18 Sunday Aug 2013
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In 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, Paul tells us, while we think we may be at the end of our rope, we are never at the end of our hope in God, 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. God never abandons us no matter how alone we may feel.
17 Saturday Aug 2013
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Today we start the book of 2 Corinthians. Verse 15 stood out to me, For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. What a great description of what we are supposed to be, an aroma to both the saved and unsaved. To the saved we to be a sweet aroma of like-mindedness and encouragement in the body of Christ. And to those who choose to reject Christ we will probably smell foul. Too often we try to make ourselves more appealing to the unsaved. It is not our job to make ourselves into anything more than what Christ has done to us and for us. We are simply to point people to Christ and be a reflection of Him; that is all. It is up to them to accept or reject His saving grace.
16 Friday Aug 2013
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Today we read the book of Obadiah. There is not much know about the man Obadiah, but his name means “servant (or worshiper) of the Lord”. The book is written to show that God judges those who harm His people. In this case, it is the Edomites who have been harassing the Jews. This shows us that while God will judge those who harm us in His timing, He will judge. We must be patient and wait on God’s timing because His timing and plan are perfect.
15 Thursday Aug 2013
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Today we finished up our reading through 2 Chronicles. After continued disobedience by the Israelites, God finally allowed the Israelites to be placed in captivity by the Babylonians. Everything they had and held sacred was taken from them. This is a lesson to us all. God does not inflict harm on us out of spite. But there comes a time when God allows the consequences of our sin to take over. We must be mindful of the consequences of our sin and turn away and look to God before it catches up to us. It is never easy, but it is what we must do.
13 Tuesday Aug 2013
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Psalm 109:21 is a very interesting verse, But you, Sovereign Lord, help me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. The note in my Bible for this verse says the following: “A name is more than a label; it is a representation of character and reputation.” David is pleading with God to live up to His name. “For your name’s sake”, means to live in accordance with His character of both love and mercy. It is ok to plead with God for something. It is ok to call God to act in accordance with His character. Don’t be afraid to have authentic conversations with God. We will know our relationship with Him is maturing when we begin to ask as many questions as we ask for favors and requests.
12 Monday Aug 2013
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In today’s reading, Psalm 108:3-4 stood out to me, 3 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. In this Psalm, David is painting a picture of how great God’s love truly is. When we think of something reaching to the sky, its an easy concept because of modern technology with planes and rockets. In David’s time, reaching for the sky was something great and difficult to conceptualize. David is describing love on a very grand scale. How can we paint the picture of God’s great love to us? What are the things that point to a love that is so grand it is difficult to describe?
11 Sunday Aug 2013
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In the second verse of Psalm 107 we read, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say…” What is it that God has done for you? What do we need to remind ourselves of the countless ways God has blessed us? When we live in God’s presence and recognize all He has done for us, we are not able to keep our blessed experiences to ourselves.
10 Saturday Aug 2013
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Psalm 106:44-46 is a wonderful picture of God’s love for His people who deserve nothing more than judgment for their sins, 44 Yet he took note of their distress when he heard their cry; 45 for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented. 46 He caused all who held them captive to show them mercy. God does not limit Him grace and mercy based on our faithfulness to Him.
09 Friday Aug 2013
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God is worthy of our praise and honor. He loves us and created us out of His goodness and desire for relationship with us. In our reading in Psalms today, Psalm 106:1 says it perfectly, Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. God’s love is never ending. No matter what we do His love knows no limits. Let us remember this today and live as though He is standing beside us in all we do.
08 Thursday Aug 2013
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Psalm 105 talks about the many times God was with His people. When we look to God for wisdom and strength, He gives it to us. It may not be given in the form we would have imagined, or even liked, but God is always there for us. Psalm 105:4 says, Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. As long as we continue to look to the Lord and His strength, He will provide it for us. He never leaves us, He is always there for us.
Daily Devotion 