Pastor Johnnie's Devotional Archives
March 2002
March 4, 2002
Proverbs 4:25-27 says: "Look straight ahead, and fix
your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet;
then stick to the path and stay safe. Don't get sidetracked; keep your
feel from following evil."
'Commitment', 'loyalty', and 'integrity' are not popular
qualities today. Spouses, families, and local churches are suffering greatly
because so many Christians have not intentionally planned to stay on a
straight and narrow path for the sake of their mates, their children,
or their church family. Self-consumed, they've gotten sidetracked by selfish
motives and self-promotion, looking out for "good ol' number 1". As Paul
said, "I speak this to our shame!"
Father in heaven, reveal to our hearts, convict
us, and forgive the sins which so easily sidetrack us from commitment
to You, to what is right, to each other, to our families, and to the local
church. Please keep us from following that kind of evil any more! AMEN.
March 7, 2002
Proverbs 7:6,7 says: "I was looking out the window of
my house on day and saw a simpleminded young man who lacked common sense."
We see a lot of things when we take time to look out
the window: simplemindedness, stupidity, anger, rebellion, disobedience,
infidelity, disloyalty, deceit, etc., etc. Most of it makes me angry just
to think about. But, I am troubled by that, because I am also noticing
that seldom does it break my heart like it must the Savior's. Far too
seldom, in recent years, have I cried over the sinful carelessness of
people, be they saved or unsaved.
Father, let my heart be broken over the things
that must absolutely break Your heart. Grant me a prayerful compassion
for the lost and wayward souls I see when I look out my window..... let
me reach out in love to them as You have reached out in profound love
to me. Amen.
March 12, 2002
Proverbs 12:1 says, "To learn, you must love discipline;
it is stupid to hate correction." (N.L.T.)
To be unteachable and to refuse help that could improve
my communication or social skills; to resist correction that could make
me a better man from God's point of view; to reject help that could make
me more sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit's working in my life;
to not accept rebuke for sin that I have committed or attitude which I
have copped, is far worse than most of us realize. 29:1 says, "whoever
stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be broken beyond
repair."
Father, I dare not hide from YOU what I too
frequently see in my life.... stubbornness and resistance to correction.
Teach me to love the discipline You bring my way; help me to see you really
are in the process of making me more like Jesus. (Romans 8:29)Please,
make me teachable ....for my own good. AMEN
March 16, 2002
Proverbs 15: 1 says "A gentle answer turns away
wrath, but harsh words stir up anger."
A gentle tongue can break a bone (25:15) When my ways (attitudes and emotions,
in this case) please the Lord, He makes even my 'enemies' live at peace
with me (16:7). By God's grace, through His wisdom, I will seek to turn
away (calm) anger (29:8) and cut off carelessly angry words I sometimes
feel like using so that I might learn the deeper graces of compassion
and forgiveness (Ephesians 4:30-32)
Father, since out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks, may
my heart always be prisoner to your love, for I know I will have to give
account on the day of judgment for every careless word I have spoken.
Let me be known as a person of loving, gracious words which reflect your
presence and power in me. Amen. (Matthew 12:34-37)
March 19, 2002
Proverbs 19:11 says (NLT) "People with good sense
restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs."
A friend, whose church had experienced a decline in attendance over a
period of time, unexpectedly encountered someone who also was no longer
in attendance. The person asked, "So, how many ARE left at ______?"
My friend, understandably angered, but restrained by and at the same time
upheld by God's Spirit, didn't respond in an unwise, carnal way - thankfully!
- which earned the esteem and respect of God.....and me, for sure!
Father, I don't have 'good sense'. I'm sort of dumb. And, in my dumbness,
I often respond without restraint....which violates Your Word and the
principle of being filled with the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26)....and certainly
produces remorse in me when I finally realize what I've done or said.
I submit myself to you today. Control my tongue, my heart, my emotions.
Let me humbly, wisely - and yes, courageously - overlook wrongs which
come in so many, sometimes 'surprising' forms. Let me respond as Jesus
did, Who "humbled Himself and became obedient to death....even death
on a cross!" Thank You that I can do all things through Christ, Who
gives me the strength. (Philippians 4) AMEN.
March 22, 2002
Proverbs 22:7 says, "Just as the rich rule the poor,
so the borrower is servant to the lender."
We live in an age of immediate gratification. Can't wait to get our hands
on....
Can't hold off any longer to buy.... Can't see myself waiting another
6 months just to save for a...... Why wait? Something else may come up
and we'll spend the money for that, instead of for our dream item; let's
but it now! One problem is an overcharged credit card, with 18-22% interest
rates that make us a slave to the lender. Another problem is a bank that
won't take "could you give me a few more days grace" too many
times before they shut us down. Another problem is that when I go to tithe,
I don't have it. So, I wonder, "Will the Lord understand if I don't
give Him what He deserves? Well, I just plain can't give; so He'll have
to understand!", as though it's HIS fault I'm in this predicament.
Of course, there are many, many more problems, as well.
Father, the drive-through, get-it-now mentality has gripped my heart,
too. What I want, I want now. I want to hold it, touch it, taste it, enjoy
it, and talk to my friend about its benefits and pleasures. And, it's
left me sort of spiritually 'dry'. Forgive me, please! I wish I wanted
YOU as much! To hold You, touch You, taste of Your goodness, enjoy You
in the circumstances of life, and talk about You incessantly with my friends.
(I John 1:1-4) Humbly I pray for you to make that so in my life, through
Jesus I pray. Amen.
March 27, 2002
Proverbs 27:7 says, "He who is full loathes honey,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet."
It's hard to admit the truth that when I resist the Lord's ways in my
life - even the sweet ones! -, it's because I'm full of myself. To hunger
and thirst for righteousness means that I don't resist Him; I don't tell
Him that I don't like what He's doing; I don't insist that He change His
ways and His methods. It means that I'm so hungry for Him to touch my
life, to play a functional role in my everyday activities that, should
He, in His grace, allow me the privilege of going through a tough, bitter
experience, I realize how good it really is. After all, He's forming me
into the likeness of Jesus through it all!
Precious Father, forgive my independence and arrogance that always
wants things easy, my way, with my stipulated benefits. Stir my spirit
to so thirst for You that, excited by Your 'creative' faithfulness to
me, I humbly submit to every way of Your's in my life, bitter or sweet.
I love you! Amen.
March 31, 2002
Proverbs 31:2 says "O son of my womb, o son of my
vows, do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin
kings..."
So many things out there in this sinful world - some seemingly insignificant;
many very significant! - which only drain and sap the spiritual energy
of us Christians who servants of God, priests of His who are impacting
this world by spreading the gospel of grace. Let us take note of those
things. And, if we're unaware of what may be diverting us from the most
important task we have, let us ask the living God and His resurrected
Christ to reveal them to us, so that we might confess them and deal with
them, making ourselves more available to Him, with more strength, more
energy, more time.
Father, open our eyes to see where we are being robbed of time and
energy to serve you. Let us flee from sin and carelessness, that we might
serve the resurrected Christ more fully than ever before! Amen.
|
