded by trimmed lawns, tall trees and bubbling fountains is over one hundred years old. Once a home for a wealthy family, today its glowing wood floors, towering built-in bookcases and finely painted smooth walls welcome groups for dinners, meetings and other events. Tapestries and rugs woven by some of Europe’s masters still grace the walls and floors. In every room stand desks, tables, chairs and drawered chests that were once enjoyed by the original owners.
On a recent visit I was again captured by the building’s history, what it must have been like to live there each day, eat in one of the grand dining rooms and even watch deer and other animals roam just outside the walls.
In my meanderings I came upon a beautiful grand piano in the library. While the keys were somewhat yellowed by age, they seemed intact, the strings still taut, and the dark wood glowing in the afternoon sunlight. This instrument seemed to be just waiting for the fingers of a pianist to produce a melody to refresh my soul.
Then I saw the sign: For decoration only. Do not touch or play this piano.
This exquisite instrument could no longer be used for its original purpose. It took up space and drew admiring glances, but no sounds could reach my ears. I walked away disappointed; I wanted more from something I knew had within it what I desired.
I wonder how often we Christians display a sign—an attitude—that leaves people disappointed, maybe even hungry for something they suspect we have within us that could satisfy their longings. In my rush to do good things, do people close to me sense a “Do Not Touch” posture?
We were not created to be for decoration only.
Thank you, Lord, for being a touchable Savior. Help me be more like you as people enter my life.
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