I CAN Drive 55!

By Denise Reed

This Week’s Verse: Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NIV)

Devotion: Confession: I used to speed. When I was younger and less responsible I wanted to get places as quick as I could. My motto was, “Move over and let me drive!” When I became more responsible, hauling around two children, I changed my ways, or so I thought. One day, as I’m driving along with the kids the back, singing along with the Christian radio station on, I look down and see that I am driving a nice 60mph in a 55mph zone. Perfect! Then God and I had this conversation:

God: “Driving over the speed limit is breaking the law, and breaking the law is a sin."

Me: “But God, cops won’t pull anyone over for going just 5mph over the limit. So if they don’t pull me over for it, it’s OK, right? Everybody does it."

God: “But what does the speed limit sign say? It doesn’t say 60pmh. You are breaking the law! You are sinning without remorse. Sin leads to death!"

And then God gave me this thought: Say I am driving just a meager 5mph over the limit and get into a fatal accident. Will I be rejected from Heaven because I was sinning without any remorse or thought of repentance? Wow! I decided I am not going to be denied those pearly gates for something so small.

As I continued to think about this new revelation over the next few weeks, God revealed something else to me. By speeding every time I got behind the wheel, I had been living a lifestyle of sin. Lifestyle of sin!? Isn’t that term just used for serial murderers, alcoholics, rapists, the sexually immoral and all those other people? Yes! But I was acting no better than any of them! This second revelation has opened my eyes to all people who are living a lifestyle of sin and the fact that it’s not my job to judge them. My sin is not better than theirs, nor does it receive a lesser degree of punishment.

So now as I drive along with my cruise control set at 55mph (thank you Lord for cruise control), it feels liberating to know that I am not breaking the law. My heart no longer skips a beat when I see a police car. The title of this devotion is not a misquoted lyric of Sammy Hagar’s, because now, I really CAN drive 55!

Lord, thank you for giving me this revelation of my lifestyle of sin. Please continue to show me my sin that put up a wall between my heart and You. Amen.

Application: Are you living a lifestyle of sin? Is there a guilty pleasure you let yourself indulge in just every once in a while? These both put up a wall between you and God. Repent from your ways. Ask Him to reveal to you these areas of your heart.

Power Verses: Psalm 139:23, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thought." (NIV)

1 John 1:19, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (NIV)

Hebrews 10:26-27, "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." (NIV)

Opened Up

by Kathy Lay

This Week’s Verse: Mark 7:34, “(Jesus) looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!" ). (NIV)

Devotion:
We’ve finally reached that much-anticipated time of year when life begins to burst forth all around us. Isn’t that just like God to time the celebration of his Son’s resurrection with the new life springing up in nature right before our very eyes?

We feel rejuvenated by the sun’s warm rays. We inhale and savor the special smell that blows in on the spring wind. We pause to appreciate the blooming of a myriad of different buds. And we marvel at life—though, it temporarily rests, it faithfully returns.

That’s what Jesus’ death and resurrection mean to us too. In this week’s verse, Jesus commanded the blind man’s eyes to be opened. Opened eyes resulted in an opened and changed heart. Jesus had a new devoted follower. That’s the miracle of allowing ourselves to be opened to the Man who opened the grave.

When we die to ourselves under His Lordship, we inherit life. Both here, to the fullest, and in heaven, for eternity. With Him!

Around us, the buds were shut. They’re starting to open and they’re so beautiful.

Jesus’s body was shut up in the tomb. The tomb was opened. And beautiful life—eternal life—was made possible.

Sometimes we shut him out of our lives. May our hearts be always open.

The result will be your blossoming. How truly beautiful.

Father, we rejoice in the resurrection! Just as you walked out of the open grave, open up new life in each of us, even as we open up to receiving it. Thank you for that marvelous Resurrection Power that you want to display in our sometimes closed-minded day-to-day existence. We claim it now, in Jesus' Name!

Application:
Are there areas of your life you've closed off to the Lord? Ask and allow Him to open them up and fill them with His Resurrection Power. He will allow you to bloom! What better way to celebrate Easter?

Power Verses:
Revelation 3:8, “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me."(NLT)
Song of Solomon 6:11, "One day I went strolling through the orchard, looking for signs of spring, Looking for buds about to burst into flower, anticipating readiness, ripeness. Before I knew it my heart was raptured, carried away by lofty thoughts!"(MSG)
Isaiah 35:1-2, "The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy..."(NIV)

Would You Like to Pray?

by Debby Craig

This Week’s Verse: 1 Samuel 1:27, “I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him.”

Devotion:
I spent the day with my daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, today. She is married to my son Matthew and is a constant reminder to me of “The Miracle” that happened in our family. Periodically, one of Matt’s old friends will stop by to see them and she listens in awe as stories of his past are told. “This can't be,” she has shared with me. “I don't even know this guy they are talking about.”

He was addicted to alcohol and drugs at an early age. Our whole family lived this horror as he replaced all that was important and precious to him for that next fix. I tried to hide my broken heart, anger, disappointment, guilt, and shame, but frequently I would ask my Sunday school class, our small groups, and the Wednesday prayer service to pray for Matthew. I was always asking others to pray for my son. We are told in scripture to carry each others’ burdens to the Lord in prayer. I began to see God moving in Matt’s life and reported each incident to the people who had spent so much time in prayer for my son and family.

Then about six years ago, Karen Keim bought me a book called Moments for Families with Prodigals. I read it in one night. It was prayer after prayer for my son from the Word. They were my prayers. Then it hit me! I had been asking others to ask the Lord for Debby's most crucial “heart” requests. My heavenly Father longed to hear from me—from my heart—about my pain, my dreams, and lost dreams for Matt. This particular book taught me to pray from the heart in the language of a mother's heart. His language—the Word. I just took a passage of scripture, prayed my heart, and inserted my son’s name into the passage.

I was excited and of course I wanted to share this new found insight about prayer with others. I had never felt like I could pray in front of others before. There had to be other mothers out there, just like me, who were amateurs at praying with others or moms who were at their wit’s end or maybe just mommas who wanted to pray for their children.

So… we put a note in The Caller entitled “Mamas Rise Up” inviting moms to come and pray for their children. Some did! God sent Virgie Pearce, Judy Bucher, and Tomma Lu and for years, once a week like clockwork, we prayed and poured out our hearts for our children and their walk with the Lord or their salvation.

We are still praying together as “Moms in Touch” and have more moms than ever before. The Lord has answered our prayers and blessed us with many miracles. We have many testimonies to share about the battles that the Lord has fought for us and won. We are constantly in awe of His never-ending love for us and His Mighty Power. We also realize that Satan is very interested in our little group of moms who are praising and worshiping and expecting miracles for our children and grandchildren, for he has poked his nose in our business many a time. But once again, we have God and His word to do battle for us.

Unsurprisingly, in 2006 Matthew accepted the Lord Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. He has a brand new heart and it is evident to all that it is a heart for Jesus. He gives God all the Glory for delivering him from his addictions. He says quite boldly and comfortably “I've been delivered.” He prays about everything. He says to me often “Mom—have you prayed about it? Just pray about it!” I feel such great joy when I hear him talk in “God's” language.

The Lord took most of him and replaced it with a new Matt. After his salvation, when he would testify about what the Lord did for him, I was very often left speechless; I didn't know this new person the Lord had put before me. Where was the old Matt? But now, I don't even remember the old Matt. I actually had a hard time pulling together some past memories of the old Matthew to write this. Wasn't that a good problem to have? Praise God! Praise God!

Lord, thank you for opening my heart and allowing me to spill it all out to you in prayer for the lives of my children. Thank you and Praise you for saving my son and the answered prayers of our praying mommas group, and please continue to take care of our dear ones! In Jesus name, Amen.

Application:
Understand what you can and can’t do as a parent. Ruth Graham Bell, in Prodigals and Those Who Love Them, stated it very simply:
“We mothers must take care of the possible and trust God for the impossible. We are to love, affirm, encourage, teach, listen and care for the physical needs of the family. We cannot convict of sin, create hunger and thirst after God, or convict. These are miracles, and miracles are not in our department.”

Power Verses:
1 Samuel 12:23, “As for me, far be it from me to sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you.” (NIV)
Matthew 18:19 -20, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (NIV) Cool!
2 Chronicles 20:15, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.” (NIV) This is what the Lord says to you mommas!
Lamentations 2:19, “Arise, cry out in the night, pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord, Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children.”

(***Editor's note: This devotion, as Debby mentioned, covers one of the many miracles that has resulted from the prayer efforts of the Mommas' Prayer Group. We look forward to sharing more in the future. Next week we'll hear from Darra Strohm.)