KNOWING YOURSELF

YOU ARE BLESSED - 366 DEVOTIONS

KNOWING YOURSELF

Human beings must be known to be loved;

but divine beings must be loved to be known.

Blaise Pascal

Becoming the real authentic you is about really knowing yourself.  It means that you know where your boundaries are and what “pushes your buttons” when you feel a bit angry.  You no what kind of music you like and what makes an evening feel like fun.  You know your fears and your hopes and your dreams.  You know your short-comings and the things you secretly hope no one will ever know about you.

As in other relationships, you can love and appreciate yourself more when you know yourself well.  In the case of knowing and loving God, it’s a bit different.  God seeks to help you know Him.  He reveals Himself to you over time so that you can grasp more of His divine nature as you mature.  You have worked to know more about Him because you already love Him.

God knows everything about you, even those secrets you might like to hide.  He knows you and He loves you.  Keep letting Him into your life, into every area of your being, and you will come to know Him as a true and loving friend.

Everyone who lives has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:7 NIV  

Lord, help me to invite You further into my life so that I might 

know more of You and build my relationship with You.

Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS & BLESSINGS - JUNE 5

JUNE 5

I, even I, am he that blotteth out they transgressions for mine

own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Isaiah 43:25

A chart of my efforts to change traces a jagged course, Lord, like the lines on a heart-rate monitor.  Reassure me that instead of measuring my failures, I must remember to that I am alive and ever-changing.  Help me become consistent, but deliver me from flat lines.

A NINETEEN-MILE FALL

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

A NINETEEN-MILE FALL

READ:  Deuteronomy 33:26-29

Underneath are the everlasting arms.  Deuteronomy 33:27

On August 16, 1960, U.S. Air Force Captain Joseph Kittinger Jr. sat in a gondola suspended from a high-altitude balloon.  When the balloon reached 102,800 feet above the surface of Earth (more than 19 miles), Kittinger jumped out.  Four minutes and 36 seconds later his main parachute opened at 18,000 feet, but not before he had attained a velocity of 614 miles per hour!  Kittinger carefully planned his record-setting descent.

In the spiritual realm, we’re more likely to find that life is filled with unexpected free falls.  The loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, or a terminated job can make us feel as if we’re dropping into the unknown.  For believers, however, there is a spiritual “parachute” -the loving arms of God.

Thousands of years ago Moses wrote these words to the Israelites just before he died:  “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27).  The words “everlasting arms” refer to the protection and preservation of God’s people.  Despite the stressful circumstances they would surely face, they could rest in the assurance of God’s watchful care.

Do you feel as if you’re in a free fall? Take heart.  God’s loving arms are there to catch you.   DF

O the sweet unfailing refuge

Of the everlasting arms;

In their loving clasp enfolded

Nothing worries or alarms. -Hennessay

With God behind you and His arms beneath you

you can face whatever lies ahead of you.  

USEFUL TEMPTATION

Useful Temptation

Humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

James 1:21

READ JAMES 1:2–5, 12–21

Fifteenth-century monk Thomas à Kempis, in the beloved classic The Imitation of Christ, offers a perspective on temptation that might be a bit surprising. Instead of focusing on the pain and difficulties temptation can lead to, he writes, “[temptations] are useful because they can make us humble, they can cleanse us, and they can teach us.” Kempis explains, “The key to victory is true humility and patience; in them we overcome the enemy.”

Humility and patience. How different my walk with Christ would be if that were how I naturally responded to temptation! More often, I react with shame, frustration, and impatient attempts to get rid of the struggle.

But, as we learn from James 1, the temptations and trials we face don’t have to be without purpose or merely a threat we endure. Although giving in to temptation can bring heartbreak and devastation (vv. 13-15), when we turn to God with humble hearts seeking His wisdom and grace, we find He “gives generously to all without finding fault” (v. 5). Through His power in us, our trials and struggles to resist sin build perseverance, “so that [we] may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (v. 4).

As we trust in Jesus, there’s no reason to live in fear. As God’s dearly loved children, we can find peace as we rest in His loving arms even as we face temptation.

By Monica La Rose

REFLECT & PRAY

Jesus, I’m saddened when I realize how often I try to face life’s temptations and struggles on my own—as if I’m self-sufficient, as if I don’t need You. Thank You for Your unending love and patience with me.

How might an attitude of humility and patience change how you respond to a current temptation or struggle? How is it freeing?

Your gift changes lives. Help us share God’s love with millions every day. 

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

James begins his letter to dislocated and troubled followers of Jesus by urging them to ask for wisdom in living as His followers (1:5, 19-22). But how will they recognize such divine help? After briefly discussing a series of difficult relational challenges, James describes a wisdom grounded in humility rather than self-centeredness (3:13-16). Wisdom from God is peace-loving, considerate, willing to listen, full of mercy and goodness, and without prejudice or hypocrisy (v. 17). Mart DeHaan

CLEANING UP THE MESSES

YOU ARE BLESSED - 366 DEVOTIONS

CLEANING UP THE MESSES

Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is

to know God, most of life’s problems fall into place of their our on accord.

J.I. Packer

You probably have friends who stick with you through thick and thin.  That means they are always there for you in the good times and the messy times.  They know you so well that they love you and would do anything for you.  They are the best friends you’ve ever had.

You became friends with those people though because you share a special relationship.  Not only are they concerned for you but they celebrate with you when things go well and they want to share important life moments with you.  The same is true in you relationship with God.  You are His friend and He is concerned for your well-being.  He also celebrates your joys and the things that give you a glad heart.

Your relationship with Him matters so much that He wants to get to know you better and He wants you to know what He can do to help any messy parts of life feel better.  He will never, ever give up on you because you are so valuable to Him.  Keep your heart open to all that God has for you today.

“Be still and know that I am God.”

Psalm 46:10 NKJV

Lord, thank You for being with me in the good times and in the more

difficult one.  Help me always seek to build my relationship with You.

Amen  

DAILY PRAYERS & BLESSINGS - JUNE 4

JUNE 4

I am grateful that you don’t require spiritual gymnastics from me when I sin, Lord.  You just call me to come to you with a humble and repentant heart.  In my pride I sometimes want to do something that will impress you-something that will “make up for it” somehow.  But you just shake your head and keep calling me to humble myself.  That often doesn’t seem like enough to me.  But I guess that’s the point:  I can never earn your grace; it is a gift.  Christ died on the cross for us because it is beyond our powers to make up for all the sins we have committed.   I bring my contribute heart before you now, Lord.  Thank you for receiving it as an acceptable sacrifice.

GOD IS GOOD

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

GOD IS GOOD

READ:  Genesis 3:1-7

Good and upright is the Lord; therefore

He touches sinners in the way.  Psalm 25:8

The phrase “God is good, all the time; all the time, God is good” is repeated by many Christians almost like a mantra.  I often wonder if they really believe it or even think about what they’re saying.  I sometimes doubt God’s goodness-especially when it feels as though God isn’t hearing or answering my prayers.  I assume that if others were more honest, they’d admit they feel the same way.

The serpent planted a doubt in Eve’s mind about whether God had been good to her and had her best interest at heart.  He said, “God knows that in the day you eat of [the fruit] your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).  Satan tried to convince her to believe that God was holding out on her and not giving her something really good-more knowledge.

Do you feel as though God isn’t answering your prayers? Are you tempted to doubt His goodness?  When I feel this way, I have to remind myself that my circumstances aren’t the barometer of God’s love and goodness-the cross is.  He has shown how good He is by giving His only Son Jesus to die for our sin.  We can’t rely on our feelings.  But day by day as we choose to trust Him more, we learn to believe with confidence that God is good-all the time.  AC

When you are tempted to deny

God’s goodness, love, and grace,

Look to the cross of Calvary,

Where Jesus took your place. -Sper

Circumstances aren’t the barometer of

God’s love and goodness-the cross is.