[Membersandfriends] Thursday, November 18, 2004

Wed Nov 17 22:01:33 PST 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Thursday, November 18, 2004

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The Upper Room Living Prayer Center

The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by Christian volunteers. Submit prayer requests online or call and speak to one of our volunteers at 1-800-251-2468 (U.S. and Canada) or 615-327-4673 (International).
http://www.upperroom.org/prayer_center
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A REFOCUSED LIFE
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Mark 4:1-20 (NRSV)

Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold." And he said, "Let anyone with ears to hear listen!" 

When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that

  'they may indeed look, but not perceive, 
     and may indeed listen, but not understand;
    so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.'" 

And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."

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Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God. Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the LORD, and they study it day and night. 
- Psalm 1:1-2 (TEV)
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MUCH too often I find myself feeling overwhelmed by my daily responsibilities.  The demands of my job, the needs of my family and friends, even doing household chores can leave me exhausted.

Not long ago I found an old copy of THE UPPER ROOM and decided to get up an hour earlier every morning to make time for devotions.  As the days went by, I began to relax and feel less pressured.  My family, friends, and co-workers noticed a difference in me also.

Jesus said, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Luke 12:25, NIV).  By refocusing my life on Christ, I find that my worries are no longer consuming me.  No longer am I like the seed that Jesus talked about in the parable, a seed that grew and was choked out by thorns.  Now the Lord is helping me to grow in good soil and teaching me that the way I lead my life can not only bring me peace but can also bring others to Christ.

Prayer:  Dear God, thank you for your most precious gift, your son.  Help us to slow down and make time with Christ a part of our daily lives.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
When we make time for him, Christ renews and revitalizes our spirit.

-- Jill M. Sande (Wyoming, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: To make time with God a priority

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ALIVE NOW magazine seeks to nourish people who are hungry for a sacred way of living in today's world.  Each bi-monthly issue explores a theme that follows the seasons of the church year, contributions from a variety of authors, daily devotions, interviews with contemporary thinkers, and award-winning poetry.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=12895

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The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.