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Personal Space

What’s the deal week of july 5

With devotions? father

By Mandy Crow as someone who didn’t get the then comes the journal page. this
importance of daily scripture reading is intentional. We’ve given you a lot to
sometimes, honestly, it until college, i can attest to you that this consider during your weekly devotions,
irks the ec staff when we is vital. Don’t depend on your student and we don’t want to do anything that

hear ec referred to simply minister, your pastor, your parents, or � � encourages
as a devotional magazine. anyone else to tell you what scripture journal Week of july 5 Personal Space you to be
father
not because it isn’t, but says. read it. study it. think about it. 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 Prayers thoughts only hearers
Known > 7/11
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
& questions:
because we’ve worked very the bible has something to say about 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 of the Word.
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
ha 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
hard to make it more—it’s your daily life. let the truth of scripture � A e the e t in s n yo r i e hat ou eed o c n es to our a he so our plan at
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
a magazine for your whole take root in your heart now while you’re ec is not to
life, we say. We make young and let it guide your steps. that ask you to
sure ec includes articles way, you won’t look back on blessings Going simply read
Deeper
To ig ee er n o who G d
and information to guide you missed because you didn’t take the t e Fa h r i and ow to Read Through scripture,
pu su Hi ways ea :
JoHn 6 27 28
EpHE i nS 1 3 14
Hi i pi nS 3 1 - 1
the Bible
pSA m 6 : -3
o k ow G d t e F t e in n
you along this journey of time to read god’s Word and hear what H brEwS 1 6 n i a e r l t ns p ou a e but to
m ttH w 6 3 - 3
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
faith, along with the daily He had to say. 4 | j l 2 09 ec ma az ne • A ts 1 7 engage in
Abba means father or daddy in
� Aramaic And it’s what God allows us
to call Him See Galatians 4 6
devotions. next let’s talk about the basics. it. We want
but the point of ec magazine—if we understand that ec’s devos are the truth of god’s Word to change
had to pick just one—is to help you start arranged by week and start on sundays. your attitudes, behaviors, and lives.
and develop a deeper relationship with therefore, the first week of devotions that’s why we included a journal page
christ. if we put out an issue of the begins on when we redesigned the magazine. our
magazine that didn’t encourage you to the first plan is that you read and meditate on
dig into god’s Word and experience His sunday of the “Known” section of the journal page
still, small voice for yourself, would we ☞ the month, as your saturday devotion. the idea is
be doing anything worthwhile? whether it that you simply take some time out of
scripture is one of the ways god falls on the the week to look over the big themes
has chosen to speak to us, urge us to first day and truths of that week’s devos. We
action, and show us what it means to or not. the want you to ponder those truths, apply
live holy lives. the bible changes lives previous them to your life, and let god’s Word
because it is god’s Word. it is truth. and month’s issue will take care of the daily and the Holy spirit spur you to action. ou may have a lot of names for your dad. You may even use
we want our readers to dig deep into devos for the first week of the month in Finally, you need to understand different ones for different situations, like Father when he’s
scripture—to read it for yourselves and such cases. why ec’s devotions are written the Ytrying your patience, Dad when you want to talk, and even
let it change your lives. We can’t do that also know that all of ec’s devotions way they are—with an intro, questions Daddy when you want something.
for you, but we can give you devotions are now dated and there are devotions about the scripture passage, and a But those words aren’t just names; they’re also descriptions of the relationship
that guide you in that pursuit. or application of scripture for each final thought. the opening is designed photos this section: © istockphoto / eileen Groome, mike manzano, kristina castaGnola, Gene chutka & jamie carroll : p. 9, © david sacks / Getty imaGes you have. Fathers are supposed to be the people who protect us, take care of us,
and if ec magazine can be a part of day of the to help you start thinking about that know all our faults and still love us, and encourage us to be the best people we
helping just one of you have a deeper month. our Weekend > 7/5 1 Monday > 7/6 day’s topic; the questions make you dig can be.
teach me
relationship with god, we want to! reading Your Ways h nk ba k to when y u we e a k d o you emem er he im s y ur into the bible for yourself; and the final
U God wants to know you.
Moses sa d to the Lord
Td 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
Look You have to d me th m w e ev r t ey w nt D d you a e re p ct or ho e p op e? id ou wa t Some of us are lucky to have great relationships with our dads. Others of us
Lead th s people up but
n o a oom? l be some f hem c r i d a ce t in u ho i y a
k d p es nce i h
so, maybe you’re ready to dig into plan for You have not l t me know to b ne r t em? � W y i i th t h co l n t ee he paragraph drives home the truth we don’t—and not for any lack of trying. Earthly fathers mess up, forget, and make
whom You w ll end wi h
me You sa d know you
Re d th ou h ex dus 3 18 23 nd c re u l co s der e se 19

by name and you have
a so found favor n My
� W at o yo th n Mos s me nt w en e a ked od o sh w H s g o y?

ight —Exodus 33: 2
scripture and find out what god has to each R ad ex dus 3 12 7 He sa d w l cause ll My � o you v r d s re o eel t e want you to understand when you close
ace o God nd i e?
goodne s to pass n f ont of

you nd w l proc a m the
name Yahweh efo e you
r se ce f F t er od mo e?
ve you e eR gone h ou h
� h nk ac on he men ou e
e p c ed o had c os bo d wi h
Ha m z ? I s c nf s ng It
I wi l be g ac ous nd w
I wi l be g ac ous to whom ll
au es ou to sk W er do I o
n w? nd W o kn ws he way u ? have omp ss on on whom in fe Do ou h nk od d s r s o mistakes, but that doesn’t change the fact of the relationship. Your dad is your
I w ll h ve comp ss on
ha e a c o e i t ma e e a i n h p
say to you. maybe you want to use ec to week is nd s r r se ar und v ry c r er M se wan ed o f l y k ow God nd pe t t me n H s g o i us p e en e n the magazine and go about your life.
—Exodus 3 19
t s fu l f un xp c ed wi ts u ns
wi h u as H s h dr n?

The l er we et he mo e

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
on u i g God way and fe s
o r ey b com s Our ea ch or w o
n ma e M ses e med o be v ry omf r ab e w th od so mu h t at e
He i and w at He an s us o do an 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 dad. Always.
help you do that. Well, then this is the simple. you qu s i ns so we m ke a d c s on nd ho or Mo es equ st b t n H s own w y and n H s own me our hope is that we’re giving you tools
som t mes eem i e a ma e We ave
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

ch o e a pa h to o ow W f nd ho e
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

an we s a ou d t e co n r ut un
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

i to no h r f rk n t e pa h wh re
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
mo e qu s i ns a a t nd so n 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 So, why—in a world of messed-up father/child relationships—would God
article for you! read the E en wh n he d dn un er tand 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 that you can use,
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
n er od y s S r p ur pa sa e

G d s wa s M se s i l u re de ed
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 so gh God ut s y ng P e se
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 s n or
d ug t r But ou h ve o be w ll ng
ea h me Y ur wa s!
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 3 Wednesday > 7/8 choose to reveal Himself to us as Father? Because there’s an intimacy in that
First of all, we at ec urge you to Weekend a h to o l w a ew de i on to both now and all It really did hurt him more
a ew tw t or u n n un am l r

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 How is than it hurt you. relationship. Like the best earthly dads, God loves us in spite of our mistakes. He
set aside some time each day that is devotion be au e hey ren se k ng H m or God like throughout you r AMo t of us h ve—whe her hat was a pank ng be ng gro nded i t ng
you ave o a t a ly now H m
Ma y pe p e don kn w od

s a chi d you pRobably expeR enced d sc p i e n some s nse r ght?

s en in t me w th H m ev ry ay
a Father
The ma e o seek ng H m may
s em ov rw e mi g at im s but e in your n me out or ometh ng e se And orma ly when you we e di c p in d t was wants to protect and guide us. He wants us to be the people He created us to be.
be ause ou did ometh ng wr ng How do you emem er f el ng a t r you were
devoted solely to reading scripture and on sunday He es es o ha e a de p u he t c life? journey 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? He sees the best in us and wants the best for us. He loves us in spite of all the
s no un t a na le r u kno ab e
re at o s ip w h you one n wh h
Then the Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed
ou w l se k H m nd s y S ow me
our w ys a d I w l f l ow!
“Yahweh—Yahweh is a compassionate and g acious ”
God slow o anger and rich in faithful love and truth
prayer. ask the Holy spirit to help you and read 0 | j L 2 09 ec ma az ne of faith. ec today read th ough exodus 4:5 9 nd ake a car ful ook at ve se 6
—Exodus 34 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 ? times we’ve failed and doesn’t hold those against us. God wants to know us as
understand god’s Word. let god speak and think � Have ou een God act n any of hese ways n your i e? How id th t m ke His children—not just His followers. The Trinity may be confusing, but this fact
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
to you through the bible and show you about the monday through Friday 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 isn’t: God wants to know you, love you, take care of you, and dream dreams for
wh ch means He won t i nore our in He s de in tely a fa her of or iv ness
how to take the truths you learn and put devotions on their respective days. t s 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 you. God wants to be your Father.
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
them into practice in your life. and f i hfu ness
God s cha ac er H s ch rac er s to l ve org ve and ble s us for ur obed ence
10 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 11