BE OBEDIENT TO THE LORD

BE OBEDIENT TO THE LORD    Thursday – September 10, 2010

“Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.’ Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city--a visit required three days.” – Jonah 3:1-3

In December 1944, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was disbanded. One of the pilots, Betty Greene, had written a pair of articles for Christian publications about how flying could advance Christian ministry. Three American military pilots responded by sharing with her their vision for creating the Christian Airmen's Missionary Fellowship.
After the war, Betty connected with likeminded pilots and began Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). She flew MAF's first flight, which was in partnership with Wycliffe Bible Translators into a remote jungle in Mexico.
For the next 17 years, Betty flew more than 4800 hours, bringing the Word of God, medical supplies and food to missionaries, as well as ferrying sick and injured people to hospitals, and carrying missionary children to their schools or to be with their parents for vacation. She loved being the Lord’s ambassador to Mexico, Peru, Africa, and Indonesia.

The Lord asks us to faithfully follow Him. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for His gospel and be glad to share the Good News of Christ with others.

“Obedience is the road to freedom, humility the road to pleasure, unity the road to personality.” – C.S. Lewis

God’s Word: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” – James 1:22

Abraham (3)

Abraham (3)

Now the Lord... said to Abram... Genesis 12:1

Abraham trusted God to fulfil His promise, come what may. 'By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents...' (Hebrews 11:9 NKJV). Some nights Abraham probably thought, 'I wish I was back home sleeping in my own bed.' Being in God's will gives you confidence, but it won't always make you comfortable. Following a plan you didn't devise, to a destination you see in your mind but can't explain, is called 'walking by faith'. God decides the plan, moves you from point A to point B, and says, 'Trust me; I've got it all worked out.' In 1945, before he met Billy Graham, Cliff Barrows and his fiance, Billie, had scraped together enough funds for a simple wedding and two train tickets to a city with a resort hotel. On arrival, however, they found the hotel shut down. Stranded in an unfamiliar city with little money, they hitched a lift. A sympathetic driver took them to a grocery store owned by a woman he knew. The newlyweds spent their first night in a room above the store. The next day, when the lady overheard Cliff playing Christian songs on his trombone, she arranged for them to spend the rest of their honeymoon at a friend's house. Several days later the host invited them to attend a youth rally where a young evangelist was speaking. The song leader that night was sick, and Cliff was asked to take charge of the music. The young evangelist, of course, was Billy Graham. The two became partners from then on. When things don't go your way, God has plans of His own. Better plans!

Drive-Up Service

Drive-Up Service

Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
Ephesians 6:24

Recommended Reading
Romans 16:20-27

Earlier this year, an Oregon man was driving his pickup truck down the street when he saw smoke billowing from the hood. His truck was on fire. There was no time to call 911, so the man pressed the gas pedal and drove straight to the McMinnville fire station. Flames were licking around the engine, but the firefighters quickly put it out. They've been joking ever since about their "new drive-up service."

Grace is God's drive-up service that helps us when life catches fire. We need it constantly, which is why the apostle Paul opened and closed so many of his letters with words like: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." He told Timothy to "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:1). The writer of Hebrews bids us to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Grace is a word that conveys all that God does for us and gives to us through Jesus. It is God's Riches at Christ's Expense. It's the best remedy for an overheated life.

Between here and heaven, every minute that the Christian lives will be a minute of grace.
Charles Spurgeon

The Beginning of Wisdom

"The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom…"
(Psalm 111:10, AMP)

Do you need more wisdom in your life today? The Bible says that the reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That word fear in this instance doesn't mean "to be afraid;" it means to have honor and respect. It means that we revere Him because He is God. When you truly respect Him for who He is and worship Him out of a grateful heart, then supernatural wisdom will operate in your life. You'll know just what to do in difficult situations, and you'll be a voice of godly counsel with your friends and family.

Start reverently worshiping Him today by declaring His goodness and faithfulness in your life. Declare that He is your Provider, your Healer, your Redeemer. When you focus on your God instead of focusing on your problems, you are honoring Him. As you honor Him, wisdom will flow through you, and you'll be empowered to live the life of victory He has planned for your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, I choose today to honor and worship You. I choose to put You first in my life. Thank You for filling me with Your wisdom today so that I can live in victory the way You intend. Help me make wise choices and honor You in all that I do. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

The Beginning of Wisdom

"The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom…"
(Psalm 111:10, AMP)

Do you need more wisdom in your life today? The Bible says that the reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That word fear in this instance doesn't mean "to be afraid;" it means to have honor and respect. It means that we revere Him because He is God. When you truly respect Him for who He is and worship Him out of a grateful heart, then supernatural wisdom will operate in your life. You'll know just what to do in difficult situations, and you'll be a voice of godly counsel with your friends and family.

Start reverently worshiping Him today by declaring His goodness and faithfulness in your life. Declare that He is your Provider, your Healer, your Redeemer. When you focus on your God instead of focusing on your problems, you are honoring Him. As you honor Him, wisdom will flow through you, and you'll be empowered to live the life of victory He has planned for your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, I choose today to honor and worship You. I choose to put You first in my life. Thank You for filling me with Your wisdom today so that I can live in victory the way You intend. Help me make wise choices and honor You in all that I do. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Abraham (2)

Abraham (2) 09 Sep 2010 'Now the Lord... said to Abram...' Genesis 12:1 Abraham had the ability to hear God's voice. 'Now the Lord... said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you."'(Genesis 12:1) Abraham couldn't turn to the Scriptures for guidance, and there were no prophets around to say, 'Thus saith the Lord'. Getting it right was critical. He was being called to leave his job, his home and his security. He needed to know that the voice he was hearing was truly God's voice. This leads us to conclude that Abraham had developed a relationship with the Lord, and building a relationship takes time, effort, sensitivity and commitment. Others may counsel you and confirm what God is telling you, but ultimately you must learn to hear from God for yourself. Nothing increases your confidence like knowing God has given you clear direction for your life. Author Gary Thomas says he and his wife prayed extensively about buying a house and gave God many opportunities to close the door. Five years later, when the house was worth considerably less than they paid for it, they asked God, 'Why didn't You stop us?' At that point God's Spirit whispered, 'Have you ever considered the possibility that I wanted you in that neighbourhood to minister there, rather than to boost your financial equity?' God didn't tell Abraham, 'Stay here, and I'll make you even richer.' No, He said, 'Get out.' Yes, he became rich. But does obedience obligate God to bless us in the way we think He should, or can it call us to sacrifice? Think about the cross before you answer that one!

DISTRESS IS GOOD

DISTRESS IS GOOD                                    Thursday - September 9, 2010

“From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. He said: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.” – Jonah 2:1-2

In 1854, J. Hudson Taylor first landed in China. For more than fifty years the English missionary worked with Chinese. He founded the China Inland Mission that at his death included 205 mission stations with over 800 missionaries, and 125,000 Chinese Christians.
Taylor was a man of faith and a man of prayer. He said: “Perhaps if there were more of that intense distress for souls that leads to tears, we should more frequently see the results we desire. Sometimes it may be that while we are complaining of the hardness of the hearts of those we are seeking to benefit, the hardness of our own hearts and our feeble apprehension of the solemn reality of eternal things may be the true cause of our want of success.”

Distress is good when it drives us to a closer walk with Jesus. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that in our distress, our faith in Christ can grow.

“Our extremities are the Lord’s opportunities.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

God’s Word:  “In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.” – Psalm 18:6

The Gift of Grace

The Gift of Grace

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
1 Timothy 1:15

Recommended Reading
Romans 5:6-8

Every adult has experienced it--being a dispenser or receiver of grace. Your child acts up and deserves to be punished, but you break his rebellious spirit with a loving hug. Or you treat your spouse badly but receive a smile and a "Don't worry--I love you" in return. Or you get angry with God for something, and then read in your Bible that His mercies are new every morning.

When God extends His grace to us--sinners and enemies--it ought to melt our heart. It's hard to be mad or distant toward someone who has every reason to turn away from us but who comes toward us with open arms instead. The prodigal son's heart melted when he experienced the loving arms of his father wrapped tightly around him, receiving his kiss and feeling his embrace (Luke 15:20-21). Grace is receiving a present we know we don't deserve, we never thought we would receive, and we never saw coming--not in a million years. Grace is a gift, pure and simple. The love of God is the grace of God to people who deserve nothing.

Take a moment and say, "Father, thank you for your grace. Thank you for loving me when You didn't have to."

Grace is love that gives, that loves the unlovely and the unlovable.
Oswald C. Hoffman

Friend of God

"…Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God's friend"
(James 2:23, NIV)

The all-knowing, all-powerful Creator of the universe wants to be your friend today! He wants to walk with you, talk with you and simply share life with you. That’s why He created you, first and foremost, for His fellowship. It’s as simple as opening your heart of faith to Him just like Abraham did.

The Bible says that God is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. That means He is always faithful and true. People may let you down, but God will never let you down. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. He is with you always. He is mindful of you; He is always thinking of you.

What an honor and privilege it is to be called God’s friend! Let that sink down into your heart today. The next time the enemy tries to tell you that you are alone in this world, or no one understands what you are going through, just say out loud, “I am a friend of God.” With God as your friend, He’ll lead you and walk with you down the path of victory!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for being my friend today. Thank You for loving me and being faithful to me. Help me understand Your friendship today so that I can be a better friend to those around me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Abraham (1)

Abraham (1) 08 Sep 2010 'Now the Lord... said to Abram...' Genesis 12:1 We can learn so much from the life of Abraham. For example, that God can call us at any time of life. Without protesting or postponing, Abraham said, 'Yes, Lord!' And his unquestioning obedience is a rebuke to those of us who say, 'I'm too old, leave it to the youngerones'; or, 'I've earned the right to relax and take it easy; let others do the heavy lifting'. There's no retirement in the service of the King of Kings! He has the right to ask us for anything, and send us anywhere at any season of life. We also learn that God's plan brings fulfilment, but it's always greater than our own personal fulfilment. Abraham was called to populate the entire Middle East: 'I will make you...a great nation...I will bless you;...make your name great, and you shall be a blessing' (Genesis 12:2 NIV). These words are a rebuke to those among us who seek to make a name for ourselves rather than allowing God to do it for us. In God's kingdom you don't seek status, you earn it by being of service to others. Finally, we learn that God will treat others according to how they treat us. God told Abraham, 'I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you...' ( Genesis 12:3 NKJV). When we are in God's will we don't have to promote or protect ourselves, God will do it forus. 'He permitted no man to do them wrong; yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, "Do not touch My anointed ones..."' (1 Chronicles 16:21-22 NKJV). Knowing that sets us free to go where God wants us to go and do what He wants us to do.