THE MORNING DEVOTION

Their duty was. . . to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord.
1 Chronicles 23:28,30NKJV

The Levite's were never given the option to skip morning devotions. They were commanded to keep the morning sacrifice every day, without exception. As part of the morning ritual in the Temple, the high priest had these three duties:
1. To trim the lamps, making sure each oil cup of the menorah had sufficient oil and that the wicks were properly positioned,
2. To burn sweet incense on the incense altar,
3. And to burn the fat of the "peace" offerings.
Once a week, as part of the morning ritual, the priest rep!aced the "shewbread" that was on constant display before the Lord.
     The priest performed these function in silent worship, wearing a highly symbolic vestment. As he worked, the only sound was the light tinkling of the bells on the hem if his garment. This ancient ritual may seem strange and if little meaning to us today, but one great lesson we can draw from it is this; the morning sacrifice involved all of the senses and the mind. The priest stood before the Lord with his identity clearly displayed; he stood before the Lord for examination.
      His sacrifice touched upon all aspects of his humanity: the lamps symbolized his need for light the ability to see with spiritual eyes. The incense was a picture of his need to dwell in an atmosphere infused with God's holy presence. The peace offering were a sign of his need for peace with God and his fellow man. And the "shewbread" demonstrates his need for daily provision, which only the Lord could provide.
       This was a ceremony that, in its silence, spoke clearly: "We need You. Without You, we have no life, no wholeness, no meaning."
      We may not have a ritual to follow in our morning devotional times, but we must come before the Lord with the same spirit of dependency and obedience. The day ahead of us is not ours. Our lives belong to God.
(See 1 Corinthians 6:20).
      Everything we need, He will supply. The day is His, even as we are His.

Fully Clothed Naked

Nothing in all creation can hide from. Everything is named and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done.
HEBREW 4:13 NLT

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN the article in the papers with the headline, "Before Take-off, Scanner Take It All Off." The text underneath read, "New imaging machine peers through clothes to search for dangerous items. Critics say it's a virtual strip search."
     Here's the down: Sophisticated electronic technology known as Millimeter Wave Imaging takes pictures of a person. Though somewhat fuzzy, the pictures in white and gray are detailed enough to reveal not only a weapon but also bulges say, love handles or fat around the middle, and the outline of your body. The result is a 3-D-like image that shows how the person looks like without clothes. Some think it is fine; others day it is an invasion of their privacy Fully clothed but naked!
     Do you realize that Is how God sees us? The writer of Hebrews declared, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrew 4:13).
      This fact creates two immediate responses. Some are terrified "You mean God knows everything about me?" their hearts cry out in shame.
      On the other hand, realizing that nothing hidden from the Lord can be a great source of comfort and encouragement. Why? God sees your heart; others do not. Good understands your heartache; outsiders don't know what you are going through. As the old African-American spiritual put it, "Nobody knowns the troubles I've seen; nobody knows but Jesus, " He knows and understands.
     It's uncertain whether the new airport security imaging technology will be popular, but being clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ by being His child gives you all the protection you',all ever need in life

The Everlasting Arms

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
DEUTERONOMY 33:27

WHEN THE FOES MARTIN LUTHER prepared to destroy Wittenberg Cathedral, incensed that he had posted his 95 Theses on its doors, he wrote the words of a great hymn, "S mighty fortress is our God. A bulwark never failing. Our helped He amid the flood, Of mortal ills prevailing. . . "
     Martin Luther based his words on psalms 46, which promises,
"The Lord Almighty is with us the God of Jacob is our fortress (psalm46:7).
     But why Jacob? Wasn't he the one who cheated his brother out of his birthright, who fled for his life and displayed a lack of integrity? Yet it was Jacob who wrestled with God at one of the lowest points of his life. " I will not let you go until you bless me!" Jacob cried out. God met Jacob in his despair, and he bore the mark of God's hand for the rest of his life.
     One of the good things that come from times of desperation is that we quickly strip ourselves of hypocrisy and earnestly cry out to God. I've met many people who can look back and say, ",Unless zi had faced the difficulty, I would never have proven that God is enough."
     How much better to face the dark night of your soul and to learn that His grace is sufficient: that God is big enough, powerful enough, and caring enough to meet you at the point of your greatest need, than to never face difficulty
      Job, after he faced his trial, said, "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you" (Job 42:5). That's the vantage of one who has run for refuge and found the shelter of the everlasting arms of God.

A LITTLE KINDER

The kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared.
Titus 3:4

Read
Ephesians 4:25-32

Aldous Huxley (1894-1963). One of the world leading intellects, was visiting with Houston Smith, a well known professor of philosophy and religion. As they were driving to an engagement, Huxley said, "You know, Houston, it's rather embarrassing to have spent one's entire  lifetime pondering the human condition and. . .  find that I really don't have anything more profound to pass on by way of advice than. " Try to be a little kinder.'"
     The apostle Paul saw kindness in a different light. In Ephesians 4:32, he kinked being kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving with the way God has treated us. In Titus 3:4, he said that it was "the kindness and the love of God" that provided eternal Salvation.
    In a world where callous thoughlessness and selfish indifference are all too common, kindness can make our lives fruitful when motivated by Christlike love. When our walk Harmonizes with our words of witness, it will make a compelling impact on others by pointing them to the kind of loves God has four them in Jesus Christ. If Huxley had learned what Paul had learned he would have seen that trying to be a little kinder is one of the moist profound truths of all. What motivates us to try? There's no better reason than the love of God as shown to us by Jesus

            He saw me ruined by the fall,
         Yet loved me notwithstanding all;
          He saved me from my lost estate,
         His livingkindness, oh, his great!

SHARE THE SECRET

I have learned the secret of being content
Philippians 4:12-13

A woman name Frances once knew a Young person at church named Debbie. Debbie always seemed effervescent and happy, although Frances knew she had faced struggles in her life. Her longawaited marriage had quickly ended in divorce. She had struggled to get a grip on her single life. She hadn't chosen it, but she declared she would live it with utmost enjoyment and satisfaction. Debbie was active in Sunday School, in the choir, as a leader of the junior high girls' group, and in the church renewal. Movement.
     Frances enjoyed knowing Debbie. Debbie's whole face seemed to smile and she always greeted Frances with a hug. One day she asked Debbie, "How is it that you are always so happy you have so much energy, and you never seem to get down?
     With her eyes smiling, Debbie said, "I know the secret!"
     "What secret is that? What are you talking about?" Frances asked. Debbie replied, "I'll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the 'secret' with others." Frances agreed, "Okay, now what is it,?"
     The secret is this: U have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God bti make he happy and meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to his riches. I have learned mist if the time I don't need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that secret. I am happy."
     Frances first thought was. That's too simple! But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled his she thought a bigger house would make her Happy but it didn't! She thought a better paying job would make her happy but it hadn't. When did she tea!ice her greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, eating pizza and watching a movie a simple gift from God.
     Debbie knew the secret, Frances learned the secret, and now you know it too!

CHOOSE YOUR GOD

Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . But as for me and NY house, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:15

I was recently saw a commercial for an online game based on Greek mythological gods, heroes, and quesis. What got my attention was the description if how to get the game started. You go online to register choose your god, then build your empire.
    Wow! " choose your god." Those words, though presented casually in the ad, struck me as being characteristic of one if the most dangerous things about our world. In a game, it may be insignificant what "god" you choose; but in the real world that choice has eternal consequences.
     To a generation of Israelites surrounded by the God's of their day, Joshua declared that they must choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other of the River, or the gods of the Amorites. In whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).
     Today as TBS days if Joshua, there are many options. But there us only one wise choice the true God. Joshua made the right choice. "We will serve the Lord."

The Body guard

The remnant  of Israel . . . will eat and tie down and no one will make them afraid.
Zephaniah 3:13

In Heaven, nobody's afraid. No one will shoot at you there. Because your body will be spiritual, not physical. No one will put you down, because in Heaven, we don't do that. No one will harm you in any way
     On earth, you sometimes need to be on your guard. There are some people you can't trust. But in Heaven, you could take snap right out in the middle of the street, and no one would even bother you. The reason is, I control what goes on in Heaven, and I keep evil Out.
I want to do the same thing here on earth. I want to protect you and guard you. Let Me take the control of your life now. Trust Me to keep you safe. The Body guard