10-5-12 The Bible Protects

Passage for the day: (Prov. 30:5) “Every word of God is flawless;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."

(Akbar shield)

Thought: A shield is what the ancients used to hide behind when the arrows came. When times get tough, the scriptures are a comfort, lifting up our heads.  We would do well, when we are discouraged to search the scriptures and know what passages can help us when the tough times come.  The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, uses the book He inspired not only to inspire us, but to protect our souls.  When we are going through the valley- the rod and staff of God comforts us.  God has not abandoned us to our circumstances.  He did not create us and then not care.  Rather, He has provided us a word of hope. When God revealed Himself to Abraham, the father of our faith, He revealed Himself as a shielf (Gen. 15:1).
    I can remember once when all three of my kids were sick and my wife, Kay was in the hospital.  It was overwhelming in so many ways.  But I found peace of mind- not in zooing out in front of the TV or internet, but in reading the Bible and prayer.  The Psalms are excellent places to go for comfort, protection, and solace for our souls in the tough times.

Memory verse: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly."  (Col. 3:16)

Prayer: This day, Lord, may I find your word to be my shield and strength.

Cross reference: Ps. 18:30,35 says the same as Prov. 30:5;  Eph. 6: "Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Remaining in God- Prayer and the Word

Passage for the day: (Jn. 15:7) "If you remain in me and my Word remains in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you."

If you can, look at the EXCELLENT devotional video today (day 4) from Dr. John Ortberg, PCUSA pastor: http://40daysintheword.com/blogs/habits/day-4/

"The goal of prayer is to say every word in joyous consciousness of God's presence." "Prayer is talking with God about what He and I are doing together." "Scripture is the best place to immerse myself in the Word of God."

Memory verse: Col. 3:16- "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly."

Ortberg says, "Some say, 'If prayer really works, it should work all the time.'  But if you stop and think about it, God would be very foolish to give someone the power to have every prayer they ever offered answered.  Because if I had that guarantee, I might pray, 'Lord smite my enemies.'  Then the freeways would be very dangerous...like giving a loaded shotgun to a six year old." Here God is really talking about a way of life."   

40 Days in the Word

For the next Forty Days, Lake Murray Presbyterian (our church) will be taking part in a study/project called "40 Days in the Word" (written by Rick Warren of Saddleback Church).

It is almost forty days until the Presidential election- not a bad time to look to God.

There will be daily devotions, so we will not have competing daily devotions.

TEXT: to313131 (to receive a devotional on your phone)

or go to www.40daysintheword.com and sign in.

9/15/12- Paul's conversion

 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (Acts 9) 

(Paul's conversion- Caravaggio 1600)

⁴ I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, ⁵ as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.  ⁶ “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. ⁷ I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ ⁸ “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ⁹ My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.  ¹⁰ “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ ¹¹ My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.  (Acts 22)




12 "With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 when at midday along the road, your Excellency, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. 14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.' 15 I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' The Lord answered, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you. 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles — to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' (Acts 26)

Thoughts: Paul's conversion story is recorded three times in Acts and referred to in 1 Cor. 15 and Galatians 1.  There are those who nitpick at the stories pointing out subtle, pointless differences.  None of these differences are significant.  We need to be reminded that the author of Acts wrote down all three accounts.  

9/16/12- Forgiving our debt

Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Karl Menninger, famous psychiatrist and owner of the Menninger clinics said that 75% of his patients could leave his hospitals if they could believe that they were forgiven.   We all mess up- and therefore we alll stand in need of what we will study tomorrow: "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."   Trying to pretend we are forgiven when we have not come to God asking is like trying to smile to someone on shore while holding two big beach balls under the water-- it takes so much energy and we need to let them go.  In fact, being forgiven of our debt is letting our past sins go and moving on.

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to forgive others, and by doing so know I am also forgiven by you.

9-13-12 Paul the non-mysoginist

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

¹¹ In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.



Thoughts: I have heard many say that they refuse to read Paul's writings because of his attitude toward women.  Paul may not have  been a politically correct person of the 21st century, but if we refuse to try to compare him to people of our day, and compare him to the colleagues of his day, Paul shines brightly as a champion for women.  While he did speak out about women who talked in the middle of church, he did two hugely important things for women. 
    First he equated women with men in Galatians 3:28.  This was not done in Paul's day or culture.  Before Christ, women and men as well as slave and free are equal.  There is no distinction.  For women who had been second-class citizens, the idea of being one with men was refreshing. 
    But even more relevant, Paul, more than any other, replaced circumcision with baptism.  Circumcision was the sign of conversion to God for males, but not females.  Baptism is a sign of conversion for Christians now- and also like circumcision a symbol of belonging to God and washing away our reproach to Him.  Baptism was a single act that united men and women- there is now one Lord, one faith, and one baptism that unites us all.  The unbaptized and those who are focused only on our day do not realize what a revolution that was.  Paul baptized the first European convert, Lydia, in the river outside Philippi.  He did not wait for a man.  He commended Phoebe the deaconess.  He commended Junia as chief among the apostles (Rom. 16:7).  
     Paul has a freeing message for all people.  He did not come to just set women free or slaves free.  He came to set whosoever will come to Christ in humility and follow Him as Savior and Lord.
     Too many are quick today to call other people "haters."  We should be careful and listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. 

Prayer:  Help me to love and invite all people to you, O Lord.  There is not a soul who does not need you, including me, Lord. 
    

9/12/12- Debt to Be Forgiven

Forgive Us Our Debts as We Forgive our Debtors.

¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Col. 3:13)

⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” (Luke 7:47-49) 

Thoughts: We do not forgive simply because we ought to forgive.  We forgive because we have been forgiven.  The Christian basic message is that God came down to forgive us- not because we deserve it- but out of His sheer grace.  The one forgiven little loves little, but the one who is forgiven much loves much.  Some of the greatest saints have been the worst sinners- like Paul who took part in the murder of Stephen and persecuted the Christians; or Augustine who lived an immoral life style; or a Chuck Swindoll who became Born Again after his pride fell in Watergate.  When we have experienced forgiveness, then we know we are forgiven. 

Prayer: Help me to know of my forgiveness that I might spread the hope of forgiveness.