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 #90 The Trinity Breakdown

Matthew 28:19

Our God consists of 3 persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each is characterized by the same attributes. They are all:

• Eternal - always existing, no beginning or end
• Omniscient - unlimited knowledge
• Omnipotent - infinite power/authority
• Omnipresent - present everywhere at the same time
• Immutable - unchangeable

However...they each have a unique function. Here's a simplified breakdown mostly focusing on the "3rd person" the Holy Spirit.

#1 The Father - Our Creator

• The Father controls the universe and every aspect of our life.

• The Father oversees circumstances and events so that each situation can be used for our good. (Romans 8:28) *This doesn't mean that only good/pleasurable things will come to Christians...but if we read on in Romans 8, we see that even the difficult experiences (v. 35-39) can be used in God's overall plan for Good...and nothing can separate us from the Love of God.

#2 The Son - Our Savior

• Jesus Christ took on flesh and blood and became fully man-while simultaneously remaining fully God-and lived among men. (John 14:9)

• He came to earth with the express purpose of dying on the cross, where He paid the debt for our sins with a perfect sacrifice acceptable to a Holy Father.

• Today, the Son sits at the Father's right hand and intercedes on for us.

#3 The Holy Spirit - Our Helper

• The Holy Spirit resides within every believer, starting at the moment of salvation.

• From the spirit, we receive our spiritual gifts (prophecy, great faith, knowledge, wisdom, etc.) and the power to do the work the Father calls us to do (witnessing, teaching, sharing/giving our time, money, knowledge, etc...).

The "Person" of the Holy Spirit - John 16:5-15

• The Holy Spirit is a person. We know this because Scripture tells us He has four imporant qualities of a person - knowledge, will, emotion, and activity. The Spirit KNOWS God's thoughts and reveals them to Christians (1 Corinthians 2:10-11). He exercises His WILL in the distribution of spiritual gifts to believers (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). He is also FULL OF LOVE (Romans 15:30), and ACTS as our comforter, helper, teacher, and guide.

• The Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son. After Jesus returned to Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to Live within Believers.

• By having the Holy Spirit in us, we are identified as God's own! It separates us from the unbelieving world and serves as a divine guarantee that we belong to God forever.

• The Spirit's work is to conform us to Christ's image (Galatians 5:16) and to live Jesus' life through us.

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It basically comes down to us as Believers having Faith that God's Word is true. We are told that upon receiving Salvation, we are given the Holy Spirit and that He resides in us forever. God started it all...Jesus came to earth in the flesh and died for our sins so that we could be forgiven and have access to Heaven/God...and when Jesus ascended into Heaven He left believers with the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we could have Him with us at all times.

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Some material gathered from InTouch.org by searching "Trinity"

#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 #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 #56 God's Field

"For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building."

1 Corinthians 3:9

In church this past Sunday, the Pastor referred to Christians as "God's field". I must say I have never thought of myself as God's field or any other kind of field for that matter. But, as the Pastor talked about how a farmer cultivates his field for growing crops, I began to see the comparison. He plows the field. He fertilizes the field. He plants the seed. He waters the field. Ultimately, that is exactly what God does with us. We are a field that God is constantly cultivating to bring forth fruit – win souls to Christ – show Christ's love to others – maintain a personal relationship with Him. When we accept Christ as our Savior we are a big open field. God begins to work with us. He begins to "grow" us into what he wants us to be. He must remove the weeds that have grown up in our lives and prepare us for His service.

A farmer starts this process over each season. I believe that is how God works with us. As Christians, we allow "weeds" to sprout up in our lives. We move away from God. We allow our soil to become "dead". We stop producing new fruit. God, just like the farmer, begins anew with us as we go through the different seasons in our lives. He never stops working with us. He never stops cultivating us.

It is amazing to me how God can take something that is completely dead and bring it back to life. Just as the farmer takes dirt, plants a seed and produces (only by God's hand) something useful. It is a continual thing. The farmer never stops cultivating the land and our God never stops working with us.

If you've ever seen a field at the end of the season, it is not a pretty sight. But wait until the farmer begins working the land for the next season and over a period of time it becomes beautiful again. Just as our lives become fruitful and meaningful as God works with us. I am so grateful that God doesn't give up on me. That he is willing to work with me as I go through the seasons of my life. That He looks at me with love and understanding, knowing that I am a "work in progress" that only He can complete.

By: Diana Abercrombie

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 #44 The Real Deal

Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me -- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father -- and I lay down my life for the sheep."

John 10:7-15

Jesus says it all in these verses. He cares for us, He laid down His life for us, He protects us, and He knows us and we can know Him. I say we "can" know Him because that is a decision that each one of us has to make personally. Jesus wants a personal relationship with everybody...but not everybody wants a personal relationship with Him (but that is another blog topic I will get into at another time).

In these verses, Jesus puts His love for us into a simple illustration of a shepherd with his sheep. Jesus is to us, what a shepherd is to his flock of sheep. Sheep under the watchful eye of a good shepherd can trust that they will be safe from harm and trust that the shepherd wouldn't do anything to lead the sheep astray. If they do find themselves in trouble, they know that their shepherd is going to protect them and help them through whatever troubles they come across. A good shepherd realizes that he owns those sheep and that if he doesn't take care of them...no one will. Well, the wolf would, but he wouldn't be a good stepshepherd.

Without a shepherd, sheep are vulnerable. Sheep are curious and oftentimes hard-headed. They constantly need guidance and correction. People are the same way. That is why Jesus' example of the "Good Shepherd" is so awesome! Simple, true, and to the point.

What do you think?

Week #31 Satan

He goes by many names...Satan, the Devil, El Diablo...and he is very real! There is a such thing as spiritual warfare, and believe it or not, there are such things as angels and demons. But this week I want to look into who the devil is and why he is where he is.

Satan and his demons are fighting for souls. Your soul, my soul, and your friend's souls. He is a fallen angel who was booted out of heaven because he rebelled against God. All of the angels that were loyal to satan were also thrown out of heaven...they're what we call demons. Satan wants to defeat God and rule the world. There is one major reason satan hasn't accomplished his goals. That reason is God. God is more powerful than satan. We see in Job 1 and Job 2 that satan has to get permission from God before he acts.

Don't misunderstand what I am saying here...satan is very powerful and has the ability to do a lot of things that could really mess up your life. I just want you to know that when it is all said and done, God and His people will be victorious, not satan (Revelation 20:10). God allows satan to wield a lot of power over the earth for now, because God does not force people to love Him. We have to choose between God and satan. Until we make that decision, satan will do everything in his power to keep us from following God. Once we have chosen to follow God, the battle doesn't end. Instead, satan's new plan is to destroy our walks with God and ruin our testimony. But...with God's great power we can defeat satan.

We have to be aware of the battle going on for our souls. I hope we all have a better understanding of who satan is, and what his goals are. I put different verses up on the right side of the page ---> about satan. Next week we will talk about spiritual warfare and the different ways satan preys on and attacks the world and especially God's children.