Vol 3 No 35 THEO'S DEVOS
Ephesians 2:19b-20 You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.\
Does any of the political chaos that the country seems to be in right now bother you? Are you noticing any changes in our culture that concerns you? There are lots that cause me to fret a little until I, like David, Paul, and other biblical writers, begin to see more clearly what is really happening and where I/we really belong.
It is true that most of Theo's Devos readers are citizens of the USA but there are many that are citizens of several other countries all around the world. The truth of the matter is that if you are a Christian, you have a dual citizenship and it is the primary citizenship that makes all the difference in the world. Our verses today clearly point out the our primary citizenship is in God's holy family. We are citizens of that spiritual world that lies, unseen, behind what we think is reality. This citizenship contains certain benefits that the citizens of any country simply cannot draw on without accepting Christ as their personal savior.
I have had the great privilege to travel to many countries of the world and, wherever I have gone it is has always been a blessing to run into a fellow citizen of my home country. It is as though we were best of friends from the moment we have met. It has always been a point of pride to say that I was a US citizen. That feeling is always twice as intense when I find out that I have just met a fellow Christian. Someone who shares my heavenly citizenship. There is no way to explain that feeling and, what is more interesting, is that I receive that feeling when I meet a Christian in this country. It is as though my citizenship of heaven is even more important that my citizenship here on earth. The reason? Because the Godly citizenship is an eternal one where my earthly citizenship is just that: earthly.
There is an even more important factor here. I am not just a citizen of heaven but I am a member of God's family. My heavenly father is the King of King and Lord of Lords. If you meet a citizen of another country you will be in the presence of someone who has a special standing with the leader of that country. But if you ever met the son of daughter of that leader you would be meeting someone who has an even greater important to him or her. This means that we are not simply citizens of heaven but we have a very special position within that citizenship. We have certain benefits that a mere citizen would not have. We are heirs to that Kingdom and will inherit it someday.
Please do not live your life as though you had little meaning in the scheme of things. You are related to the apostles and prophets. You have been chosen by God for something very special. When you start each day be sure to thank God for these truths. It will warm the heart of God and transform your day from the very beginning.
May God bless you as you consider the impact of this fact.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Ephesians 2
QUICK QUESTION: What is the best thing about being a citizen of the United States?
1.What happens when you believe the message the Jesus brought?
2.What does it mean when Paul refers to the foundation?
3.How does the church live and grow?
4.In what way does God live in us?
5.How should we treat foreigners and aliens?
6.How can your church reach out to others in your community?
REFLECTION: Is there someone in your community that may be considered and 'outsider?' If so how can you reach out to them in the love of God?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Precious Lord
Vol 3 No 34 THEO'S DEVOS
Psalm 23
I rarely do this but I thought you would like to read the following that was sent to me by one of our readers. I don't know who the author is but I know that you will find it inspirational as I did.
This is the first time I have used something like this for Theos Devos. It was so good I just had to pass it on. Thanks to one of our readers for finding it.
THE BIRTH OF THE SONG 'PRECIOUS LORD'
Back in 1932, I was a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's south side. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis where I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis. I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.
However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back.
I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music.
The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED.
People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home. All I could hear on the other end was 'Nettie is dead. Nettie is dead.'
When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung between grief and joy. Yet that same night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart.
For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him anymore or write gospel songs. I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.
From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially one friend. The following Saturday evening he took me up to Maloney's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows.
I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, once into my head they just seemed to fall into place: 'Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light, take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.'
The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power.
And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home.
-Tommy Dorsey-
For those too young to know who he is, Tommy Dorsey was a band leader in the Thirties and Forties.
Did you know that Tommy Dorsey wrote this song? I surely didn't. What a wonderful story of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted! Beautiful, isn't it?
Worth the reading, wasn't it? Think on the message for a while. Thought you might like to share this,
Theo
PS Due to a lack of response, I have decided to forego the Small Group Bible Studies. If you have been using them and would like me to continue them, please email me at ted426@gmail.com. If I get enough requests I will add them back in. Thank you.
Psalm 23
I rarely do this but I thought you would like to read the following that was sent to me by one of our readers. I don't know who the author is but I know that you will find it inspirational as I did.
This is the first time I have used something like this for Theos Devos. It was so good I just had to pass it on. Thanks to one of our readers for finding it.
THE BIRTH OF THE SONG 'PRECIOUS LORD'
Back in 1932, I was a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's south side. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis where I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis. I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.
However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back.
I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music.
The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED.
People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home. All I could hear on the other end was 'Nettie is dead. Nettie is dead.'
When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung between grief and joy. Yet that same night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart.
For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him anymore or write gospel songs. I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.
From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially one friend. The following Saturday evening he took me up to Maloney's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows.
I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, once into my head they just seemed to fall into place: 'Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light, take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.'
The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power.
And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home.
-Tommy Dorsey-
For those too young to know who he is, Tommy Dorsey was a band leader in the Thirties and Forties.
Did you know that Tommy Dorsey wrote this song? I surely didn't. What a wonderful story of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted! Beautiful, isn't it?
Worth the reading, wasn't it? Think on the message for a while. Thought you might like to share this,
Theo
PS Due to a lack of response, I have decided to forego the Small Group Bible Studies. If you have been using them and would like me to continue them, please email me at ted426@gmail.com. If I get enough requests I will add them back in. Thank you.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Sweating the Details
Vol 3 No 33 THEO'S DEVOS
Psalm 139:14a I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;...
I have no idea where all of you work but there is one thing I do know: if your company is at all successful in this economy it is because it is sweating the details. Companies that gloss over the important minutiae are either out of business or headed that way. I am not a detail person but have had to become that over time in order to be successful at what I have done. I remember someone saying, when I was a youth pastor, that it seemed as though I were flying by the seat of my pants. I just had to smile at the ignorance of that statement because I knew how much time I had put in trying to make the job look that way. Tiger Woods makes golfing seem easy but for those of us who have played that game; we know it is very difficult if you want to play well.
I look at the heavens and I marvel. I have examined pond water through a microscope and have been absolutely amazed. Enough so that I am stunned when I hear scientists say that all of creation was just happenstance and that there is no God to give it all sense. The Bible never tries to argue for the existence of God. It is as if the writers never felt the need to. They may have written in ancient times but there observations are just as true in the technological world as they were back when men road camels and lived in tents.
Then, when we turn our attention to the human body the amazement is off the chart. How our bodies work is magnificent. The human eye is better than any camera lens. It seems that no matter how fast my computer goes, I find myself drumming my fingers on the desk hoping it will go faster. My brain, and I admit to not being the brightest person to ever live, still outperforms my computer on many levels save detailed computations. We use to be able to jam the typewriter keys by typing too fast but, no longer. You can't out type a computer it seems.
This is why the Psalmist praises God and why we should as well. No matter what condition your body is in, it is still wonderful. God made you and He loves you just the way you are. With all your flaws and imperfections, He loves you. He wants to use you for the betterment of eternity and can accomplish amazing things through you if you will let Him. Fearfully and wonderfully made! Do you believe that? You should and, if you do, it will spur you on to acts of faith that you would not have believed possible. What can you do today that would challenge your faith? What could you do with that wonderful body God gave you? Think about that. Pray about it. Act on it. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Faith = Risk. Don't worry, God is there to help. May He bless you today.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
The opinions in this writing do not express the opinions of my employer/
Psalm 139:14a I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;...
I have no idea where all of you work but there is one thing I do know: if your company is at all successful in this economy it is because it is sweating the details. Companies that gloss over the important minutiae are either out of business or headed that way. I am not a detail person but have had to become that over time in order to be successful at what I have done. I remember someone saying, when I was a youth pastor, that it seemed as though I were flying by the seat of my pants. I just had to smile at the ignorance of that statement because I knew how much time I had put in trying to make the job look that way. Tiger Woods makes golfing seem easy but for those of us who have played that game; we know it is very difficult if you want to play well.
I look at the heavens and I marvel. I have examined pond water through a microscope and have been absolutely amazed. Enough so that I am stunned when I hear scientists say that all of creation was just happenstance and that there is no God to give it all sense. The Bible never tries to argue for the existence of God. It is as if the writers never felt the need to. They may have written in ancient times but there observations are just as true in the technological world as they were back when men road camels and lived in tents.
Then, when we turn our attention to the human body the amazement is off the chart. How our bodies work is magnificent. The human eye is better than any camera lens. It seems that no matter how fast my computer goes, I find myself drumming my fingers on the desk hoping it will go faster. My brain, and I admit to not being the brightest person to ever live, still outperforms my computer on many levels save detailed computations. We use to be able to jam the typewriter keys by typing too fast but, no longer. You can't out type a computer it seems.
This is why the Psalmist praises God and why we should as well. No matter what condition your body is in, it is still wonderful. God made you and He loves you just the way you are. With all your flaws and imperfections, He loves you. He wants to use you for the betterment of eternity and can accomplish amazing things through you if you will let Him. Fearfully and wonderfully made! Do you believe that? You should and, if you do, it will spur you on to acts of faith that you would not have believed possible. What can you do today that would challenge your faith? What could you do with that wonderful body God gave you? Think about that. Pray about it. Act on it. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Faith = Risk. Don't worry, God is there to help. May He bless you today.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
The opinions in this writing do not express the opinions of my employer/
Saturday, August 15, 2009
I Will See God
Vol 3 No 32 THEO'S DEVOS
Job 19:25-27a “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last. 26And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
The verses for today are the oldest in the Bible and they contain a truth that transforms our lives. It is the oldest promise of life after death and, with that in mind, our lives before death become totally changed. Someone has said that if a man, or woman, cannot face death then they cannot face life. Fear of what lies on the other side can paralyze anyone. It tells us that in the midst of whatever life throws at us, God is working. We can know that our God is alive and at work behind the scenes giving meaning to what we sense. He is the spiritual meaning behind what we call reality.
One cannot read the book of Job without coming to the conclusion that the life we live is a mystery that we are unable to understand. And the life we live is surrounded by a spiritual world that we can only get glimpses of through the pages of God's Holy Word. Slowly but surely we begin to see what God is doing and begin to realize that His purposes transcend mortality. He is our Redeemer and He has committed Himself to us. That fact changes everything.
God is working in and through you for a Divine purpose. What that purpose is, only He knows. That there is a purpose gives us reason to get up in the morning and do whatever the day holds for us. You may feel as though your life has no meaning but that simply is not the case. And when you actively seek God's will for your every day, you will sense that all you do is important in terms of eternity.
Hold your head up. Walk tall. Remember that you are the child of the King of Kings. Act like it.
May God bless you as you do.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read:
QUICK QUESTION: Of all the prople you know, which ones are the most important to you? Why?
1.What happened to the people closest to Job?
2.Why did Job request pity?
3.What did Job say about God?
4.What did Job say he would see after death?
5.Where did Job's friends think his troubles came from?
6.Why is honor so important?
REFLECTION: Is there any relationship in you life that needs repair? What can you do to fix it?
Job 19:25-27a “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last. 26And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
The verses for today are the oldest in the Bible and they contain a truth that transforms our lives. It is the oldest promise of life after death and, with that in mind, our lives before death become totally changed. Someone has said that if a man, or woman, cannot face death then they cannot face life. Fear of what lies on the other side can paralyze anyone. It tells us that in the midst of whatever life throws at us, God is working. We can know that our God is alive and at work behind the scenes giving meaning to what we sense. He is the spiritual meaning behind what we call reality.
One cannot read the book of Job without coming to the conclusion that the life we live is a mystery that we are unable to understand. And the life we live is surrounded by a spiritual world that we can only get glimpses of through the pages of God's Holy Word. Slowly but surely we begin to see what God is doing and begin to realize that His purposes transcend mortality. He is our Redeemer and He has committed Himself to us. That fact changes everything.
God is working in and through you for a Divine purpose. What that purpose is, only He knows. That there is a purpose gives us reason to get up in the morning and do whatever the day holds for us. You may feel as though your life has no meaning but that simply is not the case. And when you actively seek God's will for your every day, you will sense that all you do is important in terms of eternity.
Hold your head up. Walk tall. Remember that you are the child of the King of Kings. Act like it.
May God bless you as you do.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read:
QUICK QUESTION: Of all the prople you know, which ones are the most important to you? Why?
1.What happened to the people closest to Job?
2.Why did Job request pity?
3.What did Job say about God?
4.What did Job say he would see after death?
5.Where did Job's friends think his troubles came from?
6.Why is honor so important?
REFLECTION: Is there any relationship in you life that needs repair? What can you do to fix it?
Thursday, August 6, 2009
An Inconvenient Truth
Vol 3 No 31 THEO'S DEVOS
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Please forgive me for this but there are a few things in the Bible that I wish were not true. One of them is that the heart of every person is evil and not good. You may be tuning me out right now but stay with me for a minute. There is a pervasive theory throughout the world that men and women are basically good with a tendency toward bad acts once in a while and, they would admit, there may be some people who are truly evil. What the Bible teaches is not that everyone is totally evil but that the natural inclination of all people is not goodness but just the opposite.
I think the best place to notice this is with children. Have you ever noticed that you don't have to train kids to be bad. Why is it that parents have to work hard to train children to be good. Now some children are just wonderful and we have very little difficulty with them. Although that is probably true of your kids, if you have any, but even the best of kids don't have to be shown how to do bad things like be self-centered or do mischievous things. They manage to do that without any help from anyone. Most children, if not all, have to be taught to share, to be courteous, to not lie, etc.
Even we as adults often have to think and will ourselves to do the right thing. Think about someone who has hurt you; about the person you need to forgive but have not been able to do so. Even knowing that to not forgive is like a cancer eating away at you from the inside out. Your lack of forgiveness only hurts you. The one who needs forgiveness may not even know it. They lose no sleep and never think about it while it may haunt your thoughts quite often. Why is it so hard to forgive even when you know it is the right thing to do? Because doing the right thing does not come naturally to human beings. In fact it is such a Godly thing that it takes the help of God to pull it off.
When we sinned against God, the first thing He did was work out a plan so that we could not only be forgiven for that sin but that we could be brought into a position of reward. The worst of sinners can find forgiveness from God because doing the right thing is the nature of God.
Admitting that we have sinned is the first step toward getting God's forgiveness and forgiving others should be a natural act for us. However, unfortunately we, as adults, often act like children and do the wrong thing even though it hurts us. Paul said that he felt like the worst of sinners but wasn't afraid to admit that because he knew how much God loved him and would forgive him for that sin.
Do you know how much God loves you? I hope so because when you do it will make all the difference in your life. You will be able to love others even when they are mean to you because you know that you are passing on the love God has given you. You will be able to avoid the natural tendency to do the wrong thing because you believe that doing the right thing will make your God happy and that, in turn will bring happiness to you.
I am not happy that we are not all good at the core but I am ecstatic that God can reverse out natural tendencies and show us the way to loving others in His name. I truly hope and pray that this day will be one of great blessing for you. If it is not then I pray that you will allow God to guide you through it so that by the time it is over, you will know that God is in your life making the difference.
Theo
Eph 4:11-13
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Romans 3:21-31
QUICK QUESTION: If you wanted to send an encouraging note to all your friends, how would you get it to them?
1.Where does our righteousness come from?
2.How can someone appropriate righteousness?
3.What quality do you share with everyone else?
4.How much did our justificatgion cost God?
5.What is the relationship between law and faith?
REFLECTION: How could you share the good news with someone this week?
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Please forgive me for this but there are a few things in the Bible that I wish were not true. One of them is that the heart of every person is evil and not good. You may be tuning me out right now but stay with me for a minute. There is a pervasive theory throughout the world that men and women are basically good with a tendency toward bad acts once in a while and, they would admit, there may be some people who are truly evil. What the Bible teaches is not that everyone is totally evil but that the natural inclination of all people is not goodness but just the opposite.
I think the best place to notice this is with children. Have you ever noticed that you don't have to train kids to be bad. Why is it that parents have to work hard to train children to be good. Now some children are just wonderful and we have very little difficulty with them. Although that is probably true of your kids, if you have any, but even the best of kids don't have to be shown how to do bad things like be self-centered or do mischievous things. They manage to do that without any help from anyone. Most children, if not all, have to be taught to share, to be courteous, to not lie, etc.
Even we as adults often have to think and will ourselves to do the right thing. Think about someone who has hurt you; about the person you need to forgive but have not been able to do so. Even knowing that to not forgive is like a cancer eating away at you from the inside out. Your lack of forgiveness only hurts you. The one who needs forgiveness may not even know it. They lose no sleep and never think about it while it may haunt your thoughts quite often. Why is it so hard to forgive even when you know it is the right thing to do? Because doing the right thing does not come naturally to human beings. In fact it is such a Godly thing that it takes the help of God to pull it off.
When we sinned against God, the first thing He did was work out a plan so that we could not only be forgiven for that sin but that we could be brought into a position of reward. The worst of sinners can find forgiveness from God because doing the right thing is the nature of God.
Admitting that we have sinned is the first step toward getting God's forgiveness and forgiving others should be a natural act for us. However, unfortunately we, as adults, often act like children and do the wrong thing even though it hurts us. Paul said that he felt like the worst of sinners but wasn't afraid to admit that because he knew how much God loved him and would forgive him for that sin.
Do you know how much God loves you? I hope so because when you do it will make all the difference in your life. You will be able to love others even when they are mean to you because you know that you are passing on the love God has given you. You will be able to avoid the natural tendency to do the wrong thing because you believe that doing the right thing will make your God happy and that, in turn will bring happiness to you.
I am not happy that we are not all good at the core but I am ecstatic that God can reverse out natural tendencies and show us the way to loving others in His name. I truly hope and pray that this day will be one of great blessing for you. If it is not then I pray that you will allow God to guide you through it so that by the time it is over, you will know that God is in your life making the difference.
Theo
Eph 4:11-13
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Romans 3:21-31
QUICK QUESTION: If you wanted to send an encouraging note to all your friends, how would you get it to them?
1.Where does our righteousness come from?
2.How can someone appropriate righteousness?
3.What quality do you share with everyone else?
4.How much did our justificatgion cost God?
5.What is the relationship between law and faith?
REFLECTION: How could you share the good news with someone this week?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Friends
Vol 3 No 30 THEO'S DEVOS
Psalm 17:17 A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
I feel so blessed to have been able to serve God as a pastor for over thirty years. Among the reasons for my blessings is the fact that I have been able to develop so many friends all over the world and they have enriched my life in ways that cannot be fully explained. These friends have not been simple acquaintances but true friends, people who have prayed for me and encouraged me and allowed me to to the same for them. How can you distinguish between real friends and mere acquaintances? The Psalmist says that friends love at all times. Not just in the good times but in the bad times also.
Someone has said that to have friends it simply requires us to be a friend. There is one friend that I have that really needs to have a capitol F as in Friend. I have never seen Him in the flesh but I know that He is with me and I talk to Him every day. It is His attitude and action toward me that helps me to understand what kind of attitude and action I should have toward those I call friends. Over the years I have discovered something that I have not gotten excellent at, but have tried to get better at. It is that bringing joy to my friends brings joy to me. I truly believe that my best friend, Jesus, gets joy by bringing me joy. I believe that when I smile, He smiles. I know that when I see a friend smile, it makes me smile.
When I was younger I am afraid that I focused more on my needs and what I wanted out of life more than what my friends wanted or needed. In those days I was very self-centered. Now please don't think that I am saying I am not self-centered today, only that I think I am less so. My problem was that I was doing what I thought was expected of me. Let me explain.
As a young man I was, as I mentioned, self-centered. After a brief time in college the first time I went, I had to drop out and, due to the Viet Nam war, was going to be drafted into the Army. Wanting to be in control of my destiny, I joined the Army Security Agency for four years. After basic training I was sent to Fort Devens in MA for advanced training where I was given a top secret, cryptographic clearance and trained with Special Forces or Green Berets at the time. During those years I was expected to develop an attitude conducive with staying alive in combat. Most of my training was in individual fighting and learning escape and evasion. I was good at that. They taught me to kill in several different ways and although I found it abhorrent at first, I actually felt that I was getting ripped off when, by the time I got out of the Army I hadn't gotten to actually kill anyone.
After leaving the military I got a job as a bricklayer in Philly. I worked on houses and high rises. I worked on the courthouse at 5th and Market Street in Philadelphia, a 28 story high rise. I remember laying brick on the 18th floor, on a swinging scaffold that would swing out from the side of the building allowing you to look straight down 18 stories. In those days I couldn't have cared less what you thought of me. Between that attitude and the one trained into me by the military, I was able to fit in and had a successful time as a construction worker. What I am saying here is that I knew exactly how to take care of myself without too much concern about anyone else and those I worked for seemed to love it.
Then an interesting thing happened. God called me into the ministry! I will describe that in detail at another time. I mention it here because it seemed to me that I was the least qualified person I could conceive of for that calling. Learning how God wanted me to treat others was both the most difficult thing I have ever experienced and the most wonderful. Realizing how important others were to God was a revelation to me. It actually became so fantastic that it enlivened me. It felt like a breath of fresh air. Learning about people, studying them, helping them has enriched my life so much that explaining it completely just will not go into words.
Please think about those people that you call friends. Consider your attitude toward them. Think about how Jesus feels about you. Think about what He has done for you. He laid down His life for you. Perhaps one of the things that causes us the most pain is our expectations from our friends. If we reduce those expectations and think more about what we can do for them, maybe we will feel better about our lives and realize more of what it is like to be Jesus.
I am not very good at this but I know that I am much better at it than I was all those years ago and feel much better off because of the lessons that God has taught me in this area. May He bless you today as you consider blessing your friends.
Theo
Thank You for subscribing to THEO'S DEVOs. This subscription is free and no email address will ever be given to anyone. To un-subsribe just reply and put un-subscribe in the subject line. Thank You
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Psalm 17:1-15
QUICK QUESTION: Why is it so hard to follow through on resolutions?
1.What did David think of himself?
2.What caused David to trust in God?
3.How does God display His love towards us?
4.How does God provide for us?
5.What does God do for us?
REFLECTION: What can you do to insure that you will stand before God, happy with yourself?
Psalm 17:17 A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
I feel so blessed to have been able to serve God as a pastor for over thirty years. Among the reasons for my blessings is the fact that I have been able to develop so many friends all over the world and they have enriched my life in ways that cannot be fully explained. These friends have not been simple acquaintances but true friends, people who have prayed for me and encouraged me and allowed me to to the same for them. How can you distinguish between real friends and mere acquaintances? The Psalmist says that friends love at all times. Not just in the good times but in the bad times also.
Someone has said that to have friends it simply requires us to be a friend. There is one friend that I have that really needs to have a capitol F as in Friend. I have never seen Him in the flesh but I know that He is with me and I talk to Him every day. It is His attitude and action toward me that helps me to understand what kind of attitude and action I should have toward those I call friends. Over the years I have discovered something that I have not gotten excellent at, but have tried to get better at. It is that bringing joy to my friends brings joy to me. I truly believe that my best friend, Jesus, gets joy by bringing me joy. I believe that when I smile, He smiles. I know that when I see a friend smile, it makes me smile.
When I was younger I am afraid that I focused more on my needs and what I wanted out of life more than what my friends wanted or needed. In those days I was very self-centered. Now please don't think that I am saying I am not self-centered today, only that I think I am less so. My problem was that I was doing what I thought was expected of me. Let me explain.
As a young man I was, as I mentioned, self-centered. After a brief time in college the first time I went, I had to drop out and, due to the Viet Nam war, was going to be drafted into the Army. Wanting to be in control of my destiny, I joined the Army Security Agency for four years. After basic training I was sent to Fort Devens in MA for advanced training where I was given a top secret, cryptographic clearance and trained with Special Forces or Green Berets at the time. During those years I was expected to develop an attitude conducive with staying alive in combat. Most of my training was in individual fighting and learning escape and evasion. I was good at that. They taught me to kill in several different ways and although I found it abhorrent at first, I actually felt that I was getting ripped off when, by the time I got out of the Army I hadn't gotten to actually kill anyone.
After leaving the military I got a job as a bricklayer in Philly. I worked on houses and high rises. I worked on the courthouse at 5th and Market Street in Philadelphia, a 28 story high rise. I remember laying brick on the 18th floor, on a swinging scaffold that would swing out from the side of the building allowing you to look straight down 18 stories. In those days I couldn't have cared less what you thought of me. Between that attitude and the one trained into me by the military, I was able to fit in and had a successful time as a construction worker. What I am saying here is that I knew exactly how to take care of myself without too much concern about anyone else and those I worked for seemed to love it.
Then an interesting thing happened. God called me into the ministry! I will describe that in detail at another time. I mention it here because it seemed to me that I was the least qualified person I could conceive of for that calling. Learning how God wanted me to treat others was both the most difficult thing I have ever experienced and the most wonderful. Realizing how important others were to God was a revelation to me. It actually became so fantastic that it enlivened me. It felt like a breath of fresh air. Learning about people, studying them, helping them has enriched my life so much that explaining it completely just will not go into words.
Please think about those people that you call friends. Consider your attitude toward them. Think about how Jesus feels about you. Think about what He has done for you. He laid down His life for you. Perhaps one of the things that causes us the most pain is our expectations from our friends. If we reduce those expectations and think more about what we can do for them, maybe we will feel better about our lives and realize more of what it is like to be Jesus.
I am not very good at this but I know that I am much better at it than I was all those years ago and feel much better off because of the lessons that God has taught me in this area. May He bless you today as you consider blessing your friends.
Theo
Thank You for subscribing to THEO'S DEVOs. This subscription is free and no email address will ever be given to anyone. To un-subsribe just reply and put un-subscribe in the subject line. Thank You
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Psalm 17:1-15
QUICK QUESTION: Why is it so hard to follow through on resolutions?
1.What did David think of himself?
2.What caused David to trust in God?
3.How does God display His love towards us?
4.How does God provide for us?
5.What does God do for us?
REFLECTION: What can you do to insure that you will stand before God, happy with yourself?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
THE WORD OF GOD
Vol 3 No 29 THEO'S DEVOS
Genesis 3:1-5 1Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. “Really?” he asked the woman. “Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?”
2“Of course we may eat it,” the woman told him. 3“It’s only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die.”
4“You won’t die!” the serpent hissed. 5“God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.”
Someone has said that the more things change, the more they stay the same. For many years the Bible, the Word of God has been under attack. How important is that? I know that, for the Christian we would be quick to state that the Bible is the one book that we can count as a way to live and a way to God.
It is also important to know that strategy of one's enemy is important to know. It is easy to lose in a battle if you don't know the strategy of your opponent. We know that Satan is our enemy. We know that he is at war with God in the battle for souls. What is his strategy? Where does he make his attacks and how can he be overcome?
The verses for today hold that key to these questions and it is interesting to note that his strategy has not changed since the beginning of time. Satan knows that the key to a relationship with God is His Word. He also knows that the scriptures hold the guidelines for living the Christian life and defeating his attacks. So what was his strategy back there in the garden?
Satan makes takes three shots at God's Word and Eve falls for them all as do many modern day Christians. The first thing that Satan does is to question God's Word. “Did God really say...?” The answer is obvious and Satan knows that but to begin an attack by asking questions is deadly. Many a Christian has virtually lost his/her faith simply because they were asked questions that they did not know how to answer. Please be careful here. Just because you do not know an answer to a question about the Bible does not mean that there is no answer. I could ask you a question about nuclear physics and, if you couldn't answer them does not mean that nuclear physics is faulty.
The result of Satan's simple question is that Eve adds to the Word of God. Her answer is “God says we must not eat of it or even touch it, or we will die.” There is no indication in all of scripture that God said they couldn't touch it. Eve, apparently, made that up. It reminds me of pastors in the church who seem to think that just about everything is sin. In many churches there are so many things considered sin that the people fear doing just about anything for fear of being in trouble.
Satan's next strategy is to simply deny the Word of God. “You won’t die!” Now that is so easy to do. Simply say that whatever the Bible says is wrong. The problem is that the person making the accusation doesn't feel as though he or she has to back it up. I have had many an occasion to have a college student tell me that there are many mistakes in the Bible. When pressed to produce them it becomes obvious that the student had never read the Bible and is simply parroting an accusation he had heard somewhere. If more Christians would read the Bible, and study it, they would be much more prepared to stand up against the pitiful attacks of Satan and those blinded by him.
These verses have much more to consider than we can go into here. We will revisit them in the future but, for now, suffice it to say that those who would go against God's Word are using the same tactics used by the devil so many years ago. The fact is that you can believe what God has said in His Word. It holds the key to life and life everlasting. Please do not fall for the strategy of Satan whenever it lifts its head.
May God bless you today. I am praying for you.
Ted
Eph 4 :11-13
Genesis 3:1-5 1Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. “Really?” he asked the woman. “Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?”
2“Of course we may eat it,” the woman told him. 3“It’s only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die.”
4“You won’t die!” the serpent hissed. 5“God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.”
Someone has said that the more things change, the more they stay the same. For many years the Bible, the Word of God has been under attack. How important is that? I know that, for the Christian we would be quick to state that the Bible is the one book that we can count as a way to live and a way to God.
It is also important to know that strategy of one's enemy is important to know. It is easy to lose in a battle if you don't know the strategy of your opponent. We know that Satan is our enemy. We know that he is at war with God in the battle for souls. What is his strategy? Where does he make his attacks and how can he be overcome?
The verses for today hold that key to these questions and it is interesting to note that his strategy has not changed since the beginning of time. Satan knows that the key to a relationship with God is His Word. He also knows that the scriptures hold the guidelines for living the Christian life and defeating his attacks. So what was his strategy back there in the garden?
Satan makes takes three shots at God's Word and Eve falls for them all as do many modern day Christians. The first thing that Satan does is to question God's Word. “Did God really say...?” The answer is obvious and Satan knows that but to begin an attack by asking questions is deadly. Many a Christian has virtually lost his/her faith simply because they were asked questions that they did not know how to answer. Please be careful here. Just because you do not know an answer to a question about the Bible does not mean that there is no answer. I could ask you a question about nuclear physics and, if you couldn't answer them does not mean that nuclear physics is faulty.
The result of Satan's simple question is that Eve adds to the Word of God. Her answer is “God says we must not eat of it or even touch it, or we will die.” There is no indication in all of scripture that God said they couldn't touch it. Eve, apparently, made that up. It reminds me of pastors in the church who seem to think that just about everything is sin. In many churches there are so many things considered sin that the people fear doing just about anything for fear of being in trouble.
Satan's next strategy is to simply deny the Word of God. “You won’t die!” Now that is so easy to do. Simply say that whatever the Bible says is wrong. The problem is that the person making the accusation doesn't feel as though he or she has to back it up. I have had many an occasion to have a college student tell me that there are many mistakes in the Bible. When pressed to produce them it becomes obvious that the student had never read the Bible and is simply parroting an accusation he had heard somewhere. If more Christians would read the Bible, and study it, they would be much more prepared to stand up against the pitiful attacks of Satan and those blinded by him.
These verses have much more to consider than we can go into here. We will revisit them in the future but, for now, suffice it to say that those who would go against God's Word are using the same tactics used by the devil so many years ago. The fact is that you can believe what God has said in His Word. It holds the key to life and life everlasting. Please do not fall for the strategy of Satan whenever it lifts its head.
May God bless you today. I am praying for you.
Ted
Eph 4 :11-13
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