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Hebrews 11:1

Todd Taylor — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:56:45 -0500

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
People join churches today with wrong expectations. They think that church membership guarantees blessings and no burdens. Some think that God is just a heavenly cafeteria. And if it doesn't work out as they wish, they say, "Well, it's not paying off! I thought if I gave my heart to Jesus, then He would supply everything I wanted and I'd have no more worries." People fall away because their expectations are not met. Let me tell you what real faith is. Real faith is not just receiving from God the things you want. Real faith is accepting from God the things He gives.

ACTION POINT:
How are your spiritual eyeglasses? Are you looking at life with the eyes of the Lord and trusting that He will provide, not necessarily what you want, but what you need?

Philippians 4:19

Todd Taylor — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:26:24 -0500

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Philippians 4:19 - "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory

by Christ Jesus."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
What is it about your life that you cannot explain apart from God? Do you know that's

the only part of you that is believable? Let me illustrate. If your neighbor can explain

you, then you are just like him - only you're religious. Friend, your life as a religious person is not going to convince him of the power of God. But when he sees God supernaturally meeting your needs, then you're going to be believable.

ACTION POINT:
How is your life radiating the light of our Lord in your neighborhood? Invite your neighbors over for a night of fellowship, and share with them the Good News of the

divine birth of Jesus.

Philippians 4:8

Todd Taylor — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:18:00 -0500

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Did you know that there is a difference between your mind and your brain? The brain is what the mind thinks with. The relationship of the mind and the brain is very similar to

the relationship of a pianist and a piano. The piano is the brain and the pianist is the

mind. The most dangerous thing in the world is a man with a bad mind and a good brain. He is a clever devil. When you get saved, you don't get a new brain. You get a new

mind. And the god of this world will do all he can to distort your mind. Why? Because Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he."

ACTION POINT:
Dwell today on the true, the honest, the just, the pure, the lovely-think on virtue and praise. Pray for missionaries serving the Lord in other countries - that they will dwell

on the truths of the Lord and that their walks will be strong and undeterred from the Lord's mission.

Psalm 37:6

Todd Taylor — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:55:38 -0500

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Psalm 37:6 - "And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A preacher was in a church where he felt God had led him, but nothing seemed to work out, so he wanted to go to another church. He told a friend, "I know where God put me-and I know God put me here-but I just wonder if He remembers where He put me." Yes, God remembers! He has not forgotten. He is never late. Don't rush God. Don't think He has abandoned you because your prayers are not answered. He will turn your midnight into a sunrise and your mourning into dancing.

ACTION POINT:
Read Psalm 37:4-7 and rejoice in the hope of God's providence and provision in your life.

Psalm 37:4-7

⁴Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

⁵Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

⁶And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

⁷Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Hebrews 12:6

Todd Taylor — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:26:32 -0500

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Hebrews 12:6 - "For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
As a child, did you ever get a spanking you didn't deserve? Maybe now and then your

dad or mom would just be in a "spanking mood," and they'd spank everyone they could get their hands on. Talk about being indignant! There is nothing worse to a child than to realize, "I got spanked, and I didn't deserve it." You know what's funny? At that point, we never stop to think about all the times we deserved a spanking and didn't get one! Our Father is mercifully loving and graciously wise to give us what we need at all times

in our lives. Sometimes we need His hand of love in comfort, and sometimes we need

His hand of love in discipline.

ACTION POINT:
Thank God that His hand of mercy extends to you when you don't deserve it and that

His hand of discipline extends to you when you do.

Isaiah 9:2

Todd Taylor — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:28:16 -0500

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Isaiah 9:2 - "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that

dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Imagine being in a cave without a flashlight. Can you see any shadows? You cannot

even see your hand! Shadows are only visible in the presence of light. Regardless of

how dark, how large, how absolutely ominous a shadow appears, it is only there

because there is light. David says, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." Why? Because "Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff

they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4). Jesus has taken the sting out of sin and the fear out of the grave. He has empowered us with the Holy Spirit to give us confidence that He will always be with us and watch over us.

ACTION POINT:
Do you know someone who may be grieving the loss of a loved one? Pray for them.

Send them a note of hope and include 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

1 Thessalonians 4

¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Isaiah 50:10

Todd Taylor — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:06:00 -0500

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Isaiah 50:10 - "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant...let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I have always been amazed at the advice that worldly people give to someone who is hurting. "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!" Can you see someone dangling over a cliff, holding on to a rope, and trying to tie a knot? It takes

two hands to do that! The first thing we need to remember is "don't demand to understand." There are just some things in life you and I will never understand. When God allows darkness to overshadow your life, don't light your own fire. That's a recipe

for heartache. Trust that His light will come and wait for it. He will come. Believe it.

ACTION POINT:
There's someone out there who is hurting today and needs more than a pat answer of encouragement. Give them the light of Christ.

2 Corinthians 8:2

Todd Taylor — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:35:52 -0500

BIBLE MEDITATION:
2 Corinthians 8:2 - "How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A man watched a butterfly trying to emerge from a cocoon. Thinking that he would help, the man took his pen knife and slit the side of the cocoon, and the butterfly flopped out.

It lay there for a while, feebly beating its wings, then collapsed and died. "How tragic," you say, and you are right because God has a plan for butterflies. The struggle to break free builds the strength they need to fly. God doesn't want you to live weakly and to die feebly. He wants you to grow and mature.

ACTION POINT:
Find the wings in your trial today. Strengthen them by the promises in God's Word and venture onto new heights of freedom in Christ today.

Psalm 103:14

Todd Taylor — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:13:00 -0500

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Psalm 103:14 - "For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A factory mechanic builds a truck. He knows the chassis of that truck and knows the load it can carry. In the same way, God knows your frame and He knows the load that you can carry. God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you're able. Nothing comes to you but that which comes through God. Even what Satan does, he can only do as God allows it. And so you can say the temptation was so strong that you couldn't overcome it, but it won't be true. God will provide a way of escape.

ACTION POINT:
When you are tempted today (notice I didn't say "if" but "when"), ask God to provide a way of escape. Then trust His way and obey.

Hebrews 4:15

Todd Taylor — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:12:00 -0500

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Hebrews 4:15 - "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the

feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
When something bad happens to us, we may respond with, "What did I do? I must have done something terrible." Then we proceed down the trail of morbid introspection or what I call "navel gazing." We look down and into ourselves. We take ourselves apart piece by piece, examining and re-examining ourselves. Then we put ourselves back together trying to figure out what we did wrong. It may be that you have done

absolutely nothing wrong, but God is simply testing your faith. You see, if we don't understand this, we may get discouraged because the seeds of doubt and discouragement sprout in the soil of ignorance.

ACTION POINT:
Claim the promises of 1 Peter 1:3-9 for strength in the midst of your trial.

1 Peter 1:3-9

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

⁴To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

⁵Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

⁶Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

⁷That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

⁸Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

⁹Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.