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A Christmas Gift

December 12, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals, Devotional Links, Devotions For Teens, Family Devotions, Inspirational Bible Verses

Ah!  Christmas-time is here again.  Time for hurried shopping trips.  Time for shopping excesses.  Time to buy gifts for those we love. Decision after decision!

What can I give my spouse?

What to give the children!

What to give friends and family!

Will it be a new guitar?  The latest electronic gadget on which to view, text and listen? Perhaps the latest video game?

It is so easy get ‘caught up’ in the buying frenzy expected of us by retailers.

The very best gift you can give is the story of Jesus!  Christmas after all, is the celebration of His birth.  He was born to bring us the gifts of peace, contentment and joy!  He wanted and still wants us, to share his unconditional love with others.  What greater gift is there?

Gift-giving is a beautiful way of sharing and showing our love with those nearest and dearest to us, but let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas.  Let us remember to say, “Happy Birthday, Jesus”!

Let us invite and welcome Him into our hearts, minds and spirits.  Let us remember to thank His Father, God for all that He provides for us day by day. Let us keep Jesus in our hearts all year long, and each successive year of our lives.

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders.  And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  (NIV)

Prayer:  Father, when the worldly interpretation of Christmas overwhelms us, help us to not forget You, and Your gift of Jesus to us.  May we focus on what is important and beneficial to us and may we grow in faith and love.  Amen

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Ahead of Your Guide

June 13, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

“9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” -2 John 1:9

My wife and I live about 30 minutes from the tourist capital of the world…Orlando, FL. The first two years that we lived down here in Central Florida we made the decision to get annual passes to Walt Disney World. It was a great to be able to drive over and visit the mouse and his friends for the day and then drive back home. During the first few visits we got hooked. There was something about the sounds, the smells and overall the entire atmosphere of being on Disney property that hooked us. We were so hooked that for our wedding anniversary we decided to do a “Backstage Tour” to see more of the magic behind what makes Walt Disney World awesome.

On the tour we got to see all sorts of things that normal visitors to the Magic Kingdom don’t get to see. We got to walk backstage and even got to see the underground tunnels that cast members can walk from one side of the Magic Kingdom to the other without fighting the crowds of tourists. We also were able to learn information about Walt Disney and the parks that we hadn’t heard before. All of this was thanks to our tour guide.

Our tour guide for the tour was awesome, but he was only knowledgeable about things related to Disney. I wouldn’t take financial, spiritual or relationship advice from him. When we trust God as our guide He helps guide us in all the areas of our lives. 2 John 1:9 reminds us that we’re to stay with our tour guide and not run ahead. When we run ahead we pretend that we know more than the tour guide. That we do not need their guidance or advice and that we are better off on our own.

Allow God to be your guide. Walk next to Him and let Him show you all of His creations. Allow Him to point things out that you would miss as you speed through the everyday things of life. The awesome part of our Disney tour guide was that he showed us the small details that we missed. We had been to Disney many times, but sped on by little details that makes the big picture even more amazing.

Slow down and let God show Himself to you in the small things…

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Made by: God

May 26, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Hebrews 3:4

A couple that my wife and I are very close to built a house a few summers ago. They made more choices during the entire process than they cared to. They picked out the color and pattern of the wood floors, the colors of the walls, the windows and even the type of knobs for their cabinets.

Have you ever built something? My wife loves shopping at Ikea and I enjoy the cheap stuff, but I hate putting it together. I’m horrible at building things or doing anything mechanical and I appreciate the people who are willing to be patient as they try to teach me, or even better, to do the task for me. Building things is definitely not a talent that I have been blessed with.

As a small child I remember hearing that God created me. I remember imagining God in a garage with parts that he used to combine to form me. Now that I’m older and my view has slightly changed as to how we’re made, I am more amazed. The fact that God creates us and knows us while we’re in our mother’s womb amazes me. My daughter could be born any day and it amazes me to think that God has created in her a personality. He’s created in her favorite tastes, smells, sights and sounds. He’s created in her a brain that is going to help her make decisions that are major decisions in her life. Who she’ll marry. What career she’ll choose. And what college to go to.

Knowing that God created my daughter…knowing that He created me…and…Knowing that He created YOU should change the way we see ourselves. It isn’t like we have “Made by God” stamped on the bottom of our foot, but we are created in His image. When we find ourselves putting others before ourselves. When we find ourselves making choices that honor God. And when we humble ourselves…we see the results of being made by Him.

You…my friend…have been made by God.

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8 Pound Yorkie Love

May 18, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:8

Today was one of those days where I came home from work and was just exhausted. On Wednesdays I am at the church from 8AM-8PM, but I’m not physically exhausted. Life throws stuff at us so fast and in such large quantities that sometimes it feels like we’re incapable of handling it all. My wife is 9 months pregnant and due any day now, our gas tank is on E, she’s taking 8 weeks off of work when we’re already struggling to get by, the icon on our car came on indicating a low tire which led me to discover that we have a decently new tire that is going to need to be replaced.
I walked in the front door to the dog picture above going crazy. He didn’t care about how rough of a day or week I’ve had. He didn’t care that I was tired. He didn’t care that I was hungry. He only wanted to see me. He only wanted me to pick him up and hold him. So I took him outside into our backyard and let him run around, but he didn’t want to run around. I sat down on the steps of our deck and he jumped up in my lap top he began to do what he does best…lick my face. He doesn’t care that his breath smells like something crawled into his mouth and died. He doesn’t care that I push him away. He just wants to show me that he loves and missed me.
God does the same for us. We spend time worrying about coming to God after we fix all of our “problems” instead of just coming to God and letting Him do a work in us. God wants us to know that He comes to us with that same excitement that my dog shows when I get home. Our dog can hear our car door clothes and is celebrating before we even walk in the door.

The next time you’re down and you realize you’ve trying to do it all on your own…remember my 8 pound yorkie and think about how excited God is for you to run back to Him.

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Consider God’s Steadfast Love

May 20, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
Psalm 107:43

Throughout this Psalm the Psalmist recalls the merciful work of God to deliver people from trouble and distress. We serve a powerful God who frequently uses his power on behalf of his people. Through his acts of deliverance he demonstrates his love. We are loved by the One who controls all the power of the universe.

But God has not shown us his love so that we can relax and enjoy the feeling of being loved. Nor has God delivered us from trouble so that we can go on about our lives in safety and comfort. All that God does is for this end: to lead us to consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Out of his love, God has created us for himself. We were made to live in constant communion with God. Some people treat this as a curse, insisting that they be allowed to live for money or power or drugs or sex or television or a million other minuscule pleasures. Those things are not even mites of dust compared to the glory of God. We were created to dwell in God’s glory, to worship him in his holiness, to celebrate his love. Anything else is folly.

What is your response to God’s goodness? Do you take his blessings as a call for worship? Do you praise him for his love? Do you celebrate even in times of trouble and distress, knowing he will deliver you? Or do you sit back, turn on the television, and forget the God who has blessed you with his steadfast love?

Christian, consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

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No Other God

January 20, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?
Deuteronomy 4:7

It was toward the end of his life when Moses spoke these words to the people of Israel. The people stood on the threshold of the promised land, their long journey in the wilderness finally at an end. Soon Moses would die, Joshua would take his place, and the people would enter the land.

With the land would come temptation. Many nations would be encountered and with them, many gods. To prepare the people, Moses gathered them and retold to them the giving of the law and the wilderness wandering. One theme found throughout Deuteronomy is that there is no god like our God. We can hear Moses say, “Do not stray, you Israelites! You will see many strange things in the land of Canaan but remember what God has done; none of those false gods compare with the majesty of our Lord. Stay faithful! Only with Yahweh will you find safety and salvation!”

Much later in Israel’s history the prophet Micah delivers similar words in Micah 7:18-19: Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

To us Christians living in the 21st century, we too must remember these things. There is no other hope given to us. No political party, no insurance, no technology, no alternative life choice, no strange religion comes close to the majesty and mercy of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son himself, and the Holy Spirit are the one God who alone is mighty to save. Trust in him. Rejoice in his salvation. Give thanks for his mercy. Make known his name among the nations. And when people offer gods that are not God, turn aside from them and say, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).

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