David often confessed God as his refuge.~Bob Hoekstra

David Confessing God as His Refuge

Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heartbefore Him; God is a refuge for us…You are my hiding place…You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 62:8and 32:7)

David often confessed God as his refuge. This is another indicator that he typically lived by the grace of God (that is, by trusting God towork on his behalf).

The need or desire to find a refuge (a place of shelter or protection) is common among mankind. The storms of life can beat down relentlessly. Circumstantially, it can be as though Ezekiel's prophetic warning is being fulfilled toward us. "There will be flooding rain…great hailstones…and a stormy wind" (Ezekiel 13:11). We long for a shelter. At other times, threats and dangers seem to lurk around every corner. Experientially, it can be as though we are reliving the trials of David. "The pangs of death encompassed me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me" (Psalm 18:4-5). We long for a place of protection. David knew where to turn for refuge when troubles multiplied. "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help introuble" (Psalm 46:1). Our place of shelter and protection is not a place, but a Person. When troubles come, we can turn to Him. He istotally available to help us ("a very present help"). Whenever we exercise our trust in Him, whenever we pour our heart out to Him in prayer, we can enjoy the Lord as our refuge. "Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refugefor us."

At other times, we are not looking so much for a refuge (a place of shelter or protection), we are seeking a hiding place (a secret solitude). When this occurs, we easily identify with David's desire to flee. "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! For then I would fly away andbe at rest. Indeed, I would wander far off, And remain in thewilderness" (Psalm 55:6-7). Well, God has more good news for us. As David learned, the Lord is willing and able to be that hiding place."You are my hiding place …You shall surround me with songs ofdeliverance." Whenever we turn to the Lord and allow Him to encompass us with songs of His delivering power, we can enjoy the Lord as our hiding place. Of course, one practical way to be surrounded by God's "songs of deliverance" is to spend time prayerfully reading in the book of Psalms. They are God's divinely inspired rescue songs.

Dear God, my refuge, I so often long to be sheltered and protected. I praise You that I can find that by running to You in prayer! Dear Lord, my hiding place, I frequently yearn to flee for a secret solitude. I rejoice that I can find that by allowing You to surround me by Your message of deliverance found in Your word!

I don't think anything blesses God more than when we stop to worship Him~Joyce Meyer

Seven times a day and all day long do I praise You because of Your righteous decrees.
—Psalm 119:164

I don't think anything blesses God more than when we stop right in the middle of what we're doing sometimes and lift our hands to worship Him or take a moment to bow down before Him and say, "I love You, Lord." In the scripture quoted above, the psalmist says he took time seven times a day and all day long to praise God.

Think about a businessman, for example, maybe the president of a large company. Wouldn't it be wonderful if two or three times a day, he would close the door to his office, turn the lock, kneel, and say, "God, I just want to take some time to worship You. Father, all these things You are giving me—the business, the money, the success—are great, but I just want to worship You. I magnify You. You are so wonderful. I love You. You are all I need. Father, I worship You. Jesus, I worship You. Holy Spirit, I worship You"? I believe that if that businessman did that, he would never need to be concerned about his business, his finances, or success. All of those things would be taken care of.

Matthew 6:33 (KJV) says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Harvest Crusades on TBN (Taped Delay)~Greg Laurie

Harvest Crusades on TBN

LINK: NEWSROOM

Watch the 2009 Southern California Harvest on the Trinity Broadcast Network.

Saturday, September 5 at 2:00 PM
"The Writing is on the Wall" from Saturday, August 15
Saturday, September 12 at 2:00 PM
"Down to Earth Talk about Heaven" from Sunday, August 16
(All times Pacific)

There's a common misconception that it is wrong to have emotions or to be emotional~ Bob Coy

WE ARE CREATED WITH EMOTIONS

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness."-Genesis 1:26 (NKJV)

There's a common misconception that it is wrong to have emotions or to be emotional. This simply is not true. In fact, God is an emotional being. The Old Testament reveals that He feels grief (Genesis 6:6), jealousy (Exodus 20:5), and even anger (Ezekiel 5:13). In the New Testament, we see Jesus expressing the emotions of grief (John 11:35) and anger (John 2:15). We also find that the Holy Spirit is equally capable of being touched by these emotions (Ephesians 4:30). What would God's Word look like apart from emotions? We would be missing most of the Psalms and the entire book of Lamentations. God places value on emotions, and He has created us with the capacity to feel them.

The Scripture above tells us that God first formed man in His image and likeness. The image is the outward appearance, and the likeness is the inward essence. Likeness speaks of the internal capacity of God to know and express different emotions. By being made in God's likeness, we reflect His capacity to have emotions. Unique from all other works of creation, only mankind can relate to God on the higher human emotional level. A mighty mountain doesn't know what it is to lose an only son, and an ocean cannot understand what it means to fall in love. While animals come close, their elementary joy, shame, and other emotional-like reactions are not nearly as complex as ours, and many of their emotions can be easily attributed to instinct.

Emotions have an important place in God's plan for our lives, but we need to know their proper place. They aren't bad in and of themselves because they help us relate to and understand God. But they can become bad for us if we allow them to control and consume us. Instead, we must be led by the Holy Spirit:

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:25-26 NKJV)

If our emotions aren't submitted and surrendered to the Spirit, they will soon lead us outside of the Lord's will and into sinful territory. We have been created like Him. We must also behave like Him by staying in step with His Spirit.

Discuss, Dig, Decide

Discuss what it means to be made in God’s image and likeness. What evidence of this truth do you see in your own life?

Dig into Genesis 1:26 and Galatians 5:25–26. What do these verses reveal to you about God’s design and desire for you as His child? What responsibility do you feel because of His indwelling presence?

Decide with your group to stay in step with His Spirit. Spend time in prayer as a group, and ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit.

Success is conditional. God won't help us achieve goals that are outside His will~Charles Stanley

God's Plan for Success

Proverbs 3:5-12

Anytime I say that the Lord desires success for His children, someone tries to contradict me. A man or woman sitting in the congregation takes a look at him- or herself and thinks, Not me! I'm not winning at anything! I have two responses to help that person get a proper mindset. First, as yesterday's devotion noted, we must define success as God does. And second, we must follow His plan for triumphant living.

Step 1. Set goals according to God's will. The Father has a tailor-made plan for every believer. Following it requires regular prayer and Scripture meditation. Only when our minds are focused upon Him can we discern the proper course for our lives.

Step 2. Walk obediently before God.
The Bible is packed with workable principles, because the Lord expects His people to use them. When we are applying His Word to our daily life, we cannot help living victoriously, even in times of trial and "defeat."

Step 3. Use gifts for God's glory. Every believer is given the Holy Spirit as a Helper and Guide (John 14:16-17). Furthermore, when a person is saved, he or she receives one or more spiritual gifts (Rom. 12:6-8). God provides the Spirit and our gifts to aid in accomplishing the tasks He sets before us.

Success is conditional. God won't help us achieve goals that are outside His will. His ultimate plan is to transform you into the image of Jesus Christ, which is a rare kind of success indeed. He has already mapped out the perfect plan to get you from where you are to a flourishing spiritual life.

Leadership: Are you fair when leading your family? (83-4)~Barry Werner

Are you fair when leading your family? (83-4)

August 20th, 2009 in 1 Samuel, 1 Timothy, Fairness, Leader Qualifications, Leadership Principles, New Testament, Old Testament | leave a response

First Timothy 3:4-5 has this to say about leaders: “He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect, (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)” Read 1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-25 and 1Timothy 3.

Eli was a successful priest and judge in Israel, yet he failed to discipline his own sons. As a result, they grew increasingly rebellious and contemptuous concerning the things of God. Eli’s failure in this area led not only to a loss of credibility, but ultimately to his own downfall.

It is especially hard to be objective in your leadership role and to strictly apply Biblical leadership principles when family is in the chain of command. According to 1 Timothy 3, before stepping into a leadership role ourselves, or elevating others to leadership positions, we need to match them to a God established criteria and do some testing to see how well we or others measure up to the qualifications God has for leaders.

A common mistake of leaders is to omit the testing and evaluating steps when it comes to their family. There is a natural tendency to sacrifice the learning process that every leader must go through when we have a close relationship. It may seem like we are doing those we love a favor to keep them from struggling with the elements of the workplace that we had to grind out or maybe there is an assumption that since the child grew up around our work they will automatically know how to perform when the job is theirs. If, however, any step God established is omitted from the leadership development process, the chance to damage both the leader and the family member increases dramatically. Effective godly leaders strive to live by every principle God has established in the leadership process.

Proverbs 16:11(tlb) “The Lord demands fairness in every business deal. He established this principle.”

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Tags: Leadership, Nepotism

« Are you working hard but forgetting to lead? (83-3)

Do you take short cuts for those closest to you? (83-5)

In light of the fact that the Lord’s return is at hand~ Jon Courson

Therefore my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
	Philippians 4:1
Whenever you come to the word, ‘therefore’ in Scripture, it’s wise to stop and ask what it’s there for. Here at the outset of Chapter 4, Paul refers to the end of Chapter 3, wherein he tells us we don’t have to be hopeless as we watch our culture crumble, for when Jesus returns, He’ll put all things in order. In light of the fact that the Lord’s return is at hand, Paul tells the Church at Philippi to stand fast, to stand confidently, to stand firmly in Him. More and more, I’m convinced that heaven is the whole deal — just realizing that we’re soon going to be there and that we have a single job to do: to grab as many people as we can and say, ‘Come along with us to heaven.’ I think we worry far too much about what we’re doing or how we’re feeling. We analyze ourselves endlessly. We scrutinize our situations continually. We ponder our circumstances tirelessly. But in reality, the joy, the crown lies in sharing with people who don’t know Jesus, in praying for folks who will be cut off from Him unless they open their heart to Him. I believe the reason Paul could talk so much about joy in this epistle — even while he was in chains — was because he was thinking about the people he knew would be in heaven with him eternally because he had shared with them personally.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16)~Dimitri

September 3rd, 2009

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

A Scottish missionary was passing through an African village. He was weary from his travels and in need of food and water. When he asked the men in the village for a drink of water they refused him. Desperate, he offered to buy a little milk from them. But this too was refused. Then, as the sun was setting, a woman came to the missionary.

She carried a bundle of wood on her head, and in her hand a vessel of milk. She set them down beside the missionary and left. A second time she came with a pot on her head, a leg of mutton in one hand, and a jar of water in the other. She sat down without a word, prepared the fire, and began to cook the meat.

The missionary was taken aback. He asked the woman who she was and what had caused her to have compassion on him. "I love Him whose servant you are," she replied, "and surely it is my duty to give you a cup of cold water in His name. My heart is full, and therefore, I cannot speak the joy I feel to see you in this out-of-the world place."

The woman was the only Christian in her village. When the missionary asked her how she maintained her faith in Christ, she took a copy of the New Testament from her bosom and said, "This is the fountain from which I drink; this is the oil which makes my lamp burn."

As a Christian you are probably familiar with the saying, "You are the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14).

It comes from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), where Christ says:

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:14-16).

In Bible times, lamps were clay vessels that were filled with oil. This is a fitting image of the believer, shining for Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Like our Lord, we shine most clearly by walking in the light (Eph. 5:8), and by our good works (Matt. 5:16).

Notice that the lamp cannot function without the oil. It would soon burn out. In order to shine continually for Christ, our lamps need to be replenished regularly with the oil of God's grace. Where can we obtain this precious oil? The answer is simply by direct, daily contact with the Lord Jesus Christ.

By prayer and abiding in His word we are filled with His Spirit and obtain our spiritual resources for each day.

Christian, how brightly is your lamp burning before men? Is it shining for all to see? This is God's will for you. If your lamp is growing dim, look to the Lord and His grace. Be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18), and let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (Col. 3:16). When you are filled with His oil, you will be a burning and shining lamp (Jn. 5:35), sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. (2Tim. 2:21).

In His strong love,
Demitri

If you come across a question in the Bible, keep looking and you will find the answer~David McGee

Romans 11:1

"I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin."
NKJV

Life Lesson

We look to the Bible in spiritual and theological matters to form our opinions and beliefs.

There are a lot of books out there about the Bible and a lot of books offering man's counsel for life's circumstances. Only one book, the Bible, is authored by God and offers God's counsel for life's circumstances. That being said, sometimes we come across a section of scripture that seems to raise more questions than it answers. When that happens, keep reading. It's been well said that the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible. If you come across a question in the Bible, keep looking and you will find the answer.

Friends, be very careful searching for answers about the Bible from sources outside of the Bible. Many false doctrines have started that way. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some very good commentaries out there, but commentaries are not "inspired scripture". Always make certain that what you read or hear balances with scripture. At Calvary Chapel of the Triad, we study verse by verse through the Bible. When a question is raised in the Bible, we find our answer in the Bible.

Some churches pay homage to what's called "Replacement Theology". Basically saying that Israel messed up too many times (and the church hasn't?) and so God is through with Israel and the church has now inherited all of Israel's promises. If you have ever heard that or even believed that, look at this verse. Some finer points of theology can be debated looking into word tense, origin and original languages, but others are as plain as the nose on your face. This is as plain as the nose on your face. God is not finished with Israel.

Dear Father,
Thank You for Your love, Your grace and Your mercy. Thank You that even though I make mistakes, You do not withdraw Your promises from me, just as You have not withdrawn them from Israel. Lord, Your Word is faithful and Your covenant is forever. In Jesus' name, Amen.

You can probably count on two hands how many times someone has touched your face~Mike MacIntosh

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying,

"Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Revelation 21:1-4

You can probably count on two hands how many times someone has touched your face. I'm not talking about the times you've received a fist to the face; I'm talking about when someone caresses your face with loving care. Only those with whom you are very close, personal, and intimate touch your face in this way. Your mom was probably the first to do it when you were born. But God loves you so much, that He will take you in His arms and wipe away the tears from your face.

Think about this: His are the very hands that created the heavens and the earth. They are the hands that brought healing to the sick, and vision to the blind. They are the hands that were nailed to a cross for the sake of our sins. Yet these hands are tender enough to wipe the tears from your eyes. That's how loving God is! He loves you and wants a relationship with you. I can't help but think of 2 Corinthians 5:17:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

Can you not wait for the day when He makes all things new? I mean, as Christians, we have been made new through the blood of Jesus, but there's still sin around. Someday (soon!) all things--including sin and pain--will pass away, and we who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will be in His presence for eternity. And God, Himself, will wipe away your tears.

Face to face with God--no more tears and no more pain. When you're feeling down, lonely, or depressed, count on Jesus to take care of you. He's promised that He will make you a new creation when you put your faith and trust in Him. And He's promised to be compassionate and caring to your every need--now and for eternity.

The Christian life is different than most~Mark Balmer

Based on “Under His Influence – Emptied and Filled”

by Pastor Mark Balmer;

8/29-30/09,
Message #MB387;

Daily Devotional #3 -

“Open the Faucet”

Preparing the Soil (Introduction): The Christian life is different than most. God, who is holy, calls His children to a lifestyle that causes people to see Him reflected in their lives. Paul wrote about our responsibility in our calling.

Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (2 Timothy 2:19-21)

Many of us have incredible potential for good.

We even see glimmers of this in our lives sometimes. But the reason we don’t see it more often may be because we have some of those ignoble stains that need to be removed before we can fully experience the fullness of God in our lives.

Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): “Whew, I’m glad that’s over. The preacher just talked about sin, and it made me feel really uncomfortable.”

Have you ever thought or said this?

I know I have.

I have been to both extremes as a Christian.

There have been times when I have felt so close to God that I know He was stopping by my room just to speak to me. There have been other times when I have just stumbled along without any sense of direction. I guess it is easy to guess which way was more fulfilling. I am sure many of you have had similar experiences.

Can I tell you a secret?

We make decisions based on what we want most.

If we want to be filled to overflowing, then we have to remove everything that wars against God’s Spirit in our lives.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. (Galatians 5:16-17)

This cleansing process may not be enjoyable, but it will be profitable. If we want to be fully satisfied, it will take a filling of God’s Spirit.

Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Jesus offers something called the water of life. This offer is for people to drink spiritually from the ‘living water.’

One of the benefits of this drink is the presence of a fountain in the heart of everyone taking the drink (John 4:10-14).

We truly don’t understand how important that imagery was for the people listening in Jesus’ day. In a dry, arid environment water was extremely important. You were fortunate to find a well here and there.

As a matter of fact, most of the towns in the Middle East were originally built around a reliable water source.

Jesus said He would install a fountain in everyone who has taken a drink of this living water of life. We have a fountain of ever producing spiritual water. Picture yourself as a faucet. A faucet either restricts or facilitates the flow of water.

Our flesh is the faucet.

If we do not empty ourselves, then we end up restricting the work of God in our lives, but if we cleanse ourselves from the influence of our selfishness, then look out world!

The power of God will be able to flow without any hindrance.

Cultivating (Additional Reading): Acts 2
TCH

Sometimes we may think of the Holy Spirit as being more of an "it" than a Him.~Greg Laurie

Sinning against the Spirit

"Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
--Ephesians 4:30

Sometimes we may think of the Holy Spirit as being more of an "it" than a Him. But Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:8). The Holy Spirit is God, and He can be specifically sinned against.

One way a believer can sin against the Holy Spirit is by grieving Him. Ephesians 4:30 says, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." The word "grieve" means "to make sad or sorrowful." And when we allow bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, or slander to be a part of our lives, then we are bringing sorrow to the Holy Spirit.

We can also sin against the Holy Spirit by quenching Him. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Thessalonica, "Do not quench the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19). The word "quench" conveys the idea of extinguishing a fire. It is possible for us to seek to extinguish or quench the work the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives. And when God wants to work but finds unbelief, it hinders the work He wants to do, because God works through faith in our lives when we believe Him.

Are you harboring a grudge against someone right now? Have you been slandering someone or even passing on information that you have heard and yet don't even know if it is really true? Have you been flying into fits of rage? Have you been saying, "Well, God could never use a person like me," or "God would never answer my prayers"? According to Scripture, that is grieving the Holy Spirit. So if you are grieving the Holy Spirit today, it's time to stop. It's time to come clean.

Twitter Proverbs from Rick Warren

1. FUN:Soc media in Bible:"Insomniac,I TWITTER away" Ps102:7(Mes) Also Isa.38:14(NAS) Saddleback-1st church on Internet-'92!about 1 hour ago from web
   
   
   
2. MT6:25-34 Jesus:WORRY is Unreasonable25,Unnatural26&28-29, Unhelpful27,Unnecessary30-31,Unbelief32. PutGod1st33,1Day@time34about 2 hours ago from web
3. People follow when leaders love "I weep for the hurt of my people. I am stunned & silent, mute with grief." Jer8:21(NLT)about 2 hours ago from web
4. I waste no time following celebs,only heroes.If U use urlife 2serve others, ur a hero2me."The godly r mytrue heroes"Ps16:3about 20 hours ago from web
5. We need fewer celebrities&more heroes.Celebrities sacrifice for their own wealth,power,or pleasure.Heroes do it for othersabout 20 hours ago from web
6. If I thot laws could transform hearts I'd be a politician but I have zero faith in politics 2meet our deepest needs.Heb7:19about 21 hours ago from web
7. Reading Purpose Driven Church again with Staff @russmiglGREAT Russ! Styles go out of style but God's Purposes are ETERNALabout 21 hours ago from web
8. I'm not amazed that God does miracles.I'm amazed that God grieves.He cares that much for us! Lk19:41,Jn11:35 Jesus wept!about 23 hours ago from web
9. NO,I dont automate tweets.YES,I write&send all myself.NO,Icant call/meet.YES,read DMs.I pray4right words&send between mtgs!about 23 hours ago from web
10. Over an 800yr period the Romans crucified 600,000 people,Only 1 came back to life.It split history into BC/AD.1 Cor15:3-88:27 AM Sep 2nd from web
11. There's no place u'll be today where God isn't.U may FEELalone but u wont BE alone.Instead of fear,think God is here! Ps1398:15 AM Sep 2nd from web
12. When I see ANYONE making a real difference,I say"Great! Keep it up! Now teach me how to do it too!"Pr18:15 R U teachable?3:18 PM Sep 1st from web
13. A leader can only move fast 1)in the honeymoon 2)in a crisis 3)after creating a culture of change.Otherwise its suicide3:03 PM Sep 1st from web
14. Following Him when your heart is breaking is greater faith than praising Him when your heart is singing. Ps.34:1810:27 AM Sep 1st from web
15. Continue praying 4 Kathy Keller's recovery (Tim's wife).She's home since Fri.In good spirit.Pray 4 no infection. &strength 4Tim.Col1:118:56 AM Sep 1st from web
16. In 35 yrs of leading Ive been afraid at every major step but I DID IT ANYWAY since I REFUSE let fear run my life.2 Tim1:78:28 AM Sep 1st from web
17. In over ur head: Remember that great theological truth from FINDING NEMO:"Just keep swimming!Just keep swimming!" Rom12;119:26 PM Aug 31st from web
18. It's a fine line between persistence&stubborness.There's a time 2 hold on &time 2 let go.Eccl.3:5 We usually quit too soon9:11 PM Aug 31st from web
19. Life is too short 2 make all the mistakes urself."Ask the former generations & findout what their fathers learned"Job8:88:59 PM Aug 31st from web
20. Last word:It's no accident that the more blessed ur ministry is,the more the Accuser(Rev12:10)hates it.Rejoice! Mt5:11-123:49 PM Aug 31st from web