Time Out! Devotions

Psalm 40:1-17 (NIV)

¹ I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.

² He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

³ He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

⁴ Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.

⁵ Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

⁶ Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

⁷ Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll.

⁸ I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

⁹ I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.

¹⁰ I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.

¹¹ Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.

¹² For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.

¹³ Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.

¹⁴ May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.

¹⁵ May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame.

¹⁶ But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “The LORD be exalted!”

¹⁷ Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.

Guilt comes from a feeling of responsibility for some wrongdoing. Certain convictions come from the Holy Spirit’s efforts to turn us away from sin and guide us to our heavenly Father. But not all guilt stems from ungodly actions.

False guilt, which is not prompted by sin, can surface for a variety of reasons, such as disappointment in one’s own performance, a sense of shame over past events, or criticism by others for unmet expectations. Rejection or a pattern of abuse from childhood can also trigger this emotion. False guilt is a powerful weapon the Enemy uses to direct our thoughts away from God.

Whether false or real, the emotion of guilt divides our mind, drains our energy, and creates a sense of insecurity. If it is allowed to linger, we can start to have doubts about God’s goodness and love for us. Depression and hopelessness may follow. To cope, some people develop compulsive behaviors in an attempt to replace self-reproach with something pleasurable. Excessive amounts of shopping, eating, television, Internet, and physical activity are common ways people try to push away self-condemning thoughts.

Dealing quickly with guilt is important. Acknowledge the emotion to the Lord, and identify the reason behind it. If you’ve violated God’s law, ask His forgiveness, and take steps to change the behavior. If you discover false guilt, confess it and ask God to adjust your thinking to match His. In either case, praise Him because He has promised to forgive His children’s sins and remove guilt.

(by Dr. Charles Stanley from the January 2008 issue of In Touch devotional magazine)

Psalm 37:23-24 (NIV)

²³ If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm;

²⁴ though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Psalm 40:2-3 (NIV)

² He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

³ He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

The literal definition of the word “failure” is: a lack of success in or at something. In reality though, you cannot achieve success in anything without failures along the way. No one is born with the ability to do anything successfully on the first attempt. Babies fall when learning to walk; pianists hit sour notes when trying to master a composition; athletes come in second and third while building up what it takes to place first. But there is a common thread among them all: they never let fear of failure stop them from striving for success.

A lot of us have a fear of failure; but if we desire to be used by God to further His kingdom and bring glory to His name, we must ask Him to help us overcome this. Imagine the amazing things we could do in God’s name if we never let fear hold us back! We might stumble along the way; but in the end, God’s name would be glorified, and we would set an example for those around us that it’s okay to try big things for God, even if we fail along the way to success.

(by Dr. David Jeremiah from the September 2009 issue of Turning Points magazine)

“Success comes in cans; failure comes in can’ts.”
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Hebrews 2:17 (NIV)

¹⁷For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

You’ve barely dipped a toe into Matthew’s gospel when you realize Jesus hails from the Tilted-Halo Society. Rahab was a Jericho harlot. Grandpa Jacob was slippery enough to warrant an electric ankle bracelet. David had a personality as irregular as a Picasso painting – one day writing psalms, another day seducing his captain’s wife. But did Jesus erase His name from the list? Not at all!

Why did Jesus hang His family’s dirty laundry on the neighborhood clothesline?

Because your family has some too. The dad who never came home. The grandparent who ran away with the coworker. If your family tree has bruised fruit, then Jesus wants you to know, “I’ve been there.”

The phrase “I’ve been there” is in the chorus of Christ’s theme song. To the lonely, Jesus whispers, “I’ve been there.” To the discouraged, Christ nods His head and sighs, “I’ve been there.”

(by Max Lucado from his book, Next Door Savior)