Devotions for Dieters

James 1:6
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Sybil couldn't understand why Bev kept praying about her diet. It seemed so silly. Sybil was a good Christian, but she didn't bother talking about such trivial things with God. God had much better things to do than watch people lose weight, didn't He? Still, Bev seemed to be doing much better on her diet than Sybil was. Bev didn't struggle with temptation as much, and she was much better at saying no when she was offered rich, fattening foods. Maybe Bev had something. Her prayers were obviously a help to her, and Sybil had nothing to lose but her weight. Sybil decided to ask Bev for some guidance.

Today's thought: Too much doubt rules weight loss out!

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All!

Isaiah 20-22, Ephesians 6
Key Verse: Ephesians 6:18

Some words are so simple and clear that they should not need definition. All is one of those words. It means . . . well, you know, it means all! While we may understand the word, there are times when we need to be reminded of just how much all includes. Nothing is left out when all is included. To see what I mean, look at the all's of this verse:

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

Paul uses the word all repeatedly to stress the "all-ness" of prayer. We are to pray on all occasions, which leaves none out. All kinds of prayers and requests are to be brought to God. Praying is something we should always be doing. Finally, notice that we are to pray for all the saints. No one is to be left out of our praying.

One of the things going on in your life all the time is your heartbeat. It beats all the time. What does that all mean? It means all the time; no time is excluded.

You are to pray "all the time." What does that all mean?

Now, pray as if your heart beats with that kind of all, and let your heart beat like you pray with that kind of all. Would you live?

Praying always does not mean that you must always have your head bowed and your eyes closed. It does mean you are in constant communication with God. Consciously think today about keeping communication going with God.

Genesis 12:8

And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.

Pledge Your Allegiance

Many professional athletes proudly wear the corporate logo or company colors of those who sponsor them. They have no qualms at all in identifying themselves with the products and purposes of those who finance their careers.

When Abraham pitched his tents near Bethel, he boldly identified himself with the Lord. God not only called him to leave family and all that was familiar, but also provided for his needs along the way. In response, Abraham built an altar to God. This was not only an act of worship but also a public declaration to everyone who saw it that he was a worshiper of Yahweh. Furthermore, he "called on the name of the Lord"--that is, he publicly acknowledged his commitment to and need for the God of Israel.

As Christians, we are to boldly identify ourselves with the Lord as well. Be prepared. This may cost you the friendship of those who prefer the praises of the world. It may mean that you will experience ridicule and rejection. But Jesus reminds us, "Whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8-9).

Make your allegiance known. Wherever you may be, with whomever you may be, refuse to hide your commitment to the One who loves you and provides for your salvation. Jesus suffered the shame of the cross for you; be willing to suffer the ridicule of the world for Him.

There's no place in God's service for secret agents.

Why is God Silent?

What do you do when heaven is silent? What do you do when you cry out to God and there is no answer, or at least you can't hear it? This happened to David. He kept crying out to God, "Do not keep silent, O God of my praise!" (v. 1). David was being attacked by the wicked--a frequent occurrence in his life. You must remember that when he prayed these prayers of judgment (v. 13), he was not seeking personal revenge. No, he was praying as God's king over Israel. David wanted to see the wicked judged because they were attacking the people of God, the ones from whom God's Word and His Son would come.

Why is God silent at times? It may be because we aren't listening or we don't want to listen. Evangelist Billy Sunday used to say that a sinner can't find God for the same reason a criminal can't find a policeman--he's not looking. Sin makes us turn a deaf ear to God. When Adam and Eve heard the voice of God in the Garden of Eden, they ran and hid. Children often do that when they disobey.

Sometimes God is silent because we aren't ready for the message. He wants to talk to us about something, but we aren't ready. We have to go through refining trials to make us ready to listen.

God is sometimes silent because He knows we aren't willing to obey. He is always ready to show us His will, but He shows His will only to those who really want to do it. Jesus said in John 7:17, "If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine." Obedient people always hear the voice of God.

Finally, sometimes God is silent that He might test us--to teach us the importance of silence, the importance of waiting on Him. Waiting helps remind us of God's sovereignty.

* * *

The silence of God is one of the difficult tests of faith. What should you do when He is silent? Remember His faithfulness and past blessings. Live today on what He has already told you. Trust Him and wait. You will hear the voice of God again.

Does Christ Feel at Home in Your Heart?

Ephesians 3:14-17

Paul referred to his relationship to the indwelling Christ when he wrote: "I am [have been] crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20).

Thus, as Paul prayed for the Ephesians, he prayed that Christ might dwell in their hearts in the sense of being enthroned in their lives--that He might be truly at home, not just a guest.

He will be completely at home in our lives to the extent that He is truly Lord of our lives. When we received Him as Saviour, He came to permanently indwell us, but our need now is to put Him first in everything so that He will be at home in us.

When we come to this point, our desire will be the same as Paul's when he said, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death" (Phil. 3:10).

Notice that the place of Christ's dwelling is "in your hearts" (Eph. 3:17). Christ dwells in the inner man and desires to control the person He indwells.

Of course, Christ indwells every person who receives Him as Saviour, but this does not necessarily mean He is in control of the person's life.

In order for Christ to control our lives, we must give up the self-life--we must desire to please Him rather than ourselves. This means we will have to say no to our own desires when they conflict with His.

We will have victory in our lives only as we submit ourselves to the Lord and by faith live in dependence on Him. We must not underestimate the importance of denying ourselves when our desires conflict with His.

Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it" (Luke 9:23,24).

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20).

Love and Patience

Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them.

There is no greater contrast in all the Bible than the love and patience of God with the general disregard for that love and patience by men. Perhaps this theme is more clearly seen in the prophecy of Jeremiah than in any other. Jeremiah is one of the most colorful figures in Hebrew history. This is undoubtedly due to the fact that we know more about his personality and character than we do about any other Old Testament prophets. Called of God when he was but a child (Jeremiah 1:6), Jeremiah knew personally the love and patience of God and prophesied for Jehovah for nearly half a century. His concern was to bring Israel back to God in repentance and faith. Tragically, he stood in the mainstream of an ungrateful people who were rushing to certain destruction, yet they sought not God.

Jehovah was so concerned for His people that He commissioned Jeremiah to "stand in the gate of the LORD'S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD" (Jeremiah 7:2). God would not permit His people to face imminent destruction and death without the opportunity to repent and be restored. Jeremiah's task was to stand between the Jews and certain destruction.

In a delightful picture of the concern of Jehovah for His people, Jeremiah 7 twice indicates that God did not simply commission the prophet and then withdraw Himself from interest in the Jews. Jeremiah 7:13 says, "And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up and speaking but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not." It is natural for anyone who has loved ones facing pending danger to show diligence in dealing with it. The same is true for Jehovah God. It is no impassive God who is seen here. God takes a profound interest in His people. This indicates that God is not disengaged from His people or the affairs that affect them. He mourns over their sin and rejoices in their salvation. Still they do not heed His call for repentance and thus He must deliver them into the hand of the enemy.

The expression of Jehovah's rising early is strengthened in verse 25. Here He reminds His people, "Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them." It is not the prophets alone who are said to rise early with the message of repentance, but God Himself. Day after day, He rises to recommission anew these prophets with their life-changing message.

And what will be Israel's response to this consistent love and concern of Jehovah? Joshua 7:26 indicates, "Yet they hearkened not unto Me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck; they did worse than their fathers." What a contrast! God calls and commissions prophets to bring His message to a wayward people. He rises early every morning and sends forth His prophets. Still, day after day, His people do not hearken unto Him but harden their necks and become even more stubborn in their sin.

Today God is just as concerned about us as He was about Old Testament Israel. He showers His mercy on us as He did on them. He warns us of our sin as He warned the Jews. And much like them, we do not listen, nor do we heed the warnings of those whom He has raised to call us to repentance. Remember, before we arose early to seek God today, He had already risen to prepare this day for us. In response to His great love and concern for us, let us serve Him faithfully today.

MORNING HYMN
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heav'n to earth come down;
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation,
Enter ev'ry trembling heart.