My Journey 8/17 - 8/20/2010

God's insight to me:

I like this devotional by Adrian Rogers for it really speaks about our lives today. Some people going to church on Sunday, giving God one hour of their time, and then going home and putting on "dirty clothes". The dirty clothes I am speaking of is their daily lifestyles. My friends a sin is a sin. One Sunday a week does not change that. To have a fellowship with God you must understand that. Once you ask Christ into your heart and ask Him to forgive you of your sins, it is a done deal. Does that mean you won't sin again? No, but you are less tempted to put on those dirty clothes. And if and when you do remember, He knows it. Ask Him to forgive you for that and again it is a done deal. What you find is your wanting to sin diminishes and being Christ-like increases. If that is what you want, it is your choice. It is mine.

The "Thanks Be To God" devotional is very well written. As we see our country and leaders turn away from God, we must prayerfully ask God to forgive us and guide us in His ways, the same ways that our founding fathers founded this great country on. The way hasn't changed from the beginning. God hasn't changed and never will change.

Dr. Stanley's devotional will bring fear to some people. Just think of what God's final exam for us is going to be like. So many I believe will be needing more time to learn, for they didn't spend their time wisely. Do you understand what the "truth" is? John 14:6, Jesus said, I am the truth, the way, and the life... Did you recognize when the "truth" was present? Did you tell others about the "truth"? One day we will all be in front of the greatest teacher of all and He will say, "The final exam begins now!" He already knows your answers!

Neil T. Anderson's devotional speaks volumes about God. I love this statement about how we are waiting for a sign form God, "Jesus was saying that the sign we need is the Word of God, and we are to use the Word to guard against Satan's temptations to force the Lord to prove Himself." I also found this to be very true, "I think it is better to prove ourselves to God rather than demand He prove Himself to us. We are the ones being tested, not God." I believe if you want to watch God work get done on your knees and ask Him to be control of your life, then look in the mirror and watch Him work.

The Face in the Mirror

I looked in the mirror
and what did I see,
the face of Jesus
looking back at me.

I said, “oh Lord ,
how can this be?
The things I’ve done
You can’t really want to be me!

You never sinned
or did any wrong,
How can I possibly think
being with You I belong?

Then within a moment
He spoke to my heart.
“The past is forgiven
let Me be your new start!

If you can say yes
and finally agree,
then the reflection in the mirror
will always be Me.”

E. P. Shagott
12/12/09

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

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August 17

Is It Clean Enough?
by Adrian Rogers

"O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased." Matthew 14:31-32

A man was in the back bedroom of his home getting dressed while his wife was in the living room talking to a friend. He called out to his wife, "Darling, is this shirt clean enough for me to wear?"

Without hesitation she said, "No."

He said, "How did you know it wasn't clean enough to wear? You didn't even come back to look at it."

She answered, "If you had to ask, it wasn't clean enough!"

When it comes to the question of whether you should do something or not, if it's doubtful, it's dirty. Unfortunately, most of us don't give God the benefit of the doubt. We just go ahead and do it.

Are you in doubt about something today? If you have even the smallest doubt in your heart that it might be sin or lead to sin, be strong and choose to say "No." He will be your peace.

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August 18

Thanks be to God
From Daily Disciples Devotionals

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations. Psalm 100

Let us all be thankful for our freedom and for our founding fathers who laid the God-fearing foundation for this great nation. But above everything else, let us not forget the One who made us. We are God's people---we are His sheep and this nation is still His pasture. Take time today to give Him praise and thanksgiving for the true freedom that we have in His Son Jesus Christ. Make a joyful noise to the Lord! Pray for our nation today. As Christians, we should all be greatly concerned at how our lawmakers are turning away from God in their choices and decisions. God's mercy is everlasting but there is a day of judgment coming. Pray that our nation will turn back to the Lord. One by one, as Christians, we can make a difference. Let's start today.

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The Final Exam
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Matthew 25:31-40

Pay attention because there will be a test later." Upon completing their schooling, most people are relieved not to have to hear those words anymore. Well, your testing days are not quite over, because God has a final exam for believers. Below is a brief "study guide" outlining what the Lord's faithful can expect at His judgment throne.

Questions. Examining each believer's life from the moment of salvation to death, God looks for answers to three questions:

1. How much truth did the person know?

2. How many opportunities did he or she have to use that truth?

3. What did the individual do with those opportunities?

So you see that we are actually preparing for the final exam right now. On judgment day, no excuses or arguments can stand, nor will anything unrighteous, selfish, or evil be permitted in God's holy presence. All we'll have to show is what we did in His name.

Rewards. Every person who receives Jesus Christ as Savior shares in the gift of eternal life. However, just as each one is judged by his or her own life, so are rewards given individually. Though the Bible is not specific about the nature of heavenly blessings, the promise of receiving them permeates its pages (Matt. 5:12, 6:4; 1 Cor. 3:8; Rev. 2:23).

Throughout life, our heavenly Father provides each of us with so many big and small ways to honor Him. Take my advice: Do not waste a single moment of preparation time! On the appointed day, you will want to stand before Him, certain that you used your opportunities to the fullest.

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8/20

How God works
by Neil T. Anderson

Deuteronomy 8:6
You shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him

I believe in miracles, and I accept as fact every one recorded in the Bible. I believe that our entire Christian experience is a miracle. It simply cannot be explained by natural means. And God's power is seen in other miraculous ways today, but must He always prove Himself by stepping outside His created order? If God doesn't primarily guide us through His Word (which never changes) and take into account the fixed order of the universe, how can we ever have any stability? How can we make any plans if God doesn't reveal His ways and then stay consistent with them?

God is not capricious in His dealings with man. He has clearly established His ways and He is faithful to them. I believe God has revealed His ways and we are to walk in them. The question is, how does God work through human responsibility and the natural order of the universe to bring about His will? Somehow He works through a less-than-perfect church, orchestrating human affairs in such a way as to guarantee the outcome of the ages. What really impresses me is His timing, not His miraculous interventions.

Notice how Jesus responded to those who insisted on a sign: "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet" (Matthew 12:39). Satan wanted a sign too. He said, "If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down" (Matthew 4:6). To this Jesus responded, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test" (verse 7 NIV ). Jesus was saying that the sign we need is the Word of God, and we are to use the Word to guard against Satan's temptations to force the Lord to prove Himself.

I think it is better to prove ourselves to God rather than demand He prove Himself to us. We are the ones being tested, not God. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).

Prayer: Lord, I want to be responsible to use the gifts You have given me and lay aside sin and fruitless activities.