devotion

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23
Jan 09

I’ve got the power…or do I?

open source video, online video platform, video streaming, video solutions Whenever I hear the phrase, “I’ve got the power” I always reveal my age as the 1990 hit song The Power with the repetitive beat and chorus line “I’ve Got the Power” by a group known as Snap! pops into my head and infects my thoughts for days. Well, today was one of those days and that rhythmic beat is pulsating my brain into action. Interestingly though, I’m feeling a little convicted by it.

Often times I feel as if I’ve got the power! I work my way through things with my strength and my might and rarely even lift up a prayer a I am in my comfort zone. It’s a terrible habit that I’ve had my whole life. Nothing like trying to break a 37 year self-reliance habit to realize that I need to call upon God’s power and not my own. In areas when I am uncomfortable and uncertain the first thing I do is ask the Lord for wisdom and strength, but am I to limit my call upon God to only when I feel weak?

Having been a devout atheist until just before my 38th birthday, I know how most atheists think and I feel especially equipped to develop dialog with unbelievers. It’s part of the call I feel God placed on me from the beginning of my new life in Christ. However, I need to strongly remind myself that it is not by my power that those in the world may come to know eternal life through Christ our Lord & Savior. I am actually so comfortable engaging in these conversations that I realized today that I rarely pray before I open my mouth or try to connect with unbelievers. Wow, how unwise can one be?

After thinking of this, I was directed to read the following passage of Scripture:

    Romans 1:16-17 AMP:
    16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

While I am definitely not ashamed of the gospel, today I find myself ashamed for being misguided in acting as if I have the power. Sure, I have the power through the Holy Spirit to do all that God wants me to do, yet I am to have reverence and a humble spirit especially when it comes to being in a situation where one may accept God’s calling into the kingdom of heaven and know eternal life.

Is there anything you are doing where you find yourself so comfortable that you are working within your own power? Imagine what it would be like when you invoke God into the mix and let him show you the way!

Father God, I am humbled by your power and your might and your amazing grace for those living in the world in need of a Savior. That you are not just our Lord, but that you tell us in James 2 that you are also our friend. Lord, I ask for your Holy Spirit to come into our beings and cause us to look to you with newfound reverence and trust as we place our trust in you and your wisdom and give up our own ways. May we never feel so comfortable that we believe we can make it on our own without you. May we always love you so much that we could never think of not inviting you into our meetings and discussions. Show us the way of being good witnesses so that those in the world can enter the kingdom of heaven through the power of your gospel. Let us one day praise your holy name as every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord. It is in the name of your precious Son our Savior, Lord and friend Jesus that I pray, amen.

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22
Jan 09

Guest Daily Devotion: Deb Burton

Parents can make the difference

by Deb Burton
twitter: @debburton
blog: http://thegreatestmissiontrip.blogspot.com/

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. Psalm 145: 3-7, NIV

The psalmist speaks with great exhilaration as he praises God’s majesty and greatness, but he also speaks of passing this excitement down to the children of the next generation. He speaks of an enthusiasm that is contagious, where our children see and hear us sharing what we know about God’s truths, our faith and the merit of submersing ourselves in the wonder of His creation and many provisions, and want it for themselves.

Many parents choose to let others do that kind of contagious sharing with their children. They faithfully take their children to church services, drop them off for weekly youth activities and sign them up for great Christian summer camps, but somehow the excitement for the Lord and His ways falls short at home.

What a legacy gone to waste! So many of our children are leaving the faith as they enter adulthood, and yet the key to keeping them grounded in Jesus Christ is literally at our doorstep. It’s to be as excited about God at home as we are when we step inside the doors of our church. God wants to be as big a deal with our family as the psalmist made Him out to be.

Heavenly Father, I love you with all my being. I can’t look anywhere without seeing your mighty hand in the world around me. I exclaim your righteousness and wish I could shout from the rooftops how awesome You are. But Lord, let me begin with gently, everyday, speaking your name with love to my child. Let my child know, Lord, that his parent loves You and desires nothing more than for him to follow You. Prepare me, mold me and guide me into the parent you would have me be. In Jesus’ holy name, I pray. Amen.

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21
Jan 09

Guest Daily Devotion: David Meysembourg

Strength in Your Weakness

by David Meysembourg
twitter: @davidmeys
facebook: www.facebook.com/people/David-Meysembourg/833257579

Psalm 6:2-3:

    2Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.
    Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
    3I am sick at heart.
    How long, O Lord, until you restore me.

David, the King who wrote this prayer, was a mighty warrior, a valiant king and a hero. Yet even he comes to the end of his strength. Physically and emotionally. One might think David is done.
But by admitting his own inability to cope, his own weakness, David has actually placed himself in a place of great strength. “My grace is all you need. My power works best weakness” was God’s response to Paul’s admission. In our weakness Jesus’ power is able to work in us, and through us.

Father, you alone hold all power in your hand. I am weak, and you are strong. I give all I have, all I am, all I want to you and your grace. Thank you for Jesus and his perfect life, his death and his resurrection. Through him I am able to love you. In his precious name I lift this prayer to you.

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20
Jan 09

Guest Daily Devotion: Willie Harris

Worry Free Living
by Willie Harris
twitter: @willieharris
blog: http://pastorharrisblog.blogspot.com/

Matthew 6:25-34: Worry-Free Living

As far as I know, no bird ever tried to build more nests than its neighbor. No fox ever fretted because he had only one hole in the earth in which to live and hide. No squirrel ever died in anxiety lest he should not lay aside enough nuts for two winters instead of one. And no dog ever lost sleep over the fact that he did not have enough bones buried in the ground for his declining years. So many people put the emphasis on the wrong things. It is a wonder that any of us still have any hair left with so many things to do. Housework, homework, away-from-home-work, schoolwork and church work all demand our attention. We have to bring home the bacon, put it on the table, get the kids to the ballgame, get everything done around the house, spend time together as a family and find time for the Lord all on the same day.

Because our priorities are often mixed up, we are too focused on money, possession, material things, and earthly matters that we begin to constantly worry about these things. But Jesus tells us to not worry about your life. Worry means to be anxious about something. It means to be afflicted with mental distress or agitation. Worry may (1) damage your health, (2) cause the object of your worry to consume your thoughts, (3) disrupt your productivity, (4) negatively affect the way you treat others, and (5) reduce your ability to trust in God.

Look about you. God feeds the birds. They do no sowing or reaping. They never harvest and store up food. Yet God provides for them. God clothes the flowers. They’re not making petals. God makes them beautiful every year. They are clothed better than Solomon. So if you look about you and see that God is providing for the birds and flowers then you should understand that you are much more important than birds or flowers. You are the object of God’s love and attention. He loved you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin. God didn’t do that for any bird or flower. You are God’s workmanship (His masterpiece). You are made in His image. No other creature on this earth is made in God’s image except mankind.

Jesus gives you a promise…that if you seek God first (His kingdom, His righteousness), then all else will be added to you. Don’t be anxious about tomorrow. Live one day at a time. Worry doesn’t provide strength for tomorrow. Worry just drains strength from today. Worrying about tomorrow can rob you of joy today. Tomorrow can be tough. But can you feel safe today? Never forget: God will be alive tomorrow too!!! Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted.

The Bible has a plan for worry-free living. Do you want to worry less? Then pray more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray. God’s peace can replace worry. God’s peace is different from the world’s peace. Stop worrying and trust God to demonstrate His love towards you.

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19
Jan 09

Guest Daily Devotion: Calvin Wulf

All this week I am honored to be sharing this space with some of my friends that have been huge in helping to encourage me and give me feedback on my writing. May you be as blessed as I have been!

First up is Pastor Calvin Wulf:

Called to Tailgate

By Calvin Wulf
twitter: @calvinwulf
blog: http://blog.livingforgod.net

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Mark 1:16-18 NIV

I’ll never forget the bumper sticker that asked, “Do you follow Jesus this close?” The print was small, so it’s a good thing I was stopped at a traffic light! But beyond my plea of innocence to the charge of tailgating, that question still haunts me.

I really like Andrew. The first time he saw Jesus, Andrew was listening to a preacher named John the Baptist. As Jesus walked along the Jordan River that day, John the Baptist tagged him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. So Andrew decided to follow Jesus and spent the afternoon with him.

Andrew was familiar with Jesus before his lakeside invitation to follow him. He already understood that Jesus was the Messiah. But more than that, Andrew believed the words of Jesus. So he was willing to walk away from his career to follow the Lamb of God. Andrew simply acted on what he believed.

Andrew took on the role of a student in relationship with a master. This disciple went everywhere with Jesus and participated in his way of living. He diligently followed every detail in the manner and teaching of Jesus, striving to become like him. The Master himself said it is good enough for the student to become like the teacher.

When it comes to following Jesus, tailgating is a good thing. Believing Jesus involves hearing his words and doing them from the depth of your heart. It means that you will follow his ways and do the same things he does. His lasting invitation, “Come, follow me,” echoes down the centuries to you and me.

The question is, “Do you follow Jesus this close?”

Copyright 2009 by Calvin R. Wulf and Lisa Are Wulf

Calvin Wulf is an ordained minister who lives in Colorado with his wife, Lisa. Together they share in a ministry they call Living for God. You can dialogue with them at their blog. http://blog.livingforgod.net

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