Storms-----I love thunder and lightening storms---just feeling the power behind them, and sensing my powerlessness--- I love them because it reminds me in a physical way of God's power and my powerlessness.
I don't necessarily love the other storms in my life---unemployment, relationship strains, health issues----but sometimes it takes getting stripped down to a thread that brings me to that point of resting in God alone--His power and sovereignty. And God NEVER fails. This devotional was encouraging to me---have a great Friday!--LL
UpWords - Week of July 18-24
In God We (Nearly) Trust by Max Lucado
A few days before our wedding, Denalyn and I enjoyed and endured a sailing voyage. Milt, a Miami church friend, had invited Denalyn, her mom, and me to join him and a few others on a leisurely cruise along the Florida coast.
Initially it was just that. Leisure. We stretched out on cushions, hung feet over the side, caught some zzz’s and rays. Nice.
But then came the storm. The sky darkened, the rain started, and the flat ocean humped like a dragon’s neck. Sudden waves of water tilted the vessel up until we saw nothing but sky and then downward until we saw nothing but blue. I learned this about sailing: there is nothing swell about a swell. Tanning stopped. Napping ceased. Eyes turned first to the thunderclouds, then to the captain. We looked to Milt.
He was deliberate and decisive. He told some people where to sit, others what to do, and all of us to hang on. And we did what he said. Why? We knew he knew best. No one else knew the difference between starboard and stern. Only Milt did. We trusted him. We knew he knew.
And we knew we didn’t. Prior to the winds, we might have boasted about Boy Scout merit badges in sailing or bass-boat excursions. But once the storm hit, we shut up. (Except for Denalyn, who threw up.) We had no choice but to trust Milt. He knew what we didn’t—and he cared. The vessel was captained, not by a hireling or a stranger, but by a pal. Our safety mattered to him. So we trusted him.
Oh, that the choice were equally easy in life. Need I remind you about your westerly winds? With the speed of lightning and the force of a thunderclap, williwaws anger tranquil waters. Victims of sudden storms populate unemployment lines and ICU wards. You know the winds. You’ve felt the waves. Good-bye, smooth sailing. Hello, rough waters.
Such typhoons test our trust in the Captain. Does God know what he is doing? Can he get us out? Why did he allow the storm?
Can you say about God what I said about Milt? I know God knows what’s best.I know I don’t. I know he cares.
Such words come easily when the water is calm. But when you’re looking at a wrecked car or a suspicious-looking mole, when war breaks out or thieves break in, do you trust him?
To embrace God’s sovereignty is to drink from the well of his lordship and make a sailboat-in-the-storm decision. Not in regard to Milt and the sea, but in regard to God and life. You look toward the Captain and resolve: he knows what’s best.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
When we Doubt
I can't remember exactly how it goes, but Gavin used to say "Believe your beliefs, and doubt your doubts." I like how this devotion points out the difference between doubts and unbelief---and how God's word helps us see clearly the difference. Have a great weekend!--LL
Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - July 11, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
When We Doubt
“Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. . . .” (1 Corinthians 13:12a)
Oswald Chambers said, “Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong. It may be a sign that he is thinking.”
There is a difference between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is a matter of the mind. Unbelief is a matter of the heart. Doubt is when we cannot understand what God is doing and why He is doing it. Unbelief is when we refuse to believe God’s Word and do what He tells us to do.
We must not confuse the two.
Remember the discouraged disciples on the Emmaus road? In their minds, Jesus had failed in His mission and had been crucified. Jesus joined them on that road and began to speak with them.
In the end, they said, “Didn’t our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).
God dealt with their doubt through His Word. And God will deal with your doubt through His Word. When you are facing doubt, that is not the time to close the Bible. That is the time to open it and let God speak to you.
Maybe you have been doubting God’s ways in your life. Maybe you have been asking “why” a lot lately. Maybe His timing doesn’t seem to make any sense.
The Bible says, “All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now” (1 Corinthians 13:12b).
It all will be resolved in that final day when we stand before God. God doesn’t ask us to understand everything. He asks us to trust Him and follow Him.
Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - July 11, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
When We Doubt
“Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. . . .” (1 Corinthians 13:12a)
Oswald Chambers said, “Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong. It may be a sign that he is thinking.”
There is a difference between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is a matter of the mind. Unbelief is a matter of the heart. Doubt is when we cannot understand what God is doing and why He is doing it. Unbelief is when we refuse to believe God’s Word and do what He tells us to do.
We must not confuse the two.
Remember the discouraged disciples on the Emmaus road? In their minds, Jesus had failed in His mission and had been crucified. Jesus joined them on that road and began to speak with them.
In the end, they said, “Didn’t our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).
God dealt with their doubt through His Word. And God will deal with your doubt through His Word. When you are facing doubt, that is not the time to close the Bible. That is the time to open it and let God speak to you.
Maybe you have been doubting God’s ways in your life. Maybe you have been asking “why” a lot lately. Maybe His timing doesn’t seem to make any sense.
The Bible says, “All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now” (1 Corinthians 13:12b).
It all will be resolved in that final day when we stand before God. God doesn’t ask us to understand everything. He asks us to trust Him and follow Him.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Surviving in our Culture
In Touch - July 2, 2008
July 2, 2008 – Surviving in Our Present Culture – Titus 1
Every day we’re influenced by our culture. Society’s prevailing philosophies and attitudes are everywhere— on radio and TV, in books and magazines, and even in conversations at the workplace and corner coffee shop. It’s difficult for believers to avoid the pressure to be and think like everyone else. But the Bible calls us to live in our culture without becoming part of it.
In his letter to Titus, Paul explained how we’re to accomplish this. Titus 1:9 says those who won’t participate in the sins of the culture must hold “fast the faithful word.” To survive the pull of our present culture, we must cling to God’s Word and apply His principles. The Bible is the revelation of God. He tells us what He thinks, how He acts, and what He expects of us. Reading and obeying the Bible ensures that believers will live righteously, identify error, and avoid sin.
The Bible can’t do any of these things if we never open it. Obeying God’s Word is a practical matter. We’re to read Scripture carefully and meditate upon it daily. In other words, we must think about the meaning of passages and apply their lessons to our daily life. To apply scriptural truths, we must not only believe the Word wholeheartedly but also obey it consistently. When we take practical steps to keep Scripture as the anchor of our belief system, we will not be swayed by culture.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The Need to Control
Oooh--I don't have a need to control! (NOT!)------I am so convicted!---LL
Marketplace Meditations 7/1
July 1
The Need to Control
1 Samuel 13:13 "You acted foolishly," Samuel said....
The prophet Samuel had anointed Saul the first king of Israel. Saul was now 30 years old and was leading the nation in battle against the Philistines. The Philistines had gathered at Micmash to come against Saul and his army. The Lord was directing Saul through the prophet Samuel. Samuel instructed Saul to go ahead of him to Micmash, and he would follow in seven days. He would then offer a burnt offering on behalf of the people of Israel.
The pressure began to build as the Philistines gathered around Micmash preparing for battle. The people of Israel grew fearful and began to scatter throughout the countryside. Saul was also afraid. Samuel did not show up on the morning of the seventh day. Finally, Saul, fearing the impending attack, took it upon himself to offer the burnt offering. After he had done this, Samuel showed up.
..."You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you hhad, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept the Lord's command" (1 Samuel 13:13-14).
Saul believed he needed to take control of the situation. Whenever we try to take control of a situation out of God's will, we demonstrate that we are led by fear. Many a boss is so driven by fear that he attempts to manage by overcontrolling his people. This results in codependent relationships in which the employees are fearful of making the wrong decisions, and are driven to please the manager at all costs. This results in loss of respect for the manager. Many times the employees make poor choices just to please their manager; as a result, resentment begins to build among the employees due to the manager's overcontrol.
Do you see any signs of overcontrol in how you relate to others? Can you allow others the freedom to fail? Do you find yourself changing directions in midstream when you see something you don't like? Are you fearful of failure? These are all symptoms of a Saul-control spirit. Pray that God will allow you to walk in the freedom of trusting in Him and those around you.
Marketplace Meditations 7/1
July 1
The Need to Control
1 Samuel 13:13 "You acted foolishly," Samuel said....
The prophet Samuel had anointed Saul the first king of Israel. Saul was now 30 years old and was leading the nation in battle against the Philistines. The Philistines had gathered at Micmash to come against Saul and his army. The Lord was directing Saul through the prophet Samuel. Samuel instructed Saul to go ahead of him to Micmash, and he would follow in seven days. He would then offer a burnt offering on behalf of the people of Israel.
The pressure began to build as the Philistines gathered around Micmash preparing for battle. The people of Israel grew fearful and began to scatter throughout the countryside. Saul was also afraid. Samuel did not show up on the morning of the seventh day. Finally, Saul, fearing the impending attack, took it upon himself to offer the burnt offering. After he had done this, Samuel showed up.
..."You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you hhad, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept the Lord's command" (1 Samuel 13:13-14).
Saul believed he needed to take control of the situation. Whenever we try to take control of a situation out of God's will, we demonstrate that we are led by fear. Many a boss is so driven by fear that he attempts to manage by overcontrolling his people. This results in codependent relationships in which the employees are fearful of making the wrong decisions, and are driven to please the manager at all costs. This results in loss of respect for the manager. Many times the employees make poor choices just to please their manager; as a result, resentment begins to build among the employees due to the manager's overcontrol.
Do you see any signs of overcontrol in how you relate to others? Can you allow others the freedom to fail? Do you find yourself changing directions in midstream when you see something you don't like? Are you fearful of failure? These are all symptoms of a Saul-control spirit. Pray that God will allow you to walk in the freedom of trusting in Him and those around you.
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