JOY COMES IN THE MORNING AUGUST 1 Bible Reading: Psalm 30 Key Verse: Psalm 30:5- “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Key Words: joy cometh in the morning
There are some questions in regard to the background of this particular psalm, but whatever the occasion, the psalmist writes in the midst of adversity about the joy of tomorrow. Reminds me of a story I read about tough days. We all have those tough days. Some are worse than others. Like the one the hard-hat employee reported on his accident form when he tried to be helpful: “When I got to the building, I found that the hurricane had knocked off some bricks around the top. So I rigged up a beam with a pulley at the top of the building and hoisted up a couple of barrels full of bricks. When I had fixed the damaged area, there were a lot of bricks left over. Then, I went to the bottom and began releasing the line. Unfortunately, the barrel of bricks was much heavier than I was – and before I knew what was happening, the barrel started coming down, jerking me up. I decided to hang on since I was too far off the ground by then to jump, and halfway up, I met the barrel of bricks coming down fast. I received a hard blow on my shoulder. I then continued to the top, banging my head against the beam and getting my fingers pinched and jammed in the pulley. When the barrel hit the ground hard, it burst its bottom, allowing the bricks to spill out. I was now heavier than the barrel. So I started down, again, at high speed. Halfway down, I met the barrel coming up fast and received severe injuries to my shins. When I hit the ground, I landed on the pile of spilled bricks, getting several painful cuts and deep bruises. At this point, I must have lost my presence of mind, because I let go of my grip on the line. The barrel came down fast – giving me another blow on my head and putting me in the hospital. I respectfully request sick leave.” Tough days...yes, we all have them; but hold on, my child, joy comes in the morning. What to do: ✞ Trust in the Lord with all your heart; yes, even during the trying days of life.
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER AUGUST 2 Bible Reading: Romans 8:18-28 Key Verse: Romans 8:28- “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Key Words: All things work together for good
Have you ever had times in your life when you really had a hard time figuring out how the things in your life were working for your good? I must confess there have been times when I have asked the Lord, “Lord, how can this be for my good?” But, you know, on every occasion, God’s Word proved itself true. Like the man who was shipwrecked but managed to reach an uninhabited island... there, to protect himself against the elements and to safeguard the few possessions he had salvaged, he painstakingly built a little hut from which he constantly and prayerfully scanned the horizon for the approach of a ship. Returning one evening after a search for food, he was terrified to find the hut completely enveloped in flames. Yet, by divine mercy, this hard affliction was changed into a mighty advantage. Early the following morning, he awoke to find a ship anchored off the island. When the captain stepped ashore, he explained, “We saw your smoke signal and came.” Everything the marooned man owned had to be destroyed before he could be rescued. I have a saying that goes...”God never does things to us; He always does things for us.” So it is in your life today. God is working all things out for your good, and I might add, for His glory. What to do: ✞ Rejoice during your trials, for God is at work.
FOUR RULES TO DIE BY AUGUST 3 Bible Reading: Philippians 1:1-26 Key Verse: Philippians 1:21- “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Key Words: to die is gain
I have a number of principles and rules by which I live, as I am sure many of you do. But do we have any rules or principles to die by? In 1939, William Sangster assumed leadership of Westminster Central Hall, a Methodist church near London’s Westminster Abbey. During his first worship
service, he announced to his stunned congregation that Britain and Germany were officially at war. He quickly converted the church basement into an air raid shelter, and for 1,688 nights Sangster ministered to the various needs of all kinds of people. At the same time, he somehow managed to write, to preach gripping sermons, to earn a Ph.D., and to lead But do we hundreds to Christ. He became known as Wesley’s successor in London and was esteemed as the most have any beloved British preacher of his era. Sometime after the war, Sangster was diagnosed rules or with progressive muscular atrophy. For three years, he slowly died, becoming progressively more principles to paralyzed, finally able to move only two fingers. But his attitude didn’t falter, for when first learning of his die by? illness, Sangster made four rules for himself. Many people have rules for living. Sangster composed four rules for dying: “I will never complain. I will keep the home bright. I will count my blessings. I will try to turn it to gain.” He did all those things. And thus the work of God was displayed in his life, and in his death. What to do: ✞ Let others see Jesus in you, not just in life but in death as well.
YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD ADVERSITY AUGUST 4 Bible Reading: Genesis 42:21-38 Key Verse: Genesis 42:36- “And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.”
Key Words: All these things are against me
Do you know anyone like this: an attitude of despair – all things are against me? Every one of us has a choice of our attitude toward adversity. You can have, what I call, the Genesis 42:36 attitude or the Romans 8:28 attitude. The choice is yours. In A Turtle on a Fencepost, Allan Emery tells of accompanying businessman Ken Hansen to visit a hospitalized employee. The patient lay very still, his eyes conveying anguish. His operation had taken eight hours, and recovery was long and uncertain.
“Alex,” said Ken quietly, “you know I have had a number of serious operations. I know the pain of trying to talk. I think I know what questions you’re asking. There are two verses I want to give you – Genesis 42:36 and Romans 8:28. We have the option of these two attitudes. We need the perspective of the latter.” Hansen turned to the passages, read them, then prayed and left. The young man, Alex Balc, took the message to heart. He later enjoyed full recovery. Everyday we choose one of these attitudes amid life’s difficulties – to be beat-up, or to be up-beat. To say with Jacob in Genesis 42:36: “All these things are against me.”
Or to say with Paul in Romans 8:28: “All these things are working together for
good to those who love the Lord... .” The choice is yours. What to do: ✞ Let your attitude glorify God in all things.
PROBLEMS = OPPORTUNITIES AUGUST 5 Bible Reading: Numbers 13:17-33 Key Verse: Numbers 13:31- “But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.”
Key Words: We be not able to go up against the people
Problems are nothing more than an opportunity for improvement. In 2700 B.C., Emperor Whing Tee asked his wife, Ce Ling Shee, to try to find out
what was damaging his mulberry trees. The Empress first noticed that a drabcolored moth was laying tiny eggs on a mulberry leaf, each hatching into a caterpillar that ejected a thread for three days which it wrapped around its body until it formed a cocoon. She dropped the cocoon into hot water and saw a single thread begin unwinding itself. She had discovered silk. The Empress observed the fineness and beauty of the silk thread. She unbound it completely and found it to be ½ mile long from that single cocoon. And she thought that these fine threads might be made into cloth. Soon, a loom was developed on which they could be woven. That silk cloth that was woven on their loom was in such demand that later Romans are said to have weighed the silk before buying it and then paid an equal weight of gold for it. For more than 3000 years, only the Chinese knew the secret of silk. Then, in A.D. 522, Roman Emperor Justinian sent two monks to buy silk from China. The monks brought back more than silk. They personally broke the Chinese monopoly on silk
by smuggling back into Europe two silkworm eggs and mulberry tree seeds in their hollow monks’ staff. They were apparently the first industrial pirates. From these two silkworm eggs, the Roman Empire acquired enough silkworms to make it partially independent from China. Like so many serendipitous events, the discovery of silk came while trying to solve a problem. Before long, the business of growing mulberry trees was for the sole purpose of providing moths with leaves on which to lay their eggs so that the production of silk could be increased. Nothing like silk had ever appeared before in fine fabrics. It brought about a world of revolution in fashions. The very word silk brings to mind something that is soft, lustrous or luxurious. The wealthy of the world have always dressed themselves in silken clothes. It’s important to look for solutions instead of trying to avoid problems, so when you have a problem of some kind, remember that you also have an equal opportunity. What to do: ✞ Remember, problems are nothing more than an opportunity for improvement.
MY WORTH
AUGUST 6
Bible Reading: Isaiah 41:1-20 Key Verse: Isaiah 41:15- “Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.”
Key Words: a new sharp threshing instrument
A bar of steel, worth only a few dollars, is worth $10 when made into horseshoes.
If the bar of steel is made into needles, it is worth over $300. If that same bar of steel is made into pen-knife blades, it will be worth over $32,000. If it is made into watch springs, it will be worth $250,000. But, for the bar of steel’s value to increase, it must be hammered, passed through fire, beaten, pounded and polished. Isn’t life wonderful just knowing that God is preparing me for some great job for Him? I realize that my value to God’s service depends upon how I handle going through the hammering, the fire, the beating, the pounding and the polishing. But I had
rather go through the trials and be used than sit on a church pew and never accomplish anything for my Lord. Amen!? When the frosts are in the valley, And the mountain tops are grey, And the choicest buds are blighted, And the blossoms die away, A loving Father whispers, “This cometh from My hand. Blessed are ye if ye trust, When you cannot understand.” Author Unknown
What to do: ✞ Realize that God is preparing you for some great job for Him.
ARE YOU CARRYING A BURDEN? AUGUST 7 Bible Reading: Galatians 6:1-10 Key Verse: Galatians 6:5- “For every man shall bear his own burden.” Key words: For every man shall bear his own burden
While we are commanded to carry one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), we are also commanded to bear our own burdens. These burdens are always allowed for specific reasons. 1. Burdens help to develop our Christian character. 2. They help to mature us spiritually. 3. They cause us to rely on God. If we had no burdens to bear, I am afraid we would succumb to temptations in life
and be swept away and destroyed by the world. I remember reading a story told by a missionary to Africa. Lacking bridges, the natives were often required to wade across swollen streams in order to reach their destination. The current was swift and they were in constant danger of being swept
away. The weight of the human body and that of the water was about the same which made it difficult to stay on their feet. The natives solved the problem by filling sacks with rocks and carrying the extra weight on their shoulders. The extra weight secured their footing and kept them from slipping and falling. So it is with our lives. God allows the extra burdens to weigh us down, not to hinder or hurt us but to keep us from being swept away by the “river” of the world. Psalm 26:1b, “I have trusted in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.” May you rejoice as you “carry your burdens.” What to do: ✞ Bear your burdens with Godly grace and dignity.
COMFORT AUGUST 8 Bible Reading: II Corinthians 1:1-11 Key Verse: II Corinthians 1:4- “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
Key Words: Who comforteth us in all our tribulation
Of all the letters Paul wrote, II Corinthians is when the Apostle Paul lifts his veil of privacy and allows us to catch a glimpse of his personal life, his human frailties and needs, his suffering and pain. It is in this letter that Paul records his anguish, tears, affliction, and opposition, both human and satanic. In II Corinthians, chapter one, six times Paul talks about comfort during times of trial and pain. The key phrase, though, is found in the last four words of verse 3, God of all comfort. In verse 4 Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, tells us that we should learn from our experiences of pain (see verse 4). In verses 4, 9, and 11, Paul shares with us three reasons for our pain. Verse 4 – that we may be able to comfort others who are afflicted. Is it not true that people are more apt to listen and draw comfort from us if they know that we genuinely understand the pain they feel? Verse 9 – that we should not trust in ourselves. Through our pain we learn that we indeed are weak and we learn to lean on God. The express train of heaven seldom is announced by a warning bell. It comes suddenly and leaves behind pain and the reality that, indeed, the flesh is weak. We must trust in God, not ourselves.
Verse 11 – that thanks may be given. Thanks to God but thanks to others for their
help during our times of pain. It is during the times of pain and suffering that we realize how God can and does use others in the comforting process. Thanks be to God for his miraculous comfort! And from our family to each of you, thanks for allowing the Lord to use you to have a part in comforting us in the past few days. You have been blessing beyond words. What to do: ✞ Trials do one of two things: 1) they make you a better servant, or 2) they enslave you. Be used in trials; don’t let trials make you useable.
INNER BEAUTY AUGUST 9 Bible Reading: Proverbs 31:10-31 Key Verse: Proverbs 31:30- “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”
Key Words: beauty is vain
A successful beauty products company asked the people in a large city to send pictures along with brief letters about the most beautiful women they knew. Within a few weeks thousands of letters were delivered to the company. One letter in particular caught the attention of the employees and soon it was handed to the company president. The letter was written by a young boy who was obviously from a broken home, living in a run-down neighborhood. With spelling corrections, an excerpt from his letter read: “A beautiful woman lives down the street from me. I visit her everyday. She makes me feel like the most important kid in the world. We play checkers and she listens to my problems. She understands me and when I leave she always yells out the door that she’s proud of me.” The boy ended his letter by saying, “This picture shows you that she is the most beautiful woman. I hope I have a wife as pretty as her.” Intrigued by the letter, the president asked to see this woman’s picture. His secretary handed him a photograph of a smiling, toothless woman, well-advanced in years, sitting in a wheelchair. Sparse gray hair was pulled back in a bun and
wrinkles that formed deep furrows on her face were somehow diminished by the twinkle in her eyes. “We can’t use this woman,” explained the president, smiling. “She would show the world that our products aren’t necessary to be beautiful.” What to do: ✞ Remember that there is no greater beauty than that of inner character.
THE WIDOW AUGUST 10 Bible Reading: Psalm 51 Key Verse: Psalm 51:17- “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Key Words: a broken spirit and a contrite heart
Alice Gray writes, “Her husband died suddenly in an accident and she was left to raise her two sons alone. At first she was surrounded by compassionate and caring friends. They brought meals, sent cards, made phone calls, prayed. And then the weeks turned into months, and it seemed like all the world had forgotten. She longed to hear her husband’s name mentioned in conversation, she longed to talk about the wide stride of his walk, the warmth of his easy laugh, and how his hand had felt so strong in hers. She wanted the neighbors to come and borrow his tools or have a grown man shoot basketballs with her sons. “It was early on the morning of the first anniversary of his death. The dew was still wet on the grass as she walked across the cemetery lawn. And then she saw it, lying next to his gravestone. Someone had been there even before her and left a small bouquet of fresh cut flowers, tied with a ribbon: a gentle caring act that reached out to her lonely heart like a tender hug. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she read the unsigned note. The three words said simply, ‘I remember too.’” Isn’t it great that He remembers too our adversity? What to do: ✞ Remember, others care as well; but God cares the most.
A SECOND CHANCE AUGUST 11 Bible Reading: Jonah 1:1-3, 17; 2 – 3:1 Key Verse: Jonah 3:1- “And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,”
Key Words: the second time
Jonah was called by God to go to Nineveh; he ran the wrong way and fell into all kinds of adversity; but thanks be to God for His grace of a second chance. Georgia Tech played the University of California in the 1929 Rose Bowl. In the game a player recovered a fumble, but became confused and ran the wrong way. A teammate tackled him just before he would have scored a touchdown against his own team. At halftime all of the players went into the dressing room and sat down, wondering what the coach would say. This young man sat by himself; put a towel over his head, and cried. When the team was ready to go back onto the field for the second half, the coach stunned the team when he announced that the same players who had started the first half would start the second. All of the players left the dressing room except this young man. He would not budge. The coach looked back as he called him again, and saw that his cheeks were wet with tears. The player said, “Coach, I can’t do it. I’ve ruined you. I’ve disgraced the University of California. I can’t face that crowd in the stadium again.” Then the coach put his hand on the player’s shoulder and said, “Get up and go back in. The game is only half over.” When I think of that story, deep down inside I say, “What a coach!” When I read the story of Jonah in the Bible, and the stories of thousands like him, I say, “To think that God would give me another chance!” For those of you sitting on the sidelines because you fumbled the ball spiritually: get up and get back in there, the war is not over yet. What to do: ✞ Stay with it! Be faithful!
OTHERS AUGUST 12 Bible Reading: Philippians 2:1-18 Key Verse: Philippians 2:4- “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
Key Words: on the things of others
A real key to overcoming the adversities of life is in our focus on others. An old man showed up at the back door of the house we were renting. Opening the door a few cautious inches, we saw his eyes were glassy and his furrowed face glistened with silver stubble. He clutched a wicker basket holding a few unappealing vegetables. He bid us good morning and offered his produce for sale. We were uneasy enough to make a quick purchase to alleviate both our pity and our fear. To our chagrin, he returned the next week, introducing himself as Mr. Roth, the man who lived in the shack down the road. As our fears subsided, we got close enough to realize that it wasn’t alcohol, but cataracts, that marbleized his eyes. On subsequent visits, he would shuffle in, wearing two mismatched right shoes, and pull out a harmonica. With glazed eyes set on a future glory, he’d puff out old gospel tunes between conversations about vegetables and religion. On one visit, he exclaimed, “The Lord is so good! I came out of my shack this morning and found a bag full of shoes and clothing on my porch.” “That’s wonderful, Mr. Roth,” we said. “We’re happy for you.” “You know what’s even more wonderful?” he asked. “Just yesterday I met some people that could use them.” What to do: ✞ Be a blessing to others at all times, and if necessary, use words.
THE POWER TO RESTORE
AUGUST 13
Bible Reading: Psalm 23 Key Verse: Psalm 23:3- “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
Key Words: He restoreth my soul
I realize Psalm 23 is a familiar portion of Scripture but I ask you to read it carefully, focusing on the words “he restoreth my soul.”
The word restore carries the idea of a bone out of socket that the doctor puts back
in place. We all on occasion need restoring because of events, situations, and adversities which cause our soul to be out of socket. At the Royal Palace of Tehran in Iran, you can see one of the most beautiful mosaic works in the world. The ceilings and walls flash like diamonds in multifaceted reflections. Originally, when the palace was designed, the architect specified huge sheets of mirrors on the walls. When the first shipment arrived from Paris, they found to their horror that the mirrors were shattered. The contractor threw them in the trash and brought the sad news to the architect. Amazingly, the architect ordered all of the broken pieces collected, then smashed them into tiny pieces and glued them to the walls to become a mosaic of silvery, shimmering, mirrored bits of glass. Broken to become beautiful! It’s possible to turn your scars into stars. It’s possible to be better because of brokenness. It is extremely rare to find in the great museums of the world objects of antiquity that are unbroken. Indeed, some of the most precious pieces in the world are only fragments that remain a hallowed reminder of the glorious past. Never underestimate God’s power to repair and restore.
Today, let God restore your soul back to beauty again. What to do: ✞ Let God put the pieces of your life back together again.
COMMENCE PRAYER AUGUST 14 Bible Reading: Luke 18:1-8 Key Verse: Luke 18:1- “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”
Key Words: men ought always to pray, and not to faint
Have you ever considered the power of prayer? According to James 5:16, it heals; it gives wisdom (James 1:5); it sets the captive free (Acts 12:5); and according to our text, it can keep you from fainting in the day of adversity. The plane was headed for New York – a routine and normally very boring flight. But this time it proved to be otherwise.
As they were on their descent pattern, the pilot realized that the landing gear was
not engaging. He messed around with the controls, trying again and again to get the gear to lock into place ...without success. He then asked ground control for instruction. As the plane circled the landing field, the emergency crew coated the runway with foam and fire trucks and other emergency vehicles moved into position. Have you ever Meanwhile, the passengers were told of each maneuver in that calm, unemotional voice pilots considered the do so well. Flight attendants glided about the cabin with an air of cool reserve. Passengers power of prayer? were told to place their heads between their knees and grab their ankles before impact. There were tears and a few cries of despair... . Then, with the landing only minutes away, the pilot suddenly announced over the intercom: “We are beginning our final descent. At this moment, in accordance with International Aviation Codes established at Geneva, it is my obligation to inform you that if you believe in God you should commence prayer.” Scout’s honor...that’s exactly what he said! So during your time of adversity, pray!! What to do: ✞ Commence praying.
THE BELLS ARE RINGING AUGUST 15 Bible Reading: Matthew 18:10-20 Key Verse: Matthew 18:10- “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”
Key Words: their angels
There is, at least in my heart, no greater trying of one’s faith than the adversity of
the death of a child. This type of adversity will drive you from God or draw you close to Him. The following is a true story taken from Alice Gray’s book, Stories from the Heart. “A nurse with whom I worked, Gracie Schaeffler, had taken care of a five-year-old lad during the latter days of his life. He was dying of lung cancer.
“This little boy had a Christian mother who loved him and stayed by his side through the long ordeal. She cradled him on her lap and talked softly about the Lord. Instinctively, the woman was preparing her son for the final hours to come. Gracie told me that she entered his room one day as death approached, and she heard this lad talking about hearing bells ringing. ‘The bells are ringing, Mommie,’ he said. ‘I can hear them.’ “Gracie thought he was hallucinating because he was already slipping away. She left and returned a few minutes later and again heard him talking about hearing bells ring. “The nurse said to his mother, ‘I’m sure you know your baby is hearing things that aren’t there. He is hallucinating because of the sickness.’ “The mother pulled her son closer to her chest, smiled and said, ‘No, Mrs. Schaeffler. He is not hallucinating. I told him when he was frightened – when he couldn’t breathe – if he would listen carefully, he could hear the bells of heaven ringing for him. That is what he’s been talking about all day.’ “That precious child died on his mother’s lap later that evening, and he was still talking about the bells of heaven when the angels came to take him.” What to do: ✞ Don’t let the adversities of life drive you from God but to God, even though it may be hard to understand. God never does thing to us. He, in His love, allows things for us and for His glory. Psalm 116:15
ANOTHER CHANCE AUGUST 16 Bible Reading: John 21:1-19 Key Verse: John 21:19- “This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”
Key Words: Follow me
I love to read success stories, particularly success after failure. So it was in Peter’s life. His greatest success came after his failure. Jonas Salk, the great scientist and the discoverer of the vaccine against polio, understood the concept of being encouraging. He was once asked, “How does this
outstanding achievement, which was effectively brought an end to the word polio in our vocabulary, cause you to view your previous 200 failures?” His response (paraphrased) was, “I never had 200 failures in my life. My family didn’t think in terms of failure. They taught in terms of experiences and what could be learned. I just made my 201st discovery. I couldn’t have made it without learning from the previous 200 experiences.” Winston Churchill, too, was raised with encouragement. He was not intimidated by errors. When he made one, he simply thought the problem through again. Someone asked him, “Sir Winston, what in your school experience best prepared you to lead Britain out of her darkest hour?” Winston thought a minute and then said, “It was the two years I spent at the same level in high school.” “Did you fail?” “No,” replied Winston. “I had two opportunities to get it right.”
Aren’t you glad that God gives us another chance to get it right? What to do: ✞ Don’t be discouraged; just keep on until you get it right.
FEELING IMPORTANT AUGUST 17 Bible Reading: Proverbs 10:1-19 Key Verse: Proverbs 10:19- “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”
Key Words: In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin
I do think one of the great adversities we face is the discouragement of not feeling
needed. Often we feel unneeded because of things people say. One day a wise man came to a small town. He needed a place to stay so he went to the first church he found. Inside, a small group of people argued about how they could best please God. “I’ll help you,” the man said, “but you must promise to use what I do to glorify God.” “Oh, we will,” the people assured him. “We will.”
He gave each of them gifts – one was to be a pianist, another a flutist. To one he gave a cello, to another a violin, and to yet another he gave the role of toe-tapper.
The people worked hard and long to prepare a song of praise for the church. The
music became more and more beautiful. One afternoon during practice the violinist said to the pianist, “I’m so glad I have the important job of playing the violin. I’d sure hate to be a toe-tapper.” The toetapper was so hurt that he went home. The next day, when the group met to practice, nothing came together right. Finally, the flutist said, “Without the toe-tapper here I don’t know when to come in for my part.” They started over time and time again, but the music sounded terrible. It was then that the violinist spoke up in a very sad voice. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I thought I was so important that I didn’t need the help of the toe-tapper. I was wrong!” So he led the way to the toe-tapper’s house and asked him to come back with them. The toe-tapper agreed and once again the music was beautiful. Then, one Sunday, they played their music in church. God looked down and smiled. I think he even winked at the toe-tapper. What to do: ✞ Your best! If you’re the toe-tapper for God, you are important so do your best.
IT’S YOU I LOVE AUGUST 18 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 6:1-15 Key Verse: Deuteronomy 6:5- “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Key Words: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart
How many times have we heard someone say they love the Lord, but their action and attitude reveal otherwise? We often put God and the things of God on the back burner while saying with our mouth, “Lord, I love You.” A pastor I know was driving to work one morning when he bumped fenders with another motorist. Both cars stopped, and the woman driving the other car got out to survey the damage. She was distraught. It was her fault, she admitted, and hers was a new car, less than two days from the showroom. She dreaded facing her husband.
The pastor was sympathetic; but he had to pursue
the exchange of license and registration data. She reached into her glove compartment to retrieve the Love God documents in an envelope. On the first paper to tumble out, written in her with all your husband’s distinctive hand, were these words: “In heart. case of accident, remember, Honey, it’s you I love, not the car.” Now, let me ask you: can you honestly say that during both the good and bad times, “Lord, it’s You I love, not things.” What to do: ✞ Love God with all your heart.
FLABBY CHRISTIANS AUGUST 19 Bible Reading: Proverbs 24:1-10 Key Verse: Proverbs 24:10- “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”
Key Words: If thou faint
God doesn’t allow adversity in our lives to hurt us but to help us. Robert Hastings writes, “A friend of mine, Milo B. Arbuckle, likes to hunt and fish in the Rockies. His jeep often takes him off the beaten paths to where the mountain streams are clearest and the game most plentiful. His specialty is trout, including the rainbow, native, German-brown, and cutthroat. “One of his favorite haunts is about 10,000 feet up in the mountains, where the Rio Grande starts its long, winding descent through Colorado, New Mexico, then slices Texas from Mexico, before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. “’The best trout are up there,’ Milo boasts. ‘It is the nature of trout constantly to move upstream. The weaker and diseased fish are swept downstream. Only the strongest eventually reach the top, where the water is clearest and coldest.’ “Milo can judge a fish that has struggled upstream, for it is firmer and more muscular. He easily spots a hatchery-bred trout, because it is soft and flabby.
“I thought of the hymn, Higher Ground. It is the nature of a growing Christian to swim upstream. He may not always reach his goal, but his direction is onward and upward, while Christians who drift with the current end up soft and flabby.” Those who go through the adversities of life quietly serving God are made strong while all others become flabby. What to do: ✞ Don’t begrudge the adversities of life. They are what makes you strong in the Lord.
ADVERSITY AND THE RIGHT ATTITUDE AUGUST 20 Bible Reading: Daniel 3:1-19 Key Verses: Daniel 3:18-19- “But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.”
Key Words: But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
You can’t – no matter how hard you try – find a better attitude toward adversity than that of these three Hebrew men. It’s this type of attitude toward adversity that makes me stand up and say, “Amen, brother!” Don’t you sometimes grow weary over the whiny attitudes of those who mope and gripe and complain about the most trivial things? I’m having a plaque put in my office which says, “The 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Whine.” Thomas A. Edison’s son, Charles, describes the night in which his father’s entire laboratory at Menlo Park burned. The famous inventor was then sixty-seven, and the winter wind blew his sparse white hair as he stood watching years of work go up in flames.
“My heart ached for him,” Charles said. “He was no longer a young man. But then he spotted me and shouted, ‘Charles, go find your mother. Bring her here. She’ll never see anything like this as long as she lives!’” And the next morning Thomas A. Edison observed, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.” Amen and amen! What to do: ✞ Thou shalt not whine.
IN THY PRESENCE AUGUST 21 Bible Reading: Psalm 16 Key Verse: Psalm 16:11- “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Key Words: Thou wilt shew me the path of life Life is filled with challenges and adversities.
Why, everyone has his share of disappointments. And the deciding factor is not how big the disappointment, but how one reacts to the problem. Julius Rosenwald, when he was chairman of the board of Sears, Roebuck and Co., used to say, “When life hands me a lemon, I make a lemonade out of it.” “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on” is another way of saying it. The mother of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was fond of solitaire, often said, “The Lord deals the cards; you play them.” And Dick Gregory’s mother, when there was no fatback to go with the beans, no socks to go with the shoes, and no hope to go with tomorrow, would say to her kids, “We ain’t poor, we’re just broke.” Henry Ward Beecher ties this whole subject in a neat little package of twentythree words: “God asks no man whether he will accept life. This is not the choice. You must take it. The only choice is how.”
How will you handle the adversities that come your way? “In thy presence is fulness of joy” Psalm 16:11b. What to do: ✞ Accepting life is not your choice...how you accept...that’s your choice.
NO PAIN AUGUST 22 Bible Reading: Hebrews 12:1-9 Key Verse: Hebrews 12:6- “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”
Key Words: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth Feeling no pain is not as great as it may appear to be; it is dangerous.
Little Beverly Smith, born in Akron, Ohio, almost never cried. She never cried when she fell down; she never cried when she bumped her head; she didn’t even cry when she burned her hand on a hot stove. She cried only when she was hungry or angry. The doctors soon discovered that she had a defect in the central nervous system for which no cure is known. She could not feel pain. The doctors told the mother she must watch Beverly constantly: the baby might break a bone and continue using it until it could not be set properly; she might develop appendicitis without nature’s usual warning of pain. Spanking her to make her more careful about hot stoves and knives would do no good; she wouldn’t feel it. Life without pain would be perpetually dangerous. The spiritual application is simple. The Lord sends troubles into our lives for a purpose. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth...if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons” (Hebrews 12:6, 8). If we accept the warnings of little chastisements, we will be kept from the bigger hurts; just as the warnings given us by our nervous systems keep us away from fires and other hurts.
Let every Christian examine himself to see whether he has become insensitive to the presence of sin. What to do: ✞ Examine yourself to see if you have become insensitive to the presence of sin.
OH GOD – OH ME AUGUST 23 Bible Reading: Nahum 1 Key Verse: Nahum 1:7- “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
Key Words: a stronghold in the day of trouble
During times of adversity we cry out to God; but when the adversity passes, we fail to remember our cry. The night before they were to attack the German lines, a hundred men wrote letters home. The chaplain, whose duty it was to censor the letters, put them in a mail pouch until after the battle. When the battle was over, the men again wrote home, telling of During times of their ordeal. The overburdened chaplain had both sets of letters to censor. adversity we cry Here is a sample of what he read before the battle: “Dear Mother, we’re going to attack in the out to God; but morning and I’ve been thinking of home and you, and I vowed to God that if I come through when the adversity tomorrow, I am going to be a better man.” Some even said, “I believe I’m going into the ministry.” passes, we fail to But after the battle, in the same handwriting, remember our cry. three days later, to a friend in another regiment: “Dear Joe: Can you get leave? The last time we were in Paris, we had a hot time, didn’t we? I’ve just come through a scorcher up front, and we were near death at every moment. If you can get leave and meet me in Paris, boy, we’ll go out on the town!” Before the battle: “Oh, God, if I get through tomorrow!” After the battle: “Well, I got through, God, so I don’t need you anymore.”
For many people God is a very present help in time of trouble; but let the trouble
pass, and God moves out of the picture. And there are many people who, when they are sick, cry out, “Oh, God!” but when they get well, “Oh, me!”
What to do: ✞ Never forget the same God Who delivers from adversity also allows it.
THE DISMANTLED CLOCK AUGUST 24 Bible Reading: Romans 8:26-39 Key Verse: Romans 8:28- “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Key Words: all things work together for good
Small boys are always interested in finding out what makes things go. One day a boy took a clock apart to find out what made it tick. When he tried to put it together again, he seemed to have enough wheels and springs to make two clocks; he discovered that all of the parts must move in their proper way – certain wheels must move forward and certain ones backward. There are wheels that move quickly and wheels that move slowly. There is the large mainspring and the tiny hairspring; all of the parts work together to make the clock go. In the life of a Christian, when events move forward we are very pleased with the progress. If events move backward, we are inclined to be impatient; we want them to move in the direction of our own will, not understanding the purpose that God has in our lives. There are matters that are great and very important to us – mainspring events in our lives – births, marriages, deaths, triumphs and tragedies. There are matters as fine as a hairspring – petty annoyances, trivial happenings, that seem little and unimportant at times – that regulate the course of our lives. There are events in our lives that move smoothly and rapidly, and we rejoice at their action. Some things lag and incite our impatience as we seek to speed them up to the tempo of our own wills. But when all of these events – backward, forward; fast, slow; great, small – are seen in their relationship to each other, we must conclude
that to those who love God and who are called according to His plan, everything that happens fits into a pattern for good. What to do: ✞ Remember that all things happen for a reason, and that’s for God’s glory and our good.
GOD PLANNED IT AUGUST 25 Bible Reading: Exodus 4:1-17 Key Verse: Exodus 4:11- “And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?”
Key Words: have not I the LORD
I read the following. The author is unknown. Some years ago, a young minister, in whose church I was holding a series of weekly meetings, said to me, “I may not be able to attend every meeting because we are expecting a baby soon.” About three weeks later he came to the service, just before its close. Afterward I went to his study; his back was to me as I asked, “Well, which is it, boy or girl?” He turned, and I saw tragedy written on his face. He said, “God has given me a son, and I love that boy, but he is a mongoloid idiot.” I said, “At the very outset you must learn that God Almighty has honored you more than he has honored many people. God does not give the privilege of great suffering to every one of His children. He has chosen you for that purpose.” Then I turned to the fourth chapter of Exodus, in which God talks to Moses at the burning bush; I pointed to verse eleven. Moses had just said, “I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” And God replied, “Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or the blind? Have not I the LORD?” But I read the verse thus: “And the LORD said unto Moses, Who has made man’s mouth? or who maketh him dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind, or a mongoloid idiot? Have not I the LORD?” He
snatched the Bible from me and read it for himself. “Oh,” he said, “I never saw this before, but it’s true, it’s true! It must be true! I believe it!” To receive the Congressional Medal of Honor is not so great a tribute as to be chosen, as one of God’s children, to endure great tragedy. This the Bible teaches everywhere. If you do not think God has planned these things, then you must believe that there is a power greater than God, or that things happen from blind chance. If you have had tragedy in your life; if you have endured a physical defect or deformity, God planned it. If you are a man, God planned that you be a man. If you are a woman, God planned that you be a woman. If you are five-feet-two, or six-feet-five, God planned that height for you. If you are blind, God planned that you should be blind. To God be the glory! What to do: ✞ Live your life understanding you are who you are because God has a special purpose for you; so go and fulfill it.
THAT ONE AUGUST 26 Bible Reading: II Corinthians 1:1-12 Key Verse: II Corinthians 1:4- “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
Key Words: that we may be able to comfort them
I heard a story once about a farmer who had some puppies for sale. He made a sign advertising the pups and nailed it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was nailing the sign to the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down to see a little boy with a big grin and something in his hand. “Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of your puppies.” “Well,” said the farmer, “these puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal.” The boy dropped his head for a moment, then looked back up at the farmer and said, “I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?”
“Sure,” said the farmer as he whistled and called out, “Dolly. Here, Dolly.” Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy’s eyes danced with delight. Then out from the doghouse peeked another little ball, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid and began hobbling in an unrewarded attempt to catch up with the others. The pup was clearly the runt of the litter. The little boy pressed his face to the fence and cried out, “I want that one,” pointing to the runt. The farmer knelt down and said, “Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you the way you would like.” With that the boy reached down and slowly pulled up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe. Looking up at the farmer, he said, “You see, sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands.” No one understands the adversity that we are experiencing better than the one who has experienced it himself. What to do: ✞ Use your adversity as a ministry to help others, not a parking lot of selfpity.
PRECIOUS LORD AUGUST 27 Bible Reading: Psalm 4 Key Verse: Psalm 4:1- “<<To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David.>> Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.”
Key Words: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress
The backdrop of Psalm 4 is a familiar one. David’s son, Absalom, had rebelled
against his father. But even in the midst of David’s heartache, David knew that God was with him. He always was. “In 1932, my wife Nettie and I were living in Chicago,” said Thomas A. Dorsey, a black, well-known writer of Gospel songs. “We were expecting our first child. En route to St. Louis for a revival meeting, I discovered that I didn’t have my briefcase;
and I returned home. Nettie was asleep, so I slipped the briefcase from under the bed and resumed my trip. “Two nights later, I received a telegram from Chicago saying my wife had died in childbirth! Some friends drove me home, and I learned that the baby boy had died also. We buried mother and son in the same casket. That was double trouble, and I couldn’t take it. I said, ‘God, You aren’t worth a dime to me right now.’” A few days later, however, the fog lifted from Dorsey’s sorrow-riven soul. As his fingers moved along the keyboard of his piano, the words of the hymn Precious Lord, Take My Hand came to him. Born in the matrix of overwhelming sorrow, this hymn imparts its sorrow-assuaging message to millions of broken hearts. Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, help me stand; I am tired, I am weak, I am worn; Thru the storm, thru the night, Lead me on to the light,’ Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home. When my way grows drear, Precious Lord, linger near; When my life is almost gone, Hear my cry, hear my call, Hold my hand lest I fall; Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home. What to do: ✞ Remember, God is with you through both the good times and the “bad.”
CIRCUMSTANCES AUGUST 28 Bible Reading: Genesis 39:1-23 Key Verse: Genesis 39:1- “And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.”
Key Words: and Joseph was brought down to Egypt
The story of Joseph is a good place for any Christian in trial to go to and to study
for encouragement. When God is with you and for you, nothing in this world can defeat you. Joseph was hated by his brothers. As a teenager, he was sold to the Midianites as a slave. The Midianites sold him to Potiphar, a captain of the guard in Pharoah’s army. God blessed Joseph; and as a young man he became in complete control of Potiphar’s house. He was accused of immoral intentions by Potiphar’s wife and thrown in jail. In jail he became the head jailer as God blessed him. In prison he interpreted a butler’s dream and gained a promise from the butler that he would remember him when he was released. The butler forgot him for two years. Still in jail for two years after so many other difficult trials, many would be discouraged to the point of giving up. Nevertheless, Joseph believed that God had a great purpose for him. In every circumstance Joseph did the best he could and waited on God. The hummingbird of the east coast will migrate as far as 3,000 miles from Canada to Central America. When the small bird reaches the Gulf Coast, he is faced with a 500-mile, nonstop journey across the Gulf. That small bird will rest and feast for several days, hibernating at night in cold weather to keep his strength. Then, one morning he takes off and does not stop until he is in Central America. In life, circumstances will often be bad. Trust in God can get a person through even the worst of them. God has a purpose for you, just as he did for Joseph. Never let your circumstances sour or kill that glorious purpose that God has for you.
What to do: ✞ Fulfill God’s purpose for your life now. To do so you’ll have to go through some adversity. I’ve never found it to be any other way.
THIS IS THE DAY AUGUST 29 Bible Reading: Psalm 118 Key Verse: Psalm 118:24- “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Key Words: This is the day which the LORD hath made
The adversities of yesterday and the potential for adversity tomorrow can rob me of the joy God has for my life. Missionary Tom Stubrick said the following:
“I must live today. Yesterday has gone behind locked doors, while tomorrow is shaded by a veil. Only with today am I able to do anything. Today is the only day where I can live; today is what the Lord has given me. “If I try to live in yesterday, re-living its failures or resting on its successes; then I lose this fleeting moment of today. Yesterday has a keyless lock. I can learn from yesterday, I can cherish yesterday, but I cannot unlock it. Today is the only day I can live; today is what the Lord has given me. “If I try to live in tomorrow, full of its hopes and dreams; then I lose this moment to make yesterday’s dream a reality. Tomorrow lies hidden behind a veil constantly moving forward. I can plan for tomorrow; I can prepare for tomorrow. But I cannot go beyond that veil. Today is the only day where I can live; today is what the Lord has given me. “I must live today. Today is what the Lord has given me. I can use the lessons of the past and reach for the dreams of tomorrow, but I must live today – or I will have failed to live at all. It is God’s gift for His glory. “This was the idea which Paul had in mind when he penned those words to describe his attitude towards life. Only when we learn this can we say we have ‘redeemed the time’ the Lord has given to us. Too many believers live content with what they used to do or with a promise to serve ‘tomorrow;’ while the mind Paul encourages is one which asks, ‘What does the Lord have for me today?’”
What to do: ✞ Live for the Lord today, rejoicing in Him moment by moment.
THE SUNSHINE MINISTER AUGUST 30 Bible Reading: Psalm 28 Key Verse: Psalm 28:7- “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”
Key Words: The LORD is my strength
Al Smith records in his book, Treasury of Hymn Histories, the following story. “Did you ever have the feeling of being abandoned? That you were all alone with
your cares and problems?
“Rev. Frank Graeff went through such a deep and heartbreaking experience. He was to say later that his ‘whole attitude had become one of despair and defeat’ and that in turn produced a life which was anything but happy and victorious. He had lost sight of the One Who cares – the One Who knows about our heartaches and griefs – the One Who is the burden-bearer and has promised never to leave us in such times. “ach day saw him slipping, as did Bunyon’s Pilgrim, deeper into the ‘slough of despair’ until one day when he felt he could stand it no longer and had come to the end of the road – in this extremity, he began to sing a song that had been born out of just such an experience that he was going through. It had been written by Joseph Scriven seventy-five years before. What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer – Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear ... “Frank Graeff could go on no further. He dropped to his knees and began to pour out his heavy heart to the One Who cared. The peace he had forfeited came flooding through his soul and with it a ‘joy unspeakable and full of glory.’ ‘I know He cares! I know My Saviour cares!’ shouted the reclaimed preacher. “Is it any wonder that shortly after this experience there flowed from his happy and revived heart the song ‘Does Jesus Care?’ that has blessed and encouraged so many thousands from the time it was written in 1900?” Rev. Graeff went on to become one of the leading pastors in the Philadelphia area where he became known as “The Sunshine Minister.”
What to do: ✞ Read the following and know Jesus really cares. Does Jesus care when my heart is pained Too deeply for mirth and song, As the burdens press, and the cares distress, And the way grows weary and long? Does Jesus care when my way is dark With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night shades, Does He care enough to be near? Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed To resist some temptation strong, When for my deep grief I find no relief, Tho’ my tears flow all the night long? Does Jesus care when I’ve said goodbye To the dearest on earth to me, And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks – Is it aught to Him? Does He see? Chorus: Oh yes, He cares— I know He cares! His heart is touched with my grief; When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares.
HOOKED AUGUST 31 Bible Reading: Psalm 32 Key Verse: Psalm 32:4- “For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.”
Key Words: For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me
Many times we bring adversity upon ourselves through our craving for sin. I often tell our youth: “You are free to do what you want, but you are not free to choose the consequences of your action.” So it was in David’s life. Psalm 32 is a prayer of David after his adultery with Bathsheba. How tragic is the result of our sin!! A fifteen years old boy regretfully confessed: “I started to smoke pot about two years ago. It was fun, I thought, and I didn’t see that it was doing me any harm. Some months later I realized that I was ‘hooked’ and couldn’t stop, though some socalled experts say it isn’t addictive. I became alarmed when I couldn’t remember where I had put things and blanked out on telephone numbers and addresses that used to come easy. Then I resolved to shake the enslaving habit when it became
apparent that I was in serious trouble at school. My grades were going down and I flunked three subjects. “It has been three months since I quit the habit. My school work has improved but it’s nowhere near what it was two years ago. I still have some very crazy dreams. The worst mistake I ever made in my life was experimenting with the lousy stuff! It messed up my life plenty. I hope to God that I get back to normal again!”
What to do: ✞ Ask yourself if your adversity is a result of sin. If it is, confess it to God and forsake it!!
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I deeply appreciate the help of: Cathy Fortenberry Mary Schleifer Mary Parsons John and Tascha Piatt Reba Pontbriand And my lovely wife, Linda
Without God using these people to help, this devotional would not have been possible.
  Dr. Mike Rouse
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