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DEVOTIONS
FOR August 25-30, 2008
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Spend time with the devotions this week. Read the Scriptures and then
think how you can apply them to your life.
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MONDAY
August 25
Look
up and read
Haggai
1:5-6
With the start of a
new school year come new challenges, mainly, what things to get involved in
(activities) and who you will be friends with and date? God wants you to
give careful thought to your ways (the life you live and what you do). When
put into a new situation or setting do you tend to do or say or get involved
in things that you don’t think about, if that’s what God wants for you?
Here in Haggai 1:5-6 God states that we do a lot but none of it is really
fruitful, we hunger and thirst after things but are never really satisfied,
always wanting more stuff and we have money only to spend it and waste it on
things that really are not necessities. This school year may you be
challenged to look to God to guide you in what you should and should
not get involved in. Pray today and ask for His help.
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TUESDAY
August 26
Look
up and read
Proverbs
23:26
What have your eyes
seen today? Have they seen things that are focused on God? The interesting
thing is, it’s not your eyes that sin but in your hearts. In the passage
here in Proverbs 23, God simply asks for your hearts so that He will help
guide and direct your eyes to focus on Him and His ways. The more you give
of your heart to God, you’ll find that the more you will focus on things
that are of God and less on the things that are not. This school year may
you be challenged to give your heart more and more to God so that He can
help you keep your eyes focused on His ways. Spend some time in prayer
today asking God to help you give more of your heart to Him so
that He can continue to work in and through your life so that your
focus will be on His ways. |
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WEDNESDAY
August 27
Look
up and read
Psalm
119:35
Where are your
priorities at? I’m sure by now you feel like you’ve been run over like a
Mac truck with syllabus’ and homework assignments, sports schedules and many
other schedules for activities through out the school year. Did I mention
social life? There are so many things we can choose to be involved in (good
things) but you have to remember that God comes first! Nothing should ever
take priority over our relationship with Christ. You will be challenged
through this school year and it will be up to you to keep the “Main Thing
the Main Thing”. In Psalm 119:35 it’s David crying out to God for help in
directing his path through God’s commands and that he’d find joy in being in
that place of obedience to God’s Word. If David, a King in charge of a
great nation, needed guidance how much more should we be looking to God for
guidance? Meditate over this verse and look over your schedules for the
year and make certain that you’re going to God first to help you put on the
calendar the things that would keep your life centered on Him. |
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THURSDAY
August 28
Look
up and read
Deuteronomy 28:14
Do you think it’s
easier to follow or lead? Do you find yourself getting into trouble by
following the wrong things or people? That’s why God calls you to follow
Him and surround yourselves in worship, fellowship and discipleship. It
will be through these ways that we will draw closer to God and others. It
will keep us from following the world’s way and its enticing things. The
verse in Deuteronomy 28:14 specifically says that we should not turn away
from God’s commands, to the right or the left where trouble awaits and not
to follow other gods or things we put ahead of God. Pray today to ask God
to help keep you from following the world and to hold to His Word.
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FRIDAY August 29
Look
up and read
Luke 16:13
Are you playing the game? The game of being a Christian on Sundays and
Wednesday nights and then the rest of the week you’re not. Eventually
you’ll come to realize that the only person you’re fooling is yourself, not
God. The passage in Luke 16 says that we cannot serve two masters. That’s
what you’re trying to do when you’re one way at church and then different at
school. You’re either a Christian or you’re not. A relationship with God
is 24-7 and you’ve got to decide who you will serve. It’s the
biggest choice you’ll ever face. Maybe right now you’re thinking, well I
can’t even choose what to wear to school tomorrow or what to eat for
dinner. All things small and great are important in God’s eyes but He wants
to know that you’ve chosen to live a life for Him. He’ll help you with the
rest! Spend some time in prayer asking God to help you with your choices.
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SATURDAY
August 30
Look
up and read
Romans 12:1
What was the first thing you said when you woke up this morning, “Thank you
God its morning” or “Oh my gosh it’s morning’? How often are you offering
up things to God, a roof over your head, food on the table, relationships,
gifts and talents, school, schedules, choices, YOUR LIFE? In Romans 12:1
God calls us to offer up our bodies, everything, as living sacrifices that
it be pleasing to God as an act of worship. You do this as God’s mercy
showers down on you. If your life is a constant sacrifice it will help you
understand more how you need His mercy because you will not be able to do it
on your own. It’s an act of worship and you have God and your family and
friends to hold you accountable and lift you up. This school year will you
seek to offer your bodies as living sacrifices? Meditate over this
verse and ask God to help you offer yourself up.
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See you at Sunday
School, Worship and Youth Fellowship this Sunday!
Bible references provided by
www.biblegateway.com
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