It is astonishing to realize how little of our
time is devoted to the Lord. The world's system
is not designed to meet this need in our lives.
We rush to work in the mornings and rush
home at night and still have not accomplished
all that we had planned to do. Our work,
families and other obligations serve to keep us
from one-on-one quiet time with the Lord. God
placed in my spirit this conviction. He is
calling out to us to spend time alone with Him
in prayer and worship. After all, when all is said and done, who gave you the breath, power and
strength to do all that you do each day anyway?
If you know the answer to this question, then how can you fail to take time to thank and worship
God for His faithfulness in sustaining your life? God desires to have a personal relationship with
us. If you remember your Sunday School lessons on the book of Genesis, you will understand
that this is the original purpose of our lives. God desired to fellowship with Adam and Eve but
their sin caused a break in that relationship. Every since that fatal act in the Garden of Eden, God
has continued to call us to return to Him in perfect fellowship.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
First, we must be born again which places us in a right relationship with God. If you are not born
again, you have no fellowship with God, for what fellowship has light with darkness (2 Cor.
6:14). When Nicodemus came to Jesus that night to ask what must he do to enter the Kingdom of
God, Jesus told him first, he had to be born again or born from above. Surely Nicodemus did not
understand this, he asked "how can a man return to his mother's womb when he is old"
(paraphrasing). Jesus went on to explain the concept and he compared it to the wind. We see the
results of the wind as it rustles the leaves on a tree and we hear it as it whirls from here to there,
but we cannot see it. We do not know from where it comes or where it goes. This is what
happens when you give your life to Christ and accept Him as Lord and Savior. Essentially
nothing changes on the outside, but you will see the changes in your life as the Spirit of God
conforms you into a new creature.
The more you allow the Spirit of God to conform your life, you will develop a hunger and thirst
to know Him and seek His presence. This is called quiet time with the Lord. This is where you
commune with Him by reading His Word, fasting, praying, praising and worshiping with music
and singing. Start by taking a few minutes each day or night {which ever fits your schedule} read
the Bible and pray, asking God to direct you in this time together. You will see wonderful results
in your walk with the Lord. We need to stop placing God in a box high on a shelf where we
approach Him only when we need Him. How long will our earthly relationships develop if we
never met together, talked together or spent time with each other. What daughter or son talk with
their parent(s) only when they need something. Hopefully none of this is happening or at least it
should not happen. Even if it does happen, how fulfilling can that relationship be?
It is no different than our relationship with the Lord. He desires to talk with us and walk with us.
He says cast your cares on Him because He cares for you (1Peter 5;7) I am studying the book of
Deuteronomy and I was amazed at how many times in just the first 14 chapters that God says "I
am the Lord, YOUR God". Do you realize He is YOUR God. This says to me that He wants to
be intimate with me and will be intimate with me. He says He is MY God. I compare this to the
same as saying, My mother or My father. This makes it extremely personal and lets me know
that He is concerned with me and wants to have a fulfilling relationship with me. Taking a few
minutes each day with Him will drive home this fact in your heart. It will start out a few minutes
and may end up longer and longer each time.
I can only tell you about my life's experience, the more I learn about God, the more I want to
know. The more I fellowship with Him the more, I want to be in fellowship with Him. He has
changed my life. I am no longer the lonely, desperate woman looking for love in all the wrong
places (or should I say the wrong people). When I invited Jesus into my life and He filled me
with His love, the emptiness left. That desperate, lonely feeling was replaced with the love of
Christ. Some times, I look back on my life and see that person I used to be and tears fill my eyes.
The love I so desperately needed and wanted was there all the time, if only I had reached out to
Him.
You do not have to re-live my "if only" sad situation. You have an opportunity now to reach out
to Him and be filled with the love of Christ. He did it for me, and He will do it for you.
The prayer of Salvation is always on our Prayer List at the end of each Newsletter. It is there
hoping that those who want to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior can be saved and receive eternal
life at any time. All you need do is pray that prayer and believe with all your heart, mind and soul
that God will answer that prayer. This is the only prayer that God hears from the sinner'sheart.
This is my prayer for you, it can be found in 1Kings 8:49-50 ... if they have a change of heart...
and repent and plead with you... [and say] `We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have
acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul...and pray to
you... then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold
their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses
they have committed against you.
God promises to instantly forgive you of your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness
(1John 1:9). Part of that cleansing process is spending time alone with God so that He can begin
to work in your life. I love you but God loves you best
EASTER DEVOTION
Some of you will remember the 1998 Family Fast in July. We all participated in fasting and
praying as a family the entire week of July 19, 1998, then we reported results in the August 1998
Newsletter. We all heard from the Lord during that time and God truly blessed the Fast. One of
the results of fasting together as a family was that we were all on one accord seeking God at the
same time. Even though we were scattered from PA, NJ to MD, VA and Florida, we felt a
closeness and unity that went far beyond the miles and miles that separate us.
In anticipation of Easter on April 4, 1999, God laid upon my heart the idea of a Family Easter
Devotion. Like the Family Fast, we all can participate in spending devotional time with God each
day as we prepare for the Easter Season.
Beginning Palm Sunday, March 28, 1999 through Easter Sunday, April 4, 1999, (mornings or
evenings) we will take some quiet time out of our busy schedules and devote to God each day.
Prayerfully, this will develop into our normal routines and become a way of life for us.
Following the Easter Devotion Outline, we will begin each day with Scripture Reading,
Reflections, Prayer , Suggested Readings and end with jotting a few Notes about each day's
experience.
MARCH 28, 1999
Scripture Reading: Genesis 22:13
Reflections
Just as God provided a ram as a substitute for the life of Abraham's only son, Isaac, so also has
God provided His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ as a substitute for us.
During this Easter Season we are reminded of the great sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us. I think
sometimes we forget that He left His place in Glory to come to earth to literally die for all
sinners, like you and me. In Matthew 16:20 Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he
must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and
teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
Prayer: Dear God, Thank You for loving me so much that You gave Your only Begotten Son to
die on the cross for my sins. Father, help me to understand all that this means and to live a life
worthy of such a great sacrifice. Realizing that the only way that I can live a life worthy of such a
great sacrifice is to place my faith and trust in Jesus Christ and accept Him as my Lord and
Savior. Thank You Father God for all You have done and for all You will do. In Name of Jesus,
Amen.
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Suggested Reading: Genesis 22 and John 3
MARCH 29, 1999
Scripture Reading: Mark 8:34 - 38
Reflections
Just as Jesus denied Himself His true identity as the son of God and could have come down from
the cross at any time, we are to deny ourselves by ceasing to make self the object of our lives.
We are to place God first in our lives. But how many of us live life pursuing our own goals,
doing our own thing and at best, God gets shoved into our lives for a few hours on Sunday
mornings.
Easter is the perfect time to set priorities straight and begin fresh and new. Today, I worked in
my garden outside and discovered that the plants were already beginning to bloom beneath the
dead leaves and stalks. The new life was beginning to die out because the dead leaves were
taking up all the sunlight and water. I had to break off the dead stuff to allow the new life to
grow. This is how we can begin new this Easter by replacing our desires with the will of God in
our lives. The best way to start is prayer and spending time in His word.
Prayer: Dear God, Help me to spend time each day devoted to developing a relationship with
You. I realize Father that without You I can do nothing and with You all things are possible.
Thank You Lord that You are faithful and just and I can trust that You will complete the work
You began in me until the day of Christ's return. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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Suggested Reading: Mark 8 and Luke 9
MARCH 30, 1999
Scripture Reading: Matthew 27:50
Reflections
The Bible tells how the curtain (veil) in the Temple tore at the exact same time that Jesus took
His last breath on the cross. This is symbolic of His death making it possible for believers to go
directly into the presence of God without the veil of sin separating us from the Father. Before this
time, only the High Priest was allowed to approach God in the outer room that was closed off by
a veil.
The Hebrew writer explains it this way: When Christ came as high priest of the good things
that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not
man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood
of goats and calves [as in the Old Testament]; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for
all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption [for us] .. How much more, then,
will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to
God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living
God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called
may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them
free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrew 9:11-15
Prayer: Dear God, Thank You for not holding my sins against me as I confess them to You. It is
only because of Your great love for me that You redeemed me for a relationship with You by
reconciling me to Yourself through the blood of Christ. Help me Lord to say and do only those
things that will please You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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Suggested Reading: Hebrew 9
March 31, 1999
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53:4-8
Reflections
Jesus took the punishment for our sins, he was beaten and bruised, hung and died willingly
without a word. Hear His prayer for His accusers, "Lord forgive them for the know not what they
are doing." The manner in which Jesus innocently suffered is a picture of how we should respond
to the unfairness of things in our lives. This is hard to do apart from the help of the Lord. Thank
God, we serve a Lord who knows better than anyone what it is like to suffer unjustly.
This would be a good time to take all your concerns to the Lord in Prayer and ask Him to help
you endure those things you feel unable to handle. Remember we are starting spiritually fresh
and new this Easter and do not want to carry the same old sins and struggles into this new
Season.
Prayer: Dear God, We praise and thank You for being our strength. In You we will place our
faith and trust, knowing Father God that You are in control of all things and have all power and
might in Your hand. We will not fear what man can do to us but will remember that You did not
give us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. In Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
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Suggested Reading: Matthew 11:28 and Psalm 28:7, 118:4
April 1, 1999
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-20
Reflections
Before we go any further in our devotion time together, lets discuss an issue that is a stumbling
block to many "wise and intellectual" persons. The cross of Jesus is a simple Gospel in that it
does not appease "human wisdom." The Bible says the message of the cross is foolishness to the
world but is power to those who are being saved by it. The wisdom of the world does not know
God and cannot know Him because it has the wrong concept of God. It looks to miraculous signs
and "deep" spiritual and religious revelations. Listen to what the Bible says about the wisdom of
the world: For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God
is stronger than man's strength...But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the
wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly
things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the
things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in
Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness
and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Prayer: Dear God, Help us to look only to You for our source of wisdom and knowledge. Help
us to not look to our own understanding but to acknowledge You in all our ways. We trust that
You will then direct our paths. In the Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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Suggested Reading: 1 Corinthians, Luke 10:21
April 2, 1999
Scripture Reading: Matthew 28
Reflections
Our entire faith is based upon the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead and thereby
acknowledging Him as the Messiah. He is Risen. We serve a living God, one that is a very
present help in our time of need. One that promises to never leave nor forsake us. He has
overcome the world and therefore, we, as believers, are more than conquerors in Him. One day
soon, we will also be raised to live eternally with the Lord.
The Disciples all witnessed the resurrected Jesus Christ and here are His words to them: Then the
eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they
saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age."
Prayer: Dear God, We praise and thank You for salvation, we believe in our hearts that You
raised Jesus Christ from the dead and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord. Help us to
continually discover all the joy of this miraculous plan of salvation. Even so, Lord help us to
share Christ with all whom we come in contact with, making disciples of everyone. In the Name
of Jesus we pray, Amen.
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Suggested Reading: Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20
April 3, 1999
Scripture Reading: Acts 23
Reflections
Be careful not to be like the early Jewish Sadducees for they denied the resurrection and the
existence of angels and spirits. Just because we do not understand something, does not mean it
does not exist. Just because we are unable to see, feel, hear and touch a thing, doesn't make it
non-existent. We don't understand how it is that our hearts beat, but we count on it continuing to
beat. We can't actually see the wind itself, but we know it exists.
We should all agree with Paul in the 26th Chapter of Acts and say: Why should any of you
consider it incredible that God raises the dead? God is able to do all things. Surely if he
created life in the beginning, He can resurrect your life at any time that you give it to Him. You
will become a new creation, born again and living for God. The very purpose of our lives is to
glorify God by reflecting His image and likeness into the world. We should be a reflection of
Christ, when looking into your face it should be the face of Christ. What does one see when they
look at you?
Prayer: Dear God, help us to represent to the world a clear picture of You. Before, we can do that
Lord we realize we need to surrender to Your Holy Spirit in order to be conformed into Your
image and be transformed by the renewing of our minds in the word of God. Strengthen us to do
Your Holy and Perfect will. In the Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
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Suggested Reading: 1 Timothy 2 and Genesis 2
April 4, 1999
Scripture: Romans 4:25
Reflections
Do you realize that apart from the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we were separated from God and
only had death to look forward to? Praise God that our faith in the Resurrection made it possible
for us to be reconciled to God. We now have peace with God. Just as Abraham was justified
because he believed God, we will be justified by our belief (faith) that God raised Jesus from the
dead and by that belief (faith) we are saved.
Let the Bible speak for itself here: but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness--for
us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He [Jesus] was delivered
over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification...Therefore, since we
have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
Romans 3:25-4:2
It is my prayer that this Easter Week Devotion has brought you peace with God through your
faith in Jesus Christ. I want to encourage you to continue in your walk with the Lord, praying
always and standing strong in your faith. For it is faith that pleases God. Let your only desire in
life be to please God and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4. Commit your
ways unto Him and trust Him, be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Although you
may stumble sometimes, you will not fall because the Lord will uphold you. In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
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Suggested Reading: Psalm 37
MONTHLY PRAYER PERSON
God has truly answered the prayers of our family. We have been in prayer for each other at
different times throughout the year and God has truly blessed.
In looking over the Monthly Prayer List for the past year, God has provided healings, many have
come to know the Lord since the beginning of the Newsletters, bad habits broken, church homes
for family members, traveling grace for the truck drivers, spiritual inspiration for the Newsletter,
family additions: marriages and new births, marriages renewed, financial blessings, job prayer
groups, prison prayer groups, baptisms, job offers, - the list goes on.
As an offering to God for His many blessings, we will use this 1st year Anniversary of the
Newsletter to begin praying 3 prayer requests for one person, each month. Each month we will
feature a new person and all month long we all are required to pray for the Monthly Prayer
Person. This will encourage us to pray for one another as the Bible instructs us to do. A family
that prayers together, stays together. We will see God to great and mighty things as we begin to
pray.
You will call upon Me and come and pray toMe, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:12
Visit the Call to Salvation webpage for guidance and direction in giving your heart to Christ.
Return to the Index for 1999 Newsletters