UMC of West Burlington, PA

November 1 - 'The Attitude of Gratitude: A Prayer of Gratitude' from Dr. David Jeremiah's Devotional, 'Turning Points'. Psalm 30:12 - O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.... Do you ever write out your prayers? How about praying words that were written by others? We often do that when we sing great hymns that are actually prayers, such as "Great is Thy Faithfulness." While personal and spontaneous prayer is critical for our daily lives, some- times it helps to whisper a prayer that is written out and shared with many others--as we do when we pray, "Our Father, Who art in heaven." During the weekends of November, let's offer some united prayers of thanksgiving: 'Almighty God, I want to give thanks to You forever! I want to continually be singing, "How Great Thou Art" for great is Thy faith- fulness. Great is Your majesty! Great is Your power! Lord, when all goes well with me, it's because You give me strength. When things fall apart, Your grace is sufficient. You know how to turn my sadness to gladness and my rags to righteousness-- and why? So that I can sing my praise to You forever without interruption. Oh Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. Thy praise shall sound through earth and heaven, for sickness healed and sin forgiven.' Isaac Watts' version of Psalm 30:6 RECOMMENDED READING: Psalm 30

October 30 - 'Listening Through Restlessness Esther 6:1 - That night the king (Ahasuerus) could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles;and they were read ... before the king. When we are too preoccupied to hear God's voice, He may get our attention by giving us a restless spirit. The book of Esther gives us a wonderful example of this. In the sixth chapter, we see that King Ahasuerus "could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king" (verse 1). As a result, Ahasuerus became aware of an assassination plot that had been foiled by a man named Mordecai. Filled with gratitude for this act of service, he made plans to honor him. What Ahasuerus could not have known, though, is that Haman, one of the royal advisors, was plotting to hang Mordecai and exterminate the Jewish population (Esther 5:14). As a result of the king's intervention, Mordecai and the rest of the Jews were saved. Now, what started this process? A restless night. The king didn't know why he couldn't sleep, but we know: God was trying to get his attention. How often has this happened to you? You go about your life, but a restlessness seems to hang over you. In such moments, ask, "Lord, what it it You want to tell me?" You'll discover that God can speak to you in your unrest. RECOMMENDED READING: Esther 6:1-14

October 12 - 'Making a Difference' from Dr. David Jeremiah's Devotional, 'Turning Points'. Deuteronomy 3:28 - But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before the people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see. Seventh grader Journey Bowman wanted to make a difference in her school, so she started the POP, or Power of Positivity, program. She began putting positive and creative notes on the lockers of other students.... "I wanted to write positive notes to make a difference in someone's day," she said. "In turn, they might also choose to make a difference in someone else's day." And that's what happened. In the last school session before the coronavirus shutdown, one young man "who was not always very optimistic" wrote as many notes as he could, while another student, "who was very shy", also expressed herself in writing. The notes were anonymous, but the project changed the atmosphere of the school. [1] Moses wasn't able to cross the Jordan and lead Israel to conquer the Promised Land, but he had a vital assignment. He was to encourage and strengthen Joshua, his successor. The support and encouragement of others help us to cultivate our dreams. POP into someone's life today with a word or note of encouragement! TURNING POINT: Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs. -Pearl Strachan Hurd [1]Mike Barnhardt, "Student Spreads Encouraging Words," Davie County Enterprise Record, May 28, 2020. RECOMMENDED READING: Deuteronomy 3:23-29

October 11 - 'The Worth of God's Word' from Dr. Charles Stanley's Devotional, 'In Touch'. 2 Timothy 3:10-11 - But you have carefully followed my (Apostle Paul) doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me in Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. The Bible is the most amazing book ever written because its author is the Lord God. Alt...hough it was penned by men, the Holy Spirit inspired every word He wanted them to record. The Scriptures contain the Lord's revelation of Himself and His plan of redemption. Among the many topics it covers are: the creation of the world; the fall of man; the presence, power, and penalty of sin; the provision of a Savior; the final judgment; and the eternal kingdom. The Bible also answers questions about humanity's value, wise living, and existence after death. All sections of God's Word are valuable and interconnected. For example, the Gospels tell about the Messiah, whose coming was predicted in the Old Testament. He is called "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), and His death is the fulfillment of the sacrificial system in Leviticus. What's more, the gospel of salvation by grace through faith is first seen in the story of Abraham, whose belief was credited as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Scripture was given to us so we might know the Father, be reconciled to Him through His Son, and bring glory to His name. Therefore, we should make it a goal to become familiar with His precious Word. RECOMMENDED READING: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

October 10 - 'Go! Go! Go!--and Preach!' from Dr. David Jeremiah's Devotional, 'Turning Points'. Matthew 10:7 - And as you go, preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." When John the Baptist began his ministry: He preached (Matthew 3:1). And when Jesus followed on John's heels, He did the same thing: He preached (Matthew 4:17). After Jesus ascended to heaven, His followers in Jerusalem did what they had been taught: They preached (Acts 4:2; 5:42). And after Stephen's... martyrdom, when the Church was driven from Jerusalem, Acts 8 is evidence of their single-minded focus on preaching (verses 4-5, 12, 35, 40). Then Paul was converted and "immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God" (Acts 9:20). Regardless of who, when, where, the early followers of Jesus preached! In the early stages, John and Jesus declared or announced that the Kingdom of God was at hand. After the resurrection, preaching became more focused: proclaiming the Good News of Christ's identity, death, burial, and resurrection for the sins of the world (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Why was there such a focus on preaching? Paul answered that question with another question: "And how shall they hear [and call and believe] without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14) Wherever you go today, be ready to preach the Good News (2 Timothy 4:2)! TURNING POINT: Preaching is the chariot that carries Christ up and down the world. -Richard Sibbes RECOMMENDED READING: Romans 10:14-21

October 9 - 'Sharpening the Focus' from Dr. David Jeremiah's Devotional, 'Turning Points'. Acts 9:18 - Immediately there fell from [Saul's} eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. A funnel has a wide end and narrow end. Those two ends can represent how different people find their life's purpose. Some enter early in life at the narrow end, knowing exactly what they want to be or do. Others enter at the wide end and narrow t...heir focus and activity over time. People are different and progress through life in various ways. The apostle Paul took a mixed path. He was a tentmaker by trade (Acts 18:3), but that trade was only to support his true passion: understanding and teaching the laws of God. He was on a literal road--the road from Jerusalem to Damascus--in pursuit of that passion when God changed his focus, and thus his life. Instead of living as a teacher of the law, he became a preacher of grace. And it was not as easy transition (Acts 9:1), taking years to realize (Galatians 2:1). Don't despair about your life's focus or purpose. Walk faithfully in the light God has given you today, trusting that more light will be revealed as it is needed. TURNING POINT: Man, made in the image of God, has a purpose--to be in relationship to God, who is there. -Francis Schaeffer RECOMMENDED READING: Philippians 3:12-16

October 8 - 'No Limit on Limitations' from Dr. David Jeremiah's Devotional, 'Turning Points'. John 3:34, NIV - For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. There's no limit to our limitations in life. Our dreams, desires, and usefulness can be frustrated by physical frailties or disabilities of a thousand kinds--by financial problems, by geographical barriers, by legal restrictions, by family considerations, and more.... But you can do whatever God calls you to do despite your limitations, for He gave His Spirit to Jesus without limit, and we are the extension of Jesus in this world. In practical terms, that means we should stop worrying about what we can't do and start doing what we can do. We should do it with enthusiasm, as working for the Lord and not for men (Colossians 3:23). We should wave off discouragement, and trust God to finish what He has begun in us. Don't focus on your limitations. Acknowledge them, yes. But focus on the unlimited grace, power, mercy, and plan of your Savior. TURNING POINT: If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory. -Warren W. Wiersbe RECOMMENDED READING: Romans 11:33-36

October 7 - 'The Equation of Love' from Dr. David Jeremiah's Devotional, 'Turning Points'. Matthew 22:37,39, NIV - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind...Love your neighbor as yourself. Infinity. Ten. Two. One.... That's the biblical equation for love. It begins with the limitless, boundless, bottomless, depthless love of an eternal God (1 John 4:8). He loves with infinite love. Then in seeking to show us how we should love, He gave us ten great commandments. The first four show us how to love Him, and the last six show us how to love each other (Exodus 20:1-17). Jesus boiled it down to two great commands--to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength--and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37, 39). And when we combine the two, we come up with one word--love. But it's not just any kind of love. It's not the love found in the pop songs or romance novels. It's not the love of the world. God's love is 'agape'--self-sacrificing, self-giving, others-centered, and God-honoring. When we discover this, we learn something. The overwhelming priority of our life is love. Show someone God's love today. TURNING POINT: Where love is, God is. -Henry Drummond RECOMMENDED READING: Matthew 22:34-40

October 6 - '20/20' from Dr. David Jeremiah's Devotional, 'Turning Points'. Psalm 32:8 - I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Earlier this year, Ashley Winter, 37, of Hereford, England, set a new Guinness World Record after running a mile in 10 minutes, 11 seconds while blindfolded. Perhaps you're wondering why anyone would run blindfolded. It was for a good cause. Winter suffers from keratoconus, a vision-impairing eye dis...ease, and he was raising money for a foundation that supports medical breakthroughs in ophthalmology. Pity those who run the race of life blindfolded! What if there was no divine plan for our life? What if every step was a gamble, and every mile a riddle? What if our entire journey was without God's guidance? Thankfully, there is a divine plan for us! God knows and orders the arrangement for every day. He knows tomorrow as well as He knows yesterday. And He invites us to ask Him for guidance at every point. He guides us with His eye, so that our own eyes can see the way. If you're at a juncture or facing some hard decisions today, claim the promise of Psalm 32:8--He will guide you with His eye. TURNING POINT: The first condition of securing real guidance in our daily life is to ask it, and that the next is to look for it, and...the third is to be quite willing to accept it. -Alexander Maclaren RECOMMENDED READING: Psalm 32

October 5 - 'Crystal-Clear Goals' from Dr. David Jeremiah's Devotional, 'Turning Points'. Psalm 143:10 - Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me. Many nations are battling infrastructure problems, and this extends to reservoirs. In America, for example, many of the nation's reservoirs are filling up with sediment. In the past, sand, silt, rocks, and debris floated down rivers and into the sea, but now they get trapped behind dams, threatenin...g our water supply. The point being... If we're going to have the crystal-clear goals and plans of God flowing through our lives, we need pure sources. Our best ideas flow from the reservoir of prayer. Our most creative moments come from our time with the Creator. When we invest time with Him in prayer and Bible study, we gain a clearer focus on our personal dreams. In Psalm 143, David felt overwhelmed (verse 4), but he spread out his hands to God (verse 6). He said, "Cause me to know the way in which I should walk" (verse 8), and he asked God to teach him and to lead him (verse 10). God will lead you, teach you, and use you, even when you feel overwhelmed--as you seek His guidance and help through prayer. TURNING POINT: Until the race is run, until the journey's done, until the crown is won, teach me thy way! -Benjamin Ramsey RECOMMENDED READING: Psalm 143

Maybe you’re someone who is paralyzed by fear anxious about tomorrow weighted down by guilt caught in a slump... overwhelmed with regret trapped in a dead-end job numb from loss stuck in your circumstance forsaken a dream drowning in disappointment hopeless about your future or, unfilled spiritually. In Forward: Discovering God’s Presence and Purpose in Your Tomorrow, Dr. David Jeremiah’s gives you the biblical pathway to help move beyond the pain of the present and to a hope-filled future! Satan would love to rob you from realizing your God-powered potential. As the evil one presents obstacles to discourage you, God provides ways for us to be unchained from the things that are holding us back. If you want to rise from your rut, conqueror your circumstances, face the future with fearlessness, define your dreams, muster up motivation, prevail over your past, aspire to accomplish more, do greater things, or simply live out your life to best version God intended, then FORWARD is for you. For a gift of any amount you can receive this resource: http://ow.ly/fdZH30r4sRv

October 3 - 'Go! Go! Go!--and Make Disciples' from Dr. David Jeremiah's Devotional, 'Turning Points'. Matthew 28:19 - Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Jesus sent people to do lots of different things. When He sent His disciples to minister, various words and phrases were used: teach, heal, cast demons, baptize, preach, and more. But the most comprehensive of all the action words... Jesus gave to His followers at different times is the one found in the Great Commission, given after His resurrection and before His ascension: "Make disciples." "Make disciples" is the only imperative command in Matthew 28:19-20. Involved in that process are baptizing and teaching, corollary activities to making disciples. But grammatically, all these activities assume obedience to "Go therefore." Having gone, followers of Jesus were to make disciples--additional followers and learners--in all the nations of the world. Making disciples is not the same as making converts. Converts come from 'decisions'; disciples come from 'dedication'. And it takes one to make one. To obey Jesus' final commands, we must go and model the life of Jesus before others so they can go and be models of His life and love as well. TURNING POINT: The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed. -J. Hudson Taylor RECOMMENDED READING: Acts 1:4-8