Month: August 2016

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PWTE Daily Devotion

Brush Up!

Teaching Children Good Habits.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7

It was a habit I learned at an early age: brushing after every meal with Crest toothpaste.  It was guaranteed to stop cavities and prevent tooth decay.  I became zealous, almost fanatical about brushing every time I had eaten something, even a snack.  My friend, Betty Jo, who is a dental hygienist, would heartily approve of this healthy habit.

August 08Teaching children habits to give them healthy bodies is important.  Lessons learned at an early age will stay with us all our lives through and save us much trouble and may even extend our lives.

But what about our souls?  What healthy habits have you learned to stop the decay of sin and prevent temptation from harming you?

The Lord, in Deuteronomy, tells His people that He has given them His commandments, His Word.  And He commands His people to impress this Word upon their children on a regular, daily basis.  Parents are to talk about God’s Word daily at meals, as they travel, and when they get up and lie down.  The goal is obvious, that children would learn daily habits of Word and prayer early and would continue in them their whole life long.

How is the health of your devotional life?  Do you “brush up” with God’s sin cleansing Word daily?  Are you in daily communication with the Lord of Life, He who forgives all your sins?  Or do you skip time with God in the morning, promising yourself you will spend time with your Best Friend later, only to become preoccupied with other busyness?

There is an old proverb: ignore your teeth and they will go away.  Much the same can be said of our necessary alone time with God, if we ignore Him, He will go away.  Praise God that though you and I are often remiss in our daily devotional habits, our Heavenly Father, with a universe to govern, is not too busy for you and me.  He keeps His promises and is daily available for all His people in the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, please forgive me for forgetting to spend time with you regularly.  Convict me and strengthen me by Your Holy Spirit, that I might learn the joy of spending time alone with you, dear Jesus. Amen.

Text and Picture Copyright Steve Nickodemus

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PWTE Daily Devotion

The Restored Door

Transformed and renewed by Christ.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

 

What a beautiful door. Someone took great care with renewing this old door. They painted it with majestic colors of gold and red, set welcoming floral-patterned stained glass in its window frame and restored it to better than its former glory. It’s now so inviting to walk through.

Red door stained glass FX12We will all be like this door one day. Renewed and transformed by Christ, our Lord and Savior, who cared enough to restore us into His glorious image. Not with paint and glass but with His very life. All so we can walk through death’s door to a forever life with Him.

“What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!  It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.”
1 Corinthians 15:50-52 New Living Translation

Thank you, Lord, for restoring us with your life. Help us to look forward with joy to our transformation into bodies that will live with you forever. Amen.

Copyright photo and text Desiree Bustamante

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PWTE Daily Devotion

The Unknown Door

Trusting God with our prayers.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link

If it weren’t for the fact that this door is painted white, I might have missed it. It’s tucked away in a tiny alcove, leading to stairs that ascend to a small home above this door. I wonder what’s behind the door? There are no windows in the painted brick wall. It doesn’t look like anyone would live there. The best way to find out would be to knock on the door. But what if no one answers? What if what’s behind there is not what I hope for?  What if there’s something scary inside? It might be safer not to pursue it.
White door red brick wall FX

This is what happens when we expect specific answers to our prayers.  Jesus had just taught His disciples how they should pray by giving them the Lord’s Prayer, when He said this:

  “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Luke 11:9-13 New International Version

Sometimes these words are misinterpreted to mean we will get all our desires granted if we are persistent. But the last line says our heavenly Father will give us the Holy Spirit. Not necessarily that job you’ve been hoping for, not winning the lottery, not the healing you seek or the lifestyle changes you hope for in your children. But the Holy Spirit!  Why would this be what He gives if you ask, seek or knock?  Because when we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy will be done,” we are trusting that His will is good and will be accomplished regardless of our desires. So, he gives us the Holy Spirit as a guide—a counselor—who will give us wisdom and discernment to accept that God might have another plan in mind than what we seek, even if our well-intentioned prayers are not answered the way we want them to be. But rest assured that He will work everything for good, because He is perfect and He loves us.

The Holy Spirit can help you pray when there are no more words, have hope when there is none left, and be encouraged when you think your prayers are not being answered. When the door isn’t opening, your knocking seems unheard and seeking leaves you weary, take comfort in these words:

“May 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.”  Romans 15:13

Don’t ever stop knocking on His door! Faith, wisdom and comfort are your special gifts from the Holy Spirit. Know that the Holy Spirit has power to give you hope and will be your comforter in this life. He’s got this. Whatever the situation, He is at your door. Listen for His voice.

 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”
Revelation 3:20 New Living Translation

 Even when what is on the other side of the door frightens you, you can be sure that our Lord will give you, his child, good gifts to the end of your days.

Copyright photo and text Desiree Bustamante