Daily Devotions for September 2022
316Judith
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Tuesday, September 6
By God’s Design
Let the fish in the sea speak to you.
Job 12:8, NLT
Rest well last night? Keep both your eyes closed? Settle down into rhythmic breathing?
What if you had to keep one eye open all night and make a conscious decision every time you needed to breathe?
That’s how dolphins sleep. Their breathing is not automatic; they must decide when to take their next breath.
God designed them that way, but He also gave them some pretty amazing abilities.
Dolphins allow only half of their brain to sleep at a time, and they close only one eye at a time. When the left eye is closed, the right half of the brain sleeps.
When the right eye is closed, the left side of the brain gets some… well, shut-eye.
They alternate from one side of the brain to the other, getting the rest they need yet never fully losing consciousness.
The fish of the sea can speak to us of God’s glory. His natural world is full of curious wonders, and the genius of creation moves us to worship.
Today look for an animal—any animal, from the kitten in your kitchen to the sparrow outside your window—and take a moment to praise God for His inventive genius.
Let all things their Creator bless, and worship God in humbleness, alleluia
St. Francis of Assisi
Recommended Reading:
Psalm 104: 24 – 26
Devotion by Turning Points- David Jeremiah
By God’s Design
Let the fish in the sea speak to you.
Job 12:8, NLT
Rest well last night? Keep both your eyes closed? Settle down into rhythmic breathing?
What if you had to keep one eye open all night and make a conscious decision every time you needed to breathe?
That’s how dolphins sleep. Their breathing is not automatic; they must decide when to take their next breath.
God designed them that way, but He also gave them some pretty amazing abilities.
Dolphins allow only half of their brain to sleep at a time, and they close only one eye at a time. When the left eye is closed, the right half of the brain sleeps.
When the right eye is closed, the left side of the brain gets some… well, shut-eye.
They alternate from one side of the brain to the other, getting the rest they need yet never fully losing consciousness.
The fish of the sea can speak to us of God’s glory. His natural world is full of curious wonders, and the genius of creation moves us to worship.
Today look for an animal—any animal, from the kitten in your kitchen to the sparrow outside your window—and take a moment to praise God for His inventive genius.
Let all things their Creator bless, and worship God in humbleness, alleluia
St. Francis of Assisi
Recommended Reading:
Psalm 104: 24 – 26
Devotion by Turning Points- David Jeremiah
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Wednesday, September 7
The Source of All Wonder
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? Psalm 8:3-4
The Scottish missionary, David Livingstone, is the first-known European to view the massive waterfalls on the Zambezi River in Africa.
Livingstone named the falls Victoria Falls in honor of England’s Queen Victoria. He recorded in his journal, “Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.”
Every human being has found themselves wondering at some aspect of life, nature, the universe, art, or their own experiences and feelings. Such wonder has a benefit: It elevates us beyond our daily existence which often focuses on the pedestrian tasks of survival.
Wonder causes us to reflect upon that which is larger than ourselves—specifically, the Person of God.
That was true for the psalmist who wondered at how the God who formed the universe could also be mindful of him and his needs (Psalm 8).
The next time you find yourself enthralled with wonder, let your thoughts go to the Source of all wonder: God Himself. Enjoy the moment and give thanks to Him.
The world will never starve for want of wonders;
but only for want of wonder.
G. K. Chesterton
Recommended Reading:
Psalm 144: 3 – 4
Devotion by Turning Points, David Jeremiah0 -
Sunday SEPTEMBER 11, 2022
Big Moments: Baptism
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Acts 2:41
Earlier this year, joy broke out in a jail in Walker County, Alabama. The sheriff’s office announced that 41 inmates had been baptized and 10 others had given their lives to Christ.
The sheriff’s office encourages pastors to visit the jail on a daily basis. Sheriff Nick Smith said, “If we can help people break the chains of addiction, then I believe that they can live a better life both here on Earth and eternally.
I’m proud of each of these people that made a declaration of their faith today.
Some of the new believers have been convicted of murder; others had traffic violations. But on that day, the Body of Christ came together to worship and wonder at the grace of God.
Have you been baptized? It’s one of life’s big moments. It’s a public confession of a private decision.
No one can see the secret work God has done in your heart, but they can see you testify about it. If you’d like to learn more about baptism, talk with a pastor or church worker.
Don’t put it off any longer. It’s wonderful to make a bold declaration of our faith!
Baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith.
Watchman Nee
Recommended Reading: Acts 2:40-47
Devotion by Turning Points- David Jeremiah0 -
Monday, September 12
Sing to the Lord
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.
Psalm 100:2
It is hard to escape the melodies and lyrics of songs on earth. The tunes and words differ according to cultural traditions, and new song genres replace previous ones with time. But the truth remains: Music is the universal language of joy, storytelling, lament, praise, and emotion.
Anything that is so universal says something about its divine origin. Indeed, in the Bible all creation is pictured as singing songs of praise to God: humans, angels, and nature.
It is no surprise that songs or singing are mentioned in two-thirds of the books of the Bible.
For example, Ephesians 5:18-19: “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
The book of Psalms is considered to have been the hymnbook of Israel—150 poems centered around the Person of God Himself.
How big of a role does music play in your life in praise of God? Take advantage of all the many media options available to incorporate “spiritual songs” into your day.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to
sing God’s praise than when we’d first begun.
John P. Rees
Recommended Reading:
Psalm 149: 1
Devotions by Turning Points- David Jeremiah0 -
September 14, 2022
The Word in Song
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” is a famous hymn written by the Protestant reformer Martin Luther. The first line of the hymn—“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing”—is likely based on Scriptures like Psalm 46:7, 11 and Psalm 91:1-2—verses which speak of God as a fortress.
Luther’s hymn is an example of many throughout Church history that teach biblical truth through song.
The book of Psalms was a type of hymnbook for Israel, but the practice of composing spiritual songs did not end with the Old Testament.
New Testament scholars find remnants of early Christian hymns embedded in passages like Ephesians 5:14; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-20; and 1 Timothy 3:16.
Just as we memorize popular songs today by hearing them played over and over, we can also memorize biblical truths by the repeated singing of hymns and spiritual songs.
Consider purchasing a hymnal to use in your devotions to familiarize yourself with the riches of God’s Word as recorded in hymns of the Church.
Thy Word is like a glorious choir, and loud its anthems ring. Edwin Hodder
Recommended Reading: Colossians 1:15-20
Devotion by Turning Points- David Jeremiah0 -
Monday, September 19
Worship That Changes
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
Philippians 3:7
Before meeting Christ, Paul could best be described as a “hit man” for the Pharisees.
From Jerusalem, he traveled around the area arresting Jews who had become followers of Christ, taking them to jail (or worse—Acts 22:3-5).
But all that changed when he met Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.
As Paul and his associates traveled, a bright light from heaven caused Paul to fall to the ground (Acts 9:4).
Falling to the ground is a posture in Scripture for worship (Revelation 1:17; 4:10; 5:8; 7:11; 19:10; 22:8).
But Paul likely wasn’t worshiping; he was likely just shocked and scared. However, it became an image for what he would be doing for the rest of his life: bowing his knee to the Lord Jesus Christ in worship.
He fell to the ground in literal fear, but he lived the rest of his life in reverential fear—that is, in worship. When he discovered the true object of worship, it changed his life.
The more we worship our Triune God, the more our life will change. If it is not your practice already, worship on your knees and see how it changes your heart.
What or whom we worship determines our behavior. John Murray
Recommended Reading:
Acts 9: 1 – 9
Devotion by Turning Points, David Jeremiah0 -
Wednesday, September 21
Willingly or Unwillingly
For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:11
Young people grow up learning to trust the word of certain adults, depending on how consistent those adults have been in following through on their words in the past.
In Isaiah 55:10-11, the prophet quotes God’s promise that His Word will never fail to accomplish its intent. That is, God and His words are entirely trustworthy.
With that as background, every human being will someday bow before God and acknowledge Him. Because God said it, it will surely happen. He said it in Isaiah 45:23, referring to all “who are incensed against Him” (verse 24).
Then the apostle Paul repeated this promise twice in his epistles—with two different applications.
In Romans 14:11, the promise is directed toward Christians: Don’t judge others because everyone will one day be judged by God.
But in Philippians 2:9-11, the promise encompasses all humanity: God exalted Christ over all, and one day all will acknowledge His Lordship; all will bow the knee before Him, willingly or unwillingly.
Who would doubt God’s words? Far better to bow before Christ today willingly than to bow unwillingly in the future.
When we see even a small glimpse of God’s holiness, we will bow in worship. R. C. Sproul
Recommended Reading:
Philippians 2: 9 – 11
Devotion by Turning Points- David Jeremiah0 -
Big Moments: Witness
SEPTEMBER 24, 2022
You are the light of the world…. Let your light shine before others. Matthew 5:14, 16, NIV
According to Christianity Today, Christian teenagers don’t know a lot about traditional evangelism, but they’re eager to talk with friends about the Lord.
The magazine told of Treyson West, who was recently sitting with a friend in a car talking about the struggles of life. As Treyson talked about God, the friend said, “My heart feels, like, warm.”
“Dude, that’s the Holy Spirit,” said Treyson. The friend received Christ as Savior there in the car.
Learning to share our faith in a natural way is a big step. It can be frightening, but much of the fear evaporates when we make it natural. When we learn to converse, listen, care, and pray, the Lord opens the door for our witness.
Often, our words will be like seeds planted in the heart, but sometimes we’ll rejoice at seeing others profess faith in Christ in the moment. We can say, “That’s the Holy Spirit!”
Today find a way to take a small step toward a big moment. Find a way to share Christ simply, naturally, and lovingly.
You don’t have to use fancy methods for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Just stick with the basics, and proclaim the Good News with simplicity! Luis Palau
Recommended Reading: Matthew 5:13-16
Devotion by Turning Point- David Jeremiah0 -
Monday, September 26
Trading Worry for Worship
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Psalm 9:10-11
Whenever we’re facing uncertain times, we’re apt to be apprehensive. That’s normal. It’s what we do with our apprehension that matters. The psalmist said that those who know the Name of the Lord will put their trust in Him, which enables us to sing praises to Him who dwells in Zion.
The more we trust God, the more naturally we’ll worship Him. When we trust Him with our problems, it enables our hearts to praise Him more freely; and when we cast our worries on Him, it expedites our worship toward Him.
So the next time worry invades your heart, say with the psalmist, “I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart…. I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High” (Psalm 9:1-2). Turn your worry into worship!
Only when we understand that we were created for His glory can we turn life’s trials and toils into acts of worship. Alistair Begg
Recommended Reading: Psalm 9
Devotional by Turning Point- David Jeremiah0 -
Sorry, posted my Bible Reading instead of the Devotional, be back later with it.0
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SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
Truth for Trails and Trials
Search the Scriptures, for…these are they which testify of Me. John 5:39
A. W. Tozer seldom used an unnecessary word. His sentences were plain and vivid, connecting with readers like an electrical circuit. Listen to this Tozer paragraph: “One great concern I have is that many of today’s Christians are not taking the Word of God seriously.
For whatever reason, the Scriptures do not have authority in the Christian’s life in the way that is necessary for him or her to live a life to the glory of God.
We must take the Scriptures seriously because the Scriptures take the Lord seriously.
We learn about Jesus through His Word: His eternal glory, His remarkable humanity, His infinite wisdom, His glorious resurrection, His current enthronement, His swift coming, and His everlasting reign.
By turning our eyes to the Bible, we’re turning our gaze to Him, and that changes the way we view the trails and trials of earth.
When you take the Bible seriously, you’ll grow closer to Christ—becoming stronger in Him and more joyful whatever befalls you. Ask the Lord to give you a love for His Word—and for His Son!
If we are going to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, we must start by taking the Bible seriously.
A. W. Tozer
Recommended Reading: John 5:37-40
Devotion by Turning Point- David Jeremiah0 -
Friday, September 30
A Fresh Pair of Eyes
Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. Acts 9:18
When we think of things out of focus, we think of pictures and videos. But what about eyesight?
Many people in biblical days were nearsighted or farsighted, and there was nothing they could do about it. It was like watching an out-of-focus film every waking moment. The earliest attempts to create eyeglasses didn’t occur until the 1200s.
What if we had to go through life with everything out of focus?
Going through life without worship is like living with blurred vision. We can neither see nor understand things clearly. Our wisdom is indistinct, and our perspective is fuzzy.
When we acknowledge God for Who He is, find Him through Jesus Christ as our Savior, and begin to worship Him, it’s like scales falling from our eyes.
That’s how Luke described the conversion of Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9.
Worshiping God each day means focusing on Him, letting Him give us the vision and perspective we need. Turn your mind toward Jesus and learn to think on Scripture as you go to sleep, wake up, and go through your day.
Take time to focus your heart and your thoughts on the Lord. Ray Pritchard
Recommended Reading:
Acts 9: 17 – 19
Devotion by Turning Points- David Jeremiah0