Time Out! Devotions

Psalm 26 (NCV)

¹ Lord, defend me because I have lived an innocent life.
I have trusted the Lord and never doubted.
² Lord, try me and test me;
look closely into my heart and mind.
³ I see your love,
and I live by your truth.

David was not claiming to be sinless – that is impossible for any human being! But he was consistently in fellowship with God, clearing his record when he sinned by asking for forgiveness. And he pleaded with God to clear his name of the false charges laid against him by his enemies. We also can ask God to cross-examine us so we stay in close fellowship with Him, trusting Him to forgive our sins according to His mercy.

⁴ I do not spend time with liars,
nor do I make friends with those who hide their sin.
⁵ I hate the company of evil people,
and I won’t sit with the wicked.
⁶ I wash my hands to show I am innocent,
and I come to your altar, Lord.
⁷ I raise my voice in praise
and tell of all the miracles you have done.

Should we stay away from unbelievers? No. Although there are some places Christians should avoid, Jesus demonstrated that we must go among unbelievers to help them. But there is a difference between being with them and being one of them. Trying to be one of them harms our witness for God. Ask about the places you enjoy, “If I come here often, will I become less obedient to God in outlook or action?” If the answer is yes, carefully monitor how often you go there and what effect it has on you.

⁸ Lord, I love the Temple where you live,
where your glory is.
⁹ Do not kill me with those sinners
or take my life with those murderers.
¹⁰ Evil is in their hands,
and they do wrong for money.
¹¹ But I have lived an innocent life,
so save me and have mercy on me.
¹² I stand in a safe place.
Lord, I praise you in the great meeting.

This last verse can also be translated, “My feet stand on level ground.” David was not saying that God always prevents us from slipping or falling into sin (although often He does). Instead, David was saying that as long as He trusted in God, He could stand on the firm foundation of God’s Word and have a godly perspective on life.

Too often we complain about our problems publicly and only praise God in private. How much better it would be to complain privately and praise God publicly!

I love the Lord because He hears my prayers and answers them. Because He bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I breathe!

Death stared me in the face – I was frightened and sad. Then I cried, “Lord, save me!” How kind He is! So merciful, this God of ours! The Lord protects the simple and the childlike; I was facing death and then He saved me. Now I can relax. For the Lord has done this wonderful miracle for me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I shall live! Yes, in His presence – here on earth!

In my discouragement I thought, “They are lying when they say I will recover.” But now what can I offer Jehovah for all He has done for me? I will bring Him an offering of wine and praise His name for saving me. I will publicly bring Him the sacrifice I vowed I would. His loved ones are very precious to Him and He does not lightly let them die.

O Lord, You have freed me from my bonds and I will serve You forever. I will worship You and offer You a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

(Psalm 116:1-17 – The Living Bible)

God is not so far away that you cannot reach Him. He “bends down and listens” to your prayers. This writer’s love for the Lord had grown because he had experienced answers to his prayers.

If you are discouraged, remember that God is near, listening carefully to every prayer and answering each prayer in order to give you His best.

(from – http://bible.christianity.com/devotionals/dailydisciples/11603776/)

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 10-12; John 6:45-71

So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the Lord continually. Exodus 28:29

Have you ever watched the news broadcast of a missing person? As I saw a report on a missing teenager, the family being interviewed all wore picture badges displaying the person’s face. They not only wanted this face in public view for possible recognition but also they wanted this reminder close to their own hearts. Just having this type of memorial helped this grieving family pursue their hopes of finding their child.

As discussed in Exodus Chapter 28, Aaron wears a garment that has the names of each of the twelve tribes of Israel etched in precious stones and placed over his heart. This robe is worn by Aaron as he enters the most holy place in the presence of the Lord. Aaron represents the people to the Lord and is a continual reminder of who they are to the Lord. Today, we have Jesus Christ who is our High Priest and who bears our names before the Lord. We, too, are considered as precious stones before the Lord as our names are placed over the heart of our Savior Jesus.

How many of us truly realize how precious we are to the Lord? When life’s ups and downs seem to dominate our time and thoughts, we may not realize that we have a High Priest who is continually presenting us and our needs to our heavenly Father. Sometimes, we, as believers, stray from our Father’s presence, maybe fall out of fellowship or a regular time of prayer and Bible reading. During those times, I can picture Jesus going before the Father with a picture badge over His heart reminding the Lord of His child who has gone astray.  More than anything else, the Lord desires a personal relationship with us and never wants us to be lost or to be away from Him.

Where are you today? Are you in close fellowship with Jesus? Regardless of where you are, know that if you are a child of God, born again in Jesus Christ, then your High Priest is continually presenting you to the Father. You can have the hope and peace today that Jesus is carrying your picture over His heart as a constant memorial. But, even more than that, He is living in your heart and wants to be with you always. Can you say the same? Are you carrying His picture in spirit and truth over your heart today? Are you spending time in worship and fellowship with Him? None are missing in the Lord today…for “I once was lost but now I am found, was blind but now I see” (Amazing Grace).

Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God’s Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.

Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

(from – http://bible.christianity.com/devotionals/dailydisciples/11603776/)