MW Couch's Blog (40)

LONELINESS DURNING THE HOLIDAYS:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Psalm 116:8 - "For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears,

and my feet from falling."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I believe that the holidays are the loneliest time of the year. Everywhere you

look, people are told they're supposed to be happy and they realize they're not.

They see everybody else acting happy, and they feel so lonely. Just walking down

the mall can make you feel lonely. But Jesus has said, "I will never… Continue

Added by MW Couch on December 21, 2009 at 2:22pm — No Comments

LIGHT OF HOPE IN A DARK WORLD:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Isaiah 9:2 - "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they

that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Imagine being in a cave without a flashlight. Can you see any shadows? You

cannot even see your hand! Shadows are only visible in the presence of light.

Regardless of how dark, how large, how absolutely ominous a shadow appears, it

is only there because there… Continue

Added by MW Couch on December 14, 2009 at 7:53pm — No Comments

TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Mark 11:22 - "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I ask some Christians, "How are you doing?" They say, "Okay under the

circumstances." How did you ever get there? Circumstances are like a mattress.

You're supposed to be on it, not under it. Under the circumstances, you

suffocate; on them you rest pretty well. The only way that you can run the race

is to take your eyes off things or people around… Continue

Added by MW Couch on December 7, 2009 at 5:52pm — No Comments

GRACED BY HIS PRAYERS:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Hebrews 7:25 - "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that

come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you ever feel you are all alone when a struggle hits your life? Tell

yourself, "I am graced by His prayers." Jesus is watching over you, and He is

praying for you. The Savior. The Shepherd. The King. The Prince. He is praying

for you! Do you feel encouraged? I do!… Continue

Added by MW Couch on November 23, 2009 at 9:25am — No Comments

BIBLICAL HOPE, A FIRM CERTAINTY:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Psalm 71:5 - "For Thou art my hope, O Lord God: Thou art my trust from my

youth."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What does the word "hope" mean in the Bible? It doesn't mean "maybe." We may

use it that way in Modern English, but that's not what the word "hope" means in

the Bible. "Hope" means certainty, but not just any certainty. It is rock-ribbed

assurance with anticipation based on the Word of God. When I was a little boy,

my dad would… Continue

Added by MW Couch on November 16, 2009 at 10:50am — No Comments

THE REASONED WE ARE STRESSED:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Matthew 6:30 - "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today

is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye

of little faith?"

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you know the reason we are stressed? Because we think our needs are not going

to be met. We say, "Oh my goodness, I'm not going to have what I need!" Jesus

tells us not to worry about what you are going to eat. And don't worry… Continue

Added by MW Couch on November 9, 2009 at 9:34am — No Comments

IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Isaiah 53:5 - "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our

iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we

are healed."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The thing I love about the Old Testament is the thing I love about the New

Testament. The Old Testament and the New Testament both are the inspired Word of

God. Don't get the idea that the Old Testament has a message different from the

New… Continue

Added by MW Couch on November 6, 2009 at 7:35pm — No Comments

PRAYING IN SECRET:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Matthew 6:6 - "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou

hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which

seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What did our Lord mean when He said, "Enter into your closet to pray?" The word

"closet" simply means some place where you can shut the door on the world and

open the windows to heaven. As you study the life of… Continue

Added by MW Couch on November 2, 2009 at 3:47pm — No Comments

HANDLING THE STING OF CRITICISM:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Galatians 2:20 - "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by

the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

God loves you so much that Jesus Christ hung in agony and blood for you. You are

precious to God. You are the object of God's love. The blood of Jesus Christ was

poured out on Calvary for you.… Continue

Added by MW Couch on October 27, 2009 at 12:24pm — No Comments

PROCRASTINATION IS A SIN:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

James 4:17 - "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him

it is sin."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Are you one of those people who believes "Put off until tomorrow what you could

be doing today"? This is one of those times when the fingers pointing back at me

outnumber the one that's pointing to you! What am I talking about?

Procrastination. Did you know that procrastination is a sin? I say that because

sin is not… Continue

Added by MW Couch on October 19, 2009 at 2:20pm — No Comments

SHARE A SMILE TODAY:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Proverbs 15:13 "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What is a smile? Here is something from an anonymous source: "A smile costs

nothing, but creates much good. It enriches those who receive it without

impoverishing those who give it away. It happens in a flash, but the memory of

it can last forever. No one is so rich that he can get along without it. No one

is too poor to feel rich when receiving it. It is… Continue

Added by MW Couch on October 13, 2009 at 11:42am — No Comments

THE SECRET OF LIFE:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

John 16:8-9 "And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of

righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on Me."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What would you think of someone who gave you the secret of life? Do you think

you might instantly call him your best friend? You bet! That's what the Holy

Spirit did for you. The Holy Spirit gave you the secret, not only to life, but

to eternal life! He convicted you of… Continue

Added by MW Couch on October 5, 2009 at 7:50pm — No Comments

WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST: HAVE A BLESS WEEKEND!

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Romans 8:1 - "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ

Jesus."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The key to living a victorious Christian life is to discover who you are in

Christ. Many Christians have never discovered this. They remind me of the man

who had an identity problem and an energy crisis at the same time. He didn't

know who he was and he was too tired to find out. God doesn't work from the

outside in. He… Continue

Added by MW Couch on September 11, 2009 at 11:01am — No Comments

WHEN JUSTICE, MERCY, & GRACE MET:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Psalm 84:11 - "...the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He

withhold from them that walk uprightly."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

There are three words that came together at Calvary: justice, mercy and grace.

Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace

is getting what we don't deserve. But wait a minute; grace is more than that! It

is grace that gives at great cost to the giver. It is not… Continue

Added by MW Couch on September 3, 2009 at 1:22pm — No Comments

INVESTING IN OTHERS FOR GOD'S GLORY:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Isaiah 63:7 - "I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises

of the Lord."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

One time a man came into a village and asked an old man living there, "Any great

men born here?" The old man said, "No, just babies." Great men are not born;

great men are made, investing in the lives of others, sharing God's love, and

showing His mercies. There is not a magic formula that instantly makes us

sanctified.… Continue

Added by MW Couch on July 27, 2009 at 8:45pm — No Comments

JEHOVAH JIREH, OUR PROVIDER:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Matthew 14:14 - "And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved

with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

It is the unbelievable, supernatural replenishment that awakens the world to see

the mighty power of God. Jesus demonstrated, once with a crowd of 5,000 and

again with a crowd of 4,000, that He is the God who provides (see Matthew

14:14-21, 15:32-38). When the most "responsible"… Continue

Added by MW Couch on July 20, 2009 at 10:41pm — No Comments

DIFFICULT LESSONS LEARNED THROUGH SUFFERING:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Hebrews 11:21 - "By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of

Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Jacob became a wounded worshipper because God did not withhold the rod of

correction. The wounded in life are those who have learned difficult lessons

through suffering. Do not resist the Shepherd's rod of correction. Is the

wounding painful? Indeed. Does it seem that you will not… Continue

Added by MW Couch on July 14, 2009 at 1:06pm — No Comments

FOREVER IN HIS HANDS-HELD BY HIS LOVE AND GRACE:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Jude 24 - "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present

you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Have you fussed and fumed through life's challenges, wondering if the Sovereign

Creator of the Universe was on vacation? I have a message for you: The God who

hung the stars, the God who poured the oceans, the God who raised the mountains,

the God who knew you before you… Continue

Added by MW Couch on July 9, 2009 at 10:16pm — No Comments

FAITHFUL IN ALL THINGS:

BIBLE MEDITATION:

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that

is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Luke 16:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

There was a man who was going to be made a chief executive. The Board of

Directors talked about it, and it was a "done deal." In the company cafeteria

one day, the existing CEO was behind this man in line. Unbeknownst to the man,

the CEO saw him take a pat of butter that cost… Continue

Added by MW Couch on June 11, 2009 at 1:17pm — No Comments

FAITHFUL IN YOUR WORDS: BROTHERS!

BIBLE MEDITATION:

But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the

earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay;

lest ye fall into condemnation.

James 5:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In June we take time to focus on fathers, and I've discovered in talking with

teenagers that many of them harbor bitterness and resentment. Much of that

resentment is directed toward their fathers over the serious… Continue

Added by MW Couch on June 5, 2009 at 1:12pm — No Comments