10/11/12- The Bible: For Our God

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? (Dt. 10:12-13)

If you get a chance, watch the video devotion on this verse from Nicky Gumble, Episcopalian pastor who founded the world-reknown Alpha program. Day 11 devotion: http://40daysintheword.com/blogs/habits/day-11/

The Bible is not meant to hurt us or take away our freedom, but keep us from hurting each other. Just as a game is played with more freedom and fun-and less injury- with rules, so the Bible helps us to enjoy life for our own good. As Rev. Gumble says, God did not say do not kill or do not steal to take away our fun but to keep us from hurting each other.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to listen to you.

10/10/12- Cashing in the Word by Belief

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. (Hebrews 4:2)

(Old check)

Thought: The Word is to be combined with faith in order to be effective. When you act on the Word of God, the Word of God acts on you.  Believing in God is like claiming the promises of God.  I once knew a young man who got a birthday check from one of his relatives.  His parents gave him the check, and he put it in his bill fold.  Two years later, he was still carrying around the check in his wallet.  The check was good, but he still had to cash it in.  Believing is not just thinking God's Word is true, but it is going to the bank to cash it in.  

Prayer: Help me today, Lord, by increasing my faith giving me both a listening and a believing heart.

10/9/12- Meditating and peace

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

(My wife with a dog at her head and a dog at her feet- all asleep and at peace!)

Thought: Christian meditation, in contrast to more eastern meditation, seeks not to empty the mind, but to fill it with scripture.  We used to have a saying, "chew on this" meaning- think about it over and over.  Scripture is like a big chocolate ball that you don't want to just swallow whole, but you want it to remain in your mouth where you can enjoy it over and over.  We taste and see that the Lord is good by meeting with Him regularly to think about Him.
Meditating on God's Word is taking a little time out of the life that He gives us to center and settle ourselves- not into nothingness- but into Him.  Meditating on God's Word is like putting ourselves into His hands.  I have a small toy poodle that every morning will go around in circles-restless- until I pick her up and sit her beside me (she is there right now).  Once she gets in the chair beside me, she gives a big sigh and goes right to sleep.  She wants to just be near.  I have that same kind of relationship with God.  I am restless until I get near- coming to God in His Word- chewing on what He has for me today.
One of the benefits of this Forty Days in the Word program is it gives us a taste of what it feels like to regularly meet with God.  I can get so tired of looking at the TV and internet- political stuff that I cannot control, I can only get into just so many sports games.  Meeting with God is a chance to go deeper in life and to find a jolt of fulfillment that leads us to be the kind of person we were meant to be.  That is... prosperous and successful.  Prosperous and successful does not necessarily mean rich (though it may mean that).  We have been programmed in our culture to think in terms of money.  Money was not common in Joshua's day.  But the prosperity was in fulfilling God's will (in his case conquering the land).  We find our best fulfillment when we fulfill God's will- being the kind of person God has made us to be- reaching our full potential.  We cannot truly fulfill God's will for us without listening to Him- and we hear Him most clearly in His Word.

Prayer/Memory Verse: "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."

10/7/12 Scripture as our Standard

Passage for the day: (Ps. 119:9,11)- "How can a young person keep their way pure? By taking heed according to your Word...I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you." 

(Bells picture to show the power of white balance in a picture)

The Word of God is the standard- the camera's white balance- that makes everything in the right perspective. It is instruction of God that we go back and check- just as if we were given an academic assignment and go back and check the instructions.

Memory Verse: Psalm 119:18: "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to keep my life pleasing to you by listening to what you say to me in scripture.

(Taken from 40 Days in the Word Program- and edited just a bit)

10/6/12- Psalm 19- The Law as a gift

The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.

¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
¹¹ By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

Thoughts: The Law of God is not meant to rob us of joy, but to bring us the abundant life.  God sits at the treasure chest of His Word each day waiting to meet with us.  

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to see your Word as a precious gift. 

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."