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, ... Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit. You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth, You love every harmful word, O deceitful tongue!... Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent;...'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. 1a, 2-4,5a, 7-9)
The world is full of good, and it is full of evil. There are good people and there are evil people. I can see that so clearly as I look at the news every day. It can be extremely depressing to see all the terrible things that are being done day in and day out. I am not sure if evil is increasing or if it is just more noticeable. Perhaps it is both. Whatever the case, it can make me despair. I don't know what will happen in the future and this uncertainty can be frightening. I want good things for my children but I do not know what they will find when they are my age. I want to protect them from evil, but I know I am so limited. Yet, God still calls us to hope. God still calls us to trust and praise Him. He promises we can flourish, not just survive. In spite of all the evil in the world and all the bad people who seem to be succeeding in their evil plans, we can still do well. But how?
One of my favorite scriptures holds some keys to help us. It is as follows:
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Phil 4: 4 -9)
So the first key is to "Rejoice" and to rejoice always! We can do this, "rejoice in the Lord" because the Lord never changes. He is good, always good. God does not ask us to rejoice in the bad, that would be contradictory. He calls us to rejoice in Him. Then we are to be gentle. How can we do these two things in the face of evil. We need to remember the Lord is near. This is what will enable us to rejoice and be gentle. We don't have to take things into our own hands. We don't have to yell or do mean things when we are upset. We just need to look for God because He is near. He can and will deal with the problem. Next, we are to pray. We are not to be anxious, but we are to pray and petition God. Finally, we are to focus on what is good. We are not to think about all the bad things and the bad people that are out there. I shouldn't be pouring over the news for hours looking at all the negative. That will not solve anything at all. I am to look for the positive, the noble, the pure. I am to look for God!
And if I look, I know that I will find Him. What an amazing idea. I do not have to succumb to evil. I do not have to become evil either. I am called to rejoice and be gentle. I am to not be anxious. I know I fall so short of this but I keep trying to get up everyday and live this out. I do not want to be anxious, and I want to praise, trust, and hope in God. I can do this if I keep looking up!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank you that You are here with us, that You are near. Help us to continually remember this as we go about our days. It is so easy to get overwhelmed with the evil we see and the evil people that we read about. Fear can grip us as well. Fear and anger can lead us to do evil also. Help us to look up to You instead and remember that You are still in control, no matter how out of control the world seems. Help us to be gentle and let You take care of what is bothering us. You can make us flourish. You can keep us secure. We praise You. We turn to You. Our hope is in You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I ever boast of evil? What type of conversations occupy my time? Is my speech pleasing to God? Am I honest?
2. Am I rejoicing always? What situations are a struggle for me to rejoice in? How can I keep my focus on God so I can rejoice?
3. Am I anxious or at peace most of the time? Why? How is my prayer life? How can I improve it?
4. 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?
5. Do I focus on good things or bad things? Use Philippians 4:8 and make a list of the things in your life that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Try to read this list over to yourself several times a day.
Showing posts with label God's judgement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's judgement. Show all posts
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/5/10 (10/5/09)
Prayer Focus - Leaders (any type - World, State, Local, Church, Business, Work)
Day 5
Pray for:
One leader who inspires you
One leader who you know is struggling with something
One leader from another country
One local leader
One political leader
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to hear You and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 35
"Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me...Say to my soul, I am your salvation." (vs. 1 & 3b)
Sometimes someone we love can act like an enemy in our lives. It may be a spouse, a parent, a child, a sibling, or a co-worker. It can be anyone close to us really. This is a painful situation when it arises, but God knows what we are going through and why. Although it is difficult, we need to view the relationship from a distance and see that this is really a spiritual battle between good and evil. In many ways, it is not really about us, especially if we have done nothing to provoke the antagonism. We always need to search our hearts and make sure there is nothing we can change, but in the end we need to realize "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-12)." Since the battle is a spiritual one, we need to pray for God to contend with them and fight against the sinfulness in their lives. It is not up to us to fight them personally.
We definitely need to turn to God and cling to Him in these situations. We can feel like we are at the end of our rope and don't know how much more we can take. Only God can provide the comfort we truly need in this situation. He can speak to our souls when they are down and devastated and say what truly will heal and comfort them. God can make our souls know that He is our salvation. No one else is. God can and will save us when the time is right, and in the meantime, we are to remember that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us....And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:18 & 28)"
God can put a bubble around our hearts so that the attacks and anger of the person we are dealing with will just bounce right off of us and we will be able to say, "I am sorry that you feel this way. I am sorry that you are angry with me." God can help us to not retaliate. We are called to rise above as evidenced by the following scriptures.
I Peter 3: 9-17 (9, 14-15a, highlights printed below)
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing...But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.' But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.... It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
Romans 12:19-21
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Proverbs 24: 17-18
"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him."
Matt 5:43-48
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
This seems like too much of a challenge at times, but God rescues us. Our enemies may be too strong for us emotionally. They may beat us down and oppress us. They may rob us of our joy at times, but God will rescue us in due time. God knows. God knows when we are being repaid evil for good. He knows when our souls are left forlorn by various relational conflicts. God will take care of it. Our responsibility is to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, no matter what happens (Phil 1:27a). We still need to love and pray and fast for our enemies. We need to be like God and rise above. Despite their actions, we need to be loving and full of empathy and compassion. We need to love our enemies, regardless.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Father,
You have seen our struggles. Do not be far from us, so that we can do right in the midst of our relational struggles. We will rejoice in You always. We will say to our souls, "The Lord is my salvation." We will not look for salvation from those around us because they will fail us, but You will never. Help us to be gentle as we remember that You are near. Forgive us Lord where we need to be forgiven. Strengthen us where we need to be strengthen. Vindicate us, Lord, where we need to be vindicated. We know You delight in our well being. Today we will speak of You because You are awesome, no matter what. You are in control of all that is going on in our lives and You know. Help us to keep doing right and keep rejoicing in You. You will take care of the rest.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Is there any relationship in my life right now that is difficult? Am I dealing with it in a righteous manner? What do I need to do to keep the proper perspective? Do I have any support to help me get through these difficulties?
2. How do I treat those who do not like me? Am I loving my enemies? How can I change and do better with this?
3. How can I overcome evil with good? What situations in my life might be categorized as evil? What is my attitude like towards them? What are my actions in dealing with them?
4. Is there a past relationship that I have not dealt with? How can I resolve this so that my heart is right before God?
5. How do I presently deal with conflicts with others? What can I do when I am in the midst of a conflict so that I can do what is right? How can I remember God in these situations?
Day 5
Pray for:
One leader who inspires you
One leader who you know is struggling with something
One leader from another country
One local leader
One political leader
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to hear You and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 35
"Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me...Say to my soul, I am your salvation." (vs. 1 & 3b)
Sometimes someone we love can act like an enemy in our lives. It may be a spouse, a parent, a child, a sibling, or a co-worker. It can be anyone close to us really. This is a painful situation when it arises, but God knows what we are going through and why. Although it is difficult, we need to view the relationship from a distance and see that this is really a spiritual battle between good and evil. In many ways, it is not really about us, especially if we have done nothing to provoke the antagonism. We always need to search our hearts and make sure there is nothing we can change, but in the end we need to realize "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-12)." Since the battle is a spiritual one, we need to pray for God to contend with them and fight against the sinfulness in their lives. It is not up to us to fight them personally.
We definitely need to turn to God and cling to Him in these situations. We can feel like we are at the end of our rope and don't know how much more we can take. Only God can provide the comfort we truly need in this situation. He can speak to our souls when they are down and devastated and say what truly will heal and comfort them. God can make our souls know that He is our salvation. No one else is. God can and will save us when the time is right, and in the meantime, we are to remember that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us....And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:18 & 28)"
God can put a bubble around our hearts so that the attacks and anger of the person we are dealing with will just bounce right off of us and we will be able to say, "I am sorry that you feel this way. I am sorry that you are angry with me." God can help us to not retaliate. We are called to rise above as evidenced by the following scriptures.
I Peter 3: 9-17 (9, 14-15a, highlights printed below)
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing...But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.' But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.... It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
Romans 12:19-21
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Proverbs 24: 17-18
"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him."
Matt 5:43-48
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
This seems like too much of a challenge at times, but God rescues us. Our enemies may be too strong for us emotionally. They may beat us down and oppress us. They may rob us of our joy at times, but God will rescue us in due time. God knows. God knows when we are being repaid evil for good. He knows when our souls are left forlorn by various relational conflicts. God will take care of it. Our responsibility is to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, no matter what happens (Phil 1:27a). We still need to love and pray and fast for our enemies. We need to be like God and rise above. Despite their actions, we need to be loving and full of empathy and compassion. We need to love our enemies, regardless.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Father,
You have seen our struggles. Do not be far from us, so that we can do right in the midst of our relational struggles. We will rejoice in You always. We will say to our souls, "The Lord is my salvation." We will not look for salvation from those around us because they will fail us, but You will never. Help us to be gentle as we remember that You are near. Forgive us Lord where we need to be forgiven. Strengthen us where we need to be strengthen. Vindicate us, Lord, where we need to be vindicated. We know You delight in our well being. Today we will speak of You because You are awesome, no matter what. You are in control of all that is going on in our lives and You know. Help us to keep doing right and keep rejoicing in You. You will take care of the rest.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Is there any relationship in my life right now that is difficult? Am I dealing with it in a righteous manner? What do I need to do to keep the proper perspective? Do I have any support to help me get through these difficulties?
2. How do I treat those who do not like me? Am I loving my enemies? How can I change and do better with this?
3. How can I overcome evil with good? What situations in my life might be categorized as evil? What is my attitude like towards them? What are my actions in dealing with them?
4. Is there a past relationship that I have not dealt with? How can I resolve this so that my heart is right before God?
5. How do I presently deal with conflicts with others? What can I do when I am in the midst of a conflict so that I can do what is right? How can I remember God in these situations?
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/11/10 (9/11/09)
Focus Letter - K
Pray for:
Five things you are thankful for that begin with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to work on that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Please help me to hear Your ever present voice. I know You are always trying to communicate with me but often I fail to listen. Please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 11
"In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: 'Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?' The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord is on His heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; His eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence His soul hates... For the Lord is righteous, He loves justice; upright men will see His face." (vs 1-5, & 7)
The Lord is in His holy temple. Upright men will see His face. God examines the righteous. He looks us over and makes sure we are doing right. The wicked have punishment coming someday.
We often feel like running away when we see negative things happening. It is easy for me to avoid confrontation and want to escape. I am very nonconfrontational. There is a time to flee, however, and I appreciate those times but more often than not, we really need to stand strong and even fight. The psalmist says, "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? (vs. 3)" He seems overwhelmed by what he sees happening around him. The evil is getting him down and people are even telling him to flee. He seems to be saying, however, that he can't do that. He can't just let evil take over without a fight.
He states, "In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: 'Flee like a bird to your mountain.' (vs. 1)" Once again, the idea of taking refuge in God in order to be able to do battle arises. We are to find the courage and the strength we need to fight in God alone. It is not in us. We have no power to save.
The psalmist then turns his eyes to God. He acknowledges there are dangers and problems. There are even wicked men waiting to destroy the righteous. Evil is there and it is destroying the foundations of their society, but still, he is not distraught. He looks to God and I can almost hear him declaring triumphantly, "The Lord is in His holy temple". He is saying, this is no problem for God. God is here, why are we afraid. The psalmist is clearly convinced of God's power and His presence. He believes in God's sovereignty over all the earth. He declares it by mentioning that God is looking down from His throne.
We need to remember this when the world is getting us down. God is not dead. God is here. God is in control. He is watching. He is examining each one of us and He knows. He knows who is righteous and who is evil. Nothing in all creation is hidden from the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account (Heb 4:12-13). The wicked won't make it, the righteous will.
We all love justice deep down. People protest when someone is treated unfairly. It is good to know that there is ultimate justice. There is a final righteous judge. Truth is not relative, regardless what society says. God has set a standard, and He won't make mistakes. In the end, the upright man will see God's face. I want to see His face. I want to make it and with God, I know I can
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for being here with us and for us. It is easy to let the world get us down, but we need to take refuge in You and fight the good fight of the faith. Give us the strength we need to do this. Grant us wisdom to know when to flee and when to stay and fight. Help us to never take the easy way out. We want to be Your man or Your woman. We pray that we may be found righteous in the end, and some wonderful day be able to see Your face.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I feel about how my society is morally? Do I feel like the foundations are being destroyed? Why or why not? What can I do to make my neighborhood/ city/ state/ country better?
2. Do I usually run from problems or confront them? Why? When should I run and when should I confront? What steps can I take to decide when I am faced with a problem?
3. How can I take refuge in God? How can I remember daily that He is here? How does remembering that God is in heaven and on His throne help me to be encouraged? Do I think about this often? Why or why not?
4. How do I feel about God examining me? Is there anything I am ashamed of? Is there anything that I wish He didn't see? How can I change these things? How can I get help?
5. Do I feel truth is relative or is there an absolute truth? Why? What is my personal standard for truth? Why did I chose that standard? If I believe truth is relative, how do I determine right from wrong? How do I feel about God being the final judge? Why?
Pray for:
Five things you are thankful for that begin with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to work on that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Please help me to hear Your ever present voice. I know You are always trying to communicate with me but often I fail to listen. Please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 11
"In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: 'Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?' The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord is on His heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; His eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence His soul hates... For the Lord is righteous, He loves justice; upright men will see His face." (vs 1-5, & 7)
The Lord is in His holy temple. Upright men will see His face. God examines the righteous. He looks us over and makes sure we are doing right. The wicked have punishment coming someday.
We often feel like running away when we see negative things happening. It is easy for me to avoid confrontation and want to escape. I am very nonconfrontational. There is a time to flee, however, and I appreciate those times but more often than not, we really need to stand strong and even fight. The psalmist says, "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? (vs. 3)" He seems overwhelmed by what he sees happening around him. The evil is getting him down and people are even telling him to flee. He seems to be saying, however, that he can't do that. He can't just let evil take over without a fight.
He states, "In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: 'Flee like a bird to your mountain.' (vs. 1)" Once again, the idea of taking refuge in God in order to be able to do battle arises. We are to find the courage and the strength we need to fight in God alone. It is not in us. We have no power to save.
The psalmist then turns his eyes to God. He acknowledges there are dangers and problems. There are even wicked men waiting to destroy the righteous. Evil is there and it is destroying the foundations of their society, but still, he is not distraught. He looks to God and I can almost hear him declaring triumphantly, "The Lord is in His holy temple". He is saying, this is no problem for God. God is here, why are we afraid. The psalmist is clearly convinced of God's power and His presence. He believes in God's sovereignty over all the earth. He declares it by mentioning that God is looking down from His throne.
We need to remember this when the world is getting us down. God is not dead. God is here. God is in control. He is watching. He is examining each one of us and He knows. He knows who is righteous and who is evil. Nothing in all creation is hidden from the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account (Heb 4:12-13). The wicked won't make it, the righteous will.
We all love justice deep down. People protest when someone is treated unfairly. It is good to know that there is ultimate justice. There is a final righteous judge. Truth is not relative, regardless what society says. God has set a standard, and He won't make mistakes. In the end, the upright man will see God's face. I want to see His face. I want to make it and with God, I know I can
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for being here with us and for us. It is easy to let the world get us down, but we need to take refuge in You and fight the good fight of the faith. Give us the strength we need to do this. Grant us wisdom to know when to flee and when to stay and fight. Help us to never take the easy way out. We want to be Your man or Your woman. We pray that we may be found righteous in the end, and some wonderful day be able to see Your face.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I feel about how my society is morally? Do I feel like the foundations are being destroyed? Why or why not? What can I do to make my neighborhood/ city/ state/ country better?
2. Do I usually run from problems or confront them? Why? When should I run and when should I confront? What steps can I take to decide when I am faced with a problem?
3. How can I take refuge in God? How can I remember daily that He is here? How does remembering that God is in heaven and on His throne help me to be encouraged? Do I think about this often? Why or why not?
4. How do I feel about God examining me? Is there anything I am ashamed of? Is there anything that I wish He didn't see? How can I change these things? How can I get help?
5. Do I feel truth is relative or is there an absolute truth? Why? What is my personal standard for truth? Why did I chose that standard? If I believe truth is relative, how do I determine right from wrong? How do I feel about God being the final judge? Why?
Monday, November 16, 2009
Daily Devotional - 11/16
Prayer Focus - Needs
Day 5
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
One thing that is needed in your family
Pray about:
How it will help those concerned with their spiritual life
How it will help those concerned with their physical life
How it will help those concerned with their emotional life
How it will help those concerned with their mental life
Day 5
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
One thing that is needed in your family
Pray about:
How it will help those concerned with their spiritual life
How it will help those concerned with their physical life
How it will help those concerned with their emotional life
How it will help those concerned with their mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 76
"In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel. His tent is in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion...You alone are to be feared. Who can stand before You when You are angry?...Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared. He breaks the spirit of rulers; He is feared by the kings of the earth." (vs. 1-2, 7, 11-12)
God is known by His people. He dwells with us. What an awesome thought that we can know God and have Him live with us and deal with us. We know we don't deserve it. He alone is to be feared. It is easy for us to start fearing men because we can see them and they can speak to us and voice their displeasure. It is difficult to swim against the current or to have enemies when we want to be accepted. We have to come to grips with the fact that we will not be accepted by the world if we are truly following God. We should not even really want to, if we think about it. We need to focus on pleasing God. He alone is to be feared. Even the kings of earth will one day bow before Him. He is the true controller of everything. We need to remember that and then strive to fulfill our vows to Him. This should be our focus each and every day, and when it is, then we will be truly at peace no matter what comes.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for allowing us to know You. We want to know You better each and every day Help us to not waste the time we have with You and help us to walk in Your presence today. We want to fear You. Although fear is not popular, it is what is due You as You are able to give and take away all that we have and are. We praise You for Your goodness and mercy. Without both, we would not be able to stand. None of us are worthy. Help us to fulfill our vows and live lives pleasing to You. Guard our hearts and keep us from pride and arrogance. Help us to walk humbly before You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I know God? Who would I describe my relationship with Him? Are we best friends, friends, acquaintances, or strangers? How can I deepen my relationship with Him?
2. Do I fear God? How do I feel about that concept? Do I shy away from it? Why do I feel as I do? Why do I need to fear God? How will that improve my relationship with Him and my obedience to His word?
3. What vows have I made to God? Am I fulfilling them? Why or why not? What do I need to start doing to fulfill them? Can I finish something I started and then forgot about?
4. Do I believe that everyone will bow before God someday? What is my views of other religions? Do I see them all the same or do I see the difference in Christianity? Do I see everyone as needing a relationship with God? Why or why not?
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Daily Devotional - 11/15
Prayer Focus - Needs
Day 4
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
Pray about:
How it will help those concerned with their spiritual life
How it will help those concerned with their physical life
How it will help those concerned with their emotional life
How it will help those concerned with their mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 75
"You say, 'I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more, and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns. Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck.' No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, He exalts another." ( vs. 2-8)
God is powerful and God is in control. He holds the earth together. He holds all the molecules in our bodies together. He knows what is going on. We are fallible but God is not. Our governments are fallible, but God is not. He knows. What a comfort that is if we are right with Him. Even though we try to exalt and bring one anther down, God must laugh at our efforts. He says that no one from anywhere on the earth can do this. Only He is the judge and only He truly knows who should be exalted and who should be brought down. We have all seen this. Someone is raised up and looked up to and then they fall. Often these people fall the hardest. We are shocked, but why should we be? They are just men like ourselves. We are easily fooled. Only God knows the hearts of men and that is what really counts. Sometimes it is the weakest among us and the ones that are despised that are truly the best. They might have hearts of gold and yet we in our arrogance and worldliness pass them by as undeserving. Let us leave judging to God and let us focus on ourselves. Let us make sure that we will be lifted up at the final day and will be able to hear the words, "Well done good and faithful servant." (Matt 25:23)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
It is easy for us to look at man's outward appearance but You look at the heart. Help us to have pure hearts and help us to rid our lives of secret sins. We ask that our hearts be pleasing to You in every way and that we will be able to stand on the last day in faithfulness. You rise up and You tear down. You are the ultimate judge. We leave the judging of men's hearts to You. We can not know. Help us to do our best and leave the rest to You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I meditate on God's power and ability to control everything that exists? How can I focus on this more?
2. Do I realize that wicked people will receive their just reward from God? Do I try to take revenge for wrongs I feel I have suffered? Is this righteous? How can I let the desire to take revenge go?
3. Do I look at people from a spiritual perspective? How do I evaluate others? Do I look at the outward appearance or the heart? How have I been fooled before?
4. Who are my heroes? Why? Are they truly deserving of my respect? Why or why not? If I do not have any heroes, why is that? Do I struggle with looking down on anyone? Why is this not right, and how can I stop doing this?
Day 4
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
Pray about:
How it will help those concerned with their spiritual life
How it will help those concerned with their physical life
How it will help those concerned with their emotional life
How it will help those concerned with their mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 75
"You say, 'I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more, and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns. Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck.' No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, He exalts another." ( vs. 2-8)
God is powerful and God is in control. He holds the earth together. He holds all the molecules in our bodies together. He knows what is going on. We are fallible but God is not. Our governments are fallible, but God is not. He knows. What a comfort that is if we are right with Him. Even though we try to exalt and bring one anther down, God must laugh at our efforts. He says that no one from anywhere on the earth can do this. Only He is the judge and only He truly knows who should be exalted and who should be brought down. We have all seen this. Someone is raised up and looked up to and then they fall. Often these people fall the hardest. We are shocked, but why should we be? They are just men like ourselves. We are easily fooled. Only God knows the hearts of men and that is what really counts. Sometimes it is the weakest among us and the ones that are despised that are truly the best. They might have hearts of gold and yet we in our arrogance and worldliness pass them by as undeserving. Let us leave judging to God and let us focus on ourselves. Let us make sure that we will be lifted up at the final day and will be able to hear the words, "Well done good and faithful servant." (Matt 25:23)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
It is easy for us to look at man's outward appearance but You look at the heart. Help us to have pure hearts and help us to rid our lives of secret sins. We ask that our hearts be pleasing to You in every way and that we will be able to stand on the last day in faithfulness. You rise up and You tear down. You are the ultimate judge. We leave the judging of men's hearts to You. We can not know. Help us to do our best and leave the rest to You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I meditate on God's power and ability to control everything that exists? How can I focus on this more?
2. Do I realize that wicked people will receive their just reward from God? Do I try to take revenge for wrongs I feel I have suffered? Is this righteous? How can I let the desire to take revenge go?
3. Do I look at people from a spiritual perspective? How do I evaluate others? Do I look at the outward appearance or the heart? How have I been fooled before?
4. Who are my heroes? Why? Are they truly deserving of my respect? Why or why not? If I do not have any heroes, why is that? Do I struggle with looking down on anyone? Why is this not right, and how can I stop doing this?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)