Our Deliverer

Daniel 3:19-30

This the story of the 3 Israelites, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.

These 3 had been taken as captives from Judah by the king of Babylon, Nebachadnezzer.

King Nebachadnezzer had ordered everyone to fall down and worship the golden idol or they would be thrown in a fiery furnace. 

They refused to worship another god and said they trusted the true God.

The fiery furnace was heated up to 7 times the normal.  They were bound and thrown into this furnace. 

King Nebachadnezzer saw 4 men walking around.  He then ordered the 3 to come out.  They weren't burnt and didn't even smell like fire. 

WOW!!  What an awesome God!!

Prayer:  Thank you Lord Jesus for protecting us and being with us as we go through the trials of life.  Amen.

Denise Linzman

Victory

2 Chronicles 20:1-22

As we live life, we soon come to realize that unexpected and unwanted crises, issues and even battles come when we feel the least prepared to face them.

In today’s scripture, King Jehoshaphat is alarmed by such an unexpected crisis, a battle. Jehoshaphat realizes that he has a problem bigger than he can deal with – and he cries out to God for help; and calls the people of Judah to prayer and fasting as they wait to hear from God. After some time, God responds to the cry for help with encouragement and a promise of deliverance.  In response to God’s promise, King Jehoshaphat displays unwavering faith – he worships God, he praises God for the victory promised and he obeys God’s instructions – facing the battle head on, while praising and giving thanks.  As promised, God leads Jehoshaphat and his people to victory.

When we are facing unexpected crises, issues and even battles, we can learn from King Jehoshaphat.  We too can seek God first and acknowledge our need for help; waiting for an answer - while knowing/expecting that God will respond.  We can respond to God’s answer with faith: praising God for the answer, worshipping Him, obeying His instructions and facing the battle head on with praise and thanksgiving.

The battles we face may be more or less severe than the battle King Jehoshaphat faced, but God can deliver us, He can lead us to victory.  To God be the Glory!

Prayer:  O God – thank you for your presence with us always – in good times and in times of crisis.  Help us to acknowledge our need for you and your help.  Guide us, Lead us, and Encourage us thru the battles that we are facing.  You are our hope and our deliverance.  All honor, glory and praise are yours.  Amen.

Delyn Cronk

Warnings from History

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

In this passage Paul is warning us not to be like the Jews that Moses led out of Egypt and into the promised land.

"If you think you are standing firm, be careful you don't fall."  No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  Remember Gods promise.  God is faithful.  He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, thank you for your many promises.  Help us to live up to your teachings as best we can and forgive us when we fail you.  Amen.

David Herndon

Faith Journey

Romans 4:1-12

Paul uses Abraham as an example of a faithful & righteous man.  Abraham was a man of good works, a religious man and when God appeared to him and spoke to him, he set out to follow God.  He trusted God to lead him to a land he'd never seen before, to take care of his family and to lead him into a place that would fulfill the promises of God--no questions asked!

Having faith in God is not just believing He exists--it is trusting innately and wholly with not just our lives, but all the tiny things that make up our lives.  All those things that we hold on to, those things that we are so afraid to relinquish control of.  It is hard sometimes to have faith that God ultimately knows best when issues are so dear to our hearts.  Should we really bother God with such things when He is busy taking care of our sins & saving our souls?

True faith is trusting God with the great as well as the small.  It is a continuous effort to give over everything in our lives into Gods hands.  He knows the best way for us to live.  Faith is an ongoing effort, not just a belief.

Prayer:  God of promises, help me feel your presence and be faithful in my life's journey. Amen.

Dana Askins

Faith No Matter What

Psalm 27

Psalm 27 starts out, “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?”  Good question huh?  The answer is simple with God’s help: No One.  This Psalm shows us David’s faith in the Lord.  King David had enemies as any King would but he did not let that bother him.  He had faith in the Lord that he would help defeat his enemies.  This is the same faith we should have in our everyday lives.  No matter what happens in our lives we should know that God is with us and is there for us.  Sometimes it is hard for us to see God in everything, but He is there and we should have faith that His will is the right thing for us.  When we deal with bad news or a tragic event in our lives, it is hard to deal with, but through it all God is right there with us fighting our enemies, all we have to have is faith.  

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you for being there for us no matter what.  We pray that you will continue to be with us.  Help us to have the faith we need in this world that you are with us every minute of every day.  Amen.

Dale Peters

My God

Psalm 118:26-29

This scripture tells that God is going to send to His people their light and salvation.  It also lets us know that we have our own personal God, that He is good, kind and will love us forever.  We are to give Him (offerings) our thanks and praise.  It gives me a sense of happiness and well being that He is my God.  My own personal God is with me always.
 

PRAYER:  My God, you have provided my salvation through your Son, Jesus Christ.  I will give to you my thanks and praise forever and ever.  Amen.

Cynthia Peters

Lenten Devotion

Philippians 3:17

In Philippians 3:17, Paul encourages us to join together in imitating him.  In scripture before this, he tells us that whatever he has gained of this world’s possessions, he considers rubbish.  Also, in later scripture in Philippians he tells us that he has learned to be content with whatever situation he is in because he has the love and grace of Christ Jesus.  We have the love and grace of Christ in three forms:  1. The grace and love for us even before we are aware of it; 2. The grace and love for us that Christ demonstrated on the cross and in the resurrection that justifies us before Almighty God; 3. Finally, the grace that sanctifies us and encourages us to grow more Christ-like each day by day.

Prayer:  Holy Father, we ask that you encourage us to become more Christ-like each day as we study and practice the things that please you.  In Christ’s name we pray.  Amen.

Charles Boyd

Philippians 3:2-12

Sometimes I can catch myself getting “confident in the flesh” as today’s scripture describes.  I go to church, tithe, volunteer here and there, and before too long I am feeling pretty confident that I am doing what it takes to be a Christian!  I am sure most of us have felt like this at times.  It does seem like there can be a difference between being “religious” and following the old saying of “What Would Jesus Do?”  Paul seems to be re-emphasizing that in today’s scripture reading.  He uses himself as an example of how he felt like a very righteous person before meeting Christ because of all of the things he did personally and the way he lived his life in relation to the laws.  However, he then goes on to say that after meeting Jesus he considered all of his prior ways “a loss”.  He mentions in verse 9 that he no longer has a righteousness of his own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ. 

A good reminder that we cannot get there purely on our own.  

Prayer:  Father, we are thankful for the gift of your son and the time that he spent on Earth showing us what it truly means to live according to your will.  Forgive us for the times we still fall short of his example.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen. 

Jeff Henricks

Ah, The Good Life!

Luke 21:34-38;22:1-6

I can remember as a child watching the sunrise with my Dad from a duck

blind on a local lake, or the sunset from a boat on a warm summer evening.  I

also remember childhood vacation trips with my family to White Sands, New

Mexico, the Rocky Mountains, or the beaches of Corpus Christi.  I remember

being amazed at the beauty of God’s creation, and now Jeanna and I have been

able to experience that same awe and wonder through the eyes of our own

children on our own trips.

God’s creation provides so much for us to enjoy and use and He expects that

we do just that:  Enjoy!  He has blessed each of us with so much, certainly more

than we deserve.  That doesn’t mean, however, that we should just jump in with

wreckless abandon.  There is much in this world that is not from God, and it,

too, is there for our taking.  Jesus warns us to remain alert and to not be taken

in by these harmful things.  He knew of the danger, and even one of His chosen

fell victim to it.

Our Lord reminds us to remain alert so that we will not be overcome by the

worldly things in life that might drive a wedge between us and the love of God. 

God, in His infinite grace and unconditional love, will always be there for us, but

we have the free choice and uncanny ability to turn away from Him.  Let’s  be

careful that we don’t.

Prayer:  Merciful God, we pray for the wisdom to discern the difference between

the gifts that are from You and those that are not.  Grant us the strength to resist

those things that can hurt us and separate us from Your love.  In Your Son’s name

we pray.  Amen. 

Brent Russell

Clean Clothes

Zechariah 3:1-10

When we read scripture, often a few verses jump out at us and have special meaning.

What really stands out to me here is the part where Joshua stood before the angel of the

Lord in filthy clothes and the angel said to those who stood before him, “Take off his

filthy clothes.”  And then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sins, and I will

put fine garments on you.”

What a great symbol and mental image this is of how God forgives our sins.  We

were dirty but now we are clean.  Our sins cover us in filth like dirty clothes, but God

cleanses us, forgives our sins and clothes us in the “finest new garment.”  While this is

Old Testament scripture, in one brief, but powerful, image it captures the rebirth and joy

we receive through Jesus.

Prayer:  We thank you God for your mercy and blessings.  We also thank you for

refreshing us by washing away our sins and giving us peace and life with you eternally.

Amen.

Rod Smith

Believing the Word

1 John 2:1-6

John explains to God's people that all they have been taught about God is true and they should never waiver from those teachings.  There is only one true God and they are to not look or listen to any other false prophets or religions.  What they have learned is what they need to know and believe.

Today, the modern society has hundreds of false teachers professing the Gospel and we Christians are to only trust and obey the true teachings of the Bible, God's only true word.

Jesus is our Saviour and when he died for the forgiveness of the sins of the world, all we have to do is follow in his footsteps and strive our best to be the Christian we should be.

Prayer:  Great God, we continue to cherish each and every blessing you bestow upon us.  We honor you and love you.  In your Son’s Holy name.  Amen.

Bill Cope

A Prayer of David

Psalm 17

In this prayer David asked, “Hear me, O Lord, my righteous plea; it does not rise from deceitful lips.”  He goes on to say, “My steps have held to your paths.”  David did not say he was sinless.  In fact, in Psalms 32 and 51 he freely admitted his sins.  David’s only claim to goodness was based on his relationship with God.  It was a close one that was marked by his constant repentance and God’s ongoing forgiveness.  It was a relationship where David wrote that any true measure of contentment was found in God’s love, and in doing God’s will.  Like David, we will find true happiness in putting our relationship with God first, being as repentant as we need to be and letting God be as forgiving as He needs to be.  True happiness is found in a loving relationship with God, and doing His will as best we can, being as repentant as we need to be and letting God be as forgiving as we need Him to be.   

Prayer:  Dear God, when we awake help us to seek you first and let us be more like David.  Like him, may we see the positive side of things, even when times get tough.  We will thank you for your unconditional love, mercy and grace.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Bama White

Time: The Great Equalizer – The Great Divider

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Each day that we exist we have one-thousand four hundred and forty minutes of time to use as seems fit or necessary.  That is a great equalizer.  On the other hand, how we use our time can be the great difference maker, or divider.  It is obvious that circumstances will be a factor in how our time is utilized.  The choice we have each day can be affected either in a positive or negative way, depending on our attitude.

These verses in Ecclesiastes encourage us to use our time doing things in their proper sequence.  Our time is better spent if all efforts for a peaceful solution are sought before violence or war are considered.

Our time is a great gift of God.  If we spend some of it each day using discretion and seeking guidance and wisdom, the remainder of our time will be more rewarding and productive.

Prayer: All powerful God, let us be open to you as we determine how to use the precious gift of time.  Amen.

Warren Davenport

Do You Have a Masters?

Acts 7:30-42

This story is only a glimpse of a larger one that tells of a man who had mistakes

in his past but this is also a story of redemption.  Moses had been born into uncertain

times of pain for his people.  By the grace of God, he found himself growing up with

privileges that his people had never gotten to experience.  Moses lived in a palace and

had the finest education while his people lived in slavery.  As this young man grew older,

he saw the injustice that lorded over his people.  In a fit of rage, Moses tried to put a stop

to it but it caused another outcome.  In an instant, Moses became a hunted man.  At

that point he began to run.  For forty years Moses tried to put the past behind him.  How

many times do we find ourselves running from our past?

One day, Moses found himself face to face with a God who wanted to confront the

mistakes, and allow Moses to set things right.  God had not forgotten His people or

Moses’ passion to fight against injustice.  He called him back after 40 years of living with

his regret.  This long journey must have helped him earn a degree at the University of

Humility.  During his time of running, Moses learned the essentials that only life can teach

him.  He graduated from HU (University of Humility.)  At this point, his education came in

handy in dealing with patience to a nation that chose to run so easily from the God that

had saved them.

Maybe today as you look back on your past, you also realize that you have made

mistakes.  What does your past teach you?  Is it possible that because you have a

Masters from HU you are able to give grace to people that are just enrolling in the

university?  Each day we need to realize we are blessed by adversity and mistakes;

that we can teach and keep others from taking the tough classes we have made

ourselves endure.

Prayer:  God, teach me to learn from the classes that I have been through so I don’t

have to retake them, and can tutor others.  Let me be a teacher of patience as I help

people into the grace and love of your Son Jesus Christ.  May my experience through

HU guide me as I guide others.  Amen.

Ryan Benton

Our Lord, Our Refuge

Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

This scripture selection from Psalms is a hymn of faith, faith that our Heavenly Father will care for us as He does all of His creation.  The Lord is our refuge when we are in trouble, a protector who carries us through life’s journey.  We must entrust ourselves to Him, allowing His comfort to flow over and through our lives. 

Jesus Christ was goodness incarnate, yet he suffered in mind and body, and died.  Thus, our bodies are not immune to mental and physical stress or pain because we are Christians.  We do have God’s constant presence and the guarantee of eternal life.

Hope and confidence are offered in Psalms for today’s devotional:  a hope that is rooted in the Lord, and a confidence that through His help and guidance we may be able to meet the challenges in our daily lives.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, we praise you for all the ways that you care for your creation.  Come dwell among and in us so that we may be sheltered all the days of our lives.  Amen.

Alice Davenport

What’s with the Trumpets at the Charity Fair?

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Visit a park and you’ll often hear, “watch me, Mom.”  Even as children we seek the audience of those around us.  It’s human nature to seek the attention and approval of others.  That is not a bad thing, it’s just a fact.

In the scripture we are looking at today, Jesus is addressing a crowd in his Sermon on the Mount.  In this particular passage Jesus advises the people on the mountainside, and us today, to be careful not to practice our righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.  If our motivation to practice righteousness is to be seen by others then we receive our reward then in full - nothing significant.

What do you mean “practice our righteousness?”  Jesus lists giving to the needy, praying and fasting, as examples of practicing our righteousness.  When we do these things we are to do them secretly to show our heavenly Father that He alone is our target audience.

When we honor God in this way we store up treasures for ourselves in heaven where they

cannot be destroyed or stolen.  This is a wonderful opportunity.  First strengthen my

one-on-one relationship with my Father by honoring Him with my resources and store up treasures for myself for eternity.  I’m in!

Prayer:  God, let my actions honor you and know that my prayers are for your attention.  Help me be focused solely on you when I am practicing my righteousness.  Amen.

Aimee Greening

Lenten Introduction 2013

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the 2013 Lenten Devotional from the First Christian Church.  It has

been a labor of love and it comes to you with the hope it makes this coming

Easter one of deep meaning and lasting joy.  Before you begin using it please allow

me to offer some tips.

First of all, lay this some place where you have quiet time for study, reflection

and prayer.  Make sure you have a Bible at hand and some note paper and a pen

would be helpful as well.  Put them all together and don’t open this again until Ash

Wednesday, February 13.

My second tip is that you resist the temptation to read it through in one sitting.

This booklet is intended for daily devotionals and it really helps to use it that way!

As you come to each devotion look up the scripture reading for the day and

give it the time it takes to read and reflect on it.  Then, look to see who wrote the

message.  Appreciate that they have studied and given thought to this scripture

and done their best to share something that might help us better know God’s will

for us.  Our contributors represent the variety of our church family and they are

brothers and sisters, young and old.  They are at different places in their lives

and their faith journeys.  Reading their messages without being in a rush should get

your own thoughts going.  Now, use that paper and pen to make note of your own

impressions.

Finally, take time with your prayers. Use what is provided and add your own

words of praise, thanksgiving, hope, concern and struggle.  Don’t forget to pray

for each of the day’s devotional contributors.  They too have joys and hopes,

concerns and struggles.

Used as provided this booklet is a helpful tool for building a stronger Christian

life. My own thanks to the writers and those who made sure it came to our

homes on time.

Glad to be your pastor,

Arnold Nelson

Devo Cover

lENTEN

2013

First Christian Church

Duncan, Oklahoma