Prayer Focus - Wants
Day 3
Pray for:
One thing you want to understand about God
One characteristic you want to develop that will help you to be more loving towards others
One dream you have for your life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 88
"O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before You. May my prayer come before You; turn Your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave...
I call to You, O Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to You.
But I cry to You for help, O Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before You." ( vs. 1- 3, 9b, 13 )
This psalm is a psalm of sadness. Most psalms, if they deal with sadness, end with triumph and the praising of God, but this one is different. There is no redemption mentioned and the final line states, "the darkness is my closest friend. (vs. 18b)" The author is very dramatic presenting how he feels at the moment and is very descriptive. I believe God included this psalm for many reasons. First, I think that God is pointing out the depression is real and that it can be really expressed to Him. We do not need to hide away our negative feelings from God. He knows them already. He is not shocked. Secondly, I think that God wants us to not surrender to our feelings. He wants us to begin to look honestly at them and sort out fact from exaggeration. God has so much more for us. He does not what us languishing away. He came to give us life and life to the fullest. (John 10:10)
I think, the key to overcoming is to pray. I was struck by the writer's intense turning to God. He prayed, and prayed incessantly. He poured out his troubles. He prayed consistently and also it seems, constantly. He reasoned with God and was not afraid to pour out his heart. This is how we will conquer depression and negative emotions. We can not just hope it will go away. We have to be proactive and start praying and then start doing what we know we should. As we give to others, we shall begin to receive as well. It is a blessed miracle that we can be transformed.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We all go through difficult times now and then. Sometimes when we look around us and see problems we feel defeated. Sometimes it seems that we do not have any friends. But You are always there and You are working for us to bring us to You. Help us to draw near to You and pray through all of our feelings. You already know them anyway. We love and appreciate You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I suffer from depression? How do I deal with this? If not, what do I think about those who suffer from depression? Why?
2. Are my feelings always correct? How have my feelings betrayed me before? What can I do to help deal with my feelings? Do I believe God can save me from my feelings and emotions? Why or why not?
3. How is my prayer life? Do I pray about my emotions? Am I praying about any sadness and depression in my life? How can I improve this aspect of my prayer life?
4. Do I exaggerate my problems? Do I have trouble looking at the issues in my life honestly? Do I make blanket statements about what is happening with me?
5. Am I getting involved with others on a regular basis? Am I meeting the needs of those around me? Do I make a difference in anyone's life? How can I start giving to others?
Showing posts with label depression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label depression. Show all posts
Monday, September 28, 2015
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Daily Devotional - 8/25/15 (10/25/09)
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 does 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 about this and then we are easy victims for the evil forces that surround us. We think that our thoughts are just our thoughts, and so why shouldn't we indulge them. Why should we be so strict with ourselves, we reason. No one knows what I am thinking about so what will it matter? What will be the consequences? What will this one thought do?
But this 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 respond very negatively towards them as well. And it gets worse from there.
We have to recognize that there is an enemy and it is not another human being. I repeat Ephesians 6: 12 ("For 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") almost daily so that I will remember that I am not fighting my husband, my children, my students, or even myself. I am fighting a spiritual enemy. There is more to this world than we can see. We have to remember that the next time someone is being mean to us or there is an irritating situation at work or at home. It is Satan trying to get at us and he will use whatever will work best. He knows what pushes our buttons. So since we know that we will hear his voice, that this is a definite reality, then we need to take every thought captive (II Cor. 10:3-5). This is where the battle starts. The victory in our lives will be won day by day here. We must take our thoughts captive, and then we need to take the next step - "Call on God".
"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 are in a spiritual battle, and although we are called to be spiritual warriors, we cannot win this struggle by ourselves. 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 when we pray. His armies are much greater than Satan's.
There is a story in II Kings about Elisha and his servant that always encourages me. The town that Elisha was staying in was surrounded by the troops of the king of Aram. It appeared hopeless when seen with human eyes and Elisha's servant was terrified. Elisha comforted him and told him not to be afraid because the warriors of God were more numerous that the troops of Aram. Then he prayed for the servant's eyes to be opened. When the servant looked again to the hills, he saw them full of horses and chariots of fire. The troops of Aram were then miraculously over come. When I look at this story and the many others in the Old Testament, I realize that God is bigger than all of the struggles I face. I just do not always look in a spiritual way for the victories. (II Kings 6:8-23) I must go to God, and cling to God to win the battle.
"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall...But as for me, I trust in You." (vs. 22, 23b)
Finally, let us cast our worries on the Lord because He does care 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 me and even if no one else is willing to follow You anymore, God, I trust in You! I will follow."
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We hear the voice of the enemy and often we don't recognize that it is an enemy at all. Help us 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. We desire it as well. 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?
2. 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?
3. 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?
4. 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?
5. 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 does 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 about this and then we are easy victims for the evil forces that surround us. We think that our thoughts are just our thoughts, and so why shouldn't we indulge them. Why should we be so strict with ourselves, we reason. No one knows what I am thinking about so what will it matter? What will be the consequences? What will this one thought do?
But this 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 respond very negatively towards them as well. And it gets worse from there.
We have to recognize that there is an enemy and it is not another human being. I repeat Ephesians 6: 12 ("For 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") almost daily so that I will remember that I am not fighting my husband, my children, my students, or even myself. I am fighting a spiritual enemy. There is more to this world than we can see. We have to remember that the next time someone is being mean to us or there is an irritating situation at work or at home. It is Satan trying to get at us and he will use whatever will work best. He knows what pushes our buttons. So since we know that we will hear his voice, that this is a definite reality, then we need to take every thought captive (II Cor. 10:3-5). This is where the battle starts. The victory in our lives will be won day by day here. We must take our thoughts captive, and then we need to take the next step - "Call on God".
"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 are in a spiritual battle, and although we are called to be spiritual warriors, we cannot win this struggle by ourselves. 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 when we pray. His armies are much greater than Satan's.
There is a story in II Kings about Elisha and his servant that always encourages me. The town that Elisha was staying in was surrounded by the troops of the king of Aram. It appeared hopeless when seen with human eyes and Elisha's servant was terrified. Elisha comforted him and told him not to be afraid because the warriors of God were more numerous that the troops of Aram. Then he prayed for the servant's eyes to be opened. When the servant looked again to the hills, he saw them full of horses and chariots of fire. The troops of Aram were then miraculously over come. When I look at this story and the many others in the Old Testament, I realize that God is bigger than all of the struggles I face. I just do not always look in a spiritual way for the victories. (II Kings 6:8-23) I must go to God, and cling to God to win the battle.
"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall...But as for me, I trust in You." (vs. 22, 23b)
Finally, let us cast our worries on the Lord because He does care 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 me and even if no one else is willing to follow You anymore, God, I trust in You! I will follow."
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We hear the voice of the enemy and often we don't recognize that it is an enemy at all. Help us 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. We desire it as well. 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?
2. 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?
3. 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?
4. 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?
5. 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?
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Daily Devotional - 1/20/13 (10/20/09)
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 Your everpresent voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 50
"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors Me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." (vs. 23)
What is it that God requires? Sacrifice, work, hardship, toughing it out, denying ourselves, piety? We have many ideas in our heads, but God's words drown them out.
"God comes and will not be silent...Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."
Then what does He say to us?
"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)
The foremost thing on God's mind is thank offerings. He wants us to be thankful; to rejoice always. He says it again, Rejoice. When we rejoice, all the rest flows out naturally. Living our lives as a Christian is not a burden when we have a grateful heart. I know I gladly do things for those I appreciate; those to whom I am grateful for. When I lose gratitude for God and others, then everything becomes a burdensome chore. Besides enabling us to fulfill the rest of our vows, the thankfulness of our hearts honor God.
We must no longer think of this as an optional tenant of Christianity. 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?
5. 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 Your everpresent voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 50
"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors Me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." (vs. 23)
What is it that God requires? Sacrifice, work, hardship, toughing it out, denying ourselves, piety? We have many ideas in our heads, but God's words drown them out.
"God comes and will not be silent...Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."
Then what does He say to us?
"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)
The foremost thing on God's mind is thank offerings. He wants us to be thankful; to rejoice always. He says it again, Rejoice. When we rejoice, all the rest flows out naturally. Living our lives as a Christian is not a burden when we have a grateful heart. I know I gladly do things for those I appreciate; those to whom I am grateful for. When I lose gratitude for God and others, then everything becomes a burdensome chore. Besides enabling us to fulfill the rest of our vows, the thankfulness of our hearts honor God.
We must no longer think of this as an optional tenant of Christianity. 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?
5. 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?
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/17/10 (10/17/09)
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
"He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved." (vs. 4)
"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. " (vs. 7-9)
God is in control. I will say it again to myself. God is in control. He has my inheritance chosen for me if I will embrace it. When life seems difficult, I need to remember this and remember that He does not give us more than we can handle. Every difficult situation has a silver lining somewhere, if only we look long enough and wait long enough. I am reminded of Hebrews 12: 1-3.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
The witnesses we are surrounded by are all the great men and women of faith mentioned in the chapter before, Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter which talks of men's weaknesses becoming their strengths. They are looking down and cheering us on, as is Jesus, who ran this race first for us to show us how to do it. Because of this, we have to throw off all the things that trip us up and entangle us. For me it is frustration over a never ending "to do list". It is frustration at myself for not being a good enough mother. It is not accomplishing enough, not being enough, not controlling my anger or frustration. It is depression. It is so many things, but I need to just let them go. I am not a very good runner, so when I run, I can't think about much of anything except putting one foot in front of the other. I can't talk with anyone or think about anything. I can't even get distracted by the scenery. I just have to run. In a way, this is a good analogy for me to remember. In my spiritual life, I just need to run and concentrate on one spiritual foot after another. I must narrow my focus down and get rid of all these distractions just like I have to do when I am physically running. Then I will be able to run with perseverance this race marked out for me.
The other thought I always have about these verses is that my race is marked out for me. I don't have to trail blaze. I just have to follow the course. God does have a good inheritance for me and a race that is my own for me to run. I need to stop looking at the race others are running and wanting theirs. I must learn to be satisfied with the one I was given. It is just right for me even if it may be difficult. Then finally, I have to focus on joy. I have to think of the joy that will come from me being faithful. I have to visualize the success that might be mine someday. I have no guarantees, but I can dream of those I love becoming disciples. I can dream about really transforming my community, and even the world. I can dream about a life of impact, and I can let that inspire me on a day to day basis. Without dreams, we all die inside. God has dreams for me and I need to praise Him for it. When I praise, I am happy. When I focus on joy, I am happy. It is no good for me to sit around moping. Moping and worrying never solved any of my problems. I need to praise first and then God will be able to move in my life. God has everything in His hands, even the kings, so what am I worried about? He is able to handle my race for me. He is able to handle everything.
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? How will this help me when I am dealing with my life and its difficulties?
2. Am I known for my positive and joyful attitude or am I a negative and complaining person? How can I become more positive and joyful?
3. What I need to throw off? What hinders me and what entangles me? Why? Who can I get to help me deal with these things?
4. Am I satisfied with the race set out for me and the inheritance God has chosen for me? Why or why not? What can I do to cultivate a better attitude about my life?
5. What can I visualize as happening in the future due to my continued faithfulness? How can this help me not to grow weary? What can I do to help me focus on these goals and dreams on a day to day basis?
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
"He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved." (vs. 4)
"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. " (vs. 7-9)
God is in control. I will say it again to myself. God is in control. He has my inheritance chosen for me if I will embrace it. When life seems difficult, I need to remember this and remember that He does not give us more than we can handle. Every difficult situation has a silver lining somewhere, if only we look long enough and wait long enough. I am reminded of Hebrews 12: 1-3.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
The witnesses we are surrounded by are all the great men and women of faith mentioned in the chapter before, Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter which talks of men's weaknesses becoming their strengths. They are looking down and cheering us on, as is Jesus, who ran this race first for us to show us how to do it. Because of this, we have to throw off all the things that trip us up and entangle us. For me it is frustration over a never ending "to do list". It is frustration at myself for not being a good enough mother. It is not accomplishing enough, not being enough, not controlling my anger or frustration. It is depression. It is so many things, but I need to just let them go. I am not a very good runner, so when I run, I can't think about much of anything except putting one foot in front of the other. I can't talk with anyone or think about anything. I can't even get distracted by the scenery. I just have to run. In a way, this is a good analogy for me to remember. In my spiritual life, I just need to run and concentrate on one spiritual foot after another. I must narrow my focus down and get rid of all these distractions just like I have to do when I am physically running. Then I will be able to run with perseverance this race marked out for me.
The other thought I always have about these verses is that my race is marked out for me. I don't have to trail blaze. I just have to follow the course. God does have a good inheritance for me and a race that is my own for me to run. I need to stop looking at the race others are running and wanting theirs. I must learn to be satisfied with the one I was given. It is just right for me even if it may be difficult. Then finally, I have to focus on joy. I have to think of the joy that will come from me being faithful. I have to visualize the success that might be mine someday. I have no guarantees, but I can dream of those I love becoming disciples. I can dream about really transforming my community, and even the world. I can dream about a life of impact, and I can let that inspire me on a day to day basis. Without dreams, we all die inside. God has dreams for me and I need to praise Him for it. When I praise, I am happy. When I focus on joy, I am happy. It is no good for me to sit around moping. Moping and worrying never solved any of my problems. I need to praise first and then God will be able to move in my life. God has everything in His hands, even the kings, so what am I worried about? He is able to handle my race for me. He is able to handle everything.
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? How will this help me when I am dealing with my life and its difficulties?
2. Am I known for my positive and joyful attitude or am I a negative and complaining person? How can I become more positive and joyful?
3. What I need to throw off? What hinders me and what entangles me? Why? Who can I get to help me deal with these things?
4. Am I satisfied with the race set out for me and the inheritance God has chosen for me? Why or why not? What can I do to cultivate a better attitude about my life?
5. What can I visualize as happening in the future due to my continued faithfulness? How can this help me not to grow weary? What can I do to help me focus on these goals and dreams on a day to day basis?
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/12/10 (10/12/09)
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 about
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
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" (vs. 1-2)
God's desire for us is that we live in Him; that we hunger and thirst for Him and His righteousness. We can not live by bread or worldly things alone, although we try (Matt 4:4). We turn to so many things to fulfill us and yet we are still empty since only God can suffice. When we begin to truly realize this, then we will be on the path to restoration. We need to take a look at our priorities and align them with God's will. Perhaps we are so frustrated because we are trying to force our own will to happen in various situations. We want that job or that person. We long for marriage or children, fame or fortune. We struggle our whole lives for these things and often tear down what God is trying to build in our desperation. We need to stop looking for love and fulfillment in this way.
We need to fall in love with God instead. Think of all the dreams we have had over the years about that "special person" we would find someday. The excitement and thrill we experienced in just being with them or thinking about them. As young people, we are filled with hope about 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.
Then as we get older, the desire for this all encompassing love often fades away as discouragement and disillusionment takes its place. Love fails us and so we accept that we have to go on with our lives, taking care of business and making ends meet. Sometimes, we become roommates with our spouses. Sometimes we give up and leave them. While it is extremely important that we keep working on our marriages and keep trying to rekindle a lost or fading love, there is a better solution. What we ultimately need to do is turn to God and allow Him to fulfill those need for deep love 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 for and relationship with God, all the other relationships will then improve as well. We will be able to truly love our spouses in a way greater than the way we did even as newlyweds. Our relationships will be deeper as well because of the ups and downs we have been through and for how we have grown to know each other so well. But it all depends on us coming 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. So put your hope in God! He is the answer.
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 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?
5. What situations make me feel that God has forgotten me? What victories can I remember to rekindle my faith?
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 about
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
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" (vs. 1-2)
God's desire for us is that we live in Him; that we hunger and thirst for Him and His righteousness. We can not live by bread or worldly things alone, although we try (Matt 4:4). We turn to so many things to fulfill us and yet we are still empty since only God can suffice. When we begin to truly realize this, then we will be on the path to restoration. We need to take a look at our priorities and align them with God's will. Perhaps we are so frustrated because we are trying to force our own will to happen in various situations. We want that job or that person. We long for marriage or children, fame or fortune. We struggle our whole lives for these things and often tear down what God is trying to build in our desperation. We need to stop looking for love and fulfillment in this way.
We need to fall in love with God instead. Think of all the dreams we have had over the years about that "special person" we would find someday. The excitement and thrill we experienced in just being with them or thinking about them. As young people, we are filled with hope about 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.
Then as we get older, the desire for this all encompassing love often fades away as discouragement and disillusionment takes its place. Love fails us and so we accept that we have to go on with our lives, taking care of business and making ends meet. Sometimes, we become roommates with our spouses. Sometimes we give up and leave them. While it is extremely important that we keep working on our marriages and keep trying to rekindle a lost or fading love, there is a better solution. What we ultimately need to do is turn to God and allow Him to fulfill those need for deep love 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 for and relationship with God, all the other relationships will then improve as well. We will be able to truly love our spouses in a way greater than the way we did even as newlyweds. Our relationships will be deeper as well because of the ups and downs we have been through and for how we have grown to know each other so well. But it all depends on us coming 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. So put your hope in God! He is the answer.
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 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?
5. What situations make me feel that God has forgotten me? What victories can I remember to rekindle my faith?
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/8/10 (10/8/09)
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 1
Pray for:
One family member 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 38
"My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning...My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes. My friends avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away...For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin." (vs. 4-6, 10-11, 17 & 18)
Sin can damage us in more ways than one. Our sin can affect us physically, relationally, and emotionally. The psalmist points to this when he describes in detail how our bodies are impacted by our guilt and sinful folly. I know that when I have something that I have not dealt with in my life, I become very tired. I don't feel well. Some people get headaches and stomach aches. Many real illnesses have roots stemming from sin and wrongdoing that has been concealed. Some mental illnesses can arise from this as well.
Our friendships are also damaged by the things we cover up. The psalmist mentions that "my friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away (vs. 11)." First of all, when we have sin that we are distressed about, we can't be close to others, even if the sin have nothing to do with them. We are short tempered or else we tend to isolate ourselves so that no one will catch on to what is going on with us. Often we lie to keep from being found out. It is difficult to have good friendships when we are doing these things. Secondly, relationships are cut off by the things we do to hurt one another or often by the thoughts and attitudes we have towards others that they might not even aware of. Best friends drift apart because on some unresolved issue. Bitterness and jealousy also cause so much trouble in people's lives. If we let bitterness take any root in our hearts, it will take over.
Emotionally, the affects of undealt with sin are enormous as well. We lose our joy and can be driven to depression and isolation. We become afraid for anyone to see the real person inside of us because we think they will not be able to accept us for who we are and for all the bad things we have done in our life. We are truly walking in darkness. We don't even know what is causing the dark feeling sometimes. But sin festers and grows whether we realize it is there or not.
Since these are the affects of doing wrong, it is imperative that we strive to do right. We must long for righteousness because in it, there is true life. We can know others and be known ourselves. We can have clear consciences and walk with our head up. It is so refreshing to not have any nagging thoughts about something we did or didn't do. To live a life of no regrets would be truly amazing. It can be discouraging sometimes though because we are all so far from this and we fail daily. What are we to do? We must begin by doing as the psalmist recommends - by confessing our iniquity and by being troubled by it in a good way (vs. 18). We need to get everything that we are hiding out of our systems and get ourselves out into the light. Then we must repent or be truly sorry and troubled in a way that leads us to change. Repent means to turn 180 degrees and go in the other direction. It is a sorrow that leads to action and not just depression. Finally, we need to continue following this process so that we are staying in the light.
This seems so difficult and if we have never been open before, it may seem impossible. Without God it really is, but thankfully, He is there. He will answer us when we call and when we humble ourselves and ask for help. He will not be far from us and will come quickly to save us. He is waiting for us to take the first step back and then He will come running just like in the story of the prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-32).
" I wait for You, O Lord; You will answer, O Lord my God." (vs. 15)
God is amazing. Let us wait for God. He will answer.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Come quickly to save us. We know we fail so often. We have such great intentions but such weak results. Help us to start anew tomorrow and strive to deal continuously with our sins. Help us to hate them and strive to live purely so that nothing hinders us from being close to You and others. We want to live in the light as You are in the light. We want to be pleasing to You. We are lifting our souls up to You and are confessing and repenting of everything we know that is displeasing to You. Forgive us as well for those things we have done that we do not even realize displeases You. We are waiting on You and we know that You will save us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Is there any sin I am not dealing with at present that is making me feel guilty? Has sin damaged any of my relationships? How can I deal with these problems and make amends?
2. How do I feel when I finally confess or talk about something that has been bothering me? Why do I not do this more often?
3. Do I have someone who I can talk with on a daily basis to confess my sins to and get help from?
4. Am I striving for righteousness? Am I repenting or changing the things that I confess or am I struggling with the same sins over and over again?
5. Am I calling out to God for help or am I trying to deal with everything on my own? Am I waiting on the Lord for His answers? How can I start to do these two things?
Day 1
Pray for:
One family member 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 38
"My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning...My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes. My friends avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away...For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin." (vs. 4-6, 10-11, 17 & 18)
Sin can damage us in more ways than one. Our sin can affect us physically, relationally, and emotionally. The psalmist points to this when he describes in detail how our bodies are impacted by our guilt and sinful folly. I know that when I have something that I have not dealt with in my life, I become very tired. I don't feel well. Some people get headaches and stomach aches. Many real illnesses have roots stemming from sin and wrongdoing that has been concealed. Some mental illnesses can arise from this as well.
Our friendships are also damaged by the things we cover up. The psalmist mentions that "my friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away (vs. 11)." First of all, when we have sin that we are distressed about, we can't be close to others, even if the sin have nothing to do with them. We are short tempered or else we tend to isolate ourselves so that no one will catch on to what is going on with us. Often we lie to keep from being found out. It is difficult to have good friendships when we are doing these things. Secondly, relationships are cut off by the things we do to hurt one another or often by the thoughts and attitudes we have towards others that they might not even aware of. Best friends drift apart because on some unresolved issue. Bitterness and jealousy also cause so much trouble in people's lives. If we let bitterness take any root in our hearts, it will take over.
Emotionally, the affects of undealt with sin are enormous as well. We lose our joy and can be driven to depression and isolation. We become afraid for anyone to see the real person inside of us because we think they will not be able to accept us for who we are and for all the bad things we have done in our life. We are truly walking in darkness. We don't even know what is causing the dark feeling sometimes. But sin festers and grows whether we realize it is there or not.
Since these are the affects of doing wrong, it is imperative that we strive to do right. We must long for righteousness because in it, there is true life. We can know others and be known ourselves. We can have clear consciences and walk with our head up. It is so refreshing to not have any nagging thoughts about something we did or didn't do. To live a life of no regrets would be truly amazing. It can be discouraging sometimes though because we are all so far from this and we fail daily. What are we to do? We must begin by doing as the psalmist recommends - by confessing our iniquity and by being troubled by it in a good way (vs. 18). We need to get everything that we are hiding out of our systems and get ourselves out into the light. Then we must repent or be truly sorry and troubled in a way that leads us to change. Repent means to turn 180 degrees and go in the other direction. It is a sorrow that leads to action and not just depression. Finally, we need to continue following this process so that we are staying in the light.
This seems so difficult and if we have never been open before, it may seem impossible. Without God it really is, but thankfully, He is there. He will answer us when we call and when we humble ourselves and ask for help. He will not be far from us and will come quickly to save us. He is waiting for us to take the first step back and then He will come running just like in the story of the prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-32).
" I wait for You, O Lord; You will answer, O Lord my God." (vs. 15)
God is amazing. Let us wait for God. He will answer.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Come quickly to save us. We know we fail so often. We have such great intentions but such weak results. Help us to start anew tomorrow and strive to deal continuously with our sins. Help us to hate them and strive to live purely so that nothing hinders us from being close to You and others. We want to live in the light as You are in the light. We want to be pleasing to You. We are lifting our souls up to You and are confessing and repenting of everything we know that is displeasing to You. Forgive us as well for those things we have done that we do not even realize displeases You. We are waiting on You and we know that You will save us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Is there any sin I am not dealing with at present that is making me feel guilty? Has sin damaged any of my relationships? How can I deal with these problems and make amends?
2. How do I feel when I finally confess or talk about something that has been bothering me? Why do I not do this more often?
3. Do I have someone who I can talk with on a daily basis to confess my sins to and get help from?
4. Am I striving for righteousness? Am I repenting or changing the things that I confess or am I struggling with the same sins over and over again?
5. Am I calling out to God for help or am I trying to deal with everything on my own? Am I waiting on the Lord for His answers? How can I start to do these two things?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/5/10 ( 9/5/09)
Focus Letter - E
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning 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 beginning with the focus letter that you would like to see you and your family grow in
Dear Lord, open my ears to Your voice and grant me the strength to obey
Psalm 5
"In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation." (vs. 3)
In the morning God should hear our voice. In the morning, we should come with our requests. It is so important to pray and meet with God in the morning. I must pray for my needs. I must make this a priority. God is waiting to meet me. Where am I? Am I still in bed when the Creator of the Universe waits? If He was my boss, would I be there and be on time? Probably. Would I blow him off and sleep in? Probably not.
I need God. I need this time to get ready for the day. He has never failed to provide me with the time and the energy for the day when I have made the time to be with Him for awhile. Even if I have gotten up very early and am really tired, I have still been able to accomplish what I need to and do well if I have set my heart on Him, even for a few moments.
Then, after I have gotten up and made my requests, had my prayers, listened to God's voice, I am not supposed to just forget what I prayed for. I am to wait in expectation! I am to be confident I will receive an answer. I need to be looking for it in everything I do and everything that happens that day.
Have you ever waited for an important letter to come, or maybe a check? Every day you check the mailbox eagerly, running out as soon as the mail truck comes by. I imagine I should be like this with God; excited, and waiting eagerly for the answer to come, focused on how He will provide. It will add a sense of mystery and fun to our days, looking for that answer, that message from God. Where will it be? How will it look? I hope I don't miss it.
"You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;with You the wicked cannot dwell...But I, by Your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence will I bow down toward Your holy temple."
(vs. 4 & 7)
Next, I need to focus on how God feels about evil and sin. He hates it. He hates arrogance. He hates wrongdoing. He hates lies. This is frightening because I know I do a lot of things wrong. I see these things in myself so very often. How can I stand before God when I fail so frequently? By myself, I cannot, but because of God's great mercy, I can. I can even come into His house and worship. His grace and mercy makes me feel so grateful. It allows me to have the reverence towards Him that I need because I know that I do not deserve to be close to Him, not now or in the past. I have never been good enough, nor will I ever be. It is a lost cause, but how amazing it is, I am not a lost cause.
"But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You. For surely, O Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield." (vs. 11-12)
I can even be glad in spite of my sin and myself. I am not supposed to go around moping and feeling sorry for myself. I am to be rejoicing. I can sing for joy because I have taken refuge in God and in His merciful forgiveness. I have taken refuge in Him for protection from my enemies both external and internal. I can now let go of the past and strain on toward my goal of knowing Him. I am free to do right and to be righteous.
When we are dwelling on our sins and faults it is very hard to do right or be righteous. I know the hardest times for me to do right, especially as a wife and mother, are when I allow myself to worry (which is sin) or to be down and depressed (which is also sin). So instead of moping, I need to run to God, accept His forgiveness, love Him for His grace, worship Him for His mercy, and dwell in His house. When I do this, then His favor will surround me like a shield, and then He will bless me. His protection will be spread over me and I will be able to rejoice even more in what a great God we serve!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for listening to us. Help us to come to You each morning and remember our need for You daily. Help us to wait in expectation. You are good, always good, and we long to be close to You. You do not delight in evil so help us Lord to live correctly before You. Help us to turn away from worry and self pity. We have You and that is all we need. Help us to take refuge in You. We praise You for Your grace and mercy. Truly, You are good.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I coming before the Lord each morning? If not, what is getting in the way of this time? How can I devote some time to God each morning, or increase the time/quality I am spending?
2. Do I wait in expectation for the Lord? Do I forget what I have asked God for? Am I persistent in prayer? Why or why not? What answers to prayers have I received?
3. What is my attitude towards sin? Do I have the same hatred of it as God does? Are there some sins I tolerate in my life? Why?
4. How do I view God? Do I focus on only one of His characteristics or do I strive to understand Him in all of His complexity? Do I have reverence towards God or am I too casual with Him? How can I have a more appropriate attitude towards Him?
5. Do I rejoice in all that I do have? Am I grateful? How can I improve my attitude in general towards God and life? Do I feel blessed? Why or why not? How can I focus more on my blessings.
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning 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 beginning with the focus letter that you would like to see you and your family grow in
Dear Lord, open my ears to Your voice and grant me the strength to obey
Psalm 5
"In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation." (vs. 3)
In the morning God should hear our voice. In the morning, we should come with our requests. It is so important to pray and meet with God in the morning. I must pray for my needs. I must make this a priority. God is waiting to meet me. Where am I? Am I still in bed when the Creator of the Universe waits? If He was my boss, would I be there and be on time? Probably. Would I blow him off and sleep in? Probably not.
I need God. I need this time to get ready for the day. He has never failed to provide me with the time and the energy for the day when I have made the time to be with Him for awhile. Even if I have gotten up very early and am really tired, I have still been able to accomplish what I need to and do well if I have set my heart on Him, even for a few moments.
Then, after I have gotten up and made my requests, had my prayers, listened to God's voice, I am not supposed to just forget what I prayed for. I am to wait in expectation! I am to be confident I will receive an answer. I need to be looking for it in everything I do and everything that happens that day.
Have you ever waited for an important letter to come, or maybe a check? Every day you check the mailbox eagerly, running out as soon as the mail truck comes by. I imagine I should be like this with God; excited, and waiting eagerly for the answer to come, focused on how He will provide. It will add a sense of mystery and fun to our days, looking for that answer, that message from God. Where will it be? How will it look? I hope I don't miss it.
"You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;with You the wicked cannot dwell...But I, by Your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence will I bow down toward Your holy temple."
(vs. 4 & 7)
Next, I need to focus on how God feels about evil and sin. He hates it. He hates arrogance. He hates wrongdoing. He hates lies. This is frightening because I know I do a lot of things wrong. I see these things in myself so very often. How can I stand before God when I fail so frequently? By myself, I cannot, but because of God's great mercy, I can. I can even come into His house and worship. His grace and mercy makes me feel so grateful. It allows me to have the reverence towards Him that I need because I know that I do not deserve to be close to Him, not now or in the past. I have never been good enough, nor will I ever be. It is a lost cause, but how amazing it is, I am not a lost cause.
"But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You. For surely, O Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield." (vs. 11-12)
I can even be glad in spite of my sin and myself. I am not supposed to go around moping and feeling sorry for myself. I am to be rejoicing. I can sing for joy because I have taken refuge in God and in His merciful forgiveness. I have taken refuge in Him for protection from my enemies both external and internal. I can now let go of the past and strain on toward my goal of knowing Him. I am free to do right and to be righteous.
When we are dwelling on our sins and faults it is very hard to do right or be righteous. I know the hardest times for me to do right, especially as a wife and mother, are when I allow myself to worry (which is sin) or to be down and depressed (which is also sin). So instead of moping, I need to run to God, accept His forgiveness, love Him for His grace, worship Him for His mercy, and dwell in His house. When I do this, then His favor will surround me like a shield, and then He will bless me. His protection will be spread over me and I will be able to rejoice even more in what a great God we serve!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for listening to us. Help us to come to You each morning and remember our need for You daily. Help us to wait in expectation. You are good, always good, and we long to be close to You. You do not delight in evil so help us Lord to live correctly before You. Help us to turn away from worry and self pity. We have You and that is all we need. Help us to take refuge in You. We praise You for Your grace and mercy. Truly, You are good.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I coming before the Lord each morning? If not, what is getting in the way of this time? How can I devote some time to God each morning, or increase the time/quality I am spending?
2. Do I wait in expectation for the Lord? Do I forget what I have asked God for? Am I persistent in prayer? Why or why not? What answers to prayers have I received?
3. What is my attitude towards sin? Do I have the same hatred of it as God does? Are there some sins I tolerate in my life? Why?
4. How do I view God? Do I focus on only one of His characteristics or do I strive to understand Him in all of His complexity? Do I have reverence towards God or am I too casual with Him? How can I have a more appropriate attitude towards Him?
5. Do I rejoice in all that I do have? Am I grateful? How can I improve my attitude in general towards God and life? Do I feel blessed? Why or why not? How can I focus more on my blessings.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Daily Devotional - 11/10
Prayer Focus - Gratitude
Day 6
Pray for:
One thing you are grateful for about the country that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the state/region that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the city that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the home that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about your family
One thing you are grateful for about your job/daily tasks
Thank God for how what you are grateful for affects:
your spiritual life
your physical life
your emotional life
your mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 70
"But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, 'Let God be exalted!' Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer;." ( vs. 4-5)
There is so much to rejoice and be glad about concerning God. His salvation is awesome and comforting, but sometimes, we are still poor and needy. In spite of all the good things, we find ourselves down and struggling. Our temptation is to hide away and lick our wounds at this time, but we need to not run away from God at these times. We need to pray to Him and run to Him. We need to beg Him to come to us quickly. He will be our help and deliverer. He is not out to kick us when we are down. That is the world and sometimes what we also experienced in our families and our growing up experience, but it is not what we will find with God. He is not embarrassed by our weakness. We are not less because of our lack of perfection, in contrast, this is when God can work the most. Let us throw away our pride and run for help. It is okay. It is expected.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are weak Lord. Even in our best of times, we are still weak and small and insignificant. Help us to remember this in the good times and help us to cling to this in the bad times. Help us to remember that You are the God of miracles and of those that are not. You are the God that turns our weaknesses into strengths and who calls that which is not as though it were. Help us to run to You and not away when we are struggling. We all struggle at times. It is lonely if we do not turn to You and the comforts You provide in Your people and Your word. You are here for us. Help us to turn to You. Come quickly to us before we fade away.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Are there times when I feel down even when things are going well? What causes this in my life?
2. When I am feeling down, do I run to God or away? How does my past experiences affect my present relationship with God in these circumstances? What verses can I meditate on to help me change my thinking?
3. What situations make me feel down and needy? What am I struggling with right now that could draw me away from God?
4. Am I dealing with my troubles in a spiritual way? Do I need to rely more on God in prayer, scripture reading, or fellowship to deal with my needs and weaknesses? What is keeping me from doing what I need to do? What will I change to get the help I need?
Day 6
Pray for:
One thing you are grateful for about the country that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the state/region that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the city that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the home that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about your family
One thing you are grateful for about your job/daily tasks
Thank God for how what you are grateful for affects:
your spiritual life
your physical life
your emotional life
your mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 70
"But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, 'Let God be exalted!' Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer;." ( vs. 4-5)
There is so much to rejoice and be glad about concerning God. His salvation is awesome and comforting, but sometimes, we are still poor and needy. In spite of all the good things, we find ourselves down and struggling. Our temptation is to hide away and lick our wounds at this time, but we need to not run away from God at these times. We need to pray to Him and run to Him. We need to beg Him to come to us quickly. He will be our help and deliverer. He is not out to kick us when we are down. That is the world and sometimes what we also experienced in our families and our growing up experience, but it is not what we will find with God. He is not embarrassed by our weakness. We are not less because of our lack of perfection, in contrast, this is when God can work the most. Let us throw away our pride and run for help. It is okay. It is expected.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are weak Lord. Even in our best of times, we are still weak and small and insignificant. Help us to remember this in the good times and help us to cling to this in the bad times. Help us to remember that You are the God of miracles and of those that are not. You are the God that turns our weaknesses into strengths and who calls that which is not as though it were. Help us to run to You and not away when we are struggling. We all struggle at times. It is lonely if we do not turn to You and the comforts You provide in Your people and Your word. You are here for us. Help us to turn to You. Come quickly to us before we fade away.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Are there times when I feel down even when things are going well? What causes this in my life?
2. When I am feeling down, do I run to God or away? How does my past experiences affect my present relationship with God in these circumstances? What verses can I meditate on to help me change my thinking?
3. What situations make me feel down and needy? What am I struggling with right now that could draw me away from God?
4. Am I dealing with my troubles in a spiritual way? Do I need to rely more on God in prayer, scripture reading, or fellowship to deal with my needs and weaknesses? What is keeping me from doing what I need to do? What will I change to get the help I need?
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?
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?
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