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ea h me Y ur wa s!
0 | j L 2 09 ec ma az n e
to b ne r t em?
ace o God nd i e?
JoHn 6 27 28
EpHE i nS 1 3 14
Hi i pi nS 3 1 - 1
pSA m 6 : -3
m ttH w 6 3 - 3
H brEwS 1 6
4 | j l 2 09 ec ma az n e
o k ow G d t e F t e in n
n i a e r l t ns p ou a e
o s en t me w h H m and
k ow w a ’ i po t n to im
O e wa to o ha i to e d
H s W rd O r s g e t o s
w l h l yo r ad h ou h he
B b e n a ear
• E ra 1 N hem ah 6
• A ts 1 7
What’s the deal
with devotions?
By Mandy Crow
Sometimes, honestly, it
irks the ec staff when we
hear ec referred to simply
as a devotional magazine.
Not because it isn’t, but
because we’ve worked very
hard to make it more—it’s
a magazine for your whole
life, we say. We make
sure ec includes articles
and information to guide
you along this journey of
faith, along with the daily
devotions.
But the point of ec magazine—if we
had to pick just one—is to help you start
and develop a deeper relationship with
Christ. If we put out an issue of the
magazine that didn’t encourage you to
dig into God’s Word and experience His
still, small voice for yourself, would we
be doing anything worthwhile?
Scripture is one of the ways God
has chosen to speak to us, urge us to
action, and show us what it means to
live holy lives. The Bible changes lives
because it is God’s Word. It is truth. And
we want our readers to dig deep into
Scripture—to read it for yourselves and
let it change your lives. We can’t do that
for you, but we can give you devotions
that guide you in that pursuit.
And if ec magazine can be a part of
helping just one of you have a deeper
relationship with God, we want to!
So, maybe you’re ready to dig into
Scripture and find out what God has to
say to you. Maybe you want to use ec to
help you do that. Well, then this is the
article for you!
First of all, we at ec urge you to
set aside some time each day that is
devoted solely to reading Scripture and
prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you
understand God’s Word. Let God speak
to you through the Bible and show you
how to take the truths you learn and put
them into practice in your life.
As someone who didn’t get the
importance of daily Scripture reading
until college, I can attest to you that this
is vital. Don’t depend on your student
minister, your pastor, your parents, or
anyone else to tell you what Scripture
says. Read it. Study it. Think about it.
The Bible has something to say about
your daily life. Let the truth of Scripture
take root in your heart now while you’re
young and let it guide your steps. That
way, you won’t look back on blessings
you missed because you didn’t take the
time to read God’s Word and hear what
He had to say.
Next let’s talk about the basics.
Understand that ec’s devos are
arranged by week and start on Sundays.
Therefore, the first week of devotions
begins on
the first
☞
Sunday of
the month,
whether it
falls on the
first day
or not. The
previous
month’s issue will take care of the daily
devos for the first week of the month in
such cases.
Also know that all of ec’s devotions
are now dated and there are devotions
or application of Scripture for each
day of the
month. Our
reading
plan for
each
week is
simple. You
read the
Weekend
devotion
on Sunday
and read
and think
U
1
Weekend > 7/5
teach me
Your W a y s
Moses sa d to the Lord
Look You have to d me
Lead th s people up but
You have not l t me know
whom You w ll end wi h
me You sa d know you
by name and you have
a so found favor n My
ight —Exodus 33: 2
R ad ex dus 3 12 7
ve you e eR gone h ou h
a m z ? I s c nf s ng It
au es ou to sk W er do I o
n w? nd W o kn ws he way u ?
t s fu l f un xp c ed wi ts u ns
nd s r r se ar und v ry c r er
The l er we et he mo e
on u i g God way and fe s
o r ey b com s Our ea ch or w o
He i and w at He an s us o do an
som t mes eem i e a ma e We ave
qu s i ns so we m ke a d c s on nd
ch o e a pa h to o ow W f nd ho e
an we s a ou d t e co n r ut un
i to no h r f rk n t e pa h wh re
mo e qu s i ns a a t nd so n
n er od y s S r p ur pa sa e
E en wh n he d dn un er tand
G d s wa s M se s i l u re d ed
a d so gh God ut s y ng P e se
Th s s t e s me k nd o pr ye we
eed o p ay d i y E ch d y p es n s
a ew tw t or u n n un am l r
a h to o l w a ew de i on to
m ke Don you w nt o kn w th t
he er on w o knows t e way
th ou h t e maz is u d ng y ur
s ep ? F r H m o t a h you H s w ys
you ave o a t a ly now H m
Ma y pe p e don kn w od
be au e hey ren se k ng H m or
s en in t me w th H m ev ry ay
The ma e o seek ng H m may
s em ov rw e mi g at im s but e
s no un t a na le r u kno ab e
He es es o ha e a de p u he t c
re at o s ip w h you one n wh h
ou w l se k H m nd s y S ow me
our w ys a d I w l f l ow!
H
Monday > 7/6
God wants to know you.
T
k
h nk ba k to when y u w e a k d o you emem er he im s y ur
d d r nd a her a e ch r or ome o h r ma e f g re n y ur i e wa ed
n o a oom? l be some f hem c r i d a ce t in u ho i y a d p es nce i h
th m w ev r t ey w nt D d you a e re p ct or ho e p op e? id ou wa t
Re d th ou h ex dus 3 18 23 nd c re u l co s der e se 19
W at o yo th n Mos s me nt w en e a ked od o sh w H s g o y?
W y i i th t h co l n t ee he
He sa d w l cause l My
goodne s to pass n f ont of
o you v r d s re o eel t e
r se ce f F t er od mo e?
h nk ac on he men ou e
e p c ed o had c os bo d wi h
in fe Do ou h nk od d s r s o
ha e a c o e i t ma e e a i n h p
wi h u as H s h dr n?
M se wan ed o f l y k ow God nd pe t me n H s g o i us p e en e n
o ay s cr p u e pa s ge Mo es r l t on h p w th G d appea s v al nd
n ma e M ses e med o be v ry omf r ab e w th od so mu h t at e
s mp y as ed G d t e qu s i n he d b en d i g to ask to ee G d s g o y God
d dn t h de r m M s s or g ore i re ue t He a sw red M se and ho e to
ho or Mo es equ st b t n H s own w y and n H s own me
T e po nt? G d de i es o h ve an n ma e re a on h p w th you e wan s
to i p ay H s lo y as mu h as ou an h nd e and l ow y u to now mo e
and m re f H s c ar c er T i k ab ut t ke t i : G d ori i a ly r a ed he
r l t o sh p b tw en a at er nd h s h ld o be a eep on ec on Some
of ou ave he i d of ad t at ou n w x er e ce ha k nd o co ne t on
w th a d ot e s of ou d n t No ma t r wha k nd o dad ou h ve God he
F t er d s r s t sh w im e f c e r y o you He w nt to now y u i t ma e y
a d ha e t e k nd o r l t on h p w th ou t at a a he has w th h s n or
d ug t r But ou h ve o be w l ng
you nd w l proc a m the
name Yahweh efo e you
I wi l be g ac ous to whom
I wi l be g ac ous nd w l
have omp ss on on whom
I w l h ve comp ss on
—Exodus 3 19
about the Monday through Friday
devotions on their respective days.
How is
God like
a Father
in your
l i f e?
Then comes the journal page. This
is intentional. We’ve given you a lot to
consider during your weekly devotions,
and we don’t want to do anything that
encourages
journal Week of july 5
f a t h e r
Known > 7/11
n h s we k s de oti ns y u ve s u i d who G d i as at er t s t e way
He as cho en o r l te o us a d He c ls a h one f us n o a F t er
h ld e a i ns ip i h H m B t wh t do s hat m an And ow do s t
a f c yo r da y i e? et ta e t i week de o i ns a t le eepe :
h nk bou yo r G d as F t er nd wh t we e l ar ed bou H s
h a t r Do y u be eve e i l v ng mer fu and omp ss o ate?
W y or w y no ? W i e do n some m re ha a t r s i s hat ou now
o be ru of G d t e F th r Now ch o e to e i ve t a ou Him
A e th e t in s n yo r i e hat ou eed o c n es to our a he so
t at e can o g ve ou Are ou ea y to u r nd r yo r i e o H m n
ob d en e a d t us ? Som t mes h s s a d i y d c s on )
Mak a l st W at re ome s e i i way you an pur ue G d t day
th s w ek t is mon h nd h s y ar Star s mp e ra th s i ht ow:
God ea h me Y ur w ys
Going
Deeper
To ig ee er n o who G d
t e Fa h r i and ow to
pu su Hi ways ea :
Abba meansf at h e r ordaddy i n
Aramaic And it’s what God allows us
to call Him See Galatians 4 6
Personal Space
Prayers thoughts
& questions:
Read Through
the Bible
t
s
3
Wednesday > 7/8
It really did hurt him more
than it hurt you.
A
you to be
only hearers
of the Word.
Our plan at
ec is not to
ask you to
simply read
Scripture,
but to
engage in
it. We want
the truth of God’s Word to change
your attitudes, behaviors, and lives.
That’s why we included a journal page
when we redesigned the magazine. Our
plan is that you read and meditate on
the “Known” section of the journal page
as your Saturday devotion. The idea is
that you simply take some time out of
the week to look over the big themes
and truths of that week’s devos. We
want you to ponder those truths, apply
them to your life, and let God’s Word
and the Holy Spirit spur you to action.
Finally, you need to understand
why ec’s devotions are written the
way they are—with an intro, questions
about the Scripture passage, and a
final thought. The opening is designed
to help you start thinking about that
day’s topic; the questions make you dig
into the Bible for yourself; and the final
paragraph drives home the truth we
want you to understand when you close
the magazine and go about your life.
Our hope is that we’re giving you tools
that you can use,
both now and all
throughout your
journey
of faith. ec
s a chi d you pRobably expeR enced d sc p i e n some s nse r ght?
Mo t of us h ve—whe her hat was a pank ng be ng gro nded i t ng
n me out or ometh ng e se And orma ly when you we e di c p in d t was
be ause ou did ometh ng wr ng How do you emem er f el ng a t r you were
d s ip ned? D d you want o go and mess up a ai ? W re you s rry or y ur acti ns?
Then the Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed
“Yahweh—Yahweh is a compassionate and g acious
God slow o anger and rich in faithfu love and truth ”
—Exodus 34 6
today read th ough exodus 4:5 9 nd ake a car ful ook at ve se 6
Make a l st of he cha ac er s ics u ed in his pa sage o esc ibe God
What s ands out o you the mos ?
Have ou een God act n any of hese ways n your i e? How id th t m ke
y u ee ? Wha did t tea h you about H s cha ac er and His lan f r your i e?
What s God s at i ude towa d si ?
For you he w rd f ther may make y u r nge or t may br ng back w et
memor es of a c ose el t onsh p w h y ur dad i her way h s pass ge of
S r ptu e sc eams G d s our F the ! So w at does hat ac ua ly mean?
G d i st t ld Moses hat He was compa si nate gr ci us ai hf l ov ng
or iv ng nd me c ful But He went on o ay th t He wa ts our ho ness
wh ch means He won t i nore our in He s de in tely a fa her of or iv ness
and sec nd hanc s but He an t nd w n t ver ook when we choo e o l ve n
oppos ion to H s st ndar s
Does t at sound i e a d d o you? Su e it do s! We of en th nk of God as his
gra dfa he -f gu e w th a ong wh te be rd i t ng on a ock ng cha r n h aven
j st wa t ng o st i e s down f we m ss up B t that s n t the rue p ctu e of
God s cha ac er H s ch rac er s to l ve org ve and ble s us for ur obed ence
and f i hfu ness
week of july 5
Photos this section: © istockphoto / eileen groome, mike manzano, kristina castagnola, gene chutka & jamie carroll : p. 9, © david sacks / getty Images
father
Personal Space
You may have a lot of names for your dad. You may even use
different ones for different situations, like Father when he’s
trying your patience, Dad when you want to talk, and even
Daddy when you want something.
But those words aren’t just names; they’re also descriptions of the relationship
you have. Fathers are supposed to be the people who protect us, take care of us,
know all our faults and still love us, and encourage us to be the best people we
can be.
Some of us are lucky to have great relationships with our dads. Others of us
don’t—and not for any lack of trying. Earthly fathers mess up, forget, and make
mistakes, but that doesn’t change the fact of the relationship. Your dad is your
dad. Always.
So, why—in a world of messed-up father/child relationships—would God
choose to reveal Himself to us as Father? Because there’s an intimacy in that
relationship. Like the best earthly dads, God loves us in spite of our mistakes. He
wants to protect and guide us. He wants us to be the people He created us to be.
He sees the best in us and wants the best for us. He loves us in spite of all the
times we’ve failed and doesn’t hold those against us. God wants to know us as
His children—not just His followers. The Trinity may be confusing, but this fact
isn’t: God wants to know you, love you, take care of you, and dream dreams for
you. God wants to be your Father.
10 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 11