Wake up calls....

Wake up calls.....

Yesterday, at the beginning of the women's Bible study, the leader played a grocery store clip as people were busily shopping....someone got up in the middle of the store and started singing the Beatles song, "help"...

It was a plea to give food the those who are without....moving.....pretty soon the whole store of people were singing along...not sure of the outcome of the food drive, but it was really touching to see....

Then off into the study...Jesus relating to so many people.....helping one after another....after another...

Made me reflect, how do I help those around me?   Are they invisible? Do I see their hearts, their needs...or  am I oblivious to what is going on? Caught up in my own little world, with its own perplexities, needs?  How am I showing Christ to others along the way?? What about the lady sitting In the snow at the intersection, with her sign, "any help will do"... The child crying in the aisle, after wandering away from mom, the missionary note, asking for prayer...my own family ...the list goes on and on .....

Wake up, wake up, wake up...watch, learn, and do....my message to myself....thank you for the wake up call.....help me to be watchful for times to help....

Proverbs 27:19
As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.

Matthew 10:42
And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
 


"Help! Lyrics by Beatles

Help, I need somebody,
Help, not just anybody,
Help, you know I need someone, help.

When I was younger, so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody's help in any way.
But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured,
Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors.

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being round.
Help me, get my feet back on the ground,
Won't you please, please help me.

And now my life has changed in oh so many ways,
My independence seems to vanish in the haze.
But every now and then I feel so insecure,
I know that I just need you like I've never done before.

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being round.
Help me, get my feet back on the ground,
Won't you please, please help me.

When I was younger, so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody's help in any way.
But now these daya are gone, I'm not so self assured,
Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors.

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being round.
Help me, get my feet back on the ground,
Won't you please, please help me, help me, help me, oh."

 
"Mechanical Religion
Daily Devotional for February 12
From the Writings of Ray Stedman
 
From your friends at
www.RayStedman.org
Read the Scripture: Isaiah 29:1-22

The Lord says: These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. (Isaiah 29:13)

Israel's problem was what we would call mechanical religion, meaningless, external conformity to a performance of religious things. This is a grave danger. When you feel yourself becoming spiritually dull, it is a warning sign that says, Watch out! You are headed for trouble. This happens to all of us on occasion. It is healthy to ask yourself at times, Have I lost my zest for God? Do I sing the hymns mechanically? Do the truths of Scripture appear to me dull and common place? Have I lost the sense of joy in my Christian experience? That is a danger sign. That is what this woe is referring to. God's provision for this is found in the latter part of verse 5 and in verse 6:

Suddenly, in an instant, the Lord Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire. (Isaiah 29:5b-6)

Suddenly God will send into your life some experience—a disaster, perhaps—something that will get your immediate and undivided attention. That is God's action to wake you up to the danger of drifting away from the vitality of a spiritual walk.

I have always appreciated the story of the two students at Duke University who went to a costume party dressed as blue devils, the mascots of Duke. They started out to the party, but by mistake they stumbled into a prayer meeting, setting off a great exodus through the doors and windows. One lady became wedged in a pew and began to scream in terror. Forgetting that they were causing her agony, the two young men rushed forward to help her. As she saw them advancing she raised her hand and said, Stop! Don't you come any further. I want you to know that I have been a member of this church for 25 years—but I've been on your side all the time! That is what we call a moment of truth. It is a very valuable experience.

At times God will send something that wakes you up suddenly to the drift in your life. This is why he has spoken so helpfully through the prophets and the apostles, warning us of the danger of spiritual drift and the danger of living mechanically as a Christian.

Thank you, Lord, for your relentless pursuit of me when I fall into mechanical religion. Open my heart to the great riches that are waiting for me through living in vital fellowship with my living, loving Lord.


Life Application: God's love for us does not tolerate pretense and external worship. Do we gratefully acknowledge His wake-up calls as His loving pursuit?

Related Message: This daily devotional was inspired by one of Ray's messages. Please read "The Black Holes of Life" or listen to Ray for more on this portion of scripture.

Devotions for February from Isaiah
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Copyright © 2014 by Ray Stedman Ministries — This daily devotion is from the book Immeasurably More: a year of devotions from the writings of Ray Stedman; compiled by Mark Mitchell. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice and a hyperlink to www.RayStedman.org if the copy is posted on the Internet."