Mid Week Deaf Devotion 3/31/2010

“Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant. “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!” (2 Samuel 7:21-22 NLT)

Whom do you trust?

These days, it's not easy to find many people who are true to their word. At some point, we all learn the hard way that anyone other than almighty God can disappoint us. God will never ever disappoint us. Let's look at the Lord's character to discover why He can be trusted.

First, He is the one true God. Back in Old Testament times, it was common for people to actually carve and worship a false god. Today, people will make a false god out of something we cannot see or touch, such as wealth, power, fame, or relationships. These can consume our passion, money, and time—and in the end leave us fruitless and empty. Jehovah – God Almighty, on the other hand, is alive and real, ready to be personally involved in our lives.

Second, God is truth, and He is always faithful (John 14:6; 1 Corinthians 10:13). Unlike sinful man who we cannot trust, we can trust God—and everything that He says will happen is already done. Our sovereign God has all power and is in control of every situation.

Third, Christ loves us without limits. How can we ever doubt His love when He willingly gave His life in our place? And His love is based not on our behavior or importance, but rather on His Name alone.

Fourth, the heavenly Father is unchanging. All of the above are timeless qualities that will forever be true.

God can be trusted. So don't give Him just the easy concerns or things that do not seem that important. Nothing is too big or too small for God. We can confidently and boldly call on our Creator for everything. He desires a personal relationship with His beloved and is able to guide each believer through life victoriously.

Worship is not about what we have done for God, what we can do for Him or what He can do for us.

Worship is experiencing what God can do in us, through us and with us. God wants to do something in us, make something of us and pour Himself into us. Who we are means much more to Him than what we have. How we repay Him with what we do is of more value than how much we could ever repay Him with our checkbook, and how we can honor Him seven days a week is far superior to how we honor him only one day a week. It’s been said, “If you do not live it, you do not believe it.”

What place does God have in our lives today?

In a changing, doubting world, we have a Friend who is 100 percent reliable.

Believe it?
Live it.

Deaf devotion 3/27/2010

“It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10 NLT)

Abraham is one of the people in the Old Testament who have has a great impact on our spiritual life. In Abraham’s life, we see the necessity of obeying God and living by faith.

Separation is often times a part of our development as Christians. Before we can take on something new, God may ask us to let go of something we already have.

In Genesis 12:1-3, God told Abraham he was going on a journey that would require leaving his country, his people, and his father's household. Obedience meant saying goodbye to relationships and things dear to him. The only family that traveled with him was his wife and nephew. The life he knew in his homeland was left behind. But this godly man did not hesitate. His strong faith enabled him to say yes.
Moving ahead in the midst of uncertainty is an aspect of obeying God.

Abraham was told to travel without knowing his destination. Try to imagine explaining to friends that you're moving away but have no idea where you are going. This lack of detail did not stop Abraham. Unwavering obedience and trust in his heavenly Father enabled him to answer the divine call wholeheartedly. This is in spite of the fact that Abraham did not have specific details of what God wanted him to do. Abraham was spiritually ready to say “yes” when God called.

We don’t know where God will bring us next. We don’t know what else God has in store for us. Probably in another five or ten years, we will look back and be amazed at from where we have come. But like Abraham, we must be willing we must be willing to follow God wherever it is he leads us. We must commit to follow his plan for us, no matter what.

When we look at the story of Abraham leaving his home in Genesis we notice something. Wherever Abraham goes, God meets with him. This was a big part of the reason that Abraham was able to venture into the unknown. He wasn’t going alone, but God was going with him. It wasn’t just Abraham who followed God without seeing the fulfillment of the promise. His son Isaac and his grandson Jacob also followed. And when God repeats the covenant with Jacob that he had made with Abraham, God concludes by saying: “What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15 NLT)

That is a promise that Has God’s Word behind it and still holds true for us today.

Obeying God requires living by faith, which means:

Trusting the Holy Spirit to guide us when we don't see how all the pieces fit together; “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” (John 16:13 NLT)

Believing that God always works for our good and His glory; “And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28 NLT)

This really means our obedience becomes an act of worship to God. One crucial question demands an answer. “If obedience and faith are so great why do so few people live it?” The reason is that most people would rather do anything than take a risk.

If we cannot trust God to work out the details, who can we trust?

Will we be ready when He calls?

Mid Week Deaf Devotion 3/23/2010

“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. (Galatians 6:7-10 NLT)

Recently this passage was preached in our church and the Pastor made the comment that most times this is preached in a negative way. He is right. But he said further that while this is true, it is also a powerful and positive message of encouragement.

Our convictions define who we are. They guide our decisions and determine our character. Those who live by their convictions are not swayed by personal preferences or popular opinions. They live by Biblical attitudes that have long been established by God’s Word. Strong, biblically-based values are essential for everyone who wants to lead a godly life.

But what is a conviction? It’s a belief we hold to be true, no matter what. In today’s culture, you and I need to base our standards on biblical truth.

Then we will be firmly anchored in God’s Word, ready to face whatever challenges come our way. Only by acknowledging our dependence on God for His guidance and protection can we survive in a culture that is increasingly hostile to Christianity.

Noah needed strong faith to build an ark, despite the ridicule of his neighbors. But he trusted God when God said there would be a flood. Although Paul was persecuted, stoned, imprisoned, beaten, and eventually martyred, he didn’t give up his convictions. When the authorities told Peter and John to stop preaching about Jesus, they replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20 NLT)

The Lord wants us to live by conviction. Unfortunately, most people live by preference. They ask themselves, “What do I desire? What is the easiest or best for my life? What will bring the most satisfaction or acceptance?”

For a believer, our decisions should be based on personal convictions—strong beliefs we hold based on the truth of God’s Word—and not on our own preferences.

Remember that we reap what we plant. If we follow after our fleshly convictions and what gives us the most pleasure, then what follows will come from those convictions. If, however, we obey God and His plan, then what follows will be abundant blessing.

What can believers expect when the live by their convictions?

First there will be God’s protection. God will cover each situation we face with HIS glory and Grace. Paul himself said God’s grace is sufficient for him? It should be for us also.

There will be pain and testing. Those who want to live according to their convictions will be tested. When we are falsely accused and mistreated, we need to stick to our moral standards. The history of our faith is filled with men and women who refused to deny their convictions, even to the point of death.

There will be promotion. God will honor and bless those who hold firmly to godly beliefs.

Those who choose to sow and follow the leading of the flesh will see God’s work in the lives of others. People today want to know if our life is consistent with biblical values because too many times they have seen other “Christians” say one thing and do another. We must focus on being a believer who lives according to godly standards wherever we are whether it is at home, work, play, or in the community.

Instead of allowing society to set our values and priorities, you and I should base our convictions on the Bible. We need to aim not to show the wrong thing to others with ungodly choices and behavior. Ask God to grant us the desire and the courage to be a man or woman who lives by our convictions, no matter what.

Deaf Devotion 3/19/2010

“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24 KJV)

They did not know it at the time, but the original disciples of Jesus enjoyed a status that many people today could learn to appreciate more. They were the personal friends of Jesus Christ. On the night before His arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples, "No longer do I call you servants . . . but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)

Jesus and His disciples became the example of the relationship pictured in Proverbs 18:24: "a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Another real-life example of that kind of friendship in the Old Testament was David and Jonathan, the son of Saul. They formed a covenant relationship by which they shared their possessions, their needs, and their future welfare.

Jesus even experienced his own brothers being distant from Him. “For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.” (John 7:5 NLT) In the end, it was His disciples—His friends—who stayed closest to Him. Jesus was first close to them and they became close to Him.

Why would someone want to be the friend of Jesus Christ? Does He have the qualities that we desire in a friendship?

Friends are dependable in good times and in bad times. A good friend will tell us that we have something in our teeth. A friend will laugh with us and cry with us. They will share joys and sorrows. They will be brutally honest even when it is something painful to hear.

In the same way, God tells us where we come short of His glory. God was dependable to send a Savior. God was dependable to raise the Savior from the dead. God is fully dependable to save our souls from hell. This is all because, for each one of us, Jesus Christ is dependable unto death. He will not leave us or forsake us. He is God’s only Son born to die so you and I can have eternal life.

God never lies. Jesus never lies. What he says, He will do. He has promised to judge the world in righteousness. He has promised to cast the wicked into hell. He has promised to finish what he started. He has promised to come again.

Jesus is the loving friend. – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV)

Jesus is the faithful friend. – “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20 KJV)

Jesus is the true friend. – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6 KJV)

A woman, named Dorothy C. Retsloff, once said, "A friend is a person who will help you in the hour of sickness; who will lend you a dollar without deducting the interest; who will help you uphill when you are sliding downhill; who will defend you in the hour when others speak evil of you; who will believe in your innocence until you admit your guilt; who will say behind your back what he or she says to your face; who will shake hands with you wherever he or she meets you, even though you wear patches; and, who will do all these things without expecting any return."

Joseph Medlicott Scriven (1819 - 1886) said it well, in 1857, when he penned these words, "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.”

Do we seek to have a friend who will always comfort us? Do we seek to have a friend who will always love us? Do we seek to have a friend whose love is stronger than the bond of love we understand? Look to Jesus Christ. His is a love and friendship that will bind us together with Him for all of Eternity.

The Apostle Paul tells the Roman people and us, in Romans 5:8 (KJV): "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." While we are still sinners Jesus Christ died that you and I can have eternal life. While we were living in the dirt and ugliness of our sin, Jesus remained and still remains our friend.

The disciples and others asked the question, “What manner of man is this?” We have our answer. Jesus Christ is a friend closer than a brother.

Mid Week Deaf Devotion 3/16/2010

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10 NLT)

Does it make sense that some people need a reason to stop and take time out of their day to praise and worship God? Why can’t we praise and worship God just because He is … well … GOD!

There are even some people who think that they can lose their salvation once they have it. There is one truth that will chase away that idea. Whether or not someone can lose salvation depends upon how they got it. If a person believes they are saved by good works, it would naturally follow then that they also believe salvation can be lost by bad works.

But this is not the case. God’s Word is very clear on this point. Titus 3:5 (NLT) says, “He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” How is someone saved? We are saved by grace. We are saved by God’s grace. And if we are saved by grace, then we are then kept by grace. Salvation is not rooted in the worth of man, but in the mercy of God.

God's message to His children is consistent: We've been accepted by Him and belong to Him forever. In this acceptance, we discover a sense of security, adequacy, and love that frees us to live for Him.

At the cross, God revealed how very much He loves us as individuals and as His children. He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place. We deserved death as punishment for our wrongdoing but received a pardon instead. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”(Romans 6:23 KJV)

By becoming our substitute, Christ experienced God's wrath for our sins, and His sacrifice opened the way for our adoption into God's family “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” (Ephesians. 1:5 NLT)

As children of the heavenly Father, we are not only deeply loved but also highly valued. Our worth does not happen because of anything in our character or performance but rather depends solely on our relationship with Jesus. What it cost the Father to save us indicates the worth He has placed on us. He has even made us co-heirs with Christ in heaven. “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” (Romans 8:17 NLT)

Our adoption into God's family also gives us security and ability. Our heavenly Father has promised to protect us from the Evil One, give us with spiritual gifts, and provide what we need to carry out His work effectively. The Holy Spirit will equip us with the knowledge, understanding, and divine power we need to serve as His messengers.

The world thinks love and worth are tied to performance, while security rests in material possessions. But God showed His love by sending Christ to die for us. “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8 NLT) In Him, we find value, ability, and peace. Consider whose message we believing—God's or the world's.

Praise God for the work of His Holy Spirit who restores us, for the atoning blood of His Son, and for His calling upon our life.

How can we do anything but worship Almighty God and give thanks for His mercy, love, and grace?

WORSHIP
I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
the humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt His name together.
(Psalm 34:1-3 NLT)

Deaf Devotion 3/13/2010

(Young Lawyer speaking) “But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, and who is my neighbour?” (Luke 10:29 KJV)

We recognize this as the young lawyer’s response to Jesus when Jesus challenged him about the most important commandment. This then leads Jesus to tell a story about a certain person. We know this story as the “Good Samaritan.”

Get your Bible and read Luke chapter 10. Then come back. I’ll wait.

Did you read it? Great. Now do that every day with a different passage in the Bible. Study God’s Word daily and God will draw you closer to Himself.

Mother Teresa was one of the most admired women in the world. She was a woman who devoted her life to the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta, India. The world's greatest leaders wanted to meet her and to experience her love and her try to understand her moral authority. He was just a tiny woman with a heart the size of the world who made such a difference in the world just by obeying God.

Some years ago, a young man wrote a letter to Mother Teresa, asking her how he could make his life worthwhile as she had with hers. He waited six months for a reply from this very busy lady. He never thought she would answer his letter. When the answer came, it was just a postcard with four words on it - four very powerful words - "Find your own Calcutta."

If we do just what comes naturally, we will live the kind of life most people do. It will be a life that is self-focused, self-centered, self-serving. But a life that's only as big as we are is too small to live in. And we may be feeling restricted by those emotional and spiritual limitations we think we have. Business as usual just isn't satisfying that restlessness in our hearts. Our life is full, but not really fulfilling. We need to find our own “Calcutta.” God tells us to find some people who need HIM and start pouring HIS life out for them. Then the lid will come off any limitations in our life.

Jesus gave us a beautiful and unforgettable picture of the two ways to live life in His classic story of the Good Samaritan. It's in Luke 10, beginning in verse 30.

There in that simple story is a picture of our lifestyle. Is ours a life that is focused all about us, and ignoring the needs of people in our path? Or is ours a life that is not all about us, stopping for people's needs, and bearing in the name of Jesus Christ the burdens of a bleeding world?

I believe we all know the kind of life we want. We need to learn to wake up each morning asking God, "What can you and I do together today to change the world?" not "What can you do for me today?" There are people in our personal circle - people in our communities - who desperately need Jesus Christ and someone to tell them about Jesus Christ. We must be ready and willing to be there for them.

And remember, there is no greater difference we can make in someone's life than to introduce them to Jesus Christ and to take them to heaven with us!

With however many or few years we have left, we must stay focused on living our lives to make the greatest possible difference in other people’s lives for Jesus Christ.

The community and world that we live in is full of people who are empty and searching for some type of meaning. There are days are filled with desperation and they can’t seem to find relief.

They may put on masks of happiness, to appear fine to everyone, but when they return to their homes at night they cry themselves to sleep because their life is pointless and they long to find something in life to make them happy and give them a sense of meaning. They look at their lives and wonder what it is all about.

God has given the people in HIs “church” and the members of His Body the responsibility to reach these hurting people. Evangelist Charles Wendell Winkler tells us that the church is to be a “hospital for the hurting and not a museum for the saved.” We need to understand that we are to reach out to all people who need the grace of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We need to reach out to the single mother who works two jobs to support her kids.

We need to reach out to the drug addict who can’t stop his habit.

We need to reach out to any person who struggles with self esteem.

We need to reach out to couples who live together and may never have been exposed to the best way to build a home.

We need to reach out to the alcoholic who is ready to admit he needs help.

We must be ready to obey God and step out in faith to follow His command to “go and do the same.”

Ezekiel 34:16 we see God saying that He will, “Search for the lost, bring back those that stray away, put bandages on those that are hurt, and make the weak strong."

Those of us who claim to be believers followers of Jesus Christ are the ones who God sends out to bring the lost home. This is because we understand that God wants all people saved, not just us. God wants ALL people to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What is our response to be? I am going to let Jesus answer that. “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” (Luke 10:36-37 NLT)

If we have accepted Jesus as Savior, We have a place in heaven. Jesus said so. Our mission, our passion needs to become bringing as many people as possible to heaven with us by telling others about Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” Go and find your own “Calcutta.”

Mid Week Deaf Devotion 3/9/2010

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Really? Are we expected to obey this? In EVERYTHING give thanks??? That seems completely unreasonable. It just does not make sense.

Paul is very clear in his letter to the Church at Thessalonica. The Greek here is “pas” (πᾶς ). It is defined as “each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything, and something of all types.” What is left? Nothing – Zip – Zero – Zilch. Everything means EVERYTHING.

So this means we are to give thanks for the good, the bad, the ugly, the success, the failure, the hard, the easy, the trouble, the inconvenience, the joy, the tears, the laughter and so on?

Well, YES!

God’s Word says EVERYTHING.

There is a story told of a 14 year old boy in September 1966. He was home watching “I Dream of Jeannie” on television when the program was interrupted by a news bulletin: "Three prominent local businessmen have died in a plane crash in the mountains of Tennessee." That's how the 14 year old boy learned of the death of his father.

It was difficult and painful for the boy growing up without a father. He loved and needed his dad. He couldn't understand why God would take his father away from him so suddenly. The boy certainly didn't see the death of his father as a "blessing" in any sense of the word.

Yet as the boy grew into a man there were blessings that came out of that terrible tragedy. In the years since his father had died, God brought a number of men across this boy’s path that also had lost fathers at an early age. Because of his own loss, he had an instant connection with others who suffered similar losses. He was able to share an experience that other people couldn't fully understand. At the time it did not make sense to “give thanks.” But the boy allowed God to use his situation to help others and thanked God for the opportunity. He obeyed when it did not make sense.

In today’s economy there are many experiencing major financial problems. It is not easy to admit it is a blessing to go through troubled times. But God has in the past and will continue to use our trials to bring blessing to other people. It actually is a means to move us into a whole new calling.

When we meet someone who is going through a time of trouble, a time of joy, or whatever God can see in the “bigger picture” there's an instant bond between those who have shared experiences.

God can take our adversity—a heart attack, cancer, an automobile accident, violent crime, bankruptcy, a marriage crisis, the loss of a loved one—and transform that pain into encouragement for the people around us. We come out of those experiences stronger and better able to comfort others.

Although adversity may never be a blessing, God in His grace and only with HIS GRACE can bring blessing out of our adversity. The key is releasing the hurt and pain to the Lord so He can bring the needed healing to our lives. Why not give all of our circumstances to the Lord today and let Him use it in the lives of others? This will be the first step toward healing.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT)

Remember that what happens in our situations is no surprise to God. He knows. He is already in the midst of ALL situations waiting for us to join Him and give thanks for Who He is and What He will do. God is right there with us and when our pain or joy does not seem to make sense, we cannot take our eyes off our Almighty God and Savior.

God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort because He’s been there, and done that. Jesus experienced life just like us. That enables Him to enter into our grief, our joys, our hurting, or any situation in a way that no one else can. Whatever does not seem to make sense to us is perfect in God’s plan, timing, and response.

All we need to do is to let go and let God be God.

Deaf Devotion 3/6/2010

“Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.” (Philippians 4:5 NLT)

What is going on?

This past week was a full moon. When there is a full moon people can become…well…weird. Attitudes change. People become cranky. Stress levels go up. There were people this week so stressed out because of something negative going on with them. It affected the way they thought, the way they made decisions and it affected what they did. Their attitudes and emotions changed because of the effect the full moon has on the people of earth.

We tend to focus on the weird and negative stuff going on around us and look forward to when the moon goes out of its “full moon” stage and life returns to “normal” whatever that is. It is a true fact that hospitals and police departments see an increase in activity during a full moon.

Negativity will affect us both physically and spiritually. Spending time with a person with a negative frame of mind can take a toll on us.

On the other hand, positive emotions—particularly Godly confidence—can empower us to live fully, as the Lord intends.

Facing each day with the knowledge that our strength comes from Jesus Christ will drive away doubt and anxiety. Yet many things can interfere with a healthy outlook. For example, we often allow wrong advice and negative attitudes to drain us. Sin, too, will keep our hearts from finding full confidence in God. And sometimes false guilt creeps into our minds and robs us of assurance.

Instead, we can purposefully develop confidence in almighty God by maturing in our faith. Meditating on the Word, drawing near to the Lord in prayer, and choosing to believe Him are all ways to strengthen our relationship with Him. The more our friendship with the heavenly Father deepens, the more unshakeable trust in Him will become.

As Christians, we have every reason to live with assurance—we have the very presence of God living within us. But in addition, we also have God’s peace, God’s power, and God’s provision.

We have to remind ourselves that the Apostle Paul was not writing this letter from his vacation in Disneyland. And if anyone had a reason to be bitter and pessimistic, it was Paul. But instead of giving into a negative attitude, he counters it with a powerful antidote: Gentleness. “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.”

It is vitally important that we do not allow the pressures of this life to harden our hearts. Sounds pretty hard to do wouldn’t you say? How do we do it? How do we prevent the negative attitudes, problems and pressures of this life from hardening our hearts? I think the secret is found in Philippians 4:5. “Jesus is coming soon.”

There are those who fear this. But we should rejoice that Jesus will come back for His bride, the church. We know He will because He said He will. Until He comes we are to reflect His character and actions for the glory of God.

Our world is full of distrust, fear, and uncertainty. With God’s help we cannot allow ourselves to pay attention to negative messages, which can make us lose the confidence God gives His children. Instead, focus on the truth in Scripture and the glory and victory of Jesus.

Let His perfect love cast out our fear. “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” (1 John 4:18 NLT)

Paul said, “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.” But don’t forget the rest of this verse which states “the Lord is coming soon.” He is near in the sense that He is very close to returning again to this earth. But he is also near in the sense that He is right here with us today.

We do not need to get wrapped up in the negative things in the world. We should look to Jesus Christ who WILL return. In the meantime, remember to tell people about Jesus and the salvation and victory He won for us at the Cross.

Mid Week Deaf Devotion 3/2/2010

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13 NLT)

What to do – What to do – What to do.

God has called us to do something and it seems impossible. He tells us simply to tell others, in fact tell the entire world about Jesus Christ. But God does not see that as such an impossible thing to do.

God only knows “CAN.” With God what is “POSSIBLE” is “SUCCESSFUL.”

God has opened heaven’s door and is willing to pour every last drop of His wisdom, riches, grace, and mercy into whatever He calls us to do. He is willing to pour out His Son’s blood in love into a sinful world so that all His children and all His creation will come home to live with Him forever in heaven.

Okay…sounds good; sounds great. What is so impossible with that? What is so impossible is us. It’s you and me. God’s plans, God’s work, God’s power for salvation all come to a screeching halt in you and me. We take what is possible with God and make it impossible with each other.

Think about David. He was the youngest and the smallest. He was the shepherd. He was the runner. David was the one called to run errands for everyone else because He was the not the strongest, not the best looking, not the most king-like, not the most mature. But He was the one chosen to become King. He was the one who volunteered to go up against Goliath when everybody else ran the other way because it was so impossible.

The Philistines giggled at this “boy” coming to confront their champion, Goliath. David’s own brethren hid in fear because of what Goliath and the Philistines would do if they were victorious. The Israelites did not even believe they could be successful and had already planned on giving up. Goliath taunted David with mockery of Jehovah God. But, David had one thing on his side. He knew that what God thought was possible is going to be successful because God was on his side. David knew that what did not make any sense to those around him, what seemed impossible to his brethren, his enemy, his king, and his family made sense to God. God would bring the victory and God would glorify Himself in the process.

His own brother didn’t think this whole thing was really cool to begin with: “But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!” (1 Samuel 17:30 NLT)

His own King Saul tried to help David to see this whole thing just did not make sense: “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” (1 Samuel 17:33 NLT)

His enemy tried to scare David into understanding the impossible thing he was up against: “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44 “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.” (1 Samuel 17:43 NLT)

All of them saw a young, inexperienced man instead of someone God could work through. Why? They looked at David from man’s perspective instead of God’s.

We do the exact same thing with ourselves and what God can do with us.

As the story of David demonstrates, some of our worst opposition and discouragement may come from those who should be on our side, from those we trust to stand beside us, such as family members or fellow believers.

Can we describe how we respond when others give us worldly counsel instead of encouraging us to obey God no matter how much it does or does not make sense?

Whatever enemy we face, the real enemy is Satan. He wants to defeat us and discourage us from serving God. Satan wants us to think that with God everything is IMPOSSIBLE. That is not what God says. God says, when we allow HIM to get involved what He has planned can and will be accomplished.

But we keep putting God in a box and limiting HIM. LET GOD BE GOD!

David knew it wasn’t his own reputation on the line. David also knew it was not his strength that would win the battle. Glory and victory belonged to God and God alone.

Every challenge that we see as impossible presents an opportunity for God Almighty to display His faithfulness and love. Instead of yielding to thoughts of fear, failure, and the impossible, make a commitment to trust God. This is even when we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. This is even when things God wants us to do don’t seem to make sense to us.

Yes, we may experience failure, and life may not always turn out as we planned. But hey, it’s not our plan to begin with. It is God’s plan and He wrote His plan before the beginning of time. Ultimately, God will be glorified, and we will be blessed.

We need to take our most impossible burdens to the Lord in prayer. Thank Him for working on our behalf, and rest in His supernatural peace. When we place your trust in God, we tap into an unstoppable force that nothing and no one can successfully oppose.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)