Gloating At The Enemy

By Dennis Fisher

Read: Obadiah 1:1-14
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls. —Proverbs 24:17
Bible in a year:
1 Samuel 15-16; Luke 10:25-42

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. Yet hidden away in its brief record is a vital question that affects us all: How should we respond when we see an enemy experience misfortune?

The prophet Obadiah ministered during the time that the city of Jerusalem was under fierce attack by the armies of Babylon. The neighbors of Jerusalem, the Edomites, were actually cheering on the enemy armies to destroy and kill (Ps. 137:7-9). Ironically, these hurtful jeers were spoken by blood relatives of the Jews. They were descendants of Jacob, and the Edomites were descendants of Esau.

Obadiah condemned the Edomites for gloating: “You should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his captivity; nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction” (Obad. 1:12).

If someone has repeatedly been hurtful to us, it is easy to give in to vindictive pleasure when they experience misfortune. But Scripture admonishes us, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles” (Prov. 24:17). Instead, we are to maintain an attitude of compassion and forgiveness, and trust God to bring justice in His time.

For Further Thought How to handle people-problems (Romans 12): Be patient (v.12), bless persecutors (v.14), be humble (v.16), don’t take revenge (v.19), defeat evil with good (v.21).

Love for God can be measured by the love we show for our worst enemy.

Never Say “Never”

By David C. McCasland

Read: Acts 9:1-22
Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. —Acts 9:20
Bible in a year:
2 Chronicles 7-9; John 11:1-29

While a friend and I walked along the path of the former Berlin Wall, he told me, “This is one of those ‘never say never’ places in my life.” He explained that during the years when the Wall divided the city, he had made a dozen trips through Checkpoint Charlie to encourage members of the church living under continuing surveillance and opposition in East Germany. More than once, he had been detained, questioned, and harassed by the border guards.

In 1988, he took his teenage children to West Berlin and told them, “Take a good look at this wall, because someday when you bring your children here, this wall will still be standing.” A year later it was gone.

When Saul of Tarsus began to attack the followers of Jesus, no one could have imagined that he would ever become a disciple of Christ. “Never. Not a chance.” Yet Acts 9:1-9 records the story of Saul’s blinding encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Within a few days of that life-changing event, Saul was preaching in the synagogues of Damascus that Jesus was the Son of God, to the astonishment of all who heard him (vv.20-21).

When it comes to God’s work in the most difficult people we know, we should never say “never.”

God’s power cannot be confined
To what you think is possible;
So when it comes to changing lives—
Imagine the impossible. —Sper

Never say never when it comes to what God can do.

Helping Love Grow

By Anne Cetas

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: 1 Corinthians 13
[Love] does not seek its own. —1 Corinthians 13
Bible in a year:
2 Samuel 1-2; Luke 14:1-24

A young man told his father, “Dad, I’m going to get married.”

“How do you know you’re ready to get married, Ron?” asked the father. “Are you in love?”

“I sure am!” he replied.

The father then asked, “Ron, how do you know you’re in love?”

“Last night as I was kissing my girlfriend goodnight, her dog bit me and I didn’t feel the pain until I got home!”

Ron has got that loving feeling, but he has a lot of growing to do. Vernon Grounds, a former writer for Our Daily Bread, who has been married for more than 70 years, shares these points about how to grow in love:

Ponder God’s love in Christ. Take time to reflect on how He gave His life for you. Read about Him in the Gospels, and thank Him.

Pray for the love of God. Ask Him to give you an understanding of His love and to teach you how to live that out in your relationships with your spouse and others (1 Cor. 13).

Practice the love of God. Give of yourself. A newlywed told me he thinks love is practical. He said, “My responsibility is to make life easier for my spouse.” The other, tougher side of love is to challenge each other to act in godly ways.

Love will grow when we ponder love, pray for love, and practice love.

This is my prayer, kind Father,
So direct me from above
That I may live a life for You
And reflect my Savior’s love. —Messenger

As Christ’s love grows in us, His love flows from us.

Daily bread about Love
* Refuel your love tank
* Love 101
* You are God beloved
* Love quotes
* God favors you because He loves you

The Fear Of Falling

By M.R. De Haan

Read: Psalm 46
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. —Deuteronomy 33:27
Bible in a year:
1 Samuel 13-14; Luke 10:1-24

Have you ever dreamed that you were falling out of bed or from some great height, and you awoke in fright? I remember that as a boy I would often be awakened by such a terrifying feeling.

I heard about a man who had this sensation as soon as he slipped into sleep. He was so rudely awakened by his sense of falling that he was afraid to go back to sleep. He feared he would die, and he imagined he was falling into a bottomless pit.

Then one evening as he was strolling through a cemetery, he saw this phrase engraved on a tombstone:

Underneath Are The Everlasting Arms

These words reminded him that when believers die, they are safely carried by the Lord to their home in heaven. He recalled the assurance of the psalmist, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me” (Ps. 23:4).

The once-fearful man realized that in life and in death— and even in sleep—the “everlasting arms” of our loving Lord are there to catch and hold us. That night he was able to sing what he was taught in childhood, “Teach me to live that I may dread the grave as little as my bed!” At last he could fall asleep without fear.

I can trust my loving Savior
When I fear the world’s alarms;
There’s no safer place of resting
Than His everlasting arms. —Hess

You can trust God in the dark as well as in the light.

He Never Sleeps

By Bill Crowder

Read: Psalm 121
He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. —Psalm 121:3
Bible in a year:
1 Samuel 22-24; Luke 12:1-31

Giraffes have the shortest sleep cycle of any mammal. They sleep only between 10 minutes and 2 hours in a 24-hour period and average just 1.9 hours of sleep per day. Seemingly always awake, the giraffe has nothing much in common with most humans in that regard. If we had so little sleep, it would probably mean we had some form of insomnia. But for giraffes, it’s not a sleep disorder that keeps them awake. It’s just the way God has made them.

If you think 1.9 hours a day is not much sleep, consider this fact about the Creator of our tall animal friends: Our heavenly Father never sleeps.

Describing God’s continual concern for us, the psalmist declares, “He who keeps you will not slumber” (Ps. 121:3). In the context of this psalm, the writer makes it clear that God’s sleepless vigilance is for our good. Verse 5 says, “The Lord is your keeper.” God keeps us, protects us, and cares for us—with no need for refreshing. Our Protector is constantly seeking our good. As one song puts it: “He never sleeps, He never slumbers. He watches me both night and day.”

Are you facing difficulties? Turn to the One who never sleeps. Each second of each day, let Him “preserve your going out and your coming in” (v.8).

The Rock of Ages stands secure,
He always will be there;
He watches over all His own
To calm their anxious care. —Keith

The One who upholds the universe will never let you down.

Daily Bread: Many People

By David C. McCasland

Read: Acts 18:1-11
I have many people in this city. —Acts 18:10
Bible in a year:
Ruth 1-4; Luke 8:1-25

New York City. Easter Sunday, 7:30 a.m. I was the only customer at Jimmy’s Diner in East Harlem when a man entered and approached my table. He said, “Good morning, and God bless you,” left a gospel tract, and quickly walked out. I smiled, appreciating his witness and realizing that God has His people everywhere. That night I attended church with our daughter Debbie, joining an enthusiastic congregation of 300 people, most in their twenties and thirties. Their infectious love for Christ and others was a bright light in a city that is often considered spiritually dark.

In the first century, Paul visited the Greek city of Corinth, which was known for its immorality and corruption. When he faced opposition for presenting Jesus as Messiah, the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10).

No matter where we go, the Lord’s people are there. The risen Christ is powerfully present in and through all who know Him. The Lord has His people where you are today. Look for them. Join them.

Christ is risen indeed!

When Christians join in blessed fellowship
Commemorating Jesus’ resurrection,
They sense a common bond of unity—
Their mutual faith in Him the true connection. —Hess

For This I Have Jesus

By Henry G. Bosch

Read: Psalm 66:1-15
I will never leave you nor forsake you. —Hebrews 13:5

Bible in a year:
1 Samuel 4-6; Luke 9:1-17

In an evangelistic meeting in Ireland, the speaker was explaining what it means to abide in Christ and to trust Him completely in every trial. Concluding his message, he repeated several times, “It means that in every circumstance you can keep on saying, ‘For this I have Jesus.’ ”

The meeting was then opened for testimonies. One young woman said, “Just a few minutes ago I was handed this telegram. It reads, ‘Mother is very ill; take train home immediately.’ When I saw those words, I knew that tonight’s message was meant just for me. My heart looked up and said, ‘For this I have Jesus.’ Instantly a peace and strength flooded my soul.”

Three or four weeks later the evangelist received a letter from this woman. It read, “Thank you again for the message you gave that day. Life has become an uninterrupted psalm of victory, for I have come to realize that no matter what life brings, for this I have Jesus.”

That believer in Christ had found in her Savior the One who would be with her “through fire and through water,” and who would bring her “out to rich fulfillment” (Ps. 66:12).

If you are enduring a great trial of affliction, remember—for this you have Jesus!

I’ve found a refuge from life’s care in Jesus,
I am hiding in His love divine;
He fully understands my soul’s deep longing,
And He whispers softly, “Thou art Mine.” —Christiansen

If every circumstance finds us abiding in Christ, we will find Christ abiding with us in every circumstance.

Like A Lamb

By Bill Crowder

Read: John 15:9-17
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. —Isaiah 53:7

Bible in a year:
Judges 16-18; Luke 7:1-30

In 1602, Italian artist Caravaggio produced a painting called The Taking of Christ. This work, an early example of the Baroque style, is compelling. Created in dark hues, it allows the viewer to contemplate Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Two main elements of the scene depicted in the painting demand the observer’s attention. The first is Judas as he delivers the traitor’s kiss. Immediately, however, the viewer’s focus is drawn toward Jesus’ hands, which are passively clasped together to show that He offered no resistance to this injustice. Although He possessed the power to create a universe, Christ gave Himself up voluntarily to His captors and to the waiting cross.

Long before this scene took place, Jesus told His listeners that no one could take His life from Him—He would lay it down willingly (John 10:18). This heart of voluntary surrender was prophesied by Isaiah, who wrote, “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth” (Isa. 53:7).

Christ’s lamblike self-sacrifice is a grand indicator of His powerful love. “Greater love has no one than this,” He explained, “than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Think of it. Jesus loved you that much!

Love sent the Savior to die in my stead.
Why should He love me so?
Meekly to Calvary’s cross He was led.
Why should He love me so? —Harkness

The nail-pierced hands of Jesus reveal the love-filled heart of God.

My Lord

by David C. Egner

Read: John 20:19-29
Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” —John 20:28

Bible in a year:
Psalms 54–56 & Romans 3

On the day of His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and showed them His hands and feet. We are told that at first they could not believe for joy—it appeared too wonderful to be true (Luke 24:40-41). Thomas was not with the disciples, but he also had trouble believing until he saw for himself. When Jesus appeared to Thomas and told him to put his fingers in the nail holes and his hand in His side, Thomas cried, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

Later, as Paul told the Philippians of his own suffering, he also declared Jesus as Lord. He testified that he had come to the place where he considered all his experiences as loss “for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8).

You and I have never seen Jesus calm a storm or raise someone from the dead. We haven’t sat at His feet on a Galilean hillside and heard Him teach. But through eyes of faith we have been spiritually healed by His death on our behalf. Thus we can join Thomas and Paul and countless others in acknowledging Jesus as our Lord.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). When we believe, we too can call Jesus, “My Lord and my God!”

See, from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown? —Watts

Though we cannot see Him with our eyes, we can believe with our heart—He is Lord!

You are a member of God's own family

Daily Devotions by Rick Warren

It was a happy day for him when he gave us our new lives through the truth of his Word, and we became, as it were, the first children in his new family. James 1:18 (LB)

"The invitation to be part of God's family is universal, but there is one condition: faith in Jesus. "

When we place our faith in Christ, God becomes our Father, we become his children, other believers become our brothers and sisters, and the church becomes our spiritual family: “Jesus pointed to his disciples and said, ‘These are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!’” (Matthew 12:49-50 NLT).

The family of God includes all believers in the past, in the present, and all who will believe in the future: “The Spirit makes you God’s children, and by the Spirit’s power we cry out to God, ‘Father! my Father!’ God’s Spirit joins himself to our spirits to declare that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:15-16 TEV).

Every human being was created by God but not everyone is a child of God. The only way to get into God’s family is by being born again into it. You became part of the human family by your first birth but you become a member of God’s family by your second birth: “It is his boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again so that we are now members of God’s own family” (1 Peter 1:3 LB).

The invitation to be part of God’s family is universal, but there is one condition: faith in Jesus.

“You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26 NLT).
Not only are we born again into God’s family through faith, the Bible says God also “adopts” us. We don’t deserve to be his children, but he has chosen us for this privilege because he loves us.

God's Family Lasts Forever

Since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you. Galatians 4:7 (NLT)

"Our spiritual family will continue throughout eternity. It is a much stronger union, a more permanent bond, than blood relationships."

Your spiritual family is even more important than your physical family because it will last forever. Our families on earth are wonderful gifts from God, but they are temporary and fragile, often broken by divorce, distance, growing old, and inevitably, by death.

The apostle Paul says, “When I think of the wisdom and scope of his plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God – some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth” (Ephesians 3:14-15 LB).

On the other hand, our spiritual family – our relationship to other believers – will continue throughout eternity. It is a much stronger union, a more permanent bond, than blood relationships.

The Bible teaches, “To all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God. They did not become his children in any human way – by any human parents or human desire. They were born of God” (John 1:12-13 NCV).
The moment you were spiritually born into God’s family, you were given some astounding birthday gifts: the family name, the family likeness, family privileges, family intimate access, and the family inheritance!

Choices control your calendar

Rick Warren Daily Devotions

We are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:5 (NLT)

"You have just enough time to do God's will while you're here on earth."

Your choices control your calendar and, as a result, your lifestyle. Your choices are far more powerful than your circumstances. You may not like how complicated your life has become yet, with very few exceptions, no one is forcing you to keep your life complicated.

You have the power to simplify your life.

The Bible teaches, "We are each responsible for our own conduct" (Galatians 6:5 NLT). To me, that means God expects us to assume responsibility for our lives and to carefully choose how we spend our time.

That's why I've spent years teaching people to discover why God placed them on this planet: What is your purpose for being here?

Ultimately, it will be the donation of your life that will count far more than the duration.

In other words, it's not how long you live - or even how much you cram into how long you live - it's really about how you live.

Here are three essential steps to simplify your life:

* First, figure out your purpose, and then let your purpose guide the goals of your life.

* Second, organize your activities based upon your purpose.

* Finally, harmonize your schedule with your purpose; that is, bring your activities into agreement with your goals.

You have just enough time to do God's will while you're here on earth. You've been given just enough time to fulfill your purpose. When you try to do more than God planned for you, it's only natural that you'll find yourself constantly out of time or stressed over your schedule.

If it doesn't fit the purpose of your life, God doesn't want you doing it. In fact, he may be overjoyed that you finally got the message and stopped doing meaningless activities. He may even want you to add "rest" or "have fun" to your to-do list.

My prayer for you is that you will find relief from stress and a new sense of satisfaction as you do only the things God created you to do.

God's Hand Was on All of Us

I travel 100,000 miles a year, so I’m in the air a lot. I usually schedule late flights that leave after I finish my work as a sales manager at Oracle. On January 15, I was booked on a 5:00 p.m. flight from New York to Charlotte. But my meeting wrapped up about 11:30 that morning. So I called my travel agent, and she got me on the 3:25 flight—US Airways 1549.

Just a normal flight back home. An hour and a half later I’d be back on the ground; two hours after that I’d be with my wife and kids.

I got on the plane, went to my seat, and did what I usually do—pray before the pilot takes off. I’ve been doing that since 9/11. I pray for the pilot’s strength and to please get us from here to there safely. And to take care of my family.

We were in the air about 90 seconds before the left engine blew. I was on that side, in seat 15A. I heard the explosion and saw the flames out the window. I didn’t realize we’d lost both engines—and all power.

It was stone quiet. People were looking around, not knowing what to do. We crossed over something; someone told me later it was the George Washington Bridge. We were pretty low. I kept seeing the water and the New York City skyline getting closer. I thought, The pilot’s probably going to have to ditch this thing in the Hudson River. About 30 seconds later, maybe even less, he said, “Brace for impact.” I looked around. Some people were locking arms; some people were crunching down. Others were praying. I heard people saying the Lord’s Prayer.

I braced my hands on the seat in front of me—and I started praying. I prayed for the power to have the strength to do the right thing. I prayed for forgiveness of my unconfessed sins. I prayed for the safety of my wife and kids. And I prayed that the last guy I talked to would call my wife and kids. Ten seconds later we hit the water.

I said to myself, I’m alive. I have to get out of here. Everyone else was thinking the same thing. Water was ankle-deep almost immediately. I stood next to the exit, helping people get out and onto the wing. I wanted to be sure no one was left behind. Some people were still in the front of the plane, working their way to the exits. But there was no one left in the back of the plane that I could see.

Then suddenly I saw a lady in the back, trying to get her suitcase and purse. I screamed at her to forget about the luggage. So did another guy. But she didn’t listen. She carried the suitcase and purse down the aisle and onto the wet, slippery wing, but then dropped both into the water. I grabbed her purse and threw it to her on the lifeboat.

At that point, I had one foot in the plane, one foot out on the wing, and I was slipping around. The inflatable lifeboat from the plane was just about full. People were packed on both wings, struggling like me to keep their footing.

One woman couldn’t jump to the lifeboat because she was holding a nine-month-old baby boy. She was afraid to hand her child to anyone. Another man and I told her to toss the baby to the women in the lifeboat just a couple of feet away. But she was too scared. Finally, she did toss her baby to people in the lifeboat, and then she made it safely into the boat herself.

I believe God had his hands on that baby’s life—and on all of us. The woman could have slipped on that wing pretty easily while clutching her baby. If she’d fallen in that frigid river, he could have died. It was 11 degrees in New York that day, and the water temperature was just above freezing. People could only last 10 or 15 minutes in that water.

Photo: AP Photo/Tanyanika Samuels, Pool

The current was extremely strong, and I was afraid it would capsize the lifeboat. So I was holding on to the plane with one arm and hanging on to the lifeboat with the other. After about seven minutes, a tugboat came, and the crew threw a rope to the lifeboat. But when the tug backed up to head toward shore, it hit the plane. The plane shook beneath me, and I felt a splash of freezing water hit my back.

My mind flashed to the Titanic, and how it went straight down into icy water. I thought, I gotta get off that wing. By the grace of God, ferryboats began arriving. I jumped in the water and tried to swim. But I had no strength in my legs; I only made it six or seven strokes, max. Two men—God love them—finally grabbed my arms and pulled me onto a ferry. I slid across the deck, maybe ten feet, on the ice that formed.

Someone yelled at me, “You’ve got to get up and walk! You’ve got to move!” I stood up, but I had real trouble walking. I kept bumping into the side of things; I had no balance. I could barely move my legs. And I was so cold.

When we got to the dock, I was still frozen below my waist, and my blood pressure was skyrocketing. I found out later that the blood had gone out of my legs and into my heart and brain. Paramedics said I was at risk for a heart attack or stroke.

At the hospital, the nurses quickly discovered my core temperature was far too low, about 94.8. They wrapped a hot air blanket around me. At that point, a hospital chaplain came in, and for the first time I broke down. He and I prayed together, and had a real long talk. Then he gave me a copy of the New Testament, just in case I needed it, and went out to the lobby to call my wife to tell her I was okay.

My wife, Terry, is my hero. She took care of the kids when all hell was breaking loose that day. And since the crash, my family has been affected in amazing ways. My oldest daughter, Chelsey, is 17, when parents don’t seem to count for much. But she told a newspaper, “I’m much more grateful for my dad that I ever was.” Every day she talks to me; we connect. My second daughter, Colleen—she’s 15—has probably come up to me more than ever before to tell me that she loves me and texts me constantly. Courtney, my 11-year-old, hugs me every time she sees me and gets pretty emotional when I travel right now. My seven-year-old son, Chance, seems the least affected, but he has started connecting the dots; one night when I was tucking him in, he asked me what a plane crash was.

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have been on that flight. I think God put me there because it was my time to grow. He gave me the courage I needed to help others get off the plane and into the rescue boats. God’s hand was on all of us. He enveloped our pilot, Capt. Chesley Sullenberger—gave him strength to guide the plane down and make a picture-perfect water landing. God put all the right people in all the right places at all the right times that day. I believe God was showing us that there is hope. This is a hopeful story. And the real story is God’s grace.

To have child like faith, and be bold for Jesus

The bible says in Matthew 18 v 3 Unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the Kingdom of God.

Children have such a fresh approach to things, they are so bold and fearless in there faith.

I remember the story of a little girl on a plane that was flying to Dallas. She had the window seat, her family sat behind her, as the plane had only four seats in a row. So three gentlemen filled the other spaces. The little girl was so excited to have the window seat. After the plane took off, she turned to the first man and asked ” Do you smoke ?, my mummy says smoking is bad for you . The first man said “ no, I don’t smoke “. ” that’s good ” she replied. Then she said “ now ask the other guys sitting next to you the same question “. They all took her lead . Then she asked the first man again ” can you swim ?” The first guy said ” yes I can swim “. He replied. Good she says “ now ask the other guys the same question “.The other two all replied the same. A little while went by, then the little girl asked the first man on her left ” do you love Jesus ? ” The man sitting next to her replied “ yes I do ” Now, the man in the middle, knew what was coming next. He hoped against hope as he slid down the plane seat, cringing almost praying ” PLEASE NO, PLEASE DON’T ASK, PLEASE NO ! “. But it was to late The little girl asked the man beside her, Now the other guys ask them, to ask each other do you love Jesus.

The man in the middle of the men said ” yes “, then turned to the man at the end of the row. “ Excuse me, but that little girl at the window wants me to ask you, do you love Jesus ? “. The man at the end row paused for a moment and with tears flowing down his face replied, “ You have no idea how long I have waited for someone to ask me that “. So right there on the plane the man who sat next to the little girl lead that man to the lord. Just before he made his way to a christian convention in Dallas.

Lord help me this day to live life as a child of the king, Abba father, help me today to worship you and enjoy you forever.

Let me take each day as a fresh opportunity to live for you, and in simple child like faith, take the time to spread you gospel.

Keep loving others by recharging emotionally

Rick warren daily devotions

"So many people were coming and going Jesus said to them `Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" Mark 6:31 (NIV)

"Jesus was the most intensive, ministry-oriented person that ever lived, but He enjoyed life. When you're giving to others, it costs and exhausts. You need play time. "

When your emotional tank is empty you're unable to love others unselfishly. You just give up. You may have a sense of being overwhelmed and feeling inadequate. You may even get angry at the ones you love the most. You may try to avoid people or view them as problems. You have no desire to love. You dream of getting away.

David had this problem. He said, "If I had the wings of a dove, I'd fly away and find rest." (Psalm 55:6 GW)

To love others you have to keep your emotional tank full because when it gets low, it's going to make a difference in your relationships.

The Bible has three suggestions for recharging emotionally:

Solitude -- You need time alone. Today's verse teaches us Jesus frequently withdrew from crowds when he needed to recharge himself emotionally. In this case there was so much hustle and bustle, Jesus says to the disciples, "Come apart for a while." (KJV) You either come apart or you will come apart. You need times of solitude.

Your emotions are like a battery. If you plug one light bulb into a battery, it will last for a fairly long time. If you plug 100 lights in, then it's going to drain real quick. You can't give love if your battery is drained.

Recreation -- There are certain things that recreate energy in your life and enthusiasm for life. For you it may be hobbies, a sport, a craft, or games. Experiment and find out what it is that recharges you emotionally, then make time for it.

One of my favorite verses is, "Jesus came enjoying life." (Matthew 11:19 Phillips) He was the most intensive, ministry-oriented person that ever lived, but he enjoyed life. When you're giving to others, it costs and exhausts. You need play time.

Laughter. "Being cheerful keeps you healthy." (Proverbs 17:22 TEV) There are studies that prove that when you laugh it increases the number of T-cells - and that raises your immunity level. It produces endorphins in your brain. Humor has beneficial effects.

God has given us the gift of laughter and we need to learn how to laugh. I've talked to couples who were in serious conflict in marriage. They say, "Someday we'll look back at this and laugh." I say, "Why wait? Why not just laugh at it right now?"

Laughter is a load lightener, an emotional recharger and a love rebuilder.

Give God your hurts

If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done. Matthew 6:14-15 (TEV)

"For your own sake, let go of the past. If somebody hurt you, let go of it, release them."

In your life, you will be hurt by others; sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. How you handle that hurt determines your happiness. When you bottle up hurt in your life and hold onto it - that's called resentment. If somebody hurt you years ago and you're still holding onto it, it will poison your life. For your own health and happiness, you must learn to forgive.

The Bible says forgive and be forgiven. In fact, Jesus says "if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done" (Matthew 6:15 TEV). They're inter-related. It reminds me of the story where someone told John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, "I just can't forgive that person! They hurt me too badly." Wesley's response was, "Then I hope you never sin."

For your own sake, let go of the past. If somebody hurt you, let go of it, release them. That's one of the values of prayer. It helps you unload. Forgiveness is the only way to get rid of the past. Forgive them and let it go. Get on with life. Forgiveness erases the videotape of that hurt memory that keeps playing over and over in your mind.
When we let go of our hurts and forgive others, we are reflecting the grace of our heavenly Father who forgave us and continues to forgive us. It means we've given God our love; we've given God our lives; and, in doing that, we worship God.

Give God your guilt

Christian daily devotions by Rick Warren

And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. 1 John 2:28 (NLT)

"There is no reason in the world you have to live with guilt. God has given us a way to get rid of guilt. It’s called confession."

We all make mistakes. We all have regrets. I don’t measure up to my own standard for myself, much less God’s standard of perfection. So what do we do when we fall short?

I was listening to a psychologist on the radio recently. A guy called in and was pouring his heart out about how guilty he felt for things he had done wrong. He asked, “How can I get rid of my guilt?” This psychologist said: “You can’t. You’ve got to learn to live with it.” I almost shouted at the radio: “Wait a minute! Give me that guy’s phone number! He doesn’t have to go through life filled with guilt!”

There is no reason in the world you have to live with guilt. God has given us a way to get rid of guilt. It’s called confession. God promises that when we confess, he forgives us instantly, totally, completely, freely, and continuously. If a Christian is carrying guilt around, it’s because they’re not taking advantage of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Give God your guilt. Doing this, asking for pardon, is the next step in making contact with God.

God wants to forgive you. You don’t have to beg for forgiveness: “God, please, pretty please with sugar on it!” You don’t have to bargain: “God, if you forgive me, I will never do it again.” You don’t have to bribe: “God, if you’ll forgive me, I promise to always read my Bible.”

You simply believe you are forgiven.

Your choice: panic or pray

Christian daily devotions by Rick Warren

My God shall supply all of your needs. Philippians 4:19 (NASB)

"What do you need today? Energy to make it through the day? Finances? Wisdom? You have two alternatives: panic or pray."

Jesus teaches you can give him your worries by asking God to provide for your needs and then trusting that he will provide.

For instance, we can ask God to give us the food we need each day. Some translations say, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

What is “daily bread”? It’s the necessities of life—our physical and material needs that we’re always worrying about. God wants you to ask him to provide those things so you don’t have to worry about them. He’s promised to provide all your needs: “My God shall supply all of your needs” (Philippians 4:19 NASB).

What do you need today? Energy to make it through the day? Finances? Wisdom? You have two alternatives: panic or pray. Philippians 4:6 says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (NIV).

Do you really believe this verse? God says you can pray about everything. Nothing is too great for God’s power. Nothing is too insignificant for his care. Anything worth worrying about is worth praying about. If we prayed as much as we worried, we’d have a lot less to worry about! Give God your worries.

And when you talk to God about your needs, be specific. Otherwise, how will you know when he’s answered your prayers?

Sometimes God says 'not yet'

Daily Devotions by Rick Warren

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay." Hebrews 10:36-37 (NIV)

"If you're discouraged, turn it around by remembering God teaches you patience during delay."

If you're discouraged because of God's delay in answering your prayers, understand the delay is NOT a denial. Just because the answer or the miracle hasn't come - yet - that doesn't mean God isn't going to answer or that he's forgotten you or that he doesn't care about you. It simply means "not yet!"

Part of becoming spiritually mature is learning the difference between "no" and "not yet," between a denial and a delay. The Bible tells us, "He who is coming will come and will not delay" (Hebrews 10:37 NIV).

God's delay may be a test of your patience. Anybody can be patient once. And, most people can be patient twice. And, a lot of us can be patient three times. So God tests our patience over and over and over.

Why? So he can see how patient you are? No!

He does it so you can see how patient you are. So you'll know what's inside you, and you'll be able to know your level of commitment. God tests you so that you can know he is faithful, even if the answers you seek are delayed.

If you're discouraged, turn it around by remembering God teaches you patience during delay. Ask him to transform your discouragement into patience.

You may be going through difficult times right now. You're discouraged because the situation you face seems unmanageable, unreasonable, or unfair.

It may seem unbearable and inside you're basically saying, "God, I can't take it anymore. I just can't take it anymore!"

But you can.

You can stay with it longer because God is with you. He'll enable you to press on. Remember, you are never a failure until you quit. Resist discouragement and finish the race God has set before you.

Ask God to help you with your finances

Rick Warren Daily Devotions

You do not have, because you do not ask God. James 4:2 (NIV)

"Before you pay for it, pray for it. Give God a chance to give it to you before you go out and charge it. "

God is waiting for you to ask.

He wants to help, but the problem is, you don't ever ask. The last time you needed a car, did you ask God for it or did you just go out and buy it? My guess is you probably didn't ask for it. You probably didn't pray. You just went out and bought it.

Jesus says, "Ask and it will be given you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you.'" (Matthew 7:7 NLT) One of the reasons you never see miracles in your life is you never ask. Would you like to see God work in your life more? Start asking. Before you pay for it, pray for it. Give God a chance to give it to you before you go out and charge it.

If you'd pray as much about your finances as you worry about them, you'd have a lot less to worry about. God says "Ask, I'm waiting for you to ask me."

Why does God want you to ask? Because he's a loving father. Loving fathers love to bestow gifts on their kids.

In John 16:24 Jesus says, "You've not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy." (NCV) Why does God want me to ask? So he can give. Why does he want to give? So I can receive. Why does he want me to receive? So I'll be full of joy. Why does he want me to be full of joy? It's a great advertisement for Jesus Christ. Joyful Christians are a positive testimony.

Greyfriars Bobby a story about faithful dog

Greyfriars Bobby a story about faithful dog

One John Gray (also known as "Jock") was an Edinburgh policeman during the 1850s. His companion and police watch-dog was a Skye Terrier named Bobby. The relationship between man and dog, however, was short-lived when Gray died of tuberculosis in 1858 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirk graveyard. Bobby followed the funeral procession, but was taken home afterward. However, the little dog soon escaped and took up residence on his master's grave. Various people took pity on the forlorn little fellow. James Brown, the church gardener, provided Bobby with food and water, even though his duties included keeping dogs and children out of the graveyard. James Anderson, who lived nearby, would try to coax Bobby into his house during inclement weather, but the dog would howl so pitifully to be let out that eventually, a shelter was built for him near the grave.

Bobby's expression of devotion quickly made the small dog a local celebrity in Edinburgh. It is possible that some decided to make money from Bobby's loyalty. John Traills, the owner of Traills Coffee House located near the graveyard, would tell of how Bobby and Gray had been regular lunchtime visitors to his establishment. Traills also maintained that he was the first to notice Bobby's obsession with lying on his master's grave, stating that the dog arrived one lunchtime shortly after Gray's death, demanded his meal and then took off purposefully. According to Traills, his curiousity led him to follow Bobby and, to his amazement, he found the dog by the grave in the kirkyard. It is not known how this story might have affected the patronage of Traills' establishment, although one can assume it was not adverse.

The little Skye Terrir remained at Gray's grave for the rest of his life...a total of 14 years. However, because Bobby was a stray, there was some question as to whether he should be allowed to wander the streets of Edinburgh without a license. If nobody had been willing to pay, then the penalty for Bobby would have been death. The Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir William Chambers, came to the rescue. He was so impressed by Bobby's devotion that he agreed to purchase the license...and did so for every year thereafter.

Upon Bobby's death on January 14, 1872, the people of Edinburgh determined that the small dog should be interred in the kirkyard by his master. It was an unparalleled decision. A year later, a bronze statue was erected to Bobby at the crest of Candlemakers Row, just outside the entrance to the graveyard and opposite the Traills Coffee House (which is now a public house renamed "Greyfriar's Bobby Inn"). The memorial was commissioned by the famous philanthropist, Baroness Burdett Coutts, who was intrigued and touched by Bobby's fidelity. The monument was unveiled on November 15, 1873 without ceremony. Bobby's statue is the most photographed in Scotland and tourists can invariably be seen having their pictures taken next to it at all hours of the day.

Bobby's acclaim is such that his collar, inscribed with the words: "Greyfriars Bobby from the Lord Provost, 1867, licensed," and dinner bowl are on display in the Huntly House Museum on the Royal Mile. Today Bobby's grave always displays fresh flowers...a mark of the high esteem in which this little dog is still held and a tribute to the very human values which he embodied.

Choosing a simpler life

Christian Daily Devotions by Rick Warren

. . . a time to embrace and a time to refrain. Ecclesiastes 3:5 (NIV)

"You are the only one who can assume responsibility for your time and clarify what's really important to you. "

You'd think that living in Southern California means I'm surrounded by people who live a laid-back lifestyle. The truth is just the opposite: Most of the people I know are trying to cram more and more into each day.

For instance, a couple of years ago, I was with a group of friends driving down the interstate. At one point, I looked around and realized most of us were engaged in some activity other than talking to each other. Two people were on their cell phones; another was working on his BlackBerry; and a fourth was focused on his laptop computer.

As a joke, I declared I felt left out. I called the driver, who was sitting right next to me, and we chatted together on our cell phones for a few minutes! The point of our traveling together in the van was so we could grab time to talk face-to-face! Yet we felt pressed to get it all done.

That's when I realized the truth - we couldn't get it all done, and God never intended for us to make completing a to-do list the purpose of our lives.

The fact is, there are many things we think we must do that really are not worth doing. My point is this: You won't simplify your life by getting an electronic organizer. You won't even find it by convincing your neighbor, who makes Martha Stewart look like a sloth, to give you tips about coordinating your activities while still wearing a perfect dress and pearls like Beaver Cleaver's mom.

Simplifying is really about choices - prioritizing what is important - and then sticking to those choices no matter how tempting it is to add more to your to-do list. In fact, take those tempting activities and put them on a list of things not to do.

You are the only one who can assume responsibility for your time and clarify what's really important to you.

Now maybe you're thinking, "But I have to take care of the kids," or "I have to get this report done by Friday." I'm not naive about the pressures many people feel today, but it may be that those things - your children, your work - are the priorities you keep on your to-do list, and you move other things to the not-to-do list.

Stepping into a new life

Christian daily devotions by Rick Warren

"Come!" answered Jesus. So Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water to Jesus. Matthew 14:29 (TEV)

"By our obedience, we learn to be faithful."

(This guest devotional is by Jon Walker, author of Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer's 'The Cost of Discipleship.)

When Peter stepped out of the storm-tossed boat and onto the water, where was the safest place to be? In the boat or in the arms of Jesus?

The answer, of course, is Jesus, and for a brief time, Peter saw that. Right then he got a glimpse of what it is like to TRUST in Jesus and what it is like to operate within the realm of costly grace as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.

And we get a glimpse of that too. We see that following Jesus requires us to step into apparent insecurity in order to find true security.

It's a paradox of faith: Our first step of faith places us in a position where faith becomes possible. By our obedience, we learn to be faithful. If we refuse to follow, we never learn how to believe. We stay stuck in the shallow end of faith, trusting in ourselves, living by sight and not by faith.

The essence of discipleship is Jesus constantly pushing us into new situations where it is possible for us to trust him even more. He pushes us toward "the impos-sible situation in which everything is staked solely on the word of Jesus," says the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Your job should express your heart

Christian daily devotions by Rick Warren Purpose Driven Life

From now on if you listen obediently to the commandments that I am commanding you today, love God, your God, and serve him with everything you have within you, he'll take charge of sending the rain at the right time .... Deuteronomy 11:13-14 (MSG)

"Don't waste your life in a job that doesn't express your heart. "

Repeatedly, the Bible says to "serve the Lord with all your heart." God wants you to serve him passionately, not dutifully. People rarely excel at tasks they don't enjoy doing or feel passionate about. God wants you to use your natural interests to serve him and others.

How do you know when you're serving God from your heart?

The first telltale sign is enthusiasm. When you're doing what you love to do, no one has to motivate you, or challenge you, or check up on you. You do it for the sheer enjoyment. You don't need rewards, or applause, or to be paid, because you love serving in this way.

The opposite is also true: When you don't have a heart for what you're doing, you're easily discouraged.

One characteristic of serving God from your heart is effectiveness: whenever you do what God wired you to love to do, you get good at it. Passion drives perfection. If you don't care about a task, it is unlikely that you'll excel at it.

On the other hand, the highest achievers in any field are those who do it because of passion, not duty or profit.

We've all heard people say, "I took a job I hate in order to make a lot of money, so someday I can quit and do what I love to do." That's a big mistake. Don't waste your life in a job that doesn't express your heart.

Remember, the greatest things in life are not things. Meaning is far more important than money. The richest man in the world once said, "A simple life in the fear-of-God is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches" (Proverbs 15:16 MSG).

Don't settle for achieving "the good life," because the good life is not good enough. Ultimately, it doesn't satisfy. You can have a lot to live on, and still have nothing to live for. Aim instead for "the better life" - serving God in a way that expresses your heart.

Figure out what you love to do - that which God gave you a heart for - and then do it for his glory!

God says you're capable

Christian Daily devotions by Rick Warren purpose driven life

I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me. I'm ready for anything and I'm equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me. That is, I am self sufficient in Christ's sufficiency. Philippians 4:13 (Amp)

"Who are you going to believe? What other people say about you or what God says about you."

When God puts his Spirit in our lives, it gives us confidence. Not the phony, baloney, boot-strap, self-help psychology that the world talks about - "I'm okay, you're okay." When I look around I want to say, "I'm not okay and you're not so hot either!" But the fact is God says, "You are okay." And if God says you're okay, then you are okay!

I've met all sorts of people who are considered highly successful according to the standards of the world. And yet a lot of them feel incompetent, insecure, and incapable.

How about you? Perhaps you look at your life and think it's working. Sure, you have your problems, but compared to others, you're probably considered successful. Yet, inside there is still a gnawing, inner insecurity and a lack of confidence and a feeling of incompetence. Why is that?

It's because you're still listening to old tapes from your past. You're replaying them in your mind over and over. You are acting on the basis of things that people said to you twenty, thirty, forty years ago and they were no more true then than they are now. Old tapes that say things like, "You don't matter." God says, 'Yes, you do!' "You're a loser!" God say, 'No, you're not!' "You'll never amount to anything." God says, 'You are important to me!'

You need to quit believing those lies and start believing God. Quit looking in a distorted mirror of what peers and partners and parents have said to you. Start repeating what God says about you: "I am acceptable, I am lovable, I am valuable, I am forgivable, and I am capable."

Who are you going to believe? What other people say about you or what God says about you.

God says you are acceptable

God has made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6 (NKJV)

"God loves you unconditionally and accepts you for who you are. "

Many of us base our self confidence on what other people think, so we work hard at being accepted. We buy things, we wear things, we join things -- all just for the benefit of trying to be accepted by our friends, family, co-workers and peers.

But our verse today says God has already accepted us in Jesus Christ.

Does God say you have to earn the acceptance? That you could ever deserve it? No. The Bible just says, God has accepted you.

If you're a believer, then you've accepted Jesus into your life. But do you understand that God accepts you? He loves you unconditionally and accepts you for who you are.

Psalm 27:10 says, "Even if my mother and father forsake me, the Lord will receive me."

Some of you grew up with unpleasable parents. They were perfectionists. No matter how much you tried, you couldn't get their approval. If you got B's, they wanted A's. If you got A's, they wanted A+'s. No matter what you did it was never, ever good enough. Even today you're still trying to earn their love and approval.

If that's the case -- with your parents or with anyone else in your life you've been seeking to please -- there are two things you need to know:

1. In all likelihood, you're never going to get that approval or acceptance. Not because of who you are but because of who they are.
2. You don't need their approval because you are acceptable to God. You don't need their approval to be happy.

What a relief that is to understand. You only need the love and approval of one person, and you already have it: God says you are acceptable!

God says you're forgivable

I am the God who forgives your sins and I do this because of who I am and I will not hold your sins against you. Isaiah 43:25

"Once we've confessed our sins to him, it's all forgiven and forgotten and he doesn't even bring up the past. "

When something starts going wrong in your life, do you automatically think, "God's getting even with me, I know it! I did that thing I'm ashamed of yesterday (or last year or twenty years ago) and now he's settling the score."

Does God really treat his children that way? Absolutely not! Isaiah says God doesn't hold our sins against us. Once we've confessed our sins to him, it's all forgiven and forgotten and he doesn't even bring up the past.

If you're a Christian, pay close attention to Ephesians 1:4-5: "Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him. Because of his love God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children—this was his pleasure and purpose." (TEV)

Do you realize that when God looks at you, he sees you through Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ on the cross paid for all of your sins so that you're forgiven and they're forgotten.
That's why becoming a Christian is such GOOD NEWS. I give Jesus all my life -- the good, the bad, the ugly - and he takes it and he forgives me and he gives me a new chance. He says, "Now I see you without a single fault. You stand before me covered with my love."

God says you're lovable

The mountains and hills may crumble, but my love for you will never end, so says the Lord who loves you. Isaiah 54:10 (TEV)

"God says, "I will always love you and it is unconditional. You don't earn it.""

God says you're lovable. This is so important because you can't fulfill God's commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" until you believe this. If you don't feel lovable, you can't love anybody else.

Our verse today says a couple things about God's love for us.

* God loves you consistently -- He doesn't love you one day and not the next. He doesn't love you on your good days and not on your bad days. A lot of you grew up with inconsistent love. One lady told me, "Growing up, I didn't know whether I was going to be hugged or slugged. My parents were never consistent." God isn't like that. God is 100% consistent in his love for you.

* God loves you unconditionally -- He says, "I will always love you and it is unconditional. You don't earn it." He doesn't say, "I love you if you're good, or I love you if you do these things, or I love you because you look this way or you do these things." What if you were unable to fulfill the condition? Then all of a sudden you're not loved anymore.

"God is 100% consistent in his love for you."

But God says, "I don't love you like that." He says, "I love you consistently and I love you unconditionally." You never have to wake up in the morning and say, "God, are You going to love me today? Did I read my Bible enough? Did I pray enough?" He loves you consistently no matter who you are or what you do.

What is the result when you really understand this? Daniel 10:19 says "God loves you, so don't let anything worry you or frighten you." That's a comfort to me. When I don't have to worry or be afraid of anything, then I am free to give love to everyone around me.

God says I am valuable

God feeds the birds and you are far more valuable to Him than any birds! Luke 12:24 (NLT)

"If you calculate the cost of creating each cell in your body it would be about six thousand trillion dollars. You are priceless. "

How much are you worth? I'm not talking about money. We confuse self-worth with net worth, but they are very different. Your value has nothing to do with your valuables.

How much are you worth?

I once read an article in the Journal of Hospital Practice that calculated how much each of the enzymes and hormones and all the different things in your body are worth. The author added them up and if you are an average size person you are worth six million fifteen dollars and forty-four cents ($6,ooo,o15.44) based on your weight. (Some of us are worth more!)

You're a six-million dollar man or a six-million dollar woman! The article's author also estimated that, if you calculate the cost of creating each cell in your body, it would be about six thousand trillion dollars.

You are priceless.

Jesus thought this was so important that he took a whole chapter of the Bible to talk about it. In Luke 15 he tells three stories -- the lost son, the lost coin, and the lost sheep. It's the same punch line in each story. Jesus says, "You matter!"

You matter to God. You are valuable. God says you are valuable because he loves you and he has accepted you in Christ.

Your interests come from God

A man's heart reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19 (NIV)

"Don't ignore your interests; consider how they might be used for God's glory. There is a reason that you love to do these things."

The Bible uses the term "heart" to describe the bundle of desires, hopes, interests, ambitions, dreams, and affections that you have. Your heart represents the source of all your motivations - what you love to do and what you care about most. Even today, we still use the word in this way when we say, "I love you with all my heart."

The Bible says what is in your heart is what you really are, not what others think you are, or what circumstances force you to be (Proverbs 27:19). Your heart is the real you. It determines why you say the things you do, why you feel the way you do, and why you act the way you do.

Physically, each of us has a unique heartbeat. Just as we each have unique thumbprints, eye prints, and voiceprints, our hearts beat in slightly different patterns. It's amazing that out of all the billions of people who've ever lived, no one has ever had a heartbeat exactly like yours.

In the same way, God has given each of us a unique emotional heartbeat that races when we think about the subjects, activities, or circumstances that interest us. We instinctively care about some things and not about others. These are clues to where you should be serving.

Another word for heart is passion. There are certain subjects that you feel deeply passionate about and others that you couldn't care less about. Some experiences turn you on and capture your attention, while others turn you off or bore you to tears. These reveal the nature of your heart; listen for inner promptings that can point to the ministry God intends for you to have.

When you were growing up you may have discovered that you were intensely interested in some subjects that no one else in your family cared about.

Where did those interests come from? They came from God!

God had a purpose in giving you these inborn interests. Your emotional heartbeat is a key to understanding your shape for service. Don't ignore your interests; consider how they might be used for God's glory. There is a reason that you love to do these things.