Temper

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there.  He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling dove, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.  And as he taught them, he said, “is it not written my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations"? But you have made it a den of robbers. Mark 11:15-17

I’m a little relieved that Jesus had a temper. I’ve slammed a few too many doors thus far in my life and remember taking out my frustration by banging on a piano as a child (boy do I remember the punishment for that one!) Many of us tend to think about God as a kind and loving God, and certainly, He is. But many times God was filled with righteous anger. God was angry when Adam and Eve committed the first sin and He punished Satan as well as Adam and Eve. He was angry with the wickedness of people and destroyed everyone except Noah and his family. God was angry when the Israelites made a golden calf and He rained down fire at Taberah when they complained about their hardships. And there were several incidences of Jesus' anger during his ministry. It must make Him angry now when we choose to do things which we know are wrong. It must make him angry at the magnitude of our sins which resulted in the death of His only Son for our redemption from those sins. Yet overriding that righteous anger is the opposing emotion, which is God’s never-ending love for us.

Prayer: When I’m angry, Lord, help me to remember that Yours is the truly righteous anger. And although our sin resulted in the death of Jesus, thank you for never ceasing to love us. Help me to follow your example and to temper my anger with love. Amen

Cindy Thomson (reprinted from July 2012)

Hate Evil; Love Good

Seek good and not evil,
That you may live;
So the Lord God of hosts will be with you,
As you have spoken.
¹⁵ Hate evil, love good;
Establish justice in the gate.
It may be that the Lord God of hosts
Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. Amos 5:14-15

Wisdom from Above

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:13; 17-18

Thank you!

We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for Your name is near; Men declare your wondrous works. Psalm 75:1

The expression “thank you” can mean many things; just a courteous reply for a task or favor someone has done for us; a curt reply at the end of a conversation in person or on the telephone in order to end an exchange of words quickly; or it can be a heartfelt, fervent thanks from the bottom of the heart for a gift of love, forgiveness, or kindness. Sometimes I end in my daily prayers of supplication for myself and others without remembering to say, “Thank you, Lord, for your many, many blessings.”

In a phone conversation with my birth mother recently (she is 92 and I am 72, but I have only known her for a few years) she said, “I’ve never done very much for you.” I thought for a second and then said, “You gave me a gift no one else ever can—you gave me the gift of life. Thank you!” I don’t think I have ever said that to her before, and I’m not sure I had ever thanked God for the miracle of our finding each other just a few years back. After I thought, “What if I had waited until too late to express my thankfulness to her?”

How many times do we miss the opportunity to say ‘thank you’ when it might mean so much to someone else? I’m going to try to do better.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I thank you for your never-failing guidance, comfort and strength, and for your miracles, seen and unseen, that surround us. Help us to be truly grateful for our many blessings each day. Amen

Betty McBride (reprinted from the Eastridge Daily Devotion book, printed in 2008)

Gardens

Arise north wind, Come south wind. Blow upon my garden that its perfumes bay spread abroad. Psalms 4-16

The warm sun has eased our aches and pains and our gardens are busy producing tomatoes, peas, carrots, squash, cucumbers and more. How is your garden growing these days?  Have you sown friendships as well as flowers and vegetables?  Are your friendships as well as flowers and vegetables?  Are your friendships lasting or short or long gone?  Do you have a good friendship with Christ these days?  Do you thank God for your Savior and your life?  Take time to ponder your blessings, don’t count them, just enjoy them.

Prayer: Our Father, thank you for your life and my Savior and this warm summer day. In Jesus name, Amen.

DeEtte Kohrell (reprinted from the Eastridge Daily Devotion book, printed in 2008)

Blessed Assurance

I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

As we face each new day only God knows exactly how that day will go. For some of us the day may hold untold joy, for others sadness; perhaps there will be uncertainty or undreamed-of opportunities to reach out in Christian love to those around us. What a blessed assurance to know that God is in control and that He has a plan for each of us.

Prayer: Gracious and loving God, we thank you for being mindful of us and for inviting us to abide in the shelter of your everlasting arms. Thank you for your tender care in good times and in bad times. Help us to follow the example of your Son, Jesus, who said that we should love one another. Use us, Dear Lord, to be your servants so that Your will may be done here on earth. Most of all, we thank you for sending Jesus Christ who died for our sins and gave us the blessed assurance that whosoever lives and believes in Him should never die but have eternal life. Amen

Georgia Lambert (reprinted from the Eastridge Daily Devotion book, printed in 2008)

Lessons

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance. Romans 8:18

Recently, we have had conversations about the things you learn in your late teen years and early 20s that are able to give you perspective and resiliency for later in life. My husband and I lovingly refer to these times as the “lean years”.  The times in your twenties when you knew you could survive on peanut butter toast for a few days… or the lesson about what happens if you don’t pay the electric bill (spoiler, they will turn that off), or what happens in college when you get a roommate that you don’t like. All these minor sufferings are important life lessons. Even when you finish college and get a real job, you will have to plan a budget and live with it and there will always be difficult people in your life.    

We know parents with kids the same age as ours who don’t want their children to suffer in any way. Don’t get me wrong, if our son and daughter in law were on the verge of being evicted after an emergency we would work to put a roof over their head and help them get back on their feet. If they were hungry, we would send a grocery store gift card and help them locate resources in their community. But those are extreme scenarios. If they made bad decisions and had to suffer a late fee, or a few days without internet, or had to take a bus because they were out of gas money, I’m inclined to let them live and learn.  We have all known someone who hasn’t learned from bad decisions because no one ever let them suffer and figure out the rules of adulthood.       

When we talk about the lean years we know that it helped us learn to endure and grow up. It strengthened our relationship because we had to work together. It increased our personal feelings of worth and value because we gained independence and knew that we could take on our challenges and make it out successfully on the other side. We learned that we didn’t want to live without electricity and that packing a lunch every day made it so that we could afford to keep the cable and internet. Now, in our forties, we would never imagine asking our parents to foot the bill for us for anything. We know others who are the same age who never suffered and learned in their twenties and still lean on others for help. As Christians, we don’t want to see others experience harm or suffering, but we also cannot foster a community where those around us never learn the empowering value of independence.       

Prayer: Eternal God who sent your son to suffer with us on earth, help us to let others grow and mature. Remind us of the lessons we learned about independence and the power to persevere. Help us to see all the opportunities you have made for us and to learn that the suffering is worth it. Amen.  

Christi Moock

Refreshment for Our Souls

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3

I was reading an online devotion from the First Five app, a feature of Proverbs 31 Ministries and the writer referred to “spiritual refreshment”. “Remind me in the midst of life’s lows that I can always reach up to You for spiritual refreshment through praise and prayer.”

I like this wording. It was echoed in our Wednesday Morning Bible Study, The Cycle of Grace, where we’re learning that Jesus experienced sustaining grace (human and divine interaction) when he took time to:

·         Pray

·         Cultivate close relationships with his disciples

·         Worship in the synagogue

·         Spend time in table fellowship with others

·         Feed upon the scriptures

·         Spend time in solitude

·         Enjoy long walks

·         Enjoy God’s creation, the world of nature

·         Rest

·         Welcome children

Do you take time to do the above?

Prayer: Dear Lord, remind me to take time to actively pursue activities that help keep my faith alive. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

Long Prayer List

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121: 1-2

The last few days my list of prayers for others has become longer with each day: friends and neighbors job searching after many years with their employers; health concerns ranging from biopsies, surgery, cancer, two newborns struggling, and a colleague losing two relatives on the same day. When I started to feel overwhelmed by all of it, the verses above came to mind. I thanked God that He is in control of everything, he hears our prayers, and we are to pray constantly. With a thankful heart, prayers of gratitude accompanied my prayers for each one on my list.

  

Prayer: Dear Father, we are thankful that we do not walk alone through this gift of life. You are with us every step of the way. We lift up prayers of peace and provision for those on our hearts that you already know before we utter a word.  May they feel your presence in a mighty way. In your Son’s name we pray, Amen.

Cathy Schapmann

Take It One Day at a Time

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. Matthew 6:34 (MSG)

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace–in peace because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 (NRSV)

  

I recently got the news that my beloved dog has cancer. As I face this, or any difficult situation, I search for peace of mind. I turn to God in prayer–at first, crying and complaining about how unfair this all is, and asking for help to cope. I walk around with a lump in my throat for a while, letting fearful and sad thoughts swim around in my head. Finally, though, I ask God to help me see the situation the way that He does. Slowly, but surely, I begin to hear His voice...through scriptures, friends, Christian music and in other ways.  

In Ecclesiastes 3:1, God reminds me: “There's a time for everything, a season for every activity under the heavens.”  So when the moment calls for it, that's the time to be sad and mourn (verse 4).  But...if I'm busy mourning something that might happen in the future, I'm missing whatever blessing might be found in the current moment.  This brings to mind the message found in Matthew 6:34 (above).  In his song, “Borrow (One Day at a Time)”, Josh Wilson describes this scripture cleverly: “Don't borrow, no trouble from tomorrow / You'll only double your sorrow / You'll only worry your mind /....You gotta take it / One day, one day at a time /.... I wanna learn to hold my life a little looser / Live in the moment instead of in the future  / Let tomorrow worry about itself / And be here right now, trust all is well.”

It's all about trust. Yes, at some point, bad things are going to happen...and it will hurt. But if I ask God ahead of time to help me through those difficult situations, I can let go of my worries and completely trust that He will. It's very hard to surrender like this to God-in fact, it's a frequent struggle–but when I do, that's when I find peace of mind. I'm hoping to more often find God's peace as I walk this difficult road...“taking it one day at a time”.

Prayer: Gracious Heavenly Father, forgive us for letting discouragement take hold when we're facing difficult situations. Help us learn to put our complete trust in you—and in the guidance, strength and comfort you will bring. And thank you for your wonderful peace...that “guards our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus.” Amen.

Sharon Irvin

God’s Plan, Our Plan

“We all, like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  Isaiah 53:6

“Yet, O Lord, you are our Father, we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

“A camel and his driver each have their own plan.”  I recently read this African proverb in my African Wisdom for Life calendar. 

It reminded me of our childhood Shetland pony, Judy. My Dad purchased Judy as a surprise for my sisters and me. Judy came complete with everything needed plus a bonus buggy. For our birthday parties, my Mom gave buggy rides (powered by Judy, our Shetland pony) for each guest and the birthday girl.

I recall some surprises Judy gave us. One day when we left a gate open a crack, Judy slipped through and ran over a mile to Harbine, the nearest town. Another time when I was riding Judy, she headed for our wire clothesline planning to dump me off her back. I ducked and lifted the clothesline just in time. Yes, Judy, our Shetland pony had a mind of her own.

If we are honest, we sometimes have our own plans and ignore what God has planned for us. A gospel hymn reminds us to follow God’s plan. “Have Thine Own Way Lord” was first published in 1907.  Adelaide A. Pollard wrote the lyrics and George Stebbins composed the music.

“Have thy own way, Lord!

  Have thine own way!

 Thou art the Potter,

 I am the clay.

 Mold me and make me,

 After thy will.

While I am waiting,

 yielded and still.”

Prayer: God, you know that we often follow our own plan rather than yours. Remind us that your plan leads us in the right direction every time. Amen.

Lois Poppe

Above the Clouds

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. A man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

"Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions." Matthew 7:20  (NLT)

When I flew recently, it was a stormy, cloudy day in Lincoln. Earthbound prior to boarding the plane, my mood matched the weather. However, as the plane soared to its travelling altitude, clouds gave way to sunshine. The clouds that from the earth appeared dark and foreboding looked like a pristine, snow-laden field from above. Needless to say, my mood improved!

Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. If I took the analogy I shared above literally, I guess I’m saying that the day was either beautiful and full of sun or dark and full of storm clouds depending on my perspective (in this case, my location). Looking at the two scripture passages above, we can let this analogy further our understanding of what God says is important. Each scripture focuses on something a bit different. In the first, God wants us to look deeper. That may be getting to know someone better and/or not judging someone based on one thing we may know about them.

In the second verse, we need to know that our actions speak louder than our words. It also makes me think of this passage: where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to remember to look deeper than superficial appearances, and help me to cultivate a heart for serving you and loving others, and to reveal that heart in my actions. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

Know God is in Control

Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Job 37:16

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. Romans 8:9

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10

When we accept Christ into our lives, we can then make decisions with the guidance of the Spirit of God who lives in us. As we make decisions today, we must turn to Him more for guidance in order to keep his commandments.

Seeing the news today makes me sad. I wonder what else we are going to allow that will entice our people to destroy their bodies. We seem to fail to make decisions that keep our covenant with God. Yet, we approve so many items that will hopefully bring us more money.

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for keeping your covenant with us. Thank you for giving us the Spirit which Christ promised us to live in us. Help us to follow your commandments and help our legislature representatives to know you and follow your commandments too. Help us not to become enticed by money which never satisfies. Thank you for being in control of all, even the clouds and the lightning. Help us to trust in you. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

Colossians 2

I want you to realize that I continue to work as hard as I know how for you, and also for the Christians over at Laodicea. Not many of you have met me face-to-face, but that doesn’t make any difference. Know that I’m on your side, right alongside you. You’re not in this alone. I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we’ve been shown the mystery! I’m telling you this because I don’t want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase, after other so-called mysteries, or “the Secret.” I’m a long way off, true, and you may never lay eyes on me, but believe me, I’m on your side, right beside you. I am delighted to hear of the careful and orderly ways you conduct your affairs, and impressed with the solid substance of your faith in Christ.  My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving. Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that’s not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything. Entering into this fullness is not something you figure out or achieve. It’s not a matter of being circumcised or keeping a long list of laws. No, you’re already in—insiders—not through some secretive initiation rite but rather through what Christ has already gone through for you, destroying the power of sin. If it’s an initiation ritual you’re after, you’ve already been through it by submitting to baptism. Going under the water was a burial of your old life; coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising you from the dead as he did Christ. When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets. So don’t put up with anyone pressuring you in details of diet, worship services, or holy days. All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come; the substance is Christ. Colossians 2:1-17 The Message

Be Filled with the Spirit

Psalm 55

Open your ears, God, to my prayer;
    don’t pretend you don’t hear me knocking.
Come close and whisper your answer.
    I really need you.
I shudder at the mean voice,
    quail before the evil eye,
As they pile on the guilt,
    stockpile angry slander.

  My insides are turned inside out;
    specters of death have me down.
I shake with fear,
    I shudder from head to foot.
“Who will give me wings,” I ask—
    “wings like a dove?”
Get me out of here on dove wings;
    I want some peace and quiet.
I want a walk in the country,
    I want a cabin in the woods.
I’m desperate for a change
    from rage and stormy weather.

  Come down hard, Lord—slit their tongues.
    I’m appalled how they’ve split the city
Into rival gangs
    prowling the alleys
Day and night spoiling for a fight,
    trash piled in the streets,
Even shopkeepers gouging and cheating
    in broad daylight.

  This isn’t the neighborhood bully
    mocking me—I could take that.
This isn’t a foreign devil spitting
    invective—I could tune that out.
It’s you! We grew up together!
    You! My best friend!
Those long hours of leisure as we walked
    arm in arm, God a third party to our conversation.

  Haul my betrayers off alive to hell—let them
    experience the horror, let them
    feel every desolate detail of a damned life.

I call to God;
    God will help me.
At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh
    deep sighs—he hears, he rescues.
My life is well and whole, secure
    in the middle of danger
Even while thousands
    are lined up against me.
God hears it all, and from his judge’s bench
    puts them in their place.
But, set in their ways, they won’t change;
    they pay him no mind.

And this, my best friend, betrayed his best friends;
    his life betrayed his word.
All my life I’ve been charmed by his speech,
    never dreaming he’d turn on me.
His words, which were music to my ears,
    turned to daggers in my heart.

 Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—
    he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out.
He’ll never let good people
    topple into ruin.
But you, God, will throw the others
    into a muddy bog,
Cut the lifespan of assassins
    and traitors in half.

And I trust in you. Psalm 55 The Message

Stand Firm in the Faith

Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 The Message

Angels Are With Us

All the angels are spirits who serve God and are sent to help those who will receive salvation. Hebrews 1:14 

But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us! 2 Samuel 14:20

Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans,

 listening for each of his commands. Psalm 103:20

No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. Hebrews 12:22

And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. 1 Peter 1:12

My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. Daniel 6:22

Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. Luke 16:22

We all know the angel told Mary she would carry God’s son. This was an intervention by an angel into our world. Have we thought about all the other times angels have been in our world? Henry Morris says in Days of Praise that even though they are invisible to us, angels are real, and are more involved in our personal lives than we realize. He can even shut the lions’ mouths.

There are thousands of angels who are wise, understand what happens to us, are watching what happens on earth, carry out God’s plans, protect us at times, and eventually will carry us to our heavenly home. Think about this. I believe the angels are guiding me in my latest project which keeps taking different forms as I pray for God’s leadership. He protected me from accidents as I drove those dangerous 15 passenger vans around the country with Wesleyan tennis.

Prayer: Thank you dear Lord, for the protection you give us, the guidance you can give us when we ask and the angels you send to us. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

John 17

Jesus Prays to Be Glorified

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.  I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.  For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.  I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.  I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.  While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.  I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.  As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,  that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.  I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” John 17 New International Version (NIV)

Heirs

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,  for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:26-29