The answer is, if you eat or drink, or if you do anything, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10: 31 (New Century Version)

Your work is a very sacred matter. God delights in it, and through it. He wants to bestow His blessing on you. This praise of work should be inscribed on all tools, on the forehead and the face that sweat from toiling. For the world does not consider labor a blessing. Therefore it flees and hates it....But the pious, who fear the Lord, labor with a ready and cheerful heart; for they know God's command and will.

— Martin Luther

Daily Meditations by Pat Nordman Š

September 1

"What you are is God's gift to you; what you make of yourself is your gift to God." Anonymous.

Many years ago Clarence Darrow wrote, "If I were a young man graduating from college this year, I would chuck it all and commit suicide. Life isn't worth living today." How tragic. A young man was complaining that God had surely made a terrible world, and he wondered why. His friend said, "That is the reason God put you into this worldto make it a better place in which to live. Now stop complaining and start doing something about it."

Pat Nordman Š

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions With links to the entire devotion
Spurgeon's Morning for September 1	Spurgeon's Evening for September 1
"Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory." – Psalm 73:24	Trust in him at all times." – Psalm 62:8
A sense of our own folly is a great step towards being wise, when it leads us to rely on the wisdom of the Lord.	Faith is as much the rule of temporal as of spiritual life; we ought to have faith in God for our earthly affairs as well as for our heavenly business. It is only as we learn to trust in God for the supply of all our daily need that we shall live above the world.

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September 1 Eze 1:1 - 4:17

365 days of Bible Readings Linked to Bible Gaitway TM

Current Bible Question

Who (in the Bible) wrote over 1000 songs?

Previous question and Answer:

What instruments did John hear in his vision of the heavenly throne?

Harps (Revelation 14:2-3)

Today's Devotion

But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
Job 16:5 (NIV)

Heart of True Ministry

by Cathy Vinson

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up.

(Luke 18:1)

Children can so easily and unintentionally portray persistence to us. A toddler at bedtime does eveything possible to delay the inevitable. This may include playing furiously with a toy earlier ignored, jabbering, protesting, and wanting more kisses and water as he or she is finally tucked in. What feverishness!

If we'd only work as hard in our prayer life! In Luke 11:5-10 we read the story of a man whose friend needed to borrow something. He happened to need it at midnight. The friend tries to dissuade him, and would have in spite of their friendship. It is because of his PERSISTENCE, however, that he finally yields.

Jesus is teaching us here and in Luke 18:1 that we must be more lionhearted in our praying. We give up far too easily.

A rabbi Shem Tov spoke playfully of God living in a great palace protected by high walls and guards which keep God "safe" from those who might lay bold claim to His graciousness. The guards protect God from His own unlimited compassion; otherwise, He would give away the Kingdom to those who boldly and persistently come.

However, the guards freely admit those casual petitioners who bring only matters of shallow importance. They know the King will pay them no mind. But they watch carefully for those who come in the agony of prayer or the joyfulness of play, because the King is perfectly helpless before them. Those who come with a bold and loving eagerness are the ones who gain access to God's deepest heart (Heb 4:16).

Cathy VinsonŠ

Send a note to Cathy Vinson , the writer of this devotion.

Children can so easily and unintentionally portray persistence to us.. . . If we'd only work as hard in our prayer life!

Other Whispers from the Wilderness Devotions are found HERE

Music in the Bible

The Shophar

The shophar is best understood as a "ram's horn" (Joshua 6:4,6,8,13). The KJV often uses trumpet, cornet, and horn to render this Hebrew word (1 Chronicles 15:28, Hosea 5:8). This instrument was designed to make noise, not melody.

The shophar was not a 'musical' instrument. It was used to give signals and to announce special occasions, such as the transfer of the ark (2 Sam. 6). The shophar was also used to frighten away evil spirits and gods of the enemy (Zech 9:14-15).

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~ The Ties of Fellowship ~

In 1765 John Fawsett was called to pastor a very small congregation at Wainsgate, England. He labored there diligently for 7 years, but his salary was so meager that he and his wife could scarcely obtain the necessities of life. Though the people were poor, they compensated for this lack by their faithfulness and warm fellowship.

Then Dr. Fawcett received a call from a much larger church in London, and after lengthy consideration decided to accept the invitation. As his few possessions were being placed in a wagon for moving, many of his parishioners came to say good-bye. Once again they pleaded with him to reconsider.

Touched by this great outpouring of love, he and his wife began to weep. Finally Mrs. Fawcett exclaimed, “O John, I just can’t bear this. They need us so badly here.” “God has spoken to my heart, too!” he said. “Tell them to unload the wagon! We cannot break these wonderful ties of fellowship.”

This experience inspired Fawsett to write a hymn. “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love! The fellowship of kindred mind is like to that above.”

—H.G. Bosch