Time Out! Devotions

(devotional by Dr. Charles Stanley from the August 2010 issue of In Touch magazine)

Genesis 50:15-21 (NIV)

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” ¹⁶ So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ¹⁷ ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

¹⁸ His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. ²¹ So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

When life gets hard, we tend to get upset and wonder how soon the difficulty will end. But God wants us to focus on Him in times of trouble. As we do, we will discover He is doing important spiritual work during these “storms.”

Beliefs. The Bible contains what we need to know about our life in Christ and following Him. When circumstances are beyond our control, what we really believe will surface. The depth of our faith in God’s character and promises will become evident, as will any doubts or uncertainties we may have. For example, Joseph revealed strong belief when he acknowledged that God intended his hardships for his good (v. 20). There are bound to be times when we don’t succeed—like Peter, whose fear led to denying Christ—but we should think of trials as opportunities to grow and deepen our faith.

Transformation. As God’s children, we are to live our lives in a way that displays Christ’s character. But we are more like jewels in the rough, aren’t we? The heavenly Father can use the storms of life to transform us into His Son’s image.

Comfort. This blessing is not only for us but also for others. Our Father comforts us in our sufferings and asks that we share what we have received with other people (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Difficult times can come from our own mistakes, the schemes of the Enemy, or the hurtful actions of others. They can even be ordained by God. Regardless of the source, our Father works in them to benefit us and to bless others. What testimony about Him can you give to a hurting world?

Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

In one of Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman’s meetings, a man stood up and gave his testimony: “For one year I begged the streets as a tramp and one day I tapped a man on the shoulder and said ‘Mister, could you please give me a dime?’ As soon as I saw his face, I realized it was my father. He threw his arms around me and said ‘I have found you. All I have is yours!’ I had stood there begging my father for ten cents while he had been looking for me to give me all he had.”

So often, Christians approach God like a stranger on the street, begging Him just to help them get by. But when we have accepted Christ as our Savior, He is no stranger to us; He is our Father, waiting with open arms, ready to embrace us in love and offer us everything He has.

Do we approach God from a beggar’s perspective or as His cherished child? If we have any difficulty seeing Him as our loving Father, we need to ask Him to help us develop a healthy Father/child relationship.

Luke 15:21-32 (New International Version)

²¹“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²²“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹” ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ “

God is still on His throne and man is still on His footstool.

There’s only a knee’s distance in between.

Jim Elliot

(http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/magazine.aspx?id=3602)

Rebecca Ingram Powell

Author and Certified Speaker

Key Verse:

“Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him” (Hebrews 9:28)

Devotion:

It was a Lutheran girl, Linda, who started the whole thing. “You’ve never heard of Lent?” she asked us incredulously. We were gathered for an interfaith Bible study in our dorm. The room was packed with curious Protestants. “Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts until Easter,” she explained. “You’re supposed to give up something—something you like—until Easter.” Practically in unison, we asked her why.

“Well,” she said gently, “I give up something I like to remember that Christ gave up everything for me.”

The room was silent as we each considered Linda’s words. Moments later the decision was made to practice Lent that year, most of us choosing to fast from chocolate!

I had never taken Easter more seriously. As a typical, middle-class American I had been deprived of little. Now I was depriving myself of something seemingly insignificant. After all, chocolate is a “creature comfort.” Some of you may disagree, but it is truly not necessary for survival! However, in the weeks following my decision, my thoughts were turned toward the Easter story—Christ’s suffering, crucifixion, death, and ultimate resurrection–every day. Because of Linda’s testimony, I realized my sacrifice was little, but I knew it would count. I believed God would honor my heart’s desire to experience Easter in a deeper way.

The Old Testament concept of sacrifice was expressed in the practice of presenting an offering to the Lord. The “first fruits” of the harvest were given out of gratitude to the Lord. This was a way of recognizing and honoring God’s faithfulness in providing for every need. In addition, an animal sacrifice was made once a year as atonement for sins. This was necessary because under Old Testament law, there was no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood. We don’t make animal sacrifices anymore because of Jesus Christ. As New Testament believers, we understand that because of His death on the cross and His resurrection three days later, “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him” (Hebrews 9:28). Does your heart sing to hear those words? Or have years of the “old, old story” bred a familiarity in you that no longer fully perceives the truth of His sacrifice?

In the hustle and bustle of lives grounded in 21^st century convenience, it’s hard to be still and hear the tread of Christ’s sandaled feet on the dusty roads of Jerusalem. My pastor once remarked that if a day to the Lord is like a thousand years to us, then Jesus Christ died and rose again a mere two days ago! Where’s the excitement? Where is our sense of urgency to tell our friends, family, and neighbors that a sacrifice has been made once and for all?

If it has been a long time since you considered the power of Easter, I invite you to join me in giving up something for Lent. It might seem a bit silly, but if by this act you are brought to the cross each day, then how foolish can it be? If it causes you to think on Christ and His passion for you, if it causes a renewed passion in your own life for Him, then I believe it’s a good idea.

As we concluded our first Lenten season, several of us girls walked from the dorm to church together on Easter morning. It was a beautiful day. The sun shone brilliantly on our campus. Everything was in bloom and seemed to shout with dazzling colors, “He is risen!” We sang hymns as we trekked to church, somber in worship yet joyful in praise. Our hearts were full with a fresh knowledge of Christ, and indeed, as we walked down that paved road in our Sunday pumps, we seemed to hear the sandaled footsteps of our newly risen Lord among us.

My prayer for today:

“Dear Father, I am longing to experience a fresh knowledge of You this Easter. You have given up everything for me in offering your Son as payment for my sins. Show me if there is something I can offer You–something I like–that would cause me to bow more deeply at Your throne this season. In the Name of the One who loves me so, Christ Jesus, Amen.”

Application steps:

Now go for it! Could you give up chocolate, sodas, or (gasp!) cigarettes for the next six weeks?

How about giving up gossiping or a negative attitude?

Ask the Lord to show you how; He will!

Reflection points:

Christ died for me.

Ponder the memory of the moment you first realized that Jesus died for you. If that moment is right now, rejoice!

How eager am I to share this life-changing news with others?

Power verses:

2 Samuel 24:24b, “I’m not going to offer God, my God, sacrifices that are no sacrifice.” (Message)

Romans 12:1, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?” (NLT)

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (NLT)

Luke 24:6a, “He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead!” (NLT)

Luke 24:46, 47, “And he said, ‘Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.’” (NLT)

Additional resources:

Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed by Lysa TerKeurst
http://www.gospelcom.net/p31/resources/radical.html

P31 Woman Magazine by Proverbs 31 Ministries
http://www.gospelcom.net/p31/resources/newsletter.html