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?