To Boldly Go...

Objective:  Break free from your comfort zone. Be used by God to fulfill his will. Understand that God’s strength will make up for your weaknesses and insufficiencies.

Diamond Quotes:

“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.” –Peter Marshall

“A diamond is a chunk of coal made good under pressure.” –Henry Kissinger

 

Pecos Diamonds Factoid:  Pecos diamonds are formed from white minerals. The wide variety of color tinting is caused by impurities found in the surrounding sediments where the crystals are formed.

            We all have flaws and weaknesses. The good news is God can and will use us in spite of, and sometimes because of those flaws. Usually when we whine out our little excuses to God, he surprises us with innovative solutions!

            Abraham complained because he was too old. God relocated him to a new country when he was 75; he was circumcised when he was 99; and he was 100 (Sarah 90) when Isaac was born.

Genesis 12:1, 4 / 17:24-26 / 17:17-19 / 21:5  The LORD had said to Abram, Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. … So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. / Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ismael was thirteen; Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that same day. / Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.” … Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

            Moses complained that he couldn’t speak well in front of others. God provided his brother as an interpreter.

Exodus 4:10-17  Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”  The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or dumb? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it.”

            Timothy was accused of being too young. Paul told him not to worry about it.

1 Timothy 4:12  Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

            Did you realize that Jesus Christ, himself, prayed for you while he was in the Garden of Gethsemane?

John 17:20-21 (NLT)  I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

            Do you realize no matter how inadequate you might feel, God will provide the strength and courage you need to get the job done?

Joshua 1:9  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

2 Timothy 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Isaiah 41:10  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

            So now that you have some time for reflection, …What’s your excuse?

 

Gracious Heavenly Father,

            Forgive us when we whine and complain. Forgive our tiresome, worn-out excuses. Grant us the courage, strength, and wisdom to be a bold witness for you.

            In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotional To Boldly Go…  appeared first for a Pecos Diamonds Devotional series,

written and compiled by Dotty Willmon, August-September 2018;

updated and posted September 2024 on Write From My Heart at

https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

 

What? You're Asking ME?

Objective:  Be genuine: don’t pretend to be something you are not, and don’t forget who you are in Christ. Be what you claim to be.

Diamond Quotes:

“True friends are like diamonds – bright, beautiful, valuable, and always in style.”

– Nicole Richie

“There are three things extremely hard: steel, diamond, and to know one’s self.”

– Benjamin Franklin

Pecos Diamond Factoid:  Pecos diamonds can be opaque (milky), translucent (frosted), or nearly transparent (clear), with a wide range of colors.

            While preparing for this series and searching for interesting quotes, I found the following quote that made me pause to think. To be honest, it startled  me at first, and it left quite an impact on my thoughts.

“Christianity has been watered down until the solution is so weak that if it were poison it would not hurt anyone, and if it were medicine it would not cure anyone.”

--A.Z. Tozer

            That’s a scathing remark for us as Christians, but unfortunately I fear there is quite a bit of truth in that statement. I don’t think we have any problem when we are in church or with our Christian friends, but the conflict comes when we are on our own—at work, in the stores, in our neighborhood, you name it—anyplace where we don’t have the “back up” of our Christian friends. We want to blend in and not stand out just in case (or in fear) someone should ask us a question about God or the Bible that we might not be able to answer.

            We know that Bible study is important, and we’ll visit that topic soon. But did you know that we are instructed to be ready to explain our Christian hope if someone asks us about it? Peter wrote about this in his first epistle. We are not supposed to dodge the question or hem-haw our way out of it.

 

1 Peter 3:15-16 (NLT)  …you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

            If you claim to be a Christian, be what you claim to be—but be ready to tell why it is important to you. This is a huge challenge to all of us, myself included! We know what we are, whose we are; and, we’ve talked about how we become what we are—maybe now it is time to ponder, examine, and proclaim why we have chosen to follow Christ. At the end of this devotional, there is a resource to help you get started. I have complied several Bible verses to help you begin your journey to boldly proclaim our basic Christian beliefs, but remember this is only a beginning and you may have several other favorite Bible verses to include in your personal testimony of faith.

 

Gracious Heavenly Father,

            We confess that sometimes we lack courage when we stand alone in the world without our Christian friends nearby. Nevertheless, you call us to be ready to explain why being your child is so important to us, and why we hold the Christian hope so dear. Grant us courage to stand up for you in whatever location you place us.

            In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotional What? You’re Asking ME?  appeared first for a Pecos Diamonds Devotional series, written and compiled by Dotty Willmon, August-September 2018;

updated and posted September 2024 on Write From My Heart at

https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

 

Getting Started with Our Testimony of Faith

I choose to believe God is real:

Psalm 14:1  The fool says in his heart “There is no God.”

Isaiah 43:10-12  Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses, declares the LORD, that I am God.

Mark 12:32 (NLT)  The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other.”

I choose to believe that I am a sinner, and I need a savior:

Isaiah 53:6  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way…

Romans 3:23  …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

I choose to believe that Jesus Christ is real, that he is God’s Son, and that he died as the perfect sacrifice to atone (i.e., pay the penalty) for my sins:

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Matthew 1:20-21  …what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

John 1:29  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Matthew 3:17  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, who I love; with him I am well pleased.”

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Mark 15:39  And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:9-10, 13  That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. … for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

I choose to believe that just as Christ was raised from the dead, so I also have the Blessed Hope of resurrection and the future hope of life in God’s Kingdom to be with Christ for all eternity:

1 Corinthians 6:14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.

Job 19:25-27  I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Isaiah 26:19  But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy.

John 6:40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

2 Peter 3:13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

Revelation 21:1, 3-5  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. … And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has pass away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

 

Stay Focused

Objective:  Invest your life in eternity. Put Christ and his kingdom first in your life. Be devoted to him in all you think, say, and do.

Diamond Quotes:

“Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” is not actually a quote but a jazz song introduced by Carol Channing in the original Broadway production of Gentlemen Prefer Blonds (1949).

“A diamond is forever.” –campaign slogan for NW Ayer Agency

 

 

Pecos Diamond Factoid:  Pecos River valley diamonds are classified as “authigenic” quartz—meaning it is formed in the rock where it is found.

            If you claim to be a Christian, then you have already made certain choices in your life. You have chosen to love God. You have chosen to put Christ “first” in your life. You have chosen to look forward to a blessed eternity in God’s kingdom when Christ returns to claim us as his own. Most of us have a clear understanding of what we need to do. But the real question is how are we supposed to do this? What does it mean to put Christ and his kingdom first?

            Over and over again, Moses instructed the Israelites to love God and keep his commandments. Joshua and Solomon also repeated these instructions. In fact, Jesus teaches us that loving God is the first and greatest commandment. And later, John reminds us in his first epistle that keeping God’s commands are not burdensome.

Deuteronomy 13:4  It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.

Joshua 24:14-15  Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. … But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. … But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)  Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus replied, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

1 John 2:17  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 5:3  This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.

            I think we all agree on these points. But that still answers the question of what we are supposed to do, and not necessarily how we are supposed to accomplish it. Those of you who know me, know that I’m an easily distracted person—believe me, with a mind that is constantly pinging off the walls and hopping down bunny trails,  it doesn’t take much for me to lose my focus. So how does a person stay focused on Christ and his kingdom in a world so full of distractions? The answer might be a little more simplistic than we think. In fact, the Philippians must have had a similar problem, because together, Paul and Timothy sent them a “how-to-stay-focused” checklist:

Is it true?   Is it noble?   Is it right?   Is it pure?   Is it lovely?   Is it admirable?   Is it excellent?   Is it praiseworthy?   If so, then these are the things on which you should focus!

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

 

Gracious Heavenly Father,

            We have made the decision to put you and your kingdom first in our daily lives. Thank you for understanding our weaknesses, our lack of focus, and how easily we can be distracted by things in the world. Thank you for providing a practical daily guide in your Word to keep away the distractions. Forgive us when we fail you and set us back on the right path.

            In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotional Stay Focused  appeared first for a Pecos Diamonds Devotional series, written and compiled by Dotty Willmon, August-September 2018;

updated and posted September 2024 on Write From My Heart at

https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com