Hang in there!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Philippians 3:10-14

TO CHEW ON: But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13b, 14

Each member of your baseball team has to sell 20 boxes of chocolates as a fund-raiser. But after tramping the neighborhood for an hour and hearing “No thanks” at every door, do you feel like giving up?

When you keep going in spite of everything it’s called “perseverance.” We can learn a lot about perseverance from some Bible characters. Which person:


1. Begged Pharaoh many times to let his people leave Egypt? (a. Jacob, b. Joseph, c. Moses).

2. Prayed for years before God gave her a son? (a. Mary, b. Hannah, c. Eve)

3. Prayed, and then sent his servant to check six times before he saw a rain cloud? (a. Elijah, b. Nathan, c. Samuel).

Living for God also needs perseverance. Here are some reasons you may feel like giving up. Which is true about you?

- I’ve blown it in the past.
- None of my friends are Christians and I feel alone.
- Living for God is hard and I’m tired of trying.
- I’ve done enough and now I can stop trying.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please help me to forget about past failures and successes, and do my best for You each day. Amen.


MORE: Never Give Up!

- Bette Graham made the first “Mistake Out” in her blender. Soon all the secretaries in her office wanted some to fix their mistakes. But she made little money at it until one day she made a mistake that she couldn’t paint over. After she got fired she had lots of time to spend on her Liquid Paper® business.

- Thomas Adams did hundreds of experiments on chicle from the Mexican sapodilla tree. But every try at making toys, rainboots and bicycle tires failed. Then one day he put some in his mouth and found it was great to chew. He added some flavor and voila, Chiclets®!

- George de Mestral got an idea for a fastener when he examined a burr that had stuck to his pants. But after he made it in his lab, people laughed at his invention. He stuck with it, though and was soon selling over 60 million yards of Velcro® a year.

- Louis Braille became blind at the age of three after an accident with an awl (a tool with a pointed end). Even so, he learned to read, though books for the blind were heavy and the words hard to figure out. While he was still a student, he discovered the alphabet code used by the French army. On one of his school vacations he used that code to invent an alphabet with six dots using an awl to punch out words and sentences in the first Braille writing.

ANSWERS

**************
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

*************
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.

The Fickle Crowd

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 14:8-20

TO CHEW ON: "Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead." Acts 14:19

Have you ever been to a sports game where the hometown team starts making mistakes? Very quickly a cheering crowd turns into a hissing, booing one.

Paul and Barnabas found this out. When they came to Lystra, Paul healed a man who had never walked.

"Paul heals the man at Lystra" - Caspar Luiken, 1672-1708

After seeing that, the people were in awe of Barnabas and Paul.

"Paul in Lystra" - Artist unknown, 1897

They tried to pray to them. Paul quickly told them to stop and explained they should worship only the God of heaven.

"In Lystra" - Artist unknown

But then some of the Jewish leaders from the towns where Paul and Barnabas had visited earlier, arrived in Lystra. They persuaded the crowd Paul and Barnabas were bad men who deserved death. The crowd turned from worshiping Paul and Barnabas to trying to kill Paul. They stoned him then they dragged him outside the city thinking he was dead.

"Paul stoned" by J. C. Weigel, 1695

We can’t measure our success by how we’re treated by the crowd. We may be popular with the crowd one day, and persecuted the next. Instead we live to please only one person. Who is that?
- Our parent?
- Our friend?
- Ourselves?
- Jesus?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to stay loyal to You, no matter what the crowd around me does. Amen.


MORE: Many Miles
Draw the rest of Paul’s journey and the return trip on your map.
1. From Iconium to –> Lystra to –> Derbe.
2. The return trip: Lystra –> Iconium –> Antioch –> through Pisidia –> Pamphylia –> Perga –> Attalia –> sailed back to Antioch

3. Bible teachers think Paul and Barnabas were away on their mission trip for a year and a half (18 months). In that time they covered about 1250 miles. They traveled most of the land miles by foot – walking!

ANSWERS

************
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.

Finishing Well

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Nehemiah 6:1-16


TO CHEW ON: "So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God." Nehemiah 6:15,16

The wall was nearly done. There were no more broken gaps and only the gates were missing. But instead of the opposition getting less, it got worse. One day Nehemiah got another message from Sanballat and Geshem. “Come to a meeting in a nearby village,” it said.

Nehemiah smelled trouble. He was sure these men were planning to harm him. He sent back word, “I’m busy on a big project.”

They didn’t give up easily. Three more times they called him to a meeting. Finally on the fifth try, the messenger showed Nehemiah another letter from Sanballat. It said, “We know that you and the Jews are plotting a revolution. You’re planning to become king. If you don’t want this reported back to Artaxerxes, you’d better meet with us.”


Still Nehemiah refused to be distracted. “These are all lies,” he wrote back. “You’re making this up out of your head.”

But now even some people inside the city tried to get him away from the job. “Rebuilding the wall isn’t what God wants,” said some of the prophets.

Another man said,“You should go into the temple and hide from the people who are trying to kill you.”

Through all this Nehemiah stayed on the job. When things looked bad, he prayed and kept right on working. It took fifty-two days in all to finish rebuilding the wall. When the nations around saw that Jerusalem was again behind a wall, and that the wall had come up in such a short time, they were frightened. For they knew this could have happened only with God’s help.

We can learn a lot about finishing well from Nehemiah. He planned the work and then didn’t let himself get pulled away from the job by teasing, threats, discouragement or danger. Instead, he prayed about these problems and then kept right on working.

Next time you’re in the middle of a big project and feel like quitting, remember Nehemiah. Say a prayer to God for help, and then keep working till the job is done.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to finish projects well. Amen.

MORE: Working on Projects
When projects are big and take a long time, it’s easy to feel like giving up before they’re done. Here are some hints about tackling projects. Try them on your next one whether it’s making a science fair exhibit, sewing an outfit or whatever.



1. Beginning
a] Get your idea.
b] Gather your materials.
c] Decide on the order or steps of the project.
d] Start on step one.

2. Middle
a] Divide the project steps into small tasks
b] Do a little bit of your project every day.
c] Take a break when you get tired.
d] Pray when there is opposition or you get discouraged

3. End
a] Complete everything, even to the last detail.
b] Clean up after you’re done
c] Celebrate!

***************
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 Job Well Done

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 40: 1-16, 34, 35

TO CHEW ON: "Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." Exodus 40:34,35

After Moses had cleaned up the golden calf, God rewrote the smashed tablets of stone. Then Moses asked the people to collect things for building the tabernacle. People brought gold jewelry, beautiful cloth, colorful thread, dyed animal hides, gem stones, spices, incense and oil. Soon there was enough.

Israelites bring treasures for the Tabernacle - Artist unknown

Next God told Moses which talented artists and builders to put in charge of building the tabernacle. They organized and taught volunteers who made all the parts of the tabernacle and its furniture and tools.

Finally the tent church and all its furniture was built. On the first day of the first month God told Moses to put up the tabernacle. He also told him exactly where to put each piece of furniture along with each utensil and tool.

God told Moses to dress Aaron and his sons in the special priest clothes. As they stood before him, Moses poured oil on their heads (anointed them) as a way of setting them apart to be priests who would always serve God.

Anointing Aaron as High Priest - Treasures of the Bible (Moses)

How exciting that day must have been for Moses. After months of only imagining how the tabernacle would look, it was all coming together. I wonder if Moses ever worried, during those months of building and making. Perhaps he asked himself, did I really hear God right? Did the workmen follow all the instructions? Will God be pleased with His tent church?

He didn’t have long to find out. No sooner was the last piece in place than God’s presence came down! His glory cloud filled the tabernacle. It was so awesome and wonderful and terrifying that Moses couldn’t go inside.


Do you ever get instructions from God and yet while you’re doing them you wonder, did God really tell me this? Is He pleased with what I’m doing? Will He bless my work?

If you are doing what God has told you to do, be like Moses and stick with the job until it’s done. Then watch how God fills what you did with His power and glory. You will be amazed!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that You use people to accomplish what You want to do. Please use me today. Amen.

 MORE: When you don’t quit
God doesn’t often show that He is pleased with a glory cloud. Some ways that we sense God is happy with us may be:
1. He answers ‘yes’ to our prayers.
2. We get encouragement from unexpected places.
3. We read, in the Bible or a different book, words that give us courage and keep us from quitting.
4. A friend accepts Jesus.

Can you think of more?

*************
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. 

Round One

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 7:1-13

TO CHEW ON: “ Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.” Exodus 7:4b, 5

Suppose someone told you to do something but at the same time told you that you would fail? Wouldn’t you be tempted to ask what’s the use and then not do it?

This is what happened to Moses and Aaron. When God told them about talking to Pharaoh, He said He would harden Pharaoh’s heart. At first Pharaoh wouldn’t listen to Moses and Aaron.

But God also told Moses the end of the story. In the end God would judge the Egyptians for mistreating the Israelites. The Israelites would be allowed to leave Egypt.

Many things in life are the same way. We may not have friends on the first day at a new school, but if we keep being friendly, we will make new friends. We may not understand the math lesson the first time the teacher explains it, but if we keep trying, finally we’ll get it. Our soccer team may not win at first, but if we keep practicing, we will get better. The secret is to ask God for help with our problems, then trust Him and not give up.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me not to give up but to keep trusting You no matter how bad things look. Amen.

MORE: Snake Showdown

What happened when Moses and Aaron showed Pharaoh what God could do with a shepherd’s rod?

Pharaoh watches Moses turn a rod into a snake - Artist unknown

Choose the best answer (Check Exodus 7:10-13 if you need help)
1. When Aaron threw his rod down
a] it became blood
b] it became a snake
c] it became a frog

2. Pharaoh saw this and
a] ran away
b] listened to Moses
c] sent for his magicians.

3. When the Egyptian magicians turned their rods into snakes as well
a] all the snakes slithered into the Nile
b] Aaron’s snake swallowed the magicians’ snakes.
c] the magicians’ snakes swallowed Aaron’s snake.


4. After Pharaoh saw this he
a] still refused to listen.
b] fell on the ground, afraid.
c] told Moses and the Israelites to leave the land before sunset.

Answers

*********
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.

Ask and Ask Again

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read: Genesis 18:20-33

TO CHEW ON: "Abraham said, 'Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?'
He said, 'For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.'
Then he said, 'May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?'
He answered, 'For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.'” Genesis 18:31,32

One day three men came to visit Abraham. He welcomed them, washed their dusty feet and fed them a hot dinner. As they talked, Abraham realized that these visitors weren’t ordinary men. Two of them were angels and one was God Himself, in human form.

After their visit, as Abraham walked down the road with them God turned to him and said, “I’m going to tell you what I’m planning to do.” Then He explained how He had heard that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were sinful and violent. He said if the angels found that to be true, He would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

Immediately Abraham thought of Lot. He had moved near Sodom. So Abraham begged God to spare the city if there were good people found in it. Abraham asked God, would He please spare the city if there were fifty good people left in it?

God answered, “Yes.”

Abraham asked again, “What about forty-five?”

“Yes.”

“Forty? Thirty? Twenty?"

Three more times God said,“Yes.”

Still Abraham was worried. But should he test God's patience by asking still another time? He would ask just once more.

Abraham was persistent and determined when he talked to God. We too can pray for others (intercede) like Abraham did.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help and protect and bless my family, my friends, my coach, my teachers, my pastor, my mayor, my member of parliament or senator, my prime minister or president. Amen


MORE: Never-give-up prayers

Abraham didn’t easily give up in his praying. He kept asking and asking and asking.

Who is someone you’ve been praying for for a long time?

Learn from Abraham’s example, and don’t give up praying for that person!

*************
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.