I wanna be like Enoch :-)

My devotion for January 3 is about Enoch. He enjoyed a close relationship with God throughout his life by staying in constant touch with him. The King James version renders this verse, "Enoch walked with God." Another word for that is "fellowship". In the end, after he had lived for 365 years on earth, he was favored by being taken to Heaven in a supernatural way. The way it is described is as if God and Enoch had taken so many walks together through life, talking and delighting in each other, that one day as they walked along, God said to Enoch, "It's late, why don't you come to my house tonight?" And they walked right on home. To be fruitful, faithful, and favored in such a way shows us what true fellowship with God is all about.

I admit that I plagiarized a portion of that directly from my book of devotions  After reading this I realize I need to go for more walks, both physically and spiritually. Our woods have many paths down which I enjoy walking with my dogs. I feel closest to the Lord there, and I use that time to pray, reflect, and clear my head. Since the weather has been colder, I have not been on those walks. While I realize that Enoch's walk refers to a spiritual one, I do believe that my walks  through the woods were also of the spiritual sort. I love being alone with the Lord, with my own thoughts, with my own prayers, and with my own praises. I can bask in his glory when I look around at all of the beautiful trees, flowers, and animals that I see and hear on those walks. All the beauty of nature. It amazes me how creative He is and what wonderful masterpieces He has created for us to enjoy. And then that reminds me, He created me, too. No matter how down on myself I am feeling or how many things are not going my way, I can still smile like a dearly loved child of God, because I am one. Today's devotion has inspired me to make more time for my relationship with God, and to communicate with Him more. Walking with God speaks of a commonality, a communion, an easy, conversational "walk" with our Creator on the road of life. It involves being honest with our heavenly Companion. Hurt feelings must be discussed, misunderstandings laid on the table. Fellowship means warmth of understanding and an interest in the thoughts and feelings of another. When we walk with God all our days, we'll find ourselves walking right on home 

Diabolical Footsteps

January 2nd's devotion discusses Satan as a serpent in both Genesis and Revelation in the Holy Bible. He is seen to be cunning,articulate, a liar, a deceiver and destroyer, and an enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ. The devotion goes on to explain how we should never attempt to take Satan on by ourselves; we should rely on Jesus to fight our spiritual battles.

This one has me thinking. Every time I try to get closer in my relationship with Jesus,Satan seems to pop up and want to take me down. Every time I try to do the right thing,Satan is there to tempt me to do something I know is wrong. Sometimes I think I see and feel Satan's presence in people who are close to me, and it makes me unsure and a bit uneasy. This reminded me of a time when I was teaching Sunday school to a group of 3 and 4 year-olds, and I had to explain to them what it meant to 'put on the armor of God'. Because that was several years ago, I researched the armor of God as a refresher,and here is what I found:

To put on the "full armor"--and enjoy a daily and eternal love-relationship with Jesus Christ, thank Him for what He has shown you in His Word. Know the Scriptures behind your prayer so that your words and faith are grounded in the authority of the Bible. (Some of those verses are listed in the chart above.) Then pray through each piece. You can use the following prayer as an outline:

• The belt of truth: Thank you, my Lord, for showing me the TRUTH about Yourself, Your plans and Your ways. Thank You for reminding me that You are the only God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the King of the universe, my Father who loves me, and my Shepherd who leads me. You are my wisdom, my counselor, my hope, and my strength. You are everything I need each day!

• The breastplate of righteousness: Thank You for showing me the truth about myself -- that on my own I could never be good enough to live in your presence. Thank you for taking my sins to the cross and offering me your perfect, RIGHTEOUS life.  Lord, show me any sin that I need to confess right now, so that nothing will hinder me from being filled to overflowing with your Spirit. [Take time for confession] Thank you for forgiving me and for filling me with your RIGHTEOUS life.

• The sandals of peace: Thank you for the peace you give me when I trust and follow you. Show me how to help others find that PEACE.

• The shield of faith: Thank you for helping me have FAITH in you. I choose to count on everything you have shown me about yourself -- and everything you have promised me in your Word.

• The helmet of salvation: Thank you for promising me SALVATION both for today's battles and for all eternity.

• The sword of the spirit, the Word of God: Thank you for the scriptures you have given me to memorize. Please show me which  you want me to use to cut through deceptions and gain your victory in any battle I may face today.
  
  
  

  God's Armor	Know the Truth about...	Affirm key Scriptures
  Belt of TRUTH	God: the Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit	"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) Deut. 4:39; Psalm 23:1; 18:1-3
  Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS	The holy and perfect righteousness of Jesus in those who are "born again" and filled with His Spirit	"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." (Matt. 5:6)Psalm 100:3; Rom. 3:23-24, 6:23; Gal. 2:20-21; Phil. 3:8-10.
  Sandals of PEACE	Inner peace and readiness	"For He Himself is our peace..." (Eph. 2:14-15) Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14; John 14:27, 16:33, 20:21.
  Shield of FAITH	Living by faith	"I am crucified with Christ:...and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God...." (Gal. 2:20) Rom. 4:18-21; Heb. 11:1; 1 Pet. 1:6-7
  Helmet of SALVATION	Salvation through Christ today and forever	"Nor is there salvation in any other..."(Acts 4:12) Each day: Ps. 16, 23; Heb. 1:3-6 For eternity: 2 Cor. 4:16-18; 1 Thess. 4:17; 1 John 3:1-3
  The victorious Sword of the spirit: GOD'S WORD	God's Word countering spiritual deception and accusations	"...the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory...." (John 1:14)  Heb. 4:12; Matt. 4:2-11; 1 Pet. 3:15; Ps. 119:110-112

  
  
  This has been a good reminder for me. I need to practice putting on this armor,perhaps first thing in the morning each morning. With armor such as this, I can battle anything that comes my way, whether it be a traffic jam, a negative peer influence, gossip, sickness, or even death. I know these things; I just need the reminders,because it's so easy to get caught up in my own life and what is directly affecting me at one given moment. It helps to remember that God has my back, I just have to ask for his help when I need it

Elohim

"Used 2,500 times in the Old Testament, the name Elohim reveals the mighty strength of God. El is the Hebrew word for "strength", while alah or oah means "faithfulness". God's faithfulness begins afresh each day (Lamentations 3:23). God is always fresh, never stale. We can depend on it!

The Bible is not a scientific textbook, but a book about faith. It does not tell us how the heavens go, but how to go to heaven. It also tells us who makes the heavens go and who upholds them "by the mighty power of his command" (Hebrews 1:3).

Elohim meets us in Genesis. In the beginning of days and nights, flowers and trees, fish and mammals, he tells us his name that is he is the Creator of all. God is strong enough to make myriad universes and faithful enough to keep them all spinning safely at the right speed.

And what does this mean to me? It gives me confidence. It tells me that if God made the world, he can make my world spin around with a little more order than I've managed to create in it! It gives me something-Someone- on whom I can depend.If God is perfect faithfulness, renewing his pledge to me morning by morning,I can go to sleep in peace evening by evening. Elohim can be known; Elohim can be trusted; Elohim is here!"

-written by Jill Brescoe, January 1 excerpt from The One Year Devotions for Women.

So, as I mentioned in my previous post, I was wanting to find a book of devotions to do for the year 2013. I happened to find one sitting in my very own bookcase, unopened and unused. I believe it was given to me mid-year one year and I held on to it, but forgot that I had it. My resolution this year is to spend more time in God's word,and I think these daily devotions will help me to reflect on things in a new and positive way. After reading this particular devotion, I'm reminded that God is in control of everything. It reminds me that I CAN depend on him, when humans fail me. I've been failed far too many times, and I've failed others-including myself-even more. But God can be trusted to take care of me morning by morning. That is a very comforting thought.