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Topic: Devotions to Encourage
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Gal 2:20
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Arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.
- Proverbs 29:23
Dutch author and priest Henri Nouwen admits in his book In the Name of Jesus that he came to a place where he felt as if his life was in a rut. On the surface, it would seem that Nouwen had it made. He possessed an impressive resume in a noble field of study. But after twenty-five years in the priesthood, he found himself praying poorly, living a life isolated from people, and preoccupied with doubts.
Finally, Nouwen asked God if he should leave his prestigious role as a distinguished professor. The answer was clear. God led Nouwen to the L'Arche Community for the Mentally Handicapped. In Nouwen's words, "God said, 'Go and live among the poor of spirit, and they will heal you'." So he did.
In his new role, Nouwen faced numerous lessons, some painful, a few humiliating, but in all, he learned humility, compassion, and caring. Pride in his own accomplishments could have kept him from finding the fulfillment he was so desperately seeking. Nouwen's willingness to swallow his pride and answer God's call led him ultimately to buried treasure.
If you lack purpose and fulfillment, turn your life over to God. Don't let pride stand in your way.
Posts: 22 | From: York, PA | Registered: May 2003
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Gal 2:20
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For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity.
- Colossians 2:9
No matter how we might try to deny it at times, we all exhibit many of the characteristics of our human mothers and fathers. Perhaps it is the color of our eyes, our hair, the size of our feet, or a certain temperament or personality. Even though God has created each one of us as a unique individual, He has also chosen to link us inextricably to our parents by placing within us our parents' genetic imprint.
The Bible says that Jesus Christ is God's only "begotten" Son and that He has been with Him from the beginning of time and before. In the same way we are linked to our parents, Jesus is linked to His Father... GOD.
If you wonder what God is really like or long to understand Him person to person, read the four Gospels, which describe the life of Jesus. You will soon begin to appreciate and understand God in an entirely new way. No longer will He seem unknowable and incomprehensible. As an insightful five-year-old once said, "Jesus is God with skin on."
Open your heart to Jesus and you will be embracing both the Father and the Son. You will never be the same!
Posts: 22 | From: York, PA | Registered: May 2003
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Gal 2:20
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From deep in the world of the dead I cried for help, and you heard me.
- Jonah 2:2
In recent years, nearly every community in the United States has been equipped with a 911 emergency phone system. The newest versions of this system are state of the art. All a person has to do is dial those three numbers and he is instantly connected to a dispatcher.
The dispatcher's computer screen identifies the number from which the call is being made, the address, and the name for whom the telephone number is listed. The system is simultaneously connected to the police department, fire department, and paramedics. A person using the 900 system doesn't even need to utter a word in order for help to be activated and dispatched to the scene.
God has long has His own 911 system... a system more foolproof, failproof, and faithful than anything man can hope to design. When we dial "911" prayers, we are sometimes hysterical, or we don't know the right words to convey the deep need we feel. But God hears.
God already knows your name and all about your circumstances. He knows the precise answer to your problem even before you ask. When you are facing fearful circumstances, call out to God. His help will be on the way the moment you speak His name.
Posts: 22 | From: York, PA | Registered: May 2003
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Gal 2:20
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Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13
In an extensive opinion survey, The Day America Told the Truth, James Patterson and Peter Kim reported some startling findings:
Only thirteen percent saw all Ten Commandments as binding and relevant.
Ninety-one percent lied regularly, both at work and home.
Most workers admitted to goofing off an average of seven hours a week.
About half of the workforce admitted they regularly called in sick even when they felt well.
When they were asked what they would be willing to do for ten million dollars, 25 percent said they would abandon their families, 23 percent would be prostitutes for a week, and 7 percent would murder a stranger!
God's commandments were never meant to enslave us. They were meant to guide us away from chaos and lawlessness. They were meant to teach us how to live peacefully and safely with our neighbors. They were meant to keep us from the consequences of destructive behaviors.
God's commandments were intended to bring order and happiness to our lives rather than to restrict our freedom. If you haven't read God's commandments, open up the Bible and take a look. You will find an outlin for successful living... a gift from a loving Father.
Posts: 22 | From: York, PA | Registered: May 2003
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Gal 2:20
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No one knows, however, when that day or hour will come -- neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son; only the Father knows.
- Mark 13:32
The Bible says that God has set into motion an eternal plan... a plan that includes a new Heaven and a new earth. A world devoid of suffering and pain, hate and murder, corruption and death. It is described as a world where the ravages of pollution and decay have been erased and the earth has been returned to the glory of its original creation.
On that earth, God will dwell in sweet communion with those who have chosen to make Him part of their lives. The tears of sorrow shed for those who have turned their backs on His love will by then be in the past. Instead, tears of joy will flow down His face onto those who have chosen to receive the riches of His compassion, mercy, and loving-kindness.
Only God knows how long it will be before the next step in His divine plan begins to play itself out. The Bible tells us that we cannot even imagine all that God has in store for those who have claimed their place in His kingdom.
Don't miss your opportunity to be part of God's eternal plan. Don't let His invitation to live forever in the light of His presence lie on your desk unopened until it's too late. Say yes. Give Him your heart!
Posts: 22 | From: York, PA | Registered: May 2003
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Gal 2:20
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It's fun to speculate about Heaven. What will we do? What will a life without pain and fear be like? Will Heaven's streets really be gold or is that just a biblical metaphor?
But what about life in the other place? That's not a pleasant topic. Theologians speculate and debate what hell will be like (e.g., "Is it a real location... or just a metaphysical state?" "Is it really hot there... or is that just a metaphor?").
Like Heaven, hell is a mystery to us. But two things are certain. First, hell is something separated from God's love, from His grace. Second, hell's gates are shut from the inside. The Bible makes it clear that God calls out to us, urging us to come to Him. God's Word assures us that He doesn't want anyone to perish.
So, the next time you're on your way to an earthly destination... work, home, the movies... take some time to consider your ultimate destination. Do you want to spend the afterlife basking in God's love and mercy? Or filled with the regret and anguish that come from rejecting His love and mercy? Eternity is a long time to spend separated from the One who loves you more than anyone in the universe. Choose wisely. Your choice makes a world of difference.
Posts: 22 | From: York, PA | Registered: May 2003
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