My Journey - 5/13 - 5/16/2010

God's insight to me:

As Adrian Rogers wrote about meekness I realize that is definitely a characteristic of mine. Yielded me? Yep, to Christ! See, I was broken by this world engulfed by sin. I found that as I lived each day the worldly burden became greater and greater to bear. Praise God I surrendered my life to Jesus! Now I have through Him, "strength under control"!

In the Streams in the Desert devotional A. B. Simpson writes about God knowing us. I once heard a song by the Gaither's about God looking for a few good men/women. Dependable, faithful, willing to bear the trials of life in the name of His Son Jesus. Are you one of them that is ready for God's calling? I am!

As I was reading Charles Stanley's devotional another Gaither song came to mind, "Just a Sinner Saved By Grace". Once we accept Christ into our hearts God's saving Grace begins to transform us. I am a living testimony to that. Do I still sin today? Sure, for this is a sinful world we live in. But it is becoming less, and less frequent as I now focus on Jesus. The sin that was pleasing to me is no longer controlling me. God has forgiven me of all past, present and future sin. Thank You, Jesus.

Rick Warren's devotional also speaks about surrendering to God. Mr. Warren quoted Mark 8:35 (LB) where God's Word states "Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live". I agree with that Bible verse whole heartily. My life is so much more enriched, fulfilled and meaningful now than ever before.

Gloria Copeland's devotional speaks about one of the most devastating priorities in our earthly lives. The love of money can ruin a family, break up friendship and worst of all separate you from God. I once read about a man who won several million dollars in a lottery. He was poor to start then became rich beyond his dreams. But what he said was, "I curse the day I won all that money!" He found that family, friends and people he never knew wanted his money, not him just his money. He was happier being poor. I remember one time when I was singing with a business men's group at City Mission, one gentleman who was there to get a meal and a place to sleep was constantly praising Jesus. My friends he is a rich person for knowing Christ, He will fulfill all our needs.

A. B. Simpson's devotional speaks of God's storehouse for us. From my own personal experience I can only say, "People do not realize how blessed I am". Each day through my devotion and love for Him, I am blessed beyond words that I can express.
Praise to God for loving me before I ever loved Him.

In the last devotional by Charles Stanley he writes about "The Attitude of a Saint". As I was reading this devotional I looked up and said, "Thank You Lord". I can see a lot of these attitudes in myself. Am I bragging about this? No. It is a fact of my life now. It is all about Christ! My yielding to Him. My desire to be like Him. My life now as He lives in and through me. As I was sitting in church yesterday, the Lord blessed me with this poem. I was thinking of so many people that still play church on Sunday then proceed through the next six days not letting Him be a part of their lives.

Six Days A Week

Six days a week
to try and get through.
Sunday to Sunday
what will we do?

We heard the Pastor's message
that from his heart he did speak.
Then Monday came
and we began to feel weak.

Tuesday and Wednesday,
more trouble came our way.
What can we do
to get through these days?

Thursday and Friday,
then Saturday came.
We looked above
and praised Jesus name.

Then we felt His presense,
and heard Him say,
"Why worry children of Mine,
I'm with you always, not just Sunday!"

E. P. Shagott
5/16/2010

From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott



*************************************************
MAY 13

What Is Meekness? by Adrian Rogers

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth Matthew 5:5."

What does it mean to be meek? First, let me tell you what it is not before I tell you what it is.

Meekness is not weakness. The word "meek" means yielded. It literally has the idea of strength under control. When an animal, especially a horse, is domesticated, it is trained so that a rider can sit on its back or so it can pull a plow. The proper term for this process is that the animal has been "meeked." It has been broken. Now it yields to the rider or to the yoke. Now the animal exhibits strength under control. That's what meekness is.

Read Matthew 11:29 and 21:5. What does Jesus say about Himself, and how can you emulate Him?

*************************************************
He Knows Us a Streams in the Desert Devotional

May 14

"I know him, that he will command his children" (Gen. 18:19).

God wants people that He can depend upon. He could say of Abraham, "I know him, that he will command his children . . . that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken." God can be depended upon; He wants us to be just as decided, as reliable, as stable. This is just what faith means.

God is looking for men on whom He can put the weight of all His love and power and faithful promises. God's engines are strong enough to draw any weight we attach to them. Unfortunately the cable which we fasten to the engine is often too weak to hold the weight of our prayer; therefore God is drilling us, disciplining us to stability and certainty in the life of faith. Let us learn our lessons and stand fast. --A. B. Simpson

God knows that you can stand that trial; He would not give it to you if you could not. It is His trust in you that explains the trials of life, however bitter they may be. God knows our strength, and He measures it to the last inch; and a trial was never given to any man that was greater than that man's strength, through God, to bear it.

*************************************************
May 14
The Transforming Grace of God by Charles Stanley
Romans 8:28-30

God has predestined every believer to be conformed to the likeness of His Son Jesus Christ. The process begins at salvation and continues until we join Him in heaven. The apostle Paul is a good example of the Lord's power to transform an unrighteous man into an image-bearer of Jesus.

God changed a sinner into a saint. Paul was deeply religious before his conversion, but he relied on good works and a pious nature to gain divine acceptance. When he met the Lord on the road to Damascus, the future apostle learned that all of his religious zeal meant nothing. The only way for people to be acceptable before God is to receive the saving grace of Christ—He replaces our sin nature with a righteous spirit.

And even though saints will sometimes falter and make mistakes, our heavenly Father remains patient and loving toward His children. He uses our failures to teach us more about Himself and His ways.

God changed a servant of sin into a servant of the Lord (Rom. 6:16). Paul was welcomed into the kingdom in spite of his hostility toward the church. He'd promoted blasphemy, punished believers, and cast his vote against those being put to death (Acts 26:10-11). The lesson here is that no one can sin beyond the Lord's capacity to forgive.

The Father shapes and chisels His children until they mirror His Son. He turned one of the early church's enemies into a wise and repentant leader. Commit to obey the Lord, and see what He will do in your life. He is faithful to complete the good work He has begun in you (Phil. 1:6).

*************************************************
The Blessing of Surrender
May 14th, 2010 by Rick Warren

“Quit quarreling with God! Agree with him and you will have peace at last! His favor will surround you if you will only admit that you were wrong.” Job 22:21 (LB)

The Bible is very clear about how we benefit when we worship God through surrender: "Agree with him and you will have peace at last! His favor will surround you if you will only admit that you were wrong" Job 22:21 (LB).

In surrender, you begin to really live the life God intended: "Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live" Mark 8:35 (LB).

You are set free, liberated from self-preoccupation: "But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!" Romans 6:16-18 (MSG).

God is able to use you in great ways.

Why did God choose Mary, of all women, to be the mother of Jesus? It was because she was totally surrendered to God. When the angel explained God's improbable plan, she humbly responded, "I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said" Luke 1:38 (CEV).

Nothing is more powerful than a surrendered life in the hands of God.

*************************************************
May 14, 2010
Priorities of Prosperity by Gloria Copeland

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
– Matthew 6:24

God isn't against your having money. He's against money having you. He's against your making it your priority and putting your trust in it instead of in Him.

Why? Because He knows money makes a lousy god. Its power is limited. It will only buy so much. It will only go so far.

If you need healing from an incurable disease, money won't help you at all. If your family is falling apart, money won't mend it. But if you'll seek God first, His prosperity will reach into every area of your life.

God is so generous that He desires you to have the best on this earth, just as you desire the best for your children. His plan is for you to have all of your needs met according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Get in on that plan by keeping your priorities straight. Seek Him first and His righteousness.

Make pleasing God your number one priority. Set your eyes on Him above all else and all these things will be added unto you.

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:17-27

*************************************************
A devotional by A. B. Simpson

"I press toward the mark" (Phil. iii. 14).

We have thought much about what we have received. Let us think of the things we have not received, of some of the vessels that have not yet been filled, of some of the places in our life that the Holy Ghost has not yet possessed for God, and signalized by His glory and His presence.

Shall the coming months be marked by a diligent, heart-searching application of "the rest of the oil," to the yet unoccupied possibilities of our life and service?

Have we known His fulness of grace in our spiritual life? Have we tasted a little of His glory? Have we believed His promise for the mind, the soul, the spirit? Have we known all His possibilities for the body? Have we tested Him in His power to control the events of providence, and to move the hearts of men and nations? Has He opened to us the treasure-house of God, and met our financial needs as He might? Have we even begun to understand the ministry of prayer, as God would have us exercise it? God give us "the rest of the oil"!

*************************************************
May 15-16
The Attitude of a Saint by Dr. Charles Stanley
1 Corinthians 15:9-11

The apostle Paul had a certain mindset that Christians are wise to emulate (1 Cor. 11:1). His attitude included:

1. Humility. Pride cannot hide in the heart of a believer who understands divine mercy. Paul spread the gospel because he believed that the grace which was sufficient to save a sinner like him was adequate for anyone.

2. A sense of obligation. The apostle never lost sight of how far God's grace had brought him. He frequently reminded followers of his role in persecuting the church (1 Tim. 1:13). Paul's gratitude for salvation from that former life never waned. The book of Acts records the almost constant turmoil and heartache of his travels, and yet he kept praising the Lord for the privilege of serving.

3. A sense of dependence. To describe the source of his strength, Paul used these words: "By the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10). He knew what it was like to depend upon one's own goodness and work to be religious— and he wanted no part of it. Paul desired more of Jesus and none of himself (Phil 3:8).

4. A spirit of absolute confidence. At the end of his life, Paul was as certain as ever that God was real, in charge, and worthy of all honor, glory, and praise (2 Tim. 4:6-8).

Do you see these attitudes in yourself? If not, borrow a page from the apostle Paul's "playbook." Praise the Lord for all that He has done for you, and then get busy working for His kingdom. Do not allow His grace to be poured out on your life in vain (1 Cor. 15:10).