DEVOTIONS

 July 22 & 23, 2023
 July 22 – Daily Reading – Job 5-8 / Acts 19:1-22
 July 23 – NO READING

 GOD’S WORD:

Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        When I was younger, I would do things my dad felt needed correcting. If talking with me did not get the job done, he would often take other steps to burn into my mind that this was not going to be tolerated. I remember one time when he was about to spank me for something I had done, he said, “You know son, this really hurts me as much as it does you.” To which I responded, “then don’t do it, I hate to see you hurt yourself.” As you can imagine, my quick wit was not so appreciated at the moment. And my mother breaking out laughing seemed to make matters worse. Looking back at the times my parents corrected me for my misbehaving, I realize now that they did so out of love. They were trying their best to help me develop an obedient heart to those in authority over me.

        In our verse today it says, “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:” God’s correcting in our lives may not be enjoyable in the moment. However, His dealing with us in this way is showing His love and care for us. In Job 8:20-21 it says, “Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers: Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.” God’s correction is not designed to discourage us, nor to destroy our lives, but rather to lovingly developing our character.  

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Solomon repeats this wisdom. Prov. 3:11-12 says, “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”

Has God shown you this love?

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

        God’s Word is a great guiding light for our lives. We would all do well to Delight ourselves in it daily. As we have seen in:

● Dedication
● Declaration
● Destiny
● Danger
● Devoted
● Developing

      To Delight In what God says, means we understand that it was given to us for our good. That understanding should draw us back to the Bible often.

       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.

July 24, 2023	Job 9-12	Acts 19:21-41
July 25, 2023	Job 13-16	Acts 20
July 26, 2023	Job 17-20	Acts 21:1-17
July 27, 2023	Job 21-25	Acts 21:18-40
July 28, 2023	Job 26-29	Acts 22
July 29, 2023	Job 30-31	Acts 23
July 30, 2023	No Passages Assigned

Delight

  July 21, 2023
  Daily Reading – Job 1-4 / Acts 18

 GOD’S WORD:

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        When we think about the book of Job our minds naturally go to the tremendous loss that he encountered. His livestock, his servants, and his children, all taken at once. His grief and sorrow are evident throughout the chapters of this special book. We may recall his friends, who come to try to help, yet often cause more sorrow than comfort with their counsel to Job. Yet seldom do we dwell on where Job was before all these trials began. Sure, we all know he was wealthy. We know that he also faithfully sacrificed to, and worshipped God. That is Job’s devotion to God. Which most people would say is man’s reasonable obligation in life. To devote oneself to the one who created you, and created all that is around you. However, in Job 1:10 we observe through the eyes of God’s adversary, the devil, just how devoted God is to those who love and worship Him. 

        God points out the character of Job to Satan in Job 1:8 saying he is “…an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” God’s observation of Job is that he is a good man who loves the Lord and hates the sinful wickedness in the world around him. Then, however, Satan observes the character of God concerning Job. God has placed a protective barrier around him, his family, and all he possesses. He has also blessed all his work to make them prosperous. This shows us just how devoted God is to those who are devoted to Him. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        God reminds us of His daily devotion toward us in Heb. 13:5. It says, “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” God shows the same devoted care shown to Job, to all who love and follow Him.

Doesn’t God’s devotion to us, deserve our devotion too?

  July 20, 2023
  Daily Reading – Esther 5-10 / Acts 17

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Esther 6:6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        There are a lot of things in this old world today that are dangerous. Rock climbing without some sort of tether to me sounds extremely dangerous. Yet people do it all the time. Working on a blasting crew that sets dynamite and then ignites it seems like one of those somewhat dangerous jobs. In some cities today it is even dangerous just to cross the road. These may all seem obvious as being dangerous. However, what Haman did in today’s passage is extremely dangerous. That is making an assumption about a situation without all the facts.

 

        Haman seemed to be someone who often built scenarios in his mind without knowing all the facts. He assumed that since Ester planned a banquet, and only called he and the King to this banquet, he must be considered someone very special in the eyes of the king and queen. He assumed if he built gallows, the king would grant him permission to hang Mordecai the Jew, whom he hated, on them, since there was a coming death decree out against the Jews. He also assumed that when the king wanted to honor someone in the public eye, it must be him. However, his ego and pride cost him his life. The king wanted to honor Mordecai, and made Haman carry out this honor. The banquet was put together to ask for the decree on the Jews to be lifted and to point our Haman as the one who caused the problem. The gallows he built were used to hang himself. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Making assumptions is dangerous unless you know all the facts. Actually, once you know the facts, you are not assuming, but simply stating the facts. Pride and Ego can often make us assume things we hope are true, but truly do not know. 

 

Has pride ever misdirected your thoughts?

 

 

  July 19, 2023
  Daily Reading – Esther 1-4 / Acts 16:25-40

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Esther 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        What is your destiny? That might be considered a tough one for us to answer. Some might even say that it would depend a little bit on how old we are at the time we are asked that question. If you are getting up in years, you might say my destiny is to retire and enjoy what years of life I have left here on this earth. While, if you are a younger person, you might say you are not sure what your destiny in life is. You have not settled yet on a career. I do understand those answers, however it does not really answer the question. What is your density. Esther faced this dilemma and had to face her real destiny. 

 

        All the Jewish people had been condemned to die at Haman’s decree, by permission of the King. This left the King’s wife in a tough spot. She was a Jew, but the King did not know it. Now her cousin Mordecai who raised her, is asking her to go before the king and ask for this decree to be lifted. The first problem is, no one, not even the Queen is allowed to just go talk to the king without an invitation. If the King does not approve of your visit, you may be put to death. The second problem is, she will have to tell the King that she is also a Jew. Again, because of the decree, she could be put to death. Her cousin says this might be the reason God has you here at this time as queen. This might be your destiny. Still, Esther deals with the true destiny of us all. She said, “If I perish, I perish.” You see, we will all face this final destiny of death. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        What you do here on earth is not truly your destiny. It is a calling. Your destiny is the same as everyone else. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” That is the destiny we all face.

 

Are you prepared for that destiny?

 

 

  July 18, 2023
  Daily Reading – Neh. 13 / Acts 16:1-24

 GOD’S WORD:

Nehemiah 13:22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Nehemiah was a man of his word. Back in Nehemiah 2:6, when he asked the king for permission to go a build the walls around Jerusalem, King Artaxerxes asked, “…For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.” We are not told then exactly how long the time set would be. However, in the last chapter of Nehemiah we find that he had kept his word. In Nehemiah 13:6 it says, “But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:” It was a declaration of honesty on his part, and a testimony of the God he served to the world around him.

        When he returned to Jerusalem, things were already in a mess. People were not worshiping in the temple they had built. Instead, they were buying and selling on the Sabbath. The priest who was to conduct the worship had gown back to work in the fields because no one was bringing in the offerings they had promised that was used to support the work. Some people had married outside their faith again, not heeding the laws of God. When Nehemiah returned, he took firm action to rectify all these situations. It was a declaration of integrity on his part before God, and a testimony of the God he served to Israel. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        What kind of declaration are we making with our lives? Does the world around us see our trust in the God we claim to serve. Do people in general see us as honest and people of integrity? Our lives all declare something to someone, whether we mean to or not.

What does your life declare?