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Post by Redeemed on May 9, 2023 8:42:29 GMT -8
May 9 - Daily Benefits
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!
PSALM 68:19
You’ll need a special driver’s license to get behind the wheel of the Belaz 75710. It’s the largest dump truck ever manufactured. Even with nothing in its cavernous bed, it weighs an incredible 360 tons. Its tires are massive, and you have to climb a ladder to get to the driver’s seat. But the Belaz 75710 isn’t large enough to contain all the blessings God unloads into our life every day. He daily loads us with benefits, with blessings.
Our strongest emotions are often triggered by the things that most frustrate us. When something happens we don’t like, feelings of anger or discouragement or anxiety surge through us. But it helps to remember Psalm 68:19. It helps even more to make a list of some of those blessings. Some are universal: the sunshine, the fresh air, the falling rain, the majestic thunder, the changing seasons, the starry sky. Others are very personal: a grandchild’s hug, a positive comment on a term paper, a cup of hot tea, a kind note in the mail.
Today, count your many blessings—take the time to mention them by name—you will be blessed as you remember your daily benefits.
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Post by Redeemed on May 10, 2023 6:53:23 GMT -8
May 10
He Knows Your Name
I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
ISAIAH 43:1
We all remember the story of Zacchaeus who climbed into a tree so that he could observe Jesus as He passed by. When Jesus saw him, he specifically called Zacchaeus by name—no doubt shocking him to his core.
Worship leader and songwriter Tommy Walker wrote the memorable song, “He Knows My Name.” The words of that song remind us that He, God, not only knows our name, He knows our every thought, sees each tear that falls, and hears when we call. What a blessed thought that is, that the God of heaven knows us so intimately.
Many of us are bad at remembering names, yet one of the greatest things we can say to someone is his or her name. Whether famous or obscure, it builds ties with people when we remember and use their names.
How wonderful that God knows our names. Have you ever noticed how often Jesus called people by their names in the Gospels: Martha, Martha…. Go and tell John…. Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah…. Lazarus, come forth!
He knows your name; it’s written on His heart, and He loves you today.
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Post by Redeemed on May 11, 2023 7:38:49 GMT -8
May 11 - Day of Prayer
And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. MATTHEW 14:23
Think of life’s challenges in two categories: specific and general. Specifically, we might be faced with a decision, a problem, a need, or a burden. Generally, we are often faced with the challenge of keeping life’s priorities in order amidst the busyness of life. Either case is a good reason to plan a spiritual getaway to pray.
Jesus made time to pray for both reasons. In Luke 6:12, we read that Jesus spent an entire night in prayer. We aren’t told why, but the next morning He chose His twelve disciples (verse 13). Did He set aside time to pray specifically about whom to choose? Generally, we read of another prayer getaway—again, no reason given (Matthew 14:23). But His night in prayer followed the day of “feeding the five thousand”—an exhaustive day of teaching and ministry. Perhaps that night in prayer was simply to rest and refresh, alone in fellowship with God.
When was the last time you planned a spiritual getaway to pray? Whether for an hour, a night, or a day—it will be time well invested.
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Post by Redeemed on May 12, 2023 4:31:06 GMT -8
May 12
You’d Be Surprised
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might. ECCLESIASTES 9:10
A humorous sermon illustration gives an example of the wrong attitude toward work:
Manager: “I’m sorry I can’t hire you, there isn’t enough work to keep you busy.”
Applicant: “You’d be surprised how little it takes.”
This is clearly an exaggeration in order to make a point, but some people truly have this mentality toward work; they don’t take pride in the performance of their responsibilities, rather they take pride in their profession. According to the Bible, however, this is backward thinking; and even servants should do their best, not caring about their lowly position, but working with integrity unto their real Master, who is God (Colossians 3:23).
It is difficult not to get caught up in the pursuit for power and position. After all, in the eyes of the world, these are highly prized and sought-after treasures. But when we lock eyes with Jesus and turn a deaf ear to the praises of men, the only thing that truly matters is doing our work with an attitude that is pleasing and honoring to Him. The gift of work comes from God, so it is to Him that our efforts should be aimed.
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Post by Redeemed on May 13, 2023 3:56:23 GMT -8
May 13-David’s Mother
Show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did.
PSALM 86:16
We know David’s father was Jesse, but we have little information about his mother. She is not mentioned by name in the Bible. On one occasion when David was running from the armies of Saul, he sought a place of refuge for his father and mother (1 Samuel 22:1–4), so she certainly knew of his triumph over Goliath and of Samuel’s anointing him king of Judah. But we don’t know if she lived long enough to see him reigning on the throne.
She certainly lived long enough to cast a powerful influence over his life. In Psalm 86, he indicates that he learned to serve the Lord by watching his mother. “I serve you,” he said, “just as my mother did” (verse 16, NIV).
Our children are always watching us; from the first moment they open their eyes at birth to the last day we close our eyes in death. It’s never too late to pray, to influence, and to set an example. Let’s start today, serving Him in full view of all those we’re allowed to influence.
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Post by Redeemed on May 14, 2023 4:16:46 GMT -8
May 14
Women Who Followed Christ
The twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities . . . who provided for Him from their substance. LUKE 8:1-3
Have you ever wondered how Jesus financed His ministry? When He left the carpenter’s trade, He gave up His regular income, yet He still needed daily meals, an occasional change of clothes, money for taxes (which He once paid with a coin from a fish’s mouth), and provisions for the twelve who left their livelihoods to follow Him.
It was a group of women who helped underwrite His earthly work. Having been touched and transformed by His power, they did what they could, giving from their means; and they provided the money He needed for His three-year mission.
If we’d been alive in those days, would we have given anything to Christ for His work? There’s an easy way to answer that, of course. He is still alive and doing His work on earth. We can discern what we would have done then by seeing what we are doing now. If you aren’t doing it now, begin today by giving to Christ’s ministry here on earth—it has eternal benefits.
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Post by Redeemed on May 15, 2023 4:23:30 GMT -8
May 15 - The Good Part
And [Martha] had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
LUKE 10:39
The great A. W. Tozer, author of many classics on the spiritual life, once wrote, “In an effort to get the work of the Lord done, we often lose contact with the Lord of the work.” As we will see, being busy in God’s work, to our own spiritual detriment, is not a modern mistake. Indeed, human beings are guilty of “not being able to see the forest for the trees”—losing sight of the big picture while focusing on details—in many areas of life.
In the first century, two sisters demonstrated the right and wrong way to prioritize what is most important. Mary and Martha opened their home in Bethany to Jesus and His disciples, presumably for a meal. Martha was scurrying about making preparations while Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.” Martha complained to Jesus that Mary wasn’t helping enough, but Jesus gently rebuffed her complaint. He said that Mary had chosen the “good part,” meaning focusing on Jesus and His teaching rather than housekeeping tasks.
Yes, the details of housekeeping and “the Lord’s work” are important, but not at the expense of growing in intimacy with the Lord Himself. Let your pursuit of the work of the Lord begin with pursuing the Lord.
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Post by Redeemed on May 16, 2023 4:21:22 GMT -8
May 16 - Failed, but Not Finished
And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Luke 22:61-62
It doesn’t happen often, thankfully, but it does happen: An employee makes a serious mistake that costs the company a large amount of money—and the employee is let go from his job. Whatever the reason for the mistake—negligence, poor judgment, or an honest error—the employer can’t risk it happening again.
Aren’t you thankful God has a different perspective on our failures? Granted, most of our failures may be small. But the principle of holiness is that to fail in one thing is like to fail in everything (James 2:10). If God judged us on our works, none of us could be saved. Before he came to understand grace, the apostle Peter probably thought he was finished when he denied knowing Christ three times. Yet Jesus, after the Resurrection, reached out to Peter and embraced him, recommissioning Peter in His service (John 21).
Never forget: We are saved by grace through faith, not by works. Our salvation, and our ministry, is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8–10).
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Post by Redeemed on May 17, 2023 4:19:36 GMT -8
May 17
Advancing the Cause
To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. EPHESIANS 3:8
The 34-year-old general was striking and handsome with blue eyes and reddish hair. Major General George McClellan gave the impression of strength and vigor, and, as one historian said, “Dashing about on a magnificent horse, he seemed omnipresent” on the battlefield. He had a brilliant mind; and when Abraham Lincoln told him that the supreme command of the Army was on his shoulders, he responded, “I can do it all.” But he did very little; and for all his organization and personal charisma, he seemed unable to attack or advance his forces. Finally Lincoln gave up on him, saying, “If General McClellan does not want to use the army, I would like to borrow it for a while.”
Many Christians are well-equipped, well-trained, and well- financed. No generation of believers has ever had more tools, more plans, more programs, or been more affluent. But are we really attacking the enemy and advancing the cause? Are we winning our friends to Christ? Are we witnessing for Him?
God has placed us where we are for a purpose—use the tools and gifts God has given you to advance His cause.
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Post by Redeemed on May 18, 2023 4:24:38 GMT -8
May 18
Walk Versus Talk
For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Luke 6:43
There is a long list of modern metaphors and sayings that have their origin in the Bible. One of the most widely known is the picture of a wolf disguising itself as a sheep: a wolf in sheep’s clothing. That image comes from Jesus (not from the fables of the Greek Aesop), meaning you can’t judge people by how they appear but rather by the evidence of their life.
In the same sermon, Jesus paralleled that image with another—the kind of fruit a tree bears: “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). He went on to expound that grapes don’t come from thorn bushes or figs from thistles. Only “good” trees bear “good” fruit, and “bad” trees bear “bad” fruit. These weren’t lessons on raising sheep or harvesting fruit, they were lessons about people. The works or fruit or actions of a person ultimately will reveal who he or she truly is. As Paul would later put it, these are the works of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16–26).
These ancient metaphors are directly relevant for us. If our walk does not match our talk, we will eventually be found out by the type of fruit we produce for the Lord.
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Post by Redeemed on May 19, 2023 4:34:38 GMT -8
May 19 - Be Passionate, Not Passive
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
1 John 2:6
Years ago when Brad Hathaway of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, was in his mid-fifties, his doctor suggested he start walking as a way to deal with his diabetes and heart problems. Hathaway took the advice seriously and determined to walk around the circumference of the earth—not literally, but in equivalent distance. Day after day and year after year, Hathaway walked through rain and shine, anywhere from three to ten miles every day. Last fall, he finished mile number 24,901. To great local fanfare, he had walked the exact distance of the equator’s band around the earth. His current age is 88.
“As time went on, walking got a little harder,” he said. “I had a walking stick for a few years and now I have this walker to help me walk.”
It’s impossible to make progress in our Christian walk if we don’t make the effort to live with discipline, obedience, holiness, love, the input of truth, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We have to work on our Christian walk. We’re God’s channels on earth, but we’re not simply passive pipelines. We are onward-bound servants.
12 Sam Read, “Massachusetts Man, 88 Will Have Walked About the Circumference of the World,” News Channel 19 ABC, September 11, 2020.
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Post by Redeemed on May 20, 2023 4:26:01 GMT -8
May 20 - A Higher Purpose
The Lord has made everything for its purpose.
Proverbs16:4
After competing in the 1924 Olympics, Eric Liddell knew that his calling didn’t lie in world-class athletic competitions. The world told him he was built for running—at the highest level. But he knew, “God made me for China.” Eric followed God’s call to the mission field in China and used his skills to minister to the Chinese. Sadly, he died in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. His final words were, “It’s complete surrender.”
Feats that the world may see as great are unimportant when we have eternal vision. We don’t know what plans the Lord has in store for us—but whatever they are, they will be far greater than anything the world wants us to do. His calling is more magnificent than anything we can imagine! We may be “built” for something in the world’s eyes—but God made us for His specific purposes. As we wait on Him to reveal His plan to us, we need to wait patiently as we surrender to not only His timing but His will.
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Post by Redeemed on May 21, 2023 5:40:04 GMT -8
May 21- Overcoming Our Obstacles
Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:5
The Bible is filled with overcomers. Abraham and Sarah overcame barrenness and had a child in their old age. Esther overcame her fear and saved her nation. Joseph overcame betrayal, slavery, and prison and went on to save nations from a seven-year famine. Daniel overcame captivity and a night with hungry lions and became the Lord’s voice to the kings of Babylon. David overcame multiple attempts on his life, the loss of two sons, and a battle with a giant and became one of Israel’s greatest rulers.
With God’s help we can overcome obstacles that seem impossible. By man’s standards, there is much we cannot accomplish—but with God, anything is possible! He will strengthen us through whatever we are going through. The Bible tells us we are able to defeat any trials we may face with the help of our Savior (Philippians 4:13). When you are dealing with hardship, turn to the One who is sufficient for any trial. God will help you overcome whatever difficulty you are facing, and you will become stronger and more effective for Him because of it!
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Post by Redeemed on May 22, 2023 5:22:23 GMT -8
May 22 - “Greetings From Thailand!”
God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
Psalm 7:11
A convicted criminal named Oualid Sekkaki escaped from Belgium’s Turnhout Prison in December 2019, and the authorities had no idea where he was until he sent them a letter. It contained his prison badge and a postcard that said, “Greetings from Thailand!” But officials kept looking for him, and he was arrested in Belgium in September 2020.
Wrongdoers can run from the law, and sometimes it’s impossible to impose the kind of justice every case requires. Perhaps someone has wronged or abused you, and maybe they’ve never had to face the music for what they’ve done. But our omniscient and omnipresent God is angry with the wicked every day. That doesn’t mean He’s fuming with emotional frustration the way we become when we’re angry. The wrath of God is His judicial response to evil. He will achieve justice for His children, so we can leave our cases with Him.
Romans 12:19 says, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath” (NIV). Turn your case over to Him, let go of bitterness, and trust God to make things right.
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Post by Redeemed on May 23, 2023 4:18:54 GMT -8
May 23 - This Is a Test
The testing of your faith produces patience.
James 1:3
About a hundred years ago, a Bible college in Lestershire, New York, asked Walter Martin to help them compile a hymnal for school use. He moved there with his family and took up the assignment. One Sunday he left the house for a preaching appointment, but his wife Civilla felt ill and stayed home.
That evening as Civilla thought about the struggles of life, she wrote the words to the poem, “God Will Take Care of You.” Returning home, Walter read the poem and composed the music; and a great hymn was born.
The last stanza of this hymn says, “No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you.” Our trials and troubles are often tests. Genesis 22:1 says that God tested Abraham. David said, “I know also, my God, that You test the heart” (1 Chronicles 29:17). Psalm 11:5 says, “The Lord tests the righteous.”
If you’re facing trials and troubles now, think of it as a test. God is testing the quality of your faith to see if you’ll trust Him; and He’s testing the extent of your dependability to see if you’ll obey Him.
As we trust and obey Him, He will take care of us.
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