Turn my eyes from worthless things

Psalm 119:36-37
36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

I don't have a lot of time but I wanted to make a quick post. It is so easy to get caught up in covetousness and lust of the flesh based on what we set our affections on. Today the Holy Spirit reminded me of this verse: "37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word."
I prayed in my Spirit that the Lord would turn my eyes away from worthless things. The word for worthless in the Hebrew is saw
shav' {shawv} or aw>v; shav {shav}
Meaning: 1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood 1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity 1b) emptiness of speech, lying 1c) worthlessness (of conduct)

I love the King James rendering of verse 37: "37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way."

I have spent myself chasing after the wind to fill a void only to walk away even more discontent than before. Oh if only I would take Him up on His invitation to the thirsty in Isaiah 55!
NIV Isaiah 55:1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

He bids us to turn our eyes from vanity and worthless things, to fix our gaze on Him and delight in the richest of fare! Oh that we would believe Him! I hang my head at the times that I have blended in with the world seeking possessions or relationships to fill the void. I am so thankful that He is the lifter of my head!

I am constantly being challenged in the area of believing God and trusting Him with His words to me. All areas of disobedience in my life stem from this distrust in His word. I want so much to trust and obey and I find the war of flesh and spirit going at it within me. His commands are for my good always. I will reap what I sow and I am thankful for the grace and mercy that God has so freely bestowed on me when I don't get what I deserve. Anyway, I want so much to obey and take Him at His word. I thought this little devotional was so good!

February 22

Experiencing God

Scripture:
Keep My statutes and ordinances; a person will live if he does them. I am the Lord. (Lev. 18:5, Holman CSB)

Thought:
God speaks when He has a purpose in mind for your life. His purpose is to give you true life and not the imitation that the world offers. God knows what it takes to have true life. He spells out the way in His teachings and laws. Do you trust His definition of life?

Prayer:
Author and Creator of life, only You can know what life really is. Help me trust You to lead me to true life. Amen.

Prayer Walking
By James MacDonald

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 2 Chronicles 7:13-15

Is there any part of you that longs to participate in a movement of God that is in direct response to the prayers of His people? Page after page of Scripture reports God at work in areas where people invite Him entrance. First Peter 3:12 says, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.”

Two elderly women in the Hebrides Islands of Scotland in 1949 believed God would bring revival to their islands if they would ask. They walked the county roads praying daily. They challenged their pastor to gather men for focused, fervent prayer. By year’s end, God had faithfully brought a downpour of revival to that spiritually dry land so that no home was left untouched by the power of His Spirit.

Do you have faith to believe that if you would only ask, God would show up and do His work in your home, neighborhood, and church?

Then I challenge you to let your actions reflect your heart. I want you to do something called prayer walking. Begin in your own home. Walk through your rooms and pray for Christ to be exalted where you live. Stand in the kitchen and say, “Jesus, You are welcome to be the center of life here—in our conversations and meals and hospitality that happens here.” Pray the same in your living room and den—everywhere you live.

Second, walk through your neighborhood and call out to God on behalf of the people who live there. If you know their names, pray personally for them to come to Christ. If you don’t, pray, “Lord, if You’ll give me a chance to meet them, I’ll tell them about the phenomenal things You’ve done in my life.”

Third, get to work early or stay late when no one’s around. Walk through, placing your hand on the chairs where people sit and ask for an opportunity to see God move in that place. Do the same at church. Walk through the children’s areas, the classrooms, and the youth center inviting the Lord to move in these places of ministry. Pray at the pastor’s door (he really needs it!) and in the worship center.

Start your prayer walking today. Determine by faith to be part of something God wants to do in the season of history right where you live. Let’s get on our faces before God and cry out to Him for the furthering of His purposes.

http://amygrahammusic.com

Amy's new website! Check it out. I just got the cd this weekend. Let me know if you want one...I'll do what I can. :)

February 18

blackaby

Scripture:
Then he said, "My Lord, if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, my Lord, please go with us. Even though this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wrongdoing and sin, and accept us as Your own possession." (Ex. 34:9, Holman CSB)

Thought:
When Israel had disobeyed, Moses prayed for them. God forgave them, renewed His covenant with them, and promised to do an awesome thing for them. Do you need to pray for forgiveness and renew Your covenant love relationship with God?

Prayer:
Loving and forgiving God, I have sinned. I have neglected You and worshipped the world. Forgive me, renew me, use me. Amen.

"It is the Lord!"

John 21:7 (NIV)
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.

I just got home from a long (but really good) day. I decided to try to get prepared for church in the morning by bathing Morgan tonight instead of having to rush around tomorrow. I turned on the bath tub water and went to the hall closet to get a towel for Morgan. As soon as I came back in the bathroom (5 seconds later) Morgan had jumped in the tub with all of her clothes and shoes on! I walked in and grinned...it was one of those priceless moments. I immediately thought of Peter (from the Bible). As you know he denied Christ three times and no doubt suffered greatly at his very public betrayal of Jesus Christ. So often I have denied Christ my precious Lord and Savior by my actions or words. Anyway, as you know the disciples are depressed after the death of Jesus and like most of us after big tumbles into a pit of sin, Peter went back to doing what he did before...fishing! Instead of fishing for men he was just fishing. I know at times because of my own sin that I have been tempted to quit and I have often felt that God could not forgive me. I have bought into the lie that I was "done." I love how Christ comes to us in the midst of our grave failure and disappointment. He calls out to the disciples from the shore...they had fished all night and caught nothing. Jesus calls to them...but they don't realize that it is Him. Imagine their frustration and disappointment. Their Savior was gone, they were back to the mundane, they were toiling to no avail and I am sure that they felt "washed up to shore". I have so felt that way and can identify with them. Then Jesus tells them where to throw their nets to catch some fish. Don't you know they had heard that before. I wonder if that made them recognize their Jesus. They caught so many fish that they were unable to haul them in. Then at the climatic point in the story disciple whom Jesus loved (John)...don't you love how he calls himself that??... he tells Peter "It is the Lord!" Don't you know Peters heart pounded as his eyes were opened and he realized that the one he denied was on the shore. Peter wastes no time at all, he puts his outer garment on (he had taken it off) and jumps in the water to swim to Jesus. The disciples followed him in the boat. I want to scream as if this were a movie "Idiots! It is Jesus jump in the water and swim...don't waste your time rowing the boat!" What made my heart so tender to this tonight is how Morgan jumped in the tub with her clothes on. I want to be like that with Jesus...willing to make a fool of myself to bridge the gap between us. When I have blown it and He comes to me...I want to haul butt to the shore. Oh how I love Peter and His passionate love for the Lord in spite of his failures. I want to swim hard to Jesus like Peter. Then, Jesus prepares breakfast for them. So like Jesus, He comes to us when we know that we don't deserve it and we are sinners...he meets us where we are and invites us into fellowship with Him. He restores us and prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. Oh how I love Him!

He has done GREAT things

I am feeling heavy hearted today...
It has been one of those days where I didn't want to get out of bed and start a new day. I have been grieving some things that are personal to me alone. Anyway, I am so thankful for Morgan and how full of joy she is. When I look at her I am reminded of the child like faith that God wants me to have. She gets up and turns on the stereo (and turns it up loud...just like her momma likes it). She has been listening to praise music since she was in the womb and SHE LOVES IT! She'd rather hear the music instead of watching cartoons. Anyway, as I began to listen to Watermark I was reminded how praise is a choice. Even if I don't feel like it...
That is when it has the most price. When I begin to praise, sing, dance, and yes shake the tambourine, the LORD takes my weak offering and lifts my heavy heart. I so want to know Him more and offer Him the worship that He deserves.

NIV Psalm 42:1 For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and
6 my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-- from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me-- a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"
10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

AW Tozer

THE GREAT PHYSICIAN

If you are a discouraged and defeated Christian believer, you may have accepted the rationalization that your condition is "normal for all Christians." You may now be content with the position that the progressive, victorious Christian life may be suitable for a few Christian - but not for you! You have been to Bible conferences; you have been to the altar-but the blessings are for someone else. Now, that attitude on the part of Christian believers is neither modesty nor meekness. It is a chronic discouragement resulting from unbelief. It is rather like those who have been sick for so long that they no longer believe they can get well. Jesus is still saying, as He said to the man lying by the gate at the Jerusalem pool, "Do you want to be made whole?" Jesus made him whole-because of his desire! His need was great, but he had never lapsed into that state of chronic discouragement.

Prayer

Lord, My desire is to be whole. I pray that I may never be satisfied with any other condition. I am your child. I will act like it.

Scripture

When Jesus saw ... he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole.
— John 5:6

Thought

Jesus is still saying, as He said to the man lying by the gate at the Jerusalem pool, "Do you want to be made whole?"

The Heresy of Scientology!!

A friend from Bible study sent me this article tonight. It is such a good read if you have time!
http://www.christianindex.org/1468.article

Cleaning House

This devo kind of reminded me of Gen 35 when Jacob is about to meet with God at Bethel and he cleans house and makes all of his people take off their earrings and give him their false gods. He then buries them under the oak in Shechem. Some of us need to go around our houses and take a spiritual inventory of things like movies that we watch, what we look at on the computer, the magazines that we look at and try to compare ourselves to and etc. The things that we let in really do affect us. We should look for areas where we have let our guard down and ask God to build those walls of fortification back up around us and our families...FOR OUR OWN GOOD. I know first hand that a little compromise leads to BIG compromise!! I am praying for me personally and the people that I know that God would remove all areas of carnality from us and that we would be consecrated to Him.


Thursday, February 8
David Jeremiah
Breaking the Cycle

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23

Recommended Reading
Ephesians 6:1-4

Ollie was surprised to find his dad destroying an old bicycle that had hung for years in the back of the garage. Piece by piece, he was disassembling and burying it in a three-foot hole. "What’s goin’ on, Dad?" asked the boy.

Sitting on the edge of the patio, the man said, "Son, my granddaddy had a terrible temper and he cussed all his life. My daddy had a temper and did the same. I have a terrible temper and I’ve cussed all my life. Yesterday I saw how you lost your temper and said those words. I made up my mind I’d break the cycle, and I’ve asked God to make me a new man for your sake. I decided to do something to help me remember how important this is. So I’m literally breaking this bicycle and burying it."

Ollie didn’t really understand his father’s words that day, but in coming days he saw the difference, and in coming years he understood.

Christ can help you break and bury cycles of dysfunction, addiction, anger, and sin in your life. You have to make up your mind to do it, then trust His all-sufficient grace. You may not destroy a bike, but find a meaningful way to memorialize the end of a long line of sin.


Vicious cycles are no match for victorious grace.
Anonymous

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Leviticus 27:1 - Numbers 1:54

Thursday, February 1

Image Makeover

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Romans 8:29

Recommended Reading Psalm 119:67-71

There is a growing epidemic in Western cultures: dissatisfaction with one's body image. Men and women are reporting that they are not happy with how they look. Painful solutions run the gamut from daily workouts in the gym to eating disorders and plastic surgery. Even then, the goal for too many remains elusive.

We're not happy with our physical image, but God is not happy with our spiritual image. Fortunately, He has a solution: He has chosen us to be eternally conformed to the image of His own Son, Jesus Christ. But just as "no pain, no gain" applies to diet and exercise, so it applies in the spiritual realm as well. Here is God's principle for reshaping our spiritual image: He will not spare present pain if it means eternal profit. The Old Testament patriarch, Jacob, is a good example. Long a deceiver, God used Jacob's Uncle Laban, who was himself a shady dealer, to teach Jacob some hard lessons (Genesis 29 30). If you're experiencing pain, see if you can find the eternal profit that it is designed to produce.

Based on how long each will last, which of our images should get most of our attention—body or soul?

Pain can either make us better or bitter.
Tim Hansel

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Leviticus 8:1 - 10:20