Reflecting God’s Devotions for Holy Living – Saturday, 1 February
2014 “Contentment and Fruitfulness” Scripture Psalm 131: Song of Quiet Trust
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,
my eyes are not raised
too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too
marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child
with its mother;
my soul is like the
weaned child that is with me.[a]
3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time on and
forevermore.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 131:2 Or my soul within me is like a weaned child
“Contentment and Fruitfulness” by J. Timothy White
One of the great scenes in the film Amazing Grace comes when
William Wilberforce goes to visit his mentor, parish pastor John Newton. Newton
had been a financially successful slave ship captain and trader. After Newton
meets Jesus as Savior, his life begins to change as God begins to grow him into
a new creation in Christ. Along the way, he pens a poem that becomes his gift
to the church in every age, the hymn “Amazing Grace.”
When Wilberforce meets Newton on this trip, he finds Newton now
content to mop the floors of a small church and stable. Wilberforce asks the
one-time slave trader if the battle he had been waging in Parliament to end the
slave trade in the British Empire was worth it. Newton’s answer was essentially
an encouragement to find contentment in God’s plan for his life, and then with
all the energy he had, to do what God had called him to do. The contentment
found in being in the center of God’s will is the catalyst to fulfill God’s
great plan for his life. God will bless that same contentment in our lives as
well.
Hymn for Today:
“Amazing Grace” by John Newton
1. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
2. ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
3. Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
4. The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
5. Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
6. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
7. When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
Thought for Today:
“Abraham Lincoln overcame his own melancholy not by taking his
own spiritual temperature, but finding a work to do which made him forget
himself” (D. Elton Trueblood)!
Prayer Needs:
Many people in Portugal will come to know Jesus the Christ
(Yeshua the Messiah) and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
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Sunday, 2 February 2014 - “Trusting Who?” Scripture Proverbs 30:
Sayings of Agur
1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle.
Thus says the man: I am weary, O God,
I am weary, O God. How
can I prevail?[a]
2 Surely I am too stupid to be human;
I do not have human
understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I knowledge
of the holy ones.[b]
4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the
wind in the hollow of the hand?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
Who has established
all the ends of the earth?
What is the person’s name?
And what is the name
of the person’s child?
Surely you know!
5 Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to
those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,
or else he will rebuke
you, and you will be found a liar.
7 Two things I ask of you;
do not deny them to me
before I die:
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither
poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food
that I need,
9 or I shall be full, and deny you,
and say, “Who is the
Lord?”
or I shall be poor, and steal,
and profane the name
of my God.
Footnotes:
a. Proverbs 30:1 Or I am spent. Meaning of Heb uncertain
b. Proverbs 30:3 Or Holy One
“Trusting Who?” by J. Timothy White
The TV commercials for the investment firm E. F. Hutton started
and ended with the line, “When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen.” They created
humorous circumstances in restaurants or business settings where the Hutton
agent would start to speak and everyone else in the room would fall silent, and
strain to hear what the agent had to say. They built a corporate name around
the investors’ confidence in their trustworthiness as advisors, and on their
corporate integrity to speak the truth.
In Proverbs 30, the writer of this proverb gives a much more
expansive picture of God’s reliability and integrity for those who trust Him.
God’s words are flawless and not to be added to by men. This is not a rigid
legalism. Instead, it is the foundation for a level of trust in God that allows
His children to call on Him as the ultimate source of protection and refuge in
the times of storm. It almost sounds like the writer is saying, “I don’t know
much, but I know the One who knows my every need, and I choose daily to count
on Him to watch over me with His matchless grace and mercy.”
Hymn for Today:
“It is Truly Wonderful” by Barney E. Warren
1. He pardoned my transgressions,
He sanctified my soul;
He honors my confessions,
Since by His blood I’m whole.
Refrain:
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
Glory to His Name.
2. He keeps me every moment
By trusting in His grace;
’Tis through His best atonement
That I may see His face.
Refrain:
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
Glory to His Name.
3. He brings me through affliction,
He leaves me not alone;
He’s with me in temptation,
He keeps me for His own.
Refrain:
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
Glory to His Name.
4. He prospers and protects me,
His blessings ever flow;
He fills me with His glory,
He makes me white as snow.
Refrain:
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
Glory to His Name.
5. He keeps me firm and faithful,
His love I do enjoy,
For this I shall be grateful,
And live in His employ.
Refrain:
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
Glory to His Name.
6. There’s not a single blessing
Which we receive on earth
That does not come from heaven,
The source of our new birth.
Refrain:
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful!
It is truly wonderful
What the Lord has done!
Glory to His Name.
Thought for Today:
“But the Master never lets us
down. He’ll stick by you and protect you from evil.”—2 Thessalonians
3:3
Prayer Needs:
Developing Christian leaders in Portugal!
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