The Deaf Devo from The Deaf Missions in Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States "Run to Win!" Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 for Sunday, 9 October 2016
1 Corinthians 9:24 Don’t you know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one wins the prize? So then, run to win! 25 Now every athlete in training submits himself to strict discipline, and he does it just to win a laurel wreath that will soon wither away. But we do it to win a crown that will last forever. 26 Accordingly, I don’t run aimlessly but straight for the finish line; I don’t shadow-box but try to make every punch count. 27 I treat my body hard and make it my slave so that, after proclaiming the Good News to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
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Have you ever played on a sports team? Maybe you played football, basketball, volleyball or soccer. Probably you worked hard to develop your body's strength. Then you played many games with your teammates. Your goal was to win the championship.
In our Bible Reading today, Paul talked about running in a race. He knew that people who competed in a race trained for many months before the race. Their desire was to cross the finish line first and win the race.
Just as a runner trains for a race, Christians must grow stronger in their relationship with God. They must be serious about following and obeying Jesus every day. Their goal should be to receive the prize of living forever with God.
Jesus died on the cross for you so that you can live forever with God. So start running the Christian race today! Look forward to winning the prize of eternal life. Run to win![MC*]
"You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one
runner gets the prize. So run like that. Run to win!"[1 Corinthians 9:24]
PRAYER: Dear God, give me strength as I grow and serve You. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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The Deaf Devo from The Deaf Missions in Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States "The Temple" Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 5:1-14 for Saturday, 8 October 2016
2 Chronicles 5:1 Thus all the work that Shlomo did for the house of Adonai was finished. Then Shlomo brought in the gifts which David his father had consecrated — the silver, the gold and all the utensils — and put them in the treasuries of the house of God.
2 Shlomo assembled all the leaders of Isra’el and all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the paternal clans of the people of Isra’el, to Yerushalayim, to bring the ark for the covenant of Adonai out of the City of David, also known as Tziyon. 3 All the people of Isra’el assembled before the king at the festival in the seventh month. 4 All the leaders of Isra’el came. The L’vi’im took the ark 5 and brought up the ark, the tent of meeting and all the holy utensils that were in the tent; these are what the cohanim and L’vi’im brought up. 6 King Shlomo and the whole community of Isra’el who had assembled in his presence were in front of the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen in numbers beyond counting or recording. 7 The cohanim brought the ark for the covenant of Adonai in to its place inside the sanctuary of the house, to the Especially Holy Place, under the wings of the k’ruvim. 8 For the k’ruvim spread out their wings over the place for the ark, covering the ark and its poles from above. 9 The poles were so long that their ends could be seen [extending] from the ark into the sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside; they are there to this day. 10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets Moshe put there at Horev, when Adonai made the covenant with the people of Isra’el at the time of their leaving Egypt.
11 When the cohanim came out of the Holy Place (for all the cohanim who were present had consecrated themselves; they didn’t keep to their divisions; 12 also the L’vi’im who were the singers, all of them — Asaf, Heman, Y’dutun and their sons and relatives — dressed in fine linen, with cymbals, lutes and lyres, stood on the east side of the altar; and with them 120 cohanim sounding trumpets), 13 then, when the trumpeters and singers were playing in concord, to be heard harmoniously praising and thanking Adonai, and they lifted their voices together with the trumpets, cymbals and other musical instruments to praise Adonai: “for he is good, for his grace continues forever” — then, the house, the house of Adonai, was filled with a cloud; 14 so that because of the cloud, the cohanim could not stand up to perform their service; for the glory of Adonai filled the house of God.
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Our Bible verses tell us about the Temple built by King Solomon. When the Temple was finished, the priests put the box in the Most Holy Place of the Temple. Then they sang songs of praise to God. But what happened next must have been really magnificent. "Then the Lord's Temple was filled with a cloud. The priests could not continue to serve because of the cloud, because the Glory of the Lord filled the Temple" (verse 13b-14).
At that time, God's presence was in the Temple. But the New Testament teaches that Christians are spiritual temples. 1 Corinthians 6:19a says, "You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit that you received from God and that lives in you."
Because God's Spirit lives in us, we need to remember to keep our bodies pure. When we are tempted to sin, we should think about God and only do things that please Him. "God paid a very high price to make you his. So honor God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:20).[BP*]
"They praised the Lord, singing, 'The Lord is good.
His faithful love will last forever.'"[2 Chronicles 5:13b]
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for making me Your child. Help me to honor You every day. In Jesus' name. Amen.-------
The Deaf Devo from The Deaf Missions in Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States "Psalm 119 (5)" Bible Reading: Psalm 119:33-40 for Friday, 7 October 2016
Psalm 119:ה (Heh)
33 Teach me, Adonai, the way of your laws;
keeping them will be its own reward for me.
34 Give me understanding; then I will keep your Torah;
I will observe it with all my heart.
35 Guide me on the path of your mitzvot,
for I take pleasure in it.
36 Bend my heart toward your instructions
and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
with your ways, give me life.
38 Fulfill your promise, which you made to your servant,
which you made to those who fear you.
39 Avert the disgrace which I dread,
for your rulings are good.
40 See how I long for your precepts;
in your righteousness, give me life!
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There was a time when my life was very hectic. Often I was so busy that I only prayed short prayers, and I didn't read my Bible very much.
One winter day I was driving down a street. A car came speeding onto the street in front of me. I was able to avoid hitting the car, but my car spun around several times before I could stop. I believe that God prevented me from being involved in a serious accident.
This experience made me stop and think about my life. I realized I was not doing what God wanted me to do. I was not following the example in our Bible verses today. I was not trying to understand God's teachings (verse 34), following His commands (verse 35) and obeying His instructions (verse 40). Instead I was looking at "worthless things" (verse 37).
Right away I started reading my Bible more and spending time in prayer. Then I was ready to depend on God to help me get through each day. Be sure that you take time to strengthen your relationship with God today![BH]
"Help me to follow your commands, because that makes me happy."[Psalm 119:35]
PRAYER: God, thank You that I can pray to You and read Your Word. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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