Faith in the Spoken Word

By Carin LeRoy –

My little grandson will never let my husband or me get away with not keeping our word. When my husband mentioned he would make a swing in our backyard, he came in weeks later and said, “Papa, when are you going to make that swing? You said you were going to build us one.” My husband got busy and kept his word. Or to me he’ll say, “Nana, you told me I could have a Popsicle after you taught your piano lessons.” His expectation was that we would keep our word. As grandparents, we want to show our little guy that we can be trusted.

In John 4, we read the story of the official’s son who was sick and near death. When the father heard that Jesus was nearby, he went to Jesus and begged him to come heal his boy.

“Sir,” he said, “Come down before my child dies.”

Jesus said, “Go home. Your son will live.”

The man believed the words Jesus spoke and left for home. While he was still on the road, his servants came running to meet him and tell him that his son was alive. The father realized he was healed at the exact time that Jesus had spoken the word and told him his son would live.

As we look at Scripture we see great men and women of faith. Noah built the ark because God spoke. Even though he didn’t understand, he obeyed. The Israelites marched around Jericho for seven days and conquered it. God spoke, and they had faith to do as He said. Mary, mother of Jesus, didn’t comprehend how a virgin could conceive, but trusted that what God said was true. All of these incidents needed a listening heart and willingness to obey even when it made no sense to them. Circumstances that seemed impossible, took faith that God would do exactly as He had spoken. And He did.

Do we believe when God speaks? We have a Bible full of Scriptures where God speaks to us. We have promises to believe, commands to obey, admonishments to follow and warnings to adhere. We can become great people of faith, too, as we take God at His word. What is God speaking to you today?

PRAYER: Lord, give me the faith to believe that what You speak is true, and that You will fulfill all the promises that You have given in Your word.

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1: 3 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Carin LeRoy, wife to Dale and mother of three grown children and one almost-grown teenager. She has been a missionary with Pioneers since 1982. Her passions are family, missions, piano, and writing to challenge others to live faithful lives for God.

A “Leftover” Celebration?

By Kathi Macias –

February is the shortest month in the year, and I’m okay with that. But why does it have to be the busiest too? (Okay, next to December.)

Seriously, February starts out with my hubby’s birthday on the fifth. Now, he claims that he’s too old to make a big deal of such an occasion, but I happen to know that he’d be crushed if we actually took him at his word and let it pass by unnoticed. Besides, he’s been dropping hints since November that he’d really love it if we treated him to a prime rib and lobster dinner. (Guess McD’s is out of the question, eh?) And, of course, you can’t celebrate with a dinner like that and not have a present, right? That’s a challenge in itself. He’s a golf fanatic, but I think we’ve already bought and given him every golf gadget ever created, so what’s left? Our grown children keep calling and asking me for ideas, as if I actually had any. Can anyone say “stress”?

Following on the heels of that birthday celebration comes our second son’s birthday and a granddaughter’s too. More ideas needed, though pre-teen granddaughters aren’t nearly as difficult to buy for as grown men.

We no sooner recover from that than it’s officially “hearts and flowers and chocolate” time—i.e., Valentine’s Day. Of course, I enjoy that one because I don’t just have to come up with ideas for other people; I can also count on being on the receiving end of the day too. Dinner out? Flowers? Candy? I’ll take ’em all!

After that we get a little breather until almost the end of the month when my husband and I (hopefully!) remember that it’s our wedding anniversary. Now shouldn’t that be a really special, romantic celebration? You’d think so….

Problem is, everyone’s broke from buying birthday gifts, and romance ideas are all used up on Valentine’s Day. Dinner out? Did that three times this month. Budget is blown. A quiet weekend getaway? Out of the question—same budge-related reason. Flowers? The dead ones are still drooping in the vase and shedding on the counter. Candy? Puh-leeze! I already can’t button my pants, and I still have half a box of chocolates left from Valentine’s Day!

So what were we thinking when we chose February 26 for our wedding day? Surely there’s something left to celebrate at the end of such a short, busy month…isn’t there?

When I whined about it the other day, our oldest son, whose birthday is December 22, reminded me of how many times he felt cheated having a birthday three days before Christmas. He has a list a mile long of gifts he got with the note “Happy Birthday AND Merry Christmas” on them. He’s got a point.

His mention of Christmas got my attention, too. Only two months since we celebrated the greatest gift ever given, and now I’m complaining about not getting or doing anything special on my anniversary. The more I thought/prayed about it, the more I realized how self-centered so many of our celebrations are, and I decided it was time for a change. Not sure how everyone else will react, but here’s the plan.

This year, for our anniversary, instead of going out for a dinner we don’t really need, I’m going to suggest donating that money to one of our favorite ministries and maybe even donating the time to a local outreach at our own church. If my husband and I do it together, something tells me it will be more meaningful than anything else we might have planned for ourselves. And it just might be a great idea for the next family event, where we can include children and grandchildren, siblings and their families, and work together to bless others. I have a feeling it just might catch on—and permanently do away with “leftover celebrations.” Care to join us?

Kathi Macias (www.kathimacias.com) is a popular speaker and an award-winning author of more than 30 books, including the popular Extreme Devotion fiction series from New Hope Publishers.

A Simple Guide to Pleasing God

By James H. Pence –

If you had to tell someone (in as few words as possible) how they could live a life pleasing to God, what would you say? I’m not talking about how to become a Christian; rather, I have in mind a brief summary of the Christian life.

You can find many possible answers in Scripture, but one of the best short summaries of God’s expectations for our lives can be found in the book of Micah, chapter 6. In that chapter Micah asks a simple question, “What does the Lord require of you?”

His answer is equally concise. “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8b NIV).

This verse breaks down the Christian life into three simple areas. Micah tells us first of all that we are to act justly. In other words, all of our dealings with others should be just. We’re to be mindful to do the right thing, no matter what situation we face.

Second, he encourages us to love mercy—be a people characterized by a love of mercy and kindness. Daily we can demonstrate compassion and be ready to show grace to those around us.

Finally he instructs us to walk humbly with our God. There’s no place for arrogance, pride, or selfishness. Also, our walk must not be solitary. We do not live alone in this Christian life. Our life is always conducted “coram deo” before the face of our God. A constant awareness of God’s presence in our lives will keep us mindful of how to conduct ourselves.

Sometimes we make the Christian life much more complicated than it needs to be. We get so caught up in the busyness and challenges of life that we forget that God expects us to act justly toward others, to always show mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. As you walk with Him through 2011, let it be your goal to live a simple Christian life.

PRAYER: Lord, please don’t let me become overwhelmed by the complexities of life. Grant that I might walk every day in the simple Christian life—acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with You.

“And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8b).

Today’s devotion is by James H. Pence. James is an author, speaker, singer, and gospel chalk artist, but prefers to be known as a storyteller. To learn more about James and how he draws the stories of your heart, visit his Web site at: www.jamespence.com.

Unfired Arrows

By Art Fulks –

This year we experienced our oldest flying from the nest. After graduating he left for a one-year missionary tour. He graduated on Thursday, then left to meet his new team on Friday. His three siblings turned his bedroom into a TV room almost before he was out of the driveway. But with the deluge of activities, I’m not sure that my wife and I really felt the impact until sometime later.

Friends of ours watched both their twins graduate high school this year as well. This fall, they left for college in separate directions, one to the north and the other south. Although we still have three kids at home, their sudden “empty nest” status helped me realize that our time will not be that far away.

We have certainly been blessed with four great kids. The Bible is true when it says, “Children are a gift of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3a, NASB). But with our first leaving, I was reminded that our job and calling is not to raise children, but rather to raise adults who know God personally and passionately pursue His purpose for their lives.

Psalm 127 continues by saying, “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them” (v. 4-5a, NASB). But the purpose of an arrow is not to hold it. Some need to be shot a far distance, while others close by. But the purpose of an arrow is never to stay in the quiver—unfired.

In thinking about unfired arrows, I realized that they have a few potential outcomes:
1) they rust and become useless; 2) the person holding them too tightly is injured by his own arrow; or 3) the person holding them becomes useless or gets shot by the enemy because of their unwillingness to engage in the battle. In contrast, a well-prepared and strategically shot arrow is a blessing as the invisible (but so very real) hand of the Almighty guides what our imperfect efforts have launched. And this wonderful child we have been allowed to mold and carry in our quiver becomes a beautiful and effective tool in the hands of our God.

PRAYER: Dear Father, Who molds my life, would You help me to effectively and lovingly shape the life of my children as long as they are entrusted to my stewardship? Give me the faith and courage to launch them into Your worthy service for the glory of the One whom You sent to die for us, Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Today’s devotional is by Art Fulks, a church planter / pastor at Connection Fellowship in Greenville, South Carolina. Married for 22 years and father of four, Art is a graduate of The Ohio State Univeristy and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a passionate Bible teacher, speaker, musician, worship leader, and life coach. Read more at http://www.connectionfellowship.org or http://artfulks.blogspot.com

The Lost Coin

By Nina Medrano-

I remember when my Aunt Sally ran away from home. My grandmother called my mother and asked us to please pray for Sally for she was only 13 years old and could not be found.

On the third day the Holy Spirit said to me, “Thank me for bringing Sally home.”  Immediately, I gave him thanks and greatly rejoiced with the Spirit. An hour later, we got a phone call from my grandmother letting us know that Sally had returned home unharmed. Today, my Aunt Sally is a grown woman with children and grandchildren of her own.

The Holy Spirit brought back this memory the morning. He (the Holy Spirit) awakened me at 4:00 A.M., prompting me to drive around our city and pray according to Luke 15 (NIV): The Parable of the Lost Coin.

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

As I drove around our city, I began to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to sweep across our city, look for the lost coins, the lost sons, daughters, father, mothers, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren who have lost their way home.

I asked the Lord to light the demonic dark and hidden places in this city; turn on the search lights in the drug-users homes, in the houses of prostitution, under the bridges, in the night clubs, in the pornographic theaters. Drive back the demonic strongholds! Break off the chains of addiction, shame, poverty, and financial ill-gains!

By this time I was weeping uncontrollably as I asked the Spirit to search and find every loved one that is lost in this city and restore them to Abba Father’s House and to their families—restore them to Kingdom usefulness, restore them to divine purpose, restore them to their God-given destinies. Restore. Restore. Restore!

As a declaration of faith, I give God thanks and praise for hearing and honoring this prayer for my city and for yours.

Nina Medrano, a lover of God’s Word, lives in Lubbock, Texas, and writes for her church blog: http://www.cotrwomensministry.blogspot.com/

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