Daily Devotional

**Jack_N_The_Green** · March 8th, 2004, 02:00 AM

quick question:how many of you do go to church and where?

**Jack_N_The_Green** · March 9th, 2004, 01:06 AM

March 9, 2004

Money And Time
Read: Mark 12:13-17,28-31

Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. "?Mark 12:17

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During a trip to London, I visited the Bank of England Museum, then made my way to The Clockmakers' Museum. At some point, it struck me that both money and time have been very important commodities as far back as anyone can remember. Yet they present one of the great dilemmas of life. We trade our valuable time working for money, and then we spend our money to make the most of our time off. We seldom possess the two with any degree of balance.

In contrast, our Lord never seemed perplexed by money or time. When asked if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus answered: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Mark 12:17). With great demands on His time, Jesus spent early mornings and late nights in prayer, seeking to know and do His Father's will.

Hymnwriter Frances Havergal wrote:

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

We can properly balance time and money when we offer ourselves without reservation to God. "?David McCasland

Spend time and money wisely"?they both belong to God.

**Big_AL** · March 9th, 2004, 01:14 AM

i do jack and i go to the Freedom of Worship church on thackers branch. my pastor is glen sturgill.

**Jack_N_The_Green** · March 9th, 2004, 01:18 AM

awesome...i just joined this church last year. it took a lot of different church experiences to find the right one, most people give up after a few, but the right one is out there!

**Jack_N_The_Green** · March 10th, 2004, 09:24 AM

Sorry guys, i was gone to that concert and didn't get back til late last night!
March 10, 2004

The Hiding Place
Read: Psalm 34:4-8

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! "?Psalm 34:8

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In this world's misery there is only one sure refuge: God Himself. "He is a shield to all who trust in Him" (Psalm 18:30).

To "trust in" comes from a Hebrew word that means "to take refuge in" or "to hide in" or "to hide with." It suggests a secret place of concealment, a "hidey hole," as we used to say in Texas.

When we're exhausted by our efforts, when we're bewildered by our problems, when we're wounded by our friends, when we're surrounded by our foes, we can hide ourselves in God. There is no safety in this world. If we were to find safety here, we would never know the joy of God's love and protection. We would miss the happiness for which we were made.

The only safe place is God Himself. When storm clouds gather and calamities loom, we must run into His presence in prayer and remain there (Psalm 57:1).

George MacDonald said, "That man is perfect in faith who can come to God in the utter dearth of his feelings and desires, without a glow or an aspiration, with the weight of low thoughts, failures, neglects, and wandering forgetfulness, and say to Him, 'Thou art my refuge.'"

How safe and blessed we are! "?David Roper

O the sweet unfailing refuge
Of the everlasting arms;
In their loving clasp enfolded,
Nothing worries or alarms. "?Hennessay

Safety is not found in the absence of danger but in the presence of God.

**imported_Bart** · March 10th, 2004, 11:18 AM

I use to go to Battle Zone up at Freedom of Worship Big_Al!

**Jack_N_The_Green** · March 11th, 2004, 09:25 AM

March 11, 2004

The Beacon
Read: Mark 6:45-52

He came to them, walking on the sea. "?Mark 6:48

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When a helicopter crashed in a cold, mountainous wilderness, the pilots survived but were seriously injured. The frozen afternoon stretched toward an even more freezing night. The situation seemed hopeless"?until a rescue helicopter appeared, its searchlights illuminating the darkness. It spotted the wreckage, landed nearby, and carried them off to safety.

"How did you know where we were?" an injured man asked.

"The homing device on your aircraft," the rescuers told him. "It went off automatically when you went down. All we had to do was follow it."

The disciples of Jesus also experienced the joy of being rescued. They had been struggling as they rowed their boat against wind and waves in the darkness of night on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 6:45-47). Then Jesus came to them, walking on the water, and calmed the sea (vv.48-51).

We may experience similar times when all is dark and foreboding. We can't help ourselves, and it seems that no one else can either. No one knows how terrified and exhausted we are. No one, that is, except Jesus.

When we're trapped, hurt, lonely, or discouraged, Jesus knows it. Our cries of grief are beacons that bring Him to our side"?right when we need Him most. "?Dave Egner

There is only One who knows
All the answers to my woes;
He will all my needs supply
When in faith to Him I cry. "?Morgan

Jesus hears even the faintest cry for help.