The Home Devo (Page 11)

  We often hear songs which have a great message. Tim McGraw released a song that really struck a chord with me.  I am sure you have heard the song “Humble and Kind”.  The song includes lines like “Hold the door, say please, say thank you, Don’t steal, don’t cheat, and don’t lie. I know you got mountains to climb, but always stay Humble and Kind……”. …When the work you put in is realized, let yourself feel the pride, but…

      Who is John Newton? Well, a recent John Newton played Clark Kent on the show Superboy! However, I am speaking about the English sailor and clergyman who wrote the song “Amazing Grace”.  Recently, I heard a sermon by Ray Reynolds about the poem written by John Newton in 1770 titled “The Kite”. In the poem, the Kite says “Were I but free, I’d take a flight, And pierce the clouds beyond their sight, But, ah! like a poor prisoner bound, My…

  DISCUSSION: Our hearts are reflected by the lives we live. This week we have spent time talking about getting out of spiritual bankruptcy. Reflect back on your week and think about the steps you have taken to work on growing spiritually. The week is not over yet! If you have missed any devos, go back and study them now. Remember, we can’t do it by ourselves and focusing on God is key!   Prayer Requests: ____________________________________________________________  

                         DISCUSSION: In Deuteronomy 6,   God gives commandments to the Israelites regarding his law. They are to teach the law, and how can they teach it to their children if they themselves do not know it? In order for us to learn God’s word, we must study it. Use these 3 tips by Richard Foster when studying God’s word. 1.      Repetition – who can’t recite a good ol’…

  DISCUSSION: This week we have been talking about Spiritual Bankruptcy – or being out of God’s Spirit. Praying is another practical way to invest in growing with God. Talk with your family about ways to pray differently. Maybe you always pray before a meal – what would it look like to do this differently? Being open and honest is a huge part of growth. Marriages cannot grow without honesty. For our relationship to grow with God, we must first…

  DISCUSSION: Thinking about God – sounds like a great thing to do right? On a daily basis, do we think about God? I understand that most decisions we make should be based on our relationship with God, but outside of our Bible readings and prayer times – do we spend time just thinking about God. One great method of this is memorizing scripture. Find a Bible verse and work on memorizing it for the next day or so. When…

  DISCUSSION: Declaring bankruptcy is way more than just a statement. It involves understanding that you cannot fix the problem on your own. Richard Foster describes it as Paul did with sowing and reaping. In order to sow and reap we must first break up the ground. This is our hearts. We have to understand that we are broken and need God’s spirit in our lives. Next comes putting God’s spirit in our lives. So, the question comes – what…

  DISCUSSION: In his book, Celebration of Discipline, minster Richard Foster tells the story of the first church that he worked with. He describes how for the first three months he was there, he worked and worked pouring out his soul into his ministry and at the end of the three months – there was barely any change. He attributed this to the fact that he and the church were spiritually bankrupt. There was a lack of deep spiritual growth…

                                               Spend time communing with God through nature.  Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.”  Observe the beauty in the world that God has made for us.  To see a glimpse of His power in the expanse of the ocean and its relentless waves that pound the seashore; to breath in the sweetness of the majestic mountains with their…

  2 Corinthians 12:9,10 “……….Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecution, in distress for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong.” Struggles are an essential part of our wellbeing. A young man decided that a struggling emperor moth needed help to get out of the cocoon.  He snipped off the end, making it easy for the moth to crawl out. He didn’t realize that the added struggle was necessary for the…

                                     Spend time alone with God’s Word.  Besides the spiritual growth we will gain from study, we will also come to know Him better.  Reading His word brings us in touch with Him.  Jesus tells us in John 14:7 – “If you had known Me, you would have known my Father also.”   Just studying the life of Jesus will help us to…

                                                     Besides prayer, another way we can spend time alone with God is in meditation.  “Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.”  (Psalms 4:4)  Meditation gives us opportunity to look into our lives and profit from our mistakes.  We can also reflect and meditate on all the things God has done for us.  Meditate on the…