Tag Archives: Trust

2013 Day 50 – Acts 26-28, Proverbs 13:13-25

19 Tuesday Feb 2013

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Something new hit me today as I read Acts 26:32, Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” While there were no real charges to be brought against Paul, being brought before Caesar allowed the gospel to become more than just a regional sect of Judaism. By traveling to Rome and making a big deal about the persecution he was experiencing, Paul was able to move the message of the gospel to the center of the Roman universe in a quick and powerful way. God has purpose in everything He does. It was no accident that God chose Paul, a high ranking Jew AND Roman citizen to become the main messenger of the Gospel. When we get sidetracked from what we think is our path in life, we need to heighten our awareness and suspect that God may be preparing us for something greater than ourselves. Never lose sight that God’s plan is perfect!

2013 Day 48 – Acts 19-21, Proverbs 12:15-28

17 Sunday Feb 2013

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From today’s reading, Acts 20:24, However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. Our lives are meant for the service of our King. Too often we feel our lives are worthless unless we are getting a lot out of it; whether its fun, recognition, or success. Paul’s example shows it is more important what we put into this life than what we get out of it. What is more important to you: what you get out of this life or what you put into it?

2013 Day 45 – Lent For Everyone

14 Thursday Feb 2013

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For our reflection day this week, I came across a friend of mine’s Facebook post about lent. It originated out of YouVersion as far as I can tell (hopefully no one will sue me for posting this). It was very thought provoking to me so I thought I would share it here. I hope you enjoy it.

Lent for everyone

We know very, very little about Joseph. Some legends make him an old man who died while Jesus was growing up, but we don’t know that for sure. We know he worked in the building trade, including what we call carpentry. We know he could trace his ancestry back to the ancient royal house of David and Solomon (many first-century Jews knew their family history as well as many today know the story of their favorite soap opera, or the fortunes of their football team). And we know that Joseph faced a unique personal and moral challenge, and came through it with integrity and humility. Joseph, in this passage, provides a sharply personal angle for us to approach Matthew’s gospel.

Think how it was for him. Marriage beckons, quite likely arranged by the two families but none the less an exciting prospect. A home. Children. A new status in the community — in a small town where everyone knows everyone else and where, without television, everybody else’s life is part of a complex daily soap opera.

And then the shock. Mary has news for him, news to send a chill down the spine of any prospective husband. How can he possibly believe her strange story? What will people say? So he plans, with a heavy heart, to call the whole thing off.

Then, the dream. Mary’s story is true. What’s more, she and her child are caught up, not just in a personal challenge, but in a much older, stranger purpose. God’s purpose. God’s rescue operation, long expected and at last coming true. The child to be born will be ‘Emmanuel’, God-with-us. God with us to save us: hence the name ‘Jesus’, the same word as ‘Joshua’, the great leader who brought the people of Israel across the Jordan into the promised land. The name means ‘Yahweh saves’. God with us; God to the rescue.

Whenever God does something new, he involves people — often unlikely people, frequently surprised and alarmed people. He asks them to trust him in a new way, to put aside their natural reactions, to listen humbly for a fresh word and to act on it without knowing exactly how it’s going to work out. That’s what he’s asking all of us to do this Lent. Reading the Bible without knowing in advance what God is going to say takes humility. Like Joseph, we may have to put our initial reactions on hold and be prepared to hear new words, to think new thoughts, and to live them out. We all come with our own questions, our own sorrows and frustrations, our own longings. God will deal with them in his own way, but he will do so as part of his own much larger and deeper purposes. Who knows what might happen, this year, if even a few of us were prepared to listen to God’s word in scripture in a new way, to share the humility of Joseph, and to find ourselves caught up in God’s rescue operation?

TODAY: Speak to us, Father, in a new way as we read your word. Help us to hear your voice and follow where you lead.

2013 Day 39 – Exodus 35-37, Proverbs 7

08 Friday Feb 2013

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Today was another day of tedious reading which covered the first half of the details behind the building of the Tabernacle. While it is difficult to read through all of this information, it is important to understand the precision involved behind each part and its specific purpose. God does nothing by accident or to simply give us busy-work. When it seems like we are not arriving at a solutions quick enough, it is important to trust God and know the details and the lessons from the journey are just as important as the destination.

2013 Day 37 – Exodus 32-34, Proverbs 6

06 Wednesday Feb 2013

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I couldn’t sleep so I decided to have an extra early time of Devotions today. The passage that stood out to me on this early morning was the second part of Exodus 33:19, …I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. We are not entitled to know God’s will, but we must trust and know that he has a perfect plan. It is never easy to fully trust anyone. We all know people are ultimately capable of letting us down. For that reason we must know that God wants what is best for His kingdom. We don’t need justification from Him, we just need to know He’s got it under control.

2013 Day 25 – Exodus 1-4, Psalm 21

25 Friday Jan 2013

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As we begin reading the story of Moses, the part that stood out to me is found in Exodus 4:11-12, 11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” Too many times I limit God’s ability to do great things in my life because of my own perceived limitations. The reality is God created me and can do more than the limitations that exist in my life. When Moses argued with God, he was reminded that God can do anything. The truth is I need that same reminder each day. God is greater than me and is able to anything He wants because He is God.

2013 Day 17 – Genesis 43-46, Psalm 15

17 Thursday Jan 2013

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Joseph’s life is amazing for many reason. But the biggest reason, in my opinion, was because he had the ability to see the big picture. In Genesis chapter 45, when he reveals his true identity to his brothers, he explains in verse 5, And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. Joseph saw the ultimate purpose for his life was to save lives even through all the suffering he endured to this point. Joseph’s life is an example of living to fulfill God’s purpose. I hope I am able to live my life to see that much of the big picture. At a minimum, I hope I accept the fact that my life was created to fulfill God’s purpose even if I am unable to see why.

2013 Day 9 – Genesis 21-23, Psalm 8

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

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Sorry for the delayed post today.

The main thing that stood out to me in today’s reading was Abraham and how he handled God’s command to sacrifice his son. God usually asks me to do much simpler commands and somehow I complain and fight Him on it all the way. Abraham was willing to follow through completely and without complaint. If it weren’t for the angle stepping in, Abraham would have followed through and I have to believe there would be no angle present if God knew Abraham didn’t have it in him. That type of obedience is the kind I want to have. The kind that doesn’t hesitate to just jump right in; knowing God will take care of the details. The other thing to keep in mind is that God did not ask Abraham to do something He wouldn’t be willing to do Himself. God sent His son and sacrificed Him for us. Shouldn’t we trust God to know His plan is perfect? If nothing else, we should trust that there is purpose in His plans through us and we should count it a blessing to be included in those plans.

2013 Day 6 – Genesis 15-17, Psalm 6

06 Sunday Jan 2013

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In addition to all the drama between Sarai and Hagar, the big thing that stood out to me today was in Genesis 15:5, He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Many years ago, as I was driving through the state of Texas in the middle of the night, I pull over and stepped outside to gaze up at the stars. Until you have viewed the stars with no light pollution to impair your view, you have not really seen what Abraham was seeing. That night I was able to see the actual form of our Milky Way galaxy, with billions of stars before my eyes. Think about the time of Abraham when there were no city lights to impair his view of the stars. This gave me a much greater appreciation for the picture God had painted for Abraham. When God gives us promises it is important for us to realize His promises from His vantage point. It is easy to see through our limited eyes. We have to step outside the things that impair our sight to see through the eyes of God what He is capable of producing in our lives.

2013 Day 5 – Genesis 12-14, Psalm 5

05 Saturday Jan 2013

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In today’s reading in Genesis, Abram shows wisdom and some foolishness throughout. He was foolish to not trust God in Egypt. Though I can empathize with his decision making, its easy to look at a situation and decide you need to protect yourself, but God wants us to trust in Him. God does everything for His honor and glory and we need to trust that He knows what is best for us in the light of eternity.

Conversely, Abram shows some wisdom when he responds to the King of Sodom in Genesis 14:22-23, 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ It would have been easy to accept the reward for Abram’s actions, but in the long run, the cost would not have been worth it. We can apply this wisdom in our lives as well by considering the cost of some of our decisions in life. Is it worth the cost of acquiring things such as wealth, notoriety, or relationships when we weigh it in the light of what should matter in our lives?