Question for the day: Has it ever been expensive for you to stand up for what is right? When? Why?
What can we pray for YOU about today?
Good morning,
This is just a reminder that every day, while we are studying God’s Word to add to our website, someone from our ministry, Dysmas Conduit, is holding you up before the Lord in prayer. May He greatly bless you today as you pursue His will and He is glorified through you.
God’s blessings, our love,
George & Sidney Granger
FREE FOOD
(Isa 55:1)
Today in God’s Word
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2009
Please join your brothers and sisters
studying and praying with us today…
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR TODAY
August 11, 2009
Choosing God's Plans
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Devotion:
Several years ago, I was sitting in a management meeting, when my manager suggested we kick off the meeting by allowing each person the opportunity to say what they felt was their most important contribution to the company.
One by one, each person spoke, stating things like, "to decrease overall expenses"; "to lower headcount"; etc. When my turn came, my heart fluttered, and I felt compelled to share that I felt my primary purpose was to counsel employees, encourage them, and help them work through personal or work related issues. You could have heard a pin drop in that room, as everyone stared at me with blank faces.
You see, the months leading up to this meeting, there had been a lot of issues going on in the company. There were office politics, power struggles, lofty egos, and people had been hurt.
As a result of my position, people would often come to me for guidance. God had been leading unexpected people into my office for weeks and opened the door for me to minister to believers and non-believers with the love of Christ. He'd also given me the desire and courage to be a light for Him, in an environment that didn't operate under Christian principles. He had ordained opportunities for me to share how Jesus gives true peace and acceptance, even when people and politics cause pain and disappointment.
My supervisor was not a believer, so he didn't appreciate my answer to his question. He wanted to hear how I was going to streamline procedures and improve his department, not what was on my heart, and as a result, our relationship went downhill from there.
A year or so later, I resigned from that position. The atmosphere had simply become too difficult, but more importantly, I knew God had been nudging me to make a change. I felt called to serve in ministry and to be a stay at home mom. All that time, I had been walking in disobedience.
When I resigned, it felt like a sacrifice. However, I quickly discovered that God's plan was so much better than mine. I realized that I had been unable to understand His plan, until I was willing to lay aside my own, and that I had to choose Him, before He could show me His will for my life. Had I simply said what I knew my boss wanted to hear in that meeting, I might still be working there, climbing the corporate ladder, and striving to reach my career goals.
But God had been working on my heart for years, preparing me for that moment. He had gradually shifted my desires to building His kingdom, more so than building my resume. He had inspired me to see the hearts of the people in my office, not just the problems in the people. And He had helped me to see that lasting success and happiness could be found in Him alone, not through my own accomplishments.
Was making that change easy? Or course not. Did I have to make difficult sacrifices? Most definitely. But was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY!
Regardless of where you work, you can make a spiritual difference in people's lives. Whether you work in corporate offices or a Christian ministry, when facing a difficult choice, you can trust that God has prepared and equipped you for such a time as this.
Pray for strength to stand up for God's truth, even against all odds, and ask Him to lead you in your decisions.
Choosing Christ's plans, over our own plans, will always result in more peace or blessing than we could never imagine.
Dear Lord, it is not always easy to stand up for you in the face of opposition, or to make choices that seem outside of our understanding. I seek your guidance, and your divine wisdom and discernment regarding the decisions in my life. I do desire to do your will. Thank you for never leaving me. Please help me to be strong in You, and for you, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Application Steps:
Consider a hard decision that God has been calling you to make, and pray for His wisdom.
Write down the steps you can take to begin working towards a goal that God has placed in your heart.
Reflections:
Is God calling me to make a change or a decision that requires sacrifice?
Do I trust that God ordains all things?
Power Verses:
1 Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (NIV)
1 Corinthians 16:13, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." (NIV)
…and…
Back to the Bible
Woodrow Kroll and Tami Weissert
Jesus: Ruler over Kings;
the One Who Loved Us
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
We talk about Jesus the King but He's a King unlike any other.
And He's the King who loves us, as you'll see today with Back to the Bible...
Series: 25 Portraits of Jesus in Revelation (Week 1 of 3)
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Back_to_the_Bible/
GDLC Message: http://www.gdlc.org/worship/sermons.aspx
Today’s Chapter in God’s Word
Luke 21
(New International Version Translation)
LISTEN AT
http://www.audiotreasure.com/webindex.htm
As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. [2] He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. [3] "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. [4] All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
[5] Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, [6] "As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down."
[7] "Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"
[8] He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. [9] When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away."
[10] Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. [11] There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
[12] "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. [13] This will result in your being witnesses to them. [14] But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. [15] For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. [16] You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. [17] All men will hate you because of me. [18] But not a hair of your head will perish. [19] By standing firm you will gain life.
[20] "When you see
[25] "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. [26] Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. [27] At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. [28] When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
[29] He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. [30] When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. [31] Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the
[32] "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. [33] Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
[34] "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. [35] For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. [36] Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of
[37] Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the
A question on today’s Scripture: Luke 21:1-4
When was the last time you were generous
beyond the point of convenience or safety?
CURRENT PRAYER REQUESTS:
Please pray for Mike and Sandy Brommer as they spread the Lord’s Seed and witness to His glory while on the road today. Please pray also that the Lord will lead him to Kingdom-profitable loads to carry, and that He grants them safe passage today from
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING FOR PASTOR BOB ALLMANN
Pastor Bob is doing so well that he gave his testimony about his accident and road to recovery at St. Mark Lutheran Church in
Please continue to pray for Billy Hamburg, whose doctors found 5 tumors in his bladder. He had surgery June 29th and the biopsy results showed a cancerous condition. He will be undergoing chemo & radiation treatments and will need the Lord’s Hand to overcome his anxiety as well as the cancer.
Please take a few minutes every day to pray for 11-year-old Dasia who underwent a bone marrow transplant in December. She has been at at U of M since Monday (Aug. 3rd) with a fungus in her lungs that is untreatable apart from surgery, to take out the part of the lung with the fungus. The doctors said that Dasia may not even make it out of the OR. It is an extremely risky surgery, with a high mortality rate. If she makes it out of the OR she will have to be on a ventilator for quite some time. She has been through so much already in her young life. Please pray that God would stretch his healing hand over her and breath new life into her. That He protects her during the surgery and that she comes out without complications.
Prayer requests from Messiah’s communication cards:
Judy Wachowiak: Please pray for Wayne Reinberg had a stroke on 4/20.
Tim Sentz: Please pray for me, my family, friends, and relatives.
Lynn/Mitch Gilbert: Please pray for strength, endurance, joy for the continued family illnesses.
Dan Dore: Please pray for my boy’s attitude.
Jeff/Becky Minnis: Thank you for all your prayers for my granddaughter, Aly. God is listening.
CONFIDENTIAL: Please pray for the strength to get thru some financial struggles. Also, for the adjustment of a new school system for my boys.
Friendship, single parent support needs to be found!
Sara Mayer: Please pray for my marriage Sept 3
Greg/Tina Schmidt: Please pray for surgery recovery
Ron/Tracey Grift: Please pray for our family as we continue with the divorce and a leave of absence from work. Hopefully no lay off.
Al/Ann Gay: Please pray for Linda Alexander and Jon French
Dwyane Colbert: Please pray for my new home and my son and his mother
Wallace/Betty Lout Rodammer: Please pray for Steve Dasher, surgery on Monday Aug 10. He is our son-in-law.
Carol Greyerbiehl: Please pray for Judy, she had her last chemo treatment on Friday. Praise God. Thanks for all your prayers.
CONFIDENTIAL: I need help to relax, not be so up-tight. My anger gets the best of me.
CONFIDENTIAL: Please pray for
Charlie/Jill Breedlove: Please pray that results will be great from Charlie’s MRI
CONFIDENTIAL: Please pray for Pat, patience waiting for surgery. Cathy, healing of eye surgery, son-in-law’s healing.
Alexa Mathews: Please pray for Mary Winchell from the loss of her husband, Brad.
Dick/Sharon Kidder: Please pray for my sister Nancy who is disabled.
Vern/Kristine Pratt: Thank you for a safe return from military training. Please pray for strength to bolster my patience with others as my unit moves closer to the date of our departure.
Joseph Booth: Please pray for Derek Lutz in Covenant ICU
Linda Radek: Please pray for Stefan goes to Ft Riley this Sat.
Moses Delu: Please pray for God’s will to be done in my life and for God to use me for his glory.
Ken Hicks: Thanks for all the abundant blessings.
Gordon/Karlina Grant: Please pray for Joe Wray’s family
Angela Becker: Please pray for Datte’s and our immediate family. Our family continues to be under stress & dysfunction and we need extra prayers, to heal the brokenness.
Please pray for me as I just found out I will be having surgery this Thursday and it is expected I will spend one night at the hospital. Steve is still in
An observation on today’s Scripture question on:
Luke 21:1-4
This widow gave all she had to live on, in contrast to the way most of us handle our money. When we consider giving a certain percentage of our income a great accomplishment, we resemble those who gave "out of their wealth." Here, Jesus was admiring generous and sacrificial giving. As believers, we should consider increasing our giving — whether of money, time, or talents — to a point beyond convenience or safety. —Life Application Bible Notes
Find us at…
http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php#
or
No comments:
Post a Comment