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2 Corinthians 8:2

BIBLE MEDITATION:
2 Corinthians 8:2 - "How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A man watched a butterfly trying to emerge from a cocoon. Thinking that he would help, the man took his pen knife and slit the side of the cocoon, and the butterfly flopped out.

It lay there for a while, feebly beating its wings, then collapsed and died. "How tragic," you say, and you are right because God has a plan for butterflies. The struggle to break free builds the strength they need to fly. God doesn't want you to live weakly and to die feebly. He wants you to grow and mature.

ACTION POINT:
Find the wings in your trial today. Strengthen them by the promises in God's Word and venture onto new heights of freedom in Christ today.

Psalm 103:14

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Psalm 103:14 - "For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A factory mechanic builds a truck. He knows the chassis of that truck and knows the load it can carry. In the same way, God knows your frame and He knows the load that you can carry. God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you're able. Nothing comes to you but that which comes through God. Even what Satan does, he can only do as God allows it. And so you can say the temptation was so strong that you couldn't overcome it, but it won't be true. God will provide a way of escape.

ACTION POINT:
When you are tempted today (notice I didn't say "if" but "when"), ask God to provide a way of escape. Then trust His way and obey.

Hebrews 4:15

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Hebrews 4:15 - "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the

feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
When something bad happens to us, we may respond with, "What did I do? I must have done something terrible." Then we proceed down the trail of morbid introspection or what I call "navel gazing." We look down and into ourselves. We take ourselves apart piece by piece, examining and re-examining ourselves. Then we put ourselves back together trying to figure out what we did wrong. It may be that you have done

absolutely nothing wrong, but God is simply testing your faith. You see, if we don't understand this, we may get discouraged because the seeds of doubt and discouragement sprout in the soil of ignorance.

ACTION POINT:
Claim the promises of 1 Peter 1:3-9 for strength in the midst of your trial.

 

 

1 Peter 1:3-9

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

 ⁴To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

 ⁵Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 ⁶Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

 ⁷That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

 ⁸Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

 ⁹Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Isaiah 57:15

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Isaiah 57:15 - "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" (Exodus 20:7). We all know that profanity is one way that you can take God's name in vain, but I'll tell you another way, and that's in frivolous talk. That is, just taking the name of God carelessly or lightly. Ephesians 5:4 mentions "foolish jesting." What does that mean? God's name is holy. We are never ever to use His name unless we are serious. Now if you use humor to illustrate something, that's fine, but it's repugnant to use the Holy name of God frivolously.

ACTION POINT:
Begin the day by meditating on the holiness of God.

Exodus 20:8

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Exodus 20:8 - "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Is it okay to watch television on Sunday? Is it okay to go to a ball game on Sunday? Is it okay to eat out on Sunday? Is it okay to read the newspaper on Sunday? Can I play softball on Sunday? Can I go out on a boat on Sunday? Can I go to the grocery store if we're out of milk on Sunday? Good questions. I hear them all the time, but do you know what's wrong with these questions? You're asking the wrong man. It's not my day - it's the Lord's day. Ask Him.

ACTION POINT:
Ask God, "How can I honor You on the Lord's Day so that at the end of the day I can know that it was indeed Your day?"

2 Timothy 2:13

BIBLE MEDITATION:
2 Timothy 2:13 - "If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Are you a fair-weather Christian? There are some who, if their children get sick, will stop giving. If they get a bad report from the doctor, they stop praising. If somebody hurts their feelings, they stop going to church. You can tell the commitment level of a Christian by their "fair weather" gauge. The test is, when everything goes wrong or doesn't add up, what will you do? I'll give you some hints. Keep giving. Keep praying. Keep praising. Keep witnessing. Keep worshipping. Don't fail to be faithful.

ACTION POINT:
Think of three things you can do today to bring the light of God's Son to someone who may be struggling with his or her faith. Then go do it!

Mark 11:22

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Mark 11:22 - "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I ask some Christians, "How are you doing?" They say, "Okay under the circumstances." How did you ever get there? Circumstances are like a mattress. You're supposed to be on it, not under it. Under the circumstances, you suffocate; on them you rest pretty well. The only way that you can run the race is to take your eyes off things or people around you and look unto Jesus. He's the author of the race. He's the goal to which you run. If you look unto Jesus to supply your every need for the race, you'll find faith growing in your heart and in your life. You see, it's not great faith in God; it is faith in a great God.

ACTION POINT:
Do you have a hymnal in your home? Find the hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" by Helen Lemmel or click on the title here to go to Cyber Hymnal and reflect on its message.

 http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/u/turnyour.htm

2 Timothy 4:7

BIBLE MEDITATION:
2 Timothy 4:7 - "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
When Jesus came to the end of His life, He said, "I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do" (John 17:4). He stayed on the track, and so did Paul. They accomplished what God had set out for them to do. Every man has a race that he must run. Every woman has a race set before her. God knows the course. And everything God commands of you, He will empower you to do. Whether you're nine or ninety, young or old, rich or poor, God has a plan for your life! God has a race He wants you to run!

ACTION POINT:
What is the race God has set before you? Thank God for the power to finish the course.

1 Corinthians 9:24

BIBLE MEDITATION:
1 Corinthians 9:24 - "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Runners not only need to untangle themselves from weights that may slow them down, but they also need to remove things from the track that may trip them up! As a Christian, the good things in life may slow us down, but sin will stop us dead in our tracks - it will trip us up. You had better learn to treat sin as sin would treat you! Sin will be merciless to you, and you need to be merciless to sin. 2 Timothy 2:19 says, "Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

ACTION POINT:
Is there any unconfessed sin in your life that is tripping you up today? Pray Psalm 139:23-24.

 

Psalm 139 

 ²³Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

 ²⁴And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

1 Corinthians 6:12

BIBLE MEDITATION:
1 Corinthians 6:12 - "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
If you want to be a victor in the race God has for you, you must learn the discipline of laying aside some weights. Many times these weights are good things in our lives. But good things are bad things when they keep us from doing the best things. Life would be simple if it were a choice between good and bad. But typically it's a choice between

good and best. Our verse says, "All things are not expedient." When you think of the word "expedient," think of the word "expedition." You are going somewhere, and if something doesn't speed you on your way, it's excess baggage, and you need to get rid of it.

ACTION POINT:
Ask God, "Are there legitimate, lawful things in my life that are keeping me from running the race You've given me?" If revealed, ask for discipline to lay it aside!