Together With God

NEW BLOG ADDRESS

2007-05-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

Please adjust your bookmarks. The Together With God blog is now at this address: www.wnac.org/blog.

The blogspot site will no longer be updated.

Daily Devotional Saturday 5-5-07

2007-05-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

The Blanket

II Corinthians 9:7

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

Five years ago my mother and I offered help to our friends, driving them across Knoxville to the Cancer Center. When we arrived, the wife escorted her husband back to where he would receive chemo. Mom and I brought needlework and sometimes a book. We sat near the door to help those in wheelchairs.

One day I opened the door for a gentleman who was pushing his mother to their car. She motioned me over to her window and asked if I were a Christian. I assured her that I was, and she ask if I would pray for her. When I said amen and opened my eyes, she was shaking because she was so cold. Mom and I looked at each other and agreed, “Let’s give her a blanket.” We had a couple of textile knitted blankets in the trunk of the car. I opened the trunk and retrieved this sweet lady a blanket. They thanked us, and the son started the motor and rolled the windows up. Then he got out of the car and said, “We got bad news today. Mom only has few weeks to live. Do you want your blanket back?”

“No,” I answered. “You keep her as warm as you can with her new blanket.” He cried and hugged me.

The Lord gives to us freely and happily. He wants us to be cheerful givers, too.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Pray for Home Mission church planters across the United States.

Daily Devotional Friday 5-4-07

2007-05-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

The Flip Flop

Psalms 25:8

“Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners in the way.”

Watch TV and you will see the flip flop. Listen to the news and you will hear the flip flop. Read the newspaper and you will recognize the flip flop in print.

The flip flop is the world making good things bad and bad things good. This is not at all the way it should be. Good things are good and bad things are bad. The good and upright is how we “teach sinner in the way.”

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Persecuted Christians, especially in China, Laos and Uzbekistan, need prayer.

Daily Devotional Thursday 5-3-07

2007-05-03T20:26:00.000-07:00

Rain

Deuteronomy 28:12a

“The Lord shall open unto thee His good treasure the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in this season…”

I love rain. It is so refreshing and invigorating. I love to feel the cool raindrops gently fall on my face and roll down. I love to take walks in the rain, and I often sit next to a window or on the porch just to hear the rain. In the dry spells of summer you can almost hear the earth drink the rain. Everything needs water to survive.

God’s Word is refreshing. Each time we open the pages of our Bibles, something new emerges to help us through the day. It is like a cool drink of water we need to survive our Christian lives.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Pray today for Doug Little (FWBIM) and his family's health needs.

Daily Devotional Wednesday 5-2-07

2007-05-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

Working Together

I Corinthians 15:58

“Therefore my beloved brethren be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Today my husband and I cut the hedge, raked and painted the trim on the shed. We worked together all day. We have always worked together. Whatever needs to be done, we do it together. We talk, we stop for a cool drink or we sometimes even change jobs. We have always tried to work in harmony because we know we will soon get the job done together.

The Lord has charged us to work together. He uses the word brethren—the plural of brother. He also wants us to be steadfast and unmovable in His work. Whether we work together as a family, a church, or in our WAC group, He is depending on us to accomplish His work. The Lord knows that working together is a good thing for His children.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Have you set aside one hour to pray this month?

Daily Devotional Tuesday 5-1-07

2007-05-01T20:24:00.000-07:00

Little Shoes in Big Shoes

Ephesians 6:4

“And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

The other day, after a visit with my four-year-old grandson, I was picking up socks and shoes. I placed my grandson’s shoes into my husband’s shoes to make it easier to carry them. I took a good look at the shoes and was overwhelmed within my heart at this visual reminder of this responsibility. Parents and grandparents alike have a great task of showing our precious little ones the ways of the Lord. He is counting on our shoes to walk pure and godly because little shoes will be following.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Pray for and give to WNAC Emphasis offering on Mother's Day.

Daily Devotional Monday 4-30-07

2007-04-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Virginia Tech

Romans 9:2

“That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.”

A great tragedy struck our nation with the mass murder of 32 lives at Virginia Tech. How grief stricken are the families of these students and faculty members. There are no rational answers to why this happened and these family members will hurt for a long, long time over this senseless tragedy. Some who are reading this devotion have already experienced this kind of grief and sorrow. You know how these folks are painfully trying to get through.

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3).

Yes, there is comfort for these fathers, mothers and family members—the comforting power of the Holy Spirit. Today let us give these in grief our prayers that the Lord would ease their pain and give them comfort from the “God of all comfort.”

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Mother's Day is coming. Pray about ways to honor your mom.

Daily Devotional Saturday 4-28-07

2007-04-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

Love.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 1 John 4:8

We do all the right things. We listen to the right music. Wear the right clothes. Go to the right places. Why? Do we do them because we fear? Because we respect other people and don’t want to disappoint them? Or do we do all the right things because we love Jesus?

Of course, love of Jesus should be our motivation for all things good. He gave His life for us. He lives again for us. He surrounds us every moment with His presence, our Comforter. He promises never to leave us or forsake us.

Love Him because He first loved us.

Tammy Miller

South Carolina

PRAYER CORNER

Single parents need our prayer and support.

Daily Devotional Friday 4-27-07

2007-04-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

Remember!

The April 15^th Sunday school lesson from Scholar had beautiful language in the message Moses was to deliver to the children of Israel in Exodus 19.

Verse 3 in particular: “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians…”

God was again saying to remember the miracles, the protection, and the deliverance! Then verse 3b: “…and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself.”

Through every circumstance, through every trial, through every struggle, through it all—He does for us what He did for them. He bares us on eagles’ wings—high, lifted up, where there is expanse and perspective and wonder and beauty. The Israelites did not “feel or even think” that they were in the realm of expanse, perspective, wonder or surely not beauty, but GOD says He was bearing them on eagles’ wings.

Then out of Daily Light on the Daily Path April 16^th this morning were similar thoughts about remembering:

This is often how we feel about out health, schedule overload, finances, addictions, over-eating/overweightness (From Psalm 69:2 and Lamentations 3:54)---“I sink in deep mire and where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters where the floods overflow me. The waters flowed over my head”

And then our minds get into a gear of wondering about God’s goodness, His understanding, His activity on our behalf. “Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promised failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?” (Psalm 77:7-11).

God then sends “GRACE” and “TRUTH” TO THE RESCUE (from Psalm 77)---“And I said, ‘This is my anguish; but

1. I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.’

2. I will remember the works of the Lord;

3. surely I will remember Your wonders of old.”

4. “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Ps. 27:13)

In the traumas of our days, sometimes we need to stop and remember.

Psalm 103:2 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits!”

Rebecca Pugh

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Have you thought about sending a TWG subscription to a family member or friend? Pray about it.

Daily Devotional Thursday 4-26-07

2007-04-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

Exodus 19:12-13

“Take heed to yourselves that you …not…touch the border of it…whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: There shall not an hand touch it…”

Boundaries were set for God’s people to NOT TOUCH that which was holy or set apart and specially designated by God—in this verse even the mountain where God would meet with Moses. That which was of God was separated [i.e. Holy of Holies], holy, distinct, set apart. (Numbers 4:15--“they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die”)

FAST FORWARD 1500 YEARS……………………………

Hebrews 1:1-3 “God has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son—Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power”

Jesus…

He changed the whole arrangement---

Mary wrapped Him in swaddling clothes (Lk. 2:7)

Crowds touched Him and were healed (Mk. 3:10, Mt. 14:36)

The sinner woman anointed Jesus’ head and feet (Mk. 14:3-9;Lk. 7:38)

The woman with an issue of blood touched Jesus and was healed (Lk. 8:43-48, Mk. 5:24-34)

The children crowded and touched Jesus (Mk. 10;13, Lk 18:15)

The Disciples touched him after the resurrection (Lk. 24:39, Jn. 20:19-20)

Thomas was able to give a special touch (Jn 20:24-28)

A blind man touched him in Mk. 8:22

FAST FORWARD 2000 YEARS…………………………

Romans 5:1-2 therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Hebrew 4:14 Seeing that we have ...Jesus the Son of God…

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Rebecca Pugh

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Both IM and HM missionaries struggle with deficit accounts. Let's ask God what we can do to help erase deficits.

Daily Devotional Wednesday 4-25-07

2007-04-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

Our Babies

I Corinthians 3:2 “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hither to ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”

Our family has been blessed with a new grandchild. We now have three granddaughters and three grandsons. The oldest is 13 and the youngest is 2 months old. I was caring for the baby the other day, and as I fed him I ran my fingers over his soft little head. I couldn’t help but to think how helpless he is and how much he depends on the help of the mature adults around him to keep him safe and healthy. His little life is in our hands.

These concepts are so very true with baby Christians. We need to care for them and help them grow into mature adult Christians. They are subject to Satan because he is a real danger to these babes in Christ. Christian women are the perfect helpers and mentors to these Christian babes. We have the greatest mental and emotional abilities to nurture, protect, guide and teach. Today would be a perfect time to take a new or struggling Christian under your wing.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

College students will soon be studying for exams. A prayer and a box/bag of snacks would certainly help.

Daily Devotional Tuesday 4-24-07

2007-04-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ah Chooo

Proverbs 17:22 “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

This has been a really bad season for allergies. Everyone I know is sneezing. I went to the pharmacy the other day to get my husband something for his allergies, and most of these medications were sold out.

We have a medicine for our spiritual ails; it’s a merry heart. Our prescription? Make a list of all the things the Lord has done for us. We soon will be happy over the wonderful gifts we have through Jesus Christ. Our merry heart will work like a medicine in our lives.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Today is an excellent occasion just to praise God.

Daily Devotional Monday 2-23-07

2007-04-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

Psalm 133:1 “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”

“United we stand, divided we fall” has been used in speeches and songs. It is the Kentucky state motto. According to the Internet encyclopedia, this exact saying is credited to Aesop, a Greek slave and the author of fables. Christ Himself said, “…Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25).

When Christians unite together, God’s work will get done. If we would only love each other like He loves us. This requires resolve and commitment because loving is a lifelong responsibility. We do not ever want to see Christians fall—whether one, a group or all. Let’s think about the ways we can live in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ as good and pleasant children of God.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

FWB International Missions board meeting begins today. Please pray as members make important decisions affecting our missionaries.

Daily Devotional Sunday 4-22-07

2007-04-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

Forgiveness

Matthew 6:14 “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Forgiveness is a positive attitude toward the offense instead of a negative response toward the offender. It is so hard to ask forgiveness, but it is necessary for our forgiveness. The account of Joseph forgiving his brothers is beautiful, and the passage of Jesus on the cross forgiving those who were responsible for His death is amazing. When we bow in humble prayer and ask Him to forgive us, this is true compassion. Throughout the Bible we find examples that will help us know how to forgive and how to ask for forgiveness. Let us forgive as Christ forgives us.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Today let's pray for our pastors and Sunday school teachers.

Daily Devotional Saturday 4-21-07

2007-04-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Ice Skating

Ecclesiastes 9:10a “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might…”

This past weekend we went to the mountains and ended up at Ober-Gatlinburg. My husband and I sat and watched the ice skaters. We noted quite a range in their ability. A young lady in a pink sweater was very good. She glided smoothly over the ice making quick turns in the air, always landing with ease and grace. There also was a young lady who never took her hands off of the rails, scooting around the rink, holding on to her friend and the rails. All the other skaters were in the middle of skill level range. But the skater I really noticed and loved was a 10 year old, blonde headed boy in jeans and a grey sweat jacket. He had the biggest smile on his face, and there was no mistake. He was having the time of his life. His dedication impressed me. He skated the entire time and didn’t let anything stop him. Falling, getting up, and falling again. If someone accidentally skated into him he kept on smiling, got back up on his skates and went on his way. He was so delightful.

Oh how wonderful to live our Christian life like this. Generally, the first thing we do is lose our smile and then our luster as happy, dedicated Christians. Today let’s purpose to keep our enthusiasm in living and working for the Lord. When we get knocked down (and occasionally we will), let’s smile, get back up and skate away.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Young women are crucial to our WAS program. Pray more will join.

Daily Devotional Friday 4-20-07

2007-04-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

I Love You More

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

My three year old grandson and I play a game called,”I love you more.” I’ll say; “I love you so much,” and he will answer, “I love you more, Maw maw.”

Isn’t it a wonderful feeling when we pray and say, “Lord I love you,” and He answers and says,“I love you more.” He does love us more—more than we realize. He gives us the greatest love, the sweetest love, the deepest love and unconditional love. All of this is ours by receiving His amazing love.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Spring is a good time to include the WNAC general fund in your budget. Put some thought and prayer into this suggestion.

Daily Devotional Thursday 4-19-07

2007-04-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

Kindness

Isaiah 54:10 “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.”

We all need is a little kindness at times. Especially if we are having a rough day. When we are at our lowest day ever the Lord is there for us. His kindness wraps around us like a big warm blanket. We can always depend on Him to help us set aside the things that could ruin a good day. Feel His kindness today and forget the worries and stresses that overcome us, because His kindness will not depart from us.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Pray for Cleo Pursell Scholarship recipients. Consider giving to this fund.

Daily Devotional Wednesday 4-18-07

2007-04-18T15:14:00.000-07:00

Don’t Be Afraid

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

So many things cause us fear these days. It might be a doctors visit, a loved one in the armed services, a sick child, money matters, moving to a new church, a mission account, a backslidden loved one, a medical test, school, the weather, world issues, retirement, preparing a talk for a woman’s group, our lives, our health or insert your personal fears here. Because we, today, are going to turn our fears over to the Lord. Today’s Scripture is so full of promise. Know that God always keeps His promises. Don’t be afraid; the Lord is there to help us.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

FWB youth camp leaders are busy planning and preparing for camp activities this summer. Pray for godly direction.

Daily Devotional Tuesday 4-17-07

2007-04-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

Time For God

Psalm 46:10a “Be still and know that I am God…”

I have never known a time when people are as busy as now. When do folks have time for the Lord? What do we have to do to make time? First we have to place Him at the top of the list. God must come first in our lives. Then we must slow ourselves down till He is solely on our hearts and minds. When we get still and focus completely on the Lord, we can know Him in a sweet and personal way.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Pray for safety of missionaries, denominational leaders and others who travel many miles each year.

Daily Devotional Monday 4-16-07

2007-04-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

A Gift for Me

James 1:17a “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights,…”

Recently my mother-in-law split her cabbage rose pink glass collection with my husband and his sister. Soon after his return home from her house we washed it all and put on a prepared shelf. One day he came home with something wrapped up in a brown paper sack. He handed it to me and said, “I bought you a gift”. I unwrapped the bag to find a beautiful pink glass bowl. My gift matched the other pink glass perfectly. He was surprised that I moved the other glass around to make room for the pink bowl. I let him know that his gift meant so much to me, and I would take special care of it.

We must receive each and every gift the Lord has for us in an attitude of gratefulness and treat His special gifts with exceptional care.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Continue to pray for success of TWG and for editor Sarah Fletcher.

Daily Devotional Sunday 4-15-07

2007-04-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Ease

Isaiah 32:9a “Rise up, ye women that are at ease;”

This passage is a warning to the women of Jerusalem. In the next verse God calls them careless daughters and tells them to give ear to Him.

I have two fine dogs I love. But most of the day Manchester and Buck are at ease on the back deck. There are two nice chase deck chairs out there and I have even put blankets down on these chairs for them. So, most of the time they are at ease in a lot of comfort. They never get anything done. And that is the downfall of being at ease. Are we comfortably at ease in our Christian life? Rise up and give ear to the Lord!

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Students graduating from high school next month need special prayer concerning where they will continue their education.

Daily Devotional Saturday 4-14-07

2007-04-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

Patience

James 1:3 “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

Have you ever heard the expression ‘I want patience and I want it now’. Let’s face it. We all would like to have patience on request. But this is not how the Lord said we would receive it. He wants us to strengthen our faith and that by trial. He knows that our patience is developed through the “trying of our faith.” When we are faced with a trial let’s keep in mind the Lord is with us, and He wants us to be victorious over our circumstances. Let’s cultivate our patience through our trials. We should have plenty of patience in our storehouse.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Pastors' wives need prayer and encouragement. Why not do something special for your pastor's wife today?

Daily Devotional Friday 4-13-07

2007-04-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:14a “And shall put my spirit in you and ye shall live…”

Ezekiel 37:1-14 gives the Scriptural account of a valley of dry bones that God raises into “an exceeding great army.” It’s a beautiful passage of how God takes a valley of dry bones and puts them together piece by piece and gives them breath “so they might live.”

Sometimes we may feel like dry bones. Our self confidence is gone, our usefulness is over, our talents and gifts are of no great value, our breath for spiritual service has dried up and it seems our spiritual life is lying in a desert like the dry bones. All of us experience these feelings at one time or another in our life. Today let’s pray for ourselves and each other—for a dry bone resurrection in our lives. Let God raise us into the “exceeding great” woman we can be. Let Him put His Spirit in us that we might have life—a wonderful, useful, confident and joyful life.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Pray for Rob Conley and staff (FWBIM finances) during this busy month.

Daily Devotional Thursday 4-12-07

2007-04-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

No One Listens Anymore

I John 5:14 “And this is the confidence that we have we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.”

Does it seem that sometimes folks around us don’t hear us? It certainly is difficult to find someone who will be a good ear and listen. The Lord hears us and gives us what we ask according to His will. He is our best friend. And no matter what we tell Him, He hears us.

Are we carrying a heavy burden that we want to unload? He hears us. Do we need a prayer answered that only God can provide? He hears us. Do we have a secret sin in our life that needs forgiven? He hears us. Do we need an ear of confidence for a very private need? He hears us. We must have confidence that He will do what He has promised, and He promised to hear us.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Pray for James Forlines, conference speaker at California Christian College, April 12-16.

Daily Devotional Wednesday 4-11-07

2007-04-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

Chips and Dip

Romans 12:13 “Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."

When I was a young girl it was a special thing to visit after church. There was one family I really enjoyed visiting. They opened up their home to church members all the time. These were special times. This woman always had chips and dip on the table. We gathered around the piano and we sang as she played the piano. The fellowship was so wonderful, the music was amazing and the whole experience gave me a real love for Christian fellowship.

Are we providing these kinds of experiences for younger generations? How will they develop their love for fellowship? Ladies, we have a task to pass on the great events that shaped our lives and made us better Christian women. Let’s use our gifts of hospitality to share with others and teach younger girls the true ability to love and share Christian fellowship.

You can always set out some chips and dip.

LaCrecia McFaddin

Tennessee

PRAYER CORNER

Dale and Julie McCoy are assuming pastorate of the missions church in Prattville, AL. Let them know you are praying for them.