The Secret You Thought Nobody Knew
April 6, 2009 by Ruth
Filed under Uncategorized
A Devotional for Kids!
Do you carry a secret with you, a deep, dark secret that you are glad no one knows about you? It may be something you did, that you really regret, or something someone did to you. You think no one knows and you are never going to tell anyone.
God already has you covered. He knows all about each of your secrets, good or bad. The best part of it is, He knows and still loves and cares about you. The Bible says you are the apple of His eye. He is crazy about you!
God is omniscient. He knows everything about everything; far beyond what man has ever discovered. Inspite of Him being so wise and powerful He cares about each one of us.
“What is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? Not much more than that. Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And he knows the number of hairs on your head! Never fear, you are far more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.” Luke 12: 6 and 7 [The Living Bible]
God knows the number of hairs on your head and even how many have split ends. Isn’t that amazing that He cares even about each one of our hairs. He cares about the little birds and how much more He cares about each person, no matter what our station in life is.
If you read Psalm 139 you will get a good idea of how well God knows and loves you. My favorite verses are 17 and 18.
“How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me. And when I waken in the morning you are still thinking of me!” [The Living Bible]
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I want to walk with you spiritually this year, inviting you to read the Bible through from cover to cover; from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22:21. If that sounds too difficult for you and your kids, you can join in again after you have taken a break or join us for the days you’re up to it. I promise that you will understand the Bible in a much deeper way if you read it through from cover to cover in a year’s time.
Accept my challenge to read the Bible through in one year chronologically, including the Old and the New Testament.
Today read:
Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20
Luke 11:37-12:7
Psalm 78:1-31
Proverbs 12:19-20
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This devotion is copyright protected and all rights are reserved worldwide. You are free to use this devotion with your family or with your class. However, it may not be reprinted or republished in any form without written consent from Ruth Willms. If you would like to request permission to republish this devotion, please contact Ruth at ruth.willms@gmail.com
Book Review of “Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight”
April 5, 2009 by Ruth
Filed under Uncategorized
Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight
By Karen Scalf Linamen
Do you find yourself controlled by habits that you would love to have control over instead? We all have them; those bad habits that cause our downfalls in life but that we feel unable to do anything about. I struggle with several myself. Well, I just found the perfect book for you and for me.
Karen Scalf Linamen’s self help book Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight not only jarred me to action to begin to deal with my bad habits but also entertained me with humor on every page. She writes as though she’s sitting across the table from me sharing my coffee break. I learned a lot about myself. She answers my questions before I even think of them.
I always thought poor time management or lack of self discipline were the reasons that I run out of time before I get all of my daily tasks done. I was relieved to learn the real reasons for my procrastinations were emotional. I wasn’t short on self discipline. I was short on better ways to manage the unpleasant emotions that my tasks brought with them.
If I accept responsibility for my life why do I sometimes hold back from what I really want to do or be? Again Scalf Linamen surprised me with her answers. Could I be allowing the memory of other people to hold me back? Do I let what they said about me or to me years ago still define me? I learned about the untapped power in me to be myself and live the life I have always imagined.
Karen Scalf Linamen is a motivational speaker and successful author of ten books for women. I agree with Publishers Weekly who penned her as “funny, forthright, and unforgettable”. I dare you to read her book Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight and proceed in your life unchanged.
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I want to walk with you spiritually this year, inviting you to read the Bible through from cover to cover; from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22:21. If that sounds too difficult for you and your kids, you can join in again after you have taken a break or join us for the days you’re up to it. I promise that you will understand the Bible in a much deeper way if you read it through from cover to cover in a year’s time.
Accept my challenge to read the Bible through in one year chronologically, including the Old and the New Testament.
Today read:
Deuteronomy 28:1-68
Luke 11:14-36
Psalm 77:1-20
Proverbs 12:18
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This devotion is copyright protected and all rights are reserved worldwide. You are free to use this devotion with your family or with your class. However, it may not be reprinted or republished in any form without written consent from Ruth Willms. If you would like to request permission to republish this devotion, please contact Ruth at ruth.willms@gmail.com
Praying is more than Just Words
April 4, 2009 by Ruth
Filed under Uncategorized
A Devotional for Kids!
No matter what words we use, if our attitude is right to God, He hears us. God hears the cry of our heart not our high sounding words. We may think we don’t know how to pray. Prayer is a reflection of our heart, what we think. Just talking to God from our hearts is prayer.
When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, He gave them a model prayer. It doesn’t mean He wants us to only pray that prayer to God but it gives us an idea how to pray and what to pray about.
You can read the whole prayer in Matthew 6:9 to 13. I am quoting The Living Bible.
“Pray along these lines:
‘Our Father in heaven, we honor your holy name.
We ask that your kingdom will come now.
May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven.
Give us our food again today, as usual, and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
Don’t bring us into temptation but deliver us from the Evil One.
Amen.’ ”
We can pray to God and know He listens because the Bible tells us over and over how much He cares for us. We honor His name because it is holy. He never sins but more than that He is unique in His character and attributes. That is what makes Him God.
By praying ‘your kingdom come’ we are telling God that we agree with Him; that we too want to see the Gospel taught and done on earth. We are submitting to God’s will.
When we ask Him for our food we are admitting that we depend on Him and recognize that all good things come from Him.
Only God can forgive us our sins. Even though we often try, we can’t hide our sins from God. God knows everything about us and still loves us. We need to confess our sins to God and ask for forgiveness. When there is nothing between us and God He can hear and answer our prayers.
In this prayer Jesus is also teaching us how to live. We need to forgive those who have wronged us just as Jesus forgives us.
When we ask God to not bring us into temptation we are actually asking Him to protect us from temptation. The Bible clearly teaches that God does not tempt us to sin, but Satan, the Evil One does. If we spend time with God each day, praying to Him and reading His Word, He strengthens us spiritually so we can say no to sin, the wrong things that come our way.
God doesn’t want us to pray pious sounding words that make us sound religious like the Pharisees. They prayed out loud on street corners to impress people. He doesn’t want us to fake who we are. As we pray to Him, He does His work in our hearts and attitudes and makes us Christ like, in His time.
The first and best prayer we can pray is, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
Luke 18:13 [The Living Bible]
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I want to walk with you spiritually this year, inviting you to read the Bible through from cover to cover; from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22:21. If that sounds too difficult for you and your kids, you can join in again after you have taken a break or join us for the days you’re up to it. I promise that you will understand the Bible in a much deeper way if you read it through from cover to cover in a year’s time.
Accept my challenge to read the Bible through in one year chronologically, including the Old and the New Testament.
Today read:
Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26
Luke 10:38-11:13
Psalm 76:1-12
Proverbs 12:15-17
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This devotion is copyright protected and all rights are reserved worldwide. You are free to use this devotion with your family or with your class. However, it may not be reprinted or republished in any form without written consent from Ruth Willms. If you would like to request permission to republish this devotion, please contact Ruth at ruth.willms@gmail.com
Making Excuses
April 3, 2009 by Ruth
Filed under Uncategorized
Do we make excuses for our disobedience to God’s teachings?
When I read the account of the Good Samaritan this morning I was reminded of an incident in my life that happened years ago. It still haunts me. That morning, years ago, I was grossly uncaring. I still shudder when I think of how I failed my fellow man that busy day at the bank where I worked.
I was rushing to the vault to do a task. On my way I passed the main door. I looked outside. It was a cold winter day. The snow lay in drifts covering the lawn. The icy sidewalk glared back at me. I was about to turn away when something caught my eye. Far at the end of the icy walk a man was slowly making his way toward the bank. He walked with caution, holding tightly to his two crutches.
Suddenly he fell and lay prostrate on the walk. I sympathized with him and hurt for him but that didn’t stop me from turning away and continuing with my work. I cringe when I think of how uncaring I was. What a difference I could have made in that man’s life that day. If I didn’t want to go out on that slippery path I could have at least alerted my fellow workers.
One day a highly religious man confronted Jesus. He asked Jesus, ‘What does a man have to do to have eternal life?’ When Jesus asked him what he thought, he had the right answer; ‘love your neighbor as yourself’. But he too made excuses. He wanted to justify his lack of love or kindness to certain people. So he asked, ‘who is my neighbor to whom I must show this love?’
Jesus answered in the form of the story of the Good Samaritan. You help whoever needs help in your space of life.
Living in a big city has hardened me to the needs of the less fortunate. There are so many, many homeless. How can I, one person, make a difference? Many times I am not even aware of the needy because I keep my distance of strangers. I’m wary of them. Good Samaritans are sometimes attacked when stopping to help a seemingly victim.
Photo by IndyDina and Mr. Wonderful
But I’m working at bringing myself to become involved with those in need. I’m glad to be part of a church that feeds school kids with a lunch bag program. A group of ladies take a turn to feed the homeless at the Mustard Seed downtown. Our church is involved in many projects over the year reaching out to help the less fortunate in the neighborhood. God blesses us so we can bless others.
“If anyone is stealing he must stop it and begin using those hands of his for honest work so he can give to others in need.” Ephesians 4: 28 [The Living Bible]
“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2: 4 NKJV
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I want to walk with you spiritually this year, inviting you to read the Bible through from cover to cover; from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22:21. If that sounds too difficult for you and your kids, you can join in again after you have taken a break or join us for the days you’re up to it. I promise that you will understand the Bible in a much deeper way if you read it through from cover to cover in a year’s time.
Accept my challenge to read the Bible through in one year chronologically, including the Old and the New Testament.
Today read:
Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19
Luke 10:13-37
Psalm 75:1-10
Proverbs 12:12-14
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This devotion is copyright protected and all rights are reserved worldwide. You are free to use this devotion with your family or with your class. However, it may not be reprinted or republished in any form without written consent from Ruth Willms. If you would like to request permission to republish this devotion, please contact Ruth at ruth.willms@gmail.com
When Fire and Bears Reflect God’s Holiness!
April 2, 2009 by Ruth
Filed under Uncategorized
A Devotional for Kids!
Sometimes the Bible reads like a fairytale. In the Bible men sometimes commanded animals and nature to do their bidding in unbelievable ways; that is until we realize that God’s power resided in the men who preformed these acts. Ultimately it was God who controlled the animals and nature.
During Jesus and His disciples’ travels a Samaritan village rejected Him. Jesus’ disciples wanted to command fire to come down from heaven to burn them up. Jesus reminded them that He came to save mankind not to destroy them.
The disciples refer to Elijah who called fire to come down from heaven to destroy the King of Samaria’s men who questioned God’s power in that prophet.
Photo by Marshmallow
This reminds me of Elisha, the prophet who came after Elijah died. Elisha had gone up the mountain with Elijah. He saw chariots of fire take Elijah to heaven. When he came down and told the people, they did not believe him. They went up to search for Elijah.
Some young men came out to taunt Elisha. They called him, “Bladhead!” They didn’t honor him as God’s prophet, replacing Elijah. They taunted Elisha to go up to the mountain to find Elijah. This indicated disrespect for God because they did not honor His prophet who spoke for Him.
Elisha pronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Suddenly two female bears came from the forest and attacked the young men. You can read about it in 2 Kings 2:23 and 24.
Sometimes we want God to judge others and get back at them for us when they hurt or offend us. But God loves them too and He shows them mercy so they can repent and come to Him. Jesus came to bring us to God. Our task is to forgive, not to judge and condemn.
God still does miraculous, supernatural works for us. But they have to be for good purposes, to help people, and above all to glorify God. He is able to do things way beyond our imagination – way beyond any fairytale.
“Now glory be to God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of – infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.” Ephesians 3: 20 [The Living Bible]
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I want to walk with you spiritually this year, inviting you to read the Bible through from cover to cover; from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22:21. If that sounds too difficult for you and your kids, you can join in again after you have taken a break or join us for the days you’re up to it. I promise that you will understand the Bible in a much deeper way if you read it through from cover to cover in a year’s time.
Accept my challenge to read the Bible through in one year chronologically, including the Old and the New Testament.
Today read:
Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30
Luke 9:51-10:12
Psalm 74:1-23
Proverbs 12:11
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This devotion is copyright protected and all rights are reserved worldwide. You are free to use this devotion with your family or with your class. However, it may not be reprinted or republished in any form without written consent from Ruth Willms. If you would like to request permission to republish this devotion, please contact Ruth at ruth.willms@gmail.com
When the Twisting Knife of Envy Kills Our Contentment
April 1, 2009 by Ruth
Filed under Uncategorized
Does the twisting knife of envy turn our stomach when we see someone do so much better than us, be it financially or career wise or in our position of life? If someone we care about or admire does better than us we can accept it and be happy for them. What if it’s someone who has cheated us or others or a person of questionable ethics who walks in opposition to God and His Word? Do you, like me, wonder why God had blessed him so greatly?
The psalmist Asaph was not immune to envy either. He was tempted to be envious of the successful wicked. But then he remembered the end of the wicked. He realized they were not getting away with corruption. They lived apart from God and would die apart from God.
We are human. We make mistakes and sometimes life does not turn out as we planned. But in it all we can draw near to God and trust in Him. We know He is there for us.
“For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward him, so that he can show his great power in helping them.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 [The Living Bible]
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I want to walk with you spiritually this year, inviting you to read the Bible through from cover to cover; from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22:21. If that sounds too difficult for you and your kids, you can join in again after you have taken a break or join us for the days you’re up to it. I promise that you will understand the Bible in a much deeper way if you read it through from cover to cover in a year’s time.
Accept my challenge to read the Bible through in one year chronologically, including the Old and the New Testament.
Today read:
Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20
Luke 9:28-50
Psalm 73:1-28
Proverbs 12:10
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This devotion is copyright protected and all rights are reserved worldwide. You are free to use this devotion with your family or with your class. However, it may not be reprinted or republished in any form without written consent from Ruth Willms. If you would like to request permission to republish this devotion, please contact Ruth at ruth.willms@gmail.com
