Devotionals Week of 26th thru 31st

Monday, January 26, 2009 -
Numbers 6:1-8
Nazarite means "to be set apart" and is explained as a separation unto the Lord. The vow was taken by men or women who desired to consecrate themselves in an outstanding or unusual manner. It was a total consecration to the service of the Lord, usually for a specific period of time. Samson, Samuel and John the Baptist was set apart for life. This setting aside had some very specific and strict rules that were very similar to the vows of the priest and even the high priest. A special walk with God requires a special lifestyle, that is designed to bring unusual blessings.
The Nazarite vow is not for us today. It was for the Jews and that particular nation. However the principle is sound and remains. If we are going to be used of God, our walk with him must be close and personal as we walk in His will, do His will and live for His honor and glory. A special walk with God is not a burden but a privilege and well worth the price. They removed themselves as far away from the attitudes of the world and moved closer to God, and the benefits and blessing were enormous.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009 -
Judges 2:1-5
The nation of Israel had enjoyed many victories and been blessed of God over and over again. Yet they continued to make league with the world. Look at verse 2. "And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
Boy, does that ever take me back to my teen age years. My Mother and Father always said to me, "You always have to learn the hard way, don't you? I did then and somehow I still do today. But learning the hard way always comes with a great price. It was true then and it is true today.
God broke the hearts of His people here in Judges chapter 2, and the brokenness brought tears. They named the place Bochim, meaning weeping, and sacrificed to the Lord. Do you remember the last time that you were broken of God.
Mark that spot. Name it. And look at it not only as a place of an ending, but a place of a new beginning to a greater life.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009 -
Judges 2:6-10
The work that I do as a pastor is not hard work. It is difficult. It is frustrating. It is heart breaking! Sometimes rewarding, but mostly it is tedious and unrewarding. But it is not hard work.
The Bible states that one generation serves God. They know Him, they have seen Him work, they had witnessed miracles but the next generation falls away. They get away from all that God is about, forgets his grace and mercy, and they have never observed His wonders. Whose fault is it. Is the parents? Did they fail to teach and train their young people. Was it the fault of the priest, the synagogue's failure to have a good youth program? Or, was it the fault of the next generation, who did not pay attention, who did not desire to walk with Him?
I guess we could argue each point of view, but I think the answer is that all have some responsibility. The question I think is why is there a falling away. How can some one be going great guns for God and then all of a sudden be as cold as ice?
I think it is because we forget. We forget where we were when we found Him. I think we forget what He has done for us. I think we forget that there is a future that we will need His help. Let us not forget.

Thursday, January 29, 2009-
Judges 2:11-17
"And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim." As I look at Scripture I always try to put myself in the time that I am studying. I have looked at this passage and to honest with you I am stuck. Why did Israel do evil in the sight of the Lord? Why did they take on the attitude and god's of those nations less fortunate than they? I must then also ask, why do we do the same thing? Why did Lucifer rise up against God? Why?
Yesterday we were admonished not to forget. Today, I think, we must never take the things of God for granted. Some how when we become prosperous we think that it is always going to be that way. That what was once a privilege becomes a right. And once we think that it is a right, we take it for granted.
A lady that I have known from years gone by is fighting a great battle against cancer. When we were young, health was something that we took for granted. It was our right. We are suppose to be healthy. But when we begin to lose that health little things begin to become precious again. One man that I knew who was battling cancer was excited when I visited because he was able to make it less than ten feet to the bathroom, with no help!
Let us not take things for granted. Let us thank God for all we have and never get to the place that God is taken for granted as we search for strange god's.

Friday, January 30, 2009-
Judges 2:18-23
How important is true Biblical leadership? How important is the man that God has chosen to lead. Or the woman? Leaders come in all sorts of genders, colors, sizes, but all need to be Biblical leaders. Look at the first few chapters of the book of Judges. The nation was good and followed God under the leadership of Joshua. The nation fell, visited strange gods and God raised up Judges and delivered the nation. The Judges died and the nation went back to their old ways.
Has God put you in a position of leadership. Before you answer I want to ask you some questions. Are you employed and do the other workers know that you are a Christian? You are a leader! Are you a man that is married? Have children? You are a leader! Are you a mother? You are a leader. Anyone that can influence the life of another is a leader.
Never forget who you are and the position that God has put you in. Always remember that someone is looking at you for leadership and guidance and God expects you to be the leader He would have you to be.

Saturday, January 31, 2009-
Judges 13:1-13, 24
"And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord . . ."One day I am going to count how many times this phrase is repeated in the Word of God. In this area of the Bible that we have been in all week this phrase seems to headline every chapter. However, I wish to point out a couple of things that I hope will help you. '
Even though the rest of the nation went astray there were always those who stood for God and did not forsake Him and His principles. In the midst of all of the trouble there were those that proved to be real champions.
Secondly, somehow when others were being cursed there was those in the midst of the collapse of the nation that were blessed of God. When the rains fall, we, those who stay true to God, will get wet, but God will give us an umbrella.
In today's text, we begin with "The children of Israel did evil again, . . ." but look at verse 24 "And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson, and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him."
Do you see that. Blessing in the midst of trouble.
Isn't God good?

A request for prayer

Dear Readers,

Please lift this lady up in your prayers. She has been fighting this battle for many years.

Steve,
Your letter of Devotionals was a great inspiration for me. As you know this fight with cancer has gotten the better of me. I am unable to do things that I once was able to accomplish. Lately, I too, had given into my demon. My demon, is cancer. But reading this has given me more inspiration to continue to fight. I was ready and had told my family I was no longer able to fight. You must have know deep down that I needed to go into the right direction, and not give into this demon. Next Monday I go back into surgery, I was ready to tell them no more, and let it run it's course and succumb to it. But upon reading this, now I know I will continue to fight. For the Lord did not put me here not to fight demons, but to win over them. My faith has never falter, but my body had. But now, I will give it all I have to fight off this large demon. Thank you for the wonderful inspiration that I needed at this time. I will continue with the surgery, treatment and medications to fight. Power of prayers have gotten me this far, and the power of the Lord and prayers will get me through this one also. Joy

This Weeks Devotional

Monday, January 19, 2009 -
Exodus 17:8-16
How do we battle against our enemies? We all have them. Sometimes our enemies are from without, sometimes from within. I know that I have many demons that I fight in my life, and most everyone that I know do as well. And I really do not know anyone that has no enemies without. Here in the book of Exodus the children of God was at war with Amalek, and his warriors. He wished to destroy Moses and Joshua and make no mistake about it our enemies wish to destroy us, whether the enemy comes from within or without. The solution is spelled out here in the Book. We must fight. We must not lay back and surrender. If Moses had done that the victory would never have been won. But fighting is not the only thing that we must do. We must hold the rod of God up high. While the rod was held toward the heavens, the Army of God prevailed. When the rod was let down, the foe began to gain the victory. The rod of God was used many times in many different miracles. Here it was used as a key to victory. What will bring us victory? Fighting the fight and holding the standard of God, the rod of God, the Word of God high. When that is done, victory will be ours. It is war, but the battle is worth it. Tuesday,

January 20, 2009 -
Numbers 14:6-10
God had promised His children victory and a promised land. Unfortunately many of the people feared and their faith was compromised. Fear will always cause you to have a lack of faith. So God granted them their wish and sent spies into the land of Canaan. The report came back and the majority of the people talked about how great the enemy was and how they could not be defeated. Two talked about how great God was and how He could not be defeated. Who was right? Well, they both were. The ones who looked at the enemy and their greatness never did defeat the enemy and they died in the wilderness. The ones that looked at the greatness of God and how he could not be beaten lived and entered into the promise land, the land of victory, a picture of the victorious Christian life. So, in your life, will you look at the enemy and say that he is too big to beat, or will you look at our Saviour and know that He cannot be beaten?

Wednesday, January 21, 2009 -
Numbers 27:12-23
Moses was a great man of God, a great man of faith, a great man of victory. He led the children of God, faced enormous difficulties, fought brilliant battles but he never got to enter the promise land. God said in verse 14, “For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, . . .” To day, let us not name the sin of Moses that cost him presence in the Promise Land. We will not speak of the Grace of God that passes all understanding. I wish to look at one thing. The time that we spend in sin can never be recovered. In a life time the average will make a couple of million dollars. But once a dollar is spent foolishly, that dollar cannot be brought back by saying “do over.” A sin that is committed can be forgiven, without a doubt. A sin that is committed can be forsaken. A sin that is committed, but forsaken and forgiven will never be brought up at the judgment seat of Christ. But the time spent in that sin, and the damage it causes can never be overcome. Think about it!

Thursday, January 22, 2009 -
Deuteronomy 31:1-8
Moses was a wise, spiritual, strong, Godly man. He made his mistakes, which cost him dearly, but that did not take away from the fact that he was God’s man for the hour. The wisdom that he gave to Joshua is priceless and worth taking a look at and imitating to the very best of our God given ability. First of all, understand that there will be times that we fail God and even forsake Him, but He will never fail us nor forsake us.
That is why Moses states in verse 3, “ . . .He will go over before thee. . .” In verse 4, “And the Lord shall do unto them . . .”Again look at verse 5, “And the Lord shall give them up . . .” One more verse, verse 6, “ . . . :for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee . . .” God is always there for us, that we can be sure. Be strong, God will give strength through the Word of God. The joy of the Lord is my strength. And of good courage. Courage quality of being brave: the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action . Do not fear, fear cannot live where faith abides. Nor be afraid of them. Who is ‘them”. Our enemies, the ones from within, the ones from without, the ones that would distract us from our walk with God. Joshua, I am not going to go to the land of promise. I am old, I have made mistakes, God has appointed you, to lead the people, God’s people into the land of promise. God will bury His workman, but never His work.

Friday, January 23, 2009 -
Deuteronomy 34:1-9
As I read this verse my eyes tear. My heart rate is up, and my stomach feels sour. I think that this is one of the saddest passages found in the Word of God. In fact, I identify with it so much, that it causes me grief and I think I understand what was on the heart of Moses as he looked at the land of promise and knew that it would never be his. God allowed Moses to see the land of Canaan, the promised land, the land that flowed with milk and honey. So many times I have dreamed what God could really do with my life. I dream and think of my church being much larger. I drew up plans for a new place of worship 29 years ago, and I still have that plan in my desk drawer, but the building has never been built. I have dreams of a radio ministry that reaches all of the Philippine Islands and the regions beyond, some 100 million people, many of them Muslims and Communist. I have dreams of helping train tomorrows preachers to make a large impact for the glory of God. I dream of being used of God to build orphanages in India and other places where children have no hope or dreams beyond eating a good meal or of having a safe place to sleep. I can see these things with my eye of faith, but will God allow me to realize my dreams or will I die in the wilderness and be buried in an unknown grave the way that Moses life was ended? Only God knows, and I will be satisfied with His decision. But my heart still goes out to Moses. His eyes were not dim nor his natural force abated. He died with life still in him and dreams unrealized. I guess that a lesson here is that sin committed will cause dreams to be unfulfilled. However, I would rather die, with dreams not realized, than to never have dreams at all.

Saturday, January 24, 2009 -
Joshua 1:1-9
Moses is dead. We have mentioned a sin that Moses committed that prevented him from the realization of his dreams several times in this weeks devotionals. But notice verse one “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord . . .” God still loves Moses! He, God, still thinks of him as a “servant of the Lord.” That does not give us the right to sin. We must not sin and say “I can sin, and God will forgive me.” But it is great to know that when we stumble and fall, that God will pick us up, clean us up and still love us and never doubt our love for Him. What a God we have. Wouldn’t it be great if those that we have offended, those that we have sinned against, would be as gracious as God? I for one, will always take this position. This is a position of strength, a position that makes us more like Him.

Thought for the New Year

As we begin a brand new year I am sitting here at my desk wondering how much of this year will be wasted. One shows up at a construction site and there is always a pile of lumber here and some dry wall there. Nails are laying all over the place and small piles of concrete scattered around. I am sure that the cost of these things that are wasted are just considered, well, just considered the cost of doing business. No building or project is designed to such precision that every nail, every board and every yard of concrete is used. In America we are accustomed to waste and a throw away society.
We do the same thing with time. I will stand in a department store and some one will say to me “May I help you?” I will answer, “No thank you, I am just killing time waiting on my wife.” Some one will call and ask, “What are you doing?” and I will reply, “Oh, nothing?” We all use those phrases and have those thoughts, but are we so successful, so fulfilled, so rich that we can kill time? Or that we can spend long periods of time doing nothing?
We waste minutes, days, months and even years, killing time or doing nothing! And when that time is gone, it is gone forever.
Well, this year I am going to be more productive. I have loaded my schedule to the place that I will have no time to do nothing. I will be writing, reading, speaking, producing every available minute of every available day. No more wasted time for me. I will not kill any more time. Let me add one more thing before I go. Date night with my wife is not doing nothing - it is doing something. Playing with my grand children is not killing time - it is producing memories. Spending time with my children is not non productive, it is the reward for being a father.

Devotional 1/10/09

Saturday - January 10, 2009 -
Psalm 34:4-14
I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
God is greater than all our fears.
He is greater than our fear of death. His is our Life.
He is greater than our fear of troubles.
He is greater than all our troubles.
He is greater than our fear of our enemies, He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
He is greater than our fear of the government, the heart of the King is in his hand.
Seeking the Lord is the key. That is more that just church attendance. It is more that just an occasional prayer or Bible study. It is seeking the Lord to the degree that His heartbeat becomes your heartbeat.

Devotional 1/9/09

Friday - January 9, 2009 -
Psalm 33:8-18
“Let all the earth fear the Lord . . .”
This would be the wise thing to do, but alas, the world never does that which is wise. The world is very unwise.
We fear God because of His power. There is no power like unto His.
We fear God because of His counsel that standeth for ever.
We fear God because of His righteousness.
We fear God because of His judgment.
Someone says, “ I don’t want to fear God, I want to love Him. That is good, perfect love casts out fear. But if you do not have a perfect love, then you need to fear Him.

Devotional 1/8/09

Thursday - January 8, 2009 -
Psalm 27:1-6
“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.” One thing, just one thing.
We try to do so much, yet if we would do just one thing - dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life - just one thing. I visit many places but I dwell in only one. What a blessing we would receive if we dwelled in the presence of our God all the days of our lives.
That is where we will dwell if we feel comfortable in His presence. That is where we will dwell if we love Him the way that we should. That is where we will dwell if we know Him as our saviour. And when we do . . . ?
We will behold his beauty, and we communicate through our prayer life with Him. We will be where we should be, and the blessings will be abundant.

Devotional 1/7/09

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 -
Ps 25:12-21
Have you ever seen an animal in a trap or a fly in the spider’s web? The entrapped begin to struggle and the more they struggle the more bound they become. Before long the prey is exhausted, all energy is spent, and still they are the prisoner. The prey have not a prayer, death comes and the to the victor go the spoils. Have you ever felt like that? I know that I have.
So many fight and struggle until exhaustion and defeat come and our lives loose the joy and satisfaction that we once had. How do we stay out of the snare of the devil? It really is not as difficult as it seems.
Look at verse 15. “Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord.” When my children were learning how to drive I had to keep telling them, keep your eyes on the road. When you don’t you have a tendency to run off the road or run over something in the middle of the road.
When you take your eyes off of the Lord the same things can happen. Keep your eyes on the Lord and He will pluck your feet out of the net.

Devotional 1/6/09

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 -
Psalm 23:1-6
I have always wondered why some parts of the Word of God are so much more popular, or familiar, to the general population. Every one knows the 23rd Psalm. It is read or referred to at almost every funeral that I have ever attended. I do not know why it is so popular but we must never allow familiarity to rob us of blessings.
“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. "
What a verse. So many people go through their life always having the wants. They want another car, another home, another this and another that. But with our Lord, well, he takes care of the wants.
There was a time that I had a ‘want’ for salvation - There He was, my Saviour.
There was a time that I had a ‘want’ for peace - There He was, my prince of peace.
I have had a ‘want’ for counsel - He is the counselor.
I have had a ‘want for love - He is the love of God.
Bring all your wants to Him and you will find that “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want!”

Devotional 1/5/09

Monday, January 5, 2009 -
Psalm 15:1-5
How in the world do we develop stability in our lives? Spending many hours a week in counseling sessions I find most of the people that I work with have very little, if any, stability in their lives. God’s Word tells us how we can so live that “we shall never be moved.” It begins with our walk. Uprightly is the word that is used. I would think that would me to live so that everybody knows where you stand and that you not only stand with God but you live daily with Him. Worketh righteousness. You don’t backbite, or do evil to any, nor take a reproach against your neighbor. Neither do you look down on sinners, or use your money to subject others to a miserable life, or take advantage of the innocent. The Bible states that this type of man will have stability, and shall not be moved. Why? Because he has built his life upon the Word and principles of God.