Today's Devotional: The Upper Room Daily Devotional "With All My Heart" for Thursday, 14 May 2015 - Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "With All My Heart" for Thursday, 14 May 2015 - Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1 “Now this is the mitzvah, the laws and rulings which Adonai your God ordered me to teach you for you to obey in the land you are crossing over to possess, 2 so that you will fear Adonai your God and observe all his regulations and mitzvot that I am giving you — you, your child and your grandchild — as long as you live, and so that you will have long life. 3 Therefore listen, Isra’el, and take care to obey, so that things will go well with you, and so that you will increase greatly, as Adonai, the God of your ancestors, promised you by giving you a land flowing with milk and honey.
(A:vi, S: v) 4 “Sh’ma, Yisra’el! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad [Hear, Isra’el! Adonai our God, Adonai is one]; 5 and you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. 6 These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; 7 and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, 9 and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.[Proverbs 3:9 (KJV)]
Growing up in a Christian family, I learned to give a tithe, as the Bible teaches. So with my first working income I was glad to tithe to the church.
Over the years, my income has increased. But the necessities of life have also increased. As a result, I have sometimes forgotten to give a tithe. Actually, more precisely, I’ve avoided giving. I pray, “Lord, forgive me; I can’t give a tithe this month. Many needs use up my tithe. What if I meet the tithe next month?” I hope God understands.
During one period, I found myself deferring my giving every month. I delayed tithing a first, second, third, fourth time — until one day, I heard a sermon that challenged me. The pastor said, “Serving the Lord must be done with sincerity. If today we are sincere, then even if we struggle, serving will not be a burden.” The pastor offered as an example the many Christians who go to Sunday worship not with sincerity but as a routine. I realized that often I attend church out of a sense of obligation, and I do not tithe with a sincere heart. I want to serve God with all my heart.
The Author: Selly Miarani (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Thought for the Day: All that we do, we do for God.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your blessing. Teach us to bless your church through our gifts. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those Who Have No Job____________________________
Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Son of Encouragement" for Wednesday, 13 May 2015 - Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7 Throw all your anxieties upon him, because he cares about you.
8 Stay sober, stay alert! Your enemy, the Adversary, stalks about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand against him, firm in your trust, knowing that your brothers throughout the world are going through the same kinds of suffering. 10 You will have to suffer only a little while; after that, God, who is full of grace, the one who called you to his eternal glory in union with the Messiah, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you and make you firm. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
12 Through Sila, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written you briefly, encouraging you and giving my witness that this is God’s true grace. Stand firm in it!
There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”).[Acts 4:36 (NRSV)
During my formative years, my mom was my “Barnabas,” my encourager. As a woman of faith and prayer, she inspired me to seek God’s will. When I told her of my call to pastoral ministry, she encouraged me to go to college and get an education. Forty-three years later, I’m still a minister.
Throughout my ministry God has been my ultimate encourager. When I am hurting, God listens as I pour out my heart in prayer. When I am discouraged, God’s word in the Bible inspires and challenges me. When I am frightened by the world’s turbulence, God comforts me by sending the Holy Spirit to speak words of peace and sends me friends who share words of hope.
We can follow God’s example and be encouragers ourselves. When people are hurting, we can listen with compassion instead of criticism or judgment. When others need to be encouraged, we can use scripture to console them and lift up their spirits. As the world swirls around them through tragedy, we can come alongside them and simply be present with them.
As the son of an encouraging mother, I am striving to be a son of encouragement like Barnabas was.
Read more from the author, here.

"Encouragement" by Neely Baugh

One of my favorite Biblical characters over the decades has been Barnabas, Son of Encouragement.  A reoccurring theme in my prayer requests has been asking God to make me a Barnabas to others.

My own special Barnabas was my mother. There was no formal mentoring or training that she instructed me in daily, but she encouraged me and demonstrated what encouragement meant to her. 

Here are some things that she did to encourage me along the way.

1. Mom shared her faith.  She talked about God.  Many times I heard her tell me about her relationship with Jesus.  How much He loved her…me…my family.

2. Mother took me to Sunday School and Church.  Key phrase: took me. She didn’t just send me to church.  My mother took me, stayed for Sunday School (she taught Junior Girls when I was a child…she finally retired from teaching Sunday School when she was in her 80s).  When it was time for church she was there Sunday morning, Sunday night, mid-week prayer meeting, every revival service and missionary meeting.  In my opinion we need more parents to take and stay with their children to be examples.  What a difference it could make in the lives of children and teens to have their parents give them that example.

3. Prayer was a vital part to her life that she passed along to me. She always encouraged me to pray in any circumstance I found myself. During my 68 years of life I have found her words were true.  Why worry when you can pray is a truism.  Unfortunately, I reverse that thought, too often.  Why pray when you can worry!  Thanks to my mom I know the difference.  I remember coming home one day from school. Mom was in the kitchen washing dishes and didn’t hear me come in the front door.  I stood at the entrance and listened as she prayed for each of her children, my dad, me, friends, missionaries, our pastor and more.  She was crying and in deep prayer thought.  It made such an impression on me that it has sent me into prayer anyplace, anytime, for any reason. 

4. Commitment was a high priority on her list.  She was committed to her Lord and Savior, her family and her church…the church being people.  That has been my desire over the years.  I love Jesus.  He has shown me His great mercy, love and forgiveness.  I am committed to my family: my wife of 46 years, children, my daughter-in-law and my granddaughter.  I have been a pastor, general denomination leader and a district superintendent because of my commitment to His church.  My mom led the way for me to grasp the importance.

5. Love from mom included God, family, the church and others in her circle of acquaintances.  I think her favorite verse was John 3:16. Mom helped me to negotiate life with a loving heart.  She knew that love, true unadulterated love, pure love, cleansing love, forgiving love comes from God.  If He loved so should His children. 

I believe I have been following mom’s example of being a good Barnabas over the years.  At least, I want to be and will continue to strive to be that until my final breath.[Derl Keefer]

The Author: Derl G. Keefer (Michigan, USA)
Thought for the Day: How will I remember God’s word today?
Prayer: Dear God, encourage us so that we may encourage others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Prayer focus: Someone Needing Encouragement____________________________
Today's Devotional:

The Upper Room Daily Devotional "God Is Our Rock" for Tuesday, 12 May 2015 - Scripture: Psalm 18:(0) For the leader. By David the servant of Adonai, who addressed the words of this song to Adonai on the day when Adonai delivered him from the power of all his enemies, including from the power of Sha’ul. 2 He said:
(1) “I love you, Adonai, my strength!
3 (2) “Adonai is my Rock, my fortress and deliverer,
my God, my Rock, in whom I find shelter,
my shield, the power that saves me,
my stronghold.
4 (3) I call on Adonai, who is worthy of praise;
and I am saved from my enemies.
16 (15) The channels of water appeared,
the foundations of the world were exposed
at your rebuke, Adonai,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
The psalmist wrote, “Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.”[Psalm 31:2 (NIV)]
I look forward to the weekly Multiple Sclerosis water exercise class. My friends and I exercise while standing in the water, holding on to the solid edge of the pool.
One day there wasn’t room along the edge, so I slowly waded over to hold on to the rope that marked off a lap lane. I started out fine with leg lifts until I suddenly got dizzy and lost my balance. I started flailing, and because the rope provided no sturdy support, I sank under the water. The instructor jumped in and rescued me and made me promise to hold on to the edge of the pool from then on.
That day at the pool I wasn’t able to yell for help as I went under the water. In the same way, sometimes we aren’t able or are too stubborn to call on God for help, but God knows when we need it. How many times has God held each of us up, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually, when we were sinking? God is our rock upon whom we can depend.
The Author: Sue Carloni (Wisconsin, USA)
Thought for the Day: When the waters of life overwhelm us, we can depend on God.
Prayer: God of all power, you are our rock and strong fortress. We thank you that we can count on you to rescue us in our times of distress. Amen.
Prayer focus: Exercise Instructors And Their Students

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