Archive for June 2015

Eternal God

2015-06-07 Devotional with Hymn No comments

Eternal God, You overflow all the vast universe and
all human thought and imagination.
Though You are consistent,
You consistently stretch every comfortable understanding of You.

But what you require of us is amazingly, stunningly simple:
Trust Me.

As we trust You, we live in the comforting truth of
Your greatness and
our smallness.

As we trust You, we fear You
and fear nothing else.
As we trust You, all the world is a lush forest,
dense with Your life and mysterious beauty.

As we trust You, our horizons are as vast as You are.
We share Your character,
Your power,
Your goodness, and
Your unlimited future.

As we trust You, we are unmoved by threats and
unconcerned about unknowns.
Fruitless worry disappears into peace when we see only You.

Sovereign God, You dwell in eternity,
unmoved by time.
Your promises,
Your purposes,
Your burning love
are always now, always sure, always undiminished.
You speak, and it is so.
Why do we hesitate to trust You?
Why are we ever afraid?

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Our God Is a God of Might
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

David and Bathsheba: the Sin

2015-06-04 Devotional, Pictures of God No comments

from the devotional book, PICTURES OF GOD

2 Samuel 11:1-5

After a long conflict with Saul and Saul’s son, David was fully and finally king. God had firmly established his rule and had promised that his dynasty would last forever. David was a success.

But the challenges never stop as long as we’re in this life. This challenge came from a totally unexpected source. The Tempter rarely enters with a trumpet fanfare. Notice how David’s sin begins:

  • Apparently he has gotten too comfortable in his success. This story falls in the middle of protracted wars with one of Israel’s enemies, Ammon. When spring comes, the time for the war to begin again, David isn’t at his post as head of the army. He leaves the work to his general and stays home.
  • David has taken a nap, then gets up and walks around the roof of his house, looking out on his neighbors. He sees Bathsheba bathing.
  • A look yields to lust, and lust yields to outright sin. “Sow a thought, reap an act.”
  • Bathsheba becomes pregnant. His private sin is about to have public consequences.

We all face temptations. They will change, but they will never go away in this life. But remember:

  • Though the Tempter makes sin seem so pleasant, note Jesus’ warning in John 10:10 – Satan comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. That is always his agenda. Steal, kill, and destroy is what he is attempting to do to you!
  • The sin you’re being tempted to taste is deadly poison. Don’t savor the flavor, even for a moment. It is loss, regret, pain, slavery, and death.
  • Sometimes Satan will try to make the temptation seem overwhelming and yielding seem inevitable. But God always provides a way of escape:

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13, NASB)

Turn to God immediately. Don’t wait.

Speak, Lord

2015-06-02 Devotional with Hymn, Prayer No comments

1 Samuel 3:1-10

Father, You speak to us when we are
too young,
too ignorant, and
too self-absorbed to know Your voice.
You come and
stand and
speak.

You speak our name.
You, the Almighty, the Transcendent, the Timeless One, speak to us
individually,
personally,
one on One.
You come to call us to Yourself,
(Why do you CARE?) and
to invite us to a personal relationship with You.
You call us into Your service
that we might play a part in Your greater work.

Thank You for the privilege
of hearing Your voice,
of knowing You personally,
of serving Your gracious purpose for all humankind.
Thank You, Father!
Speak, for Your servant is listening!

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Here I Am
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

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