Ps. 145:18 "The Lord
is close to all who call on Him." NLT
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September 2004
Devotionals
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10/01 Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
MAJESTY
You and I have the wonderful privilege of having a relationship with the
creator. Imagine for a moment what it would be like to be able to walk
into the Oval Office in Washington at anytime. In Christ we have the
privilege as His child to come in and visit with our Creator at any time.
Spend more time with Jesus. He is our strength and constant companion.
10/02 Genesis 2:2
On the seventh day, having finished his task, God rested from all his
work.
SABBATH
I tend to be a workaholic. My life is tied up in my work. I must learn to
rest. I need to mature to the point that I recognize that when I am rested
I work better. Also, when I am rested I can serve the Lord better. Jesus
wants me, not my work. Salvation is by grace and the effectiveness of
God’s grace does not require my work. I think for most of us this is a
tough lesson. The Lord really does love me.
10/03 Genesis 2:15
The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and care for
it.
WORK
I am called to be a faithful worker. There is a job I am called to do.
Part of my relationship with the Lord and my self-respect is based upon my
willingness to do good work. Laziness creates many problems. A proper work
ethic equips me to mature as a servant of the Lord.
10/04 Genesis 3:9-10
The LORD God called to Adam, "Where are you?" He replied, "I heard you,
so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked."
REPENTANCE
I am saved by grace. The Lord knows everything I do. It is imperative that
I come quickly to His throne of grace and confess my sin. When I harbor my
sin I will suffer. When I repentant and change I can rejoice.
10/05 Genesis 8:1
But God remembered Noah and all the animals in the boat. He sent a wind
to blow across the waters, and the floods began to disappear.
FAITHFULNESS
The Lord Jesus is always faithful. He will never leave you alone. When you
find yourself stranded, at the end of your strength, the Lord is with you.
He knows where you are and what you need. I am grateful the Lord knows
where I am and what I need.
10/06 Genesis 12:4
So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed him, and Lot went with
him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
OBEDIENCE
The Lord does not hide His plan for our life from us. Obedience to what
the Father is calling us to do is critical. When I know that the Lord
wants me to do a certain thing or go in a certain direction I should be
willing to listen and obey.
10/07 Genesis 14:14
When Abram learned that Lot had been captured, he called together the
men born into his household, 318 of them in all. He chased after
Kedorlaomer's army until he caught up with them in Dan.
LOYALTY
Lot chose the easy route and the best land. Abram stayed where he was and
prospered. He also continued to love Lot. I am responsible for the way I
feel and respond to others. When someone close is in trouble I need to be
helpful. Their actions and reactions do not determine what I will do. Love
is my motivation and my forgiveness of someone is automatic.
10/08 Genesis 21:31
So ever since, that place has been known as Beersheba – "well of the
oath" – because that was where they had sworn an oath.
COMMITMENT
Do what you say, say what you do. Life is happening moment by moment. The
ordinary, daily activities of our life are the substance of who we are and
what we are seen as. Do the next right thing.
10/09 Genesis 22:7-8
Isaac said, "Father?""Yes, my son," Abraham replied."We have the wood
and the fire," said the boy, "but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?"
"God will provide a lamb, my son," Abraham answered. And they both went on
together.
OBEDIENCE
Do you think God will provide your lamb? The Father gives us 7,000 plus
promises in His Word. Obedience is first and foremost in reaping the
results of the promises we claim. Obey now. Weakness or circumstances
never excuse us from obedience.
10/10 Genesis 26:23-25
From there Isaac moved to Beersheba, where the LORD appeared to him on
the night of his arrival. "I am the God of your father, Abraham," he said.
"Do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you. I will give you
many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will do this
because of my promise to Abraham, my servant." Then Isaac built an altar
there and worshiped the LORD. He set up his camp at that place, and his
servants dug a well.
TRUST
I can trust the Lord. In victory and defeat I can trust the Lord. One of
His praiseworthy characteristics is trustworthiness. As Jesus steadfastly
walked to the cross we see trust in action. I can trust the Lord.
10/11 Genesis 35:13-15
Then God went up from the place where he had spoken to Jacob. Jacob set
up a stone pillar to mark the place where God had spoken to him. He then
poured wine over it as an offering to God and anointed the pillar with
olive oil. Jacob called the place Bethel – "house of God" – because God
had spoken to him there.
FAITHFULNESS
Keep a spiritual journal. When the Lord speaks to you record it and
remember it. Use it to remind you of how faithful the Lord is. It will be
valuable during your times of struggle and difficulty. The Father speaks
to us a lot. The problem is that we aren’t good listeners. Our
faithfulness is based on His character and not our experience.
10/12 Genesis 39:23
The chief jailer had no more worries after that, because Joseph took
care of everything. The LORD was with him, making everything run smoothly
and successfully.
FAITHFULNESS
God is faithful. He loves us. Victory is not the measurement of our
success in our spiritual relationship. We must be broken to accomplish the
plan that the Father has for us. The Lord’s victory will come from our
brokenness. The Lord will use us as we are available.
10/13 Genesis 46:2-3
During the night God spoke to him in a vision. "Jacob! Jacob!" he
called. "Here I am," Jacob replied. "I am God," the voice said, "the God
of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will see to it
that you become a great nation there.
VICTORY
We are victorious when we let the Lord use us. We don’t have to know what
every step will be. Obedience and a listening ear are required. The Lord
will use you. His plan for you is perfect. You are important to Him.
10/14 Exodus 1:8
Then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about
Joseph or what he had done.
OBEDIENCE
People don’t have to know who we are for the Lord to use us. Guns and
armies don’t conquer evil. Only in Christ will we ever accomplish the
eternal purposes that the Lord has lined out for our lives. Jesus is God’s
everything.
10/15 Exodus 4:1
But Moses protested again, "Look, they won't believe me! They won't do
what I tell them. They'll just say, 'The LORD never appeared to you.'"
TRUST
You know when the Lord speaks to you. You know the right thing to do.
Trust the Lord. Trust Him to know what is best for you. Don’t just rely on
your mind, trust in the Lord and faithfully serve Him. Do what Jesus says.
10/16 Exodus 12:11
"Wear your traveling clothes as you eat this meal, as though prepared
for a long journey. Wear your sandals, and carry your walking sticks in
your hands. Eat the food quickly, for this is the LORD's Passover.
OBEDIENCE
We are trained to question orders. It is important in a free society to
make sure that we understand what we are doing and why we are doing it.
When Jesus gives us orders we are called to obey. Spiritual wisdom comes
from the Lord. I am called to a relationship with Jesus so that I know
when He is speaking to me. When Jesus speaks I need to develop a habit of
obedience. This is impossible for the human mind but normal for the
surrendered heart.
10/17 Exodus 15:2-3
The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my victory. He is my
God, and I will praise him; he is my father's God, and I will exalt him!
The LORD is a warrior; yes, the LORD is his name!
VICTORY
My life is valuable. Jesus died for me. His grace and mercy is effective
and effectual in my life. I can walk in victory. I can rejoice in all
things. I am not forgotten, second class, a loser or too late. I am a
child of God and as such participate in His victory with every breath I
take.
10/18 Exodus 20:1-2
Then God instructed the people as follows: "I am the LORD your God, who
rescued you from slavery in Egypt. "Do not worship any other gods besides
me.
SALVATION
The Lord has rescued me. I am no longer dead in my trespasses but am now
alive in Jesus. Christ has set me free. How remarkable and miraculous. I
belong to Jesus. He is Lord.
10/19 Leviticus 19:2
"Say this to the entire community of Israel: You must be holy because
I, the LORD your God, am holy.
HOLY
Our Lord is unique and one of a kind. He demands that we be holy just as
He is holy. Holiness marks us as different from the world. We recognize
who we belong to and who we serve. We are not tied to the things that are
passing away nor are we overwhelmed by the spirit of defeat. Our God is
Lord. Jesus has rescued me from death to life. I am is here with me.
10/20 Numbers 13:31-33
But the other men who had explored the land with him answered, "We
can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" So they spread
discouraging reports about the land among the Israelites: "The land we
explored will swallow up any who go to live there. All the people we saw
were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt like
grasshoppers next to them, and that's what we looked like to them!"
TRUST
Trust is not a thought. Trust is the way we act in light of the
trustworthiness of the person we trust. I love the Lord. One of His
primary characteristics is His love for me. I can trust the Lord whatever
obstacles I face. When I get a word from the Lord to do something I can
trust Him to provide.
10/21 Numbers 21:4
Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to
the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient
along the way,
OBEDIENCE
I am called to obedience. The Lord is in control and has a plan for me. As
I work His plan it is imperative that I listen to Him and do what He says.
If I am to follow the Lord I must be committed to being obedient. One of
the critical elements of Christian maturity is obedience.
10/22 Deuteronomy 6:4-5
"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love
the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your
strength.
LOVE
If I love the Lord it will radically change my life. I will no longer gaze
at the physical world, daily enumerating the things and opportunities I
don’t have. My focus will be on Jesus. I will listen to Him every day and
as best I can obey Him. My divided heart will be united in a singular
focus on serving the Lord.
10/23 Deuteronomy 34:4
Then the LORD said to Moses, "This is the land I promised on oath to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I told them I would give it to their
descendants. I have now allowed you to see it, but you will not enter the
land."
OBEDIENCE
The world criticizes Christianity. Our tenets of love, service and
surrender are out of step with the focus of the world. Jesus did not
mislead us. The glitter of the world is superficial. Our obedience to
Jesus changes us to the very marrow of our soul. I must be about my
Father’s business because too many lost people are depending on me to
share the Gospel.
10/24 Joshua 2:17-18
Before they left, the men told her, "We can guarantee your safety only
if you leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window. And all your
family members – your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives –
must be here inside the house.
PROMISES
There are 7,000 plus promises from the Lord in the Bible. It is a message
written to you and me about our Creator’s great love for us. The Lord is
faithful and trustworthy. He will see us through disaster, tribulation and
failure. He is a great and mighty Lord.
10/25 Joshua 24:15
But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you
will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the
Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now
live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD."
COMMITMENT
Choices are the everyday events that shape our lives. Will I choose to
organize my time to have a daily quiet time with the Lord? Will I choose
to do the next right thing in every aspect of my life? Godly choices
create a mature Christian life.
10/26 Judges 4:14
Then Deborah said to Barak, "Get ready! Today the LORD will give you
victory over Sisera, for the LORD is marching ahead of you." So Barak led
his ten thousand warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle.
VICTORY
I woke up in victory today. Jesus paid the price for my sin. He broke the
chains of bondage to sin that separated me from the Lord. Every step I
take today is a step of victory. The victory belonged to Jesus. Now
throughout eternity I will live in His victory.
10/27 Judges 6:36-37
Then Gideon said to God, "If you are truly going to use me to rescue
Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put some wool
on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the
morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to
help me rescue Israel as you promised."
TRUST
Are you willing to do what the Lord has asked you to do? The Lord will
give you touchstones of confidence when you are committed to doing the
right thing. The problem in too many Christians lives is that they are
committed to themselves and not to the Lord. Jesus will give us
direction for our lives.
10/28 Judges 16:20
Then she cried out, "Samson! The Philistines have come to capture
you!" When he woke up, he thought, "I will do as before and shake myself
free." But he didn't realize the LORD had left him.
RELATIONSHIP
The Lord never changes. He loves us and is always seeking our best good.
When you find yourself at the end of your rope and your entire world has
crashed in upon you, stop and seek the Lord. Often times because of
omission or commission we have forgotten our relationship with the Lord.
Jesus will be right where you left Him, seeking to help you live your
life.
10/29 Judges 18:31
So Micah's carved image was worshiped by the tribe of Dan as long as
the Tabernacle of God remained at Shiloh.
WORSHIP
What a friend or respected associate believes is not what we need to
learn and follow. We must follow Jesus. We can only do that when we have
a personal, growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. You are the
only person that can make the right Godly choices for your life. Get
busy and seek the Lord.
10/30 Ruth 4:17
The neighbor women said, "Now at last Naomi has a son again!" And
they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather
of David.
CONTROL
God is in control. I often do not understand what the Lord is up to.
This I know. Jesus loves me. The Lord is at work seeking my best good.
He will not forsake me. I can trust the Lord because He knows what He is
doing.
10/31 1 Samuel 1:26-27
"Sir, do you remember me?" Hannah asked. "I am the woman who stood
here several years ago praying to the LORD. I asked the LORD to give me
this child, and he has given me my request.
PRAYER
God answers prayer. Sometimes He says no. Sometimes He says yes.
Sometimes it seems as though the Lord is simply being quiet. We can
trust the Lord. We can talk with Him about anything and everything. I am
learning to unburden my heart before the Lord and listen for His
guidance.
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Scripture quotations are
taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright© 1996. Used by permission of
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
NASB Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New American
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reserved by the Lockman Foundation.
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