Time Out! Devotions

(by Dr. Charles Stanley from the June 2010 issue of In Touch Magazine)

Philippians 4:10-19 (NIV)

¹⁰I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

¹⁴Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. ¹⁵Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; ¹⁶for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. ¹⁷Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. ¹⁸I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Today’s passage presents an interesting paradox. Paul promises the Philippians that God will supply all their needs (v. 19) yet admits that he has experienced times of want (v. 12). To reconcile these two statements, let’s consider God’s divine viewpoint.

Paul wrote these words from a prison cell—a place of great physical discomfort. From a human perspective, we would all agree that God should have provided for Paul by relieving his suffering. But instead, the Lord taught him contentment in this difficult situation. Although his physical discomfort remained, a greater need for a changed attitude was met.

A change of heart toward ongoing suffering is a huge challenge. On our own, it’s impossible, but the Lord promises to strengthen us through Christ. By living in dependence and submission to Him, we gain His power to overcome our negative, sinful attitudes and learn contentment in all kinds of situations.

Our problem is not that the Lord won’t provide for us, but that we so often fail to understand what our deepest needs are. God sees from an unlimited perspective and works for our eternal good, providing for us according to His good purposes from the limitless supply of “His riches in glory.”

Instead of merely pleading with God to take away your difficulty, try asking Him to strengthen you through it. Although He may not always deliver you from trials, you can count on Him to work in you to produce contentment, no matter what your external needs may be.

(devotional written by Max Lucado from MaxLucado.com)

The sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. — John 10:3

WHEN I SEE a flock of sheep I see exactly that, a flock. A rabble of wool. A herd of hooves. I don’t see a sheep. I see sheep. All alike. None different. That’s what I see.

But not so with the shepherd. To him every sheep is different. Every face is special. Every face has a story. And every sheep has a name. The one with the sad eyes, that’s Droopy. And the fellow with one ear up and the other down, I call him Oscar. And the small one with the black patch on his leg, he’s an orphan with no brothers. I call him Joseph.

The shepherd knows his sheep. He calls them by name.

When we see a crowd, we see exactly that, a crowd. Filling a stadium or flooding a mall. When we see a crowd, we see people, not persons, but people. A herd of humans. A flock of faces. That’s what we see.

But not so with the Shepherd. To him every face is different. Every face is a story. Every face is a child. Every child has a name. The one with the sad eyes, that’s Sally. The old fellow with one eyebrow up and the other down, Harry’s his name. And the young one with the limp? He’s an orphan with no brothers. I call him Joey.

The Shepherd knows his sheep. He knows each one by name. The Shepherd knows you. He knows your name. And he will never forget it. “I have written your name on my hand“ (Isaiah 49:16).

Quite a thought, isn’t it? Your name on God’s hand. Your name on God’s lips. Maybe you’ve seen your name in some special places. On an award or diploma or walnut door. Or maybe you’ve heard your name from some important people—a coach, a celebrity, a teacher. But to think that your name is on God’s hand and on God’s lips . . . my, could it be?

Or perhaps you’ve never seen your name honored. And you can’t remember when you heard it spoken with kindness. If so, it may be more difficult for you to believe that God knows your name.

But he does. Written on his hand. Spoken by his mouth. Whispered by his lips. Your name. And not only the name you now have, but the name he has in store for you. A new name he will give you . . .

When God Whispers Your Name is a book of hope. A book whose sole aim is to encourage. I’ve harvested thoughts from a landscape of fields. And though their size and flavors are varied, their purpose is singular: to provide you, the reader, with a word of hope. I thought you could use it.

You’ve been on my mind as I’ve been writing. I’ve thought of you often. I honestly have. Over the years I’ve gotten to know some of you folks well. I’ve read your letters, shaken your hands, and watched your eyes. I think I know you.

You’re busy. Time passes before your tasks are finished. And if you get a chance to read, it’s a slim chance indeed.

You’re anxious. Bad news outpaces the good. Problems outnumber solutions. And you are concerned. What future do your children have on this earth? What future do you have?

You’re cautious. You don’t trust as easily as you once did.

Politicians lied. The system failed. The minister compromised. Your spouse cheated. It’s not easy to trust. It’s not that you don’t want to. It’s just that you want to be careful.

There is one other thing. You’ve made some mistakes. I met one of you at a bookstore in Michigan. A businessman, you seldom came out of your office at all and never to meet an author. But then you did. You were regretting the many hours at work and the few hours at home and wanted to talk.

And the single mom in Chicago. One kid was tugging, the other crying, but juggling them both, you made your point. “I made mistakes,” you explained, “but I really want to try again.”

And there was that night in Fresno. The musician sang and I spoke and you came. You almost didn’t. You almost stayed home. Just that day you’d found the note from your wife. She was leaving you. But you came anyway. Hoping I’d have something for the pain. Hoping I’d have an answer. Where is God at a time like this?

And so as I wrote, I thought about you. All of you. You aren’t malicious. You aren’t evil. You aren’t hardhearted, (hardheaded occasionally, but not hardhearted). You really want to do what is right. But sometimes life turns south. Occasionally we need a reminder.

Not a sermon.

A reminder.

A reminder that God knows your name.

From When God Whispers Your Name
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1999) Max Lucado

(Bible study from the May 2010 issue of In Touch magazine)

Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV)

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

As far back as creation, God declared that “it is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). We were created for relationship with the Lord and each other. Although the rugged individualist has been promoted as an American hero, such self-sufficiency leads to relational poverty. Scripture offers insightful glimpses into the benefits of having a faithful friend in a time of need.

Examples of Rich Friendships:

• Despite threats by his own father—King Saul—Jonathan remained a loyal friend to David (1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19:1-7; 20:1-42).
• Nathan was willing to deliver a difficult reproof to David when he needed correction (2 Samuel 12:1-13).
• Daniel and his three friends came together in a time of danger to seek God’s deliverance (Daniel 2:12-19).
• The paralytic’s friends carried him and persevered in bringing him to Jesus for help (Luke 5:17-20).
• Paul’s friends sought to protect him from harm and cared for him when he was imprisoned (Acts 19:31; 24:23; 27:3).

Because the church has been called to interdependence, being a friend in the time of a person’s need is exactly what Christians are commanded to do. Consider the similarities between these Old Testament descriptions of a faithful friend and the New Testament’s instructions for believers.

Characteristics of a Good Friend:

• Loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
  
• Sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24; Ephesians 4:1-3)
  
• Shows compassion in times of suffering (Psalms 35:13-14; Romans 12:15)
  
• Offers wise counsel (Proverbs 27:9; Colossians 3:16)
  
• Does not slander or tear down but speaks gracious words that edify (Psalms 15:3; Ephesians 4:29)
  
• Shows kindness that encourages faithfulness to God (Job 6:14; Colossians 3:12-14)
  
• Intercedes in prayer (Job 42:10; Ephesians 6:18)
  
• Can be trusted, even when speaking hard truths (Proverbs 27:6; Galatians 6:1-2)

(devotional by Greg Laurie from Christianity.com)

(please visit Harvest Ministries)

Luke 19:17 (NIV)

‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’

Jesus told a story about a king who was going to leave and then return later, so he instructed his servants to invest a sum of money he had entrusted to them while he was away. These servants fit into one of three categories: the super faithful, the less faithful, and the unfaithful.

The super faithful, the less faithful, and the unfaithful all received the equivalent of 100 days of wages for a laborer. We are not told how the super faithful servant was able to make ten times as much as the others, but he seemed to have no limitations whatsoever. He just went for it, and he achieved. The less faithful servant went for it as well, but was more conservative. Yet he is still to be commended. However, the unfaithful servant not only was unproductive, but also had the audacity to blame his master for his shortcomings.

Today there are people in the church like these servants. Some take risks for the kingdom of God and accomplish great things for Him. Others are more conservative and more cautious in their service. Still others have a faulty concept of who God is. They think He is unfair and demanding, and they are motivated more by fear than by love. They don’t understand God as He is presented in Scripture. Yet our primary motive for serving God should be love. As the apostle Paul said, “Christ’s love controls us” (see 2 Corinthians 5:14).

The fact is that some Christians are setting the world on fire while others are still looking for a match. If you don’t have a purpose in life, then you will throw it away. So what is your purpose? What are you focused on? What are you doing with your life? What are you doing for heaven’s sake?