Good evening or Good morning depending on what time you may read this. Each week I am impressed at the work that God is doing in our church. I am equally impressed at seeing the spiritual growth that the members are exhibiting. I believe that God places the right people in our lives just at the precise moment to give us a glimpse of either His glory, plan, or love.
My attention has been brought to the need of a Mid-week devotional that doesn’t just reinforce the lesson from the last Sunday but to informs you of the lesson ahead. This will give us a chance to interact with the lesson(s) on a more frequent basis and could be used as an accountability tool. Don’t worry, no one will be excommunicated if you haven’t completed your quiet times or Boldcourse.
2/11/15
My mom stuck a note in my bible one day. She must have found it in my seabag when I was home on leave from the Navy. When I found the note I was a little embarrassed. You see, I stole the bible from my dad because I didn’t have one and I started to go back to church. I didn’t go church on a regular basis after I left for boot camp but I would return after a few weeks.
The note said “This BOOK will never deceive you, never forget you, never leave you, never ask too much of you. But man will over and over again. Get your strength from your Bible. 9/15/91 Mom”
I kept this note and place it in every new bible I get. When I look at it and read the words it is as if I am reading the note for the first time. I admit that I do not read my bible everyday nor read it often enough. When I do, this note proves itself not a lie.
How often do we find ourselves being deceived, forgotten, alone, and overwhelmed? Where do we turn? What is our source of strength? The importance of frequent Bible reading cannot be stressed enough. It has once been said that God “listens to our prayers and talks to us through his word.”
Navy Search and Rescue swimmers have weekly “spot-checks” to keep them ready for anything. These “spot-checks” could include just about any scenario imaginable. Simulations such as Aircraft systems malfunction, in-flight fires, unconscious pilot, or even an in-mission quiz on basic seamanship would be given at any time without notice. What if we had “spot-checks” on what we learned in our quiet times? Sunday School? What if God conducted these “spot-checks”?
I am looking forward to this Sunday as we discuss the theme of REVIVAL from the passage 2 Kings 22 and 23. Be prepared to discuss a personal experience where you have witnessed a significant change whether it was at work, school, community or church.
Carry On!
D. Shannon Rainwater <