Blog Entries tagged 'God'

Consistent Behaviours

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I know that many women are suspicious of their husbands when they bring home flowers.

Hebrews 6:13-20

Reference: v.18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. (NIV Bible)

Explore: We are often judged by our previous actions - or lack there of. I know that many women are suspicious of their husbands when they bring home flowers. If this is not a regular occurrence then the wife wonders why the husband feels the need to placate her with a gift! Or if a child is being particularly moody the parents will start to look for reasons why. With some children, at a certain age, being moody is a normal way of life! But for a child who is generally happy and content to suddenly start to regularly misbehave then the parents will start to investigate into what other thing is going on for that child. People generally have consistent behaviours and when we get to know someone well we are usually able to predict what they may say or do.

Application: God has consistent behaviours too. We can not always assume that we will know how or why God will act, but He does have certain consistencies. This passage in Hebrews picks up on a few of God's consistencies: He does not lie and He always keeps His promises. One way we can see this is by looking back through history - whether Biblical history or talking to people we know who have had faith in God for an extended period of time - and we will soon discover that this is true. We can see throughout the written Biblical history time and time again where God has spoken the truth and kept His promises. The great thing about God is that He is not about to change. God will continue to speak the truth into our lives and will never break a promise to us. We can hold firmly, seeing it in other people's lives, and believing it in our own life too, that God will remain faithful to those who are faithful to Him.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me when I doubt You. You have shown such faithfulness to your followers in the past. May I hold firmly to the belief that You will continue to do so. Amen.

When has God kept His promise to you?

Rear Vision Reflection

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

And there are often times when I look in the rear vision mirror and am quite disappointed in what I see.

Jeremiah 18:1-23

Reference: v.17 "Like a wind from the east, I will scatter them before their enemies; I will show them my back and not my face in the day of their disaster." (NIV Bible)

Explore: Although I will no doubt come across as rather vain, I'm going to admit to you that while I am driving my car I look at my reflection in the rear vision mirror. I know that it's there to assist my driving - and it does - but it also gives me a rather close perspective of my face. The only trouble I have with this reflection is that it only gives me what I look like from the eyes up. And there are often times when I look in the rear vision mirror and am quite disappointed in what I see. The issue usually comes from my hair as it's not sitting the correct way or its bumpy in areas it should be smooth. And so I'll start thinking of ways that I can readjust my hair when I get to the next set of lights. So the next chance I get to take my hands off the wheel I move my rear vision mirror so that it is directed at me and I can see my whole head. It's then that I realise that when I take in the whole picture of my hair it all looks okay. While there may be a few bumps at the top of my head I realise that it works in well with the rest of the picture (well, as well as I can hope for with what I've been given!) Seeing the whole picture helps to put the close-up into perspective.

Application: As we read through Jeremiah we are getting a close up picture of God. To be honest, if the only picture I had of God was that which came from the book of Jeremiah, I think I would be scared of God and wonder whether he really is loving. However, when we look at the whole picture, from when God did miraculous things to bring His people out of slavery all the way to the huge sacrifice Jesus made for all of humanity, we are able to read Jeremiah and still see God's love and compassion. While many of the verses talk about pain and destruction, when we know more of the character of God we are able to put it in perspective. We should not limit God by just taking a look at Him in the rear vision mirror, but we need to acknowledge that there is so much more to God than what is represented in just one verse.

Prayer: Lord, there is so much more that we can learn of your character and desires. Help us to understand You more and not to limit You to our understandings. Amen.

What is the prominent characteristic that you think of when it comes to God? How can you explore more about the diverseness of God?

God's Feelings

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

No one wanted to bring hurt and pain to any of their loved ones, and that is exactly how God feels too.

Jeremiah 4:1-31

Reference: v.18 "Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!" (NIV Bible)

Explore: This week in communion we were asked the question, 'Think of two people that you love dearly. Now choose, which would you send to heaven and which one would you send to hell?' It was one of those impossible questions and brought about by our communion leader reading the book The Shack. No one wanted to bring hurt and pain to any of their loved ones, and that is exactly how God feels too. We are all His children and that one question gave us a small insight into what God must feel when He sees people making the wrong choices and taking a road towards destruction.

Application: In the forth chapter of Jeremiah we hear how the Israelites have turned away from God and now their enemies are defeating them. God does not sit back in His heavenly throne, shake His head and say, "I told you so!" No, he speaks words of anguish and pain as He watches His children suffer. This God in Jeremiah is the same God we can worship today. He does not relish in our difficult times but He understands our suffering and grieves with us. While we often pay the consequence for our sin, and even other people's sin, our gracious God will always be open to us turning back to Him.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we turn away from You. Thank You for always accepting us when we return to You. Amen.

What feelings would God have towards you today?

You Can't Please Everyone

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Linda Bailey is currently away. Her new devotionals will begin again on the 1st February, 2010. In the meantime, here is a Daily Devotion that has been significant for one of my readers..

You can look through every single verse but the Bible will not tell you to go out of your way to make everyone else happy.

Galatians 1:1-24

Reference: v.10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (NIV Bible)

Explore: You just can't please everyone! A friend of mine told me about a terrible day she had a few weeks ago. Robyn was supposed to leave work early to pick up her daughter from school so they could get her ready for her formal. But Robyn got stuck in a meeting and didn't leave on time as she was trying to please her colleagues. Even as she was running out the door of her office she stopped to sign some cheques for the bursar to please him too. Even though her daughter was very upset with her running late, Robyn raced around the house trying to help her daughter get ready for her big night. As Robyn was ushering her daughter out the door her son asked to borrow her computer. She had forgotten to pick up her computer after signing the cheques for the bursar so she drove all the way back to work, after dropping her daughter off at her formal, just to pick up her computer to please her son. Because of all this running around Robyn had totally forgotten about a social event her partner had invited her to and so even though she had done her best to please everyone she ended up not really pleasing anyway and hurting the person who loves her the most! Oh dear, what a day! Sometimes our lives can feel like that too. We try our best to please everyone only to have everything blow up in our faces.

Explore: The Bible never tells us to please other people. You can look through every single verse and it will not tell you to go out of your way to make everyone else happy. It does say that we should do our best to please God though. If we are worried about pleasing other people, we need to change our priorities and put all of our focus on pleasing God. He is the most important element in our lives. When we please God we may not be pleasing everyone around us, but we are staying in tune with the reason we were created. God creates us, He saves us and He gives us life. The only applause we should be seeking is those of nail-scarred hands.

Prayer: Lord, it is so tempting to do our best to please other people. Help me Lord to only focus on pleasing You so that I can be a true servant of Christ. Amen.

What is a way that you can please God today?

Daddy

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Linda Bailey is currently away. Her new devotionals will begin again on the 1st February, 2010. In the meantime, here is a Daily Devotion that has been significant for one of my readers..

This little girl finally gave up by dropping the bag on the ground, taking a big breath and crying out, "Daddy!"

Galatians 4:1-31

Reference: v.6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." (NIV Bible)

Explore: The other day I was walking past our local school. I saw a little girl trying to carry her big heavy school bag across the car park. I don't know what this little one had in her bag but it weighed so much that it was proving to be quite difficult for her to even lift it up. She was giving it her best shot but I could see that the frustration was building and building. She finally gave up by dropping the bag on the ground, taking a big breath and crying out, "Daddy!" I looked around the car park to see a large man stride across to his daughter where, without her even saying another word, he scooped up her bag with one hand and her up in the other and carried them with ease, all the way back to their car.

Application: When we read the word 'Abba' in the scriptures it is usually translated for us as 'Father'. However, if we were to get the deeper meaning of this word, today we would translate it as 'Daddy'. This is an intimate word for father that calls from a place of reliance and trust, just like the little girl in the school car park. When the Spirit prompts us towards God it is drawing us into an intimate relationship with our Creator, not a relationship that is distant and aloof. This 'Daddy' relationship is one of complete reliance and trust where we can call out His name and know that He will be there for us.

Prayer: Daddy, we love You and we need You. May we never stray far from Your loving arms. Amen.

Does your relationship with God reflect that of a child with their Daddy?

Trembling At His Name

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Within this one movie there is music, comedy, drama, romance, betrayal and, of course, the circle of life… and this is a children’s movie we’re talking about!

Ezra 9:1-15

Reference: v.4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice. (NIV Bible)

Explore: One of the greatest animation movies of all time is The Lion King. Within this one movie there is music, comedy, drama, romance, betrayal and, of course, the circle of life… and this is a children’s movie we’re talking about! One of the scenes from this animation shows a conversation between the hyenas. They are the dumb but vicious lap men of the evil Mufasa. They are talking about how powerful Mufasa really is and they comment that even just saying his name sends shivers up their spine. “Mufasa.” “Oooo, say it again.” “Mufasa.”

Application: What do you feel when you hear the name of God? In Ezra chapter 9 we hear that the Israelites have been unfaithful to God and so all those who ‘trembled at the words of the God of Israel’ came to Ezra. To be honest, I tend to focus more on the love of God rather than the fear of God, but that can come with its limitations. If I really thought about God’s power, passion and mightiness then I too would be trembling at His words. God’s grace and love is amazing but sometimes that can make us think of Him like a boyfriend or a best mate rather than the all powerful Creator that He is. God is love and He does desire an intimate relationship with all of us but we must not let that over shadow His great might.

Prayer: Lord, you are the all-powerful Creator of the Universe. May we not take for granted your love and grace but acknowledge and fear Your might. Amen.

What do you feel when you hear the name of God?

I Can Only Imagine

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

I think it would be one of those situations where you could never really predict what you would do unless you were actually in the moment.

Malachi 3:1-18

Reference: v.2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. (NIV Bible)

Explore: The thought of standing before God brings many thoughts and emotions. I think it would be one of those situations where you could never really predict what you would do unless you were actually in the moment. God's overwhelming love would bring rejoicing, His wonder would bring praise, and His grace would bring humility. But what would you do before God? Mercy Me wrote a song about this experience called 'I Can Only Imagine' :

I Can Only Imagine
Mercy Me

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
When I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

Application: While it's hard to imagine what it will be like to stand before God in all His glory, the beauty of worshipping an intimate God is that we are able to stand before God every single day. His full glory is too great for us now but if we are aware of God's presence then we are able to experience God in our everyday lives. The feeling of overwhelming love, the beauty of creation, the forgiveness you never thought possible, a room filled with laughter, the peace you have been searching for... all these are experiences of God. May you experience Him more now than ever before and so be able to identify Him walking beside you every single day.

Prayer: Lord, You are beyond our imagination and when we stand before You, it is only then that we will have a greater understanding of the mighty God we worship. Thank you for being present with us every day. May we open our eyes to see You more. Amen.

Where have you 'seen' God in the last 24 hours?

Invisibility Bag

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Whatever you put in there can not be seen or touched by other people.

1 Timothy 5:1-25

Reference: v.25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden. (NIV Bible)

Explore: I've recently come back from overseas where I was a part of a short-term mission trip. When you travel to foreign places you are often carrying important documents that you don't want to lose or get stolen. One way to stop that is to put them in a travel pouch. These are small, skin coloured bags that you wear underneath your clothing either hung around your neck or strapped around your waist. It's like carrying around your own invisibility bag. Whatever you put in there can not be seen or touched by other people. Sure, you'd struggle to hide your children in there, but your passport and travelling money should be fairly discreet!

Application: Sometimes I think we would like to have an invisibility bag to hide the actions or words that have come out of our lives. We may have spoken harshly or actly rashly and now wish we could hide these things away so no one else can see them. And yet we know that we can not hide anything from God. He sees all the good and the not-so-good in our lives. I guess that's what makes His grace even more amazing... He knows how dodgy we are, and yet He still loves us.

Prayer: Lord, nothing is hidden from Your eyes. May we strive to have a life that reflects Your love. Amen.

What are you holding in your invisibility bag? Is it time to confess it to our gracious God, who knows it anyway?