Little Prepositions

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24  ¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray continually, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

One of the challenges I faced as a schoolteacher was helping my young students learn various parts of speech and basic sentence structure. What fun we had with prepositions!  Once students began to understand that most prepositions function as location words, they seemed to catch on quite easily.

Just the Sunday prior to this writing, I was blessed to hear a guest speaker at our church draw attention to one of the little prepositions in today’s text. He, too, had been blessed by one of our other denominational leaders who had previously encouraged him.  To be honest, I had always assumed I was to be thankful for all circumstances.  Ah, but there it is… I have been using the wrong preposition.  God does not ask me to be thankful FOR everything that happens to me; but the expectation is to be thankful IN every situation.  I do not have to be thankful for evil or hurtful things—but I can be very thankful that my Heavenly Father sees me through those difficult times.  What a difference a little preposition can make!

 

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Thank you for the privilege of communicating with you in prayer. Thank you for teaching us to rejoice in all circumstances. Thank you for being our Strength in difficult times.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion Little Prepositions was originally written for Thursday, September 27, 2013; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

What's In a Name?

Exodus 20:7  You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

One of my previous church homes celebrated a special mission’s event each year called Penny Crusade. Each Sunday during that Penny Crusade time, we would learn about different mission areas, their needs, and their progress. One year, we discovered many children receiving help from the Cristo Salva mission did not receive names at birth, since at that time few were expected to live past the age of five. That seems hard for us to imagine. We live at the other end of the spectrum, and most of us have names linking us to ancestors or other important people or events. New parents create lists and sort through names looking for just the right match. Great attention and detail is often given to unique spellings for names.  Do you remember your school years?  No one wants to hear his or her name mispronounced by the teacher.  No one wants to see his or her name misspelled.  No one likes unpleasant or derogatory nicknames. 

Are we as careful with God’s name? 

 

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

You alone are the Great I AM. You have always been, you are right now, and you always will be.  Precious and Sovereign is your name.  Oh that we might set a guard over our lips and only address you with respect and honor due to you.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion What’s In a Name? was originally written for Thursday, June 5, 2013; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Between a Rock and a Promised Place

Exodus 17:1-7  ¹The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.²so they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?” ³but the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” ⁴Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” ⁵The LORD answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. ⁶I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

Today’s passage should not be confused with the similar passage in Numbers.  They are two events. Countless sermons and devotionals have been created on the latter passage, when Moses lacked enough trust in God to see water gush forth from a rock solely upon a spoken word.  How heavy the consequences were for that disobedience!

Today’s text gives the first account, when Moses completely trusts in God’s command and obeys without hesitation. This was the right time to strike the rock and watch water gush forth quenching the thirst of a parched, albeit rebellious, people.  Many more opportunities for obedience would occur between this rock and reaching the Promised Land.

If you have ever felt disappointed by good deeds gone unnoticed; the lesson is simply this:  Do the right thing—simply because it’s the right thing to do. Obey God and trust in His ultimate wisdom.  For then it will not matter who notices, because your Heavenly Father certainly will!

 

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Thank you for your abundant providential care. Grant us the strength and courage to give you our complete obedience in all things; the first time, and without hesitation or reservation.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion Between a Rock and a Promised Place was originally written for Wednesday, May 28, 2013; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

A Change of Plans

Exodus 13:17-22  ¹⁷When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” ¹⁸So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle. ¹⁹Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.” ²⁰After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. ²¹By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. ²²Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

Flying from Albuquerque to Tampa is simple—just a quick plane change in Dallas. Usually.  A number of years ago that same trip took most of the night with an unplanned stop in Denver in addition to Dallas.  We arrived around 3:00 a.m. to discover Tampa airport was closed—only the custodial staff was left to greet us as they cleaned and prepped for the new day.  God had other plans for us that night as we later discovered we had been kept safe from numerous devastating storms hovering over our usual flight path. 

In our passage today, the Israelites came up out of Egypt “armed for battle” (v. 18).  They had planned for a short trip through Philistine country.  God had other plans.  The Israelites were to take the same route once taken four centuries earlier by Joseph as he buried his father, Jacob, in their homeland. God even provided guidance both day and night with pillars of cloud and fire.

 

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Thank you for your watch care over us. Thank you, too, for rerouting us when we stray from your planned course.  Thank you for the provision of your Holy Spirit for guidance.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion A Change of Plans was originally written for Monday, May 19, 2013; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Present Your Requests to God

Genesis 18:17-33_(excerpts)  ¹⁷Then the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” ²⁰Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous ²¹that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me.” ²³Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? ²⁴What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? ²⁵Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” ²⁶The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” ²⁸...what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? ²⁹...what if only forty are found there? ³⁰...what if only thirty can be found there? ³¹...what if only twenty can be found there? ³²...what if only ten can be found there? He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”  ³³When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

In the New Testament we are urged to present our requests to God (Philippians 4:6). How reassuring to know that God is patient with us even when our “requests” are not within His plan for us.  I have only provided excerpts from the Genesis account and I would encourage you to go back and read the entire passage. I have to imagine that Abraham must have hoped his requests would be honored by God—even  though reality revealed God’s infinite wisdom and planning—the consequence of complete destruction would soon fall on Sodom and Gomorrah for their grievous sins.  Quite possibly, Abraham was trying to estimate how many of his nephew’s family lived within the walls of the condemned city of Sodom; and more importantly, how many of those relatives would be found faithful to God?  Surely there must be at least ten faithful relatives!  Even though God knew full well that not even ten faithful would be discovered within the city, yet God remained ever patient and faithful to listen to Abraham’s earnest requests.

 

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Thank you for your patience with us. Thank you, too, for giving us what we need rather than what we think we want. And yet, help us learn a lesson from Abraham—may we be found faithful, and may we bring the news of salvation to those in our family so they, too, may be found faithful.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion Present Your Requests to God was originally written for Friday, February 21, 2013; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Baby Dipper

Genesis 1:14-19  ¹⁴And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, ¹⁵and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. ¹⁶God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. ¹⁷God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, ¹⁸to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

Because my dad died when I was young, I have few memories, but the ones I do have are precious to me.  One of my favorites is looking at the stars with him.  We would race each other to find the Pleiades (the Seven Sisters).  I would laugh and say, “There’s the Big Dipper, there’s the Little Dipper, and there’s the Baby Dipper, too!”  Our purpose was singular—to admire a glimpse of God’s fourth day of creation.  Together, Dad and I would sing the JW Peterson hymn, “It Took a Miracle.”

My Father is omnipotent and that you can’t deny; a God of might and miracles; ‘tis written in the sky.  It took a miracle to put the stars in place; it took a miracle to hang the world in space.  But when He saved my soul, cleansed and made me whole, it took a miracle of love and grace.

Some 50-60 years have passed since those childhood days when I shared the night skies with my Dad, but I still look for the Baby Dipper—and I still sing!

 

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Thank you for the beauty of your night skies. Thank you for the miracle of Your love and grace!

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion The Baby Dipper was originally written for Friday, January 4, 2013; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

If We Believe

1 John 5:5-12   ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. ⁶This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷For there are three that testify: ⁸the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹²Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Scores of commentaries and documentaries have carefully analyzed—even scrutinized—the words and phrases used in today’s text.  To create a summary within a brief devotional seems an impossible task.  However, within today’s text I find some extraordinary golden nuggets of truth. 

Jesus Christ IS the Son of God!  He really did come to earth in human form!  He was indeed baptized by John—recognized by God as “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17, NIV).  He shed his blood and died on the cross for your sins and mine!  And we know from the next several verses that Christ’s resurrection provides the hope we have for eternal life!

These are indeed amazing nuggets of truth providing all the strength we need to survive any battle the world throws in our life’s pathway!  IF, we believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Thank you for the truth provided in your Word—Jesus Christ is real! Your promises of forgiveness and the hope of eternal life are also real!  May our love and commitment to YOU be just as real!

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion If We Believe was originally written for Thursday, December 6, 2012; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Choice to Remain Faithful

1 John 2:20-29  ²⁰But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. ²¹I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. ²²Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. ²³No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. ²⁴As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is what he promised us—eternal life. ²⁶I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. ²⁷As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as the anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. ²⁸And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. ²⁹If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

As I considered how best to approach today’s text, I decided to first define “antichrist” in the general sense of the word.  After consulting a number of sources, my best generalization of “antichrist” would be anyONE or anyTHING that denies or is in opposition to Christ.  How many things in the world today pull us away from focus on our Savior!  However, John reminds us that we know the truth.  Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior IS the Truth.  If we know Him, we also know our Heavenly Father.  This is the truth we have been taught since childhood.  Our goal in life is to remain faithful to the teachings we have learned since childhood—or for new Christians, to remain faithful to your new commitment to follow Christ.  This is a daily choice; and for some of us, a moment-by-moment choice.  For all of us it is a conscientious choice—a committed choice—a choice to remain faithful.

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Give us strength each day to choose to remain faithful.  May we then be confident and unashamed at the soon-coming and glorious return of your Son, Jesus Christ.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion The Choice to Remain Faithful was originally written for Monday, November 26, 2012; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Cleverly Devised Stories

2 Peter 1:16-21  ¹⁶For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “this is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” ¹⁸We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. ¹⁹We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. ²⁰Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

During my early childhood I was fairly genius at creating “cleverly devised stories.” I could explain almost any mistake with eloquence. On one family vacation I remember slipping in the mud. I immediately doused my dry foot into the muddy water—reasoning that if my shoes looked the same, my mother would not notice.  Somehow, and being only 4 or 5 at the time, the fact that my new sneakers were white while the mud was black seemed to escape my logic.  My cleverness did not fool anyone, especially not my mother, and there could be no cleverly devised story sufficient to avoid the consequences of ruining brand new shoes.

Peter writes to Christians dealing with the dangers of being confused by false teachers and their cleverly devised stories. Peter assures these dear ones that he speaks truth concerning Jesus Christ. From personal experience he assures the group that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  Peter continues with the instruction to “pay attention” to the truth even all the more as we wait for the Morning Star to return.

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Help us to identify and cling to the truth of your Word.  Keep us steadfast in your care as we await the soon return of your Son, Jesus Christ.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion Cleverly Devised Stories was originally written for Wednesday, October 24, 2012; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Confident Expectation

Romans 15:4-6, 13  ⁴For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and with encouragement they provide we might have hope. ⁵May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ... ¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

How many of these phrases have you heard recently? I hope I win the lottery.  I hope I get a raise.  I hope I meet Mr. (or Mrs.) Right. These are common uses for the word hope.  And yet, a quick check with a dictionary reveals that hope is actually wanting or wishing for something with “a feeling of confident expectation.” In other words, hope is believing with assurance that what we wish for will become a reality.

Today’s text reminds us that God is the true source of all hope. The hope spoken of in this text is the fulfillment of God’s promises. Contrary to some of the more frivolous earthly hopes mentioned above, the true desire and hope of every Christian should be the soon-coming return of Christ! This is the Blessed Hope for which we wait with patience and endurance. Oh that we would live with confident expectation that God’s promises will indeed become a reality!  This is a call to renew our expectation and anticipation of Christ’s imminent return. What a difference this will make in our daily walk with Him!

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, in whom we live with confident expectation of that Blessed Hope, the promised and imminent Second Advent of Jesus Christ.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion Confident Expectation was originally written for Tuesday, July 3, 2012; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.