SUNDAY
Thank God, I Know I’m Saved
This is a wonderful old song written by Newby Thompson. I look forward to singing it today.
1. My life was unhappy ‘til I came to Jesus,
And told Him how I was enslaved;
When I pray’d for mercy He freely forgave me,
And now I know I’m saved.
Chorus
I know I’m saved, I know I’m saved, No more my soul is enslaved;
I’ve been redeemed by Jesus’ blood, Thank God, I know I’m saved.
2. My soul is rejoicing since I came to Jesus,
To serve Him makes life here worthwhile;
In following Jesus my life has a meaning,
With Him I’m now reconciled.
3. As far as the East is removed from the West.
The Lord has removed all my sin;
Forgiven, forgotten, remember’d no more,
Since I to Calv’ry have been.
MONDAY
“Jesus Loves Me, This I Know”
The most familiar verse in the Bible tells us of God's amazing love. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) For many this verse was embedded in memory many years ago and God can bring it front and center to remind us of His great love. Many more learned of God's love as babies with this little song by William B. Bradbury.
"Jesus loves me! this I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so."
You may have sung this song as a child. Can you still sing with assurance today, "Jesus loves me! this I know"?
Paul's prayer for the believers at Ephesus was that they might know "the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,..." God's Word tells us to know the extent of His love, but His love passes our knowledge.
"14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesians 3:14-21)
TUESDAY
I Know The Bible Is The Word Of God
Before we go any farther in our series on things I know, I think it would be a good idea to tell you the foundation of my knowledge. I used to hear people say, "I believe the Bible is the Word of God." I started thinking about that statement and I think it is an understatement. A few years ago when my son and his family lived in Minnesota, over 1,000 miles away, we drove a few times but also flew a few times when we went to see them. Before we boarded the plane, with all my heart, I believed that plane would fly to Minnesota and land safely. If I had not believed that, I would never have boarded the plane. Yet, I did not know for sure that there would not be any problems on the flight. I can go to bed tonight and believe that I will get up in the morning, but I do not know for sure. When I think about the Holy Bible, the scriptures, I know with all my heart that it is the inspired Word of God. Paul mentions that Timothy knew the holy scriptures as a child. What a wonderful testimony. I praise the Lord that I was brought up in church and taught from a young age that the Bible is God's Holy Word. While some adults question whether Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, or that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, I was brought up on these Bible truths and my heart was young and tender and I believed. After all these years of believing that the scripture is God's Holy Word, I can now say that I know, without a doubt, I know the Bible is God's Holy inspired Word. The foundation for my daily walk with God, the foundation for these devotions, my foundation for living, and the foundation for my salvation, is the Holy Bible, the Word of God.
"14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3:14-17)
Doors Of Opportunity
WEDNESDAY
An Opportunity To Praise The Lord
When Matthew goes over the prayer list at church he often asks if anyone has a special verse or praise to share. Today, I want to take this opportunity to praise my wonderful Lord. After having cancer in several places, my oncologist schedules me to have a CT Scan and a MRI about every 6 months to keep check on my health. I had both of these tests on Monday. I get stressed over the thoughts of having them, and then I stay a little apprehensive until I get the results. Tuesday morning I checked my health portal and it stated that I had a new message. The message assured me that there was no sign of any new disease on the scan. A heavy burden was lifted from my shoulders and I want to praise my wonderful Lord. Before the tests I don’t pray that there won’t be anything on the test, because that’s how the doctor found the last three places of cancer. If there is something of question there, I want it to show up on the test. I pray that if it’s the Lord’s will He will keep me cancer free. I have a lot to praise Him for, and I am so thankful for His loving kindness! “Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.” (Psalm 63:3-4)
THURSDAY
God Shut The Door Of The Ark
Maybe one day I will be able to visit the Noah's Ark attraction in Kentucky. I think it would be very interesting to see the actual size of the ark that I have heard about since my childhood. I have seen comments about it from those who have been and they spent hours there and really enjoyed it. I have also seen comments from some who do not believe that the flood as told in the Bible ever really happened. Well, I believe in God and I believe that He created the heavens and the earth, and I believe the account of the great flood in Genesis really happened. There were many people in Noah's day who did not believe that judgment was coming, in fact, no one except for the 8 people in Noah's family chose to get on board and be saved from the flood. Noah believed God and he did all that the Lord commanded him. After they were safe in the ark God shut the door. Noah and his family may have heard neighbors and aunts and uncles or cousins calling to them when the rain began to fall and the flood waters began to rise, but it was too late. They had an opportunity to be saved, but they refused to accept God's plan of escape and He shut the door. We can read the book of Revelation and see that God will one day judge the earth again. I feel sorry for those who do not believe and ask the Lord to save them. God has offered His plan of salvation and Jesus is the only way to be saved from the awful judgment that is coming. Please don’t refuse God’s opportunity to be saved.
"13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;
14 They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.
15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.
16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.
17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.
18 And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.
19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered." (Genesis 7:13-19)
FRIDAY
Door Of Opportunity Or A Chore We Don’t Want To Do?
Pastor Rick Byerly is teaching through the book of Jonah on Wednesday nights and it has been very good. One of the points he brought out was that Jonah had the opportunity to preach to a people that was ready to turn to God. Jonah didn’t want to preach to his enemies. Instead of following the Word of the Lord he followed his own self-will and tried to run from the presence of God. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach, but he went away from God and it carried him continually downward.
“3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.” (Jonah 1:3-5)
Jonah told the men that he was the cause of the storm and they should throw him overboard. Could it be that Jonah thought he would rather drown than go preach to his enemies? Jonah continued going down but he did not drown. Jonah was swallowed by a whale. “I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.” (Jonah 2:6) After going as far downward as he could go, Jonah cried out to God and the whale spit Jonah out on the land. Jonah went and preached at Nineveh and the people believed and turned to God. Are we ever like Jonah? Do we sometimes look at opportunities from the Lord as chores that we don’t want to do?
SATURDAY
God Opens The Door Of Service
Our scripture reference today is I Corinthians 16:9, "For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries." Paul recognized that God had opened a great door of service. When I was a young mother I often watched how God was using people around me to do great works for Him. I felt that because I was always busy taking care of my children God couldn't use me. Now that I look back on those years, I see that God was using me in the most important role of my lifetime, as a Christian mother to train up my children in the way they should go. I prayed that God would help me be the mother I should be for them, and I prayed that He would save them and use them, and that was my door of service. Now that they have grown and started their own families, I want to be the best grandmother that I can be. I am thankful that God has given me the opportunity to serve Him in different ways. He has opened different doors of service for me and I may not be the best in these positions, but I try to give God my best. I often heard that the best ability is availability, but recently I heard that the best ability is dependability. When God opens the door of service let's strive to be faithful in what He has called us to do. As we grow older we often find ourselves facing different opportunities of service, and we should try to be faithful in whatever door the Lord opens for us. "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." (I Corinthians 4:2)
