WEDNESDAYS DEVOTION :)

[Guest guest]

THIS ONE IS REALLY PROFOUND!! LOVE IT!!!

P.S. NOW YOU KNOW WHY MY BABY'S NAME IS ISAIAH!!

MARCY

>

>

> FROM: THE WOMEN'S DEVOTIONAL BIBLE 2

>

>

> YOU ARE PRECIOUS

> BY SUSAN LENZKES

>

>

> BUT NOW, THIS IS WHAT THE

> LORD SAYS---

> HE WHO CREATED YOU,

> O JACOB,

> HE WHO FORMED YOU,

> O ISRAEL:

> " FEAR NOT, FOR I HAVE

> REDEEMED YOU; I HAVE

> SUMMONED YOU BY NAME; YOU

> ARE MINE. "

> _________________VERSE: ISAIAH 43:1

> _______PASSAGE: ISAIAH 43:1-4, 18-19

>

>

>

> AS A TEACHER TEACHES BEST BY SPARKING CURIOSITY, SO A FRIEND

> ENCOURAGES BEST BY KINDLING SELF-WORTH.

>

> RECENTLY A DEAR FRIEND WAS TALKING WITH ME ABOUT HER STRUGGLE TO

> REALIZE HER OWN WORTH.

>

> " THE OTHER DAY, " SHE SAID, " I WAS SO FRUSTRATED WITH MY SLOW

> PROGRESS, WONDERING IF I WOULD EVER REALLY LEARN TO BE KIND TO

MYSELF.

> THEN I THOUGHT OF YOU AND ANOTHER FRIEND WHO HAVE AFFIRMED ME FOR SO

> MANY YEARS, BELIEVING IN ME EVEN WHEN I DIDN'T HONOR MY OWN

OPINIONS AND

> FEELINGS, AND MAKING ME FEEL SPECIAL WHEN I DIDN'T PLACE MUCH VALUE

ON

> MYSELF. AND I SUDDENLY UNDERSTOOD SOMETHING THAT'S HELPING ME BE

MORE

> PATIENT WITH MYSELF.

>

> " I REALIZED THAT YOU'VE LOVED ME A LOT LONGER THAN I'VE LOVED

MYSELF,

> SO YOU'RE *BETTER* AT IT! I KNOW WHERE THAT KIND OF LOVE COMES

FROM. AND

> I KNOW THAT IN TIME, I'LL GET BETTER AT IT TOO. "

>

> WHAT A PRIVILEGE GOD HAS GIVEN US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER! WHEN THE

> APOSTLE PAUL INSTRUCTED US TO OBSERVE WHATEVER IS TRUE, NOBLE,

RIGHT,

> PURE, LOVELY, ADMIRABLE, EXCELLENT AND PRAISEWORTHY (PHILIPPIANS

4:8),

> HE HANDED US A DELIGHTFUL SET OF TOOLS TO CARVE SELF-WORTH INTO THE

> LIVES OF OTHERS. AS WE SEE AND AFFIRM THESE POSITIVE QUALITIES IN

OUR

> FRIENDS, OUR FRIENDS BEGIN TO SEE THE *SOURCE* OF ALL THAT IS TRUE

AND

> EXCELLENT AND PRAISEWORTHY. AND SOON THEY BEGIN PRAISING THEIR

LOVELY

> CREATOR BY BECOMING ALL HE MEANT FOR THEM TO BE.

>

> ------------------------------------------------------

>

> ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE READINGS:

>

> 1 SAMUEL 20:16-17

> HEBREWS 10:25

> 1 JOHN 4:16-19

>

>

> GENTLEHUGS AND PRAYERS

> SAM

[Guest guest]

WELCOME NEW DAILY DEVOTIONS MEMBER

FROM: 365 DAYS WITH

E. STANLEY JONES

THE ART OF PRAYER:

BE STILL

" BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM

GOD!

_______________________PSALM 46:10

4. *STILL THE MIND.* JUST AS THE MOON CANNOT BE REFLECTED WELL ON A

RESTLESS SEA, SO GOD CANNOT GET TO AN UNQUIET MIND. " BE STILL, AND

KNOW " ; BE UNSTILL AND YOU DO NOT KNOW---GOD CANNOT GET TO YOU. IN THE

STILLNESS THE PRAYER ITSELF MAY BE CORRECTED. FOR GOD DOES NOT ONLY

ANSWER PRAYER; HE ALSO CORRECTS PRAYER AND MAKES IT MORE ANSWERABLE.

ONE NIGHT I BOWED MY HEAD IN SILENT PRAYER BEFORE A SERMON AND

WHISPERED TO GOD, " O GOD, HELP ME. " VERY QUICKLY CAME BACK THE REPLY: " I

WILL DO SOMETHING BETTER; I WILL USE YOU. "

THAT AMENDMENT WAS DECIDEDLY BETTER. I WAS ASKING GOD TO HELP ME---I

WAS THE CENTER; I WAS CALLING GOD IN FOR MY PURPOSES. BUT " I WILL USE

YOU " MEANT I WAS NOT THE CENTER; SOMETHING BEYOND ME WAS THE CENTER,

AND I WAS ONLY THE INSTRUMENT OF THAT PURPOSE BEYOND MYSELF. GOD'S

ANSWER SHIFTED THE WHOLE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE PRAYER.

GOD'S CHANGES ARE ALWAYS FOR THE BETTER.

O FATHER, HELP ME TO LISTEN TO YOU AND TO BE RESPONSIVE AT THE DEPTH OF

YOUR PURPOSES. I WOULD BE USED BY YOU.

AFFIRMATION:

I AM THE INSTRUMENT OF GOD'S PURPOSES.

FOR FURTHER READING:

PSALM 46; 55:22; 62:1, 5, 11-12

GENTLEHUGS AND PRAYERS

SAM