Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Our Years In His Hands

OUR YEARS IN HIS HANDS
Psalm 31
Vv. 14-15: “‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hands.”

“Why did Jesus send me back, Mommy?” Emily asked her Mom. “I wanted to stay with Him.” (See Wholeness devotion).

“Jesus sent you back to me, your Daddy, and Marshall!” Emily’s Mom said, hugging her tightly. “I couldn’t bear it if you hadn’t come back to me, Em!”

“But, why?” Emily insisted.

Emily’s Mom sighed. “I suppose we may never know why God does anything. Our faith enables us to trust that He knows best. We believe that ‘God makes everything work together for good, for those who love Him, and are called according to His purpose.’” (Romans 8:28).

“Huh?”

“There are lots of things we don’t understand” Emily’s Mom said, holding her close in the rocking chair. “What makes me burst with happiness is knowing how much you love Jesus. So that takes care of the first condition.”

“What?”

“God makes all things work together for good for whoever loves him. You do love God, so He’ll make everything work out for good for you, Em.”

“But I saw Jesus, Mom!”

“Jesus is God, Em. He’s God’s Son, remember?”

“Yeah, right.” Emily nodded her head. “So Jesus is God, too.”

“Yes. We worship a triune God, Em. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, remember? One God, three persons. Did you learn this in Sunday School?”

“Mostly we color in Sunday School, and sing songs…But I remember coloring one picture with three people. That’s right!” Emily smiled, clapping her hands. “I colored the Father the color of grass.”

“That is green.”

“Jesus, the color of my favorite dress.”

“Purple.”

“Purcle. And the Holy Pirit the color of the sun—my favorite color!”

“Yellow. You’re my sunshine, Em!”

“But why did I have to come back?”

“I suppose to satisfy the rest of Scripture, Em. God has called you for a purpose.”

“What’s that mean?”

“God’s got a specific reason for your life, Em.”

“What is it, Mom?”

“We’ll just have to see as you grow up, Emily. Maybe you’ll be a talented dancer, or gifted at healing sick people. But whatever you grow up to be, know that God’s in control of your life—for who knows how many years.”

“I want to be a teacher” Emily said.

“Then” her Mom advised, “be the best teacher you can possible be! But whatever you do, always give your best, doing everything with love. God made you for a specific reason. The trick is learning what that reason is.”

Take Home Nugget


Do you know and trust that God’s in control of your living years?

Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth,
All my years are in Your hand.
Forever gracious, always wise,
Everything’s at Your command.

J.D. Griffith
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Friday, August 27, 2010

Never Say "Never"

NEVER SAY “NEVER”
Acts 7:54-8:1
Acts 8:1: “And Saul was there, giving approval to his [Stephen’s] death.”


“Is there anyone in your household who belongs to the sect, “the Way?” Saul demanded.

“The Way?” a man asked. “I don’t know anyone who follows the Way. Leave me alone!”
“Do you know anyone who does?” Saul challenged.

“Why are you looking for people who follow the Way?”

“I’m searching for people who associate themselves with that counterfeit (KOWN-ter-fit, meaning fake, imitation) religion, and will drag him or her to prison!” (Acts 8:3). Saul bragged, his head high.

“Aren’t you the Jewish Pharisee named Saul?”

“Yes. So what?”

“I’m laughing Saul, because before this week is out, you will follow the Way!” (Acts 24:14).

“Never!” Saul screeched.

On his way to Damascus, Saul was overcome by a blinding light pouring out from the heavens. Dazed and on the ground, he heard a voice.

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go to the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:3-7).

“What’s wrong, Saul? You look like you just saw a ghost!” Saul’s companions asked.

“You didn’t see that blazing light? You didn’t hear His voice?” Saul looked at them, blinking. “I can’t see a thing! Help me walk, please.”

“We did hear a voice, but we didn’t see anyone. And now we’re supposed to believe that you’re blind?”

“Fools! That was Jesus—straight out of heaven!” Saul insisted.

“We thought you Jews put Jesus to death—on a cross” they accused.

“Yes, we did! There was a rumor that He rose from the dead, hung around for awhile, then ascended to heaven. Of course, who would believe that?” Saul scratched his balding head… “Well, I’ll be. It’s true! Jesus IS alive!”

“What now, Saul?”

“I’m supposed to go into Damascus, and find out there what I’m supposed to do…but somehow, I think my life just changed—forever.

Take Home Nugget

First Saul was passionate about destroying whoever followed Jesus. When it comes to God’s work—even in the most difficult people—we should never say,“never.” Before Saul’s eyesight was restored, he’d become passionate about preaching Jesus, as God’s Son, raised from the dead, and ascended to Heaven (Acts 13:16-43). It was in Antioch where the disciples were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26).

It may have taken a life-changing event for Saul to get the saving grace of Jesus Christ, what will it take for you?

Who can put God in a box, sure of what’s possible?
When it comes to changing lives, God amazes us with the impossible!

Dedicated to beloved daughter, Myah Griffith, on her 33rd birthday.
J.D. Griffith
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Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Wholeness

WHOLENESS
John 5:1-9
V. 6: “When Jesus saw him [a paralyzed man] lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, He asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’”


Many people live in brokenness every day. Some are blind, some are deaf. Others suffer from various illnesses or incurable diseases. For everyone who is crippled, or otherwise handicapped, there are many more suffering a broken heart, pain, or in bondage to Satan.

“Glad to meet you, Emily” Timmy said, sitting down next to her in Marshall’s van. (See Emily’s Jesus devotion).

“Hi. I saw Jesus!” Emily said, beaming.

“My name is Timothy. We prayed for Jesus to heal you while you were in the hospital.”

“You did? That’s why Jesus came to see me?” Emily asked, wide-eyed.

“Could be. Please tell us about Jesus.”

Emily looked at Timmy for a long moment. “What do you want to know?”

“What does Jesus look like?” Greg asked Emily from outside the van’s back seat’s open door.

“Hush, Greg. Just listen” Greg’s Mom whispered.

From inside the van, Emily asked those outside, “Who are you?”

“I’m Marshall’s friend, Greg—his swimming buddy. This is Lauren, my Mommy.”

“Oh” Emily said, readjusting herself. “Well, Jesus’ eyes are what I remember most.”
“What color were they?” Marshall asked Emily.

“Uh, I don’t really know, Marsh. They changed color when He spoke. First they were this color” pointing to the blue seat. “Then they were the color of the sun.” She sighed. “Then they were like chocolate.” Emily giggled. “But it’s more ‘portant what He said—and how I felt.”
“Ok. Please tell us” Timmy urged.

“Jesus said, ‘You’re going back now. Be whole, Emily.’”

Emily’s Mom in the front seat, whisked away tears streaming down her face with her hand.

“I said, ‘I don’t want to leave You, Jesus!’ Jesus put His hand on my head, and said, ‘Go, My daughter, and remember this day—always.’” Emily laid her head back, closed her eyes, and sighed. “I felt warm all over my body—inside and out—all tingly, and best.

Take Home Nugget


The King James Version of the Holy Bible uses the phrase “made whole” to describe Jesus’ physical healing. “Wilt thou be made whole?” were Jesus words in the KJV from the opening Scripture. If we only want Jesus because of what He can do for us, our relationship with Him will be extremely limited. But when we want Jesus Himself, He’ll bless us with wholeness, making our lives complete.
In Emily’s words, He makes us best. In Jesus’ words, “Sin no more.”

Thank You Jesus for making me see
My selfish sin, my helpless soul
Made wholeness best when believing in thee.

J.D. Griffith
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Friday, August 20, 2010

Emily's Jesus

EMILY’S JESUS
Luke 18:16
“But Jesus called the children to Him and said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and no not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’”

The clock at the swimming pool read 4:45. Marshall grabbed his towel. “I’m going outside now, it’s almost five o’clock” he announced, slipping into his sandals. “Sorry for being late. Thanks for praying for my little sister…you’re two awesome big brothers!”

“Wait up!” Timmy yelled from the water’s edge. “I’m coming with you!”

“Me, too!” Greg echoed. “I can’t believe that I actually dove into the pool—off the high diving board! My Mom’s supposed to be picking us up around now, anyway.”

Timmy admitted, “I’m curious about your little sister, Marshall. What’s her name, anyway? I should have used her name in our prayer—oops!” (See Sure Victory devotion).

“Her name is Emily” Marshall replied. “I’ve been thinking about her all day!”

Timmy threw his arm around Marshall’s shoulders, “She was totally on our minds today” little buddy. “But we put her into the arms of the Great Physician, remember? I don’t think we could have helped her more than that, even if we’d been at the hospital all day.”

Greg’s red Impala pulled up. Greg said through the passenger side window. “Hi Mom, could you pull over to the side for a few minutes?”

“”No Greg, we need to get home.”

“Mom, Marshall’s parents are going to pick him up any time…his sister was rushed to the hospital this morning…we prayed for her, Mom. You’d have been proud. We just want to see how she’s doing before leaving. Please wait with us for a bit.”

“OK, Greg. I’ll park and wait with you.”

Marshall’s blue Town’N Country van pulled up next.

“Emily!” Marshall screamed. A two-year-old girl with black curly hair, sitting in a car seat, grinned and waved. “Mom, she’s coming home?”

“Hi everyone” Marshall’s Mom said out the window. “Emily wasn’t breathing when the ambulance whisked her to the hospital. We must have found her in time.”

“What happened?” Greg’s Mom asked.

“The EMT’s (Emergency Medical Technicians) performed CPR.” (Cardio-Pulmonary-Resuscitation is breathing into a person, and doing chest compressions to restart the heart, if necessary). “She woke up, and has been good ever since.”

“I saw Jesus!” Emily announced—her face one big smile.

“She’s been saying that all day to everyone.” Marshall’s Mom admitted.

“She’s alright now? Greg’s Mom asked, grinning.

“I think that they discharged her because she won’t stop talking!”

Take Home Nugget


Do you think Emily saw Jesus?
Jesus’ wants us to learn His truth, AND to never forget to bring to Him our youth.
Dedicated to Emily, a little girl I met in Walnut Creek, CA.

J.D. Griffith
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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Personalized Faith

PERSONALIZED FAITH
Judges 2:6-12
V. 10: “After that whole generation [Israelites whom Joshua had led into Canaan], had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what He had done for Israel.”

After their prayer for Marshall’s sister, (see Sure Victory devotion), Greg, Timmy, and Marshall continued sitting on the bench. Timmy asked, “Do you feel that peace?”

Nodding his head, Marshall said, “Yeah, cool. So you’re Christians, too?”

“Yep, we’re in the same grade at school, and Sunday School” Greg said. “Timmy’s like the most religious guy I know—except for Pastor John.”

“My family’s Catholic” Marshall admitted. “I never knew we could pray out in the open, like that.”

Timmy objected, “No fair, Greg. I’m not that religious! I just remember what we learned in Vacation Bible School—to pray at all times.” He stood up from the bench. “I’m hot. Want to go off the high dive now?”

“Yes!” Greg said, jumping up. “I want to try diving into the water from that pike position Marshall showed us”

“You’ve got to straighten your legs up fast, Greg” Marshall warned. “At the same time, throw your arms together in front of your head…if you don’t want to smack the water face first.”

Climbing the ladder, Marshall mumbled, “Pray at all times, huh? I pray that Greg straightens his body fast for the dive.” He bowed his head, and took a step up.

Timmy cannon-balled into the water. Greg was clapping as he walked out on the board. He yelled and waved, “That cannon ball splashed water way past the bench we just left!” Then he was deep in thought. Go from pike to legs up, hands down.

Marshall yelled, “Don’t grab your ankles, do it all in one motion, Greg—from pike to dive.” … Greg ran off the high diving board.

His pike was sloppy, his legs didn’t get all the way up, but his arms did protect his face.

“Hurray Greg, not too bad—for a first attempt” Marshall cheered a slurping Greg who surfaced quickly from the deep.

Marshall met the guys at the water’s edge after his flawless reverse dive. “I really didn’t know that we could pray at all times like that. It really works!”

“What’s really cool about praying at all times, Marshall, is that before you know it, God’s your buddy!” Timmy said. “It sure works for me!”

Take Home Nugget


Parents either bring kids to church to worship, or send them with others. Some kids never to go church. We don’t know where or how they got their faith, but they want to pass it on to us kids. We learn through living that:
If we don’t personalize our own faith, it won’t work for us.

J.D. Griffith
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Friday, August 13, 2010

Sure Victory

SURE VICTORY
1Samuel 17:33-50
V. 46: “This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.”

Another sunny day, Greg and Timmy waited in line to go off the high diving board. “Do you think that Marshall can really teach me how to dive into the pool?” Greg wondered aloud. (See Safety Zone devotion).

“He says it’s easy from the pike position” Timmy said, looking around. “Wonder where he is?”

After Greg soaked the entire area—pool and lawn—with his cannon ball, they took a break.
Sitting on the bench, slurping fudge sickles, Greg said, “Legs up, hands down—right?”

“What?” Timmy asked.

“To do a dive from the pike position! Where is Marshall? He was coming today, right?”

“On second thought, to do a dive from the pike position you’ll need to go off the high diving board…I thought it would be less intimidating from the low board” a voice said.

“Marshall! There you are. What’s up?”

“Not enough room to maneuver (man-OOV-er, meaning exercise, movement) from the low board…unless you jump really high…not sure you’d want to do that, either.”

“What’s wrong, Marshall?” Greg moved over and patted the bench. “Sit down and tell us, buddy.”

“My little sister was rushed to the hospital.”

“Oh. I’m really sorry. How come you’re here?” Timmy asked.

“Mom said she’d pick me up on their way home from the hospital, around five o’clock. … I’m so scared, guys!” Marshall buried his face in the crook of his arm, his tears spilling out, dropping on his thigh.

“This is scary, Marshall. Don’t feel bad about caring for your sister, we get that, little buddy.”

“I know what” Timmy said. “Let’s ask God to heal your sister. I know he will! The three of us can ask Him. Right here, right now. How about it?”

Greg said, “The pool’s pretty empty. We can sit right here on the bench, like we’re talking now…no one needs to know what we’re really doing. OK with me. Will you say the prayer, Timmy?”

Marshall sniffed, and bowed his head.

Take Home Nugget


Timmy said, “OK”, bowing his head. “Our Father in heaven, we bring you Marshall’s little sister for you to heal. Please give Marshall and his family courage to overcome this terrible illness. Bring her home in victory soon, Lord. We’re depending on You, and we thank You. Amen.”

Even with limited resources, with unwavering confidence, we can triumph over all with faith in our all-powerful God.

J.D. Griffith
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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Safety Zone

SAFETY ZONE
Ruth 2:1-12
V. 10: “At this she [Ruth] bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, ‘Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?’”


“What, you guys will really be my ‘big brothers’ at school?” Marshall asked Timmy and Greg. (See For God-Blesses Me devotion).


“Sure, why not?” Greg shrugged his shoulders. “You proved that you’re a good person, showing us different ways to go off the high diving board. You may still need some protection—being a Mexican, and all.”

“Wait till I get you two to dive of the high board!”

“That’ll be the day!” Timmy said.




“Does doing the pike hurt you?”

Both Greg and Timmy shook their heads, “No.”

“Well that’s the first part. All it takes from there is to straighten your legs up, and your hands down, over your head.”

Despite having fun together now, Greg and Timmy may not have given Marshall a second glance—if Greg hadn’t noticed his sparkling blue eyes. (See Garlic and Diamonds devotion). First impressions are powerful. They can either win you potential friends, or repulse people. It’s rare when someone is offered a second chance after making a poor first impression.

Ruth needed to make a good first impression with Boaz. He owned the very field from which she was gleaming (GLEEM-ing, meaning picking up) leftover grain. This barley grain is what she and her mother-in-law, Naomi, would eat (Ruth 2:3). She impressed the foreman of the harvesters. He noticed how hard she worked, with only one short break, verse 6. Boaz took it from there. He introduced himself, offered her a place of picking after the girls, protection from the men, and water, whenever she got thirsty, verses 8-10.

If Ruth hadn’t impressed the foreman, who first noticed her, she likely would have been forbidden to pick grain from that field. (Naomi knew that Boaz was a relative of both her and Ruth’s dead husbands, so this was a lucky break for Ruth.)

In those days, when a woman became a widow (WID-o, meaning her husband had died), his family owed her security. A relative would give her opportunity to carry on her husband’s name.

Take Home Nugget

This family member was called a “kinsman redeemer,” a relative who preserves the widow’s honor. He would marry the woman and give her his home. Boaz married Ruth, and provided for both she and Naomi for the rest of their days. Our ultimate refuge is in the Lord, Himself (Psalm 46:1). Yet God wants to use His children to provide a “safety zone” for others.
Marshall suggested to Greg and Timmy, “We could do the pike off the low diving board, at first.”
True love demonstrates love in action.

J.D. Griffith
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Friday, August 6, 2010

For God--Blesses Me

FOR GOD—BLESSES ME
1Corinthians 3:16
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”

Marshall showed Greg and Timmy a couple new ways to go off the high diving board (See Tongue-Words-Heart devotion). They especially loved the way the cannon ball splashed water so far—that even the people lying on their towels got wet. The pike was a way for Marshall to get them closer to diving off the high board.

“Why are you so good to us, Marshall?” Greg asked.

Marshall sucked on his grape popsicle, then answered, “Uh, I remember moving to Tucson. It took me years to fit in. That’s why Dad got me diving lessons.”

“I didn’t make you feel very welcome when we first met.” Greg admitted.

“I wasn’t too interested in being your friend, either” Timmy confessed.

“The reverse dive gave me great confidence. That comes in handy when meeting new people…and coming from Tijuana, Mexico, we’re always falsely accused of being illegal immigrants.”

“Yeah, your people are having a hard time in America” Tim said.

“Especially in Arizona!” Marshall declared loudly. The guys all exchanged knowing smiles.
“Why did you move to North Carolina? Greg asked.

“My Mom got an offer as head housekeeper at the Sheraton. Dad got a good job right away, too. And they love it that we attend a magnet school.”

“You’re so happy all the time. How come?” Timmy wondered.

“Mom tells us that she always has to do jobs that are disgusting in the hotel. People puke all over the john. Some trash rooms. Others insist on having fresh blankets and bed spreads just for one night’s stay. She taught my sister and I to live as though everything you do (and say) is for God, Himself. When I do this, God blesses me with happiness.”

“Oh…Attitude IS everything!” Greg whispered.

“Mom tells us all the time: ‘Duty done as drudgery is a chore, but duty performed in love is a delight.’”

Take Home Nugget

Brother Lawrence, a cook in 17th century monastery, mentioned in his book, The Practice of the Presence of God to “offer God our heart from time to time in the course of the day.” His message is the same as Marshall’s Mom’s”: The depth of one’s spirituality does not change the things you do, but it does change your motive. When God’s in your view, the task before you becomes a blessing, an offering to the Lord.

Timmy threw his arm around Marshall’s shoulder, and promised, “We’ll be your big brothers at school, little buddy.”
With reverence, follow the example
Of Him who showed us an attitude:
Where everyone sees in us the Father’s temple,
Serving with psalms of gratitude.

J.D. Griffith
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Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Tongue-Words-Heart

TONGUE-WORDS-HEART
James 1:26
“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”

Eight-year-olds, Greg and Timmy, stood in line to go off the high dive at the swimming pool. Pointing at the people streaming in from beyond the fence, Greg announced, “There’s Marshall!”

The line to go off the high dive snaked back to the sliding board--but Greg and Tim waved Marshall up to their position—at the foot of the ladder.

“Hi guys!” Marshall said, smiling.
“Cut in here with us” Greg invited.

“Nah, that’s not cool” Marshall objected.

“Right answer! I’ll kick your a** if you cut in line ahead of me” a guy said behind Greg.

Greg looked at him, tilting his head back. Gulping, he said, “He’s our buddy. What’s your problem?”

“Sh** on him, unless he takes his puny butt to the back of the line!”

“That’s OK Greg, really!” Marshall insisted.

“Wait” Greg said. “Kids do this all the time, it’s OK” he looked up at the big guy, hands on his hips.

“The h*** it’s OK!” the guy challenged Greg. “I’m waiting in line. He can wait in line—BEHIND ME!”

“See you later” Marshall said, walking to the back of the line.

“What’s your problem?” Greg asked the guy.

“F*** problem! Do you want me to kick your a**?”

Greg grabbed the ladder, clamping his mouth shut.

After the guys went off the high dive, Greg and Tim sat on the bench waiting. Marshall did the same reverse dive into the pool’s deep end (See Garlic & Diamonds devotion).

Marshall walked to them, red-faced at their clapping. “I told you that the high dive’s my passion.”

“Yeah, we’re amazed!” Timmy acknowledged, grinning.

“I took lessons in Tucson” Marshall admitted. “It’s too hot there to not live in the water! I like speed, so high dive’s what thrills me.”

“Tucson, huh? No wonder your skin’s so dark!” Greg observed. “Isn’t Tucson close to the equator?”

“What’s equator?” Marshall asked.

“Equator’s the latitude (LAT-i-tude, meaning a horizontal band around the earth) name around the Earth’s center. You’ll learn this next year in school. It divides the Earth’s North and South hemispheres” Timmy said.

“Tucson is close to the Mexican border” Marshall said…“Hey, want me to show you guys easy fun ways to go off the high dive?”

Take Home Nugget

It’s always important to speak kindly, using positive words that encourage. The words we choose for our tongues to speak reveal who we are. Let’s try to avoid words that reflect poorly on whose we are—God’s children.

The tongue is either a blessing or a curse.
Are you using yours for better or for worse?

J.D. Griffith
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