Saturday, January 2, 2010

Acts 23

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Paul's life reads like a high action drama from start to finish! Was really touched by my devotional notes.

" Abraham Lincoln said, 'I desire to so conduct the affairs of this administration that if, at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be deep down inside me... I am not bound to succeed but I am bound to live up to the light I have."

Lincold stood for the right. It is a lonely, risky position, but as we stand for the right, God will supply the might.

Set your mind on a course to become more dedicated to God (right). Don't let excuses, a new crisis, or a busy day make you put your time with God on hold. Find something else to skip before you skip your time in prayer or reading from the Bible."

These words warmed me like a hot drink this morning as I read them. I had arisen early, with purpose to have quiet time ALONE (usually my kids are milling around while I read the bible, I even read it aloud to them most of the time) but today I wanted to make an effort to have true ALONE time where I could get back into the practice of a prayer journal (thanks for that exhortation yesterday Nise, it was just what I needed to encourage me to do something that has been niggling at me and that I wanted to commit to this year!).

I'm praying for a year where I don't let excuses keep me from the work and blessing of devoted prayer. If we want to be successful and empowered women, we need to go to the source and fount of grace and strength and be equipped and charged each and every day.

Denise said...

"I am not bound to succeed but I am bound to live up to the light I have" - I love that!

PC, your comments are in total accordance with what I have been thinking lately. I always seem to find time to read my novel or scrapbook or surf the net, etc., but why has there been dust on my Bible? I have made a pact with myself that I am going to put God first. I cannot do any of the above things before I have spent some time with God. No more excuses because they are now sounding phony even to my own ears!

I was also sadly reminded of myself when I read the notes in my Bible: "Paul didn't recognize Ananias as the high preist, probably because Ananias's command broke the law he was pledged to represent. As Christians, we are to represent Christ. If someone we know says, "I didn't know you were a Christian," we have failed to represent him as we should. We are not merely Christ's followers; we are his representative to others."