92 Psalm 106:7-15 Leanness of Soul

JMD Devotional 92 Psalm 106:7-15 Leanness of Soul

Our fathers in Egypt understood not nor appreciated Your miracles; they did not [earnestly] remember the multitude of Your mercies nor imprint Your loving-kindness [on their hearts], but they were rebellious and provoked the Lord at the sea, even at the Red Sea. Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake [to prove the righteousness of the divine character], that He might make His mighty power known... But they hastily forgot His works; they did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them, But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted and tried to restrain God [with their insistent desires] in the desert. ("We hate manna, we want meat!") And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls and [thinned their numbers by] disease and death.

How many a father has stored up desire to bless his children, but their rebellion and misbehavior has put their blessings on hold and incited discipline and punishment instead. Then the insolent child demands their 'rights', and the parent grants the request, but there is no joy in the giving, and their relationship is strained. The posture of the child has blocked far greater gifts than they had in mind. If we would quit trying to pry things out of God's hands; and seek His face instead, what a bounty of blessings would flow into our lives!

Dear God,
I really despise myself when I consider how ignorant, selfish and short-sighted I have been in my strivings and desires. Please forgive my abominable iniquitous prayers! May my spirit be quiet before you, may you give me a heart of obedience. Things wont make me happy; only closeness with You will usher in the fulfillment for which I so desperately long. Forgive my thrashing about in blind desperation; illuminate the path of true blessings in your presence evermore.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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91 Jeremiah 2:19 Auto-Correction

JMD Devotional 91 Jeremiah 2:19 Auto-Correction

Your own wickedness shall chasten and correct you, and your backslidings and desertion of faith shall reprove you. Know therefore and recognize that this is an evil and bitter thing: [first,] you have forsaken the Lord your God; [second,] you are indifferent to Me and the fear of Me is not in you, says the Lord of hosts.

The God designed the Universe for righteousness. Like an automotive engine, it may not be obvious why different fluids are required for each system; transmission fluid, brake fluid, oil and gasoline; but swap any two of them and your car is ruined! The one who designed has the right and responsibility to lay out the procedures. There are actions to avoid as well as deliberate actions to take, periodic necessary maintenance, which if neglected, manifests itself in degraded performance. God's moral law is inflexible and unforgiving; there will be a consequence for each transgression which will play out in your life. Persist in sin, and it will be obvious to everyone that you are not following the 'manual.'

Dear God,
Only a distorted view of God would lead one to think that You are trying to trick us. You have made the right path plain and simple; only our duplicity complicates life. I know your heart's desire is for it to go well with your children, that You want us to succeed. Success is being the person You called us to be, and doing your will. Please incline our obstinate minds to accept your Word as our manual for life.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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90 Jeremiah 2:12,13 Broken Cisterns recovery devotional

JMD Devotional 90 Jeremiah 2:12,13 Broken Cisterns

Be astonished and appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked and shrivel up with horror, says the Lord [at the behavior of the people]. For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and they have hewn for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns which cannot hold water.

How much our nation resembles Israel in her seduction by secular 'gods'. If we had never been a Christian nation, our ignorance might have been forgivable; but our forefathers knew the truth and failed to retain it and pass it on. Our school children are fed a fictional history omitting the overwhelming influence of the Bible in Western Civilization, teachers promote a false self-esteem with no basis in moral character and our civil fabric is shredded by academics who deny any absolute standards. The first fruits of moral chaos point to very dark days ahead; and the remedy is repentance and a return to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Dear God,
Forgive me for how I've tried to meet my needs apart from You without regard for your way of doing things. Help me to destroy the subtle idols that compete with You for my devotion. Forgive me and my forefathers for failing to engage our communities and for not taking more of a public stand for Christ. So much pretending that it was unspiritual to be political was just veiled cowardice, laziness and self-serving neglect of duty; restore zeal for your holy name!
Please draw us into the battles of our day as your representatives.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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89 Psalm 94:11-14 Blessed People recovery devotional

JMD Devotional 89 Psalm 94:11-14 Blessed People

The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are vain (empty and futile--only a breath).
Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, That You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity, until the [inevitable] pit of corruption is dug for the wicked. For the Lord will not cast off nor spurn His people, neither will He abandon His heritage.

I was once in a proud place where I thought I didn't need anybody. I was even on a conceited high hill thinking that people needed me; that they would 'perish' without my guidance. It took a lot of personal failure, pain and suffering for me to face my own folly, ignorance and helplessness. The suffering God sent into my life was GOOD, because it got my attention, and it exposed my finiteness and depravity, and it drove me to my Maker in humility. I am to be envied for the lashes I received; because it implies that God accepts me as one of His sons.

Dear God,
People don't need me, they need You, God. I am not the answer, You are. I am blessed, I am blessed, I am blessed to call You MY FATHER. Abba Father. I'm not an orphan, I will never be abandoned, I belong to You. Thank You for caring enough to discipline me and correct my life.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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88 Psalm 94:1-10 God is Not Blind! recovery devotional

JMD Devotional 88 Psalm 94:1-10 God is Not Blind!

O LORD God, You to Whom vengeance belongs, O God, You to Whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! Rise up, O Judge of the earth; render to the proud a fit compensation! Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph and exult? They pour out arrogant words, speaking hard things; all the evildoers boast loftily. They crush Your people, O Lord, and afflict Your heritage. They slay the widow and the transient stranger and murder the unprotected orphan. Yet they say, The Lord does not see, neither does the God of Jacob notice it.

Consider and understand, you stupid ones among the people! And you [self-confident] fools, when will you become wise? He Who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He Who formed the eye, shall He not see? He Who disciplines and instructs the nations, shall He not punish, He Who teaches man knowledge?

People often mistake God's restraint for impotence, indifference or acceptance. They mock authority and flaunt their rebellion believing it will never catch up to them. What escapes such people is that God has set limits on His mercy and conditions on His salvation and has high standards for His people. Judgment will come, swift and certain, in God's timetable. He has given everyone a heavenly account in which we can store up blessing or wrath depending upon our relationship to Him. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...

Dear God,
May I never forget how you dealt with those who polluted the land in Biblical times with their vile sin and iniquity. If the Earth itself would 'vomit them out of it', how careful we should be to keep a pure heart before You! The fact that nothing escapes your notice is both a terror and a comfort; please continue to make me into an acceptable recipient of your grace and mercy.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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87 Hebrews 13:5 Words Thrice recovery devotional

JMD Devotional 87 Hebrews 13:5 Words Thrice

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. *[I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]
*(Kenneth Wuest, Word Studies: Three negatives precede the verb. )

When I was in the Army Signal Core studying radio, we had a practice called "words twice" that was used when the static was so bad much of the message was lost. It it simply simply involved involved talking talking like like this this, to ensure the message got through. The Bible repeats a lot of things twice, sometimes three times to make sure it gets through our static: pay greater attention to those messages! They are vitally important!

Dear God,
Thank You for making it abundantly clear that You will not fail or forsake me in my hour of need; that my life is firmly in your grip and that You have no plans of letting me go! You are my blessed assurance!
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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86 Psalm 90:10-12 Number Our Days recovery devotional

JMD Devotional 86 Psalm 90:10-12 Number Our Days

The days of our years are threescore years and ten (seventy years)--or even, if by reason of strength, fourscore years (eighty years); yet is their pride [in additional years] only labor and sorrow, for it is soon gone, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? [Who worthily connects this brevity of life with Your recognition of sin?] And Your wrath, who connects it with the reverent and worshipful fear that is due You? So teach us to number our days, that we may get us a heart of wisdom.

Distance is a demon,
Time is his bite;
He laughs at our death,
Man is finite. JMD

We are engaged in a race that requires all of the stamina we can muster. There are no 'do-overs,' no second chances. God has placed ample evidence all around us of our transience; in a crowd we can see people of every age and state of health; organically we are all rapidly depreciating. The promise of a new body is tied to the cultivation of that foremost relationship with God, with the choices we make daily, with who we really are inside. God is not mocked. It may be morbid to dwell on your own death; but all intelligent people consider it; and this leads to wisdom.

Dear God,
Help me to see beyond the ruin of every organic thing to your promise of a new Heaven and a new Earth where everything is right, good and wholesome. Help me to get excited about the reality of a new physics where things behave inherently well. Make my countenance reflect certain faith in the validity of your promises and my share in Jesus Christ's inheritance.
This present world is not my home. You are my reward. Let it shine.
Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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