REMEMBERING WHERE YOU ARE

YOU ARE BLESSED - 366 DEVOTIONS

REMEMBERING WHERE YOU ARE

The world brings only change, it is never constant but in its

disappointments.  The world is but a great inn, where we are

to stay a night or two, and be gone, what madness is it to set

our heart upon our inn, as to forget our home?

Thomas Watson

Whether you imagine yourself creating the starring role in your own drama, or you see your visit to earth as a short stay at an enormous inn, the fact is that the experience is fleeting and like any ride at an amusement part, is over before you know it.

You may still remember when you thought you’d live forever, or when you thought you’d never get to be 18 or 21 or whatever magical age you hoped would tell the world you had arrived.

Somehow as you’ve gotten older, the whole cycle of things seems to be spinning faster and faster.  You feel like each day melts into the one coming in and months go by without you even taking notice.

However brief your stay at this inn called Earth, it is always with the knowledge that it only gets better from here.  The Great Innkeeper of heaven already has the light on for you and awaits you with warm hugs and joy.  Even so, He wants you to enjoy your visit because He provided the inn of Earth with great joy.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1 NLT

Lord, create an awareness of heaven in me so that

I might live in joy all the days of my life.

Amen 

DAILY PRAYERS & BLESSINGS - JUNE 8

JUNE 8

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart,

and knoweth all things. 

1 John 3:20

It’s hard, Lord, to reveal my heart to you, though it’s the thing I most want to do.  Remind me in this dialogue that you already know what is within me.  You wait-thank you!- hoping for the gift of my willingness to acknowledge the good you already see and the bad you’ve long forgotten.  

SUFFERING: HOW DO WE RESPOND?

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

SUFFERING:  HOW DO WE RESPOND?

READ:  Job 16:6-17

Man who is born of woman is of few days

and full of trouble.  Job 14:1

Why  is there suffering?  You might ask that question when you hear of hurricanes, mudslides, earthquakes, and other disasters taking people’s lives.  Job asked that question too.

Why is there so much pain in God’s world?  Consider these reasons:

We can’t escape the laws that govern our universe.  We need such things as gravity, weather, and fire to survive, but they can lead to tragedy (Matthew 5:45).  Fire is good in our stove, but an out-of-control fire can kill.

We are a social race.  Our lives are intertwined, so we sometimes suffer when the sin or foolishness of others spreads trouble (1 Corinthians 12:26).

Sin brought a curse on the earth and its people.  This curse includes disease and death (Genesis 3:15-24).

Suffering awakens compassion.  Jesus told us to care for those who suffer in poverty.  We are His partners in helping others (Luke 10:33-35).

As Job discovered, God’s world is a fallen place. When we see suffering, we can use it as an opportunity to serve God by helping others, to trust Him in spite of the difficulty, and to grow in our faith in Him.

When trouble hits, let our first reaction be to trust the Lord and care for the needs of others.  DB

Our response to suffering can either make us or break us.

TRULY HUMBLE, TRULY GREAT

Truly Humble, Truly Great

[Christ Jesus] made himself nothing.

Philippians 2:7

READ PHILIPPIANS 2:1–11

As the American Revolution concluded with England’s improbable surrender, many politicians and military leaders maneuvered to make General George Washington a new monarch. The world watched, wondering if Washington would stick to his ideals of freedom and liberty when absolute power was within his grasp. England’s King George III saw another reality, however. He was convinced that if Washington resisted the power pull and returned to his Virginia farm, he would be “the greatest man in the world.” The king knew that the greatness evidenced in resisting the allure to power is a sign of true nobility and significance.

Paul knew this same truth and encouraged us to follow Christ’s humble way. Even though Jesus was “in very nature God,” he “did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage” (Philippians 2:6). Instead, He surrendered His power, became “a servant” and “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death” (vv. 7-8). The One who held all power surrendered every bit of it for the sake of love.

And yet, in the ultimate reversal, God exalted Christ from a criminal’s cross “to the highest place” (v. 9). Jesus, who could demand our praise or force us to be obedient, laid down His power in a breathtaking act that won our worship and devotion. Through absolute humility, Jesus demonstrated true greatness, turning the world upside down.

By Winn Collier

REFLECT & PRAY

Thank You, Jesus, that in Your most destitute and (seemingly) disgraceful moment, You demonstrated Your true power and greatness.

How does the depth of Jesus’ humility surprise you? How does His humility force you to reconsider your definition of greatness?

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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Many scholars believe that Philippians 2:6-11 is an example of one of the earliest Christian hymns. Several things contribute to that theory. According to The New Bible Commentary, these verses can be divided into six stanzas formed by three lines each. Additionally, the stanzas read in a very rhythmic and musical way. While not the only place in the New Testament where we see possible ancient hymns, this apparent song describing Jesus speaks deeply into the condition of the Philippian church where there was self-seeking and self-advancement that needed correcting (see 2:3-4; 4:2-3). Bill Crowder

HEAVENLY HOPES

YOU ARE BLESSED - 366 DEVOTIONS

HEAVENLY HOPES

God’s retirement plan is out of this world.

Anonymous

We tend to give thoughts of heaven a passing nod, knowing we may well have to deal with it sometimes, but probably not today.  We may go for a long time before we think of it again, only to be reminded when someone dear to us passes on or we read of tragedies elsewhere on the planet.

We may pray that we’ll have an eternal life and even imagine that it will be so, but we may not live each day as though we truly have the hope of heaven in our future.

As we become stronger women of faith, women who understand the work God is trying to get done on earth and the part we might play in that work, the more we might reflect on our future hope and the fact of our own mortality.

One reason to reflect on your heavenly home is to remember that no matter what is going on for you here on earth, this isn’t all there is.  This isn’t the end of your existence, and perhaps it’s just the beginning.  You’re God’s heavenly daughter as well as His earthly daughter and you always have a place to call home.  The fact is that you arrived on earth with a round trip ticket.

Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.”

John 14:2 NKJV

Lord, thank You for giving me reminders of heaven,

especially on those days when I’m a little too tied to the earth.

Amen 

DAILY PRAYERS & BLESSINGS - JUNE 7

JUNE 7

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also

ye are called in one body; and be you thankful.

Colossians 3:15

Sometimes we believe our souls can only be at peace if there is no outer turmoil.  The wonder of Gods peace is that even when the world around us is in confusion our emotions are in a whirl, underneath it all we can know his peace.

PROMISED STRENGTH

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

PROMISED STRENGTH

READ:  Isaiah 40: 10-11, 28-31

To those who have no might [God]

increases strength.  Isaiah 40:29

Jonah Sorrentino was deeply hurt at age six when his parents separated.  As a result, he held a lot of anger and bitterness inside.  At fifteen, Jonah learned of God’s love for him and became a believer in Jesus Christ.

Jonah, also known as recording artist KJ-52, admits that he used to live like a victim of circumstances.  In an interview with Christianity Today, he explained how he began to experience healing:  “You definitely have to acknowledge that, no, you’re not okay.”

He added, “You also have to reach a point of saying, ‘I’m not going to dwell on everything of the past…on anger or bitterness or hurt.  I’m going to move forward because God is going to give me the strength to do that.’God helped him to forgive his parents and to write song lyrics that encourage others.

If  we’ve been hurt badly, we may wonder how we can live with a painful past.  God could take away our pain instantly and forever if He chose to.  Often, though, He heals us slowly and scares remain.  He carries us and gently leads us as a shepherd cares for his flock (Isaiah 40:11).

We may not be healed completely in this life, but we can count on God’s promises.  He give “power to the weak” and increases their strength (v. 29).   AC

Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.