Devotionals Nov 17-22

Monday, Nov 17, 2008 - Psalm 46:1-11 What a powerful passage of Scripture we have today before us, and what a very calming affect it should have on us. "God is our refuge." When storms come there are places that we are to run and hide, precautions that we are to take and things and places we are to avoid. Then, hopefully, we will survive the storms that take the lives of others, often those, who did not seek a place of refuge. But them man or woman of God know the place to seek in the times of the greatest storms in our lives is the shelter that only God can give. He is our refuge! No question about rather we will survive or not, we will, because He lives, we shall live also, and not only live, but live abundantly! Even in times of trouble.

Tuesday Nov 18, 2008 -
Psalm 46:1-11
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble". Have you ever been in trouble, I mean real trouble? Life changing trouble? I am not talking about forgetting to take out the trash (I get in trouble in this fashion every week). Or turning in an assignment a day late. I am talking about trouble that will change the course of your life forever. I have. It is times like this that you find out who your true friends are. Do you want to know what I discovered? I only had a couple of friends that was willing to go to the mat for me. What made me sad was that I have dozens that could have helped but did not care enough to do so. But God, my God, was a very present help in trouble. Always there, always available, always a visible sign of strength in my time of desperate need. Always there to comfort me and to guide me trough those times. "The joy of the Lord is my strength." And He will be your strength as well.

Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008
Philippians 1:12-18
Does everything work for the good, to them that love God, and the called according to his purpose? Paul seams to think so. Over and over again people have asked me "what is God trying to do to me?" "Why does every thing bad happen to me?" From a rather casual study of the life of Paul one can certainly understand that Paul lived a rather difficult life and much more difficult than the ordinary man today. Yet Paul stated "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; . . ." I don't know what you may be facing today but if the gospel is spread and people are saved, because of your troubles, is your cost to great? Thursday, Nov 20, 2008 - Philippians 1:19-26 Found in today's reading is probably one of the most powerful passages of Scripture found in the Word of God and I really wish that I had a complete understanding of the text. "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." I know that many would assume that they understand this passage. For me, I understand it intellectually. But do I grasp it as Paul did? I doubt it. For to me to live is Christ.
I can no more live without Christ than I can live without air to breath.
I can no more live without Christ than I can live without food to eat.
I can no more live without Christ than I can live without my organs that make my body function.
I can no more live without Christ than I can live without a world in which to live.
I can live without my eyes because my faith will still be able to see the things of God.
I can live without my legs, because the spreading of the Gospel is in its proclamation.
I can live without my voice, because God can still speak to the hearts of man.
I can live without my arms, because it is His arms that are not shortened.
I can live without my life because my works will follow me and Jesus died to give me eternal life.
But without Him, nothing else matters.

Friday, Nov 21, 2008 -
Philippians 1:27-30
How does the proper conduct of the believer benefit the Gospel of Christ? Here in verse 28, there are some suggestions. Nothing terrified by your adversaries - we should not be intimidated. Regardless of who is our adversary, we should be confident in the strength and power of Jesus. This is a two fold sign.
To the unbelievers - it is a sign of their lost condition.
To the believers - it is a sign that they are saved.
Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Saturday, Nov 22, 2008 -
Philippians 3:17- 4:1
In Acts chapter one the Bible speaks of Judas who was a guide to those that crucified the Lord. In numerous places the Bible speaks of those that won people to Christ. In today's Scripture the Bible tells us to be examples to others. As one person stated, "Nobody is worthless. Even the most despicable can serve as a bad example." I would never want to be as Judas was and serve our Lord's enemy and aid in his advancement against our Christ. Neither would I wish to be a do nothing Christian, that promotes the idea to others that you do not have any obligation to do anything for the cause of Christ, because that work is the work of others. I do, however, wish to be the man that leads others to Christ making an eternal difference to them and to their family. How about you?

An invitation for Nov. 23rd

Dear Friend,
I want to begin this letter by thanking you for thirty great years. Back in December of 1978, a 28 year old preacher and his young beautiful wife and two children came to the Baptist Temple to begin a ministry that has now lasted 30 years. When I came here I told you to be careful how you voted. My wife and I had moved eight times in nine years of marriage and I was not planning on moving again for a long time. One of the questions asked of me was, “Preacher, are you going to stay a little while and then leave like all the others?” My answer “I will stay at least 20 years.” It has been thirty!
So, with Thanksgiving to you and to our Lord, I want you to help me celebrate our 30 years together. On November 23, 2008 we will have our annual Thanksgiving dinner together as a church family immediately following the Sunday Morning service. We will have all the fixin’s and the meal will be outstanding. Our services that morning will begin at 10:00 A.M. The choir will be singing some of my favorite hymns and our soloist will be singing my favorite songs, and one of my favorite young people will be with us as well, 16 year old soloist Brianne Chrenko. Brianne has been here at the Baptist Temple several times, and is an outstanding young lady in every meaning of the word and will minister to us in song.
Of course there will be preaching from the Word of God as I am going to preach from Genesis to Revelation, everything that I have ever preached in one message (We should be finished before you have to go to work Monday morning).
Oh, and we must not forget that there will be a “Roast”! Some of the folks requested a time to say something about me. All in all, we should have a great day, and it is my prayer that you will be with us and we have a day that we “In Everything Give Thanks”.

Because He Lives,
Pastor Steve Goens
Jeremiah 33:3

Devotionals Nov. 10th-15th

Monday, Nov 10, 2008 -
Acts 1:15-26
In verse 16 of the Scripture today the Bible says "Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus." Wow, what an indictment! The man that let the mob to Jesus. As I read that I thought to myself how often times people will go out of their way to do the wrong thing, when doing the right thing is so much easier, and so much more rewarding. I would hope that one day my Lord would say of me, "he led many to the cross. How about you? Wouldn't you rather be known in that light than to be known a Judas was known?
Tuesday, Nov 11, 2008 -
Matthew 10:1-15
These verses tell us that there were special men, to do a special work, for a special time and a special purpose. The lives and the ministry of the Apostles is a great Bible Study and one that we may one day look at further. Today however, I want to point out to you that I think that God has special people, to do a special work, for a special time and a special purpose and that time is now. We live in very difficult times , I think that is very clear. Prophecy is being fulfilled on a daily basis and reading the newspaper headlines is nearly like reading the Scriptures. Thank God the Apostles did what God wanted them to do. Thank God they got us started off right. Now it is time for us to bring it home. Now, in these last days, God needs us to be more faithful than at any time to stand true to the Word of God and to win the lost, before time is no more.
Wednesday, Nov 12, 2008 -
Matthew 10:16-25
"I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; . . ." How is that for the last encouraging words before one begins a journey of a lifetime. It sounds as if our Lord is sending his chosen ones into a battle that they cannot possible win. So many times in our life we feel the same way. That God has placed more on us, than we can accomplish and that makes our success doubtful. But just as the Lord gave the Apostles the power to succeed in their duties and to overcome those that wished to destroy them so does our Lord give us His power to do the same today. We must, as they, be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 -
Matthew 10:32-39
"And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." I really don't know if I have any idea what this verse means. I can explain it intellectually. But do I really understand the very essence of the verse? I know very few people who understand this concept from a experiential position, but I do understand enough that most of what we, as modern day Americans call a cross is probably more of an inconvenience, and followeth after me, means from a far distance. What could we do if we were to stop complaining and begin to truly follow after our Lord? How much stronger would we be, if we carried the Cross instead of trying to shift it to others? How much more would we hear from God, if we would get close enough to actually hear His Word?
Friday, November 14, 2008 -
1 Timothy 4:6-16
"If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things ..."One of my favorite songs states "Roll back the curtain of memory now and then, show me where you brought me from and where I could have been. " There is rarely a day that passes that I do not think of what God has done for me. Now by no measure have I attained, but I have come a very long way. I have a long way to go, but the journey with my Lord is sweeter than any other journey that I have taken. I don't know how others keep their walk with Christ meaningful and magical, but I know how I do. I just remember all that he has done for me. That is enough! "Keep in remembrance of these things."
Saturday, Nov 15, 2008 -
Acts 13:1-12
What is done at the end of the day in your day to day living?What will be done at the end of your life? Will you be wealthy, or maybe a captain of industry? Maybe you will sit on many boards, be looked upon by millions? Maybe you will be President of the United States. Stranger things have happened. But all those things are temporal. There is only one thing that is eternal that we have any control. Notice what the Scripture states, "Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord." That is what matters. Are others astonished at the doctrine of the Lord, when they see what God has done in your life?

IN GODS EYES

I wanted to share a wonderful expert from a book I have been reading:

By the time I was ten, I was totally ashamed of my father. All my friends called him names: Quasi-Moto, hunchback, monster, little Frankenstein, the crooked little man with the crooked little cane. At first it hurt when they called him those things, but soon I found myself agreeing with them. He was ugly, and I knew it!
My father was born with something called parastremmatic dwarfism. The disease made him stop growing when he was about thirteen and caused his body to twist and turn into a grotesque shape. It wasn't too bad when he was a kid. I saw pictures of him when he was about my age. He was a little short but quite good-looking. Even when he met my mother and married her when he was nineteen, he still looked pretty normal. He was still short and walked with a slight limp, but he was able to do just about anything. Mother said, "He even used to be a great dancer."
Soon after my birth, things started getting worse. Another genetic disorder took over, and his left foot started turning out, almost backward. His head and neck shifted over to the right; his neck became rigid and he had to look over his left shoulder a bit. His right arm curled in and up, and his index finger almost touched his elbow. His spine warped to look something like a big, old roller coaster and it caused his torso to lie sideways instead of straight up and down like a normal person. His walk became low, awkward, and deliberate.. He had to almost drag his left foot as he used his deformed right arm to balance his gait.
I hated to be seen with him. Everyone stared.. They seemed to pity me. I knew he must have done something really bad to have God hate him that much. By the time I was seventeen, I was blaming all my problems on my father. I didn't have the rig ht boyfriends because of him. I didn't drive the right car because of him. I wasn't pretty enough because of him. I didn't have the right jobs because of him. I wasn't happy because of him.
Anything that was wrong with me, or my life, was because of him. If my father had been good-looking like Jane's father, or successful like Paul's father, or worldly like Terry's father, I would be perfect! I knew that for sure.
The night of my senior prom came, and Father had to place one more nail in my coffin; he had volunteered to be one of the chaperons at the dance.
My heart just sank when he told me. I stormed into my room, slammed the door, threw myself on the bed, and cried. "Three more weeks and I'll be out of here!" I screamed into my pillow. "Three more weeks and I will have graduated and be moving away to college." I sat up and took a deep breath.
"God, please make my father go away and leave me alone. He keeps sticking his big nose in everything I do. Just make him disappear, so that I can have a good time at the dance."
I got dressed, my date picked me up, and we went to the prom. Father followed in his car behind us. When we arrived, Father seemed to vanish into the pink chiffon drapes that hung everywhere in the auditorium. I thanked God that He had heard my prayer. At least now I could have some fun.
Midway through the dance, Father came out from behind the drapes and decided to embarrass me again. He started dancing with my girlfriends. One by one, he took their hand and led them to the dance floor. He then clumsily moved them in circles as the band played. Now I tried to vanish into the drapes.
After Jane had danced with him, she headed my way. Oh, no! I thought.. She's going to tell me he stomped on her foot or something.
"Grace," she called, "you have the greatest father."
My face fell. "What?"
She smiled at me and grabbed my shoulders. "Your father's just the best. He's funny, kind, and always finds the time to be where you need him. I wish my father was more like that."
For one of the first times in my life, I couldn't talk. Her words confused me.
"What do you mean?" I asked her.
Jane looked at me really strangely. "What do you mean, what do I mean? Your father's wonderful. I remember when we were kids, and I'd sleep over at your house. He'd always come into your room, sit down in the chair between the twin beds, and read us a book. I'm not sure my father can even read," she sighed, and then smiled. "Thanks for sharing him."
Then, Jane ran off to dance with her boyfriend. I stood there in silence.
A few minutes later, Paul came to stand beside me.
"He's sure having a lot of fun."
"What? Who? Who is having a lot of fun?" I asked.
"Your father. He's having a ball."
"Yeah. I guess." I didn't know what else to say.
"You know, he's always been there," Paul said. "I remember when you and I were on the mixed-doubles soccer team. He tried out as the coach, but he couldn't run up and down the field, remember? So they picked Jackie's father instead. That didn't stop him. He showed up for every game and did whatever needed to be done. He was the team's biggest fan. I think he's the reason we won so many games. Without him, it just would have been Jackie's father running up and down the field yelling at us. Your father made it fun. I wish my father had been able to show up to at least one of our games. He was always too busy."
Paul's girlfriend came out of the restroom, and he went to her side, leaving me once again speechless.
My boyfriend came back with two glasses of punch and handed me one. "Well, what do you think of my father?" I asked out of the blue.
Terry looked surprised. "I like him. I always have.."
"Then why did you call him names when we were kids?"
"I don't know. Because he was different, and I was a dumb kid ."
"When did you stop calling him names?" I asked, trying to search my own memory.
Terry didn't even have to think about the answer. "The day he sat down with me outside by the pool and held me while I cried about my mother and father's divorce. No one else would let me talk about it. I was hurting inside, and he could feel it. He cried with me that day. I thought you knew."
I looked at Terry and a tear rolled down my cheek as long-forgotten memories started cascading into my consciousness.
When I was three, my puppy got killed by another dog, and my father was there to hold me and teach me what happens when the pets we love die.
When I was five, my father took me to my first day of school. I was so scared. So was he. We cried and held each other that first day. The next day he became teacher's helper.. When I was eight, I just couldn't do math. Father sat down with me night after night, and we worked on math problems until math became easy for me. When I was ten, my father bought me a brand-new bike. When it was stolen, because I didn't lock it up like I was taught to do, my father gave me jobs to do around the house so I could make enough money to purchase another one.. When I was thirteen and my first love broke up with me, my father was there to yell at, to blame, and to cry with. When I was fifteen and I got to be in the honor society, my father was there to see me get the accolade. Now, when I was seventeen, he put up with me no matter how nasty I became or how high my hormones raged.
As I looked at my father dancing gaily with my friends, a big toothy grin on his face, I suddenly saw him differently. The handicaps weren't his, they were mine! I had spent a great deal of my life hating the man who loved me. I had hated the exterior that I saw, and I had ignored the interior that contained his God-given heart.. I suddenly felt very ashamed.
I asked Terry to take me home, too overcome with feelings to remain.
On graduation day, at my Christian high school, my name was called, and I stood behind the podium as the valedictorian of my class. As I looked out over the people in the audience, my gaze rested on my father in the front row sitting next to my mother. He sat there, in his one and only, specially made suit, holding my mother's hand and smiling.
Overcome with emotions, my prepared speech was to become a landmark in my life.
"Today I stand here as an honor student, able to graduate with a 4.0 average. Yes, I was in the honor society for three years and was elected class president for the last two years. I led our school to championship in the debate club, and yes, I even won a full scholarship to Kenton State University so that I can continue to study physics and someday become a college professor.
"What I'm here to tell you today, fellow graduates, is that I didn't do it alone. God was there, and I had a whole bunch of friends, teachers, and counselors who helped. Up until three weeks ago, I thought they were the only ones I would be thanking this evening. If I had thanked just them, I would have been leaving out the most important person in my life. My father."
I looked down at my father and at the look of complete shock that covered his face.
I stepped out from behind the podium and motioned for my father to join me onstage. He made his way slowly, awkwardly, and deliberately. He had to drag his left foot up the stairs as he used his deformed right arm to balance his gait. As he stood next to me at the podium, I took his small, crippled hand in mine and held it tight.
"Sometimes we only see the silhouette of the people around us," I said. "For years I was as shallow as the silhouettes I saw. For almost my entire life, I saw my father as someone to make fun of, someone to blame, and someone to be ashamed of. He wasn't perfect, like the fathers my friends had.
"Well, fellow graduates, what I found out three weeks ago is that while I was envying my friends' fathers, my friends were envying mine. That realization hit me hard and made me look at who I was and what I had become. I was brought up to pray to God and hold high principles for others and myself. What I've done most of my life is read between the lines of the Good Book so I could justify my hatred."
Then, I turned to look my father in the face.
"Father, I owe you a big apology. I based my love for you on what I saw and not what I felt. I forgot to look at the one part of you that meant the most, the big, big heart God gave you. As I move out of high school and into life, I want you to know I could not have had a better father. You were always there for me, and no matter how badly I hurt you, you still showed up. Thank you!"
I took off my mortar board and placed it on his head, moving the tassel just so.
"You are the reason I am standing here today. You deserve this honor, not me ."
And as the audience applauded and cried with us, I felt God's light shining down upon me as I embraced my father more warmly than I ever had before, tears unashamedly falling down both our faces.
For the first time, I saw my father through God's eyes, and I felt honored to be seen with him.
Written by: Candace Carteen, Portland, Oregon


From the book: God Allows U Turns: True Stories of Hope and Healing by Allison Bottke