Vol 2 No 24 THEO'S DEVOS 061908
1 Corinthians 12:2.3 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. 3If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.
Before we can uncover the definition of love here in 1 Corinthians 13 we have to understand just a bit more about its potency. The two verses today say some things about love that seem to put it out of reach.
Verse two wonders about the gift of prophecy. We have heard a lot about prophecy through the years and it has been the subject of debate among good Christians for a long time. The aspect of prophecy here is quite clear. To utter a prophetic statement according to this verse it to be in touch with the inscrutable. To be have knowledge about everything. To know all mysteries. What an awesome ability. If I knew everything about everything, you would think that that would include love. I would know all about love. But it doesn't appear as though love is that easily attained or even understood. No wonder we all struggle with it. I mean just what is love? I remember a youth leader who put out a video entitled: “How To Know If You Are In Love.” I bought the video with the intention of showing it at our youth ministry, His House. Of course I previewed the video first and after about 3 minutes, I discovered that it was a rip off and I wasn't going to use it at all. The speaker's first words were: “Well I am cannot actually tell you when you are in love....” OK, so then why go on for another 45 minutes then. In fact the producers cut the video at the end of 45 minutes and the guy had just started his conclusion. Yeah, that's right it just stopped. I think I paid $45.00 for the thing. Just another Christian rip off. I didn't think we were supposed to do that. It wasn't very loving, that's for sure.
Anyway Paul tells us that to know everything, even to know all about love and not have love is worthless. You can be a genius and not be worth much in the eyes of God.
And what about faith. We have seen in Devos past that faith is crucial to the Christian walk. “Without faith, it is impossible to please God,” we are told. Imagine having enough faith to move mountains. To have so much faith that I could give everything away. Now that would be a loving thing to do wouldn't it. Apparently you can do loving things without loving. Interesting to think about. You know that all around the world tonight people will fake love. They will do loving things for ulterior purposes and the motivation is not true love at all. Many a woman will be faked into thinking that some man loves her only to discover that he was using her all along.
Love is a dangerous thing. It can twist our emotions. It can move us to do things that we would never do otherwise. That is why it is so important to know the elements of true love. Someone said that love is a feeling and if the feeling goes away, so does love. I don't believe that. These verses explain love in a far different light. By the time we are done you will know if the object of your affections is one born of love or some other source. I hope and pray that it is a pleasure for you to contemplate the elements of love found here in 1Corinthians 13.
May God bless you as you walk with Him today. You are a blessing to me. Thank you for reading Theo's Devos. I am here for you.
Theo
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Love – The Beginning
Vol 2 No 23 THEO'S DEVOS 061108
1 Corinthians 13:1 If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal.
If you speak two languages they call you bi-lingual. If you speak three languages they call you tri-lingual. If you only speak one language they call you American. An interesting note here is that there is no indication from anywhere in scripture that there is a language in heaven that is different than here on earth. All speaking by any heavenly character is always known by the earth creature being spoken to. To say that there is some heavenly language that is different than those on earth is not supported by scripture. Imagine what life would be like to speak any language in heaven or on earth. This would not only allow you to communicate with everyone on earth but it would allow you to study books in all languages. The opportunity for knowledge would be astounding.
It is so critical that at a time when we all did speak the same language, God stepped in an confounded that by introducing languages, plural, into the this world. It happened at Babel and it occurred because God saw that mankind would become completely self-centered having this capability. Language is the stuff that clearly marks a culture. It is the common ground of all people within a culture that brings it together and marks it as different from other cultures. All countries are marked by this and it is only the United States that has ever considered a change. The discussion of having a second language be part of our culture is something not known in any other country. It is an indication of the deterioration of our culture, that we contemplate it. I do not wish to imply that English is somehow superior to any other language, I only mean that it is the language of our culture and it binds us together as a country as no other distinctive can. There really is no other aspect of our country that is exclusive to us. When I call a company and they ask me to “Press one for English,” I wonder – Why? Why shouldn't English be the default and I press a number if I speak some other language.
OK so I digressed a bit there but it really is an important point. What our verse today says, however, is that even speaking all those languages means less than nothing if I do not have love. It would be like a meaningless noise. Imagine if speaking sounded like a loud gong. I can feel the migraine coming already. Or it would be like a clanging symbol, another Excedrin moment. You know both these sounds have their place but there is no such thing as a loud gong, or a clanging symbol, solo.
So how do I love others? Listen, I am no authority on this subject but the Bible is. God loves us and He is the only One who can define love. He is love and in 1 Corinthians13, He explains what He sees love as being. In the next few weeks we will look at this chapter and see what God means by love. I hope you find it interesting and helpful. I intend to rethink my idea about love as I contemplate my writing. Pray for me, and for yourself, as we unfold the mystery of love. Ask God that He will guide my fingers as I type the next few Theo's Devos. I am looking forward to it and may God use it to make you a more effective lover of persons. You might want to read the chapter again as we begin this journey together.
Incidentally, I know that some of you are hurting in some way and I want you to know that I am praying for you. You have let me know about concerns in your life and I can't wait to see how God asserts Himself on your behalf. God bless you all.
Theo
1 Corinthians 13:1 If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal.
If you speak two languages they call you bi-lingual. If you speak three languages they call you tri-lingual. If you only speak one language they call you American. An interesting note here is that there is no indication from anywhere in scripture that there is a language in heaven that is different than here on earth. All speaking by any heavenly character is always known by the earth creature being spoken to. To say that there is some heavenly language that is different than those on earth is not supported by scripture. Imagine what life would be like to speak any language in heaven or on earth. This would not only allow you to communicate with everyone on earth but it would allow you to study books in all languages. The opportunity for knowledge would be astounding.
It is so critical that at a time when we all did speak the same language, God stepped in an confounded that by introducing languages, plural, into the this world. It happened at Babel and it occurred because God saw that mankind would become completely self-centered having this capability. Language is the stuff that clearly marks a culture. It is the common ground of all people within a culture that brings it together and marks it as different from other cultures. All countries are marked by this and it is only the United States that has ever considered a change. The discussion of having a second language be part of our culture is something not known in any other country. It is an indication of the deterioration of our culture, that we contemplate it. I do not wish to imply that English is somehow superior to any other language, I only mean that it is the language of our culture and it binds us together as a country as no other distinctive can. There really is no other aspect of our country that is exclusive to us. When I call a company and they ask me to “Press one for English,” I wonder – Why? Why shouldn't English be the default and I press a number if I speak some other language.
OK so I digressed a bit there but it really is an important point. What our verse today says, however, is that even speaking all those languages means less than nothing if I do not have love. It would be like a meaningless noise. Imagine if speaking sounded like a loud gong. I can feel the migraine coming already. Or it would be like a clanging symbol, another Excedrin moment. You know both these sounds have their place but there is no such thing as a loud gong, or a clanging symbol, solo.
So how do I love others? Listen, I am no authority on this subject but the Bible is. God loves us and He is the only One who can define love. He is love and in 1 Corinthians13, He explains what He sees love as being. In the next few weeks we will look at this chapter and see what God means by love. I hope you find it interesting and helpful. I intend to rethink my idea about love as I contemplate my writing. Pray for me, and for yourself, as we unfold the mystery of love. Ask God that He will guide my fingers as I type the next few Theo's Devos. I am looking forward to it and may God use it to make you a more effective lover of persons. You might want to read the chapter again as we begin this journey together.
Incidentally, I know that some of you are hurting in some way and I want you to know that I am praying for you. You have let me know about concerns in your life and I can't wait to see how God asserts Himself on your behalf. God bless you all.
Theo
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Importance of Friends
Vol 2 No 22 THEO'S DEVOS
Proverbs 18:24 There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
Someone said that in order to have friends you need to be one. I believe that and also believe that friends are extremely important. You can often tell where you are going in this life by looking at the kind of people you bring into your inner circle. We all have 'friends' but what we often call friends are really acquaintances. A true friend is someone you can rely on to tell you the truth even if it hurts and that nothing within that truth will threaten the friendship.
Have you ever had a 'friend' only to have them turn their back on you when something happened that they didn't like. Or maybe you have a friend, or friends, who encourage you to move in a destructive direction. If you do, or had, I must tell you that they were not really friends. We throw that word around too loosely these days as we do lots of words without thinking about what they really mean. If we only used words for their strict meaning you might be surprised out how your vocabulary would change.
A friend, as our verse today states, 'sticks closer than a brother.' You know you can't choose your family but you do choose your friends. This puts the weight of that choice squarely on your shoulders and allows you the flexibility to choose wisely. It also tells me that we may end up having a lot fewer true friends than we initially think we have.
I have had the luxury of accumulating a lot of friends through the years and still pray for them and love to find out what is happening in their lives. It is one of the greatest motivations for Theo's Devos: to stay in touch with my friends in some tangible, helpful way. It is always good when one of you sends a note letting me know what is happening in your life. It encourages me to pray for you and it makes the distance between us easier to handle.
Please be careful who you let get too close to you. Our verse today literally says that a 'friend' can destroy you. Now there are mays that you can be destroyed without dying. You can have your reputation destroyed. I have literally had some whom I thought were friends, due to expediency in their lives, try to hurt me for their own benefit. I thank God for His support and help at those kinds of times because He is the only one you can count on when things go bad. I have also had friends that have gone way out of their way to help me and I will never forget those things that they have done. Many of you are subscribers to Theo's Devos and it is my pleasure to serve you this way.
I sincerely pray that all of you have friends you can count on and friends who build you up and encourage you. May God touch you through them and may He make Himself known in your life by working through your friends. Is there some friend that you could encourage today. Maybe send them an email or write them a note or give them a call. You can't do that enough you know. It just may be that they need someone to reach out to them and you have the opportunity to be that person. You never know what your friends are experiencing. They won't always tell you or anyone else.
May God bless you too as you strive to be a good friend.
Theo
Proverbs 18:24 There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
Someone said that in order to have friends you need to be one. I believe that and also believe that friends are extremely important. You can often tell where you are going in this life by looking at the kind of people you bring into your inner circle. We all have 'friends' but what we often call friends are really acquaintances. A true friend is someone you can rely on to tell you the truth even if it hurts and that nothing within that truth will threaten the friendship.
Have you ever had a 'friend' only to have them turn their back on you when something happened that they didn't like. Or maybe you have a friend, or friends, who encourage you to move in a destructive direction. If you do, or had, I must tell you that they were not really friends. We throw that word around too loosely these days as we do lots of words without thinking about what they really mean. If we only used words for their strict meaning you might be surprised out how your vocabulary would change.
A friend, as our verse today states, 'sticks closer than a brother.' You know you can't choose your family but you do choose your friends. This puts the weight of that choice squarely on your shoulders and allows you the flexibility to choose wisely. It also tells me that we may end up having a lot fewer true friends than we initially think we have.
I have had the luxury of accumulating a lot of friends through the years and still pray for them and love to find out what is happening in their lives. It is one of the greatest motivations for Theo's Devos: to stay in touch with my friends in some tangible, helpful way. It is always good when one of you sends a note letting me know what is happening in your life. It encourages me to pray for you and it makes the distance between us easier to handle.
Please be careful who you let get too close to you. Our verse today literally says that a 'friend' can destroy you. Now there are mays that you can be destroyed without dying. You can have your reputation destroyed. I have literally had some whom I thought were friends, due to expediency in their lives, try to hurt me for their own benefit. I thank God for His support and help at those kinds of times because He is the only one you can count on when things go bad. I have also had friends that have gone way out of their way to help me and I will never forget those things that they have done. Many of you are subscribers to Theo's Devos and it is my pleasure to serve you this way.
I sincerely pray that all of you have friends you can count on and friends who build you up and encourage you. May God touch you through them and may He make Himself known in your life by working through your friends. Is there some friend that you could encourage today. Maybe send them an email or write them a note or give them a call. You can't do that enough you know. It just may be that they need someone to reach out to them and you have the opportunity to be that person. You never know what your friends are experiencing. They won't always tell you or anyone else.
May God bless you too as you strive to be a good friend.
Theo
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
A Simple Life
Vol 2 No 21 THEO'S DEVOS
Proverbs 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm.
In a way, living the Christian life is very simple. Our verse today sums it up succinctly. The life you live will, to a great extent, be determined by the company you keep. Think about the kind of people you hang with. Are they growing Christians or are they something else. Look at them carefully because, given time, you will be just like them.
You do have another option but it is extremely rare and I wouldn't count on it. A dear friend of mine is a man named Jeff Supp. Some of you may know Jeff. He went to Syracuse University on a full scholarship to play middle linebacker for their football team. Jeff was an outstanding athlete and one that many looked up to. When he went to college the word came back to me that he had joined a fraternity. Now I am very familiar with fraternities and so was concerned about his spiritual growth. When he came home for Christmas one year I approached him and stated my concern. He said that all was well and yet I was skeptical.
“What about the peer pressure?” I asked.
“I am the peer pressure,” he responded.
That was all I needed to hear. I wonder though, how many of us could say that. How many of us see ourselves as the one calling the shots and inspiring others to live the Christian life because they see us. I know that was true of Jeff but I also see him as a one in a million kind of guy. Someone that is a cut above the rest of us.
So having said that there may be an exception here or there, the statement remains that we are greatly influenced by those around us. So when you think about the kind of life you would like to lead, just think about those you choose to hang around with. If your inner core are good Christians that you can count on to help you grow then the other friends you have will be less likely to turn you away from the path you want to walk.
Please give thought to this because it is so true. Do you have kids? Then help them pick the right friends because this is true in spades for teenagers. Teens are the best people in the whole world as far as I am concerned but they are easily led in the wrong direction. Pray for our children. They are growing up in a world that is getting more corrupt every day.
May God bless you in your walk and may you prosper.
Theo
I have begun to place Theo's Devos on Blogspot. If you wish to revisit them please go to http://theosdevos.blogspot.com/ ,. As time goes on there will be several listed. Thanks
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.
Proverbs 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm.
In a way, living the Christian life is very simple. Our verse today sums it up succinctly. The life you live will, to a great extent, be determined by the company you keep. Think about the kind of people you hang with. Are they growing Christians or are they something else. Look at them carefully because, given time, you will be just like them.
You do have another option but it is extremely rare and I wouldn't count on it. A dear friend of mine is a man named Jeff Supp. Some of you may know Jeff. He went to Syracuse University on a full scholarship to play middle linebacker for their football team. Jeff was an outstanding athlete and one that many looked up to. When he went to college the word came back to me that he had joined a fraternity. Now I am very familiar with fraternities and so was concerned about his spiritual growth. When he came home for Christmas one year I approached him and stated my concern. He said that all was well and yet I was skeptical.
“What about the peer pressure?” I asked.
“I am the peer pressure,” he responded.
That was all I needed to hear. I wonder though, how many of us could say that. How many of us see ourselves as the one calling the shots and inspiring others to live the Christian life because they see us. I know that was true of Jeff but I also see him as a one in a million kind of guy. Someone that is a cut above the rest of us.
So having said that there may be an exception here or there, the statement remains that we are greatly influenced by those around us. So when you think about the kind of life you would like to lead, just think about those you choose to hang around with. If your inner core are good Christians that you can count on to help you grow then the other friends you have will be less likely to turn you away from the path you want to walk.
Please give thought to this because it is so true. Do you have kids? Then help them pick the right friends because this is true in spades for teenagers. Teens are the best people in the whole world as far as I am concerned but they are easily led in the wrong direction. Pray for our children. They are growing up in a world that is getting more corrupt every day.
May God bless you in your walk and may you prosper.
Theo
I have begun to place Theo's Devos on Blogspot. If you wish to revisit them please go to http://theosdevos.blogspot.com/ ,. As time goes on there will be several listed. Thanks
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.
Monday, May 19, 2008
The Importance of Hope
Vol 2 No 20 THEO'S DEVOS 052108
Job 11:18 You will have courage because you will have hope. You will be protected and will rest in safety.
They say you can go weeks without food and days without water but not a minute without hope. I believe that and fully understand why so many people get depressed in this world. It is very easy to think of your life as being hopeless but there is no valid reason for those feelings. As I have mentioned before, feelings are very misleading. I am not always sure where they come from but they can lead you around as though you had a nose ring. They can wash over you like a wave at the seashore and engulf you with dread. I believe that this is a way that Satan has to confuse and misguide us. He, apparently, can send these feeling along to us and God allows them to affect us in order to test us.
One thing seems clear and that is that Satan will always try to confuse us by placing doubt in our minds. Often the feeling of dread has no center of attention. We can't always put our finger on exactly what is causing these feelings but they have a way of stopping our spiritual progress. They keep us from growing and can paralyze us spiritually.
God, on the other hand, guides us in clear ways. We take a step and He confirms it. We know what He wants us to do and, in faith, we do it. God usually does not confirm our steps until we take them and that is where the devil can win. He will try to keep us from taking any step of faith, any step of growth. He will dish up all kinds of reasons that seem plausible but have the same result: nothing happens. You see Satan doesn't necessarily want you to do bad things. That would be fine with him but he will settle with you just doing nothing at all. Just don't trust God for anything. Stay the way you are and never get any stronger. Satan is happy with that but you won't be.
Christians can find themselves years into their faith and no closer to God than when they first became Christians because they just sat there. They never read the Bible, never got close to any other growing Christians, hardly ever spoke to God in prayer and then wonder why they don't feel as though He was close by. Faith needs to be cultivated. It just doesn't get stronger on it own. And when our faith does not grow, our hope diminishes. Hope is tied to faith. Without faith there is nothing much to hope for. Hope in the future demands faith in the One who holds that future. God loves you, He will guide you and care for you but you simply cannot appropriate any of that without faith and, if you don't have those things in your heart and mind, you can easily lose hope.
On the other hand if, by faith, you understand how much God loves you; if you believe that He is guiding you and will take you into a bright and wonderful future, you have much to hope for. Your hope level can stay high in spite of any feeling of dread that Satan may throw at you and he certainly will. I have been a Christian for many years and most of them in the professional ministry and I can tell you that Satan has, and still, throws feelings of dread at me. Satan has done his best to knock me down and nullify anything good that God has done through me. If it weren't for faith in God and His strength, I would have never been able to do anything for Him. Right now I am trusting Him for guidance and after all these years never expected to need Him as much as I do right now. But He has been good to me even when others have not, even when the church let me down, so it is easy to trust Him although I may not trust many others. I have come to understand what Job meant when he said: “Though He slay me I will trust Him.” I fully understand that without faith my hope would dissipate so I must hold to that faith at all costs. It is all we have.
I pray that you can exercise whatever faith you have and by that see it grow so your hope will be strong and that will bring joy or confidence in the future. I will continue to pray for you and trust that my faith in Him and you will help your faith. If we all pray for each other there is no telling what might happen. I can't wait to see what that is. Please let me know if there is anything specifically I can pray for. I promise you that I will gladly add your requests to my list. Please do not minimize the importance of prayer. At times it is all we have but it is a mighty force and can accomplish great things because the One we pray to is the Almighty God who cares for us.
May He bless you this week. Thank you for reading Theo's Devos. I hope they encourage you.
Theo
I have begun to place Theo's Devos on Blogspot. If you wish to revisit them please go to http://theosdevos.blogspot.com/ ,. As time goes on there will be several listed. Thanks
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
Job 11:18 You will have courage because you will have hope. You will be protected and will rest in safety.
They say you can go weeks without food and days without water but not a minute without hope. I believe that and fully understand why so many people get depressed in this world. It is very easy to think of your life as being hopeless but there is no valid reason for those feelings. As I have mentioned before, feelings are very misleading. I am not always sure where they come from but they can lead you around as though you had a nose ring. They can wash over you like a wave at the seashore and engulf you with dread. I believe that this is a way that Satan has to confuse and misguide us. He, apparently, can send these feeling along to us and God allows them to affect us in order to test us.
One thing seems clear and that is that Satan will always try to confuse us by placing doubt in our minds. Often the feeling of dread has no center of attention. We can't always put our finger on exactly what is causing these feelings but they have a way of stopping our spiritual progress. They keep us from growing and can paralyze us spiritually.
God, on the other hand, guides us in clear ways. We take a step and He confirms it. We know what He wants us to do and, in faith, we do it. God usually does not confirm our steps until we take them and that is where the devil can win. He will try to keep us from taking any step of faith, any step of growth. He will dish up all kinds of reasons that seem plausible but have the same result: nothing happens. You see Satan doesn't necessarily want you to do bad things. That would be fine with him but he will settle with you just doing nothing at all. Just don't trust God for anything. Stay the way you are and never get any stronger. Satan is happy with that but you won't be.
Christians can find themselves years into their faith and no closer to God than when they first became Christians because they just sat there. They never read the Bible, never got close to any other growing Christians, hardly ever spoke to God in prayer and then wonder why they don't feel as though He was close by. Faith needs to be cultivated. It just doesn't get stronger on it own. And when our faith does not grow, our hope diminishes. Hope is tied to faith. Without faith there is nothing much to hope for. Hope in the future demands faith in the One who holds that future. God loves you, He will guide you and care for you but you simply cannot appropriate any of that without faith and, if you don't have those things in your heart and mind, you can easily lose hope.
On the other hand if, by faith, you understand how much God loves you; if you believe that He is guiding you and will take you into a bright and wonderful future, you have much to hope for. Your hope level can stay high in spite of any feeling of dread that Satan may throw at you and he certainly will. I have been a Christian for many years and most of them in the professional ministry and I can tell you that Satan has, and still, throws feelings of dread at me. Satan has done his best to knock me down and nullify anything good that God has done through me. If it weren't for faith in God and His strength, I would have never been able to do anything for Him. Right now I am trusting Him for guidance and after all these years never expected to need Him as much as I do right now. But He has been good to me even when others have not, even when the church let me down, so it is easy to trust Him although I may not trust many others. I have come to understand what Job meant when he said: “Though He slay me I will trust Him.” I fully understand that without faith my hope would dissipate so I must hold to that faith at all costs. It is all we have.
I pray that you can exercise whatever faith you have and by that see it grow so your hope will be strong and that will bring joy or confidence in the future. I will continue to pray for you and trust that my faith in Him and you will help your faith. If we all pray for each other there is no telling what might happen. I can't wait to see what that is. Please let me know if there is anything specifically I can pray for. I promise you that I will gladly add your requests to my list. Please do not minimize the importance of prayer. At times it is all we have but it is a mighty force and can accomplish great things because the One we pray to is the Almighty God who cares for us.
May He bless you this week. Thank you for reading Theo's Devos. I hope they encourage you.
Theo
I have begun to place Theo's Devos on Blogspot. If you wish to revisit them please go to http://theosdevos.blogspot.com/ ,. As time goes on there will be several listed. Thanks
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
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
A Viruous Mother
Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is worth more than precious rubies. 11Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. 12She will not hinder him but help him all her life.
We have just celebrated Mother's Day and whenever I think of that day I think of Proverbs 31, Now I realize that no one is perfect but I honestly believe that our Mothers have all, perhaps without knowing it, tried to be a Proverbs 31 woman. That may explain why we are all so drawn to our Moms. Do you know that in prisons across the country the prison store will run out of Mother's Day cards because so many inmates will write to their Mothers. Now it is sad but when Father's Day comes I am told that hardly any inmate will bother to purchase a card. We Dad's must come to grips with the fact that, by and large, we take a serious back seat to the Moms when it comes to the hearts of our children.
In any event I felt that it was a good thing to remember our mothers in these Devos because we owe so much to them. They paid a price to bring us into the world in more ways than most of us will ever know. The way a woman looks is very important to her but motherhood can tremendously alter a woman's body. She knows it and will try to compensate for it but even if she is virtually disfigured for life it will not deter her from loving and raising that son or daughter with all the love she has. Her daily life will be changed forever. She will not be able to sleep through the night caring for the child. As the child grows she will feel like her heart is walking around outside her body. She will gladly give her life for that boy or girl even if they give her nothing but grief.
To love and honor our mother is a command from God. He desires that she receive great respect from her children and she deserves all of it. You never get to old to be cared for by that wonderful woman and I hope and pray that you let her know how much you love her; not just on Mother's Day but all through the year.
When our mothers get older they often need our care. This can be very difficult and painful but I believe that it reveals the kind of people we are by how we care for our mothers. I have often counseled young ladies when they are being courted by a young man to watch how he treats his mother because that is the way he will treat her after several years of marriage. God loves mothers whether they have born their own children or are raising adopted ones. The years spent investing in a young life is worth all the effort. That the Bible would devote an entire chapter to a virtuous woman tells us just how important that is to God.
So to all those Mom's out there I send my humble appreciation. Thank you for investing in the next generation. I hope that you feel love from those children you raised and please remember that God loves you in a very special way. He will care for you and you can count on Him even if those children do not show that appreciation you deserve.
Theo
We have just celebrated Mother's Day and whenever I think of that day I think of Proverbs 31, Now I realize that no one is perfect but I honestly believe that our Mothers have all, perhaps without knowing it, tried to be a Proverbs 31 woman. That may explain why we are all so drawn to our Moms. Do you know that in prisons across the country the prison store will run out of Mother's Day cards because so many inmates will write to their Mothers. Now it is sad but when Father's Day comes I am told that hardly any inmate will bother to purchase a card. We Dad's must come to grips with the fact that, by and large, we take a serious back seat to the Moms when it comes to the hearts of our children.
In any event I felt that it was a good thing to remember our mothers in these Devos because we owe so much to them. They paid a price to bring us into the world in more ways than most of us will ever know. The way a woman looks is very important to her but motherhood can tremendously alter a woman's body. She knows it and will try to compensate for it but even if she is virtually disfigured for life it will not deter her from loving and raising that son or daughter with all the love she has. Her daily life will be changed forever. She will not be able to sleep through the night caring for the child. As the child grows she will feel like her heart is walking around outside her body. She will gladly give her life for that boy or girl even if they give her nothing but grief.
To love and honor our mother is a command from God. He desires that she receive great respect from her children and she deserves all of it. You never get to old to be cared for by that wonderful woman and I hope and pray that you let her know how much you love her; not just on Mother's Day but all through the year.
When our mothers get older they often need our care. This can be very difficult and painful but I believe that it reveals the kind of people we are by how we care for our mothers. I have often counseled young ladies when they are being courted by a young man to watch how he treats his mother because that is the way he will treat her after several years of marriage. God loves mothers whether they have born their own children or are raising adopted ones. The years spent investing in a young life is worth all the effort. That the Bible would devote an entire chapter to a virtuous woman tells us just how important that is to God.
So to all those Mom's out there I send my humble appreciation. Thank you for investing in the next generation. I hope that you feel love from those children you raised and please remember that God loves you in a very special way. He will care for you and you can count on Him even if those children do not show that appreciation you deserve.
Theo
Friday, May 9, 2008
Vol 2 No 18 THEO'S DEVOS 050808
How long?
Psalm 13 1 O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
3 Turn and answer me, O LORD my God!
Restore the light to my eyes, or I will die.
4 Don't let my enemies gloat, saying, "We have defeated him!"
Don't let them rejoice at my downfall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
6 I will sing to the LORD
because he has been so good to me.
If I were a betting man, and I am not simply because if it weren't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all, I would bet that someone reading these devotionals is wondering if God is even listening or paying any attention to what is happening in their life. If you feel that way, or have ever felt that way you are in very good company. King David felt like that and wasn't afraid to admit it. In fact our verses today lay out his cry forever in print. It has been my experience that some, if not most, Christians are afraid to admit that they wrestle with God. Life doesn't always come packaged in a nice little box with fancy paper and bows. It sometimes flies at you like a freight train and you can feel as though you have just got run over. Battered and beaten it can seem as though there were no God or, if there is one, He must be sitting on His hands somewhere.
David has some harsh words here. He does not seem to happy with God in the first 4 verses. He is laying out his raw feelings and is not afraid to speak of them to his God. And these are not spoken because of something that happened in a moment. Whatever is heavy on his heart has been going on for many days, perhaps months. We are not told the duration but the verses indicate a sizable length of time. During those days it was not obvious that God cared much about what David was suffering.
Have you ever felt that way? Are you in that frame of mind right now? If so, you are not alone. Most Christians encounter times when the testing that they are put through goes on for quite some time. It not only can be scary it most certainly is. I mean seriously scary as though there will be no help. Where is God at a time like this? Right where He always is. As close to you as He can possibly be. Oh, you can't see Him, or feel Him necessarily, but He is there. He has promised to never leave you or forsake you and He will never go back on His word.
Verses 4 and 5 are tremendous statements of faith. They exhibit the kind of faith that God is looking for in us. Faith that exercises itself not just when things are going well but when it is the darkest part of your life. When nothing is going right. When it appears as though there were no God and that you are totally alone in the world. It is at that time when faith is the most important thing you will ever demonstrate. God has blessed us so much and there are those times when it is obvious that He is there and that He does love us. Those times are designed to give us the memories we need in order to place our faith in God when it is not so obvious that He is there and cares.
By exercising faith in the most bleak of time something supernatural can occur. We can find the strength to endure any hardship. God, who is faithful, will sustain us and take us through any trial even if it were to end in our death which it will someday. I trust that you will take heart from the words of King David and reach out in faith to the God who is there. Don't let your doubts kill the one thing that has the power to lift you up under any circumstance. In due course you will discover that God was there all the time. He never went away and never left your side. He just allowed you to experience life and to have the opportunity to allow Him to work on your behalf.
May He reveal Himself to you in some way today. Look for him in a flower or a star. Feel Him in a laugh or a memory. Know that there are many of us who pray for you and wish you the best.
If you think of it would you be kind enough to pray for a good friend of mine and a Theo's Devos subscriber, Dwight Wildermuth as he wrestles with cancer. He and his wife Joanne can use all the prayer that they can get right not. Ask God to reveal Himself to Dwight and Joanne and say Yes to their prayers. Thanks
Theo
Psalm 13 1 O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
3 Turn and answer me, O LORD my God!
Restore the light to my eyes, or I will die.
4 Don't let my enemies gloat, saying, "We have defeated him!"
Don't let them rejoice at my downfall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
6 I will sing to the LORD
because he has been so good to me.
If I were a betting man, and I am not simply because if it weren't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all, I would bet that someone reading these devotionals is wondering if God is even listening or paying any attention to what is happening in their life. If you feel that way, or have ever felt that way you are in very good company. King David felt like that and wasn't afraid to admit it. In fact our verses today lay out his cry forever in print. It has been my experience that some, if not most, Christians are afraid to admit that they wrestle with God. Life doesn't always come packaged in a nice little box with fancy paper and bows. It sometimes flies at you like a freight train and you can feel as though you have just got run over. Battered and beaten it can seem as though there were no God or, if there is one, He must be sitting on His hands somewhere.
David has some harsh words here. He does not seem to happy with God in the first 4 verses. He is laying out his raw feelings and is not afraid to speak of them to his God. And these are not spoken because of something that happened in a moment. Whatever is heavy on his heart has been going on for many days, perhaps months. We are not told the duration but the verses indicate a sizable length of time. During those days it was not obvious that God cared much about what David was suffering.
Have you ever felt that way? Are you in that frame of mind right now? If so, you are not alone. Most Christians encounter times when the testing that they are put through goes on for quite some time. It not only can be scary it most certainly is. I mean seriously scary as though there will be no help. Where is God at a time like this? Right where He always is. As close to you as He can possibly be. Oh, you can't see Him, or feel Him necessarily, but He is there. He has promised to never leave you or forsake you and He will never go back on His word.
Verses 4 and 5 are tremendous statements of faith. They exhibit the kind of faith that God is looking for in us. Faith that exercises itself not just when things are going well but when it is the darkest part of your life. When nothing is going right. When it appears as though there were no God and that you are totally alone in the world. It is at that time when faith is the most important thing you will ever demonstrate. God has blessed us so much and there are those times when it is obvious that He is there and that He does love us. Those times are designed to give us the memories we need in order to place our faith in God when it is not so obvious that He is there and cares.
By exercising faith in the most bleak of time something supernatural can occur. We can find the strength to endure any hardship. God, who is faithful, will sustain us and take us through any trial even if it were to end in our death which it will someday. I trust that you will take heart from the words of King David and reach out in faith to the God who is there. Don't let your doubts kill the one thing that has the power to lift you up under any circumstance. In due course you will discover that God was there all the time. He never went away and never left your side. He just allowed you to experience life and to have the opportunity to allow Him to work on your behalf.
May He reveal Himself to you in some way today. Look for him in a flower or a star. Feel Him in a laugh or a memory. Know that there are many of us who pray for you and wish you the best.
If you think of it would you be kind enough to pray for a good friend of mine and a Theo's Devos subscriber, Dwight Wildermuth as he wrestles with cancer. He and his wife Joanne can use all the prayer that they can get right not. Ask God to reveal Himself to Dwight and Joanne and say Yes to their prayers. Thanks
Theo
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