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Our
Daily Devotion
Spending Time with Jesus in the Word of God
Daily
devotions may not seem to be of much importance but
neither is the water you drink daily until you don't
have it and it affects everything in your body. I pray
that each or us take time for daily devotions and that
we take them seriously for they are the secret place
of the Most High with His children.
Listen
to Oswald Chambers regarding devotions.
"There is a difference between devotion to principles
and devotion to a person. Hundreds of people today are
devoting themselves to phrases of truth, to causes.
Jesus Christ never asks us to devote ourselves to a
cause or a creed; He asks us to devote ourselves to
him, to sign away the right to ourselves and yield to
Him absolutely, and take up that cross daily."
(Oswald
Chambers, The Best From All His Book:83)
Lets look at daily devotions by asking three basic questions!
What
is a devotion?
Why
should we have devotions?
How
do you have a devotion?
I.
What is a daily devotion?
A.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines devotional
as follow.
1.
Of, relating to, expressive of, or used in devotion,
especially of a religious nature.
2. A short religious service between you and God.
B.
The daily devotional is a commitment to know the word
of God.
*
This focuses on knowledge and information but not for
mere intellectual satisfaction or boasting!
1.
To know the will of God, for God's will is found in
God's word and nowhere else.
2. To know what pleases God as we come out from the
world's immoral or amoral society.
3. To know right from wrong, as an absolute standard
that sets boundaries and not on situational ethics
or value clarification of humanism.
C.
The daily devotional is to a person.
1.
The Christian life can become a mere following of
a movement or a crowd of people.
a.
This is always the danger in every age and generation.
b. The tendency to be at a popular church for the
sake of the attractions and activity can be intoxication
and self-deceptive.
*
Not that activities are wrong in and of themselves
but they can become the reason for coming to church
instead of the extension of ministry in the church!
2.
The Christian's devotion is to the person of Christ.
a.
Jesus declared that if any man desired to follow
Him, he would have to deny himself, pick up his
cross and then and only then would he really be
following Him (Matthew 16:24).
b. You see the central problem of today's society
is that all are living for themselves, even in marriages,
no one wants to be changed or disrupted from their
self-centered life-style!
1)
Our society encourages and teaches this with a powerful
conviction!
2) The term "mid-life crisis" has become
very acceptable, even within Christian circles as
a normal things but in reality it should be called
"mid-life self-centeredness" as a result
of living for self.
3) This is all a result of allowing psychology to
be integrated with God's word and thereby diluting
God's word of it's power, through compromise.
This is what a devotion is, time spent with Jesus
in the word of God daily!
II.
Why should we have devotions?
A.
To know God more and more.
1.
The apostle Paul puts it this way. (Philippians 3:10-13)
*
That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection,
and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed
to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the
resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already
attained, or am already perfected; but I press on,
that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus
has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count
myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting
those things which are behind and reaching forward
to those things which are ahead."
a.
This power of the resurrection is not speaking of
life after death but the power of the resurrection
to live out the life here and now, mark the context!
b. In other words you and I have the ability and
enabling to know God more and more in order to overcome
all thing pertaining to life in a godly manner(Ephesians.
3:20-21, 2 Peter 1:3-4)!
2.
David told his son Solomon.
(I
Chronicles 28:9)
* "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of
your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and
with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts
and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If
you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you
forsake Him, He will cast you off forever."
B.
To grow in God's word.
1.
The Lord spoke to Joshua after the death of Moses.
Josh. 1:8
*
"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your
mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night,
that you may observe to do according to all that is
written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous,
and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8)."
* The promise is spiritual not material!
a.
Meditation is not the modern day TM that is practice.
b. Neither is it the psychological imagery of creating
a positive picture in your mind by your own creativity.
c. It is allowing the Holy Spirit of God to illuminate
His word to our hearts and minds for obedience (I
Corinthians 2:10-13).
2.
The protection of God's word is against sin (Psalm
119:9-1).
*
"How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking
heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I
have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might
not sin against You!"
This
is the reason for devotions, to know God more and
grow in His word!
III.
How to have a devotions?
A.
Commit a set amount of time each day.
1.
You make time for showering.
2. You make time for eating breakfast, lunch and dinner.
3. You need to make time for your reading.
a.
Begin with prayer asking God to speak to you.
b. Either early in the morning.
c. Or sometime in the day.
d. The morning will equip you for the day!
*
Jesus was up in the morning seeking the will of the
Father and after had to be sought out by the disciples!
B.
Commit to read devotionally a set amount each day.
1.
Read through the Bible in a straight running order,
or jumping back and forth from the Old Testament to
the New Testament.
2. Read a set number of chapters to insure progress,
at your own ability.
3. Read trusting God to bring back to your mind the
things you read.
4. Read expectantly, that God speak to you.
5. Read thankfully.
6. Read different versions each year.
a.
Five chapter a day, five days a week will get you
through the Bible in one year.
b. Five in the morning, five at night will get you
through the Bible twice a year.
7.
All this reading is different from studying the word
methodically and aggressively.
a.
This reading is devotionally so that God can speak
to me.
b. This reading is to become familiar with the content
and context of each book.
c. This reading is so that God's Holy Spirit can
use the whole council of God for my life.
d. This reading is not study that involves observation
of the content, context, key words, key phrases,
natural division, outlines etc.
C.
Commit to read good books.
1.
Devotional books that are Scriptural not merely spiritualizing
everything, unless the context allows for it.
2. Theological books, to educate and broaden your
growth and development.
* Ask your Pastor for a good one!
3. Biographies and autobiographies to recognize that
these individuals went through the same things you
go through and worst, yet God and His grace was and
is sufficient still.
*
You can use the morning for your bible reading and
the night time for a devotional book, theological
book or a biography.
D.
Commit to obeying what you are reading and learning.
1.
Don't be like that man in the mirror that James speaks
about who forgets what he looks like (James 1:22-23).
2. Don't attempt to obey in the energies of your flesh
but only in the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17).
3. Don't become legalistic in your devotion but don't
become permissive and lazy either.
a.
If you miss a day get right back on it the next
day.
b. If you can't read as much as usual make it up
later.
c. If you don't feel like you are getting much out
of it, pray that God speak to you and remember it
is by faith not sight or feelings.
This
is how to have a devotion!
Conclusion
Listen
to this poem and hear why daily devotions are so important
to our lives.
He does not lead me year by year
Nor
even day by day,
But step by step my path unfolds;
My
Lord directs my way.
Tomorrow's plans I do not know,
I
only know this minute;
But He will say, "This is the way,
By
faith now walk in it."
And I am glad that it is so,
Today's
enough to bear:
And when tomorrow comes,
His
grace Shall far exceed its care.
What need to worry then, or fret?
The
God who gave His Son
Holds all my moments in His hand
And
gives them, one by one.
SimpleTruths
Calvary Chapel Pasadena
2200 East Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, California 91107
A registered California non-profit religious Corporation.
Permission to reproduce must be obtained by writing
the Editor.
All material in this issue is Copyrighted.
© Copyright 2000 Calvary Chapel Pasadena
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