Daily Devotions for July 2022

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 2, 2022

Psalms 81:15
The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him; but their time should have endured for ever.

Water stretched out in every direction, as far as the man could see. He didn't know what direction would lead him most quickly to safety. He kept swimming, not knowing whether the shore was any closer or not.

Each direction he tried seemed as hard as the last. The current was against him, no matter which way he turned. He was so tired. Every muscle ached. His heart filled with fear and anxiety. He wondered if the nightmare would ever end.

Such is the fate of one who realizes too late that God is who He says He is. All the futility of life comes crashing in. Sadness and frustration will reign. God wants us to turn to Him so we never have to face such despair.

Christ is the life jacket that keeps us afloat when life gets too much for us. Nothing else will suffice.

Prayer: The waters are rough sometimes, and I need something to keep me from sinking. Th ank You for throwing me a lifeline; Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 3, 2022

Psalms 82:6
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

The wood carver who made himself a son out of a stump of a tree did so out of love. He wanted someone to love and care for, to teach and to guide, to spend time with and to share with.

Pinocchio was the answer to the prayers of a lonely old man. In the end, the old man's love brought the boy made of wood to life.

God carved for Himself men and women to be with Him forever. He filled them with good things. He made them to love, and care, and learn, and grow. He fashioned them out of clay, then He made them as He was. He made us just less than Himself. He calls us gods and children, the greatest of all His creation.

In God's eyes, we are sacred and good.

Let us do everything we can to live up to His holy expectations.

Prayer: Make me worthy, Lord, of the great love which You have given to me. Turn me from my woodenness to true life; life which comes from Your indwelling Spirit. Amen .

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 4, 2022

Psalms 83:14-15

As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.

The fireworks lit up the Independence Day night sky. Children watched wide-eyed, and parents exclaimed appropriately at each burst. The town echoed with the booming blasts of each rocket.

The show was spectacular, and everyone had a good time. A few even remembered why the celebration took place. Some remembered that the fireworks represented all the bombs that had burst for freedom. A handful walked away from the celebration with a hope beating in their breasts.

The hope was that there would come a time when no more bombs would burst, when no one would have to live in fear for their lives. Some hoped for a day when peace would rule the land.

Some fear is healthy. It brings us to our senses and forces us to look at things with a level head.

War is a terrible thing. It breaks down and destroys. God wants us to consider well the consequences of war.

What we do to one another, He will not undo.

Perhaps a fear of the Lord would bring us to our senses.

Maybe we would then realize wh ere we stand, and we would choose to stand closer to God.

Prayer: I pray for independence and freedom for all of creation, Lord. While we celebrate and laugh at the bursting bombs, some cower in fear and trembling. Be with them, Father. Amen

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 6, 2022

Psalms 84:10

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Mike had seen pictures of most of the places he visited before he went. Even so, he was not prepared for the beauty he found. Pictures lost the magnitude, somehow.

Traveling across the country brought everything into sharp focus.

Being in it was a thousand times better than just seeing pictures of it.

Nothing beats the real thing. Once we are touched by the grace of God, nothing else compares. What this world has to offer us is but a snapshot of what we can really have. The real thing is best.

Embrace God, and all that He is, and all that He does. You'll never need anything else.

Prayer: Lord, nothing can compare with You. In my life I have experienced wonderful things, but none so wonderful as Your love. Thank You. Amen.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 9, 2022

Psalms 85:11

Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

Marge had denied God's existence for years. She had grown up in a huge city, and she rarely got out of it. Her argument against God was that a loving being wouldn't allow people to live in such terrible conditions as existed in so much of the city. Argument did nothing to persuade her. Marge's mind was made up.

When she was twenty-six, she went with friends into the mountains of Vermont. Like a wide-eyed child, she soaked in the awesome beauty of the hills.

One evening, at sunset, her heart was filled with an unbelievable joy, and she somehow knew that God did exist.

Cities weren't God's fault, they were the creation of men and women.

Nature was God's expression of reality, and that reality was too good to deny.

The truth rose up out of God's green earth to convince here. Never again would she say God did not exist.

Prayer: What a wonderful world we live in, Lord. You give us happiness, and yet we create sorrow. Turn our tears into laughter, God, that we may enjoy this blessed gift of life we have been given. Amen.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 11, 2022

Psalm 86:17

Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, comforted me.

During high school, Chris had been a total loser.

He had partied heavily and bullied other kids, forcing them to give up their lunch money in order to avoid a beating.

Everyone walked in fear of Chris. Ten years was a long time, but no one expected such a great change from Chris.

At the reunion, Chris came into a room that was still somewhat fearful of the old bully. What the people found was a man of grace and charm, who extended a warm hand to everyone he saw.

In a few cases, Chris apologized for his behavior ten years gone by.

When asked what had made the difference in his life, Chris replied simply, "I'm a Christian now."

Christ is the changer of lives. He will give us a token that will attract people's attention.

When others see the miracle of God in our lives, then cannot help but be touched themselves.

God works through us to touch others.

Open yourself to His guidance, and He will use you greatly.

Prayer: Take my life and use it to Your will, Father. If I can be the instrument that leads someone to You, then don't hesitate to bring me into service. Let me give to others a portion of what You have given to me. Amen.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July13, 2022

Psalms 88:8

Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

Fritz had read the horrible stories about AIDS, but never gave it much thought. Now his doctor was telling him that he had the disease.

Fritz didn't want to die, especially all alone, but he knew that many of his friends would make themselves scarce as soon as they found out what he had.

He had become a leper, an outcast, with nowhere to turn. Facing death was only a part of it. Facing life would be even harder.

We do terrible things to some people in our society.

People who suffer greatly need our compassion and love, but instead they receive our judgment and condemnation.

Christ does not ask us to accept sin, or the results of sin, but He commands us to love the one who sins.

One thing we may never do is cast aside another of God's children. We do not have that right.

The Lord loves all His children, and we need to learn to love all our sisters and brothers.

No one need ever be alone, if we will extend our hands in love to the sick, the lonely, the poor.

Prayer: My God, there are so many suffering people in this world. Lead me to where they are, that I might give them something of myself, that together we may become the family You made us to be. Amen.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 14, 2022

Psalms 88:12

Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? And they righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

The man fell in love with the painting. Its beauty was beyond words. He would give anything to own the painting; to possess its beauty for himself. He bought the painting and took it home with him.

Immediately, he began to worry that it might get damaged. He packed the painting in a crate and locked it in an airtight vault, away from seeking eyes, where no one could benefit from its loveliness.

We have received a treasure of great value: Jesus Christ. Should we hold Him in our hearts, never letting Him be seen, or should we expose Him to the view of all who would look?

We are to be the city on the hill, the light shining in the darkness, the salt of the earth. No one has the option to call himself a Christian and then keep it selfishly inside.

Our faith is intensely personal, but it is never private. We possess a pearl of great price. Be proud of it and let the whole world see it.

Prayer: Make my life a picture of Your love, Lord. I want to be one more example of Your greatness and glory on this earth. Be with me to guide my steps. Amen.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 15

Psalms 89:5

And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

The rainstorm had been terrific. Torrents of rain had fallen, drenching everything. Now, the clouds began to part. Shafts of bright sunlight stretched to the earth, causing all foliage to sparkle with droplets of water. On the horizon, a rainbow stretched from earth to earth. The clouds climbed high into the sky, turning rosy pink with the sunlight.

God's creation gives testimony to His truth all the time. All His wonders unfold through the course of one day. From the sunrise through the course of one day. From the sunrise through nighttime starshine, God's glories unfold.

Take time to view God's handiwork. Search the daytime skies and see the majesty of the Almighty. His hand is ever upon His creation.

Prayer: All praise and hone belongs to You, Lord. For the magnificent works of Your hands. You have made such beauty, and You have loved us enough to share it. Thank You, Father, Amen.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 17, 2022

Psalms 89:15

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.

No matter where the children were, they heard it. It called them from their homework, their play, their naps, their chores.

In an instant, heads came up, slightly cocked, in order to hear the delicate chimes. The ice cream man! No greater sound could be found. From every corner of the neighborhood, children with beaming faces were drawn magically to the little wine cart, with its row of silver bells.

When the voice of the Lord calls out to us, may we respond to it with the same childlike glee that our youngsters demonstrate at the approach of the ice cream man. May the name of the Lord bring joy to our hearts and smiles to our faces.

Prayer: Fill me with a joy that remains untouched by the trials of the day. When I hear Your name, Lord, let me respond in jubilation. Be the source of my comfort and peace. Amen.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 19, 2022

Psalms 90:12

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Shelley had a dream. In it she was told she had only one week to live. The dream haunted her throughout the day. Everytime she did something, she asked herself, "Is this really important?" She found that there were so many things she did that wasted precious time. People became more important to her than things. She wanted to go for a walk, rather than sit in front of the television set.

Time became more valuable, and it caused her to realign her priorities. Shelley found her life completely changed.

God wants us to value the time we have on earth. We take time for granted, acting as though our earthly life will go on forever. Time on earth is too short to waste. Number your days, and God will fill you with a special wisdom.

Prayer: Don't let me waste time, but let me use every moment to the fullest. Help me to appreciate my life, and teach me new ways to use my time. Thank You for al l my blessings. Amen.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 20, 2022

Psalms 90:17

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Cheryl loved her artwork. She could express so many things with canvas and paint that she couldn't express any other way.

She showed the depths of her soul. All her work had a spiritual sense to it. It came from a deep and beautiful place inside her own soul.

Cheryl felt that the image of God in her was best displayed through the works of her hands and heart.

Within each of us is a wellspring of beauty that comes from God above. How we express it varies from person to person, but it is there, nonetheless.

Reach deep into your soul and share the wealth of beauty buried there. To do so is to share God.

Prayer: Enter into my life, O Lord, and make it something beautiful and special. Whatever talents I have are Yours. Bless them, that they might produce much, Father. Amen.

316Judith

We Have a Champion - Wisdom from the Psalms July 21, 2022

Psalms 91:3

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

Mr. Frederickson stormed into the dean's office with Carol in tow. He shoved her down into the seat, and said, "She's the one! I caught her this time. She's the one who keeps letting the animals go."

"I'm sorry," Carol began, "but I can't stand to see the animals treated the way they are. They shouldn't be used for experiments. They have a right to live, and I just couldn't watch them suffer."

The dean worked to settle Mr. Frederickson down and to explain why Carol couldn't do what she'd done, though deep down inside, he was on her side. It was nice to see a young person care so much about something other than herself. It was good that the animals had a champion.

We have a champion in Jesus Christ. Held captive to sin, trapped with no way out, we could only wait to see what would happen.

What happened was the saving love of Christ, which set us free from the trap, and continues to protect us every day.

Prayer: Thank You for rescuing me from the snare of sin. On my own, I get so tangled in sin, but with You to guide me, I can avoid the traps and remain free for a life of joy and love. Amen.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 26, 2022

Psalms 94:3

Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

Ginelli hated to see the boys come. They tore up his store, threatened his customers, and called him dirty names. They'd never hurt anyone, yet.

All he wanted was for the police to come, but they never bothered. It seemed the boys were just his cross to bear. No one would help him, so he just had to tolerate it.

Why do the evil people in this world get away with so much? Because it's their world. God gave this world over to Satan long ago, and it has been downhill ever since. Our realm is that of heaven.

We are Kingdom people now, and so we have to put up with all kinds of bad and terrible things while we wait. Luckily, we don't have to fight alone.

The Lord is with us, giving us His strength and encouragement. Take heart, the Lord is on our side.

Prayer: Be with me, Lord, as I stand alone in a world gone crazy. There are times when I can find no one who seems to care, no one willing to he lp. In those times, reach down to give me aid. Amen.

Healthyme7410

July 30

Psalms 95:8
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness.

Edgar was being a brat. Whenever Edgar didn't get his way, he was a brat. As if a secret button had been pushed, the minute Edgar heard the word no, he began to whine, kick, scream, stomp, pout, throw things, and cry. After that, he would do nothing that was asked of him. He became stubborn and rebellious. At those times, everyone just backed off and left Edgar alone. Who wants to be too close to a brat?



Sometimes we're brats. We don't get things the way we want them, so we pout and harden our hearts toward God. God is patient with us, but sometimes He has to put some distance between us until we settle down. God doesn't want to deal with our bratiness any more than we want to deal with the bratiness of children. In time, we learn to deal with our disappointments, and like children, we finally learn that pouting gets us nowhere.



Prayer: Lord, help me to grow up, to be a mature Christian, one who has learned to accept disappointment and adversity. Strengthen my heart, and give me patience.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms July 31, 2022

Psalms 96:6

Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Take time to be quiet and think about the good things God has done for you. Look at both the good times and the bad in proper perspective.

We are loved by a God of all creation, the Master of all eternity. He has made us important by His love for us. Think of how wonderful this love is.

We have no way to comprehend this kind of love and attention. It is well that we take time to contemplate all these things.

All honor and glory belongs to the Lord, who loves us so much. By entering into His presence, we come to know just how very lucky we are.

Prayer: Who am I, Lord, that You take notice of me? I cannot believe that You love me the way You do. Though I don't understand, I do accept Your gracious love, and I am thankful from the depths of my soul. Amen.