A WeakDay Devotion

Introduction to the WeakDay Devotions

Here's some background about this ministry. Over nine years ago a dear friend of mine couldn't find a job. She's brilliant, skilled & experienced -- but simply couldn't find a position to suit her. After about eight months of struggling & searching, she was hired to work with the Sydney Olympics & was delighted. About six months after that the role turned feral. She was devastated as she pulled herself into work each morning.

Then it became apparent they were trying to "move" her out. She struggled. At least once a week she would be on the phone to me or be sitting on my balcony talking/crying her heart out. We were both Christians & found myself in a sort of coach/mentoring role with her (not that I've ever figured it out for myself - but it IS easier to give advice than figure it out for yourself!).

One morning as I was having my quiet time with the Lord, I found something I thought would encourage her through her day & wrote her an e-mail. She wrote back that it indeed helped. The next morning the same thing happened. I wrote it in an e-mail & sent it to her. Again the Lord used it to encourage & strengthen her. The next morning nothing seemed good to send, but I searched till I found something I hoped would strengthen her. The Lord used it. Each week day morning from then on I would get up early & write her a note of encouragement.

A month went by & another friend sent me an e-mail expressing their own frustration with a work situation. I sent them a copy of the e-mail I'd sent my friend that very morning. They were encouraged & asked me to include them each morning. After a couple of weeks they shared that they had sent it off to three of their friends & would I send it direct. They also suggested I ask my other friends if they'd like to be included. I did & many asked to receive it. One day, I was asked to do a radio interview with Gordon Moyse ("An Ordinary Christian"). He had heard about the morning "WeakDay Devotions" & wanted his listeners to know more about this "crazy woman" (my words not his) that sent these out each day.

Almost every week day morning since that first e-mail, I've written a fresh word of encouragement for (by now) an untold number of friends. Most are business people (so there's an emphasis on business issues) who are Christians (Catholic & Protestant), some are Jewish, some have not made a decision about what they believe, yet. I have pastors; a Catholic priest, a Jewish teacher and a Christian Web page creator (and pastor) who distributes select ones to his readership. There’s even a pastor in the USA who uses them as part of his daily radio program.

Many who receive them forward them to others & they ricochet around the world. They're used as morning devotions between friends at work in the USA, Argentina, New Guinea, Hong Kong & places I don't even know about yet.

The Lord is using these meek & meagre "presents to Him" for His own purposes & I'm constantly surprised & humbled at the encouragement I've found in my own personal time with the Lord!

Beneath this message, you will read the very first WeakDay Devotion & some examples of other styles. If you'd like to have them emailed directly to you each day, just send me an email. I'm open to comments, suggestions & criticisms.

Again, it's almost always only one screen long, so you don't have to take too much time with them, they always come marked "Urgent" so they can be found more quickly. Finally, the distribution list is "blinded" so everyone's privacy is assured (although I pray for everyone I send to & know them all much better now).

Every day is different, some days are very short -- sometimes only one verse or two, but there's always a Bible verse (I always use the New American Standard Bible translation, unless otherwise indicated). There are also times when there is a suggestion for something special & in response I've written a variety of series, such as: The Ten Commandments, Forgiveness, How to Know God's Will, Fasting, Unmet Needs, etc.

Stay close to His Word.
Your servant and friend in Christ.... Darlene

The First Devotion

"And those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee; for Thou, O Lord, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee." Psalm 9:10

From George Muller's Autobiography:

"I saw more clearly than ever that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not, how much I might serve the Lord, how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished.

"The first thing I did, after having asked in a few words the Lord's blessing upon His precious Word, was to begin to meditate on the Word of God; searching, as it were, into every verse, to get blessing out of it; not for the sake of the public ministry of the Word; not for the sake of reaching on what I had meditated upon; but for the sake of obtaining food for my own soul. The result I have found to be almost invariably this...that after a very few minutes my soul has been led to confession, or to thanksgiving, or to intercession, or to supplication; so that though I did not, as it were, give myself to prayer, but to meditation, yet it turned almost immediately more or less into prayer."

Have a wonderful day resting in Him....love, your servant and friend in Christ...D

Another style: The Princess & the Pea

[Jesus teaching] "'And why do you look at the spec that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?'" Matthew 7:3

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." James 2:10

"So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!" James 3:5

"Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds; but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.'" Matthew 13:31-32

Ever notice how it's the little things that get under your skin and grow out of perspective? Think of the time you spend looking for a misplaced file or phone number. What about when you're late and get a red light or someone pulls out in front of you in traffic. Or how about when you get a paper cut or have a hang nail? How about forgetting someone's birthday or when you lose your glasses or keys? Any of these things can make us "lose our cool". As Christians we must be ever vigilant to how the little things can stumble our walk and witness with Christ.

It reminds me of the fairy tale of the Princess and the Pea (where a prince looked for a gentle and delicate princess to help rule his kingdom. He arranged a test of all the fair maidens. He had a stack of mattresses placed one on top the other and each "princess candidate" was invited to spend the night in the castle. The Prince became discouraged because no one seemed to respond to the test until one morning a lovely woman complained she could not sleep, as the mattress was too lumpy. Unbeknownst to her (and all the other candidates) the Prince had placed a single pea under the bottom mattress. No one else had been sensitive to the little things. Of course they lived happily ever after. In our Christian walk we need to be that sensitive to the little things that stumble us! Take care, your servant and friend in Christ – Darlene

Monday, November 2, 2009

Provision

"So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. And on the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. And Abraham said to his young men, 'Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and return to you.' and Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, 'My father!' And he said, 'Here I am my son.' And he said, 'Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?' And Abraham said, 'God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.' So the two of them walked on together." Genesis 22:3-8

It is impossible for any of us to imagine the heaviness and dread, mixed with faith and hope that filled the heart of Abraham. Sometimes we are asked to be ready, to prepare, to hourney where we do not see how we can survive, yet God DOES provide for us for His purposes, even those that remain forever mysterious and pointless to us.

Take care to know God's Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Pray for: Fred's wife to recover from near critical head injury, Rachael for hope & Clarity of purpose; Nancy's recovery from brain surgery; Adrian with life changes; Barb to find satisfying work; Isaias mission work in Philippines; Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim and Barb to be encouraged; Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God's grace on USA; Billy & Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack (Adrian's ageing uncle).

Monday, October 26, 2009

Dangers of Gloating

“So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheeba.” Genesis 20:14

What a dilemma. Abraham wanted a child, a son. Sarah wanted a child. God promised many children. Sarah wanted to trust but found another way to have God’s promise fulfilled. Hagar obeyed, yet gloated. The child grew strong. Then God’s promise was fulfilled for Sarah and jealousy grew in her heart. Sarah sought to punish Hagar for her own sin and so another journey began that affects us all to this day.

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had born him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, ‘Now behold the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my main; perhaps I shall obtain children through her.’ And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. – And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.” Genesis 16:1-2, 4

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Pray for Clarie’s daughter for clarity of purpose; Nancy’s recovery from brain surgery. Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Besetting Sin

“Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, ‘She is my sister.’ So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night and said to him, ‘Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, because she is married.’ -- Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, ‘What have you done to u? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.’” Genesis 20:1-3,9

Besetting sin is sin that you repeat even though you KNOW it is not right. Abraham did this and showed us not only that it hurt him and his family, but others were hurt along the way. God’s work in another person’s heart can be damaged by our actions – sometimes we never even know this has happened.

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Pray for Clarie’s daughter for clarity of purpose; Nancy’s recovery from brain surgery. Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Price

“Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived. And Lot went up from Zoar, and stayed in the mountains, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; and he stayed in a cave, he and his two daughters. – Thus both daughters of Lot were with child by their father. And the first-born bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. And as for the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-amni; he is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day.” Genesis 19:29-30, 36-38

God promised Abraham He would save and protect Lot. Lot wanted to make his own choices outside God’s plan, and God let him. Yet, Lot ended up where God had originally planned, but the disobedience Lot had displayed toward God resulted in a tremendous fear after Lot saw the destruction of the two cities. His fear drove him to withdrawal and isolation. His daughters grew resentful and fearful as well and instead of abandoning all hope arranged a way to meet their immediate needs. What resulted was a grave, abominable sin and the birth of two nations that warred against God’s people forever.

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Pray for Nancy’s recovery from brain surgery. Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Not There !

"But Lot said to them, ‘O no, my lords! Now behold your servant has found favour in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest the disaster overtake me and I die; now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please let me escape there (is it not small?) that my life may be saved.’” Genesis 19:18-20

Lot did not demonstrate trust in the Lord’s provision and wanted to negotiate for something easy and desirable. God knows what is waiting up ahead. He also knows why He has taken you through your journey to this moment. The only “weakness” God has is His amazing love for you, in that He has given you free will and He knows you will not always choose to trust Him. But He does know best.

“In this is love; not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (full, perfect and complete payment) for our sins.” I John 4:10

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Pray for Nancy’s recovery from brain surgery. Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

I Don't Want To Go!

“Then the men said to Lot, ‘Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.’ And Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, ‘Up, get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city.’ But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. And when morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Up, take your wife and your two daughters, who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city,’ But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.” Genesis 19:12-19

Sometimes you KNOW you are to leave and still you hesitate for the strangest reasons. Yet, the Lord HAS a plan and His plan will unfold in our lives one way or another. The sooner we learn to trust Him, the sooner we begin to grow into the image of His beloved Son. For that is why we are here really.

‘But we all, with unveiled face behonding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” II Corinthians 3:18

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Pray for Nancy’s recovery from brain surgery yesterday. Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Coming With Me

“Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kingd of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell into them. But those who survived fled to the hill country. – And they also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed for he was living in Sodom.” Genesis 14:10-12

Sometimes we get to go places we never intended to as we follow others or circumstances dictate. But God’s hand is not so short that He cannot hold ours wherever we are.

“ For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?'’” Daniel 4:34-35

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.