Week #94 God's Goodness

Hello all...grabbed another devotional from Dr. Charles Stanley's InTouch Magazine on Doubting God's Goodness in our lives. Check it out and leave a comment if you can.

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Genesis 3:1-7 (New American Standard Bible)

The Fall of Man

¹Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" ²The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; ³but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'" ⁴The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!

⁵"For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." ⁶When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they ^F)">knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

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Living in this fallen world can challenge our faith in God’s goodness. The pain and suffering that resulted from Adam and Eve’s sin may cloud our understanding of the Lord and tempt us to blame Him for every difficulty. Then we might wonder why He doesn’t always relieve hardship, fix our problems, and give us what we want.

When Eve listened to the serpent’s lies, she began to doubt that the Lord had made the right choice in forbidding her to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Why would He deprive her of wisdom and the enjoyment of food that looked so desirable?

Our thoughts are similar to Eve’s when we do not agree with our Father about what is best for us. From a human perspective, “good” refers to that which is enjoyable, delightful, comfortable, or profitable. But God has a much higher standard and is always working to achieve His purpose—to develop Christ-like character within His children.

Behind every restriction or commandment from the Lord is His loving care for His followers. He knows the tormenting consequences of sin and wants to deter us from rebellious choices that will wreck our lives. In refusing His will, we choose pain and trouble.

Eve learned through disobedience that God knows what is best. We have opportunity each day to discover His goodness by listening to His voice, obeying His commands, and trusting His wisdom. Whatever comes our way, we can know that He is working for both our temporal and eternal good.

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Here is a link to the link on the InTouch website: Doubting God's Goodness December 2009

© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.

Week #85 it starts with ONE (week 3)

Acts 3 - "It Starts With One" Small Group DVD from Seacoast Church on Vimeo.

Once the early church received the Holy Spirit, everything changed. This week we will look at what it means to listen to and respond to the Holy Spirit.
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+READ Acts 3:1-10

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Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar

Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded!

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What did the lame man ask of Peter and John? What did they give him instead?

How can we tell when the Holy Spirit is prompting us to act?



+READ Acts 3:11-16

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11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.

Peter Preaches in the Temple

12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. 14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!

16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.

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Share about any Holy Spirit miracles you’ve witnessed, big or small.

Where do you currently need a Holy Spirit type of faith?

How can you make yourself available for God to use in supernatural ways?

#78 Just a Little Bit More

This post is coming from the One Year Mini Devotional for Students book I have. Check it out...
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Can I find contentment?

GOD'S RESPONSE
I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.

Philippians 4:11-12

Contentment is among life's most elusive qualities. The answer to "How much is enough?" always seems to be, "Just a little bit more." The key to Paul's contentment was that he was grateful for everything God had given him rather than envious of what he didn't have. Contentment begins with realizing that we aren't dependent on how much we own. When we realize that there is more to life than accumulating things, everything takes on a new value. Knowing that Jesus gives you strength and help for every situation you face gives you freedom from having to find your security in possessions.

THIS IS PROMISING
I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

Week #77 I Need a Job...

These days, there are a lot of people saying, "I need a job." There are some who simply can't find a job and there are a lot of us that have jobs but want new ones. While thinking about this, I began thinking about my talents and my interests and how many people have jobs where they are unable to use their God given talents the way they should be and how many people are working jobs that they have no interest in. Too many of us have simply taken jobs for paychecks and not gone after jobs that we were called to do.

Obviously in today's world, we have to work and we have to make money some way to survive. The world's economy today does not help matters much when it comes to being picky about the type of job you have either. Bare with me as I try to throw some Jesus on the points I'm trying to make...

One of the toughest questions you can ask someone is...What do you want to do with your life? With all the different career options out there, how do you narrow down your search? To start off, you have to take a look at the things you are good at. Maybe you are good with numbers or maybe you have a special bond with kids. It will be very hard to find a job that will allow you to use all of your talents and abilities, but through prayer and some soul searching, hopefully you will be able to find a career that you will be good at and a career that you will enjoy doing.

I know things don't always work out this way (personal experience). Sometimes you have to take a job out of necessity. When this happens you have to trust that God will make use of your time at that job and will allow you to use the skills you acquire there in your future. We have to remember that God is not into wasting His time or ours. Our lives here are too short. He has a purpose for each of us and we have to trust that He knows what is best for us and will help get us where He wants us. He just asks that we do the best that we can with the jobs that He gives us and He will do the rest.

So Potiphar arrested Joseph and put him into the prison....But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. The Lord caused the prison warden to like Joseph. The prison warden chose Joseph to take care of all the prisoners. He was responsible for whatever was done in the prison. The warden paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's care. This was because the Lord was with Joseph. The Lord made Joseph successful in everything he did.

Genesis 39:20-23

Week #70 Renewal

...the inward man is being renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:16 NKJV

When we genuinely lift our hearts and prayers to God, He renews our strength. Are you almost too weary to lift your head? Then bow it. Offer your concerns and your fears to your Father in heaven. He is always at your side, offering His love and His strength.

Are you troubled and anxious? Take your anxieties to God in prayer. Are you weak or worried? Delve in the quiet moments of the early morning. Are you spiritually exhausted? Call upon fellow believers to support you, and call upon Christ to renew your spirit and your life. Your Savior will never let you down. To the contrary, He will always lift you up if you ask Him to. So what, dear friend, are you waiting for?

He is the God of wholeness and restoration.

Stormie Omartian

--A Prayer--

Dear Lord, You have the power to make all things new. When I grow weary, let me turn my thoughts and my prayers to You. When I am discouraged, restore my faith in You. Renew my strength, Father, and let me draw comfort and courage from Your promises and from Your unending love. Amen.

Week #68 Health

This week's post comes from the "Walking with Christ Every Day" 365 daily devotions for teachers book. I have quite a few friends going through different things, either themselves or their family members...suffering from physical sickness or mental and spiritual downers...so this topic seemed just right.

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Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

Romans 12:1

Are you concerned about your spiritual, physical, or emotional health? If so, there is a timeless source of comfort and assurance that is as near as your next breath. That source of comfort, of course, is God.

God is concerned about every aspect of your life, including your health. And, when you face concerns of any sort--including health-related challenges, God is with you. So trust your medical doctor to do his or her part, and turn to your family and friends for moral, physical, and spiritual support. But don't be afraid to place your ultimate trust in your benevolent Heavenly Father. His healing touch, like His love, endures forever.

A Christian should no more defile his body than a Jew would defile the temple.

Warren Wiersbe

--A Prayer--

Lord, when I am ill or weak or troubled, You heal me. Renew me, Father, and let me trust Your will for my life. Let me welcome Your unending love and Your healing touch, now and forever. Amen.

Week #62 Psalm 34:14 by Catie

Ok Bloggerians this may seem super simple, but I have been focusing on this particular verse in Psalms that I wanted to share and somewhat expound on.

"Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Ps. 34:14

I am not sure why this statement grabbed my attention like it did... I give props to the Holy Spirit. For the past few months I have found myself dealing with negative thoughts and ugly perceptions of myself related to sin in my life. The pastor at East Cooper Baptist church spoke this past Sunday about having a joyful repentance. I have repented, but my life has been devoid of a joyful repentance. I like the verse above for its imperative nature, but also the charge to seek peace. Once I have joyfully repented, there is no reason to even consider my past sin. The negative thoughts and regrets have no place in my life and in my heart... they have to be replaced --with peace. As Mr. CS Lewis so nicely says in Mere Christianity, " If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them (Jesus)." So I hope that we as Christians can honestly ask ourselves: Are we proactively pursuing our Savior. It can be for any and every reason... for me right now, I must get close to and be grateful for his ability to take my sins and make them disappear. Once that area in my life experiences his peace, I will need to get closer to Him for a reason that is just as important I am sure!

Anyway, one further thought concerning disappointing God(sinning) and the bonus of salvation through Jesus Christ...Pastor Brown(ECBC) provided an AWESOME quote that I really wanted to share: Mercy reduces deserved punishment but grace rewards those who deserve punishment. It seemed a bit heavy to me at first, but after giving it some time to sink in I felt like this definition of mercy and grace were perfect for me and I hope they help you guys too. On the cross Christ managed to take my punishment(mercy) AND saturate me to blessings and rewards(grace). In my personal opinion no one can do anything more compelling for me.. ever.

I don't really have a "charge" to leave you with... but just a sense of how we were before Christ and how we are now, IN Christ, basking in mercy and grace.. fully aware of what has been done, what will be done and what can be done through Christ.

By: Catie

Week #49 Waiting on God

20 We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.

22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33: 20-22

Because our God is an all-knowing, wise, and loving heavenly Father, we’ll always benefit when we follow His schedule. However, waiting on Him can feel difficult.

Throughout the Bible, we read of people who experienced delays before God acted on what He had promised. In the following examples, notice how patience and obedience led to blessing:

1. Noah was told to build an ark because a flood was coming. When the rain did not arrive, his neighbors must have thought him a fool. Yet Noah trusted God and continued to work (Gen. 6:12-22).

2. After reluctantly agreeing to approach Pharaoh about releasing the Jewish slaves, Moses learned it would take a number of warnings before God’s plan would be fulfilled (Ex. 7:1-7).

3. Jesus’ disciples were told to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4).

When I was a young boy, I learned the importance of patience. After having me plant some seeds in her garden, my mother explained what would happen. First, green sprouts would appear, and then the plants would develop. I kept a close watch on that area, but nothing seemed to be happening. One day I decided to dig up those seeds to see if there was any progress. I found no plants at all. My impatience did not produce any fruit.

The Lord has a plan for each of us, and the timing of every detail is always right. Are you living according to His schedule?

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© 2008 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.

Week #41 All Shook Up

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your
holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is
righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no
slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and
casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but
honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when
it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not
accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these
things will never be shaken.

Psalms 15:1-5

We are all faced with challenges. Some challenges come in the form of "big trouble" while other challenges are "small potatoes." How we respond to these daily challenges speaks volumes about our commitment to God and our maturity as one of His followers.

In the verses above, we are given clear answers on how we are to live our lives so that we will "never be shaken." Doing what is righteous, keeping your promises even when it hurts, lending money without usury, and being nice to your neighbors...sounds simple enough right? Then why do we have so much trouble doing (or not doing) the things listed in these verses? Best answer: we are weak. Psalm 37:5 says that if you commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will help you.

God is on our side. He wants us to live lives pleasing to Him. He wants to help us live that kind of life. If we give ourselves to Him and trust Him, He will help us. Every day is a challenge...we have to decide if we are going to follow Christ and trust Him with the things we are faced with or are we going to take on the world on our own. With God on our side, we have no reason to ever be shaken. If we are walking in His light, doing the things that are pleasing to Him, we won't be shaken. The question is...do we trust Him? Are we willing to do what He has asked us to do?

Week #39 September 11, 2001

Email "chain letter" with a powerful message.

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL'

You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
is OK..I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed
breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
tried to understand his words and as she realized
he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been
knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
'Of course I will show you the way home - only
believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest
ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to h is Flock in Heaven. He
hea rd my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
with every prayer. I was with the crew as they
were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
believers there, comforting and assuring them that their
faith has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan ...
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me
for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the
smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take
my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
may not know why, but I do. However, if you were
there in that explosive moment in time, would y o u have
reached for Me?

Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey
for you. But someday your journey will end. And I
will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are
'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

-GodLet's remember those who lost their lives 7 years ago and their friends and families. Pray for our country, those fighting for our country, and those leading our country.

Week #30 What is True Success?

We all want good things. We want to have decent cars, nice clothes, a high paying job, a nice house, and our own personal chef. These are things I think we can all agree on. But does having these things mean our lives are successful? How does God view true success?

It is natural to want to be successful. Nobody wants to be a failure (I used to, but not anymore). When thinking about success, it is important for us to be sure that we have God's perspective on success. I doubt very many of us view success the same way God does. True success is not how much money we may make, how famous we may become, or how much we may accomplish over a lifetime. True success is obeying God and His commands. If we are obedient to God, we will accomplish all that He wants us to accomplish, and that is enough.

In Jeremiah 45:2-5, God tells Baruch not to seek out great things for himself, but to simply do what the Lord told him and the Lord would take care of him. If we are obedient to God, He will take care of us and we will be successful wherever He leads us. We may not be successful as the world would define success, but we will be successful in God's eyes...which is what truly matters. We endure our greatest successes when we allow God to carry out His plans through us.

God created each one of us for a purpose. We are all blessed with certain skills and talents. He wants us to make use of the skills and opportunities He provides us with. If we listen and obey God, we will be successful.

Week #24 Scaredy Cat

What's wrong with being afraid?

READ: Mark 5:22-23, 35-36; Mark 6:49-50

Jesus tells us not to be afraid. Jesus knows that fear paralyzes us and keeps us from doing things that God wants us to do. Everything God has called us to do is not going to be easy. Some things require us to have courage and to trust God to take care of us.

Fear convinces us that we will fail, that we will let other people down, and that God will not help us when we need him to. Fear causes us not to think straight. We become overwhelmed with what other people are thinking and all the bad things that could possibly happen. We should not be concerned with these things.

We do not have to worry about what other people think of us, we only need to be concerned with what God thinks of us. God is in complete control of our lives. Nothing will happen to us that He doesn't already know about and He will not put anything on our plates that we are not able to handle with His help. When we become afraid, we should immediately turn our focus to God. Whether we fear having talk to a group of people, fear not being able to find a job, or fear not being able to pay a bill on time, we can focus on the image of God fighting by our side and our fear will fade.

Do not be afraid; for I am with you.

Isaiah 43:5a

Week #14 Trustworthy...

What makes God trustworthy?
READ: Deuteronomy 1:35-36; Joshua 14:13-14; Hebrews 6:18; Psalm 89:34-35; Titus 1:2

God is trustworthy because He keeps His promises. Caleb trusted in God even when the rest of the Israelites rebelled. Caleb went through the hardships along with the nation, but while others were dying off, he was kept alive. When the nation finally entered the land, Caleb received his reward...and he was still strong enough to fight for it! Like Caleb, we should trust God to keep His promises. The Bible is full of promises that we can relate directly to our lives today.

Have you ever wondered if there is anything that God cannot do? Well, actually there is something God can't do. He cannot lie. God is truth, and He is the source of all truth. His promises are completely dependable and trustworthy because God cannot go back on His word.

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 9:10

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How can I avoid trusting the wrong people or the wrong things?
READ: Jeremiah 17:5-8; Proverbs 25:19; Psalm 118:8-9; Isaiah 12:2; Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 125:1

Trust is a tricky thing. Knowing whom you can trust is not always clear. This is especially true when you look around and see so many people in high positions who abuse their power and hurt those who depend on them. What can you do? Start by observing the character and actions of people around you. Notice who is consistently truthful and reliable. Who treats others as they would like to be treated? Keep in mind that even the most godly person you know will make mistakes and sometimes let you down. So, you shouldn't look for people to give you what only God can provide. Only God is completely trustworthy.

Pulled from: The One Year Mini For Students (Devotional)