The Secret of Contentment A Year of Daily Devotions with further Devotions for Special Days Copyright This is an IndieMosh book brought to you by MoshPit Publishing an imprint of Mosher’s Business Support Pty Ltd PO Box 147 Hazelbrook NSW 2779 indiemosh.com.au Copyright © Robyn L. Bradley 2019 The moral right of the author has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review) no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. Cataloguing-in-Publication entry is available from the National Library of Australia: http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/ Title: My Times are in His Hands Subtitle The Secret of Contentment Author: Bradley, Robyn L ISBNs: 978-1-925959-52-9 (paperback) 978-1-925959-45-1 (ebook – epub) 978-1-925959-46-8 (ebook – mobi) Subjects: Religion: Christian Living/Devotional; Christian Living/Spiritual Growth; Christian Living/Inspirational The author has made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at the time of publication. However, the author and publisher accept no liability for any loss, damage or disruption incurred by the reader or any other person arising from any action taken or not taken based on the content of this book. The author recommends seeking third party advice and considering all options prior to making any decision or taking action in regard to the content of this book. Cover design by Robyn L. Bradley Cover layout by AllyCopyright Mosher at allymosher.com Images from Pixabay Scripture quotations from: The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Good News Bible, Copyright © GNB® 1976, 1982, 1992 American Bible Society To my husband Brian (Brad) for his sanctified common sense. To my family, my greatest joy and legacy. Copyright DAY 123 DAY 123 Psalm 119:11 (2) I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you. CSB ® Hiding God’s Word in our heart is the best way to stay on a godly track and resist temptation. We need to memorise verses that we can draw on in times of spiritual dryness, thankfulness, sorrow, and joy. Knowing God's Word colours and enriches our lives in so many ways. It also grows us in our faith, determining wise choices and grounding us to withstand life's stormy times. And it prevents us from sinning against God. The apostle Peter reminds us to ‘Resist [the devil] firm in the faith, knowing that the same kinds of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world’ (1 Peter 5:9) CSB®. Embedding God’s Word in our hearts also helps us to look at life from an eternal perspective. For as we are aligned to his will we seek to put it into practice in our lives. Elvas Jenkins made a decision to follow Christ when he was a teenager. He was training for the ministry when, in August 1914, England declared war on Germany. Like many Australians, he signed up for military service as a private in the Australian Infantry Force. After three months training, he became a lance corporal when the Australian and New Zealand Corps (Anzacs) landed at Gallipoli, April 25 1915; Elvas had obtained a French New Testament while training at Alexandria, Egypt. We think he may have swapped it for his English New TestamentCopyright issued by the Bible Society. He carried it everywhere and took it out to read and sustain him in those dangerous times. On that fateful day he carried it in his shirt pocket. Fighting at the battle lines was fierce. The first day 901 Anzacs were killed. On May 7, the Turkish army shelled the Anzacs. On impact, shrapnel sprayed in all directions. Elvas was struck directly over his heart but miraculously survived because he was carrying his New Testament in his pocket. The Bible DAY 123 was backwards in his pocket, when the piece of shrapnel passed through the pages from Revelation to Acts. Thus he was saved by the Gospel!! His New Testament naturally fell open at 1 Timothy 6:12. ‘Fight the good fight of faith’ (‘Combat le bon combat de la foi’), surrounding the bullet. So many died, on both sides in the first few weeks, that the opposing sides managed to negotiate a truce on May 24 to bury their dead. Tragically, Elvas died at the Battle of Somme at Pozière on July 23 when he was on reconnaissance to identify enemy lines. He was mortally wounded by a concealed German sniper. Well respected, he was the first Anzac to die on the Western front. Here was a man who carried the Word of God into battle, a man who memorized Scripture as a teenager, a church leader and a local preacher. It was that Word that strengthened his faith, and sustained him in wartime, in his dealings as a lieutenant in command of his troops and when he knew the moment he was dying. He had hidden God’s Word in his heart.42 Knowledge and acceptance of that Word had ultimately earned him his salvation. Further Reading: Psalm 119:9-16; 1 Peter 5:6-11 Prayer: We thank you, Lord, for the courage and sacrifice of those men who fought in wars so that we might know freedom. We pray your protection on those involved in peace keeping in countries where civil war is rife. We praise you for the rich resources you have given usCopyright in your Word to enrich and sustain us. For your glory. Amen. 42 Excerpts taken from Their Sacrifice, pp. 27-34, edited by John Harris. Published by Bible Society Australia. Copyright © 2015 Bible Society Australia. Used with permission. My Times are in His Hands DAY 124 DAY 124 Psalm 119:11 (3) I have treasured your word in my heart that I may not sin against you. CSB® Earlier in this psalm, we read that the psalmist genuinely wants to obey God and asks God’s blessing. ‘I will praise you with an upright heart when I learn your righteous judgements.’ (Psalm 119:7) CSB®. Now he prays that God will keep him on track, so that he doesn’t move away from God’s commandments wilfully or accidentally. ‘How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word. I have sought you with all my heart; don’t let me wander from your commands’ (Psalm 119:9-10) CSB®. A man from a church succumbed to his feelings of lust for a female work colleague, and the implications were catastrophic for his family. What started his downward spiral of infidelity and the betrayal of his wife? It may have begun with communication problems at home that he didn’t want to confront, his ‘unmet needs’, friendly emails outside work to the third party, a series of shared coffees and lunches until unexplained absences from home developed into something that took on a life of its own. The warning signs were there, but he didn’t want to listen. He removed himself from church where he would come under conviction, left his home and responsibilities to his marriage and children, and set up house with his new love. By moving away deliberately from God’s commandment not to commit adultery, he had sinned and Copyrightcome under God’s condemnation. In regard to a sin that might beset us, my husband quotes the example of bananas. If you are tempted to steal bananas, don’t put yourself in a place where you can be tempted. Cross the road to avoid the fruit shop that houses the bananas. What is your banana? What is the sin that you grapple with? What is the sin that cuts in on you and keeps you from obeying God and the truth of God’s Word? Scriptures like: ‘Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, DAY 124 and don’t give the devil an opportunity’(Ephesians 4:26-27) CSB®; ‘Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’ (James 4:7) CSB® may help to strengthen your resolve, so hang on to them. Listen to your conscience. It is your moral compass, a gift from God. He is on our side. He doesn’t want us to give in to temptation and sin. His Word acts as our best protection and defence to prevent us from sinning. If we immerse ourselves in his Word, we have a lifeline that can save us from temptation and keep us from sinning. Further Reading: Psalm 119:1-16, 33-40; 1 Peter 5:5-11; 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 Prayer: Father of all, may we cherish your words in our hearts, so that when temptation arises we will not give in, but stand firm on your promise to provide a way of escape for us, so that we do not sin. Amen. Copyright My Times are in His Hands DAY 148 DAY 148 Proverbs 25:11 A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples in silver settings.