February 2012 - Daily Thoughts about God

By Jon Walker

Very early the next morning, long before daylight, Jesus got up and left the house. He went out of town to a lonely place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35 TEV

Can you imagine Jesus being too busy to pray in the morning, gulping down a cup of coffee and thinking, “I’ve got so much to do today. When is there time to talk to the Father?” If we are learning to be like Christ, then we have to learn that our intimacy with the Father always takes priority.

God says it is foolish to succumb to the tyranny of the urgent in the morning: “It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the LORD provides for those he loves, while they are asleep”. (Psalm 127:2 TEV)

Spending time with God in the morning should be a normal part of life. Dietrich Bonhoeffer notes: “With remarkable frequency the Scriptures remind us that the men of God rose early to seek God and carry out His commands, as did Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Joshua (cf. Genesis 19:27, 22:3; Exodus 8:16, 9:13, 24:4; Joshua 3:1, 6:12)”.

And the Bible tells us that Jesus made it a daily habit: “Very early the next morning, long before daylight, Jesus got up and left the house. He went out of town to a lonely place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35 TEV).

Jesus is . . .
Jesus desired intimacy with God. His attitude is reflected in Psalm 63: “O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you” (Psalm 63:1 TEV).

To be like Jesus . . .
“Christ’s message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another with all wisdom. Sing psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts. Everything you do or say, then, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks through him to God the Father”
(Colossians 3:16-17 TEV).

No doubt you already see the need to spend time with God in the morning.

• What are the things that keep you from being consistent in morning devotions?

• How could you work within your small group to help each other become consistent at morning devotionals?

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/02/29/jw_jesus-too-busy-to-pray/
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Short Thoughts for Cell Phones – God-daily.com

by Bethany Hayes

If someone were to ask you the question, “Who was the greatest person who ever lived?” what would be your answer?

Moses? King David? The Apostle Paul? Abraham Lincoln?

What about. . . .John the Baptist?

Jesus said, “Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” (Matthew 11:11)

But why? Why was John the Baptist considered the greatest person who ever lived?

He wasn’t the son of a king. He was the son of a common, elderly couple.
He was despised by many and eventually decapitated.
He lived in isolation.
He fearlessly rebuked the people for sin.
He lived a separate way of life.
He didn’t even become a priest (like his father).

But when his miraculous birth was announced, Gabriel told Zacharias he would be “great in the eyes of the Lord.”

John would be the promised prophet who would prepare the way for the life and ministry of the Messiah. He would point many to Christ.

But Gabriel also said he would be filled with the Holy Spirit, “even from his mother’s womb.” God’s Spirit would be in total control of his life.

Others would have a huge influence – his godly mother and a wicked woman who arranged his death.

But the greatest influence on his life would be that of the Holy Spirit.

John the Baptist became “great,” because of who GOD made him to be.

But listen to what Jesus said next: “Not withstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Because greatness isn’t determined by. . .
What kind of human influences we’ve had in our lives, or haven’t had.
Who our family was, or wasn’t.
What we did for the Lord, or what we didn’t do.

True greatness is determined by what GOD has done in our lives.

It doesn’t matter whether we’re called . . .
“the least“,
“greater than”, or
“the greatest“.

If we’re seeking to be filled with His Spirit – letting HIM have total control – we’re considered “great in the eyes of the Lord.”

“GREAT” . . . .because of what God is making us to be.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/02/28/bh_what-is-greatness/
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Short Thoughts for Cell Phones – God-daily.com

Imagine Jesus being too busy to Pray

What is Greatness?

Month: <span>February 2012</span>

Imagine Jesus being too busy to Pray

What is Greatness?