Team Daily Devotions for November 2024

316Judith

Friday, November 1

A Special Relationship

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1:17, NIV

Many people write their names in the front of their Bibles, but have you ever put your name in the middle of a Bible verse?

For example, with this verse you might pray: “Lord, I keep asking that You, the God of my Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give to me, ________ , the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that I may know Him better.”

Bible Reading:
Ephesians 1:17-23

You can also insert the name of a loved one!

This is a particularly powerful verse because God created us in His image with a capacity to know Him—and to know Him better and better.

This sets us humans apart from the rest of God’s earthly creation.

We can know the unfathomable, understand the incomprehensible, and worship the inscrutable—our glorious Father.

Even children can sing His praises.

Let’s thank God for our special relationship with Him and ask Him for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know Him better.

Knowing God enables us, as believers, to display strength in times of stress and take action when the rest of the world seems to be immobile. Kay Arthur

316Judith

November 2, 2024

Wisdom from the Psalms

Psalm 131:2

Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Thomas got so sick of his sister telling him to grow up and act his age.
Sure, he blew his temper sometimes, but so what? Everybody does. Who did she thing she was, telling him to grow up?

He was plenty grown-up. It was other people who needed to grow up, not him. Anybody who thought differently just didn't know what he was talking about.

At some point in our lives, we pass from thinking only of ourselves to thinking of others.

We become less defensive and more peaceful.

We admit when we are wrong, and we affirm others in their opinions.

The Apostle Paul says that we must come to a place in our lives where we put aside childish things.

Christian maturity comes when we begin to think less of self, more of those around us.

There are times in all our lives where the message is clear: We need to grow up.

Prayer: Help me to grow and mature in my faith,
Lord. Turn my attention to the needs of others. Turn my selfishness into selflessness. Amen

316Judith

November 3, 2024

Wisdom from the Psalms

Psalm 132:4, 5
I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, Until I find a place for the Lord, and habitation for the migh ty God of Jacob.

Rachel closed the door and hung her head. Three o'clock in the morning. She wondered whether the project was ever going to get done.

All she wanted to do was collapse in bed, but first there was something she had to do.

She dressed for bed, then took the Bible from her dresser and went to the kitchen table to read and to pray.

In all of her adult life, she had never gone to sleep without first spending time with God.

She was determined that nothing would ever come between her and this special time.

It made no difference how tired she was,

God came before sleep.

When days become hectic and full, it is easy to allow God to be pushed aside.

We need to protect our time with the Lord and give it top priority. If we will keep the Lord close to us, he will sustain us and give us strength in tough times. Without Him, we can never hope to be our best.

Prayer: Convict my heart with the determination to spend time with You. Let nothing come between us, Lord. When other things demand my time, remind me that I gave myself to You first. Amen.

316Judith

Monday, November 4

Making Things Right

And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:45

There are no more welcome words in the midst of a conflicted relationship than these: “I’d like to make things right between us.”

In a general sense, that is the story of the Bible as illustrated in 1 Corinthians 15:45: the comparison of the first Adam with the last Adam.

Bible Reading:
Matthew 8:23-27

The first Adam was created as a “living being,” but he lost his life spiritually and physically when he sinned.

The last Adam—Jesus Christ—came to restore that lost life.

He was a picture of what mankind should be like; He was the true Son of Man. His disciples and the public had never seen a man like Jesus, a man not marred by sin.

When He performed miracles, like calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee, His disciples exclaimed, “What kind of man is this?” (Matthew 8:27, NIV)

We see in Christ what God created mankind to be. We also see that it is the likeness of Christ to which God is shaping those who belong to Him (Romans 8:29).

Is everything right between you and God? It can be when you yield your life to Christ.

Sanctification is the progressive restoration of a man’s rationality so that he becomes a man. J. I. Packer

316Judith

Tuesday, November 5

On the Ball

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
Psalm 139:17

Bible Reading:
Psalm 139

Two men in Idaho recently passed an inflatable ball back and forth 7,827 times to get their names in Guinness World Records.

People do many things for recognition, but for the child of God, our self-identity is based on God’s creative design of our lives, His love for us, and the status He affords us in Christ.

Think about it afresh! God knows you. You are on His mind. He knows where you go, what you do and think, and what you need. The Lord of the universe is thinking about you. That’s how worthy and worthwhile you are.

Today, adopt these words from Psalm 139 as your prayer: “O Lord… You know when I sit or stand. When far away you know my every thought. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest…. You both precede and follow me and place your hand of blessing on my head. This is too glorious…. How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly!” (verse 1-6, 17, TLB)

You are possessed by God, who is head over heels in love with you. Vicki Kuyper

316Judith

Wednesday, November 6

He Is Near

The Lord is near to those who have a broken hear Psalm 34:18

Pastor Azat Azatyan was captured by Russians while ministering in Ukraine.

He was beaten and had electrical cables attached to his body. His tormenters asked him whom he served.

He shouted: 'A Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.' His torturers left him for dead, but Azatyan was able to drink some rainwater and survived.

'After torture with electric shock,' he said, 'all you want to do is drink. I asked the Lord for water. He gave rain…. I felt God’s presence at that moment.'1

Bible Reading:
Psalm 34:15-18

Isn’t it amazing to feel God’s presence in awful moments?

When you feel lonely, when you are hurting, when the roof falls in.

Remind yourself right now that the Lord is near you.

Even when you want to run away from Him, there’s nowhere to run.

If we go up to heaven, He is there.

If we go to the cemetery, He is there.

If we ride the winds across the seas, He is with us (see Psalm 139:1-10).

Remember today what the psalmist said: 'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me' (Psalm 23:4).

I see God’s presence and His blessing in my life. I am where I need to be. Pastor Azat Azatyan

316Judith

Thursday, November 7

Why Read the Bible?

Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11

A mother tells her five-year-old not to eat a cookie off a plate with six cookies. When she returns, she sees that two of the cookies are gone. “Didn’t I ask you not to eat a cookie?” the mom asks. “Yes,” comes the confident reply. “Then why did you disobey?” the mom asks. “I didn’t disobey. You told me not to eat one of the cookies, and I didn’t eat one; I ate two.”

Bible Reading:
Psalm 37:31

That’s an illustration of Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things.” It also illustrates what the comedic actor W. C. Fields said when asked why he was reading the Bible.

He confessed, “I’m looking for a loophole.” It’s a human tendency to see how close we can get to “the line” without actually crossing it.

Some people read the Bible that way—to find God’s “lines.” Instead of moving toward God’s lines, we should move toward God Himself.

When we are consumed with Him, we will please Him in all things—not by avoiding the bad but by walking in the good.

Read God’s Word in order to love Him, not to avoid offending Him.

The business of our lives is not to please ourselves but to please God. Matthew Henry

Healthyme7410

This devotion made me LOL. I remember when our oldest daughter was told not to stand on the table in their room. I looked in and she was on the table so I asked her why she disobeyed. She, like this little girl, had an explanation. She said "I am not standing on the table. I am dancing on the table." Dancing probably made the whole situation even more dangerous that she could fall but she did not understand. I have also been guilty of questioning if my actions are wrong or right by looking for an excuse for my behavior.

316Judith

Friday, November 8

Open My Eyes

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law. Psalm 119:18

There is a difference between seeing physically and seeing spiritually. Most people can see physically with their eyes, but not all can see spiritually with their heart. God pronounced the closing of Israel’s spiritual eyes due to their sin (Isaiah 6:9-10), and Jesus confirmed the problem remained in His day (Matthew 13:13-15).

The psalmist was aware of this problem, causing him to ask God to “open [his] eyes, that [he] may see wondrous things from [God’s] law.”

Bible Reading:
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Even as a Christian, we may approach God’s Word with biases, prejudices, and preconceived notions—failing to see what God needs us to see. Hebrews 4:12 explains that God’s Word is “living and powerful...and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

If we truly want God to search our heart (Psalm 139:23), we should imitate the psalmist’s prayer when we read the Bible: “Open my eyes.”

We will change over time as we imitate the psalmist’s practice of meditating on God’s Word “day and night” (Psalm 1:2) and take to heart what God shows us. It is the only way we can become “complete, thoroughly equipped” to please God (2 Timothy 3:17).

It is no advantage to be near the light if the eyes are closed. St. Augustine

316Judith

Saturday, November 9

The Latitude and Longitude of Gratitude:

Close at Hand

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. Psalm 128:3-4

Bible Reading:
Psalm 144:12-15

Many studies have documented the decline in marriage and childbearing in the United States.

And some studies have found a correlation with a decline in community health and happiness.

It is not surprising that a culture obsessed with self-promotion and self-interest would view a life commitment to others as a low priority.

Studies also reveal that for those who have made the nuclear family a high priority nothing is more fulfilling.

Should we expect family to be a source of fulfillment resulting in feelings of gratitude?

The Bible would say, “Yes.” In the beginning, God said it was not good for man to be alone, and woman was provided as a life partner.

The command to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:22) obviously led to children.

So marriage and family were clearly God’s plan and His will. And to participate in God’s plan will always lead to fulfillment and gratitude.

Even though there are no perfect marriages or families, be thankful for yours. Those closest to you will inevitably draw you closer to God.

The family circle is the supreme conductor of Christianity. Henry Drummond

316Judith

Sunday November 10

Wisdom from the Psalms

Psalm 136:2, 7
O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. . . .To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Griffin had gone through college as an atheist. No one could get him to believe that there was a God out there somewhere who made everything go.

That was before he began working with the space program.

The more he saw the scope and majesty of the cosmos, the more convinced he was that there had to be someone out there who authored all the miracles he saw.

To see the power of a billion suns shining through millions of miles of space boggled the mind. They couldn't have just happened. Some great mind had to have a part in bringing it all about.

Griffin had come far. His briefcase was always packed with pictures and books, but no book was more important than the Bible that never left his side.

People who don't believe in God reject Him, not because they know so much, but because they just haven't learned enough.

Even in the most scientific and complex equation, God can be found. Wisdom comes not when we say we know all we need to, but when we admit there is much left to learn.

Open your heart and mind to God, and watch the universe unfold.

Prayer: A billion stars pierce the infinite darkness of space. Surely Your light can break through the darkness of my ignorance. Shine the light of true wisdom through me, Lord, and let me share in Your glory. Amen.

316Judith

Monday, November 11

Evidence for God

For since the creation of the world [God’s] invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that [man is] without excuse. Romans 1:20

If you drive a car into a forest and leave it for one hundred years, when you return, you will find it has deteriorated. That is an elementary example of the Second Law of Thermodynamics which says that without inputs of energy in a closed system, entropy (disorder) increases over time. When left alone (no input of care or energy), things get worse, not better, over time.

Bible Reading:
Psalm 19:1-6

That is one of many examples from nature and physics that suggest the existence of a Creator-God who brought the earth into existence and supports its continued existence over time.

The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:19-20 that God and His attributes are “clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” And the psalmist David wrote eloquently about the heavens declaring “the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1-6).

So if God is clearly evident, why do all not acknowledge and believe in Him?

Because of pride—an unwillingness to submit to the “clearly seen” God of creation (Romans 1:21-32).

As you enjoy nature, give thanks to God for His creation and for revealing Himself to all with eyes to see.

God has left His fingerprints all over creation.
Anonymous

316Judith

Tuesday, November 12

Heads or Tails?

Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. Psalm 119:33

A group of European researchers set about to discover the science behind flipping a coin. They flipped a coin 350,757 times and found that “when you flip a coin off your thumb it wobbles, which causes the same side to spend slightly more time facing up—which means there’s a slightly bigger chance it will be in that position when it lands.”1

Bible Reading:
Psalm 119:33-40

Christians don’t have to flip coins to find God’s guidance. We develop the wisdom to plan our way by spending time in Scripture.

When we immerse ourselves in the Word, we develop a biblical sense about life, an awareness of which direction to take, and our spiritual vision is sharpened.

It’s not that we’ll find a verse that says, “Buy the Ford, not the Honda.”

It’s simply that a mind shaped by immersion in the Bible is prone to prayerfully discern the way to take.

Spend time each day in God’s Word to find peace and confidence, bearing fruit that is deeply rooted in truth.

I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I
might help Him. I ended up by asking God to do His work through me. Hudson Taylor

316Judith

Wednesday, November 13

Distress

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress. Psalm 4:1

Stress is bad, but distress is worse. In Genesis 32:7, Jacob was greatly distressed. All Israel was “greatly distressed” in Judges 2:15, and in Judges 10:9 they were “severely distressed.” In 1 Samuel 16:14, King Saul suffered a “distressing spirit.” Job was in “dire distress” in Job 36:16. The apostle Paul spoke of the personal distress that overwhelmed him in 2 Corinthians 12:10.

Bible Reading:
Psalm 4

Sometimes we go through periods of distress and great distress and severe distress and dire distress. But the most amazing “distress” passage in the Bible is in Mark 14:33 when our Lord “began to be troubled and deeply distressed” in the Garden of Gethsemane.

If you are in distress today, remember that Jesus suffered His distress to bring you out of yours.

The book of Romans says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress…? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (8:35, 37).

When we praise and worship God when distressed, our problems may not instantly disappear, but don’t give up. In His own way, the Lord will relieve you in your distress.

Suffering is unbearable if you’re not certain God is with you and for you. Tim Keller

316Judith

Thursday, November 14

Mountain Peaks of Pearl

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

In Streams in the Desert, James Smetham is quoted as saying, “I suspect that the source of every bit of sorrow in my life can be traced to simple unbelief. If I truly believe the past is totally forgiven, the present is supplied with power, and the future is bright with hope, how could I be anything but completely happy?”

Bible Reading:
Hebrews 10:19-25

Could it really be as simple as that? Yes, but we must grow in faith.

Jesus looked at some people and marveled at the weakness of their faith; others impressed Him with their great faith.

As we spend time in His Word connecting His promises to our problems, we grow in faith.

As the trials of life drive us to His throne in prayer, we grow in faith.

As we learn to look to Him rather than just at our circumstances, we grow in faith.

If you’re in trouble, acknowledge God’s reliability and admit fear.

Then take your burdens to the Lord, knowing He is encamped around you.

He will fortify you to rejoice in the past, the present, and the future He is overseeing for your good.

[God’s] faithfulness stands firm and is prominent as mountain peaks of pearl splitting the clouds of eternity. James Smetham

316Judith

Friday, November 15

The Messy Home

[God] is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Ephesians 3:20

Ever since Adam and Eve, families have been messy.

Even the best of families encounter stress and complications.

Our deepest hurts often involve our deepest loves.

The Lord knows all about that. His own earthly family—the Church—can be messy too.

What do we do when things are not going well?

Bible Reading:
Ephesians 3:20-21

We cannot control other people, but we can bring our own lives under the Spirit’s control.

We can ask Him for patience, for influence, for the ability to minister grace to grief.

We can leave our deepest burdens with Him, remembering the words of Luke 18:1, that we “always ought to pray and not lose heart.”

In building a successful family, you must put God at the head of it—the center of everything.

Ask God to take control, and let it begin with allowing Him total control over your own life.

Ask for greater measures of the fruit of the Spirit, qualities like love, joy, patience, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control.

We must draw on God’s grace and rely on His timely intervention.

The Lord is certainly more able than we are—“exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.”

In a Christian home, there’s something special. It’s called grace. Robert Wolgemuth

316Judith

November 16

Psalms 138:1
I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

Linda had the chance to sing before a huge audience.

Due to an audition at her college, she had chosen to appear on a well-known television show.

All her friends made suggestions about what she should sing, but Linda had ideas of her own. Her grandmother had always loved the song "Amazing Grace" and told Linda that she should always look for ways to let people know what she believed.

This was a chance to do just that. Linda would sing her heart out; for her grandmother, and for the Lord.

Perhaps singing is not your talent, but each of us can find ways to proclaim the power of christ in our lives.

If God is really important in our lives, we should be excited to let the whole world know how we feel.

Praise God with your whole heart, and sing forth His glory always.

Prayer: I cannot express how grateful I am to have You in my life, Father. Help me to share Your love with the people I meet this day. Amen.

316Judith

November 17

Wisdom from the Psalms

Psalms 138:2
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

"I believe in God, but I have no use for the Bible. People take it and twist it, and it's no good to anyone. The Bible just gives some people an excuse to feel superior to other people."

The young man who expressed these sentiments is right. . .to some extent.

God's Word has been misused many times throughout history.

It has a destructive component when used by the wrong people for the wrong reasons, but that is no reason to reject it.

What God intends for his Word and what people do with it are two completely different things.

God does reveal Himself through His Word, and it is nearly impossible to come to a deep understanding of Him apart from the Holy Scriptures.

God has magnified Himself through His Word, and enables us to know Him when we read it in a spirit of openness, with a desire for the truth.

Prayer: Illumine the pages of Your Word, Lord. Bless me with understanding of Your Holy Scripture, and help me to keep an open mind as I learn and grow. Amen.

316Judith

Tuesday, November 19

Good Answers

I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 2 Timothy 1:12

Peter Byrom became a confirmed atheist while reading Richard Dawkins’ book The God Delusion.

But then he discovered a group of Christian thinkers who presented convincing reasons why believing in God was logical and why faith could be intellectually credible.

Cracks began appearing in his atheism.

“Intellectually the barriers to belief were coming down and the questions being answered,” he said.

When a friend of his became a Christian, Peter saw the changes that happened in his life.

Peter’s mind became convinced of the truthfulness of Christianity, and his heart followed.

Bible Reading:
2 Timothy 1:8-12

Sometimes we have hard questions. That’s okay.

God welcomes honest questions that can help us grow in our faith! He has good answers.

It’s good to look for answers from knowledgeable sources.

But use wisdom with regard to whom you speak.

You wouldn’t want to harm another’s faith with your own doubts.

The Lord will strengthen your faith as you sincerely seek Him and His wisdom.

“Don’t be conned.” Faith is not “belief without
evidence” as Dawkins says, but is “placing your trust in what the evidence shows you.” Peter Byrom