Devotions I read and want to share you........
December 16th 2008
Samuel Grew, and The Lord Was with Him 1 samuel 3:19
Dealing with disappointment (1)
Welcome to life; disappointment guaranteed! Webster defines disappointment as "when expectations fail to be met, producing anger, frustration, sadness, and discouragement" Here are some examples to help you when:
(1) You're disappointed with those you look up to: Think of Samuel and Eli (1Sa 1-4)
Samuel's Mother entrusted her child Eli the High Priest, confident he'd mentor and prepare him for God's service. But Eli had a serious character flaw. He was a weak, passive parent who stood by while his sons abused their priestly privilege, bringing shame and disrepute to the ministry. Who'd have blamed young Samuel for taking a nose dive when the man he looked up to failed so badly? But no, he fielded his disappointment and kept his eyes on God. "Samuel grew and the Lord was with him" As a result God turned him into one of Israel's greatest prophets. So keep your eyes on the Lord. (2) You're disappointed in those you live with: If anyone wouldn't let you down, surely it wouldn't be your family, right? Wrong! Ask young Joseph. When God promised him a big promotion he thought his brothers would celebrate. Instead they responded with jealousy, ridicule, and resentment, selling him into slavery. Far from friends and home he languished in prison for a crime he didn't commit. What an invitation to bitterness, to rehearsing the wrongs done to him, while plotting his revenge. But if he'd done that he'd have died an unknown convict in a foreign jail. Instead he allowed God to vindicate him, using his circumstances to position, prepare, and promote him being Egypt's Prime Minister - and that is how you deal with disappointment!
Disappointment number two
Now Go, Lead The People Exodus 32:34
here are two more types of disappointment that you'll deal with in life. (1) Disappointment in those you work or depend on. To succeed, you can't make it without them. And when those people fail you it's painful. Imagine Moses' disappointment. He leaves his brother Aaron in charge while he attends a summit conference with God and receives the ten commandments. Returning, he finds Israel in anarchy, idolatry, and unspeakable perversions. Where's Aaron? Leading the rebellion! When Moses needs him Most, Aaron fails him miserably. But watch Moses; true leadership shines in deep disappointment. He confronts Aaron, takes the mess to God for resolution, and prays for forgiveness of Israel. God listens, then reminds Moses of his assignment. ( It's disappointing Moses, but )go, lead the people....My angel will go before you. Disappointment doesn't cancel your assignment - or God's presence. Do what He sent you to do. (2) Disappointment in those you've poured your life into. Let's check again with Moses, founding Pastor of the first church of the Critical and the Ungrateful, a congregation of former slaves, delivered, abundantly blessed, en route to the promised land, but without a shred of loyalty or gratitude for the man that put everything on the line to make it possible. Fresh out of Egypt they turn on moses, accusing, blaming, and berating him ( see Ex14 ) Was Moses disappointed and hurt? Yes, but each time he wanted to quit he'd discuss it with God, pray for his complaining flock, receive fresh orders from headquarters and return to work. It is what God called men and women do when they are disappointed and feel like giving up!
written by Calvary church Ormond Bch Fl
I hope this finds you well, helps those who were lead to read this.........
May You have a very merry Christmas, & never forget just what Christmas is, the Birth of our king, our Lord, The almighty one Jesus Christ!
April 5th 2008
Know Your Enemy!!! We do not wrestle with flesh and blood(contending only with physical opponents), but against the depotisms, against the powers, against (the master spirits who are) the world rulers of this present darkness.
Ephesians 6:12 amplified bible
Satan uses people and circumstances, but they are not our real enemy; he is! He finds things and people through whom he can work and delights in watching us fight and war without even realizing he is the source.When Satan used Peter to try to divert Jesus from going to Jerusalem to complete the task God had sent him to do, "Jesus turned away from Peter and said to him, Get behind Me, satan! you are in My way! (an offense and a hindrance and a snare to Me) (Matthew 16:23) Satan used Peter, but Jesus knew that Peter was not the real source of His temptation. We need to look beyond what we *see* or initially *feel* and seek to know the source of our problems too. Usually we blame people and become angry with them, which only complicates and compounds the problem. When we behave in this manner, we are actually playing right into satans hands! And helping his plans succeed! We also blame circumstances and sometimes even God, which also delights satan! Yes, we need to know our enemy---not only who he is but what his character is like. The bible encourages us to know the character of God so we can place faith in Him and what he says, likewise, we should know satan's character so we do NOT listen to or BELIEVE his LIES!
Joyce Meyer New Day New you Devotional
Ok, I chose this to be my very first devotional to share because this has been my battle through my Christian walk. When I say a battle, I mean a serious one. I never realized how smart and powerful satan can be if we let him. He is tricky and deceiving! It took me years of falling backwards to FINALLY get sick and tired, and be willing to fight this war. Remember satan was in heaven, he was Gods top angel. he knows the word as well as Jesus, and he will try to confuse us at times. The thing I found is that if I do not have peace about something, and I feel confused about it, then it is NOT from God! It may be satan trying to confuse me, or it just may be my own thoughts. My goal is to do Gods will daily, and to live in his word. Satan does NOT like this and he will use anyone he can to try and disrupt my peace. Believe me, he has used my closest family members, including my own Mother and Son. he has used my closest friends in the Lord! He is desperate because he is losing me, and I used to be living a life mainly doing things that are the kind of things that satan loves...........And he has lost me for GOOD this time. The battles are very difficult at times, but as soon as I give in he wins, even if it is for a moment. So, I triumph through the days, as hard as they may be, if nothing else but just to stay in Gods word, and remind satan he is defeated in my life, through Christ!I hope this helped someone that will find this and read it.........God Bless you and much peace to you always
Jennifer Caccavale
4/1408
Inner Invinciblility
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me..........Matthew 11:29
Whom the Lord loves He chastens.......(.Hebrews 12:6). How pretty our complaining is! Our Lord begins to bring us to the point where we can have fellowship with Him, only to hear us moan and groan, saying "Oh Lord just let me be like other people!" Jesus is asking us to get beside Hm and take one end of the yoke, so that we can pull together. That's why Jesus says my "My yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:30) Are you closely identified with the Lord Jesus like that? If so, you will thank God when you feel the pressure of His hand upon you.
To those who have no might he increases strength. (Isaiah 40:29). God comes and takes us out of our emotionalism, and then our complaining turns into a hymn of praise. The only way to know the strength of God is to take the yoke of Jesus upon us and to learn from Him.
The joy of the lOrd is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10) where do the saints get their joy? If we did not know some Christians well, we might think from just observing them that they have no burdens at all to bear. But we must lift the veil from our eyes. The fact that the peace, light, and joy of God is in them is proof that a burden is there as well. The burden that God places on us squeezes the grapes in our lives and produces wine, but most of us see only the wine and not the burden! No power on earth or on hell can conquer the Spirit of God living within the human spirit. It creates an inner invincibility!
If your life is producing only a whine, instead of wine, then ruthlessly kick it out. It is definitely a crime for a Christian to be weak in God's strength!
The Utmost For His Highest
Oswald Chambers
4/14/08
Behold. You who desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden parts you will make me know wisdom
PS 51:6
When the topic of change comes to the foreground, most of us feel "If only my spouse, children, friend, employer, or neighbors would change, life could be much better." We overlook areas we need to change, point to others, and expect them to change. The truth is, the only time you can change other people is when they are babies in diapers.
It is so easy to try to force factors outside ourselves to change. However, lasting significant change inside rather than ourselves. The change needs to begin within us. As we ask God to help us see the truth about ourselves, we must realize we have some blind spots. We must not be afraid to see where we have fallen short, because we also know God will forgive, wash away, and blot out our failures and sins...............say this
Lord help me see the truth about myself.
A Walk with The Serenity Prayer
Dr Minirth, Paul Meir, David and Janet Cogo
4/16/08
forgetting all things what lies behind me and straining forward to what lies ahead! Phil 3:13
Today is a new day! With new miracles. I put the past behind me, yesterday is gone. I will begin afresh today!
When my Father and my Mother forsake me, then the Lord will take Care of me. PS 27:10
I can live a satisfying life without the love and acceptance of my parents, BUT I can't do it without God's LOVE! Learn who He is, Then learn to trust Him!
Make a decision today that I am addicted to Jesus Christ and His percepts---That ALL other addictions in my life will vanish one by one! I claim this in Jesus Christ name!
