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if I never get another blessing from God

April 25, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

I was talking with a friend the other day about how easy it is to complain.  Unlike what Psalm 103 commands, I forget the many benefits that God has given to me.  Circumstances, stress, pain and confusion seem bigger than the blessings of God.  But the reality of my life is that if I never receive another blessing from God, I have more than enough reason to praise Him for all of eternity.

Six years ago, my life was headed straight towards Hell.  Then God arrested my heart, convicted me of my need for His salvation, and in mercy, He changed my desires and ways.  With joy, I accepted a life as His servant, aware that freedom from eternal slavery was being offered to me.

I never want to forget that the LORD has been merciful and gracious to me.  He proved himself to be slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (and He continues to prove this faithfulness as He sustains me each day, Psalm 103:8).  So, when my life seems to take a wrong turn, when my proverbial “fig tree” doesn’t seem to be blooming, when my life is full of troubles and cares, I can take hope in what God has already done.  The God who sent His son to die for me, will not leave me hopeless in my circumstances.

As I remember what God has done, my heart naturally turns from complaining to rejoicing.  I can wait for the Lord, like David did in Psalm 27, as I remember the goodness of the Lord to me.  (I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!  Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!  Psalm 27:13-14)

I’m troubled but i’m not cast down
For You are here with me
Though winds may blow and waves will roar
Your love will never cease
I’ll trust in You.  I’ll look to You
I’ll find my rest in You
When the seasons change and storm clouds blow
I’m kept in perfect peace.

[copyright, 2010, Emily Schankweiler; A Sacrifice of Praise]

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When God is hidden by a dark cloud

April 23, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

There are seasons in the lives of us all when it is not easy to believe that God is faithful. When our eyes are full of tears, our ears are distracted by the noise of the world, we feel we can no longer hear the sweet voice of our Savior calling out to us, and we can no longer trace His sovereign hand at work through the events of our days.

At times when this has happened in my life, my mind was left confused and full of questions.  I had sought to be faithful to God… why would he allow this (insert trial here) to happen?

What we must remember at these times is that God is faithful.  His Word is true.  In every relationship with His Children, God has been faithful.  No one ever trusted Him in vain.  We need that reminder, which is why it is so important to remind ourselves of the God revealed in Scripture.  His faithfulness is part of His character.  We can have confidence in Him, whether we understand our current situation or not.

“You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” John 13:7

One of my favorite poets is William Cowper.  He spent his life battling depression, loneliness and many other struggles.  Yet his poems remind us constantly of the faithfulness of God.  Remember that even when God moves in your life in a mysterious way (as He did in William Cowper’s), He is sovereign, He is gracious, and He is, even now, working out His good plan in you.

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

[copyright, 2010, Emily Schankweiler; A Sacrifice of Praise]

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God Gives More

April 12, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

The last few months have been extremely busy for me.  Work has picked up; I’m nearing the end of planning for my upcoming wedding (only 5 more weeks to go).  As I’m preparing to be a wife, I feel so unequipped to do this task God is calling me to.  This season has had different “trials” than I’ve previously experienced in my life but the testing has been there nonetheless.  Life has gotten busier, burdens are growing greater, cares are increasing and I’m growing more aware of my need for wisdom and dependence on God.   I’m more aware than ever that I need His strength, provision and perspective.  I’m constantly faced with the decision to trust in my own strength or to look to God as my Provider.

I was reminded today of the hymn “He Giveth More Grace” written by Annie J. Flint.  She suffered with severe crippling pain, yet her perspective was on God to provide.  I’m encouraged as I read these words, because they point me, not to her great faith, but to her great God.

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Fear not that your need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both you and your load will upbear.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Let this be the song that comes from our hearts too… whether struggling with physical pain, the hectic schedule of this life, or some other trial that tempts to distract our focus from our God.  His power has no boundaries.  No matter what situation we face, no matter how overwhelming the obstacles may seem, God gives more.  He is ever ready to lend a hand of comfort, strength, correction and help.  Let us look to Him, for He is truly our great God.

[copyright, 2010, Emily Schankweiler; A Sacrifice of Praise]

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The Christian Marathon

April 10, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

For the past several months my fiance and I have been working with a trainer at our gym. We’ve had to change much of how we live and think. We try to think about what we put into our bodies and what nutrition our bodies need. Its been encouraging to see the hard work pay off as we are both much healthier now than even 6 months ago. But this process has not come easy. It has taken discipline. It has taken sacrifice and self-denial.

The Christian life is the same. In the Bible, growth in sanctification is compared to a race. Here are some tips to help us run in our Christian life…

Be disciplined: “So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control” (1 Corinthians 9:26-27).

Run to win: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).

Don’t look back: “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14).

Get rid of what holds you back: “Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

Work past the pain: “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).

Remember the end goal: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

The Christian life is not a sprint, it is a marathon. It is easy to get distracted, but we need to remain disciplined. Like the author of Hebrews says, so that we do not grow weary in the race, let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

[copyright, 2010, Emily Schankweiler; A Sacrifice of Praise]

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I Need Christian Friends

April 8, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

I need friends in my life. I don’t just mean friends who make me laugh or smile, but friends who love me enough to share what God is doing in their lives and who are willing to share correction with me. I need friends who will help me grow to be more like Christ. I was reminded of this a couple weeks ago over a cup of coffee.

I asked my friend how I could be praying for her and what God had been teaching her that week. As she opened up and shared her heart with me, I was amazed.  Her zeal for God was contagious and I wanted more of that.  Her love for others broke through my heart of selfishness and the Holy Spirit began convicting me that I too need to selflessly love and care for others more.  I left that coffee shop freshly encouraged to love God more and to live each day in service to Him.

I think this is what the writer of Hebrews was referring to when He said: And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Heb 10:25)

As a part of the body of Christ, we are called to grow into His likeness, through His Spirit’s enabling, as well as build up and support each other in the body.  Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:16: From him [Christ] the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. God has not called us to run this race alone, but He has graciously given us the Body to provide encouragement, support, care and even correction at times.

I am thankful for the friends that God has given me who continue to point me to Christ and encourage me to live each day for Him.  Let us learn from the writer of Hebrews and consider how we can motivate our friends towards love and good works, how we can point them to God, and how we can encourage them with the glorious hope found in the gospel of Christ.

[copyright, 2010, Emily Schankweiler; A Sacrifice of Praise]

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The Potter’s Clay

April 6, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

“So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.  Then the word of the LORD came to me:”O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand…”  Jeremiah 18:3-6

As Christians, we belong to Christ.  He is the master over our lives, and He determines our steps.  He is constantly working to break us, mold us and change us to bear a closer resemblance to His image.   Often this process is painful and can be confusing.  A friend shared this poem with me the other day and I was encouraged to remember that in every change, God has a purpose and a plan. He is working through every trial.  He is faithful through every test.  Praise God for His faithfulness, even when His care comes through pruning and correction.

When God wants to drill a man
And thrill a man
And skill a man,
When God wants to mold a man
To play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How he hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses
And with every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try His splendor out-
God knows what He’s about!

-Author Unknown

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.  Is 64:8

[copyright, 2010, Emily Schankweiler; A Sacrifice of Praise]

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Walk in Newness of Life

March 29, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

God became man to turn creatures into sons: not simply to produce better men of the old kind but to produce a new kind of man.  C.S. Lewis

As Christians, we are a new creation; we are no longer enslaved to our sin.  Although Satan will lie to us and tell us we MUST still give in to our sinful nature, Romans 6:11-14 makes it clear that we are dead to our old nature and that we are alive in Christ to a new way of life.  1 Corinthians 10:13 says that when we are tempted, that in His faithfulness, God will always provide a way out.

When we place our trust in the finished work of Christ to forgive and to change us, there is victory in the strength He provides. He has already given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), so we can stand firm against the temptation to sin. But, John gives us the reminder that if we do sin, we still have an advocate (1 John 2:2).  Because we are dead to sin, empowered to walk in a new life, and upheld by the Holy Spirit, we need not fear condemnation (Romans 8:1).

If you have been truly born again you have a new and holy nature, and you are no longer moved towards sinful objects as you were before. The things that you once loved you now hate, and therefore you will not run after them. You can hardly understand it but so it is, that your thoughts and tastes are radically changed. You long for that very holiness which once it was irksome to hear of; and you loathe those vain pursuits which were once your delights. The man who puts his trust in the Lord sees the pleasures of sin in a new light.  For he sees the evil which follows them by noting the agonies which they brought upon our Lord when He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. C.H. Spurgeon

Prayer: Father, thank you that you did not just save me from my sin and then leave me hopeless to change.  Thank you that You empower me to walk differently than I used to.  Thank you that your grace does not merely forgive my sins, but also continues to change me into Your image.  Thank you for the promise that You will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I can bear, and that as I actively place my trust in you, I will see victory over temptation and sins.  You have redeemed me.  You are changing me.  I look forward to the day when I stand before you fully sanctified and pure.  Let that motivate me to a deeper life of holiness and Christlikeness.

[copyright, 2010, Emily Schankweiler; A Sacrifice of Praise]

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Satan might be strong, but he’s not stronger than my God.

March 23, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

Do you ever find yourself painfully aware that Satan is stronger than you?  Maybe it’s after he tempts you and you sin again in that area that you so desperately want to change.  Maybe, like me, at times you find yourself lacking hope for change… hope that a certain area in your life will ever be different.  You see where you fall short.  You begin to believe the lies that you will never change.  It’s easy to get discouraged because as Christians, we are aware that Satan is a real and present danger.

Its times like this that we need to remember that our hope is in the same One who declared on the cross “it is finished.”  Not only were our sins fully and completely forgiven at the cross, but the power of Satan was defeated there as well.  When we fear the power of Satan, it is important to remember that the authority he has was given by God (Romans 13:1).  His power is not unlimited like God’s, it is under the control of God (Job 1:12, Job 2:6).  His power has been broken (Genesis 3:15).  He is assured of a coming defeat (Revelation 20:2-3).

“Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed’” (Revelation 5:5).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that you are the conquering King.  The attacks of Satan cannot stand against You.  When I am weary from the battle and tired from standing firm, help me to put my trust in You.  Help me to find my strength and hope not in my ability to withstand, but in the promise that Satan is already a defeated foe.  Help me not to fear his attacks but in every situation, to look to You.

[copyright, 2010, Emily Schankweiler; A Sacrifice of Praise]

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