My Journey - 5/24/2010

God's insight for me:

As I was reading all the devotionals for this day I smiled because I normally always start off with one by Max Lucado. Reason being he is listed first in my favorites for devotionals. Also his is usually the shortest but to the point. I like how in this one he starts out with the word "even". As sinners we all have fallen and failed God. But because of Jesus we are made right with the Father. Thank You Jesus. Because of Jesus, eternity awaits.

Adrian Rogers devotional is a good follow up to Max Lucado's. In his devotional Adrian Rogers writes "Jesus can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future." My friends I am a living testimony to that. But I had to ask. It was my choice. I think this is a good place to share one of my early poems, titled "Thank You Lord"

Thank You Lord

I thank you Lord,
for giving life to me.
I thank you Lord,
for the earth, the sky, and the sea.
I thank you Lord,
for showing me all that’s good.
I thank you Lord,
for giving me a livelihood.
I thank you Lord,
for always caring for me.
For when times get tough
and seem so hard to bear
I thank you Lord,
for always being there.

E. P. Shagott

Richard Vinson's devotional from 365.org is so true for today as it was back when Jesus walked the earth. After 9/11 a lot of people were looking for God. Probably not many found Him for it was from fear and doubt that they were looking. Jesus probably would want to smack us all along side of the head as He would say to us, "You just don't get it!"

Dr. Bright's devotional speaks volumes of some Christians today. We know it is not right, but we keep doing it. Well, fear not for the Apostle Paul felt the same way. A sin is a sin. The only difference today is how we sin. So many Christians feeling just as the person named Harry in the devotional, a hypocrite - miserable, defeated, frustrated. I've been there, felt that. But praise God, thank You Jesus, not any more.

The last devotional from "Daily Disciples Devotionald" speaks of what my life is about now, pleasing Him, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I wake up in the morning saying, "Good morning Lord, what can I do for You today? Believe me if you truly want to please Him, you will not want to do what doesn't please Him. If you falter, ask Him to forgive you, learn from it and continue to do His work. May that ending prayer be each of our prayers.

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

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5/24/10
I’ll Give You Eternity
By Max Lucado
“God makes people right with himself through their faith in Jesus Christ.” Romans 3:22

Even if you’ve fallen, even if you’ve failed, even if everyone else has rejected you, Christ will not turn away from you. He came first and foremost to those who have no hope. He goes to those no one else would go to and says, “I’ll give you eternity.”

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MAY 24

The Life-Transforming Power of Christ by Adrian Rogers

"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name." John 20:31

The same Jesus who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future. This same Jesus is still in the miracle working business. And His business is the business of transformation. And when we believe that Jesus is the Christ, we will receive life through His name.

Someone has well said that nature forms us, sin deforms us, penitentiary reforms us, education informs us, the world conforms us, but only Jesus transforms us.

What are you to trust Christ for today? A miracle? Or for more of Him? Your very next breath is a miracle. Thank God for the miracle of life He has given you today.

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May 24
A devotional from 365.org

“Just show us God — that’s all we’re asking! One little peek, and we’ll be satisfied.”
I suppose Philip wanted something zippy-zappy: Jesus would wave his arms, there would be a big cloud of smoke, and God would be standing there in front of them. What would God look like? Would God be holding a lightning bolt?

Maybe Jesus considered whacking Philip upside the head, because he had missed the point of what Jesus had been saying over and over in this Gospel. “What? How can you ask me that? Whoever has seen me has seen God. My words are God’s words. All those miracles — God did those through me.”

Boil down the Gospel of John to one sentence: If you want to know God, get to know Jesus. Sure, you can know God in other ways — by caring for God’s creation, by treating other people with God’s compassion, by listening for God’s voice inside you. But always check your conclusions about God by comparing them to Jesus. God hasn’t left us in the dark; anytime we want, we can check out the example of Jesus in the good old B-I-B-L-E.

Richard Vinson

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He Sets us Free
May 24th, 2010 By Dr. Bill Bright

"I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can't. I do what I don't want to - what I hate...When I want to do good, I don't; and when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway....It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong...So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I'm in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free"
Romans 7:15,19,21,24,25

Harry gave every indication of being a happy, joyful, fruitful Christian. He was active in every major event of the church and many large citywide Christian efforts. He always had a high visibility, and because of his extrovertive, outgoing personality he seemed to be a model Christian.

Then one day I saw the real Harry. He just blurted it out.

"I'm a hypocrite - miserable, defeated, frustrated. I've lived a lie and worn a mask all my life, never wanting to reveal my true self. But I need help. I'm seriously thinking of committing suicide. I just can't live the Christian life, no matter how hard I try."

As I began reading Romans 7:15-25, he said, "That is my biography, the story of my life. I've done everything I know to find victory - to live the Christian life as I know I'm supposed to live it. But everything fails for me no matter how hard I try."

I encouraged him to read on. Paul asks the question in the 25th verse, "Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature?" Then he answers that question by saying "Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free."

If you are living a carnal life, as described in Romans 7, you can be liberated to experience a full and abundant, victorious and fruitful life, as you by faith claim the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit day by day, moment by moment.

Bible Reading: Romans 7:18-23

Today's Action Point: By faith, I will claim the power of the Holy Spirit to enable me to live the abundant, supernatural life that Jesus promised, so that I can bring glory to God by bearing much.

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May 24, 2010 - Daily Disciples Devotional

Today's Reading: 1 Chronicles 22-24; John 8:28-59

Today's Thoughts: To Please Him

And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." John 8:29

Jesus is a man who came from His Father to do those things that always please Him. And because of Jesus' obedience to His Father, His Father became our Father. It has bothered me to think that it pleased the Father to send Jesus to the cross. When I think of love, I do not want to equate it with suffering. But my perspective remains earthbound. God did not equate the cross with suffering as much as the cross was equated to glorification. The cross glorified the Son in restoring and bringing everything back under the authority of Christ. The cross brought salvation to us. As a result, we too suffer on earth for the greater call of glorification for eternity.

Because of Jesus' death, we can say with confidence that the Father has not left us alone. He has given us His Holy Spirit to intercede for us, counsel us, teach us and comfort us. We are never alone. But Jesus' words tug on my heart the most when He said, "I always do those things that please Him." Oh, how I pray that I can live a life that pleases Him. To hear Him so clearly, and know Him so dearly that nothing distracts or takes away from the call to please Him is the cry of my heart. Suffering becomes less and less the focus as my desire to please Him becomes more and more.

Oh Lord Jesus, You are my Savior and Lord but you are also my example. I want to be like You to please You. Let the things of earth become strangely dim in the light of Your glory and grace as I daily seek Your face. Amen.