Devotional 9-6-20

Romans 13: 8 - Pay all of your debts except the debt of love for others - never finish paying that! For if you love them, you will be obeying all of God's laws, fulfilling all of his requirements. 

Please read Romans 13: 8-14.

The heading for this chapter is Obey the Government. When I was reading the selections for this week I at first thought this one would be a poor choice right now.

I can hardly watch the news and I hide more than I read on Facebook because people believe that their way of thinking is the only way and that does not lead to peaceful sleep.

As I read further I realized why God had put this in our reading for this week, and yes, I do think that with all God has to do he took the time to put these readings in our paths right now.

He knows what is going on in our lives, he knew last year where we were going to be. If you doubt this just look at The Upper Room or Guidepost readings for his week or this month.

They are about what is going on in our lives right now.

Verse eight and the following verses point out again what God tries to tell us every day. Love is the answer! He keeps driving this message and for one reason or another, we ignore it.

He has given us the rules and he has told us the most important one.

LOVE

Please reread that because he doesn't say you have to like everyone or you have to agree with everyone. He tells us to love them.

Our sweet grand-daughter Maddie was here this summer and we were talking about all that's going on in our world. She asked me " why can't people just be nice". Seems simple when you think about it and it should be simple.  

We are all children of one huge blended family. Let's all try to just love the crazy aunts, uncles and especially the crazy grandmothers.

Our Father is watching and he just wants us to love.

Dear heavenly Father,

Please forgive your unruly, disrespectful and misbehaving family. Help us to put love and thanksgiving in our hearts each and every day as we face new and uncomfortable situations.
If we talk with you when our hearts are heavy and we feel our self control slipping we know you will calm our spirits and show us the way.
I ask these things in your name Father.
Amen.

Devotional 10-14-16

Please read Jeremiah 29: 1-7

In this reading, Jeremiah is writing to the Jewish elders, priests, prophets and to all the people who have been deported to Babylon.

Jeremiah is writing from Jerusalem to all of these people who have been sent from their lands and family and friends. He tells them that this is a letter from the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel.

The letter tells these people that they are to build homes, plant vineyards and plan to stay. They are to marry and raise families and multiply.

 They are to pray for peace and the prosperity of Babylon for if Babylon has peace and prosperity, they will also.

 When I read this I had to think about our upcoming Presidential election. It's hard not to when everywhere you look it seems to be the topic. I'm not saying it shouldn't be, it's very important. I guess that what I'm trying to say is that no matter who wins, lots and lots of people are going to be unhappy. There will be many reasons for that and so many of those reasons will be viable but, there is one thing that we can all do. 

Before, during and after this election, especially after, pray for peace in our country and around the world. Pray for prosperity in this city, this state and this country. Pray for our leaders, especially if you don't like them. Sitting back and saying  "I knew this would be bad for us" only insures it will be bad for us. Praying to our Heavenly Father for wisdom and understanding may not make things change in the blink of an eye but it may change how we look at things or at other people and that can change things, even if it takes a few years, like four maybe.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, As your children we always need your guidance and right now we could use lots of that. Please help us as we try to make the best decisions that we can in this coming election but even more important, help us to remember that we are all your children and we need to pray that whom ever wins this election will need your help and our prayers to do the best job that they can. That will benefit all of us. In your name we pray. Amen

Debbie McGinnis

Devotional 6-26-14

This was submitted as a possible extra to use during Lent, but I think it applies all year 'round.  
This was the devotional for Sunday in the Guidepost. I thought it fit right in with several things we've been talking about over the last few weeks. I think I'm going to try to do this for Lent. See what you think. 
 
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
--James 1:26 (KJV)
 
When I was in my twenties, I started going to the opera. An enthusiastic novice, I'd walk joyfully to the lobby for intermission, only to hear the dismissive remarks of the jaded veterans. A fine performance by Pavarotti? "He has no squillo. You really should have heard Corelli in that part." An incredible high note from Joan Sutherland? "Too bad you couldn't have heard her twenty years ago" I'd go back to my seat for the second act, regretting that I wasn't twenty years older rather than enjoying the singing that night.

I've tried, with diminishing success as I've grown older, to be less of a curmudgeon. But the place I've failed utterly has been church. Walking home on Sunday mornings, I've related a litany of complaints, "The music here is terrible. Do you remember the choir at St. So-and- So's?"

"There was no meat in that sermon. Father X was so much more thoughtful."

"Did you see the sneakers the alter server was wearing?

We'd never have let that pass at St. Thingummy's"

Finally, my wife, Julia, had enough. "What are you doing for Lent?" she asked.

"Giving up peanut butter, like always," I answered.

"How about giving up all that negativity?"

So I tried. Sometimes I'd just keep quiet. Sometimes I'd catch myself mid-complaint. Sometimes I'd even say something positive ! And you know what? I found myself praying rather than looking for things I didn't like. After all, I was there for God's sake, not my own. You know what else? This Lent I'm going to find something good to say every Sunday.
 
Lord, keep my attention where it really belongs- on You.

Written by Andrew Attaway
Submitted by Debbie McGinnis

Devotional 2-21-14

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.

I don't think I spend a lot of time thinking about how God created me in his image. That's probably a good thing, because it's after Christmas and there is more of me than I'm happy with.  That's something I have to work o , and it's certainly not God's fault.

On Wednesday I was invited to see my next grandchild.  What a wonderful experience.  You can actually see the bones in the hands, arms, feet and legs.  You can watch and hear the heartbeat. You can tell if you need to buy pink or blue; it's blue for this one.  It is such a miracle to be able to see all of these wonders right in front of me.

One of my favorite new Christmas songs is "Mary Did You Know?".  It is so beautiful and a little sad, but one of my favorite lines is "when you kiss your little baby, you kiss the Face of God." What a wonderful thought.  I don't think I'd really thought that before, I've just enjoyed kissing the sweet faces of the innocents.

The next time you kiss someone, partner, child, parent, friend, remember that you are kissing the Face of God.  Remember that how you treat this person or any other person you meet during the day is a reflection of how you treat God.

Think about this with every person you deal with and see if how you treat others doesn't improve your day, week, and your year.

I can't wait to kiss the face of our little grandson when he gets here.  He will be so fresh from God that I'm sure some of that grace will rub off on us.

May your days be blessed.

Debbie McGinnis

Devotional 7-6-12

I Corinthians 12: 2-10

This scripture speaks to us about the different gifts given to each of us and that we are all members of the body of Christ.

I think that this is a familiar piece and that at one time or another we have said. "I don't have any special gifts". We have probably also thought that we could really do a good job at something if we were only given the chance.

Now I am not saying that hear voices in my head, no matter what the Discovery Class believes, but if a thought keeps popping into my head, I have to believe there's a reason. I believe God, with the help of the Holy Spirit is giving me little nudges to do something. Sometimes it's way out of my comfort zone, and I try to ignore it, but it usually keeps coming back. Sometimes it's in disguise, and I agree to do it only to find out it's the very job I had been trying to avoid.

Because I like to cook and bake for people I care about does not mean that it is the gift I have to use all the time. Maybe sometimes I need to wash windows or clean closets at the church instead. Maybe I need to listen more to problems someone wants to talk about and stay silent and let them work it out themselves. Maybe there is a small gift in the back corner of my mind that I've been afraid to open for fear that it's something I really don't want to try.

The bottom line is that the "Giver" of these gifts already knew the ones I'd like, and the ones I've tried to avoid. He is very patient, and I might as well go ahead and open that gift. It might really surprise me.

Checked for any unopened gifts in your life lately? Why don't you? Maybe we can work together.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for your patience with your stubborn children. May we always seek your guidance and listen for your advice.
Amen.

Debbie McGinnis

Devotional 9-17-10

This was a devotional that my sister sent to me from her church in Alabama. It's not only timely but it made me think about the Convocation Sunday we are having at church this Sunday. I think the only thing that could actually spoil the joy of heaven would be to be there and not have the people you love with you. To me, that would be more like the alternative.
Please think about....

l

It was one of the most compelling television documentaries I'd seen in a long time. It aired on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The stories of rescuers and of survivors, told first-person, took the viewer into what that day really felt like for the people who lived it. One story I just can't shake was told by a British young woman who worked in a brokerage firm high up in Tower Two. She recalled with remarkable composure the confusion in her office on whether or not to evacuate the building. She's alive today because she made the right decision. But many of her coworkers never made it out. She broke down for the first time as she talked about her good friend in the office. All she could say was, "I keep thinking, 'I should have asked him to go with me.' I can't get that out of my mind."

Okay, change the scene. You're in heaven, and you're looking for a coworker you cared about...a fellow student or a teammate, a family member, or a neighbor, maybe a friend. You ask Jesus, "Lord, is (there's the name) here? Is he here? Is she here?" What if He says, "Oh, did you bring her? Did you bring him?" "You never asked him. You never asked her to go with you." Another scene: I've been to funerals where I looked at someone I'd been close to and I realized I had talked with them about everything except one thing - Jesus. And now I couldn't.

We can't have back any of those missed opportunities, but the future is yet to be written. I want to turn my regrets for the past mistakes of not telling someone about Jesus into a passion to be sure I don't make that mistake again. You and I have been placed in the lives of some people who are not ready for eternity, who have never been to Jesus to have their sins erased. God put us here to be their spiritual rescuer - to be their link to Jesus. To help them be in heaven with us.
Our assignment comes crystal clear in our word for today from the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 5, beginning with verse 11. "Since we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men...for Christ's love compels us...God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." No doubt about it. You're the one God is counting on to deliver His life-saving message to the people who are within your reach.

You can't just depend on your life to rescue them. They won't guess Jesus died on the cross for them. You have to tell them that. Start by loving them in their language of love. Pray with them when they share a burden. You'll be showing them your personal relationship with God as you pray with them. Share the difference Jesus is making in your life at a point where the conversation allows you a natural opportunity. In fact, each day pray for...look for opportunities. They're all around you. Let your hope story open the door for you to ask, "Has anyone ever shown you what the Bible says about how to have a personal love relationship with God and how to go to heaven?" And, in some cases, you might want to put your love for them and God's love for them in a letter where they can receive it without distraction and without debating.

You only have to be God's glove; Him inside you helping you to do and say what you could never do without Him. But silence? That's just not an option. Not if you want them to be in heaven with you. You know what they must know to get there. You're safe. You got out. They're still in the collapsing building. Life's biggest regret would be having to say, "I should have asked them to go with me." You still can. There's still time.

From "Ronald P. Hutchcraft"

May we never be afraid to ask someone to church or share our joy in Christ because we don't want to look silly or pushy or worse yet, judgmental. Would that be worth the risk of now inviting some to heaven ?

Debbie McGinnis