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Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:20:54 +0000
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- -- Friday, 7/16/10 -- SEEK YE FIRST -- Judges 4:1-5 [1 Update]
http://groups.google.com/group/takeaminute/t/6b9cd7f6649f2665
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Topic: -- Friday, 7/16/10 -- SEEK YE FIRST -- Judges 4:1-5
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/takeaminute/t/6b9cd7f6649f2665
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From: "J.R. & Bonnie Ricks" <j-r-and-bonnie@dogwoodministries.org>
Date: Jul 15 05:08PM -0500
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/takeaminute/msg/7428f8ebb4cd121c
Take a Minute is a daily devotional ministry of
Dogwood Ministries, Inc.
If you need prayer. contact our partners in ministry.
SJ Ministries - Ministry of Prayer <http://sjministries.co.uk/>
Or simply send your request to SJMinistries@aol.com
All other requests, please see the end of the devotional
for Dogwood Ministries addresses
Dear Subscribers,
Please note the weekly budget report at the end of today's devotional.
Thanks now and in advance for those who are able to help this month!
God bless you all!
Bonnie & J.R.
SEEK YE FIRST -- Judges 4:1-5 NIV
After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the
LORD. So the LORD sold them into the hands of Jabin, a king of Canaan, who
reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in
Harosheth Haggoyim. Because he had nine hundred iron chariots and had
cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the LORD
for help.
Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that
time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in
the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their
disputes decided.
Deborah was not power hungry. She sought only to serve God. And what did
it get her? The top job in Israel. Because she sought God and His will
first in her life, God made her the leader over all of Israel. And after
God put her in charge, she didn't lose her focus. She kept right on seeking
God first. And God left her in charge of Israel for forty years.
If everyone was like Deborah, Israel would not have gone through the "yo-yo"
effect time and time again. If everyone kept their focus on God and His
purpose, His word, His glory, the world would not be in the mess it's in
today. But just look what happens. A man starts a ministry. In the
beginning, his total focus is on God. His one and only desire is to serve
God. So God begins to reward his efforts. The ministry begins to grow. and
grow. and grow. Pretty soon, this man finds himself influencing thousands
of people. and receiving thousands of dollars in return. He begins to enjoy
the adulation. He begins to like having plenty of money to buy all the
wonderful things the world has to offer. He begins to forget his focus. He
begins to forget who is in charge. Many times, his life begins to reflect
the absence of God. And sometimes, his theology does, too. Without naming
names, you and I know a number of individuals who fit this mold. But we
also know a number of individuals who do not. There are so many people
whose ministries God has blessed. And because they continue to keep their
focus on Him and His purposes, their ministries are thriving under His
watchful guidance.
Why do many of us just never seem to learn? Why aren't all of us like
Deborah? Why is it that when God blesses us and gives us a "yes" to our
prayers, we tend to forget about God? We like getting the credit. We love
the admiration of our peers. We thrive on the feelings of power and
control. We love to wallow in luxury.
Learn from Deborah's example. Keep your focus on Jesus. Make serving Him
your number one priority. Seek Him and His kingdom first. and let Him take
care of the rest.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat
or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important
than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of
the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of
you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field
grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all
his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the
grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the
fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not
worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall
we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly
Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day
has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34 NIV
July Budget Report
Dogwood Ministries Monthly Budget: $1,500.00
Received as of 7/16/10: $300.00
Balance needed: $1,200.00
To make a donation, go to www.paypal.com <http://www.paypal.com/>
Click on "Send Money" and address your gift to
j-r-and-bonnie@dogwoodministries.org
If you prefer snail mail, contact us for address.
REMINDER: Dogwood Ministries, Inc. is a U.S. 501(c)(3) not-for-profit
religious corporation. All U.S. donations are tax deductible.
Thank you for your support!
God bless you all!
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