Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 140

Endurance: Standing Your Ground

Read Ephesians 6:10-20 (When you read verses 19 and 20 please pray those things for me, I need your prayers).

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood. . . .Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Ephesians 6:12,13 (NIV1984)

    Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but it feels like it sometimes. However, let’s examine that feeling for a minute. When people just seem to get your nerves is it really them that you are frustrated with or is it something about them or something that they do? Read Ephesians 6:12 for the answer to what are struggle is with.

    I have been going through tremendous pressures recently. Not just a week or a few days, but months. At times, it feels like I hear so many lies and don’t see anyone sharing truth. It’s frustrating, but it is an opportunity to get to draw near to the Lord.

    I can’t say that it’s easy to stand and endure, but I can say that the Lord is with us! In the midst of the fight—yea the struggle!—stand firm! Let’s look at some Scripture and place our confidence in the Lord. Take courage in these, hold fast to them:

“So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NIV1984)

“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long . . . .Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. . . .The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.” Psalm 25:4-5,8-10,14-15 (NIV1984)

Thought 139

Sometimes you have to say NO! to ‘good’ things

    At times, we have to turn down “good opportunities” in order to do the work that God has given us or has for us to do.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 138

Choices

    The choices you have made are determining your life. Do you compromise? Are you following Jesus? These choices will determine a lot about your life. The same principle applies to large groups of people. Has a church become as wicked as the newly believing Corinthian Church or faithful like the Bereans? Again, choices determine a lot.

    Many Christians are not very different from the world other than the fact that they believe in the Lord Jesus and this is largely because of individual choices. They watch the same movies, are addicted to the same porn, take the same drugs, speak the same foul words, believe the same lies about male and female relationships, and the worst thing, is that many in the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, have prostituted themselves. Yes, prostituted! Because they are intimately connected and entwined in the fallacies and lies that entangle the Lost! . . . Come to the Lord. He is here, waiting to take you back in His arms, to forgive you and restore you with the full privileges of sonship, adopted into His family.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 NIV1984

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:8-10 NIV1984

Read Luke 15.

  This devotion may have struck a chord with your heart, and if it really did, let the Lord speak to you and don’t read on. To those that read this objectively or had the Holy Spirit testify within in you that you are being faithful with your life, I ask you, and I believe our Lord Jesus would commend you as well, to pray for those who have read this devotion today—or will read it at some later date—that they may hear the Holy Spirit clearly and respond as the Lord convicts them. Please just pause right now and pray.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Day 136

Start Praying Now

Hey guys, how many of you want to be married?

Hey girls, how many of you want to be married?

    Alright, most of you probably want to get married one day. Are your reasons Biblical or LUSTFUL, though? The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will tell you if you’re honest with yourself.

     Pray for that ONE. Right now, set aside some time and pray for her or him. Pray for God to give him or her strength, to equip them, to empower them, to embolden them, to loose the TRUTH of God’s Word within them, to develop character in them, for them to have a thriving and dependent relationship with Jesus; for them to live stewardship right now (i.e. tithing, financial wisdom, and wisdom with their time, resources and talents - for God) and you complete the list.

       Invite God’s hand into the life of your future spouse—they need CHRIST and so do YOU. Give Christ Charge in their life today! Pray that special helpmeet or servant leader into the throne room of God right now. You may not know them, but prayer spans the miles.

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16 NLT

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Day 137

Role Model

     What kind of example do you display? Do people follow you for who you really are or as somebody you pretend to be? If people follow you, do you lead a rebellious riot or a united Christian body? Do you encourage others to obey authority, God, and the rules by your actions (that is, the fruit of your life)? 

     In my work with young men, I have experienced and had to deal with “rebels.” You see, when you are a young man and you “outrank” some other young men who are your friends, you will probably encounter some difficulties as you pursue trying to mentor and teach them. One thing I have taken note of is that there is usually a ring leader who stirs up the people. Authority should be respected because it is all chosen by God (Rom. 13:1-7); therefore, it should only be opposed if it is directly going against the Word of God. For example, I do not care what the government says about abortion; whether they declare it legal or illegal, I know that God is against it. However, when authority is opposed just because someone doesn’t like what they’re doing, it’s just have rebellion. What I am saying is without Biblical grounds, we shouldn’t oppose authority.

Be an example. more people than you know are watching you, trust me. Do your best to live an example, because your life bears the fruit of reputation. What kind of Biblical reputation do you want? “Hang around” people that model it and search the Scripture for it.

Call for Prayer and Fasting

"Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord." Psalms 25:7 NIV1984

  The situation of our nation, America, is grave. Our sins are mounted right up there with Sodom and Gommorah. Readers, I call out to you to pray. Please fast. Please ask the Lord to not remember our nations sins and our rebellious ways, ask Him to remember our nation according to His love. Pray for an outpouring of His mercy and that many may come to Him in a great revival.

  We must humble ourselves and pray and seek the Lord's face, or our nation won't last (2 Chronicles 7:14), but we have His promise right here in the Word that if we do, He will heal our land. Halleluajah and Amen!

 Please start off by spending some time contemplatively reading all of Psalm 25 and Ephesians 6:10-20 (please pray for me and all in spiritual leadership as Paul requests in verses 19 and 20).
Please pray!

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Day 135

Lack of Dependence on Each Other = DIVORCE ???

    Dear readers, as much as some of us hate to admit it, we are all dependent on others. For example, I am more dependent on my parents than I let on. They counsel me, bandage my bruises, and instruct me in the way of the Lord; but I still have a choice to make: will I be healthily dependent on them? What I mean is that I need to grow up, get a job, move out and get marred one day. It wouldn’t be healthy to be dependent on them for everything when I’m 40 when I have the capacity physically and mentally to provide for myself and a family.

     Without the same principle of dependence, a marriage is not possible. A husband and a wife are supposed to “become one (Gen. 2:24).” What does that mean? I have heard Kevin Swanson illustrate it this way:  an ax head and an ax handle are both needed to have an ax, right? One piece alone cannot, and will not efficiently cut down the tree. In the same way a man and a woman that have married need each other to “get-the-job-done.”

        When marriage is no longer dependence on one another; but rather, two separate people that just said some vows, live together, and have children, there is no reason for a marriage to continue in many minds. People get bored of a life like that. But God meant marriage to be so much more than what we think it is. It is to be the foundation of the family, yet also an intimate relationship where two people become one in the sight of God. O this is a mystery!

Dear Christians, the divorce rate is higher in the Church than the world!

We do NOT live what we preach and what Jesus taught!

      Young adults, children, young men and women, older boys and girls or whatever you want to be labeled, you need to ground your marriage in God! Both of you being dependent on God together will be the strongest binding force of your marriage. Please, do not just become another statistic in the divorce rates when you get older. You have a role to play in a lasting marriage! When you marry, you have a part to play in the one person that emerges from two. Work together, love each other, but most importantly grow in Christ’s Truth together!

     Dependence is a key to marriage. You must be dependent on each other and God, you cannot separate, that is the only way a marriage can last. Husbands, no other woman will do. Wives, there is no other man for you. You are made for one person. Your vows last the whole lifetime that you are both to spend in this world. Live, learn, and grow in God’s love; grace; purpose; plan and everything else HE has for YOU TWO.

Read 1 Peter 3:1-7.

    God bless, and may this simple description of God’s rules change your life and convict your actions. In Jesus Name, amen.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 134

Women, fulfill Your Biblical Role

      Women, your Biblical purpose is to be a helpmeet (Gen. 2:18, 20-23). Submission, modesty, and character comprise your helping purpose (Prov. 31, Titus 2, 1 Tim. 2:9-15). God knew that men needed somebody to support them, to help them be balanced, to help train the children, to live closely and intimately with, and a fellow Christian to serve the Creator.

      The subject of submission is misunderstood by many today. Submission is not a man ruling with an iron rod. The best example of Biblical submission is Jesus Christ. Christ was submissive to the Father. Here is how the spiritual chain-of-command works: Christ is submissive to the Father, men are submissive to Christ, women are submissive to their husband, and children are submissive to their parents.

Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines submission as: 

1.     Acknowledgement of . . . dependence ; humble or suppliant behavior.

4. Obedience ; compliance with the commands or laws of a superior. Submission of children to their parents is an indispensable duty.

5. Resignation ; a yielding of one’s will to the will or appointment of a superior without murmuring. Entire and cheerful submission to the will of God is a christian duty.

     Scripture tells men that they must live their lives sacrificially for you as Christ did the for the Church. Women, your husbands have it pretty hard as well, don’t think that people are pointing fingers at you telling you to “submit.” The only submission we’re looking at is Biblical submission.

Read Ephesians 5:22-6:9, this explains submission perfectly.

     You have to decide if you will follow Scripture. Nobody else can decide that for you. What will you choose, regardless to how un-cool or counter-cultural Scripture might be?

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 133

Accept the Challenge –Be a MAN!

      Some “men” really are not men. Yet, some “boys” really are men. Let’s look at the Biblical definitions of a man: he provides for his family (1 Timothy 5:8), he is a servant leader (Eph. 5), he is humble (1 Peter 5:5), he is committed to Christ, (Phil. 3:12-14), and he is diligent (Heb. 6:11). There are many more Biblical qualities of a man, but we do not have enough space to go into them all.

Boys, you are not growing into men of God in our culture. You cannot be both a child and a man – you can only be one or the other.

 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Luke 16:13 NIV

“When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1 Corinthians 13:11 NIV

Are you obedient, submissive, and dependent to the Father? Are you bold, confident, and sure of your faith in Christ? Men . . . .  and boys, you like a challenge, don’t you? Here’s one: except the challenge of genuine manhood. You can never be perfect, but by God’s grace you can improve, grow and learn (from the Holy Spirit and Scripture). Dwell on these character traits of manhood below, really think about what they mean. You might even want to write down ways to apply the two or three that you need most right now.

Humility                            Initiative                                 Motivated

Loving kindness            Strong Character                     Grounded

Strength                         Providing Spirit                      a Defender

Warrior                              Patience                                 Firmness

Resilience                      Peaceableness                      a Slow Tongue

Conviction                         Frugality                                 Fruitfulness

Willingness to Listen       Diligence                                Responsibility

Commitment

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Day 132

Romans 14-15:13

Please let this text speak for itself. Ask for the Holy Spirit to give you insight into this passage and then listen for His small, still voice.

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,

‘every knee will bow before me;

every tongue will confess to God.’”

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;

I will sing hymns to your name.”

Again, it says,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and sing praises to him, all you peoples.”

And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse will spring up,

one who will arise to rule over the nations;

the Gentiles will hope in him.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 Romans 14-15:13 NIV

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 131

The Spirit of the Law

  Jesus taught that the physical act of sin is wrong, but so is contemplating that wrong in your heart. For example, a man that lusts after a woman has already committed adultery with her (Matt. 5:28). If the man lusting is unmarried, guess what? He has still sinned sexually with that woman in his heart!—he’s not exempt because he ain’t married! Likewise, women are not exempt from lust. It is not just a male problem. In fact, Eve, the very first woman, was the first human to lust when she “desired” the fruit (1 John 2:16, 1 Tim. 2:14).

  Lust and coveting seem to be synonyms, both are extreme and burning desires, longings if you will of want, and they are both tied directly to pride. Both lust and coveting are definitely all about, you, yourself, self-centeredness, it is PRIDE! Therefore, we should humble ourselves and pray in repentance, turning (constantly and consistently) from our wicked ways. Ladies, if you think about a man in a way that you should not and desire him in a way you should not; for instance, because of his strength, then you have sinned as well. Likewise a man or woman who hates another has already committed murder according to the Spirit of the law.

Read Romans 8 & Matthew 5:17-48

  Every married couple is composed of two murders and two adulterers. Why? Because each has lusted and each has hated someone at least once. It’s an uncomfortable truth, but think about it. . . . Some people commit the physical acts of adultery, murder, sex before marriage, sodomy, etc… but Christ died, He was NAILED to the cross, for both the physical acts that I have done and the lustful thoughts that I have had. HE DIED because I hated someone in my heart.

  Do you need to repent today?

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 130

The Boundary Stone

“Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.”  Proverbs 22:28 NIV

       In America today, all kinds of boundary stones that were set up by our forefathers are being removed, the chief being the Bible; without it the Constitution is nothing, the Declaration is nothing, the United States is nothing. Will you stand among the ranks of those that remove the ancient boundary stones, or will you hold to the boundaries of the past that were established by our God-fearing Forefathers?

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 129

A Peculiar People

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.”– Titus 2:11-15 NIV

Are you a peculiar person? Read this passage 3 times, slowly. While doing so, ask God to reveal the truth of this verse to you and listen for His gentle Spirits voice. (It might help to contemplatively write the verse down as well.)

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 128

Know, Court, Marry

       For more information on these three items (know, court, marry) read Passion and Purity or Quest for Love by Elizabeth Elliot. They are awesome books!

Know: Getting to know the opposite sex. When I say getting to know I mean just talking, hanging out—in groups!—, studying the Bible together at Church, ect…  I do not mean sex and lust. You can have clean, meaningful friendships with those of the opposite sex without dating them or pursuing temptation.

Court: A period of time in which you move toward engagement and marriage after having consulted your parents and other mature Christians, but, most importantly, having already received the approval of the Lord through prayer and seeking His will.  

Marriage: Uniting for as long as you both shall live.

Interested in somebody, but don’t know if you should say something?

#1 Go to God in prayer asking for direction and His will to be done.

Perquisite:  If you are a Christian only pursue a “relationship” with another Christian. The Lord has warned us not to be unequally yoked (2 Cor. 6:14-18).

#2 Go to your parents and other mature Christian counselors (older people than you), and talk to them about the person you are interested in. Ask them to partner with you in prayer and keep in touch. In short, have some accountability.

#3 Go to her dad and ask for permission to court his daughter with the intention of marriage. Young men, I encourage you to do this before you say anything to the girl, there are many reasons why I say this, but the primary one is that her father deserves your respect. He, hopefully, is and has been the primary man in her life, and out of respect you should ask him about his little girl. If you don’t agree with me, then I ask you to put yourself in his position: how would you feel if your daughter is “going-out” with a young man that you know nothing about? That should be enough to send chills up and down your spine.

      Courting is not a synonym of dating. Dating is usually based on lust. Here’s why: a guy sees a girl that is “hot” and so he asks her out. His thoughts are nowhere near pure and his intention possibly worse. This is not God-honoring and it certainly is not honoring to the young woman. The purpose of courting is to get to know each other and find out if God wants the two of you to marry and when you know that it is, to take wise, Spirit-lead steps to preparation for your marriage.

     For the girls out there saying, “But what about a girl that is interested in a particular guy, should she go to his Dad?” The answer is no. Girls, you should not do the asking or pursue the young man. He is supposed to be the leader in the home and if you marry him, he is to be the head of the household. If you pursue him, it would be easy for you two to get your roles mixed up from the very beginning. A woman leading her household is not operating in her God-given role, if her husband is still alive (Eph. 5:22-33).

#4 Talk to HER or HIM. Be careful and remember that your goal is to honor what God wants for each of you. Maybe God has already revealed to you that you would marry that person, but this doesn’t mean that you skip the courtship stage. Courtship does not have a time limit attached to it; but you should strive to keep God as the focus. Don’t just spend time alone together. Spend time during your courtship with each other’s families, serving at church, ect… Don’t just stay alone together! Only spending time alone puts you in the center of the devil’s physical fun zone mentality. Scripture warns us to flee sexual temptation, not walk into situations where we know there could be some temptation and just resist. Therefore, I purpose, avoiding the temptation altogether—to flee like Joseph!—by going places with friends and family together instead. After all, when you marry, you will need to know each other’s family, so why not start from the beginning?

      The courtship model is much closer to what occurred in ancient Israel and colonial America than our current “progressive” search for finding a mate; and quite frankly, I think they understood this process to marriage a lot better.

      We have looked at a lot today and we have done so very briefly. Above all else, please seek the Lord’s will! Whether you completely agree with me or not, what is one principle that you know is Scriptural and that you can put into action that you saw today? Put it into action.

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV

Discipleship--an examination of education

Click below to view the newly released Discipleship: an examination of education

http://sermon.net/fmm/sermonid/1199783191

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 127

The Three Big Decisions of Your life

             The way I see it, there are three major decisions/events in a person’s life. #1 Accepting Christ’s free gift is the most important event in your life coupled with maintaining a vibrant relationship with Him. #2 The calling that God has placed on you. Everyone has a calling (2 Peter 1:10)! Your calling can be to serve in ministry, your career, a hobby, serving at your church, simply listening to people, and the list goes on. The possibilities are huge and fathomless because God makes us unique people that can use our talents in specific, yet personal ways. God has a specific thing (or things!) that He wants you to do in your lifetime. Have you sought Him for what that or those things are? Why or why not? #3 The greatest decision that you will ever make in the natural world is who you marry. You will be bonded to this person for the rest of your earthly lives; you will need to follow God’s leading together in your marriage; and the fruit of your marriage may be a family. Are you going to marry the right one? How will you know? Call upon God through prayer. Does God want you to marry the specific man or woman you are interested in? The Bible talks about asking and receiving: if you need wisdom, then ask God for wisdom (James 1:5). Isn’t wisdom required to make the decision of who you will marry? Then why not ask God? God will speak! If you seek Him, you will find Him. Ask Him, you may be surprised what He reveals.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 126

Music

          The type of music you listen to impacts your spirit. Music can uplift and encourage you or it tear you down and depress you. You can praise God with music or you can worship human ideals, the body, or perverted interests with music. You can choose to guard your ears or you can listen to anything. Either way, you have a choice to make. No one can force you not to listen to a certain type of music. The point is do you believe that music impacts you? Do you live like it does? Do you think that it can arouse emotions that should not be aroused?

           What about the rebellious spirit in the youth of America? A lot of songs from famous young singers are about independence, and the other bulk of their songs are about “love” and sex. Should these things be in the minds of the young people of America? Should they be saturating themselves with such worldly ideals? They will have to make the choice for themselves: whether to guard themselves or listen to anything . . . . and you have a choice as well. What type of music will you feed your soul with? What type of music do you feed your soul with?. . . .

“Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" Daniel 3:15 NIV

“All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the LORD, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king.” 1 Chronicles 25:6 NIV

“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” Psalm 33:1-3 NIV

"And now their sons mock me in song; I have become a byword among them.” Job 30:9 NIV

”And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.” Revelation 14:2 NIV

“Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better.”  So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.” One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.” Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul. David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.” 1 Samuel 16:16-23 NIV

    Music does affect us; either negatively or positively. Think on these verses that have been given.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 125

Spiritual Growth

         Did you know that you choose how fast you grow spiritually? Well, you do. If you have a willingness to do the Lord’s will, learn from your mistakes, turn form your wicked ways after repenting, and learn wisdom from godly mentors, then you are going to grow faster than someone who does not. We see a similar principle in physical life: some people mentally and emotionally “grow-up” faster than others. They do so by practice: they have to put forth effort to control their minds and emotions and when they do so, their character shows forth as responsible, wise, and mature character. Again, many people who grow faster did so because they chose to learn from their mistakes and apply themselves. It is the same spiritually: will you put forth the effort to grow and learn or will you just ‘go-along-for–the-ride’?

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:1-5 NIV

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:3-11 NIV

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 124

The Promise of the Father

          Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come to be the counselor and the empowerment of His disciples after He left (John 14:16, Acts 1:8). This coming occurred during the baptism of the Holy Spirit the Early Church experienced in Acts 2.

          The Holy Spirit is received when you accept Christ as your Savior; but being baptized with the Holy Spirit gives you empowerment beyond what you received at salvation—this empowerment is given to do great things for the Lord, not to promote yourself. As evidence of being baptized in the Holy Spirit, the Early Church spoke in tongues, that is,  in a language that they did not comprehend: they spoke as the Spirit directed them in a language unknown to their natural minds (Acts 2:4). Speaking in tongues is still evident, it wasn’t just for the Early Church.

Read Luke 11:11-13 and Acts 1:1-8, 2:1-47.

           You can receive the Holy Spirit and the empowerment He gives like Peter and the believers in the book of Acts. All you need to do is have faith. Ask the Lord for this gift and believe.

           A word of advice: Even though you ask, you might not receive immediately, but have to wait. There have been many others who have received the Holy Spirit the first time they asked the Lord for Him, but some do not. YOU have nothing wrong with you if you haven’t received, some people wait years to be baptized in this way, so don’t become discouraged and keep asking and believing God for the Promise of the Father – it is a gift that HE wants to give you (read Luke 11:11-13 again if in doubt).

For more information on this check out: http://www.theholyspirit.com/HolySpiritBaptism.asp

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 123

Quiet Time

        Do you set aside a special time with God to pray, read your Bible and be in God’s presence? Some people call this a devotional time, others a quiet time; but no matter what you call it, do you do it? If I don’t take some time to spend with God each day even more stuff goes wrong than usual that day. And do you know why more stuff goes wrong? Because I haven’t been prepared for the day with God, my spirit hasn’t been refreshed and my mind hasn’t been renewed.

         Establish a devotional time in the mornings, and also in the evenings if possible.

Stay alert and be ready to do what God has for you.

Peace, Mercy, and Favor, truly, may the Lord give you all. In Jesus Christ’s Name, Amen.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 122

Waiting

         Have your parents ever told you something that you had to wait for? Maybe it was having your best friend over or a special trip, but you had to wait for a few days….or maybe it was way longer. It is the same way with God. He told Noah to prepare for a flood, even though Noah had no clue what rain even was (i.e. a midst covered the earth to water it prior to the flood, at the flood is when rain first came down from the skies). God told Abraham that he would have a son, but Abraham had to wait for a long while and got impatient and sinned in trying to “speed-it-along” with his wife’s servant. These are just two examples, but do you see a pattern developing here? I am in some “waiting phases” right now, are you? I am waiting for my future wife, for my career, for this book to be done, and for High School to end.

         Check out Noah’s story in Genesis 5-9 and think about how long Noah had to wait and work before God did what He said He would.