Nesting Thoughts

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Philippians 4:4-9

TO CHEW ON: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Philippians 4:8

You’ve probably heard the proverb, “You can’t stop a bird from landing on your head, but you can stop it from building a nest in your hair.”


Our thoughts are a lot like that bird. The first time a thought occurs to us is like the bird sitting on our head. We can’t help that it landed there but we can choose what happens after that. We can choose to invite the thought to stay by thinking about it more, or shoo it away by replacing it with a better thought.

For example, suppose you stop by your best friend Jessica’s house to walk her to school. Her Mom tells you that she’s already left with Danielle. Immediately you have the thought: “Danielle’s trying to steal my friend.”

Now you have a choice. Do you encourage that jealous thought by telling yourself things like:

• I never could trust Jessica.
  
• Next time I see Jessica and Danielle I'll give them a piece of my mind.

Or do you replace it by thinking things like:

• I don’t know everything about the situation (truth thoughts).
• I can have more than one good friend (right thoughts).
  
• I don’t own Jessica - she needs to be free to walk to school with anyone she likes (noble thoughts).

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to recognize thoughts that don’t please You. Then help me to replace them with thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. Amen.



MORE: Thought-provoking
We can do something about the thoughts that come to us. Which activities below may lead to good thoughts? Which do you believe would lead to bad thoughts?



1. Go on chat rooms where people post put-downs.

2. Memorize Bible advice about your thoughts.

3. Read Christian fiction and stories of famous people who loved God (biographies).

4. Watch every new movie that comes out.

5. Listen to music with God-honoring lyrics.

6. Hang around with kids who swear.

7. Play violent video games.

8. Spend time online at Christian web sites for kids your age.

9. Go to church, Sunday School and club.


You might want to memorize today's TO CHEW ON verse. It's a good way to remind yourself about the thoughts to encourage and the ones to shoo away.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

- Philippians 4:8

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

What's Really Important?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 20:17-24

TO CHEW ON: "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace." Acts 20:24

What’s important to you?
- Winning the championship?
- Getting an A on the test - or even just a pass?
- Pleasing your parents?
- Hanging out with friends?
- Going on a holiday?

Though these things are good and should be important to you, there is something even more important. It is discovering and doing the job Jesus has for you.

"Paul's farewell to the Ephesians elders" - Artist unknown

As Paul said farewell to the Christians in Ephesus, he knew that some not-so-nice things might be ahead for him. The Holy Spirit had warned him that a]____________ and b]______________ awaited him (Acts 20:23). But that didn’t make him want to stop serving God.

"Paul's address to the Ephesus elders" - Artist unknown

Which task was most important to Paul? (Acts 20:24)
1. Doing as little as possible.
2. Telling people about God’s love.
3. Having a safe, happy life.
4. Making a lot of money.

In another place, Paul said, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

That can be our goal too – finding and doing the job God has especially for us. You might want to memorize Philippians 3:14 to help you keep this goal always in mind.


PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to know what task You have for me, and then help me to be willing to do it. Amen.

MORE: Dream A Little

• What task do you think God might want you to do in your life?

• What task do you think God might want you to do today?

• What might stop you from doing those things?

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

A Big Dream

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Nehemiah 2:1-10


TO CHEW ON: "The king said to me, 'What is it you want?' Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, 'If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.' ... And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my request." Nehemiah 2:4&8


“Jerusalem is a mess,” Hanani said. “Its walls are broken down and the gates are just charred rubbish.”

Nehemiah was shocked and sad to hear this news from his brother Hanani. Though Nehemiah had lived in Persia all his life, his heart was with his people in Jerusalem. He wished there was something he could do.

He thought of going to Jerusalem and getting to work on that wall. But that could never happen because King Artaxerxes had said that Jerusalem should not be rebuilt. And Artaxerxes was his boss. He would never let him leave his job for such a reason.

Yet over the next four months, Nehemiah couldn’t forget his dream of returning to Jerusalem. Every day he imagined working on that Jerusalem wall. He talked to God about it and often fasted when he prayed.



One day when he was at work – his job was to taste the king’s wine to make sure it was good and not poisoned – he was again thinking about Jerusalem when King Artaxerxes looked his way.

Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible
© American Bible Society 1976, 1992, used with permission.

“What’s wrong?” the king asked Nehemiah. “You look sad.”

Nehemiah’s heart pounded in fear. Why had he let the king see his feelings? He knew of servants the king had killed for being moody at work. Fearfully he answered, “How can I help but be sad when my home city Jerusalem is in ruins?”

“What do you want?” King Artaxerxes asked.

“I’d like to go to Jerusalem and help rebuild the wall.”

“How long would you take and when would you come back?”

Nehemiah could hardly believe his ears. The king was going to let him go!


As Nehemiah discussed his travel plans, he even had the courage to ask for building supplies and travel protection. And Artaxerxes said yes to every one of Nehemiah’s requests. God had prepared the king's heart.

Has God given you a big project or dream? Does it seem impossible that it could ever come true? Pray about it like Nehemiah did. Then leave your plans and dreams with God. At the right time, He will open the door like He did for Nehemiah, and make a way for your dream to come true too.

PRAYER: Dear God I bring to You my dream of ____ . Please make it to happen in Your time. Amen.

MORE: Prayer Promises
The Bible is full of promises about God answering our prayers. Here are three to look up. Pick your favorite and memorize it.

Psalm 91:15

Isaiah 65:24

John 15:7

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Don't Be Afraid

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 2:1-10

TO CHEW ON: " And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people." Ezekiel 2:6

As Ezekiel lay on the ground, a voice came from the bright vision of God. It was talking to him. “Stand up,” God said.

Ezekiel stood and God continued. “I am sending you to be a prophet to the people of Israel. They are rebellious, stubborn and obstinate. They may or may not listen.”

Ezekiel had wanted to be a priest. Now God was giving him a different job – the job of being a prophet. But it sounded hard and dangerous.

Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll... On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe." Ezekiel 2:9

Before Ezekiel had a chance to argue with God about how hard this job was going to be, God encouraged him. Three times God said to Ezekiel, “Do not be afraid.”

Ezekiel’s Vision – “And then they shall know that I am the Lord” © 1996 by Darlene Slavujac (Used with the artist’s permission).

God would encourage you in the same way. If you are the only Christian in your family, God says to you, “Don't be afraid.” If you are the only person who talks to your friends about Jesus – and they make fun of you for it – God says to you, “Don't be afraid.” If you want to live for God but don’t know how it will all work out, God says to you, “Don't be afraid.”

Why should we not be afraid? Because we are not alone in this. God is with us. And with Him beside us, we don’t need to fear anything!

PRAYER: Dear God, when I am afraid, help me to remember You are here. Amen.

MORE: Fears

God can help us overcome fears of all kinds. What are you afraid of – dogs, spiders, losing, being laughed at, having no friends, ____________________? David wrote in a Psalm:

Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.What can flesh do to me? - Psalm 56:3,4

This would be a good verse to memorize. It will help you remember, next time you feel afraid, that God is with you.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

A Deathbed Prayer

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 20:1-11

TO CHEW ON: “'Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life . . ."’” 2 Kings 20:5,6a

Hezekiah was very ill. The doctors expected him to die. Even the prophet Isaiah said, “Put your affairs in order, because you’re going to die.”


But Hezekiah didn’t want to die. As Isaiah left the room, he turned his face to the wall and began to cry. As he wept, he prayed, “God, I’ve tried to please you. I’ve served you wholeheartedly...”

Isaiah wasn’t even out of the palace when God spoke to him again. “Go back inside and tell Hezekiah, ‘I’ve heard your prayer. I’ve seen your tears. In three days you will get better.’” And that’s exactly what happened.


What is the first thing you think of doing when you or someone in your family is sick? Take a pill? Go to the doctor? Do you pray too?

Because Hezekiah prayed, God healed him and lengthened his life. That’s not to say we don’t go to doctors and follow their instructions. Isaiah told the servants to put a poultice (medicine) on the boil that was making Hezekiah sick. But when we’re sick, let’s not forget to pray – to go first to the One who created us and knows more about curing our sicknesses than any doctor.

PRAYER: Dear God, please heal ________ (name of person) from ______ (name of sickness). I thank You! Amen.

MORE: Does God Heal Today?
Some people think that God only healed people from physical sickness in instant and supernatural ways in Bible times. But the Bible tells us to take all our problems, including physical and mental sickness, to God. These words from James remind us that God invites prayers specifically for healing from sickness. You might want to memorize it.

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. James 5:14,15

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

God Wants Us Back

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Hosea 14:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "Return, O Israel, to the Lord you God. Your sins have been your downfall! Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: 'Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously that we may offer the fruit of our lips.'” Hosea 14:1,2

Hosea was another prophet to Israel at this time. God asked him to do more than just talk to the people. Even his life was an object lesson of what God was like.

“Go marry a woman who won’t be true to you,” God told him.

So Hosea married Gomer, a prostitute. They lived together and had children. But Gomer left Hosea and had affairs with other men.

This made Hosea sad. God told him, “Your wife is just like the Israelites. She left you just like they left me to worship idols.

The Israelites going to worship idols

I don’t want you to divorce her. Instead, you are to take her back.”

Hosea paid money and took his wife back into their home. Then God said to him, “Tell the Israelites that what you did is a picture of what I will do for them. Just like you took your wife back even though she had left you, I’ll take the Israelites back if they’ll come back to Me.”

That is still God’s message to us today. Even if we once loved Him but have turned away and are now doing our own thing, God will always take us back.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for loving us even when we go away from You. Thank You for always accepting us back Amen.

MORE: Coming Back to God
If you or someone you know has gone away from God, this verse from Hosea tells how to come back to Him. You might want to memorize it.

Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously that we may offer the fruit of our lips.” Hosea 14:2

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Death In Shunem

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 4:27-37

TO CHEW ON: "He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord." 2 Kings 4:33

Elisha and his servant Gehazi did a lot of traveling. One day they went to Shunem. A rich woman there invited them for a meal in her house. Then, knowing Elisha often traveled to Shunem, she and her husband fixed up a room for Elisha and his servant. Now every time they came to town, they had a place to stay.

One day Elisha asked the woman, “After all you’ve done for us, what can we do for you?”

“I have everything I need,” she said.

“She doesn’t have any children,” Gehazi said to Elisha after she had left.

“Right,” said Elisha. “Call her back.”

When the woman came, Elisha said to her, “By this time next year, God will give you a son.”

Sure enough, a year later, she had a baby boy. She had never been happier! But one day, when the little boy was with his dad, he got sick. “My head! My head!” he cried. Servants carried him home. But a little while later he died.


Immediately his mother saddled a donkey and went to find Elisha. If anyone would know what to do, he would. When she found him, she persuaded him to go back with her.

When Elisha got to the house in Shunem he went into the room where the little boy lay.

He was still and cold. Elisha closed the door and prayed to God. After a while, he lay on top of the little boy. Slowly Elisha felt him grow warm. Finally he sneezed, seven times, and then opened his eyes.

Elisha called the Shunamite woman in. He gave her little boy back to her, alive again. She couldn’t thank Elisha or God enough for the miracle of her dead little boy – come back to life.


PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for Your power over death. Amen

MORE: A Promise
Has someone close to you died – a grandparent, uncle, friend, brother, sister or parent? Perhaps you prayed before they died that God would keep them alive. Maybe you prayed after they died that God would make them live again.

Though God has the power to raise people from death, He often doesn’t. And so we experience death. It is a sad, sad time.

But Jesus has won the final war over death. And we know that someday, because of Jesus, we will again see our loved ones who have died. It’s a Bible promise you might want to memorize.

"For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable,* and we will be changed." - 1 Corinthians 15:52.

* ‘imperishable’ means a body or form that won’t decay or die. It will last forever.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

A Plan of His Own

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 12:25-33

TO CHEW ON: "The king made two golden calves. He said to the people, 'It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.' " 1 Kings 12:28

Jeroboam went to live in Schechem and ruled Israel from there. The prophet had told him he would be a successful king if he obeyed God. Even so, Jeroboam began to be afraid. His people would go back to Jerusalem to worship. What if traveling back to Jerusalem would make them want Rehoboam as their king again?

So Jeroboam made a plan to keep that from happening. Instead of encouraging the people to worship God in the temple in Jerusalem he set up calf idols nearby – one in Dan and another in Bethel. He told the people, "Here are the gods who brought you out of Egypt." Then he chose people who weren’t in the Levi tribe to be the priests. They offered sacrifices to the golden calves.


Jeroboam also invented new festivals. At festival time, the people now went to Dan or Bethel instead of Jerusalem. In no time the people who had chosen Jeroboam as their king had forgotten all about God and were up to their necks in idol worship.

Everything went along fine until Jeroboam’s son got sick. Jeroboam feared he would die. He got his wife to disguise herself and go to the prophet Ahijah – the one who, years earlier, had predicted he would be king.

By now Ahijah was an old man. But God still talked to him. Before Jeroboam’s wife arrived, God told Ahijah who was coming and what to say to her. When Jeroboam’s wife got there Ahijah greeted her by name. Then he gave her a message for Jeroboam, “God raised you up to be king,” he said. “But you haven’t followed His ways. Now know that as soon as your wife steps into your home, your son will die. And God will raise up another king in Israel to take the place of you and your family.”


How differently the story could have turned out if only Jeroboam had trusted God and done things His way, instead of worrying and making plans of his own.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to trust You and follows Your ways, instead of making up my own way to do things. Amen.

SUPERSIZE IT: Straight paths
Are you ever tempted to do things your way instead of trusting that God’s way is best. Here is a verse to remind you to trust in God for everything. Write or print it out and put it up where you will see it often. It would be a good verse to memorize.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5,6



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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Wisdom Search

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 2:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6


In the Bible book of Proverbs we have many of Solomon’s wise sayings. They help us learn the wise thing to do in all kinds of times and places. Many proverbs are about speech. Others tell us how to treat people. Still others give advice on how to handle money and possessions.

Today’s reading in Proverbs 2 talks us about wisdom itself and explains where true wisdom is found. Where? Choose one (Proverbs 2:6)

University    Science    the Lord

Our parents    Life experience

If we accept that true wisdom, knowledge and understanding come from God (the Lord) we might have another question - Where do we find that wisdom?

Jesus told a story about where to find God’s wisdom and how to make it part of our lives. He had just given a long talk where He had taught many things (Matthew 5,6,7). Then He told this story:

Everyone who hears the things I have taught and does them is like a man who builds his house on a rock. When the storms come, it stands solid because it has a good foundation. But everyone who hears the things I have taught but doesn’t do them is like a man who builds his house on sand. When the storm comes, because his house has no foundation, it is flattened.

Jesus is saying that a wise life is built on His words and teachings. Of course we can’t hear Jesus’ words with our ears. But we can read them and many other things about God and what pleases Him in our Bibles. When we read and do what He says, it’s like building our house (or our life) on the rock of true wisdom.

But if we read and then don’t obey, it’s like building our life on the sand of foolishness. Our lives may stand up just fine when everything is going well. But when trouble comes, they will be wrecked.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to live a wise life by hearing and following Your words. Amen

MORE: Where wisdom startsThe world around us is full of voices telling us what to believe and how to live. Some of the things we hear are lies. Some of the things we hear are half-truths. And some things we hear are true.

But there is one place we can go where everything is wise and true. This place is God and His words, the Bible. Here is a verse that talks about this place. You might want to memorize it to remind you of the place where wisdom begins.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.



Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Peacemaker

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 25:14-20; 32-35

TO CHEW ON: "David said to Abigail, 'Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgement and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.'” 1 Samuel 25: 32,33


Many people loyal to David began to join him in the cave where he was hiding. Eventually David and his men moved from caves to the desert. While they were there, some shepherds, the servants of a man named Nabal, were herding sheep nearby. David and his men made friends with the shepherds. They protected their flocks from wild animals and bandits.


After the shepherds had taken the sheep home, David heard that Nabal was going to throw a party for his servants. This would be a good time to get a meal from Nabal in payment for protecting him, David thought. He sent one of his men to Nabal with a polite note, asking if he and his men could come to the party.

Nabal, who was very rich, but also very selfish, answered David’s servant roughly. “Why should I take the food I make for my servants and give it to any old person?” he asked.

When David heard what Nabal had said, he was furious. He and his men strapped on their swords and set out toward Nabal’s ranch. They would make him pay for his selfishness!

Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s servants had heard the way he talked to David’s messenger. He went to Abigail, Nabal’s wife, and told her what happened. “I’m worried,” he said. “The way Nabal treated David, I’m sure David will try to get even.”

Abigail set right to work. She collected a lot of food – bread, wine, sheep, roasted grain, raisins and figs. Then she loaded them on donkeys and set off down the road.

Soon she met David and his men. Sure enough, they were red-hot angry and eager to make Nabal pay for insulting them. Abigail got off her donkey, bowed politely, then asked David to take the gifts of food she had brought. She also begged him to spare her life and the lives of her husband and their servants.


As David listened to this beautiful, wise woman, his anger cooled. “Praise God that you came,” he said. “If you hadn’t, not one male person on your ranch would have been spared. Today you kept me from doing a bad thing.”

PRAYER: Dear God, please give us the wisdom, humility and courage to be peacemakers. Amen.

MORE: A peace harvestChoosing to be a peacemaker instead of fighting may feel like a sissy way to respond to threats and insults. But God calls making peace between enemies a wise thing to do. James 3:17,18 talks about peacemakers.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.


According to this verse, what does a peacemaker need to be like? You may want to memorize this verse to help you remember how to be a wise peacemaker.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Impatient Saul

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 13:7-14

TO CHEW ON: "He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, 'Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.' And Saul offered up the burnt offering." 1 Samuel 13:8,9

One day after Saul had been king for a while, Saul’s son Jonathan attacked a Philistine outpost. This was like poking a stick into a wasp’s nest. Immediately the Philistines gathered their army and came against the Israelites to fight.

Saul’s army was only two thousand men. In a panic he sent trumpeters through the land to call back the rest of the army and anyone else able to fight. Then he and his men waited. They waited for more soldiers to come. They also waited for Samuel, the prophet and priest, to offer a sacrifice and ask for God’s help. Saul knew that it would be useless to go to war without that.

Meanwhile every day the Philistine army grew larger. It swelled to three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers and thousands upon thousands of soldiers.

The men in Saul’s army watched and grew more terrified by the hour. Soon they lost all courage and began to run away and hide in caves, among trees, behind rocks and in cisterns.

Saul too felt afraid and desperate. Where was Samuel? He said he’d come in a week. The week was over and he still hadn’t arrived. If they didn’t get going soon, his army would be down to nothing. Even though he wasn’t a priest, Saul decided to make the offering himself.

He was just finishing when Samuel arrived.

“What have you done?” Samuel asked. When Saul told him, Samuel said, “You have acted foolishly.” Then he told Saul that God was displeased with him and there would be consequences of his impatience and disobedience.

PRAYER: Dear God, please guard me from the impatience that would cause me to do things my way instead of Your way. Amen.

MORE: Waiting. . . waiting . . . waiting. . .
Do you like to wait? What things make you impatient?

It’s easy to get impatient with things, people – even God, especially when He doesn’t seem to hear and answer our prayers.

Here is a verse that reminds us God is always on time. You might want to memorize it.

"In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.'” Isaiah 25:9

Next time you’re tempted to impatiently do things your way instead of waiting for God’s help in His time, remember the story of impatient Saul, review this verse and wait for God's timing.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

God's Battle

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Judges 7:9-16

TO CHEW ON: "When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, 'Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.' ” Judges 7:15

The first job God gave Gideon to do was to smash the Baal idols in his father’s house. The second job was to fight the Midianites. Thousands of men showed up to join Gideon’s army.

But God told Gideon, “With so many soldiers your army will take credit for winning. I want everyone to know that it’s Me, God, who is making you win, not your big army or your wise plans. Send home all the men who are afraid.”

Twenty-two thousand men left that day. Less than one thousand soldiers were left.

“This is still too many,” God said. After Gideon sent home more soldiers, only three hundred were left.

How will I ever beat the Midianites with such a small army, Gideon wondered.

That night God woke Gideon up and said to him, “If you’re scared, go the enemy’s camp and listen to what they’re saying.”

Gideon and his servant snuck into the valley. The enemy soldiers were sleeping. Then they heard one soldier talking to another. He was telling about a dream he’d had.

1. What was the dream? (Judges 7:13) _______

2. What did his friend say it meant? (Judges 7:14) ____________.

Now Gideon knew God was making the Midianites afraid. He hurried back to camp. “Get up! Let’s go!” he said to his soldiers. “God will help us win right now.”

He split his men into three groups. He gave each man weapons – a trumpet, a torch hidden inside a bowl – and told them to spread around the enemy’s camp. When they were all in place, Gideon gave the signal. All together they blew their trumpets, broke their bowls and showed their torches.

All together they blew their trumpets - Artist unknown

The trumpet blasts and sounds of shattering pottery woke up the enemy soldiers. The torches made it look like a huge army all around them. In confusion and fear the Midianite soldiers began killing each other. Because Gideon fought God’s way, God won a great victory for Israel that day.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to do things Your way. Then help me to give You the glory for the success You give. Amen.


MORE: How will it work?
Like Gideon, we may not be able to figure out how God’s instructions will work. But God knows exactly what to do. Here are Bible words that remind us about that.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8,9

You may want to memorize these verses. Next time you don’t understand something God is telling you to do, review these words and remind yourself of God’s wise thoughts and ways.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Hidden But Not Secret

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joshua 7:10-25

TO CHEW ON: “Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.” Joshua 7:11

Have you ever done something sneaky – stolen something, told a lie, or cheated on an exam? Achan did such a thing when he went into Jericho. He had heard Joshua’s command about what to do with the loot. But when he saw a beautiful robe, some silver coins, and a wedge of gold, he sneaked these things home, dug a hole inside his tent and hid them in the ground.

A few days later Joshua sent scouts to Ai, the next city. “It’s a small town,” the scouts reported when they got back. “We’ll only need part of the army to capture it.”

But the people of Ai chased the Israelites from their city, beat them and killed many soldiers.

Joshua and the people were stunned. Joshua fell on his face before God and asked, “Why didn’t you help us?”

“Get up!” God told him. “There’s sin in the camp. Someone has stolen and lied. You need to deal with this sin before I can help you again.”

The next day Joshua called the people to a meeting to see who was guilty. He had the tribes pass before him tribe by tribe. The tribe of Judah was picked. From the tribe of Judah the clan of Zerah was picked. From the clan of Zerah the family of Zimri was picked. From the family of Zimri, the man Achan was picked.


“What have you done?” Joshua asked him.

Then Achan confessed. And when the men looked in his tent, sure enough, there was the evidence. So Achan and his whole family had to die that day because of his sin. Then God helped the people win over Ai.

What about you? Did you get caught for the sneaky thing you did? Even if you didn’t, God knows about your sin. It may be hidden from others but it isn’t a secret to Him. Don’t be like Achan and wait to get caught. Instead, confess your sin to God and make things right with anyone you’ve wronged now. Only then will God’s blessing rest fully on your life.

PRAYER: Dear God, You see the wrong things I’ve done. I’m sorry for them. Help me to make things right. Amen.

MORE: A God-sees verse
These verses remind us that God sees us always, everywhere and knows everything about us.

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways." Psalm 139:1-3


You could memorize it. Then next time you’re tempted to do something sneaky, you’ll remember – God sees!

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

More Than Skin Deep

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Deuteronomy 6:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Moses knew that after forty years of wandering in the desert, it was finally time for the Israelites to go into Canaan. But Moses wouldn’t be leading them. Because it was also time for him to die.

He gathered the people together to hear his last words. We can still read them today. They are the book of Deuteronomy.

Moses speaks to the people - Paul Hardy

In this long speech Moses reminded the people how God had helped them in the past. He challenged them to obey God always. He warned them against ever praying to idols. He talked about their covenant with God. He begged them to honor God and stay faithful to Him by following God’s rules and worshiping the way God had told them.

Some of these people probably couldn’t read. So how would they know and remember what God had said? Moses told them how. What three things could the people do to help them remember and pass on God’s words? (Deuteronomy 6:6-9):
1.
2.
3.

If the people did what Moses said, they would be reminded of God all day long. Could we also be doing some of these things to help us remember God?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to think of You often, to learn what pleases You, and then to do it. Amen.

MORE: Bible Verse Flash GameWhat you need: 10 index cards, Bible, pen.


What you do:
1. Write ten Bible verses, one on each card. Write the verse and reference on one side. Write only the reference on the other side. Choose ten favorite verses of yours, or write out the eight memory verses we've learned so far in Bible Drive-Thru plus two more, or look up and copy these:
John 3:16; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Matthew 11:28; John 10:14; Ephesians 2:10; Proverbs 16:3; Joshua 1:8; Jeremiah 23:29; Hebrews 4:12

2. Memorize each verse with its reference.

3. Play games with the cards

* Use the cards to test yourself. Show only the reference side and see if you can remember which verse it goes with and then recite it.

* Use the cards with one other person. Have that person hold up the reference and you say the verse. Then switch. See who says the most verses correctly.

*Use the cards with two or more people. Have one person hold up the reference side while others race to see who can recite the verse first. That person gets the card. After all cards are done, person with the most cards wins and gets to hold up cards for the others on the next round.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

What's wrong with grumbling anyway?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 21:4-9

TO CHEW ON: "But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!' ” Numbers 21:4,5

Have you ever grumbled about any of these things: food, clothes, the weather, too much to do, not enough to do, the things you have, the things you don’t have?

I have to admit, I have – and I’d be surprised if you haven’t as well.

Grumbling and complaining are pretty common ways people react to things they don’t like. And that’s what the Israelites did as they continued their travels. They complained about God, Moses, the food, no water. Instead of trusting in what God had said about their future, they doubted and wailed, “We’re going to die in this desert.”

So God sent poisonous snakes among them. These snakes bit them and many of the people died – just for complaining! The only way they could be saved after they had been bitten was to look at the bronze snake Moses had mounted on a pole in the middle of the camp.

"Plague of fiery serpents" from Treasures of the Bible

Wasn’t death an awfully harsh punishment for something as simple and common as grumbling? But the Israelites’ grumbling showed they had a bigger problem than simply being ungrateful for their leader and not liking what they had to eat and drink. It showed they weren’t trusting God’s character. They didn’t believe that He was in everything that happened to them. They didn’t trust that He really loved them and would work everything that happened to them into something good. They didn’t believe His promises.

Isn’t our grumbling the same? Even though God has given us some amazing promises in the Bible, when we grumble we are saying, “I don’t believe God is good. I don’t believe He will keep His promises to me.”

Let’s change our ways. When we are tempted to grumble, let’s remember God’s promises and choose to trust Him and believe that He will make something good out of even hungry, thirsty, anxious, boring or uncomfortable times.

PRAYER: Dear God, next time I feel like grumbling, help me remember promises of Your goodness. Amen.

MORE: Grumbling Antidote
An antidote is a medicine that cancels out the effect of poison. People who get bitten by snakes need to take an antidote called anti-venom.


The antidote to grumbling is God’s Word. Three verses which give us promises of God’s love and good plans for us are: Jeremiah 29:11, Jeremiah 31:3 and Hebrews 13:5.

Look them up on the internet or in your Bible. Then write out your favorite on a card or piece of paper. You might want to memorize it. Next time you are tempted to grumble, you can remind yourself about it. It can be your grumbling antidote.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Blood Sacrifice

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Leviticus 17:11

TO CHEW ON: "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life." Leviticus 17:11

Moses had been up on the mountain with God for a long time and God had told him many things. One of the things God gold Moses was a way to deal with sin.

What is sin? It is missing the target. If we think of doing everything God has said we should do, and not doing anything God has said we shouldn't do as the target, sin is missing that target.



For example, when God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the special tree in the garden and they did – that was sin. And when God told the people they were not to worship any other God but Him and they made a calf idol and worshiped it – that was sin. God gave the people a list of rules (we call them the Ten Commandments) which told them what was sin for each area of life, from how they treated parents and neighbors to how they treated God. The trouble was, no one could keep all these rules.

The punishment for breaking these rules – even one of them – was death. Period.

But on the mountain, God told Moses that He would make a way for the people to come back into His good favor – make atonement. It was a way they didn’t have to take the punishment of death themselves. They could substitute the blood of an animal. The blood would show that the animal had died (for no living thing, human or animal, can live without blood going through its body). The blood showed that the death penalty had been paid – for now. God accepted as a temporary punishment for sin, the death of an animal instead of the death of the sinful person.

Bringing the lamb as an offering - Picture from CC-Art.com

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for making a way for people to be right with You – through animal sacrifices, and then through Jesus. Amen.


MORE:  Sin’s Wages
God’s punishment for sin hasn’t changed. Paul, in the New Testament book of Romans calls this punishment ‘wages.’ Those wages are still death. Every one of us earns these wages every time we sin. But Someone – not an animal – took the punishment of death for the sins each one of us has committed.
1. Who was that Someone? (I Corinthians 15:3) ____________
2. What penalty did He pay? _____________

Here is a verse to memorize. It will remind you of sin’s wages and God’s gift to us through Jesus:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 6:23

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

God's Mobile Home

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 25:1-9

TO CHEW ON: “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” Exodus 25:8,9

Do you go to church on Sunday? What is your church like?

Churches can be big or small, fancy or simple, a special set-apart building or a building that is used for other things the rest of the week.





Again God told Moses to come up to Him on the mountain. So Moses put Aaron and Hur in charge of the people. Then he took his assistant Joshua and again climbed Mount Sinai. God’s presence covered the top of the mountain with a glory cloud while God talked to Moses about many things.

In today’s Bible reading, we read how God told Moses to build Him a church or sanctuary. But this building wouldn’t be like the churches most of us know. This church would be a tent called a ‘tabernacle.’ It would be light and movable, like tents are.

1. Why was it a good idea for this church to be movable and not a solid building?

2. What materials would be used for this tabernacle and for the worship? (Exodus 25:5-7)

3. Where would Moses get these things? (Exodus 25:2)

4. How would Moses know how to make the tabernacle? (Exodus 25:9)

In the next few days we’ll see how particular and detailed God’s plan was. He thought of everything! The picture below is one artist's idea of how the tabernacle looked.

. Model of the Tabernacle - Graphics from CC-Art.com

The tabernacle God told Moses to make was very special. It was the place where He would live on earth.

Does God still live on earth today? Where? Though He is present everywhere, He especially lives in the hearts and bodies of people who love and obey Him. Does He live in you?

PRAYER: Dear God, please live in me. This is the best home I can give You. Amen

MORE: God’s Modern Mobile Home
God’s modern mobile home is you! If you have asked Jesus to forgive your sins, God the Holy Spirit lives in your body. Here are Bible verses to remind you about that. You might want to memorize them.

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." 1 Corinthians 6:19,20


Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.  

Afraid

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 23:20-33

TO CHEW ON: " Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span." Exodus 23:25,26

What things scare you:
- Walking alone in the dark?
- Changing schools?
- Trying something for the first time (diving, horseback riding, snowboarding)?
- _____________________________

It’s easy to be frightened when we don’t feel safe, or when we don’t know anyone, or when we’re trying something for the first time, or a lot of other reasons.

The Israelites had every reason to be afraid. They had gone from living in one spot to moving nearly every day. They went from being safe in Egypt to being easy prey to fierce desert tribes. They went from always knowing where they would find their next drink and meal to having to trust God for all these things.

A. God saw the fear inside them. He answered it with a whole lot of promises. Cross out the one thing, below, that He didn’t promise in TODAY'S SPECIAL reading.
God said he would:
1. send His angel to show them the way to go.
2. bless their food and water so they wouldn’t get sick.
3. give them a full life span.
4. make their enemies afraid of them.
5. give them a home in a new land.
6. drive enemies out in one day.

"The Giving of Manna" - Artist unknown

B. But in order for God to keep this promise, the Israelites needed to do something. What was it? (Exodus 23:24, 25)

God can take care of us just like He did the Israelites. But we also need to worship Him. That means respect Him, pray to Him, trust Him, and live the way He tells us to.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that You care for me in every situation. Amen.


MORE: When Fear is at the Door
Next time fear thoughts come to call, answer them with these words:

"When I am afraid I will trust in you. " (Psalm 56:3)

Remind yourself of these words often by memorizing them, writing them on a poster, banner or note to yourself. Put it up on the bulletin board, mirror or other place in your room where you’re sure to see it often.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Pass or Fail?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 44:1-13, 33-34

TO CHEW ON: “’Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.’” (Genesis 44:33,34)

Joseph’s brothers went back to their father with food. They told him about the mean Egyptian prince who said they must bring Benjamin with them next time. But Jacob said he would never let Benjamin go.

Soon the grain was gone and the family was desperate for food again. The brothers begged Jacob to let Benjamin go with them. Finally Benjamin’s older brother Judah promised that if the Egyptian prince threatened any harm to Benjamin, he would take his place.

When the brothers got to Egypt, the prince did a strange thing. He invited them to his home and served them a banquet. He even seated them in order of age from oldest to youngest. Then he gave Benjamin five times more food than everyone else. Finally he sent them on their way with the supplies they needed.

No sooner had they left than Joseph’s Egyptian servant came after them. “My master’s special cup is missing,” he said. “If it’s found in one of your sacks, that person will come back with me and be a slave to my master.”

The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.


All the brothers went back to Egypt. “Why did you steal my cup?” Joseph asked.

“We don’t know how it got there,” Judah said. Then he told Joseph how important Benjamin was to his father. “ You can’t keep him,” he said. “It would kill my father. I will take his place.”

What do you think—have the brothers changed? Did they pass Joseph’s test?

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to love my brothers, sisters and friends like Judah loved his father and Benjamin. Amen

MORE: Greater Love

Joseph’s brothers were once jealous and hateful. Now Judah was willing to take Benjamin’s punishment, even though Benjamin was treated better than all the others.

Instead of being jealous Judah had learned how to love. Jesus’ words tell us about the kind of love Judah had learned. You might want to memorize them.

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.” (John 15:12,13)

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.