Daily Devotions: "You have three Experientials" -WordDevo

 

DAILY DEVOTIONS


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YOU HAVE THREE EXPERIENTIALS
Common to all Men, Women, Children

SEEN, HEARD, EXPERIENCED

Each of these are all your own
No one has them exactly as you do.

That Which You Have seen...;
is one of your "experiential" knowledge

You know what you saw.
You saw it.

.That Which You Have heard...;
another of your "experiential" knowledge's

You know what you heard.
You heard it.


That Which You Have handled with your hands...;
A type of Experiential Knowledge phrased in a Jewish way.

You know you experienced it
because you involved yourself in it.


This is also called your Testimony
It is your Witness
Your Experiential Knowledge of the Word of God

How much you know Jesus
DO YOU KNOW JESUS

You might want to work on your experiential s
because most people only know Jesus intellectually.



DAILY DEVOTIONS: "we are the Pharisees" -Mike MacIntosh


DAILY DEVOTIONS
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Jesus said to [the Pharisees], "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
Matthew 21:42


If someone you loved were in grave danger, wouldn't you rush to help them? Before even blinking an eye, you'd probably drop everything to rescue them from losing their life -- even if it meant losing your own. I think we all have people we love for whom we'd lay down our own lives to save. 

But would you do the same for someone who hated you? Would you stop at nothing to lay down your life for someone who had rejected, despised, and even tried to kill you? That's the sacrifice Jesus made.

In Matthew 21, we see Jesus talking with the very people who would be responsible for plotting His death -- the religious establishment; the Pharisees. Jesus knew their motives. He knew they despised Him because He spoke with the authority of God, and He knew they "sought to lay hands on Him" (Matthew 21:46).

 Here were men who had spent their whole lives building up a religious construct -- a pious institution over which they reigned unchallenged -- and along comes Jesus, threatening not only to tear down their empire, but to build something totally new in its place. 

It would be a new kingdom -- a heavenly kingdom whose boundaries only exist in the hearts of its people, and where the only requirement for citizenship is a simple acceptance of the grace of God. And of this new kingdom, the very person the religious leaders hated and rejected -- JesusHimself -- would be the "chief cornerstone" (Matthew 21:42).

Jesus, then, was too big a threat. The Pharisees wanted Him dead. And Jesus, the Son of God, could have thwarted their plans, or even sought revenge. After all, the Pharisees were hypocrites! They were self-righteous cowards! 

But Jesus didn't seek revenge; He warned them of the mistake they would make -- the mistake of rejecting Him -- that they might avoid it. He wasn't out for blood -- He came to shed His blood, that even those who put Him to death might be forgiven.

You see, we are the Pharisees. We are the hypocrites whose sin put Jesus to death. Romans 3:10 says, "There is none righteous, no, not one." Our sin made us haters of God. And still, Jesus chose to die for us.

 Even though it was our sin that caused Him to be rejected, despised, and even killed, He chose to sacrifice His life for our sake. And today, even though you may love your sin and hate God, He chose to die for you, that you might turn from your sin and be forgiven.

Jesus died for all of us -- those who love Him, and those who hate Him. His love is that amazing! If you've never experienced the awesome love of God, and the freedom from sin that it brings, let today be the day.

"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).


DAILY DEVOTIONS: "anger and name calling" -Kay Arthur

 

DAILY DEVOTIONS


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"Honoring God in the Morning"




“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” - Matthew 5:21–22

One of Satan’s plans certainly has proven in history that physical death is his goal. Murder is the specialty of the devil. But Satan has other tactics. Jesus equates anger and name calling with murder. Satan is the master of destruction and when we use our anger and our words to cut someone down we are tools in his hands.

You may not have physically murdered someone but have you torn others down instead of building them up with your words?

DAILY DEVOTIONS: "Loyalty" -David McGee

DAILY DEVOTIONS

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Loyalty - Tuesday, October 15th 2013
2 Chronicles 25:2
"And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart."
NKJV
Loyalty is not a word we hear much today. Typically, the only reference to loyalty you hear these days is in regard to the family dog and yet, loyalty is an important spiritual strength. Loyalty, at its root, is faithfulness in action. A husband rejects adultery out of loyalty to his wife. A mother stands up for her children out of loyalty towards them. Within loyalty is the essence of remaining steadfast regardless of the situation.
In an ever growing world of instant technology and buy today, throw away tomorrow purchases, loyalty is greatly needed. While there are things in life we should hold onto loosely, there are other things we must remain faithful in. These things include our marriages, families and churches. Imagine if families around the world decided to remain faithful to each other no matter the circumstance. What if, every person committed their loyalty to a church regardless of minor differences. Friend, our world would change. The culture of broken marriages and church splits would halt and we could stand united under Christ and proclaim His faithfulness while displaying it.
Is there an area that you lack loyalty? Today, tell the Lord your desire to remain loyal to your spouse, your children, your church and most of all, your God. After all, when you remain focused on the Lord, He will help you remain steadfast through the storms.
Life Lesson: Being loyal in the Bible is viewed as a spiritual strength and being disloyal as a character flaw.
Dear God,
If I have been disloyal to you or others, I ask that You would forgive me. Lord, You remain faithful to us regardless of how unfaithful we are. I thank You for this and ask that You would give me the strength to remain loyal to my family, friends and church. Use me to display Your faithfulness to a world that needs it. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

DAILY DEVOTIONS: "Full and flourishing" -Bob Coy


DAILY DEVOTIONS

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Full and flourishing
He turns a wilderness into pools of water, and dry land into water springs. Psalms 107:35 (NKJV)


The Lord carries many titles, one of which is Creator. In the Hebrew scriptures, the word used to describe His creative acts is the very specific word "bara," which literally means "to create something out of nothing." Our God is the God who is capable of creating something out of nothing, and it's this capacity that's on display in Psalm 107 as we're told He turns a wilderness into pools of water, and dry land into water springs.

Why is that important for us know? Because chances are quite good that at some point in our lives, He's going to do for us what He did for Israel. He's going to call us into a proverbial wilderness, a dry place where we don't see any pools of water or precious water springs.

But here's what we have to hold onto, the same God that leads us into the wilderness is the same God who is able to transform that wilderness into a place that is full and flourishing. No matter where we are, it can't be stressed enough that He is greater than the environment that surrounds us.

"Yeah, but you don't know what kind of wilderness I'm in right now!" Remember, He is the God who creates something out of nothing. You may see nothing but "nothingness" all around you. 

But stand on the truth that if the Lord has called you and led you into a place where there's dust and dryness, He is also able to make the waters flow.

Don't be discouraged in the wilderness, depend on Jehovah-bara, the Creator-Lord, to create something full and flourishing in the midst of it.

Jehovah-bara, take our dried-out places and do a fresh work of creation in them that only You can do.
Think about it…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?

DAILY DEVOTIONS: "No Want (Psalm 23:1)" -Ray Steadman


DAILY DEVOTIONS

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No Want  (Psalm 23:1)


Read the Scripture: Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want (Psalm 23:1).
Because the Lord is my shepherd, I do not lack anything. He satisfies my needs. That is the place where God wants to bring us. He wants us to be independently dependent upon Him, to need Him alone. It struck me as I was studying this psalm that there are really only two options in life. If the Lord is my shepherd, then I shall not want; but if I am in want, then it is obvious that the Lord is not my shepherd. It is that simple. If emptiness, loneliness, despair, and frustration exist in our lives, then the Lord is not our shepherd. Or if anyone or anything else is shepherding us, we are never satisfied. If our vocation shepherds us, then there is restlessness and feverish activity and frustration. If education is our shepherd, then we are constantly being disillusioned. If another person is our shepherd, we are always disappointed, and ultimately we are left empty. If drug abuse is our shepherd, then we are wasted, as one rock artist said recently. But if the Lord is our shepherd, David says, we shall not want.
It occurs to me that if Jehovah is to be our shepherd, then we have to begin by recognizing that we are sheep. I don't like that analogy, frankly, because I don't like sheep. I come by my dislike honestly. I used to raise sheep. In high school I was in the 4-H Club, and I had a herd of sheep and goats. Now goats I can abide, because they may be obnoxious, but at least they're smart. Sheep are, beyond question, the most stupid animals on the face of the earth. They are dumb and they are dirty and they are timid and defenseless and helpless. Mine were always getting lost and hurt and snakebitten. They literally do not know enough to come in out of the rain. Sheep are miserable creatures.
And then to have God tell me that I am one! That hurts my feelings. But if I am really honest with myself, I know it is true. I know that I lack wisdom and strength. I'm inclined to be self-destructive. Isaiah said it best: We all, like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way (Isaiah 53:6). I know my tendency toward self-indulgent individualism, going my own way and doing my own thing. That's me. I'm a sheep. And if Jesus Christ is to be my shepherd, I have to admit that I need one. It is difficult, but that is where we must start. Once we admit that need, we discover the truth of what David is saying. We shall not want.
Lord, though I am a sheep who is prone to wander, come and be my shepherd today. Bring me to that place where I can say, The Lord is my shepherd I shall not be in want
Life Application: If emptiness, loneliness, despair, frustration, hopelessness, or wants exist in our lives, then the Lord is not our shepherd. Can we recognize His call to rescue us?
We hope you were blessed by this daily devotional.

DAILY DEVOTIONS: "Promises" -Bob Caldwell



DAILY DEVOTIONS
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“If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” –Numbers 30:2


Chapter 30 deals with the social accountability of promises or “vows” made before God. This process of vows is similar to what we do now by giving our signature to legally validate a promise or contract. In ancient cultures, women typically were not independent from authority of the males in their lives. 

Fathers or husbands would ultimately be liable for the promises made by the women in the family. The clarifications about vows spelled out in this passage, protected men from being held responsible for things they were unaware of or had not agreed to. 

Though in our culture women have equal authority and the responsibility that comes with it, there is still a lesson to be learned from this law on vows. 

A person’s word should be worth something. Our agreements with each other should be something we are accountable to God to keep.

Our “yes” should be “yes” and our “no” should be “no” as Jesus warned His disciples concerning vows. He said, “For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matt. 5:37). The evil that Christ warns of is something we live with every day. From buying a cell phone to a new car, we encounter a lot of fine-print that can make what seems like a great deal turn out to be a rip-off. 

We often must navigate through a web of half-truths. The fine print associated with a “free phone” can result in increased fees and an extended contract. An ad offering a car at “dealer’s cost” may not really be true. But it’s not just in business. We are all tempted to have unspoken qualifiers that minimize how fully we will keep our word.

What we must all pursue is a life that is simple in its straightforward honesty. If we say yes, that’s what it means. If we promise to do something and say, “I’m working on it,” we had better be doing more than working on putting off completing the task.

1 Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: 2 If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
3 “Or if a woman makes a vow to the Lord, and binds herself by some agreement while in her father’s house in her youth, 4 and her father hears her vow and the agreement by which she has bound herself, and her father holds his peace, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement with which she has bound herself shall stand. 5 But if her father overrules her on the day that he hears, then none of her vows nor her agreements by which she has bound herself shall stand; and the Lord will release her, because her father overruled her.
6 “If indeed she takes a husband, while bound by her vows or by a rash utterance from her lips by which she bound herself,7 and her husband hears it, and makes no response to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her agreements by which she bound herself shall stand. 8 But if her husband overrules her on the day that he hears it, he shall make void her vow which she took and what she uttered with her lips, by which she bound herself, and the Lord will release her.
9 “Also any vow of a widow or a divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her.
10 “If she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an agreement with an oath, 11 and her husband heard it, and made no response to her and did not overrule her, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement by which she bound herself shall stand. 12 But if her husband truly made them void on the day he heard them, then whatever proceeded from her lips concerning her vows or concerning the agreement binding her, it shall not stand; her husband has made them void, and theLord will release her. 13 Every vow and every binding oath to afflict her soul, her husband may confirm it, or her husband may make it void. 14 Now if her husband makes no response whatever to her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all the agreements that bind her; he confirms them, because he made no response to her on the day that he heard them. 15 But if he does make them void after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.”
16 These are the statutes which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter in her youth in her father’s house.

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Israel. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for the Lord on Midian. 4 A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.”
5 So there were recruited from the divisions of Israel one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6 Then Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from each tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and the signal trumpets in his hand. 7 And they warred against the Midianites, just as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed all the males. 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.
9 And the children of Israel took the women of Midian captive, with their little ones, and took as spoil all their cattle, all their flocks, and all their goods. 10 They also burned with fire all the cities where they dwelt, and all their forts. 11 And they took all the spoil and all the booty—of man and beast.

v. 2 Man Makes a Vow - This simply means to promise before God, i.e. a signature, promise, or a contract. In this case, a man was totally accountable to his word.
All that Proceeds out of his Mouth - A man who made a promise to God must do exactly as he has promised.
v. 3 A Woman Makes a Vow - Women in the ancient Hebrew culture were protected from being pressured into rash pledges. An unmarried woman was under the covering and protection of her father, and a married woman was under the covering and protection of her husband. A father or husband could overrule a “rash utterance.” The Lord’s specific conditions of these protective laws are laid out in verses 3-8 and 10-15.
v. 9 Shall Stand Against Her - A woman who did not have a man as her covering was a free agent and would be directly accountable to God for her utterances.  

v. 2 Take vengeance - The Midianites were the people who had tempted Israel to sin and caused them to fall through the scheming of Balaam and Balak (Num. 25:1-9, 17-18). Because of this, the Lord instructed Moses to “take vengeance” or revenge, by the retaliation of war (v. 3).
Vengeance - The word translated vengeance here is “naqam” (Heb.). This word can have either a negative or positive connotation depending on its usage. Self-serving vengeance are forbidden because it occurs for personal reasons. This type of behavior was strictly forbidden to the Jews (Lev. 19:18). However, the Scriptures do speak of a righteous vengeance, which involves the pursuit of justice and the defense of God’s majesty. While righteous vengeance is ultimately the Lord’s (Deut. 32.35), He sometimes uses people to carry out His will.
Gathered to your People - This is another way of telling Moses that he was going to die and join his ancestors (Num. 27:13; Deut. 32:50).
v. 3 Midian - Midian was the son of Abraham by Keturah (Gen. 25:1, 2). His descendants became the Midianites. Midian means “strife.” The land of Midian was in the desert north of the Arabian Peninsula.
v. 6 Holy Articles and the Signal Trumpets - It is unclear what “holy articles” refers to. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, was leading the charge (v. 6), so perhaps the holy articles refer to the breastplate of the priest which included the Urim and Thummim (Ex. 28:4-14). This phrase may simply refer to the holy articles and trumpets the Lord commanded be built for this very purpose (Num. 10:8, 9).
v. 7 They Killed all the Males - This was instructed in Deuteronomy 20:13.
v. 8 Balaam - Balaam the prophet was the chief cause of the fall of Israel because he advised king Balak on this matter (Num. 31:16). The New Testament also has much to say concerning Balaam (2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14).

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