DAILY DISCIPLINE #38
By Colleen Donahue
There are some things in our lives that are mountainous problems needing the "Red Sea parted". These are times when we are only too aware that we need God and His divine intervention.
But most of our days are filled with problems that are big for the moment, yet small in comparison with life's perspectives. These, we reason, we can handle ourselves. Why trouble God with anything but the big things?
If you read your Bible you can't help but see a loving God that worked miracle after miracle in a variety of life situations for His people. There were certainly the big miracles that brought the dead to life. But, just as important, were God's smaller touches----like the shade tree that grew instantly in the desert to give a man some coolness in the heat of the day (see Jonah 4:6).
Today's men and women are practical and self-dependent. We don't even think in terms of miracles and divine help. We have reduced God to fit in a shoebox almost deciding for Him what He can or cannot do. Is it any wonder that we have missed much of the grace of day to day living with God?
Our Father is still the God of miracles-big or small. He is still willing today to undertake for any of His children that will trust Him first and depend on Him alone. We are all tempted to think that our situation is too small or too big or too complex for God to work His solution on our behalf. But our challenge this month comes from God's own heart to us...............
"IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?"
GOD CAN MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING.
Day 1- Take the world for instance.....
Hebrews 11:3
Day 2 -Hannah had no hope of having children. But even that was not too hard for God.
I Samuel 1: 1-20
Day 3 -Have you ever needed to give of yourself or your supply to others but felt like you were empty and had nothing to offer? So God challenged His disciples more than once to give from their lack and great abundance resulted.
Matthew 14:14-21 / Matthew 15:29-38
Day 4 -Our own hard efforts often bring us nothing, but, notice in these verses that just a word from the Lord (vs.5) can bring abundance defying our efforts.
Luke 5:1-7
Day 5 -We have a saying in America when someone wonders where something will come from...."Do you think it will come from out of the blue? " We use this as sarcasm, but with God, it is a truth that He can bring ANYTHING "FROM OUT OF THE BLUE!"
Exodus 16:4-18 / Numbers 11:4,21-32
Day 6 -Without any strain on our part, God is able to supply our needs. Notice in verse 5 that obedience is what allows God to act on our behalf.
I Kings 17:2-6
Day 7 -Even in our times of despondency and despair, when we have no energy of our own, God is able to undertake for us.
I Kings 19:3-8
GOD CAN SOMETHING OUT OF VERY LITTLE!
Day 8 -Does it seem to you that God is asking you to give something that you have very little of?
I Kings 17:7-16
Day 9- Notice in this story that God would have kept multiplying the means if the woman and her sons had had more containers to receive. God may want to multiply and give but do we have faith enough to accept?
2 Kings 4: 1-7
Day 10- We may be insignificant and lacking in strength, but God is able to take what we have and do mighty things.
I Samuel 17:1-51
GOD CAN DEFY THE LAWS OF NATURE.
Day 11- Do you think you're too old to do something? God can defy the laws of aging.
Genesis 17:15-17 / 18:10-15
Day 12- Even if we are caught in perilous weather conditions, God is able to hear our cry and bring us through safely.
Luke 8:22-25
Day 13 -God abides by the laws of nature established through creation, BUT, Jesus superseded these laws thus showing He was more than just a man.
Matthew 8:26 / Mark 6:45-51
Day 14- Notice in this story how God used a supernatural event to speak directly to a man that asked God for a sign.
Judges 6:17-25
GOD CAN HEAL OUR INFIRMITIES AND DISEASES WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS
Day 15- Much of what we term as mental illness today is really a passive mind that has allowed evil spirits to take control. Man looks upon the raging of mental illness as almost hopeless to restore but NEVER so with Jesus.
Mark 1:23-28 / 5:1-15
Day 16- Does Jesus need to be physically present in order to heal? (vs.6-7) What enabled Christ to only "say the word?" (vs.9)
Luke 7:1-10
Day 17 -The woman in this story had spent all her money, suffered under many doctors, and still got worse. What action did she take to show that she believed Jesus could and would heal her? (vs.27-28)
Mark 5:24-34
Day 18- What enabled these two blind men to be healed? (vs.29)
Matthew 9:27-30
Day 19- What action did this invalid of 38 years take to show that He truly believed Jesus had healed him? (vs.9)
John 5:1-9
NOTE: The man was instantly healed, but, if he hadn't obeyed Jesus he would not have experienced it.
Day 20- To have an infirmity for 18 long years would seem quite permanent. But a touch from Jesus can set years of disease and illness back to health and wholeness. Notice this woman's response in verse 13.
Luke 13:10-13
GOD MAKES ALIVE WHAT SEEMS COMPLETELY DEAD!
Day 21- We might be skeptical of today's shrines where people are healed, but notice that even touching a holy man's bones brought life to a dead man.
2 Kings 13:20-21
Day 22- The fact that the Son of God rose from His earthly bondage is the pivot point of Christianity. Have you risen with Christ from the chains that tie you to earth?
Galatians 2:20
Day 23- God can move on our behalf because of His great compassionate heart and for no other reason.
Luke 7:11-15
Day 24- Sometimes we live as "dead" people trapped by the world's systems and sin. We are bound up just as tight as Lazarus in this story. Notice the authority that Jesus used to free us and His final command to remove the grave clothes (the things that bind us) so we can go free.
John 11:32-44
GOD CAN FREE US FROM OUR PRISONS!
Day 25- In this dreadful situation, what act by Paul and Silas brought down all the power of God? (vs.25)
Acts 16:19-40
Day 26- For what reason will God free us from our prisons? (vs.20,25)
Acts 5:17-25
Day 27- Saints throughout the ages have amazing stories to tell of God's miraculous deliverance from deadly circumstances. Here is one that Peter is able to testify to.
Acts 12:1-17
GOD CAN TURN THE COURSE OF HUMAN HISTORY, AS WELL AS OUR OWN LIVES, BECAUSE HE IS ABLE TO CHANGE A MAN'S HEART WITHOUT VIOLATING THEIR FREE WILL.
Day 28- What miracle did God perform through His angels in order to protect a man and his family?
Genesis 19:1-26
Day 29- The real miracle of this story happens AFTER the physical miracle. Only God can truly change a man's heart, as you see what happened to this important king of Babylon.
Daniel 3:16-30
Day 30- Once again a miraculous event from God was able to turn a king's heart in order to affect an entire nation.
Daniel 6:1-28
Day 31- Notice how God used a miraculous event to engineer His ultimate plan for Joseph by changing Pharaoh's heart towards him. Is there some man or woman in authority over your life who seems to be blocking all progress? God is more than able to accomplish His will for you by using them.
Genesis 41:15-44
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