Daily Devotion – Moments That Matter

 

 Do What I May, Intention

  June 21, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Chron. 20-22 / John 21

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Chronicles 22:14 Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Have you ever been told you are not allowed to do something? Even worse is being told you may not do something that someone else is told they can do. Too often people’s egos get bent out of shape during these situations. You begin thinking, “I can do that just as good as, or better than they can.” If the truth is told, you may be right. However, for one reason or another, you are being asked not to do something. So, now what? Well, instead of getting angry or hurt, just develop the “I will do what I may do,” attitude.

        David wanted to build a place of Worship for the Lord. He had the authority as king, he had the available helpers, he had the wealth, and the ambition to get the job done. What he did not have was God’s blessing. In fact, God clearly told him, NO! Not only did God tell him No, but also that his son was going to be allowed to do it. So, what did David do? Instead of being hurt and sulking off in a corner, he simply intended to do what he could instead. God said you may not build the building; however, I may still gather supplies. I may also get the helpers together. I may set in the hearts of the people to follow my son’s lead when he builds. Too often we get upset dwelling on the one thing we may not be allowed to do, and do not see the hundreds of things that we can do. When life sets before us a situation where we might not be allowed to do something, let’s just develop the, “I Will Do What I May,” Intention. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Every position of support in the ministry is an important position. Even the role of pastor, deacon, trustee, etc., are all simply support roles in the work of the Lord. Let us intend simply to do what we may do and leave the management decisions to God.

What might you do to help?

 

 Dwells Where Man Is

  June 20, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Chron. 17-19 / John 20

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Chronicles 17:5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Over the years I have had people get upset with others who used the church building for other functions. I do understand their concerns at times. This building, known as the church house, is special and not like just any other building. This place has been set apart for the worship of the Lord and is special. However, we must remember, this is simply a building made with sticks and bricks. While it is true, God is omnipresent, meaning everywhere at once, God does not inhabit this building standing empty of its people, any more than He would dwell in the train station downtown. God has never been consumed with the idea of dwelling in structures. He has always been much more interested in dwelling where man is.

        In 1 Chronicles 17:5 God conveys this truth to King David. He said, “For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.” God did present Himself in the tabernacles, and later in the temples built, as a central place to worship Him. Yet, at the same time, we find God present in the battles Israel fought, dealing with the people when they would sin, and speaking to the prophet Nathan in 1 Chronicles 17:3 at home during the night. While God may present Himself to man at various places, God has always desired to be where man is, not in a box.

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Today, God dwells in the soul of every child of God. If we are in the Church House, God is there. Also, when we are in our own house, this selfsame God is there. What a comfort to know He is ever present in our lives.

Since God dwells where man is, where are you taking Him?

 Do We Mean It

  June 19, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Chron. 15-16 / John 19:31-42

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Chronicles 16:36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        People file into church, fellowship with their friends, find a seat and get ready for Sunday morning worship. The choir or special music sing and people shout “AMEN.” The morning prayer is finished, and people agree with “AMEN.” The pastor then delivers the message that God has laid upon his heart for the day and spread throughout the sermon you hear people say “AMEN.” Yet, when Sunday night and Wednesday night services role around, you look around, and see that the same “AMEN” folk are nowhere to be seen. What does AMEN mean to them anyway?

        The Children of Israel in today’s verse shout, “AMEN, and praised the Lord.” Yet, as we read on, we will see that this great nation really did not mean AMEN at all. You see, the word AMEN means; “So be it,” or “Truly.” It is a word of agreement with what has been said before it. Israel had just said that they agreed with the statement, “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever.” For ever and ever? That did not happen. In fact, God removed them from the promised land for not being faithful. In Revelation 3:14 it says, “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;” Jesus is referred to as “AMEN,” meaning the trustworthy one. Our AMENS should mean the same. That we are trustworthy to the Lord in what we agree with.. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        It is easy to get caught up in a moment and not think about what we are saying. Sometimes we get in the habit and say words without even thinking. Yet when we say AMEN, it really ought to mean something. So be it, truly, or trustworthy.

Do we really mean AMEN when we say it?

 

 Obviously Artificial

 June 17 & 18, 2023
 June 17 – Daily Reading – 1 Chron. 12-14 / John 19:1-30
 June 18 – NO READING

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Chronicles 14:12 And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Have you seen some of the new artificial plants today. I mean, you must get really close, and sometimes even touch them to find out if they are real or fake. There are a lot of really good imitations of things today that will fool you. There are imitation security cameras that are not real but have blinking red lights on them to look real. Merchant in the food industry display imitation food items that look real but are made of non-perishable materials. Some imitations are even better than the original. There is a fabric called Faux leather that many times looks and feels very much like real leather. However, it is a breathable fabric that does not get hot or cold as the temperature changes and is said to outlast leather for wear.

        Sometimes imitations may be better than the original, but not when it applies to God. In 1 Chronicles 14:12 it says, “And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.” It should have been obvious that these were artificial, fake gods. For one thing it says they left their gods behind. Who wants a god that can be left behind? Then, just as obvious is the fact that these artificial gods they left behind, also forsook them as they ran off. It is just as well. These phonies obviously did them no good when faced with the one real true GOD. These are obviously artificial gods. The sad truth is, later they ran back to them again.  

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        I like what it says in Hebrews 13:5 about our God when it says, “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” I cannot run away from Him, and He has promised not to ever leave me. That is my God.

Doesn’t that just bring peace to your heart to know?

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

        When given a choice in life, it is said you have alternatives. However, when it comes to a Savior and Lord, the one true God is our ONLY ALTERNATIVE. As we saw this week in:

 ● Original Ancestry.God
 ● Orderly Accounting
 ● Ordained Arrangement
 ● Outright Amazing
 ● Obtaining Answers
 ● Obviously Artificial

      The one Creator God is truly our ONLY ALTERNATIVE in life. Choosing anything else as your god, is having no god at all.

       Enjoy today with your church and hear what God has prepared in the heart of His man for you this week.

   See you tomorrow.  

 SUNDAYS:

       Today we suggest you read and study whatever the Lord has laid on your Pastors heart. Whatever scripture he uses for today’s messages were given to him by God for your specific needs.

Only Alternative

 

 Obtaining Answers

  June 16, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Chron. 10-11 / John 18:19-40

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Chronicles 10:13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        In grade school we would have to raise our hand if we had a question, or if the teacher asked a question, and we knew the answer. Even today at times while preaching, I will see someone raise their hand and wonder, “do they have a question?” I remember one time in school raising my hand to ask a question. When the teacher called on me and I asked the question, her answer was, “young man, it is evident you did not read your lesson. Had you read your lesson you would have known that the answer to that question is in the book.” She was right, I had not read my lesson.

        Our verse today says that Saul died for his sinfulness against the Lord. It even is more specific when it says, “even against the word of the LORD.” Being King, it was required that he would have read and known the laws of God recorded for all of Israel by Moses. It was not that he did not read the lesson as I had not done. It was that he read the scrolls and then did what he wanted, rather than what God had said. He even went one step further. Not only did he not obey what God had already said, he also did not seek God’s advice when he was in trouble. Instead he did exactly what God had commanded they not do. The answer he received was in the lesson he had read. God had warned, if they disobeyed His law, there was a price to pay. It may not be the answer he wanted, but he did obtain the answer. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        The Bible contains many lessons for our lives that we would do well to read. We cannot blame God when we obtain an answer we do not like if we failed to read the lessons. Just like my teacher said, the answers are in the book!

Are we reading and heeding God’s lessons for life?