11/26/18-11/30/18 Devo Two - Honoring God with Thanks

This is the second devotional for the week of November 26 through 30. This is a devotional from the Our Daily Bread website. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Your comments give you devotion credit.

Honoring God with Thanks

Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me. Psalm 50:15

The doctor wasn’t frowning, despite talking to my husband about his recent cancer diagnosis. Smiling, she offered a suggestion: start each day by giving thanks. “For at least three things,” the doctor said.  Dan agreed, knowing that gratitude opens our hearts to find encouragement in God’s goodness. Thus, Dan starts each day with words of praise. Thank You, God, for a good night’s sleep. For my clean bed. For sunshine. For breakfast on the table. For a smile on my lips.

Each word is heartfelt. But could it sound trivial? Does our praise in life’s small details matter to Almighty God? In Psalm 50, David’s chief musician, Asaph, offers a clear answer. God has “no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens” (v. 9). Instead of these once-formal Israelite sacrifices of gratitude, God wants His people to give Him our hearts and lives in gratitude (vv. 14, 23).

As my husband experienced, whole-hearted gratitude helps our spirits flourish. Then when we call on the Lord “in the day of trouble,” He will “deliver” us (v. 15).  Does this mean Dan will be healed, spiritually and physically, during his two-year treatment? Or not until after this lifetime? We don’t know. But for now, Dan delights in showing God he’s grateful for His love, and for who God is: Redeemer. Healer. Friend. And friends delight to hear these beautiful words: Thank You. 

INSIGHT

The legal language and setting in Psalm 50 are hard to miss. A universal summons is issued by God (v. 1) and the purpose of the gathering is clear—the judgment of His people (v. 4). In a manner reminiscent of the giving of the Law (Exodus 19:16–19), the Lord makes His grand entry (Psalm 50:2–3) as the righteous and just judge (v. 6). However, “judge” is not His only role; He is also witness (v. 7) and plaintiff (v. 8). Two groups of defendants enter the Lord’s courtroom and the Judge has indictments that match the transgressions of each group. The Lord’s charges against the first group (vv. 7–15) concerned their worship. Though a formal worship system was in place, the kind of worship the Lord desired was missing. Spiritual worship that included “thanksgiving” mattered to the Lord more than the flesh and blood of animals. The charges against the second group (vv. 16–23) concerned their hypocrisy. Though they were able to recite words that came from God, their actions demonstrated their hearts were far from Him (vv. 17–21). As with the first group, the Lord’s corrective included the reminder that “thank offerings” really matter to Him (v. 23).

Arthur Jackson

11/26/18-11/30/18 Devo One - Scott Homer

This is the first devotional for the week of November 26-30. This video is a devotion by Scott Homer. Watch this video and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post.

You can click on the video above or click on this link: https://youtu.be/p-_T4rlt5Zo

11/19/18-11/20/18 Devo One - Hard Conversations

This is the first devotional for the week of November 19 through November 20. This is a devotional from the Our Daily Bread website. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Your comments give you devotion credit.

Hard Conversations

Read: 1 Samuel 25:21–35

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

I once drove fifty miles to have a hard conversation with a remote staff person. I had received a report from another employee that suggested he was misrepresenting our company, and I was concerned for our reputation. I felt nudged to offer an opinion that might change his choices.

In 1 Samuel 25, an unlikely person took great personal risk to confront a future king of Israel who was about to make a disastrous choice. Abigail was married to Nabal, whose character matched the meaning of his name (“fool”) (vv. 3, 25). Nabal had refused to pay David and his troops the customary wage for protecting his livestock (vv. 10–11). Hearing that David planned a murderous revenge on her household, and knowing her foolish husband wouldn’t listen to reason, Abigail prepared a peace offering, rode to meet David, and persuaded him to reconsider (vv. 18–31).

How did Abigail accomplish this? After sending ahead donkeys loaded with food to satisfy David and his men and settle the debt, she spoke truth to David. She wisely reminded David of God’s call on his life. If he resisted his desire for revenge, when God made him king, he wouldn’t “have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed” (v. 31).

You might also know someone dangerously close to a mistake that could harm others and compromise their own future effectiveness for God. Like Abigail, might God be calling you to a hard conversation?

Dear God, please help me know when to lovingly confront others.

Sometimes following God means difficult conversations.

By Elisa Morgan

11/12/18-11/16/18 Devo Two - Dangerous Distractions

This is the first devotional for the week of November 12 through November 16. This is a devotional from the Our Daily Bread website. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Your comments give you devotion credit.

Dangerous Distractions

Read: John 13:31–35 

 

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:35 nlt

Artist Sigismund Goetze shocked Victorian-era England with a painting entitled “Despised and Rejected of Men.” In it, he portrayed the suffering, condemned Jesus surrounded by people of Goetze’s own generation. They were so consumed by their own interests—business, romance, politics—that they were shockingly oblivious to the Savior’s sacrifice. Indifferent to Christ, the surrounding crowd, like the mob at the foot of Jesus’s cross, had no idea what—or who—they had missed.

In our day as well, believers and unbelievers alike can easily become distracted from the eternal. How can followers of Jesus cut through this fog of distraction with the truth of God’s great love? We can begin by loving one another as fellow children of God. Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 nlt).

But real love doesn’t stop there. We extend that love by sharing the gospel in hopes of drawing people to the Savior. As Paul wrote, “We are . . . Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

In this way, the body of Christ can both reflect and project God’s love, the love we so desperately need, to both each other and to our world. May both efforts, empowered by His Spirit, be a part of cutting through the distractions that hinder us from seeing the wonder of God’s love in Jesus.

To a world living in the fog of distraction, we bring the light of the good news of Jesus.

By Bill Crowder

INSIGHT

Consider those Jesus chose as His first disciples (Luke 6:13–16). While they were all men and all Jewish, there was much that could (and sometimes did) divide them. Most were from Galilee in the north, but one (Judas Iscariot) was from Judea in the south. While most were fishermen (Mark 1:16–20), Matthew was a tax collector (Matthew 10:3) who served the Romans—harming his own people. Matthew would have been despised by everyone, especially Simon the Zealot (v. 4), a member of a radical Jewish group determined to drive Rome out of Israel. Add to that the attempts by James and John to seek higher places of honor in the kingdom (Mark 10:35–37), and you have a fertile environment for friction. These factors and more would have intensified the difficulty of loving one another. Yet, just as we love God because He first loved us, we love one another—despite our differences—in the power of the love we have received from God. As we seek to dwell together as followers of Christ, loving one another isn’t easy, but it’s vital.

Do you need God’s help to love a particular person in an intentional way this week?

Bill Crowder

11/12/18-11/16/18 Devo One - Bound to Encourage

This is the first devotional for the week of November 12 through November 16. This is a devotional from the Our Daily Bread website. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Your comments give you devotion credit.

Bound to Encourage

Read: Hebrews 10:19–25

 

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24

The Steven Thompson Memorial Centipede is a cross-country meet unlike any other. Each seven-member team runs as a unit, holding a rope for the first two miles of a three-mile course. At the two-mile mark, the team drops the rope and finishes the race individually. Each person’s time is, therefore, a combination of the pace the team kept and his or her own speed.

This year, my daughter’s team opted for a strategy I had not previously seen: They put the fastest runner at the front and the slowest right behind her. She explained that their goal was for the strongest runner to be near enough to speak words of encouragement to the slowest runner.

Their plans depicted for me a passage from the book of Hebrews. The writer urges us to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess” (Hebrews 10:23) as we “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (v. 24). There are certainly many ways of accomplishing this, but the author highlighted one: “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another” (v. 25). Gathering together with other believers as we’re able is a vital aspect of the life of faith.

The race of life can feel like more than we can handle at times, and we may be tempted to drop the rope in hopelessness. As we run together, let’s offer one another the encouragement to run strong!

Jesus, thank You for the hope You offer. Thank You for never discouraging us. Help us imitate You by encouraging each other today.

Encouragement is water to the soul.

By Kirsten Holmberg

11/5/18-11/9/18 Devo Two - Nathan Smith

This is the second devotional for the week of November 5-9. This is a devotional Nathan Smith. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Your comments give you devotion credit.

 “Holy Hunches”

Nathan Smith 

As a Child I loved ready Dr. Suess books and there was one in particular that I enjoyed. Hunches in Bunches is one that often gets overlooked because it has a unique cadence that is not catchy. This Hilarious book tells the story of a bored indecisive boy who is urged by a string of Hunches - that come in the appearance of bizarre furry creatures - first to do this and then to do that until, finally, he follows the Munch Hunch and goes for lunch! I’d like to tell you a story about a hunch I followed and the results of that hunch and how it has lead me into ministry.

When I was 20 years old I had organized a group of college students to go the Bahamas and perform in the public school with our choral group, because we were an entertaining group the Nassau public school board allowed us into their schools and permitted us also to share the gospel message to all the high school on Nassau Island. I had never been on a mission trip before and I was not really looking to do full-time ministry.

In the evening we would often minster to the local churches in the area. One evening we drove to the middle of the Island. This area was known for their gang violence and drug trafficking. Our Island sponsor told us that we should stick close to the church seeing as we looked out of place as the only white people in that district. The Church was in the middle of a sugar cane field in the center of the Island. It was so remote that electricity had not yet been wired there. Pitch black at 7:00 pm, the church was lit with gas generators so that we could perform. After our performance that evening I was waiting for group to finish tearing down and as I was looking out towards the sugar cane field I saw a shadows in the distance. Something my spirit nudged me, let’s call it a hunch, to go and investigate. Knowing full well that I would be putting myself in some sort of danger I took along another guy from my trip. As we slowly walked I kept asking God if this was something he really wanted me to do. About 50 yards away from the church I hear a man’s voice tell me to get back to the church or you’ll get hurt. I called out to this man that I was there to help him. I then hear, “How can you help me?” I had no response other than to say, “Well what do you need?” He replied, “Do you have any money?” I usually do not carry around a lot of cash as a young college student, I didn’t have much to share, however, earlier in the day I had been snorkeling with Amy and found a $100 bill floating in the water (no joke). Our sponsor told us that money found in the ocean is not uncommon as they had drug runners that ran between Nassau Island and the coast of Florida all the time. Nassau is only 2 hours from Miami by boat. Back to my story—I gave that man the $100 instantly, for one reason it really wasn’t mine to begin with, and second I was terrified for my life.

After he realized what I had given him he immediately fell to knees and wept. I asked him to come out of the shadows and walk into the light so that I could consul him. His name was Jason and he lived near the Church yet had never attended. That evening as he was walking through the cane field he heard singing and decided to stop a listen. Because he had a hunch to stop both of our lives were changed that evening. After talking awhile and sharing the good news with him he accepted Christ into his heart for the first time. Up to that point I had never walked anyone through that process and to be honest I had not had the confidence ever to do something like that. Jason had also told me that the money given him that evening would be able to pay for a medical procedure that his mother needed. I’m not sure what $100 could pay for but to him it was the most money had ever possessed and his family was going to be blessed by it. That evening a hunch led me into a field, a hunch led Jason to stop and listen the music flowing out of the church. We often do not slow down enough to connect with the spirit and see what hunches we often ignore. The hunch that led me in to the shadows that evening was the catalyst of a calling I felt on that trip to have confidence in God’s plan and ultimately led me into full-time ministry. From that time on I knew God was going to take care of me and my family as long as I remained faithful to the calling of ministry.

A hunch is a guess based on known or unknown facts, intuition about something that might be the case. Holy means it comes from God, so I call the above hunch a “Holy Hunch”. The miracles listed below all started with Holy Hunches

John 6: Feeding of the Five Thousand: The boy that gave Jesus the bread and fish had a hunch
Mark 2:3-5: Paralytic Man: His friends had such a hunch that they tore through a roof to get the man to Jesus.
Mark 10:46-52: Blind Bartimaeus: He had a “Holy Hunch” to cry out to Jesus so loud that Jesus could hear him through the commotion and because of that he was healed.
Mark 5:25-34: Jesus healing the bleeding woman: She had a Holy Hunch that just by touching the robe of Jesus she would be healed.

Are we missing Holy Hunches around us? Are we too busy to allow the spirit to reveal to us “Holy Hunches.” I’ll be honest I’ve never heard Gods audible voice, and I often get too busy to allow the spirit to lead me. My challenge to you this week is pay attention to Holy Hunch moments and be obedient to what God has for you follow through what you believe to be a “Holy Hunch”, what’s the worst thing that can happen to you.

11/5/18-11/9/18 Devo One - Vicki Wagner

This is the first devotional for the week of November 5-9. This is a devotional from Vicki Wagner on her reflection on turning 65. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Your comments give you devotion credit.

 

Turning 65 this week makes me think about how the finish line is getting closer than ever. People say I take after my grandmother in many ways, and she lived to be 94. I've always clung to that idea of being like her! And Yes, I AM the oldest person in the Conservatory. God led me here 13 years ago, when I was looking for my next big thing. Helping realize The Conservatory turned out to be it.

The Bible says: “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength, eighty” (Psalms 90:10). But, also:  “My times are in your hand” (Psalms 31:15). We don’t live one day longer or shorter than God has planned for us. I never expected to be this age, but then again, I never expected NOT to be. I just lived my seasons as they were granted to me.

When I see people older (or sometimes even younger) than me, it's hard to put myself in that category. I don’t look or walk or act that way, do I?!? When I interact with most of you, I feel that we are all about the same age. I don’t feel too much older, at least. I throw away most AARP and other senior mailings, and for at least a year, I've been bombarded with Medicare information in the mail, in spam phone calls, and on TV (I guess I'm just now noticing those).

In your late 50’s, early 60’s, you “start” to wonder about retirement, wanting to spend more time with grandchildren, and travel more and do other things “before I get old.”  Friends and family get diseases they struggle with, some pass on. I'm wondering what God's plan is for me? I pray about that every day, for God to enlighten me during this period of reflection.

I have a close friend who calls it "refirement" not retirement. He left his Silicon Valley job and he now volunteers on a Lutheran seminary board of directors, for his city planning commission, and as a driver for Open Heart Kitchen, seeking out homeless people in the bushes to serve hot meals to. He’s living his passion, and is busier and more fulfilled than ever.

So how can I get refired?  I think we need to do that throughout our lives, "refire" ourselves and our goals, not just when we hit 65. I have done that several times in my life. After I had kids. After my kids started school. After my kids were in college. After they moved out (at least one has so far). I think it’s about time to refire again.

I found some fun facts about some “old” people you may know:

·       At 65 Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of England, and for the next five years led the Western world to freedom.

·       At 65, a week before he died, Bach dictated changes to his last piece “When We Are in Greatest Distress.”

·       At 69 English writer and lexicographer Samuel Johnson began his last major work, The Lives of the English Poets.

·       At 67, the age he died, Leonardo da Vinci was still working on his mathematical studies and scientific research

·       At 69 Ronald Reagan became the oldest man ever sworn in as President of the United States. He was reelected at 73. (warning - political comment:  that record was broken in 2016. Not sure that's a good thing).

·       At 70 Benjamin Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence.

·       At 76, Stephen Hawking did not quit until the day he died.

·       At 77 John Glenn became the oldest person to go into space.

·       At 77 Grandma Moses started painting.

·       At 82 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe finished writing his famous Faust.

·       At 82 Winston Churchill wrote A History of the English-Speaking Peoples.

·       At 88 Michelangelo created the architectural plans for the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli.

·       At 89 Albert Schweitzer ran a hospital in Africa.

·       At 89 Arthur Rubinstein performed one of his greatest recitals in Carnegie Hall.

·       At 93 Strom Thurmond, the longest-serving senator in U.S. history, won reelection after promising not to run again at age 99.

·       At 93 P.G. Wodehouse worked on his 97th novel, got knighted, and died.

So, youngster colleagues, keep on doing and being where God has placed you. Keep praying. Keep on loving your family, raising your kids, doing good work, enriching your students’ lives, thinking about where you are, what you're doing, what's important, and what God wants you to do next. Pray that you get to have a “next.”

That's where my thoughts are at right now. Grateful to be this age, grateful for my many blessings, grateful for the work God has given me throughout my life, and looking forward to the rest of His plan for my life.

I’ll keep you posted!