Month: February 2017

Categories
PWTE Daily Devotion

This Isn’t Right!

Inland Passage, Alaska

Christians are called to swim against cultural trends.

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

“Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said,
‘If any of you wants to be my follower,
you must turn from your selfish ways,
take up your cross, and follow me.'”
Mark 8:34 New Living Translation

An outdoor swimming pool and hot tubs on a cruise ship, but no people? How can this be!

It’s Alaska!

Unlike a Caribbean cruise, the primary goal of an Alaskan cruise is NOT to sit by the pool and work on frying your skin. In fact, you might never see the sun on a trip to Alaska.

Inland Passage, Alaska
Inland Passage, Alaska

However, there is always one hearty soul, and that usually a child, who doesn’t care what the temperature is. Notice the young person wrapped in a towel in the upper left corner of the picture. This child swam against the flow, not caring about the cold and rain. This child was going to swim, and he did!

Living counter-culturally is the Christians’ call, and is rooted in Jesus’ command to pick up our cross and follow him.

This soul of a child in us is the work of the Holy Spirit. Read the book of Acts and see how the early church swam against the flow and didn’t care about suffering or pain, but lived for Jesus Christ.

May the Holy Spirit create the soul of a child in us.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner

Categories
Podcasts

PWTE Podcast Episode 043: Debilitating Fear

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

A study has shown that 85% of what we worry about never happens. In this episode of the Praying With The eyes podcast Pastor Doug Brauner and Richelle Hecker talk about debilitating fear; the kind of fear that stops us in our tracks and makes it difficult to get moving again even if what we fear will never happen.

Praying With The Eyes blog by Richelle Hecker: Frozen with Fear

Blogs Referenced in the Podcast

Scripture

Categories
PWTE Daily Devotion

Up To My Neck!

Save Me, O Lord!

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

“Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.”
Psalm 69:1

This rushing torrent near our house after 4 inches of rain reminded me of a story I just read last week about a young man who nearly drowned when his pickup truck slid into the river.  As the waters filled the cab of his truck, he was unable to open the doors or windows.  In great desperation he began to hammer against his driver side window with a fire extinguisher, trying to break the glass.  As the water nearly reached the roof of the truck, he cried out to God, and he was able to break the window and escape almost sure drowning.

David, in Psalm 69, cries out, “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.” David cries out to God for deliverance from his unnamed enemies. And God delivers him.

What are your enemies that seek to drown you?  Are they people who seek to destroy you though you have done them no wrong?  Is it your overwhelming guilt from sins committed in the past that seek to drown you?  Is it circumstances causing depression, grief, or confusion that threaten to destroy you?

Whatever the waters that are drowning you, God can and will deliver you, if you cry out to Him.  “Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you,” says the Lord.  The Lord Jesus understands that often you and I forget to call upon Him until we are up to our necks in alligators.   In His mercy, He will save you, He will deliver you from enemies, from sin, from circumstances.  Cry out to Jesus and be saved!

Lord, forgive me for waiting until the 11th hour to call upon you for help.  Save me, not because of my goodness, but out of your great mercy and grace in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Text and Picture Copyright Steve Nickodemus