Cup of Faith - Day 18

Scripture of the Day

Joshua 1:5 - No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

 

Devotion of the Day

Today's devotion is taken from shortdailydevotions.com.

Joshua 1:1-9 is one of the most often quoted, cited, and even commercialized of Old Testament texts; specifically verses six through nine. Here we find the Lord encouraging and emboldening Israel’s new leader using powerful phrases like, “Be strong and courageous,” and that he would “have good success wherever” he went. 

Joshua was to be a great man in Israel, blessed by God and exalted before the people (Joshua 3:7). But when we consider a man or woman of God’s prestige we should never forget about their verse five!

Here’s what we mean: Joshua’s greatness, like Moses’ before him, was to be a direct result of God’s constant presence.

Moses and Joshua may have each grown to be exceptional individuals in their own right, but it was God’s presence that made them great. It was God’s presence that molded them into becoming great leaders of men. God’s presence precedes greatness. God’s presence precedes effectiveness. And it’s God’s presence that precedes anything of eternal worth at all.

Don’t fall for the trap of seeing men and women as great in and of themselves (or seeing yourself that way). Remember, it is by God’s presence and favor first that we can accomplish the work He has set before us. “Be strong and very courageous” is always preceded by a verse five, action is always made both possible and effective by God’s presence first.

 

Focus Points of the Day

Question - Do you fall into the trap of seeing men and women as great in and of themselves?

Action -  Look for your verse five and remain focused on God’s presence in your life today.

Cup of Faith - Day 17

Scripture of the Day

Jeremiah 18:1-6 - This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. ⁴ But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
           ⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me. ⁶ He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.

Devotion of the Day

Today's devotion is from "Our Daily Bread" devotional online odb.org. The title of the devo is called "Broken But Beautiful" by Cindy Hess Kasper.


Recently, my daughter showed me her collection of sea glass. Also known as beach glass, the varied bits of colored glass are sometimes pieces of pottery but often they are pieces of shattered glass bottles.

Originally the glass had a purpose, but then it was casually thrown away and became broken.
If the discarded glass ends up in an ocean, its journey is just beginning. As it is relentlessly tossed about by currents and tides, its jagged edges are ground down by the sand and waves and eventually are smoothed away and rounded off. The result is something beautiful. The jewel-like sea glass has found new life and is treasured by collectors and artists.

In a similar way, a broken life can be renewed when it is touched by God’s love and grace. In the Old Testament, we read that when the prophet Jeremiah watched a potter working, he noticed that if an object was marred the potter simply reshaped it (Jer. 18:1-6). God explained that in His hands the people of ancient Israel were like clay, which He would shape as He saw best.

We are never too badly broken for God to reshape. He loves us in spite of our imperfections and past mistakes, and He desires to make us beautiful.

When melted by trial, we can be fully molded by the Potter....this is the same message that Paul delivers to the church of Corinth. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). God takes the old and broken and fashions it into something new and useful.

Focus Points of the Day

Question - What is something "old and broken" that you need God's help to fashion into something "new and useful"? 

Action - Ask God today to take your broken spots and reshape them into something beautiful. This may be a past mistake, a sin you struggle with or even hurt feelings. Talk to him about today. He has the power to simply reshape your life!

Cup of Faith - Day 16

Scripture of the Day

2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

 

Devotion of the Day

Today's devotion is taken from the website shortdailydevotions.com.

Notice the phrase breathed out? Some translations render it given by inspiration. These phrases come from the Greek word theopneustos, which is the combination of theos, meaning God, and pneuma, coming from the root pneu, which describes a dynamic movement of air (wow that was a long sentence). There are instances where it can be translated to breathe or emit a fragrance as well. So in this simple phrase, breathed out, there is a depth we don’t often perceive. This word theopneustos then is really the picture of God breathing or emitting His own substance into something. Read how Rick Renner, a great author and teacher, described this word:

“Let me give you this very simple example of the word theopneustos. If I hold a deflated balloon that is without form to my lips and breathe into it, the balloon will inflate. The blowing of my breath into that deflated little piece of rubber causes it to fill up so that its true form becomes visible. When the balloon is fully inflated, I tie a knot at the base to trap the air within. Now the air that filled up the balloon and caused it to take form is the same substance that empowers it to sustain its form. It was my breath that created its form, and it is my breath that now sustains it. And if the molecules inside the balloon were analyzed, it would be found that a part of me is held inside in the form of the air I breathed into it.”

Today, the same essence, energy, and power that breathed out God’s Word still resides in it. God Himself breathed upon men who wrote as He moved in and upon them, and the Scriptures took form. Just as Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us, or took form, so God’s life took form in Scripture and will do the same in us.

Expect God’s word to powerfully move and sustain you today.

 

Focus Points for the Day

Question - Do you expect God's word to move you or sustain you when you read it?

Action - Since the devotion talks about God's breath filling the Word like our breath fills a balloon take this opportunity to either imagine or actually blow up a balloon focusing on this concept. It is a powerful image to capture in our minds.

Cup of Faith - Day 15

Scripture of the Day

John 14:6 -  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Colossians 4:2 -  Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Devotion of the Day

Today's devotion comes from "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young.

Hold my hand, and walk joyously with Me through this day. Together we will savor the pleasures and endure the difficulties it brings. Be on the lookout for everything I have prepared for you: stunning scenery, bracing winds of adventure, cozy nooks for resting when you are weary, and much more. I am your Guide, as well as your constant Companion. I know every step of the journey ahead of you, all the way to heaven.

You don't have to choose between staying close to Me and staying on course. Since I am the Way, staying close to Me is staying on course. As you focus your thoughts on Me, I will guide you carefully along today's journey.  Don't worry about what is around the next bend. Just concentrate on enjoying My Presence and staying in step with Me. 

Focus Points of the Day

Question - I know we have talked about this in previous devotions but it is worth revisiting. Do you worry about what is around the next bend?

Action - The lesson today says that staying close to God is staying on course. When your thoughts turn to worry about something that "may" happen in the future STOP and try to focus on what we know is true. God knows every step of our journey. He wants to walk with us...hand in hand.  Talk to Him about your concerns. 

Cup of Faith - Day 14

Scripture of the Day 

Hebrews 4:16 - Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Devotion of the Day

Today's devotion by Dennis Fisher called "Confident Access" comes from the devotional "Our Daily Bread" which can be found at odb.org.

Mont Saint-Michel is a tidal island located about a half-mile off the coast of Normandy, France. For centuries it has been the site of an abbey and monastery that has attracted religious pilgrims. Until the construction of a causeway, it was notorious for its dangerous access that resulted in the death of some pilgrims. At low tide it is encompassed by sand banks, and at high tide it is surrounded by water. Accessing the island was a cause for fear.

Access to God for Old Testament Jews was also a cause for fear. When God thundered on Mt. Sinai, the people feared approaching Him (Ex. 19:10-16). And when access to God was granted through the high priest, specific instructions had to be followed (Lev. 16:1-34). Accidentally touching the ark of the covenant, which represented the holy presence of God, would result in death (see 2 Sam. 6:7-8).

But because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can now approach God without fear. God’s penalty for sin has been satisfied, and we are invited into God’s presence: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace” (Heb. 4:16).

Because of Jesus we can come to God through prayer anywhere, anytime.

Then boldly let our faith address
God’s throne of grace and power,
There to obtain delivering grace
In every needy hour. —Watts

 

Through prayer, we have instant access to our Father. 

Focus Points of the Day

Question - Do you feel like you can approach to God with any concern without fear?

Action - Hebrews 4:16 tells us to come boldly to the throne of grace. When you pray today speak with boldness as you tell God the concerns of your heart.

Cup of Faith - Day 13

Scripture of the Day 

Nehemiah 9:17 - "They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them."

Devotion of the Day

Today's devotion is taken from a great website shortdailydevotions.com

The Israelites time and time again were saved by God through miracles as they were in and leaving Egypt. But they continually rebelled from God. Reading these accounts in Scripture can easily make us feel competent and prideful.

Our minds are filled with the notion that if we had seen the miracles the Israelites saw, we would never have forgotten them. Generally, we could rightly assume that none of us reading this has ever seen a sea part, a river turn to blood or manna from heaven. But, we think that if we did, we would never act faithlessly as the Israelites did toward God.

What if we are looking at this scripture and others similar in the wrong way? We can claim we have never seen God do a “big” miracle, when God is blessing us with “little” miracles every day. The job you have, the healthy family, your relationships, even your salvation are all gifts, all blessings. We are told that every good gift comes from God (James 1:17). If our good gifts come from God, then we are right to assume that they aren’t our doing and come from the Lord. This can and should translate into a humbling experience that allows us to trust God more while striving not to be like the Israelites who seemed to continually forget God’s miraculous works in their lives.

Focus Points of the Day

Question - What are the good gifts that God has blessed you with?

Action -  Take time today to make a list of the blessings you have in your life...little and big.

Cup of Faith - Day 12

Scripture of the Day

Colossians 1:27 - To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Matthew 28:20 - ...and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

John 20:19 - On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!

Devotion of the Day

Today's devotion is from the book "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young.

Trust me in the depths of your being. It is there that I live in constant communication with you. When you feel flustered and frazzled on the outside, do not get upset with yourself. You are only human, and the swirl of events going on all around you will sometimes feel overwhelming. Rather than scolding yourself for your humanness, remind yourself that I am both with you and within you.

 I am with you at all times, encouraging and supportive rather than condemning. I know that deep within you, where I live, My Peace is your continual experience. Slow down your pace of living for a time. Quiet your mind in My Presence. Then you will be able to hear Me bestowing the resurrection blessing: Peace be with you. 

Focus Points of the Day

Question - Do you ever get upset with yourself when you feel frazzled?

Action - If you feel frustrated with yourself today try to remember that we have the promise of God's peace within us. Try to slow down in these moments and remember that truth.