No Satisfaction

Daily Devotional, May 30, 2011 "No Satisfaction"

No Satisfaction

read›
Psalm 103
He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! (v.5).

In May of 1965, The Rolling Stones recorded the song
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction. Shortly after its release,
the tune rose to the No. 1 song in the United States.
How right they were. No matter how much we try and
try and try, satisfaction seems to slip through our fingers.
But is it true that satisfaction is impossible to find in this
life? Or could it be that we tend to look for it in all the
wrong places? Maybe the true source of satisfaction is
right under our noses, but we don’t see it because we’re
trying so hard to obtain it on our own.

Consider these words from the Old Testament prophet
Isaiah as he declared the words of the coming Messiah:
“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no
money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all
free! Why spend your money on food that does not give
you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to Me, and you will eat what is good. You will
enjoy the finest food” (Isaiah 55:1-2). Souls delighting in
the “finest of food,” hmm—sounds pretty fulfilling to me.
Jesus would later illustrate this reality another way
when He spoke these words to a woman who had a
history of turning to men to find satisfaction: “Anyone
who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty
again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them,
giving them eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

Jesus didn’t say we can’t find satisfaction in our relationships, work, or
hobbies. But He did say that without finding it first in Him, it won’t be complete.
So, where are you trying to find your satisfaction? —Jeff Olson

more›
Check out Matthew 5:6
to read another comment
Jesus made about
satisfaction.

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Time & Chance

Daily Devotional, May 26, 2011 "Time & Chance"

Time & Chance

read›
Ecclesiastes 9:1-12
The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race,
and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win
the battle. . . . It is all decided by chance, by
being in the right place at the right time (v.11).

John Tesvich was prepared for anything. When low
rainfall or hurricanes disrupted his business, the
fourth-generation oysterman waited it out by reducing
staff until conditions improved. When consumers worried
about bacteria present in raw oysters, John’s company
invented a unique pasteurization process that made them
safe to eat.

But John never anticipated the BP oil spill. The defective
oil rig was 41 miles away from him, but 2 months after it
blew up it had ruined enough oysters in the Gulf of Mexico
to close John’s company. “Nothing is more insidious than
this oil spill,” said John at the time. “This thing keeps
spewing oil, and nothing can be done about it.”
John’s experience is a reminder that our success
depends upon factors beyond our control. We assume
that others will act responsibly, but when they don’t we
suffer the collateral damage. Careers have ended on the
whim of an impetuous boss, office gossip, or disloyal
subordinates. Jobs have disappeared in certain countries
as a bubble, or bailout in others have led to depressed
economies. The fragility of an interconnected society led
Solomon to observe that “The wise sometimes go hungry,
and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those
who are educated don’t always lead successful lives”
(Ecclesiastes 9:11).

The haphazard draw of time and chance would be
discouraging if it were not for God. Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 informs us that “God
has made everything beautiful for its own time” (v.11), and He is sovereign:
“Whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it” (v.14).
Consider the many factors that contribute to your success. Include the benefits
of nature, family, and country. Then tell God you know it’s all because of Him.
—Mike Wittmer

more›
Pray Psalm 104 back
to God to celebrate
the many ways He
continually provides
for you and the rest of
creation.

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A Symbol of Forgiveness (Part 4) - Sheila Walsh

Daily Devotional, May 24, 2011 "A Symbol of Forgiveness - Sheila Walsh"

Episode 4 - A Symbol of Forgivenesswith Sheila Walsh

Watch Episode 4 Now. CLICK HERE.

On a Sunday morning in 2009, Pastor Fred Winters was brutally gunned down as he delivered a sermon in front of his church congregation. The story made national headlines not only for the story itself, but also for his wife Cindy's forgiveness of the man who pulled the trigger.

Sheila Walsh taped a webisode series with Cindy Winters and Emmy winning Life Focus Productions titled “A Symbol of Forgiveness” where the two of them talk through Cindy’s remarkable story. Part four of the four-part series is now available.

Watch Episode 4 Now. CLICK HERE.

Strength - For When You Feel Things Are Crashing Around You

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

- John 16:33

In 1992, my life fell apart and I lost touch with everyone. I sat in the psychiatrist’s office in the hospital, and I could hear him talking to me, but it was as if I was listening through glass or trapped inside a goldfish bowl. His eyes were kind, and his posture as he leaned forward seemed to invite trust, but I was done with that. He talked to me about recent developments in understanding clinical depression and new medications that were more efficient in arresting that crushing feeling of disappearing a little bit more each day. I could tell that he was offering me hope, but I wasn’t taking it.

It’s not that I saw him as anything other than the fine doctor he proved to be. I just wasn’t interested. He offered the first few steps on a path to recovery and wellness, and I didn’t want it. The drip, drip, drip of depression had taken its toll until I finally felt as if I were drowning and had no strength or desire left to fight.

In the days and weeks that followed the beginning of my treatment, I can only describe it as being aware of the faintest glimmer of light. “Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” (Psalm 94:17–19).

There is something holy that God has tucked into suffering. As I fell off the edge of my life, I discovered that I had always been held. In some mysterious way, it was as if God reached out and grabbed hold of me and lifted me. I was physically weak and emotionally worn out, but aware of the beginnings of oneness with Jesus.

This is a key to tapping into the power of allowing Christ, who overcame the world to help you through your troubles and sufferings. You have to finally come to the end of yourself and decide, no matter what the cost, you want to be free to love Christ and follow Him wherever that leads. I had to decide in the psych ward that I no longer wanted to live a safe, comfortable, cold life. I wanted to live abandoned to God. I began to see that too often I was only willing to give God as much as I could afford to lose or had lost already. True strength invites us to live with an open heart and soul, knowing that Christ has a good, strong hold on us.

I don’t speak of these things lightly. As you read these words, you might be in the middle of unimaginable grief. What I want you to remember or know for the first time is that Christ has been to the bottom of the pit of grief. He tasted the worst dregs that hell can pour out, and He rose again to set us free and secure for us a destiny with Him forever—a destiny that Satan cannot touch. As we walk on our unique path that will take us home, He promises to walk with us and to help us overcome.

1. God promised Isaiah, “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name” (Isaiah 45:3). What treasures have you discovered in the darkness of your journey?

2. How can we know, or how can we remind ourselves, that God is there upholding us even when the night is black and the pain is crowding the life out of us? What, specifically, can you do to hold on to the hope of God’s light when all you see is blackness?

3. Jesus’ promise is, “Take heart! I have overcome the world.” How does this change your perspective today?

This Bible study is an excerpt from chapter 1 of The Shelter of God’s Promisesby Sheila Walsh.

Sheila Walsh’s new book, The Shelter of God’s Promises, available now. CLICK HERE.

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The Benediction

Daily Devotional, May 23, 2011 "The Benediction"

The Benediction

read›
Numbers 6:22-27
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May
the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace
(vv.24-26).

In many churches, as part of the liturgy, the pastor
closes the worship service with a benediction (good
pronouncement) invoking God’s help and blessings
upon the worshipers.

There are many benedictions in the Bible (for example:
Psalm 121:7-8; Romans 15:13; 2 Cor. 13:14; Ephesians
3:20-21; Jude 1:24-25). One of the most famous biblical
benedictions was used in the movie Deep Impact. Before
the big comet crashed to earth, the US President (played
by Morgan Freeman) said: “The Lord bless you and keep
you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be
gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and
give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26 NIV).

As they wandered through the wilderness, the Israelites
knew they wouldn’t make it to the Promised Land
without God’s help. They looked to Him for the basic
necessities of food, water and protection. The repetition
of God’s covenantal name, “the Lord” (Yahweh), was a
reminder of God’s faithful involvement in their lives. This
benediction is a reminder that as we journey through
this dangerous and evil world, we too would not survive
without His favor, grace, and mercy.

In his book Bless You, Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe
wrote of Numbers 6:24-26, “This benediction may be
the most quoted of all the benedictions.” Although the
benediction was intended for Israel as a people of God,
“the six ‘you’ pronouns are all singular, indicating that
God’s blessing is for the individual.”

The next time you hear a pastor pronouncing this benediction at the end of
a worship service, remember that it’s a petition on your behalf, asking and
affirming that God Himself will provide for and protect you (v.24), assuring you
of His presence (vv.25-26), pardon (v.25), and peace (v.26). —K.T. Sim

more›
What do the biblical
benedictions in Ephesians
3:20-21, Jude 1:24-25,
and Hebrews 13:20-21
say about God and you?

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Sacred Spaces

Daily Devotional, May 20, 2011 "Sacred Spaces"

Sacred Spaces

read›
Acts 17:16-34
His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel
their way toward Him and find Him—though He is not far from any
one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist (vv.27-28).

Atorii is a traditional Japanese gate typically painted
brilliant red and found at the entrance of Shinto
shrines and Japanese Buddhist temples devoted
to particular gods. Adherents to those religions believe it
marks the point where one leaves the secular world and
enters the holy. A large and famous torii stands off the
shore of Miyajima Island in the Hiroshima Prefecture of
Japan. Visitors are informed it’s “sacred” space.
Sacred sites are common in most religions. Hindus
trek to Varanasi, located on the banks of the Ganges
River; neopagans make their pilgrimage to Stonehenge.
A sacred space is where a god or spiritual power is
thought to be unusually present.

To the Greeks of Athens, the apostle Paul stood on
sacred ground as he spoke to them on the Areopagus
(Mars Hill). With its links to the gods Mars and Ares,
the hill also stands a stone’s throw away from the
Parthenon—the temple of the goddess Athena. Among a
plethora of gods, Paul had seized an opportunity to talk
about another “unknown” God (Acts 17:23).

This God, Paul explained, was Creator and Lord of
the whole world—rather than parts of it, like the Greek
gods (v.24). Greece’s gods had limited powers, but this
God controlled the destiny of each individual on the
planet (vv.25-26). Greece’s gods had limited spheres of
influence, but this God was literally everywhere (v.27).

Paul’s message is important for all believers in Jesus, for we have our own
version of sacred space: the church sanctuary. We “meet” God there on Sunday
morning and then head into the “secular” world on Monday. But if the one true
God is present everywhere, then everywhere is sacred space.
And that makes your workplace, campus, and home a place of worship too.
—Sheridan Voysey

more›
Read 1 Kings 8:27,
Psalm 139:7-10,
Jeremiah 23:23-24, and
Hebrews 4:13 for more
references of God’s
omnipresence.

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Protecting Life - embryonic stem cells

Daily Devotional, May 19, 2011 "Protecting Life"

Protecting Life

read›
Jeremiah 1:1-8
I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb (v.5).

Russell Turnbull was riding a bus one night when
a fight broke out. He tried to intervene, but in the
process someone sprayed ammonia into his right
eye. The powerful liquid scarred his cornea, causing
him to lose sight and experience chronic pain. A doctor
was able to cut away a tiny portion of Turnbull’s other
cornea and use adult stem cells to grow a patch for the
damaged one. “The operation was a complete success,
and I now have my sight back,” says Turnbull.

The medical advances and miracles achieved
through using adult stem cells is remarkable. Sadly,
some scientists continue to push the unproductive use
of embryonic stem cells. Those cells can be obtained
only through the destruction of human embryos . . . the
destruction of life.

There are many verses in God’s Word that provide
insight into the moral and ethical ramifications of
destroying embryos: “God created human beings in His
own image” (Genesis 1:27); “You made all the delicate,
inner parts of my body and knit me together in my
mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13); “The Lord . . . formed
me in my mother’s womb” (Isaiah 49:5).

The prophet Jeremiah received this message from
God: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s
womb” (1:5). God Himself stated that embryos are His
precious, living handiwork. To destroy them goes against
God and His holy commands (Exodus 20:13).

As believers in Jesus, we should strongly oppose embryonic stem cell research.
Due to the successful use of adult stem cells, it’s unnecessary. And as we lift our
voices in opposition, we can take these words from God to heart: “Don’t be
afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you” (Jeremiah 1:8).
Let’s help protect human life—even in its tiniest forms. —Tom Felten

more›
In Ecclesiastes 11:5, Solomon states the extent
of God’s involvement in the creation of life and
all natural happenings. Meditate on how this
should affect our view of the unnatural destruction
of embryos.

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A Symbol of Forgiveness - Sheila Walsh

Daily Devotional, May 17, 2011 "A Symbol of Forgiveness - Sheila Walsh"

Episode 3 - A Symbol of Forgivenesswith Sheila Walsh

Watch Episode 3 Now. CLICK HERE.

On a Sunday morning in 2009, Pastor Fred Winters was brutally gunned down as he delivered a sermon in front of his church congregation. The story made national headlines not only for the story itself, but also for his wife Cindy's forgiveness of the man who pulled the trigger.

Sheila Walsh taped a webisode series with Cindy Winters and Emmy winning Life Focus Productions titled “A Symbol of Forgiveness” where the two of them talk through Cindy’s remarkable story. Part three of the four-part series is now available. The final episode will be posted May 24.

Watch Episode 3 Now. CLICK HERE.

Grace – For When I Have Failed

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

- 2 Corinthians 12:9

It is hard to believe that God loves each of us equally, without measure or merit, and that His grace shelters us regardless of what we do or leave undone. I think it’s so hard because there is no other relationship on earth like that. Every other relationship we have is affected, to some extent, by how we behave and what we say.

In a friendship, if we abuse that relationship in any way, there are consequences. We become more distant and formal. At times, if our behavior is inappropriate enough, it will cost us that friend. For the child who yells, screams, or refuses to listen to a parent, there’s a cause and effect. In marriage, a couple stands before God, family, and friends to vow love to one another until death parts them. Yet about half of all marriages end in divorce because of our behavior and choices.Every earthly relationship proves to us that love and acceptance is conditional, and we can mess it up at a moment’s notice.

That’s why being loved forever based on nothing but someone else’s ability to love unconditionally is hard to hold on to. Doesn’t each of us struggle to believe in such love, such grace? Don’t we each find that earthly love fails us, both intentionally and, as in death or tragic separations, unintentionally?

In the New Testament, a fresh wave of grace bursts upon us. In the Greek, the word for “grace” is translated charis, from which we get the word charity, also meaning “love,” “goodwill,” and “loving-kindness.” To participate in this grace, this unmerited favor, the only requirement is a relationship with Jesus Christ:

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more. (Romans 5:18–20)

Paul emphasizes this in talking to the Romans. The grace of God, he says, is free but never to be seen as a license to sin: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1–2). So, on one hand, we have this gift that we can never earn or pay back; and on the other, we are called into relationship, where the closer we get to God’s heart, the more like Him we become and the less we want to sin.

It sounds complicated, doesn’t it? Yet one thing is crystal clear: God is always the initiator of this love and mercy—of the kind of strength that fills in our weaknesses, the kind of perfection that covers our flaws, and the kind of shelter that says, “I’m going to keep you and love you through all your failings.” God is the one who pursues us, who woos us to this place of grace, to the shelter of His promises.

1. Do you, deep down, believe that God loves all of us equally; or do you think He actually likes people more when they have dedicated their lives to service and sacrifice?

2. How have you experienced God’s “unprecedented, outrageous, overwhelming” love?

This Bible study is an excerpt from chapter 1 of The Shelter of God’s Promisesby Sheila Walsh.

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Google & Grace

Daily Devotional, May 16, 2011 "Google & Grace"

Google & Grace

read›
Titus 2:11-14
We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and
devotion to God (v.12).

For the Internet that brings connection has appeared
to all men. It teaches us to say ‘Yes’ to YouTube and
Facebook, and to live me-controlled, self-indulgent
and quick-fix lives in this present age, while we wait for
the blessed ‘beep’—the glorious appearing of our friend
on MSN.”

When a friend created this quote, by replacing some
words in the NIV version of Titus 2:12-13, and shared
it with us, it made us laugh! Yet, after the laughter, we
were reminded of a sobering reality: That’s not the way
we ought to live. Rather, God’s Word states: “We are
instructed [by the grace of God] to turn from godless
living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil
world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to
God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful
day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus
Christ, will be revealed.”

As believers in Jesus, we’re to be people instructed
by God’s grace, not Google. Titus 2:12 teaches us that
God’s grace in Christ is the true basis of instruction and
motivation for the Christian life.

By God’s grace, Jesus took our punishment and died
for our sins. He died so that we could become the people
God wants us to become (v.14). The cross is a testimony
to the fact that God’s grace can change our hearts no
matter what we’ve done. It also reminds us that we’re
never good enough to not need it.

The grace of God calls us to turn from the wrong things in life to obedience
and the right stuff. It’s more than the basic definition of “unmerited favor.” For it’s
not only unmerited favor to have God’s life in us; we also experience unmerited
power to live God’s way for Him. —Poh Fang Chia

more›
Read 1 Corinthians
15:10 to see the effect
God’s grace had on the
apostle Paul’s life.

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Happy Hour

Daily Devotional, May 13, 2011 "Happy Hour"

Happy Hour

read›
Proverbs 23:29-35
When will I wake up so I can look for another drink? (v.35).

Paul Sneddon took the corner too fast. Crashing
through a wooden barrier, he flipped his Ford
Laser. When he realized there was no way out of
the wreck, he popped open a brew and drank it down
while waiting to be rescued. Later, he admitted that at the
time of the accident, he “had been drinking for 4 days
straight.”

The driver’s inebriated state caused the crash, and yet
he declared happy hour at the scene of the accident! The
situation reminded me of this proverb: “A fool repeats his
foolishness” (Proverbs 26:11).

So, how do we avoid the foolish behavior associated
with alcohol? Solomon issued this warning: “Don’t gaze
at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the
cup, how smoothly it goes down” (23:31). Drinking
may be enticing, but “in the end [alcohol] bites like a
poisonous snake” (v.32).

Because of its deceptive nature, we can get into trouble
with booze before we realize what’s happening. One sip
usually leads to several, which can lead to drunkenness.
The Bible cautions us, “Don’t be drunk with wine,
because that will ruin your life” (Ephesians 5:18).
When we open the door to drunkenness, we risk letting
it become a lifestyle. At first, getting smashed is rare;
then it’s a once-in-a-while thing. Then it can become so
frequent that every happy hour ends with hugging the commode. It’s possible to
become like the carouser in Proverbs who falls asleep wondering, “When will I
wake up so I can look for another drink?” (23:35).

Happy hour, hangover, sober, gotta find a drink—God doesn’t want us to
live in the bondage of this cycle. He’s given us sufficient warning, but we’ve got
to do our part and keep our distance from alcohol’s devastating effect.
—Jennifer Benson Schuldt

more›
Read 2 Peter 2:19-22 to
see why Christians should
avoid getting tangled up
in sin that enslaves.

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Gaining Strength

Daily Devotional, May 11, 2011 "Gaining Strength"

Gaining Strength

read›
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness (v.9).

After 20 years in youth ministry, my husband has
weathered his fair share of injuries on the job.
Most recently, he was involved in a competitive
outdoor game when he twisted his foot. Playing through
the pain, he conceded to his injury only after winning
the contest. He limped to a nearby place to sit down and
carefully remove his sock, only to see his ankle quickly
swelling past the size of an orange. A trip to the hospital
revealed it wasn’t broken, but he soon realized it would
take time before his foot could bear weight once again.

Pain often serves as a reminder of our limitations. To
those of us who pride ourselves on our independence
and feel most comfortable being in control, we don’t
relish the pain when it reminds us we’re vulnerable.
Instead of admitting our need, we “play through the
pain,” if not to convince ourselves then to assure others
that we can handle whatever comes our way. No one
likes to feel weak.

The whole crux of the gospel, however, rests on
our desperate need and the insufficiency of our own
resources. Pride keeps us from admitting our needs, much
less our failures. But until we’re willing to deal with those
things, we cut ourselves off from the fullness of the power
of Christ in our lives.

Strength for the believer looks far different than
what the world professes. “[Jesus] gave up His divine
privileges . . . and was born as a human being” (Philippians 2:7) in the greatest
show of power the heavens have ever witnessed (2 Corinthians 13:4). We gain
strength when we see difficulties—and our weaknesses—as a means for His
power to be at work in us (12:9-10).

It’s the difference between limping and running (Isaiah 40:29-31).
—Regina Franklin

more›
Read Isaiah 35 to
discover why we can
experience joy even as
we see and acknowledge
our own inadequacies.

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A Symbol of Forgiveness with Sheila Walsh

Daily Devotional, May 10, 2011 "A Symbol of Forgiveness - Sheila Walsh"

Episode 2 - A Symbol of Forgivenesswith Sheila Walsh

Watch Episode 2 Now. CLICK HERE.

On a Sunday morning in 2009, Pastor Fred Winters was brutally gunned down as he delivered a sermon in front of his church congregation. The story made national headlines not only for the story itself, but also for his wife Cindy's forgiveness of the man who pulled the trigger.

Sheila Walsh taped a webisode series with Cindy Winters and Emmy winning Life Focus Productions titled “A Symbol of Forgiveness” where the two of them talk through Cindy’s remarkable story. Part two of the four-part series is now available. The remaining two episodes will be posted May 17, and 24.

Watch Episode 2 Now. CLICK HERE.

Provision - For When You Don’t Have Enough

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

- Philippians 4:19

Haven’t you been there, that place of worry, fret, and fear when the provisions needed aren’t at hand and aren’t coming? Or maybe you’ve been in that place where there is a circus going on around you, with all kinds of things coming your way, just not what you really needed. You get lost in a pile of bills, feeling overwhelmed with everything that has to be taken care of and not enough resources to meet the needs. The demands of life can be overwhelming when you look at what you have and compare it to what you need. You can be left to wonder, Is God listening? Does He see? Will He fix things?

Where’s the hope of that promise in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs”? And how do you live in the assurance of that promise?

It sounds so easy, after all, when someone says, “Just believe in God’s promises.” Paul is writing this promise from house arrest in Rome to one of his favorite churches. The church in Philippi has sent a dear brother, Epaphroditus, to encourage Paul in his prison. Now Paul thanks them for their kindness and their monetary support in this time of need. His spirits have been lifted, and he responds with a sincere prayer for their blessing. This is a prayer from a love-filled heart that they be given what he holds dearest, the richest blessings found only in Christ.

Paul says in Philippians 4:18 that he is “amply supplied,” meaning “filled up” or “supplied to the point of overflowing.” This is what he is praying for them when he says “My God will meet all your needs.” There will be no lack in what is really needed. Note that Paul makes no mention of their desires. At the end of this statement he says “according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (v. 19). Some take this to mean reward in heaven, but it more likely means spiritual needs satisfied by the power that has been given to Jesus. “Riches” speaks of the abundance of Christ’s provision. “Glory” speaks of the fullness of His power. He is saying God is faithful and will not disappoint. His provision will be in keeping with the wealth of His mercy demonstrated in Jesus Christ. He takes care of His own.

The promise is that God knows our needs and has been proven to provide abundantly beyond what we can rightly expect. Our sign in earnest is the abundant grace of Christ’s gift—His life for us. How can we not trust in such a provision?

Read Mark 6; then answer the following questions:

1. Why did Jesus instruct His disciples not to pack supplies and provisions for their mission? Does this seem strange to you? How would you have responded in this situation?

2. When you take an honest assessment of your life today, what needs do you have? Do you fear God won’t provide in those areas?

3. Do you believe that when you rest in Jesus, truly anything is possible? What are the “impossible” things in your life today that you want God to make possible?

This Bible study is an excerpt from chapter 1 of The Shelter of God’s Promisesby Sheila Walsh.

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Bold, Faithful Friends

Daily Devotional, May 9, 2011 "Bold, Faithful Friends"

Bold, Faithful Friends

read›
Mark 2:1-12
They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the
crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then
they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus (v.4).

Jesus had returned to His base in Capernaum after a
preaching trip. When the locals heard that He was
back, they ran to where He was staying (probably
Peter’s house) and swarmed around it. So many people
crowded into the house that there was no way a paralyzed
man, brought to the door by his concerned friends,
could get in. But his friends would not be hindered! They
hatched a dangerous, unconventional plan.

They picked up their paralyzed friend, hauled him up
the side staircase to Peter’s roof, broke through the mud
seal, ripped up the straw thatching, and made a hole
large enough to lower the man through. They vandalized
Peter’s home! When Jesus saw their radical faith, He
gave them more than what they’d come for: He met the
man’s spiritual needs first and then healed him physically
(Mark 2:5,11-12).

Sometimes we simply can’t go any further in life or
deeper into faith on our own. Seasons come when we
need others to boldly carry us to Jesus.
“I remember when I wrote my book on prayer,” author
Richard Foster once told me during a radio interview.
“When I finished it, I didn’t want to pray. In fact, I didn’t
even like prayer!” He was burned out and spiritually
dry. Richard’s weekly prayer group soon came around
and he shared his predicament with them. He revealed
his prayerlessness to his four friends and waited for their
response. “We don’t think you should pray right now,” they told him, “so we will
become your prayer for you.” It wasn’t long before Richard was praying again
for himself.

Just like the paralytic man and like Richard Foster, we all need bold, faithful
friends. I thank God for those who carry me to Jesus and pray the prayer I can’t
pray myself. —Sheridan Voysey

more›
See Matthew 8:5-13,
Mark 5:21-43, and
Acts 9:36-42 for more
examples of people
whose faith affected the
lives of others.

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Divine Detours

Daily Devotional, May 6, 2011 "Divine Detours"

Divine Detours

read›
Ephesians 3:1-13
God did not reveal
[His mysterious plan] to
previous generations, but
now by His Spirit He has
revealed it to His holy
apostles and prophets
(v.5).

Last summer, my boys and I took some memorable
bike rides. One path that runs alongside a local river
became the boys’ favorite. There are numerous spots
to stop, toss their helmets aside, and explore along the
riverbank. Their most celebrated discovery was a pool of
tadpoles. In contrast to my boys, I don’t like to stop while
riding, and I don’t search for tadpoles. I like to travel a
direct route there and back. For Wyatt and Seth, however,
biking is as much about the detours as the destination.

In the opening chapters of Ephesians, Paul penned
a breathless array of words and images, themes, and
ideas—rich theology, gushing and overflowing. However,
as chapter 3 begins, Paul slows down, pauses, and
writes down a prayer: “When I think of all this, I, Paul, a
prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . .”
(v.1). And that three-dot ellipsis sends us on a journey.
Paul had barely finished a line of his prayer when
he headed in a different direction, a long rabbit trail.
You have to trace down 13 verses to find Paul resuming
his first-sentence thoughts. Most translators, aware of
this disjointed shift, mark it with a dash or an ellipsis—
attempts to communicate that Paul had taken a detour.

It’s interesting that as Paul veered onto this literary side
road, he pointed to God’s penchant for detours. Paul
recounted how God had “revealed His mysterious plan”
during his blinding encounter with God on the Damascus
road. This ordained diversion with Jesus had not been on
Paul’s agenda (v.3). Paul then detailed another seeming
detour—God’s merging of Jews and Gentiles had been
something neither people group had expected (v.6). A monumental detour.

Grace often comes unexpectedly. Detours, surrendered to God, are not
inconveniences—they’re gifts. —Winn Collier

more›
Look over Ephesians
3:1-13 again. Notice
how the characters
were surprised by God’s
actions. How were the
Gentiles surprised? The
Jews? Paul? What does
the idea of “mystery” in
the passage say about
God’s detours?

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The Church

Daily Devotional, May 5, 2011 "Pillar of Truth"

Pillar of Truth

read›
1 Timothy 3:14–4:5
This is the church of the
living God, which is the
pillar and foundation of
the truth (v.15).

My friend doesn’t like the idea of attending church.
She says, “People leave their brains at the
church doors.”

A contemporary poet describes the church this way:
“Outwardly splendid as of old; inwardly sparkless, void
and cold. Her force and fire all spent and gone, like the
dead moon she still shines on.”

For some people, the church is simply a place for
those who are religious. But the apostle Paul sees the
church through a different lens. He sees the church as a
significant body. It’s the “household of God,” “the church
of the living God,” and “the pillar and foundation of the
truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). The church isn’t a building, or a
meeting held in a building. The church is people—those
who’ve been born by the Spirit of God and have entered
into a new relationship with God as their Father and
each other as siblings. It’s the “household of God.”

In addition, the church belongs to the living God.
When believers gather, they experience the presence
of a God who speaks His words to them, hears their
prayers, and responds to their worship.

Unlike what some people believe, the church isn’t
an outdated remnant of the past with no relevance for
today’s society. There’s a reason for its existence. It’s the
“pillar and foundation of the truth”—created in the world
to make a difference, to introduce truth into a world
saturated with error.

May God help us, the church, to learn again who we are and what we can
do through Him. For “Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her to
make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s Word” (Ephesians
5:25-26). The church is a thing of great worth and value in God’s sight.
—Poh Fang Chia

more›
Read Colossians 1:18
and 1 Peter 2:7-9 for
more insights into the
true purpose and value
of the church.

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Amplified

Daily Devotional, May 4, 2011 "Amplified"

Amplified

read›
Matthew 7:13-20
A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad
tree produces bad fruit (v.17).

Despite the recent economic meltdown, most people would agree that free markets have improved
the lives of billions of people. Many people today are living longer and wealthier than anyone ever has, in
large part because free markets incentivize us to create products that other people want to buy. Entrepreneurs
who knew that they would profit from their efforts invented vaccines, computers, microwaves, and indoor
plumbing.

However, free markets are not an unqualified good. They’re simply the most efficient way to provide
consumers what they want. What markets can’t do is tell us what we should want. If consumers want relief from
the heat of summer, markets will connect them with the sellers of air conditioners. If consumers want to get rich
quick through games of chance, markets will supply them with casinos.

In short, markets amplify whatever we are. If you want to know who you are, look at what you buy—it’s yourself
revealed. What is on your iPod, credit card statement, or television schedule? The fruit you find there indicates
what kind of tree you are (Matthew 7:17-18,20).

Markets also amplify by enlarging our effect on others. A medieval materialist would horde his gold, and that
would be the end of it. But now, through the amplifying power of markets, a materialist who buys a behemoth
home supports an entire industry that builds McMansions, and an immoral person who clicks on pornography encourages producers to make more of it.

Every purchase is a vote for the product we buy. If we choose coarse, banal, or risqué entertainment, our culture will flood the market with more. No man is an island. That has never been truer than now. And God will some day judge the choices we make today (v.19; Hebrews 6:8). —Mike Wittmer

more›
Read Luke 12:13-21 to see how our choices
amplify ourselves, and read Romans 14:13–
15:4 to see how our choices may help or hurt
others.

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Sheila Walsh’s book - The Shelter of God’s Promises

Daily Devotional, May 3, 2011 "A Symbol of Forgiveness - Promises, Promises"

A Symbol of Forgivenesswith Sheila Walsh

Watch Episode 1 Now. CLICK HERE.

On a Sunday morning in 2009, Pastor Fred Winters was brutally gunned down as he delivered a sermon in front of his church congregation. The story made national headlines not only for the story itself, but also for his wife Cindy's forgiveness of the man who pulled the trigger.

Sheila Walsh taped a webisode series with Cindy Winters and Emmy winning Life Focus Productions titled “A Symbol of Forgiveness” where the two of them talk through Cindy’s remarkable story. It’s a four-part series; one part will be available each week beginning May 3, 2011 and continuing on May 10, 17, and 24.

Watch Episode 1 Now. CLICK HERE.

Promises, Promises

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

—2 Corinthians 1:20

When you think of promises, you don’t want to think of what’s broken, of brokenness. It’s human nature to want a sure thing and for someone to back up the certainties, guaranteed, no questions asked. But it’s just like God to think of the unthinkable, to show us that the impossible is possible, that there is one kind of brokenness that holds everything together and in which promises are kept.

We want to believe that God sees everything, our comings and our goings, our slumber and our days, as Psalm 121 says. And we desperately need to know and feel that His promises hold true in the darkest of nights. We believe that God loves us, but bad things happen anyway. There are aftereffects and consequences, damage and wounds—pain that runs so deep that its presence, a reminder of the storms, invades our lives over and over. The failures, disappointments, and regrets keep us questioning: Do God’s promises hold fast when everything else is falling apart? What exactly does He promise us? Can we trust Him to keep His promises?

Whenever I am faced with a difficult passage in my life or that of a friend, I remind myself again that we are travelers in this world, headed back to our true home with God. But we come upon detours in our journey. Each detour takes us from the garden to a cross on a hill, where Christ Himself paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we will be free. Even as Christ was placed in a grave carved into a cleft of rock, He went there as a fulfillment of God’s promise to you and to me that death would be swallowed up in victory, for no grave could hold Him.

We are each invited from the worst storms of our lives to find our safe hiding place in God. Whatever God says, we can stake our lives on, and Christ came to show us who our Father is. In Christ all the promises of God are fulfilled, for no matter how many promises God has made, they are “yes” in Him (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Normally we doubt whether a promise maker will be a promise keeper when everything is completed. But the witness of the substitutionary atonement of Jesus is that God’s most difficult promise has been kept. The Father is truly the only Promise Maker who is in earnest a Promise Keeper. A promise from God is a promise kept.

Read 2 Corinthians 1:20 and Exodus 33; then answer the following questions:

1. How do you see that God’s promises have been fulfilled in the person of Christ?

2. We all have different stories to tell, and many of us will approach the idea of God’s promises from unique perspectives. So, what comes to mind when you think of the promises of God?

3. How do you bring your focus back to the promises of God when life has given you difficult detours, such as the loss of a family member, an illness, or other periods of sadness?

This Bible study is an excerpt from chapter 1 of The Shelter of God’s Promisesby Sheila Walsh.

Sheila Walsh’s new book, The Shelter of God’s Promises, available now. CLICK HERE.

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Jonathan's Example

Daily Devotional, May 2, 2011 "Jonathan's Example"

Jonathan's Example

read›
1 Samuel 20
Jonathan loved David as
he loved himself (v.17).

When Matt Damon hit it big in Hollywood, he
bought two Jeep Grand Cherokees—one
for him, and one for his best buddy, Ben
Affleck. In an interview with People magazine, he said,
“That was our dream car. We flipped a coin on the
color. We both wanted hunter green and I won; he got
black.” I had to smile when I read that story. Friends
dream together. Friends celebrate together. Friends stick
together.

When David and Jonathan first met, “there was an
immediate bond between them” (1 Samuel 18:1). They
remained close even though Jonathan’s father, King Saul,
wanted to kill David. Unfortunately, Jonathan had to
choose between loyalty to his father and his best friend.
He picked David, exclaiming, “Tell me what I can do to
help you!” (20:4). Jonathan then helped David escape
from Saul. A genuine friend is a loyal friend.

A true ally will also set aside his or her interests
to support you—competition won’t corrode your
relationship. Jonathan wanted David to be the king of
Israel, even though, as his father so crudely pointed out
(v.30), Jonathan should have been the next ruler.
Despite the extreme pressure on their friendship,
Jonathan trekked out to visit his pal in the hill country of
Ziph, where David was hiding from Saul. During their
wilderness outing, Jonathan “encouraged [David] to stay strong in his faith in
God” (1 Samuel 23:16). True friends make time to spiritually spur each other on.

Reading about David and Jonathan made me wonder, Am I a good friend?
Jonathan’s unwavering loyalty, humility, and commitment to David inspired me
to look for more ways to serve my friends. While no relationship is perfect,
friendship works best when we follow Jonathan’s example: “Jonathan loved
David as he loved himself” (20:17). —Jennifer Benson Schudlt

more›
Read Job 2:11-14 to see
how friends can support
each other during difficult
times. Read John 15:13-
17 to learn about Jesus’
friendship with believers.

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