Blog Entries tagged 'blessing'

What, No Computer

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Clearly, when you have an online blog, the computer element to your work is fairly crucial!

Luke 18:31-43

Reference: v.39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" (NIV Bible)

Explore: The day I wrote this devotion I did not have access to a computer. I tried to use three different computers but I either couldn't turn them on or didn't have the right password. It was so frustrating! I couldn't check my emails, I couldn't access my work files and I couldn't update my devotions. Clearly, when you have an online blog, the computer element to your work is fairly crucial! And so all I could do was grab a piece of paper and pen and write this devotion by hand. While it seemed so archaic at the time I do actually have the ability to write on paper. I don't use that skill much anymore but it certainly came in handy on this day that I was computer-less.

Application: The beggar we read about in Luke 18 was blind. He could not see anything. He couldn't see the ground he was sitting on, he couldn't see the crowds coming towards him, and he certainly couldn't see Jesus amongst the group of people. But rather than focussing on what he did not have he decided to use what he did have... his voice. Once he heard that Jesus was coming his way he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Even when people around him told him to be quiet, he still used his ability to speak to get Jesus' attention. Often, when we don't have everything we want or need, we are inclined to focus on that which we don't have, rather than on the things we do have. For half an hour I had focussed on not having a computer until I finally realised that in fact I was totally blessed as I had the ability to write. The beggar was without sight but that did not stop him from connecting with his saviour. Let's not spend our time focussing on what we do not have but may we see ourselves as blessed for all we do have.

Prayer: Lord, so often we just want more. Help us to see the value in the things we have. Thank you for the many blessings that You give to us everyday. Amen.

Today, count your blessings.

Personal Note

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The personal note showed the reader that even though their friend was on the other side of the world, they were still thinking of them personally.

Deuteronomy 33:1-29

Reference: v. 12 About Benjamin he said: "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders." (NIV Bible)

Explore: There was as stage in my life when it seemed that all my friends were travelling overseas for extended holidays. Every month or so I would get a long group email from one of them as they filled everyone in on their adventures. These emails were always filled with places they had visited and sites they had seen and sometimes there was even a humorous anecdote of a cultural misunderstanding. While it was always great to hear from friends, the emails were always written very generally as it would be sent to friends and family alike. Sometimes, however, the travelling writer would add some personal notes at the end of their email. After finishing their tales of overseas adventures they would add on the bottom, "Sarah: Happy Birthday, wish I could have been there with you to celebrate; Travis: Congratulations on your job promotion, mate; Chris: everything's prepared for you to come and join me, can't wait to see you..." These personal notes on the end of the email were often the most exciting part. You would quickly read through the travelling adventures just to see if you got a mention at the end. It showed the reader that even though their friend was on the other side of the world, they were still thinking of them personally.

Application: As I read through this second last chapter in Deuteronomy I felt like Moses was doing the same thing to all the tribes of Israel. He had reminded them of where they had been, he had told them of what was to come, he encouraged them to always remain faithful to God... and then he gave each tribe a little personal note. Some were longer than others but they were all mentioned. I wonder whether each tribe held on to those few words more than the rest of the chapters, just like I always would when my friend wrote a personal note to me at the end of a travelling email. Although God had chosen the Israelites as His people, Moses still left them with a little individualized blessing. Sometimes when we are reading through scripture the Holy Spirit can open our eyes to a particular verse and its like that's our own little personal message from God. Amongst all the verses and chapters there can be a personal note that is meant just for us for that time.

Prayer: Lord, You see us all individually. You never travel too far away from us and You never forget us. Open our eyes and our hearts so we can see Your personal message to us. Amen.

When have you read a piece of scripture and felt a verse really jump out and speak to you personally?

The Perfect Wife

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100

I realised that I do not write a weekend 'to-do' list for my husband.

Deuteronomy 8:1-26

Reference: v.18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your forefathers, as it is today. (NIV Bible)

Explore: I was listening to LightFM (Melbourne Christian radio) the other day and heard an advertisement about a handyman company. The woman on the ad had to rely on this company because her husband never got around to doing the tasks around the house that she had set for him to do over the weekend. This got me thinking. I realised that I do not write a weekend 'to-do' list for my husband. I'd heard of these lists before, you know, where one spouse will write a list filled with domestic tasks they would like the other spouse to do once they have finished work. I wondered if this was something most couples did. Was I weird not having one of these lists for my husband? The ad seemed to suggest that I was the exception rather than the rule. But I then thought about how hard my husband worked and thought it would be terrible to confront him with a 'to-do' list at the end of a busy working week. I thought that I was a rather caring and thoughtful wife for not having such a list... and therefore I should tell him so. And so the next time we went for an evening stroll together I reminded him how thoughtful I was for not having a 'to-do' list for him each week. He did appreciate not having such expectations on the weekend, however he was a little unsure about why I needed to remind him that this list did not exist in our house. I think it's important to remind each other just how wonderful we are sometimes!!

Application: We definitely need reminding of wonderful God is. With all that God has done for us in the past and His promise to always be there for us in the future, we need to be reminded of what a wonderful Lord we serve. That is what I hear Moses saying all throughout Deuteronomy: No matter how great life gets, remember that it's the Lord that got you through. God has done everything for us and expects nothing in return. And yet so often we get caught up with the busyness of life and so caught up in our own self-importance that we forget to give all the credit to God. Thankfully Moses has written Deuteronomy to remind us how great God is.

Prayer: Lord, we could never possibly repay You for all that You have done for us. May we be reminded each and every day of Your mighty power and love. Amen.

What great things has God done in your life lately?

More Than Enough

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

And when the 'quick fix' doesn't work - which is usually nine times out of ten - we complain that there isn't enough.

Mark 8:1-38

Reference: v.4 His disciples answered, "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?" (NIV Bible)

Explore: "There's nothing to eat!" Do you ever hear that in your household? I use to say it all the time to my mum. I would stand in front of a full pantry and say, 'There's nothing to eat!' And now I'm lucky enough to live with a teenager who does exactly the same thing to me! What we're really saying is, 'There's nothing delicious that I can just pull out of it's packet and eat straight away.' Clearly preparing a snack was going to be too much hard work and not nearly enough calaries to appease my junk food urge!

Application: We can often find ourselves saying a similar thing as adults. We look for a 'quick fix' and when we don't find one we think that all hope is gone. When we are in debt we look for a way to make a 'quick buck'. When we are over weight we look for the newest fad that will make us shed kilos fast. When we are looking for a new career we want to move straight to the top instead of working our way through the heirarchy. And when the 'quick fix' doesn't work - which is usually nine times out of ten - we complain that there isn't enough.
Jesus' disciples had been with Him as he feed 5000 people with only five loaves and two fish. And yet a little while later, as they stood before 4000 people with seven loaves of bread, they cried, 'It's not enough!' We too often forget about the miraculous things God can do in our lives. We only see what is directly in front of us and we cry, 'It's not enough!' But God is more than enough. He provides all our needs, He loves us unconditionally, He gives us life abundantly. But we must have faith. Faith is looking at the little and yet believing that it is more than enough.

Prayer: Lord, you continually bless us with more than enough, and yet we always seem to want more. Help us to be thankful for what we have and have faith that You will give us more than enough. Amen.

What part of your life seems meager to you? Where will your faith take it?

I Want What She's Having

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

There is always someone close by that is better, bigger, richer and happier.

Genesis 49:1-33

Reference: v.28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him. (NIV Bible)

Explore: I believe that it is common the world over to look at someone else's life and think, 'I want what she's having' or 'I want what he's got'. No matter where we are, there is always someone close by that is better, bigger, richer and happier. We are so quick to compare what we have with what someone else has and so often we feel lesser for doing so. And yet, we all have strengths, gifts and abilities. It doesn't matter to what degree we have them, it matters what we do with what we already have.

Application: Jacob blessed all his sons before he died. And if the brothers are anything like all the siblings I know, there would have been a great deal of comparison and rivalry between them all. Jacob knew they all had different gifts and strengths and yet each individual had made decisions throughout their lives that had brought blessing or burden to them and their family. We all have gifts and abilities, in many varying degrees. It doesn't matter how we rate compared to everyone else, it only matters what we decide to do with what God has already blessed us with.

Prayer: Lord God, you have blessed each one of us. Help us to fulfill that blessing by being a blessing to others. Amen.

How are you currently using the gifts that God has given to you?

O bless!

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Every time there is something special mentioned my friend will often respond with an English-accented, 'O bless!'

Genesis 39:1-23

Reference: v.20b-21 But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favour in the eyes of the prison warden. (NIV Bible)

Explore: "O, bless." I have an English friend who says this every time someone does something nice. If I told her about something cute my daughter did she would say, 'O bless!' If I mentioned a nice dinner I went on with my husband she would say, 'O bless!' Every time there is something special mentioned she will often respond with an English-accented, 'O bless!' In this Genesis passage it says that God blessed Joseph. And yet, if I told my English friend that I had been sold as a slave by my brothers, became a servant of an Egyptian official, but was then thrown into prison after being framed, I'm not sure she would follow that story with an 'O bless'!!

Application: Often we only see God's blessing when everything is rosy. However, in Joseph's story we see that even when Joseph was in the pit of prison God was still blessing him. It didn't mean that he was freed immediately, he was not restored to his rightful place in his family, but God was still blessing him... right where he was. Whether we are in a place of darkness or on a throne of glory, if we are diligent in our faith then God will be with us and bless us. This blessing does not automatically come with prestige and wealth. A blessing from God comes in all different forms. We must not rule out God's blessing just because everything is not going our way. Look at Joseph's story and see how God blessed him, even under great trial. God's blessing does not mean that everything will automatically go smoothly in our lives. But it can mean that good things can come from our small actions of faith and dedication.

Prayer: Lord, you bless us and you keep us. Forgive us when we don't see your work as a blessing. Open our eyes to where you are at work in our lives. Amen.

Look back over your past week. Can you now see where God has blessed you within the every day?

Daily Devotional - Daily Devotions is over one year old now

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:00:00 +0100

I have really enjoyed delivering this Daily Devotional for over a year now. While it has been online for only one year I have been using this R.E.A.P. process for much longer.

I trust that my readers have got as much out of this devotional as I have put into it. Thank you for all those who have sent emails or left comments, it has been a real encouragement to me and my husband who is the webmaster here.

We will keep delivering this while people keep visiting us and being blessed.

Signing Off

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Instead of just saying 'Bye' and moving straight on to the next task we need to complete, imagine if we stopped and shared our hopes and desires for the people we are departing from.

1 Thessalonians 5.12-28

Reference: v.23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV Bible)

Explore: When we farewell people in Australia we will say 'Bye', 'See you later', or 'Have a good day'. When we sign off in a letter or an email we may use the words 'Regards', 'Sincerely', or 'Thanks' and then write our name. Simple yet effective farewells.
When the writers of scripture sign off their letters to churches they use language much more beautiful than our simple good byes. The blessings that they give to these churches encompass their hope and desire that the congregation will be closer to God and that they will continue on in their faith.

Application: Imagine if we put more thought and meaning into our farewells with people. Instead of just saying 'Bye' and moving straight on to the next task we need to complete, imagine if we stopped and shared our hopes and desires for the people we are departing from. Sure enough they would possibly think that we are crazy or that we are about to die if we suddenly turned so serious, but it would certainly give greater meaning to our farewells. I know a minister who would ask his hosts if he could pray for them before he left. This came quite naturally to him and his role. We all may not feel comfortable doing that but maybe we need to give a little more thought to what we are saying when we farewell our loved ones.

Prayer: Lord, you certainly bless us each and every day. May everyone who is open to your blessing be made aware of your presense today. Amen.

What are your hopes and desires for the people that you meet with today?

Grand Canyon Love

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

There is good reason why the Grand Canyon is called 'grand'. It truly blew my mind to see how vast this gash in the earth's floor was.

Ephesians 3.14-21

Reference: v.18 ...(that you) may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (NIV Bible)

Explore: There is good reason why the Grand Canyon is called 'grand'. In 2001, when visiting the States, I went to see for myself how grand this canyon was. It truly blew my mind to see how vast this gash in the earth's floor was. I only stood at the top and admired it from afar but I'm sure any of the brave tourists who ventured on a hiking trek through the canyon would have an even better understanding of how wide and long and deep the Grand Canyon truly is. It is one of those situations where you really have to see it to believe it.
Paul had experienced the 'Grand Canyon' of God's love. He was learning that through Jesus God had offered us unconditional, never-ending love, and Paul wanted other people to know that too.

Application: We know that God is so grand that we will never fully be able to comprehend how immense his love for us is. No matter how much we experience and explore God's love, there will still be more that He offers us. How blessed we are to worship a God that desires to pour that much love upon us! It's that kind of love that brings us comfort when we find ourselves deep in a valley and it's that kind of love that adds to our celebrations when we find ourselves on the top of the mountain. God's love is wide, long, high and deep and it is offered to each one of us daily.

Prayer: Lord, to you the Grand Canyon would be like a puddle! And yet you allow us to get close to you. Thank you for your love. Amen.

Have you ever had an experience where you suddenly stop and realise: 'Wow, God is amazing!'?

Bless You

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

A blessing can be something life changing or it could be just a little boost throughout the day.

Matthew 26.1-13

Reference: v.7 ... a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. (NIV Bible)

Explore: As part of our weekly Bible study we were looking at the word 'bless'. There are four ways that someone can bless or be blessed.
1. God can bless us - an unexpected gift from God
2. We can bless God - they praise we offer to God
3. We can bless ourselves - relying on our own strength
4. We can bless each other - giving support or assistance to another.
A blessing can be something life changing or it could be just a little boost throughout the day.
In Matthew 26 we hear of a woman giving a public expression of blessing #2. While often we think of blessing God by singing praises, this woman lavishly gives of her wealth, her emotions and even her pride as she enters into a house and pours perfume over Jesus.

Application: While we may not be able to physically pour perfume over Jesus, we could give that kind of blessing in many other ways. God has given us so much and continually blesses us in many ways and yet we often forget to give our blessing back to God. There are endless ways that we can give a blessing to God, it saddens me when we only reduce our praise to one hour a week during a church service. Our King of kings and Lord of lords deserves more than that. This woman was able to show her adoration by giving of herself as well as her resources. The best way we can bless God is give him all that we are. He knows how broken we may be but he is still blessed by our humble offering.

Prayer: Oh Lord, you are mighty and glorious. May we not forget to praise you with everything we are today. Amen.

Outside of a church service, what is a way you bless/praise God?

Correct Answer?

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

There is not a lot said about the journey towards an answer, just whether you got it correct or not.

Matthew 5.1-16

Reference: v.3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (NIV Bible)

Explore: There is a lot of pressure to know the right answer. In school there was always a right and wrong answer. The children who got to the right answers quicker were perceived to be smarter. There is not a lot said about the journey to the answer, just whether you got it correct or not.
In this passage of the Beatitudes we hear that those treasured by God are often the opposite to those treasured by the world. Even the poor in spirit receive the kingdom of heaven. Not those that got 10/10 on their theology exam; not those that can explain every Biblical passage; not those that are superior in the church. Those that receive the kingdom of heaven are those that struggle and question and continually grapple with their spiritual understandings.

Application: If we can grasp a slight understanding of God we soon realise that we are nothing in the sight of Him - and if that doesn't make us poor in spirit then I'm not sure what does! But that is the wonder of God. Even when we are nothing compared to Him, He still offers us the kingdom of heaven. May we understand our insignificance enough to appreciate the glorious grace of our mighty God.

Prayer: Lord, it is hard to understand how great you truly are. May we sense your spirit close to us as we continue to grapple with Your immensity. Amen.

God Bless You

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 07:48:04 +0100

When we say to someone, 'God bless you' as they leave or sneeze, are we really saying to them, "God turn you from your wicked ways"?

Acts 3.11-26

Reference: v.26 "When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."
(NIV Bible)

Explore: 'Bless you' is an interesting phrase, particularly among Christians. Sure enough when someone sneezes most people will say 'Bless you' for reasons stemming back to the Bubonic plague breakout in the 1300's. However, when we say 'God bless you' to others, what are we really meaning? Maybe it's a way to farewell someone, hoping they have the Creator of the Universe with them as they go. Maybe we want what is best for the person and believe that God is the only one who can provide that.
If we look at this verse in Acts we will see that Peter felt that to be truly blessed was to be turned away from our wicked ways. Now that puts a different spin on things! When we say to someone, 'God bless you' as they leave or sneeze, are we really saying to them, "God turn you from your wicked ways"? It's not usually what I have in mind when the words come out of my mouth. And yet, is that not the best life we can live? When we turn from our wicked ways, then we are moving more in line with God's ways, and that is when we are in the best place we can be.

Application: We can never be in a better place than near God. That is when we can catch a glimpse at His greatness and give him the praise and honor that He is due. When we have our hearts set on worshipping God then our actions will follow through by loving Him and loving others, just as He commanded us. Not only will we receive the blessing of being in His presence and doing His will, but we will be able to blessing to others as well as we serve them as God desires. This often involves discipline and hard work, but the rewards of serving God outweigh the challenges every time. May we have the strength and courage to be blessed by God today.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us life, love and grace. We pray that we may continually be blessed today, not for wealth or earthly needs but be blessed by being turned from our wicked ways. May we live in your way today. Amen.