Prayer Focus - Strangers
Day 3
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Proverbs 31
"She is clothed with strength and dignity. She can laugh at the days to come" ( vs 25)
"She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks." (vs. 17)
These are my theme verses for this coming month. As I review October, it had its ups and downs. I don't think that I was very strong this month, however. My dignity level was not very high either and I know that I was not laughing about the days to come very much. I did work hard as this seems to be one of my strengths. Whatever my victories and failures, I will start over tomorrow in November. This coming month, I will be more consistent in every area. I will focus on what is important - people - and I will do better at remembering that all of this is fleeting. I want to look better and act better. Most of the time I feel like I am slip sliding away. Does anyone besides me remember that song? It goes, "You know the nearer your destination, the more you slip sliding away. (Paul Simon)" One thing gets done and fifty more pop up. I have to just take one day at a time. If I concentrate on doing good for one day, I can make that. I can't make the whole month, but I can make one day.
"Never underestimate the inevitability of gradualness." (anonymous)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Often we feel that we are slipping away, but You have a hold of us. You are helping us to climb up the hill. Although we inch along, we inch nonetheless. Help us to not give up because the progress seems too slow and the encouragement few and far between. Help us to go regardless of who follows and help us to become women and men of dignity and strength. Help us to laugh at the days to come. Help us to work hard. It is beyond us but it is not beyond You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Would I consider myself a strong or weak person? Why?
2. What do I think it means to be clothed with dignity? Do I feel like I am a dignified person? What would a dignified person be like? How can I work on developing this quality in my life?
3. Do I laugh at the days to come? Am I consumed with worry? Do I know anyone who I would describe in this way? How are they able to cultivate this type of personality?
4. Do I work hard or am I kind of lazy? How can I be a harder worker? In what situations/places do I work hard and in which ones do I slack off? How can I work on doing better in the weak areas?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/30
Prayer Focus - Strangers
Day 2
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 60
"You have shown Your people desperate times;...But for those who fear You, You have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow." ( vs 3a & 4)
"Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies." (vs. 11-12)
God never promised us life would be easy, just that He would be there. Sometimes He lets us go through terrible times, times when everything is sad and negative; desperate times the verse says. But if we fear God, we will gain the victory. No one else can help us and provide for us like He can. We will win in the end, if we stay with God and He will eliminate our enemies in the right time
.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We do go through desperate times sometimes, but You are still there. Help us to remember that as we get older You have victories in store for us, however, and we rely on them. Fill us with Your love and protection because the help of man is worthless. You are our only true victory.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What desperate times have I gone through? Am I going through such a time now?
2. Do I fear God? How do I know if I do or not? What can I do to develop a greater fear of the Lord?
3. Do I truly believe the help of man is worthless? Who do I turn to for help? Do I go to God first, or my friends first? Can I try for one hour/ one day/ one week to go to God first whenever I have a need or problem or even joy?
4. What enemies am I fighting? What victories do I need? What will I do to thank God when we (God and I) are victorious?
Day 2
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 60
"You have shown Your people desperate times;...But for those who fear You, You have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow." ( vs 3a & 4)
"Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies." (vs. 11-12)
God never promised us life would be easy, just that He would be there. Sometimes He lets us go through terrible times, times when everything is sad and negative; desperate times the verse says. But if we fear God, we will gain the victory. No one else can help us and provide for us like He can. We will win in the end, if we stay with God and He will eliminate our enemies in the right time
.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We do go through desperate times sometimes, but You are still there. Help us to remember that as we get older You have victories in store for us, however, and we rely on them. Fill us with Your love and protection because the help of man is worthless. You are our only true victory.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What desperate times have I gone through? Am I going through such a time now?
2. Do I fear God? How do I know if I do or not? What can I do to develop a greater fear of the Lord?
3. Do I truly believe the help of man is worthless? Who do I turn to for help? Do I go to God first, or my friends first? Can I try for one hour/ one day/ one week to go to God first whenever I have a need or problem or even joy?
4. What enemies am I fighting? What victories do I need? What will I do to thank God when we (God and I) are victorious?
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/29
Prayer Focus - Strangers
Day 1
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 59
"But You, O Lord, laugh at them; You scoff at all those nations. O my Strength, I watch for You; You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me." ( vs 8-9)
God is not worried by evil people. He laughs at them and scoffs at them because He knows their days are numbered. God knows the big picture and all I need to know is God. I will watch for Him. I will pray and then watch for the answers to come from Him. I will watch for His provisions and for His ways of escape from the troubles that seem to outnumber me. God is my fortress. I can run to Him when I am troubled or under attack. I need to be going to Him regardless! He is my loving God. He loves me. I am special to Him in spite of all the trouble that overwhelms me. The trouble does not mean that He does not love me. Nothing of the sort. The hardships are a part of life and what is needed to refine me for eternity. I am to view hardship as discipline and training, and in fact, evidence of my Father's love. God is going before me and I will not falter if I let Him clear the way and stay in the path He has carved out for me.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that You go before us to clear the way. Help us to walk in the path that You have prepared. You are good. We are grateful that nothing can hinder Your plan and that evil people are nothing but something to laugh and scoff at. We get so worked up and worried over evil men but we need to leave them up to You. Help us to let go of this. You are our fortress. Help us to run to You when we are tempted to worry or be discouraged. You will keep us safe. You love us. We are so grateful for Your love.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I realize that evil people are best left up to God? What do my actions show of what I believe? Do I pray for these people? Do I care about their eternal destiny?
2. Am I watching for God? Am I asking God for anything? Am I praying and waiting in eager expectation? How can I improve this aspect of my relationship with God?
3. Do I believe God is going before me and clearing a path for me? How do I know what the path He is preparing for me is? How can I ensure I am following it?
4. What is God using in my life right now to train me? Do I see my hardships as discipline and training from a God who loves me? How have I seen good come out of my struggles?
Day 1
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 59
"But You, O Lord, laugh at them; You scoff at all those nations. O my Strength, I watch for You; You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me." ( vs 8-9)
God is not worried by evil people. He laughs at them and scoffs at them because He knows their days are numbered. God knows the big picture and all I need to know is God. I will watch for Him. I will pray and then watch for the answers to come from Him. I will watch for His provisions and for His ways of escape from the troubles that seem to outnumber me. God is my fortress. I can run to Him when I am troubled or under attack. I need to be going to Him regardless! He is my loving God. He loves me. I am special to Him in spite of all the trouble that overwhelms me. The trouble does not mean that He does not love me. Nothing of the sort. The hardships are a part of life and what is needed to refine me for eternity. I am to view hardship as discipline and training, and in fact, evidence of my Father's love. God is going before me and I will not falter if I let Him clear the way and stay in the path He has carved out for me.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that You go before us to clear the way. Help us to walk in the path that You have prepared. You are good. We are grateful that nothing can hinder Your plan and that evil people are nothing but something to laugh and scoff at. We get so worked up and worried over evil men but we need to leave them up to You. Help us to let go of this. You are our fortress. Help us to run to You when we are tempted to worry or be discouraged. You will keep us safe. You love us. We are so grateful for Your love.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I realize that evil people are best left up to God? What do my actions show of what I believe? Do I pray for these people? Do I care about their eternal destiny?
2. Am I watching for God? Am I asking God for anything? Am I praying and waiting in eager expectation? How can I improve this aspect of my relationship with God?
3. Do I believe God is going before me and clearing a path for me? How do I know what the path He is preparing for me is? How can I ensure I am following it?
4. What is God using in my life right now to train me? Do I see my hardships as discipline and training from a God who loves me? How have I seen good come out of my struggles?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/28
Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 7
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
One person that you feel is a danger to your well being even though you have never met
One person who is unaware that they are hurting you
One person who you believe will never apologize for the pain they have caused you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 58
"Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be." ( vs 3-5)
This is a hard teaching, but some people are evil early on. Who knows why? They will not listen. God will purge them out and then the righteous will find relief. It is not to us to do the purging. We are to stay righteous and to love our enemies. We are to leave justice and revenge up to God who is sinless. He will do it. We do not have to be afraid and take matters into our own hands. We are to wait, and pray that we are never in the category of the wicked and of those who will not listen to anyone, even the most skillful at leading.
"The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, ...Then men will say, 'Surely the righteous are still rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.' (vs. 10 -11)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We pray that we are never like the wicked men. Keep our hearts in tune to Your word and receptive to the help and assistance of others. Help us to always be willing to learn and grow. Help us to train our children so that they will not grow up into wicked men and women. It is a serious responsibility that You have given us and we pray for Your strength, wisdom, and guidance. We are waiting on You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I feel about this idea that some people are wicked early on? How have I seen this in my life or in the lives of those around me?
2. Is it difficult for me to accept the idea of God's judgement? Why or why not? How can I develop a greater understanding and appreciation for this aspect of God's character?
3. How do I feel when I see injustice? How do I feel when I see justice done? Why?
4. How have I been unwilling to listen to others? How can this impact my life negatively? How can I change?
Day 7
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
One person that you feel is a danger to your well being even though you have never met
One person who is unaware that they are hurting you
One person who you believe will never apologize for the pain they have caused you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 58
"Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be." ( vs 3-5)
This is a hard teaching, but some people are evil early on. Who knows why? They will not listen. God will purge them out and then the righteous will find relief. It is not to us to do the purging. We are to stay righteous and to love our enemies. We are to leave justice and revenge up to God who is sinless. He will do it. We do not have to be afraid and take matters into our own hands. We are to wait, and pray that we are never in the category of the wicked and of those who will not listen to anyone, even the most skillful at leading.
"The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, ...Then men will say, 'Surely the righteous are still rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.' (vs. 10 -11)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We pray that we are never like the wicked men. Keep our hearts in tune to Your word and receptive to the help and assistance of others. Help us to always be willing to learn and grow. Help us to train our children so that they will not grow up into wicked men and women. It is a serious responsibility that You have given us and we pray for Your strength, wisdom, and guidance. We are waiting on You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I feel about this idea that some people are wicked early on? How have I seen this in my life or in the lives of those around me?
2. Is it difficult for me to accept the idea of God's judgement? Why or why not? How can I develop a greater understanding and appreciation for this aspect of God's character?
3. How do I feel when I see injustice? How do I feel when I see justice done? Why?
4. How have I been unwilling to listen to others? How can this impact my life negatively? How can I change?
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/27
Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 6
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
One person that you feel is a danger to your well being even though you have never met
One person who is unaware that they are hurting you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 57
"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills His purpose for me." ( vs 1 - 2)
God fulfills His purposes for us. It is not our will that succeeds. We can make all the plans in the world but in the end, it is what God wants that triumphs. This can be a relief if we are hiding in the shadow of His wings or a frustration if we are fighting His will for us. Hosea echoes this sentiment, "Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." (Hosea 14:9)
"For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies." (vs. 10)
If we consider the love God has for us, this walking in His will would not be so hard. When we know someone loves us, we are willing to do just about anything for them. God's love is all around us. It fills the heavens and reaches to the sky. We cannot, with our mortal eyes, detect where the sky starts and stops and so it is with God's love. We cannot tell, as humans, where His love starts and stops. It just is, like the air. Without the air, we would die. Without God's love, we would all die as well. Sometimes we hear the statement that how could there be so much bad in the world if God exists. If God didn't exist, that is all there would be. There would be no good anymore. God is love. God is goodness and kindness expressed. God is beauty. God is light. Without God, there would be none of that. It would be all evil and darkness all of the time. God gave us freewill, and Satan roams. I am grateful that there is God to cling to and that there is morning after night and sunshine after rain. I am glad there is God.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
I am glad that You have a purpose for me. I had so many dreams as I was growing up, but now - I have You. As my life is half over, I see how fleeting our time is. We want to number our days right and focus on walking in Your ways and Your will. We can get so preoccupied in our successes and failures, but we are so minuscule in the scope of eternity. We run to the refuge of Your wings. We long for Your love and faithfulness. We get so exhausted. You have the strength. You are to be exalted. We thank You for giving us life and we praise Your glory and perfection. We know the world would be a dark dark place without You. Help us to reflect Your glory and shed more joy and hope into the world. Help us to make it a better place for our existence as well. We love You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What purposes does God have for me? Am I walking in them or stumbling in them?
2. Do I believe God's ways are right? Which of God's ways are the most difficult for me to believe are right? Why?
3. What does God's love mean to me? Is it easy or difficult for me to comprehend? How can I have a deeper understanding of it?
4. How has God been faithful to me? Have I been faithful to God? How can I be more faithful?
Day 6
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
One person that you feel is a danger to your well being even though you have never met
One person who is unaware that they are hurting you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 57
"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills His purpose for me." ( vs 1 - 2)
God fulfills His purposes for us. It is not our will that succeeds. We can make all the plans in the world but in the end, it is what God wants that triumphs. This can be a relief if we are hiding in the shadow of His wings or a frustration if we are fighting His will for us. Hosea echoes this sentiment, "Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." (Hosea 14:9)
"For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies." (vs. 10)
If we consider the love God has for us, this walking in His will would not be so hard. When we know someone loves us, we are willing to do just about anything for them. God's love is all around us. It fills the heavens and reaches to the sky. We cannot, with our mortal eyes, detect where the sky starts and stops and so it is with God's love. We cannot tell, as humans, where His love starts and stops. It just is, like the air. Without the air, we would die. Without God's love, we would all die as well. Sometimes we hear the statement that how could there be so much bad in the world if God exists. If God didn't exist, that is all there would be. There would be no good anymore. God is love. God is goodness and kindness expressed. God is beauty. God is light. Without God, there would be none of that. It would be all evil and darkness all of the time. God gave us freewill, and Satan roams. I am grateful that there is God to cling to and that there is morning after night and sunshine after rain. I am glad there is God.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
I am glad that You have a purpose for me. I had so many dreams as I was growing up, but now - I have You. As my life is half over, I see how fleeting our time is. We want to number our days right and focus on walking in Your ways and Your will. We can get so preoccupied in our successes and failures, but we are so minuscule in the scope of eternity. We run to the refuge of Your wings. We long for Your love and faithfulness. We get so exhausted. You have the strength. You are to be exalted. We thank You for giving us life and we praise Your glory and perfection. We know the world would be a dark dark place without You. Help us to reflect Your glory and shed more joy and hope into the world. Help us to make it a better place for our existence as well. We love You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What purposes does God have for me? Am I walking in them or stumbling in them?
2. Do I believe God's ways are right? Which of God's ways are the most difficult for me to believe are right? Why?
3. What does God's love mean to me? Is it easy or difficult for me to comprehend? How can I have a deeper understanding of it?
4. How has God been faithful to me? Have I been faithful to God? How can I be more faithful?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/26
Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 5
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
One person that you feel is an danger to your wellbeing even though you have never met
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 56
"When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" ( vs 3 - 4)
"Record my lament; list my tears on Your scroll - are they not in Your record?" (vs. 8)
When I am afraid, I will trust in God. When I am afraid about Joelle's health, in God I will trust. When I am afraid about my husband's health, in God I will trust. I will praise God in place of worry. When I am tempted, I will praise instead. I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me? What bad can happen to me if I have God. Nothing. God knows all the tears I have cried. He says He has recorded each one on His scroll, in His record.
"I am under vows to You, O God; I will present thank offerings to You. For You have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling that I may walk before God in the light of life." (vs. 12-13)
I have a responsibility to God. I said that I would follow Him. I need to fulfill my vows, and they are not burdensome. I just need to follow. Jesus said His yoke was easy and His burden light. God's way should not be burdensome. It should be paved with gratitude for what He has done for us. He has delivered us and brought us out to freedom and light. I will walk in the light of life, because Jesus provides the life and the light. Death is dark. My old way of life was dark but thanks be to God, that way is gone and I am now walking with Him. Let us not turn back. Let us fulfill our vows. Let us be thankful.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are often afraid, but You are with us. Help us to feel Your continual presence in a greater way each day. There are many things that worry us and occupy our minds but You are what they should be fixed on. Guide our thoughts and turn us back to You. You know our struggles and our tears. How amazing that You have recorded each and every tear. You do care. We want to walk in gratitude and in the light of Your presence, the light of Your life. We turn away from our lives of darkness and death and want to live in the light. Help us to rid all darkness from our life so that we can fulfill our vows and have true joy and life. We love You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What fears do I have? Am I turning to God with them?
2. What vows have I made to God? Am I fulfilling them?
3. What has God delivered me from? What was my life like before I was a Christian?
4. Am I walking in the light? Is there anything that is hidden in the darkness still in my life? Do I have people that I can discuss anything with? Do I have a platform to be open and to get help? Where could I go for that?
Day 5
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
One person that you feel is an danger to your wellbeing even though you have never met
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 56
"When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" ( vs 3 - 4)
"Record my lament; list my tears on Your scroll - are they not in Your record?" (vs. 8)
When I am afraid, I will trust in God. When I am afraid about Joelle's health, in God I will trust. When I am afraid about my husband's health, in God I will trust. I will praise God in place of worry. When I am tempted, I will praise instead. I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me? What bad can happen to me if I have God. Nothing. God knows all the tears I have cried. He says He has recorded each one on His scroll, in His record.
"I am under vows to You, O God; I will present thank offerings to You. For You have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling that I may walk before God in the light of life." (vs. 12-13)
I have a responsibility to God. I said that I would follow Him. I need to fulfill my vows, and they are not burdensome. I just need to follow. Jesus said His yoke was easy and His burden light. God's way should not be burdensome. It should be paved with gratitude for what He has done for us. He has delivered us and brought us out to freedom and light. I will walk in the light of life, because Jesus provides the life and the light. Death is dark. My old way of life was dark but thanks be to God, that way is gone and I am now walking with Him. Let us not turn back. Let us fulfill our vows. Let us be thankful.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are often afraid, but You are with us. Help us to feel Your continual presence in a greater way each day. There are many things that worry us and occupy our minds but You are what they should be fixed on. Guide our thoughts and turn us back to You. You know our struggles and our tears. How amazing that You have recorded each and every tear. You do care. We want to walk in gratitude and in the light of Your presence, the light of Your life. We turn away from our lives of darkness and death and want to live in the light. Help us to rid all darkness from our life so that we can fulfill our vows and have true joy and life. We love You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What fears do I have? Am I turning to God with them?
2. What vows have I made to God? Am I fulfilling them?
3. What has God delivered me from? What was my life like before I was a Christian?
4. Am I walking in the light? Is there anything that is hidden in the darkness still in my life? Do I have people that I can discuss anything with? Do I have a platform to be open and to get help? Where could I go for that?
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/25
Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 4
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 55
"Listen to my prayer , O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger" ( vs 1 - 3)
The voice of the enemy. What a disturbing thought. Satan speaks to us, often in our thoughts. Random strange thoughts that we wonder about and think "Where did that come from". Ideas that we know are not good for us. Temptations. Satan prowls like a roaring lion (I Peter 5:8-9)and we are definitely in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-18). We forget so easily and then we are easy victims. We think that our thoughts are just our thoughts, and so why not indulge them. Why should we be so strict with what we think about, we reason. No one knows. What will this one thought do? But that is where all sin starts. It starts with just a thought indulged, a small desire, that over time grows and grows. James 1: 13 - 15 states, "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."
Satan plants a little thought like - I never do anything right - in our heads and then we begin to dwell on it. Soon we are angry and frustrated. This eventually becomes depression and negativity. We stop functioning properly and become completely inward focused. Satan has won, all from that little thought. Or how about - my husband/wife doesn't act like he/she loves me. We take that thought which might run through our head and begin to dwell on it. Soon, our husbands/wives are the worst individuals alive and we are so upset that we are the worst spouses alive as well. And it gets worse from there. We have to recognize that there is an enemy and it is not another human being. It is Satan and he will use whatever will work on us. We need to remember that we will hear his voice. That is why the Bible and God has said to take every thought captive (II Cor 10:3-5). It is that important.
"But I call to God and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me." (vs. 16-18)
We cannot win this battle alone though. We are no match for Satan and we should not even try to battle him alone. We need God to win the battle. We need God's word and we need an active prayer life. We need to be calling out to God continuously, morning, noon, and night. God will hear us but we have to call out to Him. We need to plead with Him. He will ransom us from this spiritual battle. His armies are much greater than Satan's. The story in Kings of when Elisha opened the servants eyes to see all the armies of the Lord can remind us of that fact and we can be comforted in our smaller troubles! (II Kings 6:8-23)
"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall. But You, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption;...But as for me, I trust in You." (vs. 22-23)
Let us cast our cares on the Lord because He cares for us and He will sustain us. He will never let the righteous fall. Let us be righteous, and let us choose God. Let us be able to say like the psalmist, despite what is going on around us and even if no one else was willing to follow God anymore, "But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord"
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are distraught, Lord, at the voice of the enemy and we are even more distraught that often we don't recognize that it is the enemy. Sharpen our ability to discern our thoughts and help us to take every thought captive. We know that what we dwell on impacts our lives and our actions. We want to dwell on what is wholesome, good, and lovely. Let us direct our thoughts to whatever is honorable and right. Guard our hearts and our minds and help us to turn continually to You for the help and the strength that we need to stand firm in this spiritual battle. Make us into mighty warriors, Father, because we know that that is what You desire for us. You desire the victory for us and for others. Help us to be part of the solution. We are casting our cares onto You and turning to You. We know that You will ransom us and we will do our part as well. You are great. You are our God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I recognize that Satan can feed me thoughts? Am I taking captive every thought and striving to dwell on what is good? What thoughts from Satan am I especially prone to grab hold of and dwell on? What thoughts and verses can I use to counteract them?
2. Am I praying morning, noon, and night? What can I do to remind myself to pray more and especially at these three times? Where do I pray best? When have I felt most connected to God in prayer? How can I duplicate these times?
3. What cares do I need to cast on God in prayer? What verses can I memorize and meditate on that will remind me how much God does care for me?
4. Am I committed to trusting God no matter what happens? What would make me hesitate in my trust in God? What has made me turn back/look back in the past, even if it was just in my heart?
Day 4
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 55
"Listen to my prayer , O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger" ( vs 1 - 3)
The voice of the enemy. What a disturbing thought. Satan speaks to us, often in our thoughts. Random strange thoughts that we wonder about and think "Where did that come from". Ideas that we know are not good for us. Temptations. Satan prowls like a roaring lion (I Peter 5:8-9)and we are definitely in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-18). We forget so easily and then we are easy victims. We think that our thoughts are just our thoughts, and so why not indulge them. Why should we be so strict with what we think about, we reason. No one knows. What will this one thought do? But that is where all sin starts. It starts with just a thought indulged, a small desire, that over time grows and grows. James 1: 13 - 15 states, "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."
Satan plants a little thought like - I never do anything right - in our heads and then we begin to dwell on it. Soon we are angry and frustrated. This eventually becomes depression and negativity. We stop functioning properly and become completely inward focused. Satan has won, all from that little thought. Or how about - my husband/wife doesn't act like he/she loves me. We take that thought which might run through our head and begin to dwell on it. Soon, our husbands/wives are the worst individuals alive and we are so upset that we are the worst spouses alive as well. And it gets worse from there. We have to recognize that there is an enemy and it is not another human being. It is Satan and he will use whatever will work on us. We need to remember that we will hear his voice. That is why the Bible and God has said to take every thought captive (II Cor 10:3-5). It is that important.
"But I call to God and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me." (vs. 16-18)
We cannot win this battle alone though. We are no match for Satan and we should not even try to battle him alone. We need God to win the battle. We need God's word and we need an active prayer life. We need to be calling out to God continuously, morning, noon, and night. God will hear us but we have to call out to Him. We need to plead with Him. He will ransom us from this spiritual battle. His armies are much greater than Satan's. The story in Kings of when Elisha opened the servants eyes to see all the armies of the Lord can remind us of that fact and we can be comforted in our smaller troubles! (II Kings 6:8-23)
"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall. But You, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption;...But as for me, I trust in You." (vs. 22-23)
Let us cast our cares on the Lord because He cares for us and He will sustain us. He will never let the righteous fall. Let us be righteous, and let us choose God. Let us be able to say like the psalmist, despite what is going on around us and even if no one else was willing to follow God anymore, "But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord"
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are distraught, Lord, at the voice of the enemy and we are even more distraught that often we don't recognize that it is the enemy. Sharpen our ability to discern our thoughts and help us to take every thought captive. We know that what we dwell on impacts our lives and our actions. We want to dwell on what is wholesome, good, and lovely. Let us direct our thoughts to whatever is honorable and right. Guard our hearts and our minds and help us to turn continually to You for the help and the strength that we need to stand firm in this spiritual battle. Make us into mighty warriors, Father, because we know that that is what You desire for us. You desire the victory for us and for others. Help us to be part of the solution. We are casting our cares onto You and turning to You. We know that You will ransom us and we will do our part as well. You are great. You are our God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I recognize that Satan can feed me thoughts? Am I taking captive every thought and striving to dwell on what is good? What thoughts from Satan am I especially prone to grab hold of and dwell on? What thoughts and verses can I use to counteract them?
2. Am I praying morning, noon, and night? What can I do to remind myself to pray more and especially at these three times? Where do I pray best? When have I felt most connected to God in prayer? How can I duplicate these times?
3. What cares do I need to cast on God in prayer? What verses can I memorize and meditate on that will remind me how much God does care for me?
4. Am I committed to trusting God no matter what happens? What would make me hesitate in my trust in God? What has made me turn back/look back in the past, even if it was just in my heart?
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/24
Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 3
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble at some point in time
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 54
"Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me....I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes." ( vs 4 & 6-7)
God is my help. I have to repeat this to myself daily, hourly, and moment by moment. God is my help. He is the one who sustains me. There is so much to be done in my life. I must learn to separate the urgent from the important. I must learn to prioritize. And I must learn to rely more and more on the Lord who sustains me. I am learning to look at the worst that could happen and then look at it through God's eyes. For example, if my daughter should get sick with H1N1, which happens to be something on my mind on a regular basis right now, what would be the worst that could happen? Having asthma, she could get very sick. She could even die. I have had to think of this before. If this worst case scenario would happen, she would be in heaven. She would be happy and at peace forever. Since she is only five, she would be with God and would be spared all the heart ache that we face living on earth. I would be heartbroken, on the other hand, but at least I would know that she was safe and no longer had to suffer. I would not have to worry about whether or not she would grow up to know God. She would be there waiting for me. This tends to help me face the uncertainty of today. Even the worst would not be that bad when looked at in an eternal perspective.
So I will sacrifice a freewill offering to God. I will freely come and bring Him whatever I have to offer. I will not be forced to follow. I am so grateful that I am even allowed to participate. I would have nothing without God and I look forward to seeing how He will deliver me from all of my present troubles. He has amazed me up until now with how He has gotten me out of my past troubles. I am certain that I will look in triumph on my foes someday. And what a great day that will be!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We look forward to the day that we will be able to look with triumph on our foes. You have delivered us so far and You will continue to deliver us. You are good, always good and we praise You. You are our help. You do sustain us. You get us up and put us to bed. You keep our hearts beating and our lungs pulling in oxygen. You are great and You deserve all the freewill offerings I can bring. Help us to not be like horses or mules that have to be pulled along. Help us to come willingly and eagerly to serve You. Forgive us in our failures to please You. We need You and praise You for Your mercy. Continue to walk with us and carry us when we are weak. We worship You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How often do I think about God actually being with me in each present moment? Do I turn to Him for help in the moment or do I forget He is there?
2. Am I allowing God to prioritize my day and my time? Do I let Him get involved with the mundane areas of my life like house work or do I feel that God is only interested in the "big issues"?
3. How can I bring a freewill offering to God? Is my service and worship a joy or burden to me? What can I change to improve my attitude of joy when I am serving or worshiping God?
4. What are the foes in my life? What am I doing to conquer them? How will I feel when I am delivered and can look at them in triumph?
Day 3
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble at some point in time
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 54
"Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me....I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes." ( vs 4 & 6-7)
God is my help. I have to repeat this to myself daily, hourly, and moment by moment. God is my help. He is the one who sustains me. There is so much to be done in my life. I must learn to separate the urgent from the important. I must learn to prioritize. And I must learn to rely more and more on the Lord who sustains me. I am learning to look at the worst that could happen and then look at it through God's eyes. For example, if my daughter should get sick with H1N1, which happens to be something on my mind on a regular basis right now, what would be the worst that could happen? Having asthma, she could get very sick. She could even die. I have had to think of this before. If this worst case scenario would happen, she would be in heaven. She would be happy and at peace forever. Since she is only five, she would be with God and would be spared all the heart ache that we face living on earth. I would be heartbroken, on the other hand, but at least I would know that she was safe and no longer had to suffer. I would not have to worry about whether or not she would grow up to know God. She would be there waiting for me. This tends to help me face the uncertainty of today. Even the worst would not be that bad when looked at in an eternal perspective.
So I will sacrifice a freewill offering to God. I will freely come and bring Him whatever I have to offer. I will not be forced to follow. I am so grateful that I am even allowed to participate. I would have nothing without God and I look forward to seeing how He will deliver me from all of my present troubles. He has amazed me up until now with how He has gotten me out of my past troubles. I am certain that I will look in triumph on my foes someday. And what a great day that will be!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We look forward to the day that we will be able to look with triumph on our foes. You have delivered us so far and You will continue to deliver us. You are good, always good and we praise You. You are our help. You do sustain us. You get us up and put us to bed. You keep our hearts beating and our lungs pulling in oxygen. You are great and You deserve all the freewill offerings I can bring. Help us to not be like horses or mules that have to be pulled along. Help us to come willingly and eagerly to serve You. Forgive us in our failures to please You. We need You and praise You for Your mercy. Continue to walk with us and carry us when we are weak. We worship You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How often do I think about God actually being with me in each present moment? Do I turn to Him for help in the moment or do I forget He is there?
2. Am I allowing God to prioritize my day and my time? Do I let Him get involved with the mundane areas of my life like house work or do I feel that God is only interested in the "big issues"?
3. How can I bring a freewill offering to God? Is my service and worship a joy or burden to me? What can I change to improve my attitude of joy when I am serving or worshiping God?
4. What are the foes in my life? What am I doing to conquer them? How will I feel when I am delivered and can look at them in triumph?
Friday, October 23, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/23
Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 2
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 53
"Will evildoers never learn - those who devour my people as bread and who do not call on God? There they were overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread." ( vs 4-5a)
This psalm outlines two ways that we can become evildoers and the consequences of these actions or any sinful behavior on our part really. The first qualification for being an evildoers is being someone who uses others. We eat bread. We use it to stay alive, so someone who is devouring people in this way must be using them to get what they need. I know in the past I have used people. I am not proud of this but I think it is probably more widespread than we would like to admit. How often do we just call someone when we need something from them. Isn't that a form of using them. We are not thinking of them and how they are doing, just what we need. How about in our conversations? Are they all about us and what we are going through? Do we use others as a dumping ground and then after we feel better, leave? Isn't that using others. I am sure that we could come up with more as well; times when we are using those around us in some manner. This can even go as far as our involvement in church, our work, and our country. Are we focused on what we are getting out of the service or small group rather than what we are giving? At our work, are we known to be someone who gets involved and gives their best or are we just getting a paycheck. How about in our country? Are we just taking the benefits and not being willing to get involved and change it for the better or fight for some cause we believe in. We need to stop being takers and users and start being givers. I know I do. We are by nature selfish. Thank God that He has overcome our sinful natures and can transform us.
The second qualification for becoming an evildoers is to not call on God. That is more frightening to me. It is so easy to not pray and to not turn to God. Often, no one even knows. If we are being selfish, someone usually is affected by it and we tend to feel worse about this so we try and curb it. Not calling on God is all within us and we can cover it up for quite awhile. Eventually it will come out in a number of ways such as the dread mentioned in the next verse. When we are stressed out and feeling a nameless sense of dread about life, it would be a good idea for us to look at these two qualifications and see if we are wandering into the evil doer zone. I know I have felt dread often and sometimes there is no real reason for it. On deeper inspection, I usually find some sin, selfishness, or abandonment of God occurring. Once I turn back to God, start calling on Him, and drawing near to Him, the sense of dread disappears. Sin does make us feel guilty. Guilt and our consciences were put in us by God and help us to come back to Him. We need to stop searing them and accept that they are there and are there for a good reason. We will feel peace when we walk with God. He is a God of peace. He will do it.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We do not want to be evildoers. As we look at the attitudes of our hearts and our actions, we pray that they will be those of a giver and not of a taker. We do not want to use people, even if it is advantageous to us. Help us to not think like the world does because to the world this is normal behavior. Help us to rise above and strive each and every day to be like Jesus. Although He was a part of You, He did not claim equality with You but made Himself nothing and became a servant to us all. He went the ultimate distance in dying for us and He calls us to do the same. Help us to rise to the challenge.
We also ask Your forgiveness for all of the times that we have not called on You. We get tired, weak, or lazy at times and neglect You, our ultimate power source. Help us to remember that it is all about You and not about us. We want to pray more. We want to commune with You and walk each day with You. Help us to not be so distracted. Our flesh is so weak. We are tired of walking around in dread. There is nothing to dread. There is no virus, no foreign government, no debt, not problem bigger than You. There is nothing to dread and here we are dreading. Forgive us and help us to turn away from this faithlessness and sin. You are here. You have always been here. Help us to see You in all that we do. You are surely woven into life. We pray for peace.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Have I used people in the past? Can I see any situations where I am using people presently? Why do I do this?
2. Am I a giver or a taker in my relationships? Am I a giver or taker in my church, work, and social environment? What can I do to become more of a giver?
3. Am I calling on God on a regular basis? How is my prayer life? Do I go to God first, or my friends? What can I do to improve my reliance on God?
4. Am I at peace or am I consistently in a state of dread? Do I have reason to dread? What am I fearing? Is God able to handle it? Is there something I need to clear up/ resolve or repent of to eliminate the sense of dread that I am experiencing? If not, how can I turn to God and trust Him more?
Day 2
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 53
"Will evildoers never learn - those who devour my people as bread and who do not call on God? There they were overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread." ( vs 4-5a)
This psalm outlines two ways that we can become evildoers and the consequences of these actions or any sinful behavior on our part really. The first qualification for being an evildoers is being someone who uses others. We eat bread. We use it to stay alive, so someone who is devouring people in this way must be using them to get what they need. I know in the past I have used people. I am not proud of this but I think it is probably more widespread than we would like to admit. How often do we just call someone when we need something from them. Isn't that a form of using them. We are not thinking of them and how they are doing, just what we need. How about in our conversations? Are they all about us and what we are going through? Do we use others as a dumping ground and then after we feel better, leave? Isn't that using others. I am sure that we could come up with more as well; times when we are using those around us in some manner. This can even go as far as our involvement in church, our work, and our country. Are we focused on what we are getting out of the service or small group rather than what we are giving? At our work, are we known to be someone who gets involved and gives their best or are we just getting a paycheck. How about in our country? Are we just taking the benefits and not being willing to get involved and change it for the better or fight for some cause we believe in. We need to stop being takers and users and start being givers. I know I do. We are by nature selfish. Thank God that He has overcome our sinful natures and can transform us.
The second qualification for becoming an evildoers is to not call on God. That is more frightening to me. It is so easy to not pray and to not turn to God. Often, no one even knows. If we are being selfish, someone usually is affected by it and we tend to feel worse about this so we try and curb it. Not calling on God is all within us and we can cover it up for quite awhile. Eventually it will come out in a number of ways such as the dread mentioned in the next verse. When we are stressed out and feeling a nameless sense of dread about life, it would be a good idea for us to look at these two qualifications and see if we are wandering into the evil doer zone. I know I have felt dread often and sometimes there is no real reason for it. On deeper inspection, I usually find some sin, selfishness, or abandonment of God occurring. Once I turn back to God, start calling on Him, and drawing near to Him, the sense of dread disappears. Sin does make us feel guilty. Guilt and our consciences were put in us by God and help us to come back to Him. We need to stop searing them and accept that they are there and are there for a good reason. We will feel peace when we walk with God. He is a God of peace. He will do it.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We do not want to be evildoers. As we look at the attitudes of our hearts and our actions, we pray that they will be those of a giver and not of a taker. We do not want to use people, even if it is advantageous to us. Help us to not think like the world does because to the world this is normal behavior. Help us to rise above and strive each and every day to be like Jesus. Although He was a part of You, He did not claim equality with You but made Himself nothing and became a servant to us all. He went the ultimate distance in dying for us and He calls us to do the same. Help us to rise to the challenge.
We also ask Your forgiveness for all of the times that we have not called on You. We get tired, weak, or lazy at times and neglect You, our ultimate power source. Help us to remember that it is all about You and not about us. We want to pray more. We want to commune with You and walk each day with You. Help us to not be so distracted. Our flesh is so weak. We are tired of walking around in dread. There is nothing to dread. There is no virus, no foreign government, no debt, not problem bigger than You. There is nothing to dread and here we are dreading. Forgive us and help us to turn away from this faithlessness and sin. You are here. You have always been here. Help us to see You in all that we do. You are surely woven into life. We pray for peace.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Have I used people in the past? Can I see any situations where I am using people presently? Why do I do this?
2. Am I a giver or a taker in my relationships? Am I a giver or taker in my church, work, and social environment? What can I do to become more of a giver?
3. Am I calling on God on a regular basis? How is my prayer life? Do I go to God first, or my friends? What can I do to improve my reliance on God?
4. Am I at peace or am I consistently in a state of dread? Do I have reason to dread? What am I fearing? Is God able to handle it? Is there something I need to clear up/ resolve or repent of to eliminate the sense of dread that I am experiencing? If not, how can I turn to God and trust Him more?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/22
Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 1
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 52
"Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God." ( vs 1)
What a sobering thought. We can be a disgrace in the eyes of God. So often we view God as this kindly old grandfather like figure who never gets angry or upset about anything; an ineffectual deity who just started everything and lets it run its course. But God is nothing like that. He does get angry and He does have expectations. They are for our own good but that does not make them any less important. He expects to be obeyed and He hates evil and loves good. If we set our hearts on evil, we can become a disgrace in the eyes of God. That is a frightening and sobering thought.
"Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, 'Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!' But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise You forever for what You have done; in Your name I will hope, for Your name is good. I will praise You in the presence of Your saints." (vs. 5-9)
It is frightening to see and read about the vengeance of God. It makes me want to cling to God and to rid my heart of all anger and bitterness. The man who does not make God his strength will be destroyed. I do not want this to be me. I want to flourish in the house of the Lord. I am responsible for my own salvation. It is up to me alone.
I will not be like the evil man. I will trust in God's unfailing love. I will praise Him forever for what He has done. In God's name I can always hope. God's name is good, all the time. I will praise God in front of others as well. Despite circumstances, I can still praise God. I praise the Lord for what I do have.
Here are my praise and thank offerings. I praise the Lord for my husband's health. I bring thank offerings today for whatever the future holds in this matter. I thank God they removed the main tumors and the rest looked clear. I thank God that I have him now each day that I do have him. I thank God for His forgiveness and salvation in the days to come. I thank Him for each day with my children. I thank Him for a job. I thank Him also for food to eat and a roof over our heads. I thank God for our parents and for our education. I thank Him for living in this country, despite its faults, still the best country I have found. I praise God for our churches and our faith. I praise and thank Him for the beautiful scenery that surrounds us. I thank God for the clouds and the wind and for clear days that you want to go on forever. Finally, I thank God especially for sleep, that sweet time of rest that refreshes our bodies and which allows us to start over in the morning.
Thank You Lord,
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We thank and praise You for all of this and more. We could not write down everything there is to praise You about because there would not be books or time enough to do it. You alone are worthy of our praise and worship. We are so blessed. Cultivate in us a perpetual state of gratitude. Rid negativism from our hearts and keep us from complaining. You are good, always good. We know it. Help us in our unbelief and grant us strength to live each and every day as You would have us. We do not want to be a disgrace to You. We want You to be able to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We fall so short, but You are able.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I boast of evil? What type of conversations occupy my time? What do I think about most? Is it pleasing to God?
2. What is my view of God? Is it Biblical? Do I see God as a God who would bring someone down? How does that make me feel to see that God does get angry?
3. What can I praise God for? Can I write a list of 25, 50, 75, or 100 things that I am grateful for right now?
4. Am I taking charge of my own salvation and making sure that I am right with God? Do I know for sure that I am pleasing Him with my life? How can I find out? Who can I talk to about this?
Day 1
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 52
"Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God." ( vs 1)
What a sobering thought. We can be a disgrace in the eyes of God. So often we view God as this kindly old grandfather like figure who never gets angry or upset about anything; an ineffectual deity who just started everything and lets it run its course. But God is nothing like that. He does get angry and He does have expectations. They are for our own good but that does not make them any less important. He expects to be obeyed and He hates evil and loves good. If we set our hearts on evil, we can become a disgrace in the eyes of God. That is a frightening and sobering thought.
"Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, 'Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!' But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise You forever for what You have done; in Your name I will hope, for Your name is good. I will praise You in the presence of Your saints." (vs. 5-9)
It is frightening to see and read about the vengeance of God. It makes me want to cling to God and to rid my heart of all anger and bitterness. The man who does not make God his strength will be destroyed. I do not want this to be me. I want to flourish in the house of the Lord. I am responsible for my own salvation. It is up to me alone.
I will not be like the evil man. I will trust in God's unfailing love. I will praise Him forever for what He has done. In God's name I can always hope. God's name is good, all the time. I will praise God in front of others as well. Despite circumstances, I can still praise God. I praise the Lord for what I do have.
Here are my praise and thank offerings. I praise the Lord for my husband's health. I bring thank offerings today for whatever the future holds in this matter. I thank God they removed the main tumors and the rest looked clear. I thank God that I have him now each day that I do have him. I thank God for His forgiveness and salvation in the days to come. I thank Him for each day with my children. I thank Him for a job. I thank Him also for food to eat and a roof over our heads. I thank God for our parents and for our education. I thank Him for living in this country, despite its faults, still the best country I have found. I praise God for our churches and our faith. I praise and thank Him for the beautiful scenery that surrounds us. I thank God for the clouds and the wind and for clear days that you want to go on forever. Finally, I thank God especially for sleep, that sweet time of rest that refreshes our bodies and which allows us to start over in the morning.
Thank You Lord,
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We thank and praise You for all of this and more. We could not write down everything there is to praise You about because there would not be books or time enough to do it. You alone are worthy of our praise and worship. We are so blessed. Cultivate in us a perpetual state of gratitude. Rid negativism from our hearts and keep us from complaining. You are good, always good. We know it. Help us in our unbelief and grant us strength to live each and every day as You would have us. We do not want to be a disgrace to You. We want You to be able to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We fall so short, but You are able.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I boast of evil? What type of conversations occupy my time? What do I think about most? Is it pleasing to God?
2. What is my view of God? Is it Biblical? Do I see God as a God who would bring someone down? How does that make me feel to see that God does get angry?
3. What can I praise God for? Can I write a list of 25, 50, 75, or 100 things that I am grateful for right now?
4. Am I taking charge of my own salvation and making sure that I am right with God? Do I know for sure that I am pleasing Him with my life? How can I find out? Who can I talk to about this?
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/21
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 7
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
One friend that you have lost touch with and have no idea where they are
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 51
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions." ( vs 1)
We need God's forgiveness. The fact that He is willing to forgive us at all is all about Him and not us. We don't deserve it but because His love is unfailing and because He has great compassion, we have hope. I am grateful for God's mercy and do not want to take it for granted.
"Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge." (vs. 4)
Whenever we sin, we are sinning against God. Sometimes we forget this and feel justified in doing wrong if the person we are sinning against is evil or has sinned against us. We are never justified. Our sin is always an affront to God. We need to remember that as it may help us to curb many of our more flagrant misdeeds. The sins of the heart are harder to deal with but are also done against God as well. He is justified when He says that we deserve death. He is not mean or evil. He is just and fair. We earn our condemnation. Praise God that He does not treat us as our sins deserve
"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (vs. 7)
We can start over. God makes us like new and erases all of our filth. We do not have to have those burdens of regret around our necks any longer. We can be free, but let us not use this freedom to sin. Let us be like the sinful woman, who when pardoned by Jesus, was still challenged to go and sin no more and did allow her life to be transformed. We need to change and strive with all of our hearts to no longer sin.
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me...Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (vs. 10-11)
We need help to do this. God can create a pure heart in me. He can renew a steadfast spirit within me. He can restore my joy and help me get through by granting me a willing spirit. I cannot make it on my own. I am too weak, but God is my strength and God can change and strengthen anything in me. He is able. I want these gifts from Him so that I can please Him, now and forever.
"In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem." (vs. 18)
In God's good pleasure, He will make us prosper. It is all in His timing. I don't need to force anything. I just need to live and to do my best. I need to humble myself and keep going with a broken and contrite heart. He will lift me up.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for forgiving us. Thank You for Your mercy and grace. We know that we are completely unworthy and we are so grateful that You care for us anyway. Please grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. We can't keep it going by ourselves. Grant us joy as well so that we may live and be the examples that You deserve. We are unworthy, but we know that in Your good pleasure, You can make us prosper. We look forward to that day.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I realize how much I sin against God? Am I turning to Him for forgiveness?
2. Do I realize that when I sin against others, I am sinning against God? Does this help me to stop sinning or could this help me? How can I remind myself of this fact?
3. Do I feel burdened by past sins? Have I been forgiven? Do I need to discuss anything with another person to help deal with a habitual sin?
4. Am I turning to God for a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, a willing spirit, and a joyful heart? Which of these is the hardest for me to maintain?
Day 7
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
One friend that you have lost touch with and have no idea where they are
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 51
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions." ( vs 1)
We need God's forgiveness. The fact that He is willing to forgive us at all is all about Him and not us. We don't deserve it but because His love is unfailing and because He has great compassion, we have hope. I am grateful for God's mercy and do not want to take it for granted.
"Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge." (vs. 4)
Whenever we sin, we are sinning against God. Sometimes we forget this and feel justified in doing wrong if the person we are sinning against is evil or has sinned against us. We are never justified. Our sin is always an affront to God. We need to remember that as it may help us to curb many of our more flagrant misdeeds. The sins of the heart are harder to deal with but are also done against God as well. He is justified when He says that we deserve death. He is not mean or evil. He is just and fair. We earn our condemnation. Praise God that He does not treat us as our sins deserve
"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (vs. 7)
We can start over. God makes us like new and erases all of our filth. We do not have to have those burdens of regret around our necks any longer. We can be free, but let us not use this freedom to sin. Let us be like the sinful woman, who when pardoned by Jesus, was still challenged to go and sin no more and did allow her life to be transformed. We need to change and strive with all of our hearts to no longer sin.
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me...Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (vs. 10-11)
We need help to do this. God can create a pure heart in me. He can renew a steadfast spirit within me. He can restore my joy and help me get through by granting me a willing spirit. I cannot make it on my own. I am too weak, but God is my strength and God can change and strengthen anything in me. He is able. I want these gifts from Him so that I can please Him, now and forever.
"In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem." (vs. 18)
In God's good pleasure, He will make us prosper. It is all in His timing. I don't need to force anything. I just need to live and to do my best. I need to humble myself and keep going with a broken and contrite heart. He will lift me up.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for forgiving us. Thank You for Your mercy and grace. We know that we are completely unworthy and we are so grateful that You care for us anyway. Please grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. We can't keep it going by ourselves. Grant us joy as well so that we may live and be the examples that You deserve. We are unworthy, but we know that in Your good pleasure, You can make us prosper. We look forward to that day.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I realize how much I sin against God? Am I turning to Him for forgiveness?
2. Do I realize that when I sin against others, I am sinning against God? Does this help me to stop sinning or could this help me? How can I remind myself of this fact?
3. Do I feel burdened by past sins? Have I been forgiven? Do I need to discuss anything with another person to help deal with a habitual sin?
4. Am I turning to God for a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, a willing spirit, and a joyful heart? Which of these is the hardest for me to maintain?
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/20
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 6
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 50
"Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me." ( vs 14-15)
"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors Me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." (vs. 23)
Thank offerings honor God. I must be thankful. It is so easy to be ungrateful and complaining. It seems to be natural for us. But negative thinking spirals us down to depression and futility. Positive, grateful hearts enable us to see God and the ways He has laid out to help us in any and every situation. My gratitude and thanks enable God to usher in His salvation. The road to victory is paved with thanks. Let us call out to God in our times of trouble and do it with rejoicing since we are blessed to even have a life to be struggling with. God will answer.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving us life. We are grateful to exist and we are grateful that You care for us. Help us to remember that our gratitude opens the doors for Your salvation. Help us to not be like the Isrealites that wandered for years in the desert because of their ingratitude and unfaithfulness. They continued to complain in spite of all the miracles You brought to them. We can be no different. We want to amaze You with our faith and our good attitudes and happy hearts. We ask for Your strength and blessing as we strive to be pleasing to You in each and every moment of our days. We love You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I sacrificing thank offerings to God? How often do I thank God for something?
2. Am I fulfilling my vows to God? What vows have I made to God? What do I need to change to fulfill them more completely?
3. Am I calling upon God in my times of trouble? Who do I turn to first when I am having a problem? Is it God or a friend/spouse?
4. Am I seeing victories in my life? What is my mental attitude like? Do I see any correlation between when I am positive and grateful and when I see victories/ success in my life? If so, how can I do a better job at sustaining my gratitude level?
Day 6
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 50
"Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me." ( vs 14-15)
"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors Me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." (vs. 23)
Thank offerings honor God. I must be thankful. It is so easy to be ungrateful and complaining. It seems to be natural for us. But negative thinking spirals us down to depression and futility. Positive, grateful hearts enable us to see God and the ways He has laid out to help us in any and every situation. My gratitude and thanks enable God to usher in His salvation. The road to victory is paved with thanks. Let us call out to God in our times of trouble and do it with rejoicing since we are blessed to even have a life to be struggling with. God will answer.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving us life. We are grateful to exist and we are grateful that You care for us. Help us to remember that our gratitude opens the doors for Your salvation. Help us to not be like the Isrealites that wandered for years in the desert because of their ingratitude and unfaithfulness. They continued to complain in spite of all the miracles You brought to them. We can be no different. We want to amaze You with our faith and our good attitudes and happy hearts. We ask for Your strength and blessing as we strive to be pleasing to You in each and every moment of our days. We love You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I sacrificing thank offerings to God? How often do I thank God for something?
2. Am I fulfilling my vows to God? What vows have I made to God? What do I need to change to fulfill them more completely?
3. Am I calling upon God in my times of trouble? Who do I turn to first when I am having a problem? Is it God or a friend/spouse?
4. Am I seeing victories in my life? What is my mental attitude like? Do I see any correlation between when I am positive and grateful and when I see victories/ success in my life? If so, how can I do a better job at sustaining my gratitude level?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/19
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 5
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 49
"Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me - those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him...For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem my life from the grave; He will surely take me to himself. Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Though while he lived he counted himself blessed- and men praise you when you prosper - he will join the generations of his fathers, who will never see the light of life. A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish." ( vs 5-20)
Why should I fear when evil days come? Men are nothing. Men cannot save, only God can save. All perish and wealth gets passed on. It is so easy to envy those who seem to have it all together, especially monetarily. When you are penny pinching and see someone living in luxury, it is easy to think you missed the boat and are doing things all wrong. That is until you take a look at life from an eternal perspective. Then it all makes sense. Wealth is fleeting. We store up and then have to pass it on and we have no idea if the next person will be wise or foolish with what we worked so hard for. Everyone dies. There is no escaping it so we need to focus rather on pleasing God and being upright so that we will be redeemed and be taken to
God, Himself. We just don't endure!! We are fleeting so make a difference. The upright will rule over the the evil in the morning. God will redeem me from the grave. He will surely take me to Himself. Do not be overawed. Riches don't follow us, only God. A man who has riches without understanding is like a beast that perishes.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for taking hold of us and moving us toward You. We are grateful to have all the time we do with our brothers and sisters in Christ and we are so grateful to be learning more and more how to be close to you and how to worship you appropriately. We want to let go of all of our temptations to envy those around us that appear to have it all make. No one knows the pain those people might be going through and we have the answers. WE do not have to be apologetic and sad. We need to be remembering the fleeting nature of life and all that we have to share. Help us to not be afraid and help us to have understanding. We want to glorify You and we pray that we can through every avenue available.
In Jesus' Name,
Day 5
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 49
"Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me - those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him...For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem my life from the grave; He will surely take me to himself. Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Though while he lived he counted himself blessed- and men praise you when you prosper - he will join the generations of his fathers, who will never see the light of life. A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish." ( vs 5-20)
Why should I fear when evil days come? Men are nothing. Men cannot save, only God can save. All perish and wealth gets passed on. It is so easy to envy those who seem to have it all together, especially monetarily. When you are penny pinching and see someone living in luxury, it is easy to think you missed the boat and are doing things all wrong. That is until you take a look at life from an eternal perspective. Then it all makes sense. Wealth is fleeting. We store up and then have to pass it on and we have no idea if the next person will be wise or foolish with what we worked so hard for. Everyone dies. There is no escaping it so we need to focus rather on pleasing God and being upright so that we will be redeemed and be taken to
God, Himself. We just don't endure!! We are fleeting so make a difference. The upright will rule over the the evil in the morning. God will redeem me from the grave. He will surely take me to Himself. Do not be overawed. Riches don't follow us, only God. A man who has riches without understanding is like a beast that perishes.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for taking hold of us and moving us toward You. We are grateful to have all the time we do with our brothers and sisters in Christ and we are so grateful to be learning more and more how to be close to you and how to worship you appropriately. We want to let go of all of our temptations to envy those around us that appear to have it all make. No one knows the pain those people might be going through and we have the answers. WE do not have to be apologetic and sad. We need to be remembering the fleeting nature of life and all that we have to share. Help us to not be afraid and help us to have understanding. We want to glorify You and we pray that we can through every avenue available.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I afraid of anything that is going on in the world today? How can I turn it over to God and trust in Him to take care of it?
2. What is my attitude towards money? Is it trying to take first place in my life? How can I have a correct attitude about wealth?
3. Do I get overawed by the wealthy and the "successful" in the world's eyes? Who are my heroes and what does that say about myself?
QFT
1. Am I afraid of anything that is going on in the world today? How can I turn it over to God and trust in Him to take care of it?
2. What is my attitude towards money? Is it trying to take first place in my life? How can I have a correct attitude about wealth?
3. Do I get overawed by the wealthy and the "successful" in the world's eyes? Who are my heroes and what does that say about myself?
4. What is my life focus? What am I striving for, and what am I putting my energy into on a daily basis? Is it moving people towards Christ?
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/18
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 4
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 48
Day 4
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 48
"Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love. Like Your name, O God, Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with righteousness." (vs. 9 - 10)
"For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end." (vs. 14)
God will never stop being our God. He will guide us till the end if we let Him. His love for us is unfailing and as high as the heavens are above the earth. His love never fails. Everything else will. At the waterpolo reunion I went to, the memories of failing to win the National Championship in my senior year of college haunted me. After playing my freshman year, I took two years off. My team won the championship one of the years I did not play and then won once again the year after I graduated. The elusive victory that was so important to me never came. I failed. I had a chance to win the game for us, as did many other of my teammates. All we had to do was tie the game and we would have been the champions but we could not do it. I missed a shot that I had taken many other times over the years, my easiest shot and I barred the ball.
I asked myself again the question I had off and on for the past twenty years - Why? Why couldn't I have made it? It haunts me still if I let it, although everyone else seems to have moved on. It was a lifetime ago, but for me, if I allow myself to think about it, it seems like yesterday. I wanted to be the best. For once in my sporting life, I wanted to be a winner. I was always the next best, always on the losing teams. Always, almost but not quite. I wanted to win this last time, this last chance for me. I was sure it was going to happen this time. So when the game was over, it was devastating to know that that victory would never come for me. It was over. My waterpolo career was over. Waterpolo had failed me. I had failed me.
As I walked around the campus of my Alma mater, the questions came back up for me - Why? I had prayed. I had always tried to put God first, even in my waterpolo. I had not missed church for a game. I did not party. I tried to be a good example. So why had God not answered my prayers that day when He knew how important it was for me. This thought of having missed the mark and having failed echoed in mind over more than just my waterpolo career, however. It seemed to loom large over my entire college experience. Mediocre grades, mediocre relationships, always on the outside looking in at what others were experiencing. Always, almost victorious, almost good friends, almost happy. Almost.
I missed out on so much being so "almost". I felt like such a failure all the time I was there in college. So much sadness. I had done so well in high school and I struggled so much in college just to make it. So I asked myself - Why? As I walked through the Eucalyptus forests on campus, I thought that maybe it was that God wanted me to realize that I was a winner already. I was a Christian and I had a relationship with Him. I was willing to forgo the immediate gratification that the world offered for something that would be longer lasting. I was willing to walk a different path and I was willing to do the hard work of dealing with my character and striving to become like Christ. That is true victory, anyway, not a fleeting athletic victory that is remembered only by a handful of individuals and posted in old scrapbooks. I had won the victory in Christ; an eternal victory, and I have still won that victory. God had not failed me at all. He was guiding me to a greater victory. The peace that I feel now with my life and the blessings I have in my husband and children were bought with the hard work that I began in college. I have won the victory, the one that really matters, because Christ has won the victory, and that should be enough.
Consider the following verses on the victory we have already if we are right with God and Christ:
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." (2 Corinthians 2:14)
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:57 - 58)
"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all." (1 Chronicles 29:11-12)
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35 &37-39)
“This is the love for God: to obey His commands. And His commandments are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:3-5)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We thank You for the victories You give. They are eternal victories and far outweigh anything we can win here on earth. Temporal victories can be so fulfilling and we enjoy Your blessing but often even better comes for us when You say no to something we desire. Help us to not be like spoiled children who sulk and pout over not receiving something we have asked for. You are looking at these moments of our lives from the perspective of eternity and we cannot even fathom the riches and depth of Your wisdom and knowledge. We are grateful that You give us each new day and we are grateful for what our momentary troubles are gaining us. Help us to be obedient and joyful despite failures because they are really not failures in the long run. Keep our perspectives right and help us to let go of any past regrets. We cannot go back and take anything over so let us truly forgive and forget. Let us live today and each day from now on like there is no other for us and then we will find we can look back with a happy heart. We are grateful for Your directive to forget the past and strain toward what is ahead. Grant us obedience in this so that we may truly live.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I letting God be my guide? How can I do that?
2. Do I have any past regrets or failures that are haunting me? Have I ever talked to anyone about them? How can I let them go?
3. How do I feel when God says no or wait to me regarding something that I am praying about? Do I lose faith? Do I pout or sulk?
4. Do I have God's perspective about who is a winner? Do I consider myself a winner because I have a relationship with God or am I looking at more worldly achievements for my feelings of success?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/17
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 3
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 47
"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise." (vs. 7)
God is in control. I will say it again to myself. God is in control. I need to praise Him. When I praise, I am happy. I need to praise first and then God will be able to move in my life. It is no good to sit around moping. Moping and worrying never solved any problems. I need to just pray and go. So off to San Diego I go.
Day 3
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 47
"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise." (vs. 7)
God is in control. I will say it again to myself. God is in control. I need to praise Him. When I praise, I am happy. I need to praise first and then God will be able to move in my life. It is no good to sit around moping. Moping and worrying never solved any problems. I need to just pray and go. So off to San Diego I go.
"For the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted." (vs. 9b)
Even the kings belong to God. We are all His. I am in good hands. I am looking forward to this day now. I am looking forward to God's victories. He will do it!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Today as we go about our business and travel to and fro on this earth, remind us of Your sovereignty. Help us to see the sunrise and remember Your glory. Help us to see the birds flying in the air and look at the mountains so majestic and remember that the mountains are small in comparison to the rest of the earth and they are minuscule in comparison to the whole universe. Help us to remember that despite this smallness of the large mountains, not one little bird that flies over them falls to the ground without You knowing. How amazing is that. We are so grateful that You pay attention to us at all.
I praise You for Your victories and I praise You for taking hold of us and giving us life. Thank You for the purpose that You have given us and thank You for walking with us all of the way. We glorify You this day and everyday You give us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I view God as King of the Earth? Do I take time to enjoy nature and His grandeur that is evident in it?
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I view God as King of the Earth? Do I take time to enjoy nature and His grandeur that is evident in it?
2. Am I known for my positive and praiseful attitude or am I a negative and complaining person? How can I become more positive and praiseful?
3. What does it mean to me to exalt God? How can I exalt God today?
4. Am I intimidated by "important people"? If they belong to God and I belong to God, how should I view them? What should my perspective be towards everyone?
Friday, October 16, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/16
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 2
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 46
Day 2
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 46
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." (vs. 1-2)
Tomorrow I am going to a reunion in San Diego. As I was preparing to go, I became very sad and frustrated. I was afraid to go. Afraid to face my out of shape body and my inability to play a sport I once loved and still do. Afraid of what I have cut myself off from. Afraid of bad memories and feelings of failure that I left when I left that city. I haven't been back in many years. I haven't had any desire to return except perhaps to play waterpolo. That I have missed and longed for. That is why I am returning. But I know that my body will betray me. My life is so different now. But God is still my refuge. Even in these vague murmurings and sadnesses. I am still going. I am going to face my fears and my sadness. God is my help and this is my time to deal with my six years in San Diego. I cannot cut out so many years anymore. I must begin to synthesize my life and accept all of it.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (vs. 7)
And God will be with me. He is my fortress as I deal with my soul. He is the healer of wounds we cannot see. No one else knows the aches in our hearts as He does and no one can be a fortress for us. No one else can save us from ourselves.
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (vs. 10)
I will be still and know that God is God. I will go to the bluffs and the ocean and all the old places and I will feel once again all the pain and I will let it go. I will let God be God and I will be still. I will listen to what those years have brought me to now. I had to go through the fires. I had to experience it. I would not go back or take it over and yet I would not wish it on anyone else either. But I will be still tomorrow, all day, and I will listen. I will laugh and do my best and reconnect and be someone that I was not in a place that I once was. God will be exalted, somehow, because God is always exalted whether we do the exalting or not. Hopefully, I will join in with the earth and exalt as well. It will be okay. I will be okay and when I return home, I will be better than I was. I will be more complete.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacobs is our fortress." (vs. 11)
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You know the sadnesses and the wounds of our hearts. It is so easy to put band aids on gaping holes and move on but You know and You arrange for us to meet the healing forces or face the pain again so that there may be closure. As we face our fears, help us to remember that You are our refuge and strength and that You are our ever present fortress. Help us to stop running from our painful pasts. Help us to embrace them and learn what You would have us learn.
We respect those that are able to face great tragedies and turn them into triumphs. Most of our pains are of the lesser type but in our souls they are festering and they are keeping us from fully living. Help us to come to grips with all our experiences, good and bad, and help us to use them to glorify you by strengthening others. You have great plans for us. You allow us to suffer so that in the end You may be lifted up through us and used, just as Jesus suffered and was used to save all those who would come to Him. We are grateful for all of our experience and we are grateful for Your saving grace. We will be still and know that You are God. Help us to do this. Help us to quiet our souls and hear Your voice. Help us to know now and always, that You are God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I running from any past memories or experiences? Why am I doing this?
2. How can I face these experiences and work through them so that I can have closure and move on in my life? What help is available for me?
3. What am I afraid of? Am I giving these things over to God in prayer? Am I remembering God in these moments of fear?
4. Am I still before God? How can I be still before God? What does it mean to me to know that God is God?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/15
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 1
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 45
"You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." (vs. 7)
I believe we all want to be great and make a difference in this world. If you ask any child what they want to be when they grow up, they have great dreams. They don't plan on having a life of failure and mediocrity. It is only as we age and face failure and difficulties do we start to lose our dreams of making a difference. Even God, Himself has great dreams for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29: 11). So if it really is okay to have grand dreams of world impact, how will we accomplish it?
The world has one idea. There is the dog eat dog business model - the feeding with the sharks mentality where it is survival of the fittest and each man is out for himself. Then there is God's way. When Jesus' disciples were arguing over who would be greatest, Jesus' did not get mad at them for the question, but rather He pointed out their lack of righteous perspective on the matter. He told them they needed to become like little children to be great and they needed to become servants in order to lead. He told them the first would be last and the last would be first and that to truly be first, one would have to be the slave of all ( Matt 18:1-4 & Matt 20:20-28). Leadership and greatness for one who follows God is completely different from the world and yet it is what will truly make the greatest impact on the world in the long run and the legacy it leaves will follow us into eternity. Jesus made a difference. He stood out. He changed the whole world. The original disciples turned the whole world upside down as well. It is okay to make a difference and want to be great as long as we go about it God's way.
In this psalm, we learn two more of the keys to greatness. They are to love righteousness and hate wickedness. We need to get our focus aligned with God and love what He loves and hate what He hates. We need to go beyond thinking that it would be nice to be a good person and beyond disliking when people are irritating and rude. We need to love and hate. We need to get passionate about life. I, personally, am such a middle of the road kind of person. I don't like to make waves but yet this is very unChristlike. He wasn't a mild mannered guy. He loved and hated. He laughed and cried. He was fully alive. We need to open up ourselves to this and stop being afraid to live if we want to experience true greatness and purpose.
When we are finally willing to fully embrace this philosophy, then God will set us apart from our companions. He will set us apart and above them by anointing us with the oil of joy. Joy comes when we do right. Joy comes from stepping out and doing something. We need to stop worrying about whether it will be right or wrong, and just jump into the fray of life and saying, "I am here. I am here. I will do something. I will speak. I will serve. I will get in and get dirty. I am getting off the sidelines and I am living." Joy will come bursting forth. Jesus came to give life and life to the fullest. We need to embrace this. We need to leave the past. Stop looking back and build a life anew with what we have, with our spouses and children. We can do all things with Christ. We truly can.
In this psalm, we learn two more of the keys to greatness. They are to love righteousness and hate wickedness. We need to get our focus aligned with God and love what He loves and hate what He hates. We need to go beyond thinking that it would be nice to be a good person and beyond disliking when people are irritating and rude. We need to love and hate. We need to get passionate about life. I, personally, am such a middle of the road kind of person. I don't like to make waves but yet this is very unChristlike. He wasn't a mild mannered guy. He loved and hated. He laughed and cried. He was fully alive. We need to open up ourselves to this and stop being afraid to live if we want to experience true greatness and purpose.
When we are finally willing to fully embrace this philosophy, then God will set us apart from our companions. He will set us apart and above them by anointing us with the oil of joy. Joy comes when we do right. Joy comes from stepping out and doing something. We need to stop worrying about whether it will be right or wrong, and just jump into the fray of life and saying, "I am here. I am here. I will do something. I will speak. I will serve. I will get in and get dirty. I am getting off the sidelines and I am living." Joy will come bursting forth. Jesus came to give life and life to the fullest. We need to embrace this. We need to leave the past. Stop looking back and build a life anew with what we have, with our spouses and children. We can do all things with Christ. We truly can.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for giving us the desire to make a difference. We want our lives to count for something and we ask You to help us to see how we can achieve that. Focus our eyes and our hearts on Your way. You and Your Son have had the greatest impact on the world and we are called to do even greater things than what Jesus has done. It seems impossible, but if we really start living and doing and feeling, You will be able to work through us. Free us from all that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us and let us run with perseverance. Let us be clear channels for Your power to flow through. Allow us to love righteousness and hate wickedness. Help us to overcome our fear and do this so that we may receive the anointing of joy. You are the truth and the way and the life. We know. We desire to do Your will; increase our desire. We are letting go of the past and starting anew, today and everyday, we pray this. Father, hear our prayer.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What were my dreams when I was young? Have I given up on them? Do I have new dreams to make a difference? How is my joy level? Could renewing my dreams and embracing life increase it?
2. Do I love righteousness? What part of righteousness is the most difficult for me to embrace and love?
3. Do I hate wickedness? What is the hardest for me to hate about wickedness? Is there some sin that I accept, tolerate, or even like? What should I do about this?
4. What is my idea about how to become great? What is my idea about leadership? Am I a servant of others?
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/14
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 7
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
One family member that you have difficulties with
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"It was not by their sword that they won the land nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them." (vs. 3-4)
"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise Your name forever." (vs. 4-8)
Day 7
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
One family member that you have difficulties with
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"It was not by their sword that they won the land nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them." (vs. 3-4)
"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise Your name forever." (vs. 4-8)
If anything is to be accomplished in life, it will be through God. God sustains and grants the victories. I will not win the land, God will. I will not be successful with my life. It is too much for me. It really is, but God is here. He is pushing back my enemies. He is taking care of my children. He is getting me through my days. It is all too much for me and on some days I can not even think straight. I just keep going and somehow, everything keeps getting done. I will boast in God and I will go to sleep now because I am very, very tired.
Good night.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We grow weary sometimes and exhausted. Life can be so overwhelming and yet You are always there. You are waiting for us. Help us not to miss You in our frustration and sorrow. Help us not to miss You in our often frantic endeavours. Help us to slow down and recline at Your feet, to know that You are truly God and You are all we need. Remind us that the world will keep turning without us and that our jobs will go on. Help us to do our best, but help us to remember that there is more out there than what we see. We are so small and our worries so insignificant. You can solve them all. You are still in control, no matter how out of control we feel. The battle is Yours, let us give it to You. Grant us the rest we need tonight for we know that You grant sleep to those You love.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. What are the battles I am fighting right now? Am I winning or losing?
2. Am I fighting them by myself or am I giving them over to God? How do I know?
3. Am I keeping my perspective right? Am I focused on knowing God first and foremost?
4. Am I seeking first the Kingdom of God (church) and His righteousness (my relationship with Him) and letting God take care of the rest? How can I seek first His kingdom and His righteousness? What would this look like in my life?
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/13
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 6
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"Send forth Your light and Your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight." (vs. 3-4a)
God is amazing. Tonight as we watched a video of a talk/sermon by Leo Giglio on God and the universe, I felt an incredible urge to fall to my knees in awe of God. The grandeur of our Lord as evidenced by the universe is beyond comprehension. He truly does send His light and His truth out to us. The majesty of His creation is astounding and I was awed by the photos from the Hubble telescope of the structures in space. Being a science teacher, I had seen many of them before but some were new even to me. The universe truly declares the glory of God and I found myself bowing my head and praying "forgive me, forgive me" as I watched the film. I am so unworthy and insignificant in the light of creation and yet here is God paying attention to me. He is able to guide me. I have no doubt of this. I only need to keep this perspective of His grandness on a daily basis to tap into this confidence. Daily troubles can shake us but if we go back to creation, we can be renewed in our faith in His power to take care of everything for us. Our God is enormous. He holds the universe in His hands. He spoke all of it into existence. He can lead me to the place He dwells. He can get me to heaven if I let Him, if I follow. I want to go to there, to this place where He dwells. I want to praise Him with all of creation.
As I go about my day tomorrow, I will look anew at creation and I will worship God - my God, my Joy, and my Delight. He is what I will delight in. I will not let my soul be downcast. I will put my hope in God and I will yet praise Him.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for Your grandeur and Your amazing power and creation. You are able to do all things. All we have to do is look around us at creation. It is truly declaring Your power and glory. Let us join in in praise and worship. Let us remember how small we are and let us worship You for caring about us despite that fact. What are we that You are mindful of us? It is beyond our comprehension. We turn to You and put our hope in You. We know You will not disappoint. We are so grateful.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
Day 6
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"Send forth Your light and Your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight." (vs. 3-4a)
God is amazing. Tonight as we watched a video of a talk/sermon by Leo Giglio on God and the universe, I felt an incredible urge to fall to my knees in awe of God. The grandeur of our Lord as evidenced by the universe is beyond comprehension. He truly does send His light and His truth out to us. The majesty of His creation is astounding and I was awed by the photos from the Hubble telescope of the structures in space. Being a science teacher, I had seen many of them before but some were new even to me. The universe truly declares the glory of God and I found myself bowing my head and praying "forgive me, forgive me" as I watched the film. I am so unworthy and insignificant in the light of creation and yet here is God paying attention to me. He is able to guide me. I have no doubt of this. I only need to keep this perspective of His grandness on a daily basis to tap into this confidence. Daily troubles can shake us but if we go back to creation, we can be renewed in our faith in His power to take care of everything for us. Our God is enormous. He holds the universe in His hands. He spoke all of it into existence. He can lead me to the place He dwells. He can get me to heaven if I let Him, if I follow. I want to go to there, to this place where He dwells. I want to praise Him with all of creation.
As I go about my day tomorrow, I will look anew at creation and I will worship God - my God, my Joy, and my Delight. He is what I will delight in. I will not let my soul be downcast. I will put my hope in God and I will yet praise Him.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for Your grandeur and Your amazing power and creation. You are able to do all things. All we have to do is look around us at creation. It is truly declaring Your power and glory. Let us join in in praise and worship. Let us remember how small we are and let us worship You for caring about us despite that fact. What are we that You are mindful of us? It is beyond our comprehension. We turn to You and put our hope in You. We know You will not disappoint. We are so grateful.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I letting God guide me? How can I do this?
2. Am I recognizing God's power in creation? How can I get in touch with this in a greater way?
3. Am I praising God or am I complaining about what is happening in my life right now? How can I praise Him more?
4. Is my delight in God? Am I putting my hope in Him? What would my friends and those closest to me say? How can I change if I am worrying?
Monday, October 12, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/12
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 5
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned aboutPray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 42
Psalms 42
"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" (vs. 2)
We need to be hungry and thirty for God. Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt 4:4). Our priorities need to be realigned to God's will and also be in conjunction with spending time with Him. We need to fall in love with God. Think of all the dreams we have had about that "special person" we wouls find someday. The excitement and thrill to just be with them or think about them. As young people, we are filled with the hope of this love of our life, who will be our everything. Obviously, at first, a person may meet many of these expectations but in time we all fail. We can not be the ultimate love for anyone nor can anyone meet these expectations for us either. But God can.
As we get older, the desire for this all encompassing love often fades away with the discouragement and disillusionment that comes with reality. We accept what we have and go on taking care of business and making ends meet. Sometimes, we become roomates with our spouses. Sometimes we give up and leave them. While it is important to keep working on our marriages and to keep trying to rekindle a lost or fading love, what we ultimately need to do is turn to God and allow Him to fulfill those deep love needs that still exist. He is our ultimate and perfect groom and He longs for us with the deep affection of a perfect love. If we can cultivate our longing and relationship with God, all the other relationships will improve as well. We will be able to truly love our spouses in a greater way than we did even as newlyweds. Our relationships will be all the better for the ups and downs we have been through together and for how we have grown to know each other so well. It all comes back to God, however, and letting Him fill us up so that we can in turn fill up others, including our spouses.
"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." (vs. 5-6)
This is not always easy to do however. When we have times of sadness, this is especially the case. This psalm and other places in the Bible make it clear that there will be down times. It is how we deal with them that makes the difference. We can turn inward, or we can turn to God. We need to put our hope in God and praise Him despite our emotions. Our feelings do not dictate truth. Only God's word can do that. We need to remember God and turn to Him for the love and security that we need to get us through the troubled times. We need to remember the victories He has brought us in the past (vs. 6a). We need to figure out why this is a down time as well. If we are being refined, we need to turn to God for comfort. If we have done wrong or sinned, we need to repent. If we are just tired or sick and so are more emotional, we need to sleep and strengthen our physical body. If there is really no reason for how we are feeling, we need to just move on and continue to do what is right. Our emotions will soon follow. God has not forgotten us. It will be alright. We need to let Him comfort us and lift us out of our fog. It will happen as we deal with what we need to. God is here. God is always with us.
We cannot let our enemies whisper in our ears, "Where is your God? Where is your God?" God is right here. Put your hope in God! God is the answer. He will do it.
Prayer of the Day
Dear Lord,
You know that we are often lonely and downcast. We pray that You will help us to put our hope in You, today and always. Help us to remember the victories that You have brought about in the past in our lives. We are grateful that You are bigger than our emotions and that You do hold the truth. We are glad that truth is not relative or subject to our shifting emotions. We can be so unstable. Thank You for Your stability and unchanging nature. You are truly our Rock and our Refuge. We ask to fall in love with You with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We want to cling to You and be consumed with You. We know that in falling in love with You all over again, there is hope for all of our other relationships to be rekindled as well. You are love and if we have You, we will be able to love so much more. We are so incomplete and longing without You. Surely we do pant and long for You as a deer pants for water. We will come to meet You. Please wait for us to be there.
In Jesus name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I hungry and thirty for God? Am I longing for Him or fitting Him into my schedule when I have time?
2. What are my dreams for the perfect spouse? Do I see God in this manner? Am I letting Him love me as He desires? Am I in love with Him as I would be a mate?
3. How can I cultivate this type of relationship with God? How do I think this will help my other relationships?
4. How do I deal with my down times? Am I able to discern why I feel down most of the time? Do I turn inward or to God when I feel this way? How can I turn to God next time?
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/11
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 4
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near youPray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 41
"Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness." (vs. 1-3)
We need to have regard for the weak. When I tend to think of "the weak", I tend to think of the elderly or those who are down and out, perhaps those who I might consider to be "struggling" in some manner. As I consider this passage though and go a bit deeper, I am forced to look at what are my stereotypes and prejudices. Who is weak really? Lately, I would have to admit that it is me. I am the one who is "struggling". I am the one who is having trouble with so many things. I do not like to admit that I am weak. I think many of us do not like this. All of our lives we have been building up our walls to protect and guard ourselves so that we will be strong. Often, if we have been terrorized as children, we have built up very high walls so that no one will ever think we are weak again. We feel that our weakness will be used against us because it was in the past. We even begin to look down on anyone we consider open or vulnerable and we feel that displays of emotion are a sign of weakness as well and we dislike them immensely. Because we have been robbed of this ourselves, we resent it in others and it angers us. We become rocks and islands because as Simon and Garfunkel so eloquently put it, "a rock feels no pain, and an island never cries."
But once again, this is not God's way. First of all, we are to rejoice in our sufferings and weaknesses because they allow God to work fully through us (Romans 5:1-5, II Cor 12:8-10). Then we are to see that it is our pride that makes us want to appear strong. God just wants us to be ourselves and He views us as His children. Our children are obviously not as strong as we are. They are weak. God knows we are weak and He wants to take care of us. He even carries us when we can go on no further. I love the story of the footprints that so vividly expresses that sediment of Him carrying us through our most difficult times in life. Finally, God wants us to depend on Him in everything. Then, when we have been strengthened, we are to turn back and help others to be strengthened and comforted as well (Luke 22:31-32).
So I will admit that I am weak and that I also need to have regard for where I am at. I need to get my self strengthened so that I can in turn strengthen those who need me. That would be my children, my husband, and my students. In many ways, these people are weak and I must view them differently than I have been doing. My children are weak because they are young. I expect so much out of them and often get frustrated by their misbehavior. Much of this is my fault, as I need to be more consistent in my discipline and training of them, but I must also remember that they are children. I must remember the proverb (Proverbs 22:15) that states that "folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drives it far from them."
It is not strange that my children are foolish and morally weak right now. That is a natural part of being a child. I must not take it so personally, and I must also see, therefore, how important it is for me to train and instruct them so that I can help them to out grow it. If I do nothing to help them get rid of the inherent folly in their souls, then I am truly leading them down a path of destruction. I have seen many children that have never been lead away from their natural folly in my days of teaching. They fail and fail miserably, even if they are brilliant. Folly must be removed through love and consistent training. I must have regard for these, my children, and help them. I must not get mad but I must train. Both are imperative.
Then there is my husband. He is weak right now because of his illness. I must have regard for him and be there for him more than I ever have. Sometimes it is exhausting to be a caregiver and I am glad for the times when my husband is not that sick. Some people get no respite and it is easy to get overwhelmed and angry at the one who is ill. We must remember if we find ourselves in this position to have regard for the weak. We must find the refreshing and strength we need so that we may be able to go back and give the proper care to our loved ones in the way that will be most beneficial to them.
Finally, I have may students. Many are educationally disadvantaged and many of them have difficult home lives as well that might make them emotionally weak. God has placed me in these students' lives for a reason. I have much to give to them. I have educational skills and learning and most importantly, I have a relationship with God I can share in some way. I need to have regard for each of these children placed in my classes and give them whatever I can to help them grow academically and as individuals as well. They look to me to set them an example and to give them hope in an often hopeless world. Many times I might be the only one believing in them. I must have regard for them and give them my best. I am responsible.
It seems overwhelming when I contemplate all of this, but I love the promises that come with that small statement to have regard for the weak. God will delivers us. The Lord will protect and preserve our lives. God will fill us up so that we can pour out blessings to others(II Cor 9:6-11). The Lord will bless us in the land and will not give us up to our enemies. God will even help our health to be better. So many wonderful promises await us if we can just have regard for the weak. We will in turn be made strong. We can do it. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13). We need to be confident in this. We can be confident of this because in our integrity, God upholds us and sets us in His presence forever (vs. 12)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Help us to have regard for the weak. We know that at times we are weak and at times we do not want to admit it. Help us to see ourselves correctly and to turn to You for strengthening. We need Your strength so that we can go out and in turn strengthen others. We fail and we are so weak but You are strong. You say that Your power is made perfect in our weakness. Allow Your power to be fully developed in us and help us to have regard for the other people in our lives who are weak in some way. Help us to remember our children and their weaknesses. Help us to be kind and loving despite their failures and help us to train our children so that it will go well for them. They are so precious and such a great responsibility. Help us to keep them a priority in our lives so that we can give them the best we have to offer.
Help us to have regard for our spouses in their weakness and our family members. If any of them are sick, help us to be there for them completely. Often those we should love the most are the most difficult for us. Grant us the strength to do all we ask. Only You can provide us what we need to do what You ask. We run to You, for You can do it. In our integrity, You uphold us. Increase our integrity and our obedience. Help us Lord to have regard for the weak.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I weak or strong right now? How do I know?
2. Who are the weak in my life? Am I having regard for them? What would that look like?
3. How am I doing with my children? Am I training them for the future? Am I teaching them about God and His ways beyond taking them to church?
4. How is my relationship with my spouse? Am I having regard for him or her? What are they weak in right now? How can I support them?
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