—MONDAY—
—TUESDAY—
—THURSDAY—
In God’s Image
Bigger & Better
The Amazing Race
A man walked by a huge rock every day when he went to
work. The rock was in the yard of a sculptor. Every day,
the sculptor would work on the rock. Day by day it
slowly began to look like something else.
Sometimes God’s people can be so discouraging! In (v.6)
we find David listening to people saying, “Who will shew
us any good?” David’s own men were discouraged. They
were going through a trial, and some were saying,
“David, this is the end. God is no longer going to help
us.”
There is a TV show called “The Amazing Race” where
contestants race around the world for a million dollars.
As Christians, we are also in an amazing race, which we
began because of God’s amazing grace! What do we need
in order to win this race?
Rom. 8:28-29
When the artist was done the man saw a majestic
stallion. The man was so intrigued by the sculpture one
day that he stopped and asked the sculptor how he
created it. The sculptor said “Oh, I don’t know. I guess I
just had this idea in my head of what the horse should
look like and I chipped away everything that didn’t look
like a horse.”
This is exactly what God is trying to do in our lives. His
goal is to make us like His Son, Jesus Christ. I am sure
you would agree that there is a lot about you and I that
does not look like Jesus.
When God saves us, He uses life situations and
sometimes sends difficulties into our lives in order to
accomplish that purpose. When we have this view on life
things begin to make more sense, life isn’t just random.
Life makes sense with God. Life is not just about being
happy and fulfilled, but it is all about God’s glory and
when we are changed into God’s image He is glorified.
PRAYER TIME
 Ask God to remove all things that don’t resemble
Him. “There is a God behind your circumstances.”
Psalm 4:1-8
But after David called on the Lord, he said in (v.1) “thou
hast enlarged me when I was in distress;” Pressure on
the outside should make us bigger on the inside. How
did God do this for David?
David said, “Thou hast put gladness in my heart.” He
started out with sadness and ended with gladness. He
started with tears and ended with triumph. When God
puts gladness in your heart, you will sleep better at
night, as well. David said in (v.8), “I will both lay me
down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest
me dwell in safety.”
David discovered that the most important thing was not
the circumstances around him, but the attitude within
him.
Let God enlarge you when you are going through
distress. Only He can do it. You can’t and others can’t do
it for you. But when you turn to the Lord, and trust Him,
He will enlarge you on the inside and you will come
through your trial a bigger person because of your trust
in God.
1 Corinthians 9
1. We need Discipline. (1 Cor. 9:24-27)

We must be disciplined in our devotional life.

We must be disciplined in what we think.

We must be disciplined in what we say.
2. We need Direction. (Phil. 3:13-14)

We cannot win by looking back.

We must leave the past in the past.

We must move forward
opportunities to serve Christ.
by
seizing
new
3. We need to be Dressed for the race. (Heb. 12:1-2)

We must “Lay aside every weight” in order to
run effectively.

We must lay aside everything that can hinder us
so that we can “run with patience the race that is
set before us.”
PRAYER TIME
PRAYER TIME
 Ask God to use your trials as a means of making you
a bigger and better Christian for His glory.
 Ask God to identify anything in your life that Satan
might be using as a weight or a sin.
 Confess it and forsake it so that you can begin
running the race effectively.
—FRIDAY—
—SATURDAY—
A Prescription for Moodiness
God’s ArmorAll
Moody people are miserable people to be around. In our
text, Haman's moodiness was displayed. One moment
he was glad because of an invitation by the queen, and
the next moment you see him upset over someone not
bowing down to him. What is God’s cure for moodiness?
There is a car product called “ArmorAll” that is used to
protect everything from chrome and plastic, to the
wheels of your car. It is supposed to protect your car
from the elements. Well, in our text, we read about
God’s ArmorAll! His armor protects us from the wiles of
the devil.
Esther 5:9
First, you cannot allow people or circumstances to
dictate your mood. You cannot allow outside sources
to dictate your mood because you cannot control
them. If you allow outside sources to dictate your
mood, then you will find your mood to be like a yoyo, up and down.
Second, you must take your eyes off yourself. When
you make life about yourself, then you will always be
judging people's motives. When you think people are
being mean to you, then you will be in a bad mood. If
you think people are being good to you, then you are
in a good mood. Take your eyes off of yourself by
realizing that life should not be about you.
Third, remind yourself that God made this day
(Ps.118:24). By reminding yourself that God made
your day, you are dictating to yourself that
everything that happens is allowed by God.
Last, get your joy from within. Remember, salvation
does not change because of circumstance. Your home
in Heaven will not change because of what people do
to you. If you will let your position with Christ be the
motivating factor of your mood, then you will find
yourself constantly in a good mood.
PRAYER TIME
 Decide that you are going to be in a good mood every
day. The only way you will do this is by realizing your
position with Christ never changes.
Eph. 6:10-18
Family
Devotional Guide
May 13-18
Satan is a clever and diabolical foe. He is deceitful and
enjoys laying snares for the unlearned and unsuspecting
“Babes in Christ” who have not yet put on “the whole
armour of God.”
Duveen, the famous English art critic, once took his little
daughter to the beach but was unable to get her to go
into the chilly water. After his persuasion failed, he
borrowed a tea-kettle, built a fire, and heated a little
water until his daughter could see the steam rising from
it. The, with great flourish, he walked over and poured
the steaming water into the ocean. Greatly impressed,
his daughter then went into the ocean without
hesitation.
Where can we find a better example of one of Satan’s
tricks? He dilutes and ocean of unbelief with a steaming
tea-kettle of Christian ethics, and people go wading into
it self-satisfied, thinking that everything is ok, but
completely unaware that they are bathing in unbelief.
We must put on the “whole armour of God” if we are
going to stand against the deceitfulness and snares of
Satan.
PRAYER TIME
 Ask God to help you put on the “whole armour of
God” today so that you can withstand the fiery darts
that Satan will throw at you.
2575 Hamp Stone Road  Siler City, NC 27344
(919) 742-3968  www.CBCSilerCity.com
Mark Agan, Pastor