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 distress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label distress. Show all posts
Monday, September 28, 2015
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/19/15 (11/19/09)
Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation
Day 1
Pray for:
One thing that you would like to see improved in your relationship with God
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 79
"O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble...How long, O Lord, will You be angry forever? How long will Your jealousy burn like fire?..Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may Your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need...Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will praise You forever; from generation to generation we will recount Your praise." ( vs. 1, 5, 8, & 13)
God allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed and His people taken into captivity. He allowed them to get into such a difficult situation that they were in desperate need. The Israelites were in captivity many times, often for such a long period of time that the original people that had sinned were long gone. This did not stop the latter generations from still reaping the consequences. This can be troubling to think about. In the Old Testament, there are long periods of silence from God when His people wondered where He was. In our lives, at times, we can feel the same. We face various trials from without and within. There can be issues with our health, our finances, our parenting, our marriage, our job or lack there of. Internal struggles can include grief, anger, bitterness, depression, guilt, obsessions, and worry. The list goes on and on. Struggles can endure for days, months, years. And we wonder, "God where are You? God, do You even exist at all?"
Why is this? Why does God allow this? What can we learn from these times? There are many lessons in this, but they often run contrary to our modern culture. This sometimes makes it hard for us to understand. We are people of sight. We are people of immediate gratification. We are people that deny there are consequences to our actions. Remember the slogan, "If it feels good, do it?" But reality doesn't base itself on our culture. There really are eternal truths that we will need to internalize if we are ever going to walk successfully through this life. The following are a few of them.
Day 1
Pray for:
One thing that you would like to see improved in your relationship with God
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 79
"O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble...How long, O Lord, will You be angry forever? How long will Your jealousy burn like fire?..Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may Your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need...Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will praise You forever; from generation to generation we will recount Your praise." ( vs. 1, 5, 8, & 13)
God allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed and His people taken into captivity. He allowed them to get into such a difficult situation that they were in desperate need. The Israelites were in captivity many times, often for such a long period of time that the original people that had sinned were long gone. This did not stop the latter generations from still reaping the consequences. This can be troubling to think about. In the Old Testament, there are long periods of silence from God when His people wondered where He was. In our lives, at times, we can feel the same. We face various trials from without and within. There can be issues with our health, our finances, our parenting, our marriage, our job or lack there of. Internal struggles can include grief, anger, bitterness, depression, guilt, obsessions, and worry. The list goes on and on. Struggles can endure for days, months, years. And we wonder, "God where are You? God, do You even exist at all?"
Why is this? Why does God allow this? What can we learn from these times? There are many lessons in this, but they often run contrary to our modern culture. This sometimes makes it hard for us to understand. We are people of sight. We are people of immediate gratification. We are people that deny there are consequences to our actions. Remember the slogan, "If it feels good, do it?" But reality doesn't base itself on our culture. There really are eternal truths that we will need to internalize if we are ever going to walk successfully through this life. The following are a few of them.
First, we need to learn that there are consequences to every action. We don't want to believe this. We are so used to being rescued. I know I was. When I was growing up, I was rescued many times in big and small ways by my parents. Although I know it was done in love, I think I might have been better off I had faced some consequences for my actions in my youth. As a result of how I was raised, I had to learn the hard way that no one comes to rescue you anymore when you are an adult. If you don't pay your bills, bad things happen, such as the lights get shut off. If you overspend, you have to pay it off. Also, there are laws that have to be obeyed and there are deadlines that can not be denied. We can't always talk our way out of something. How many of us were shocked when we began to realize this? Often, we are still fighting this same issue. We argue the consequences of our actions with a policeman that stopped us even though we know we were speeding. We bail our children out when they procrastinate or get in trouble. We blame others for our problems rather than face what we really deserve. Thankfully, God is not like this. He sees the big picture. He knows the ultimate consequences of life and He is not afraid to let us face what we deserve to face or need to face. He is the ultimate loving parent who is willing to let us go through the hard lessons so that in the end we might live.
Secondly, we need to learn that sin has far reaching consequences, not just in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us as well. Many times the Bible talks about the sins of the fathers (Ezekiel 18). We are not held responsible in the sense that we will die spiritually for what someone else does, such as our parents, but their sins will still impact us. Children and spouses' of alcoholics know the truth in this. Sin leaves scars that are often difficult to heal. Even sins we might consider less dramatic such as impatience and selfishness damage others. When we say careless and mean things in our anger, those around us will have to deal with the depth of that wound. Even if they forgive us, the words have gone out and can never be taken back. We often hear the echoes of cruel things that were said to us years later, try as we might to forget. The Bible states that we will be called to account for every careless word we speak (Matt 12:36-37). This verse is sobering to me as I know I have said many careless things in my life. It reminds me that we have to take our lives seriously because we do impact others for eternity, whether we want to or not.
Finally, the last lesson I will mention here is that God is still there in the silence; working away at the plan He has for our lives. In the silence of the Old Testament, God was working out His plan of salvation for not only Israel but for the whole world. We do not know why it took so long but it was worth the wait. The behind the scenes work of the universe is a bit beyond us, but it is good enough for me to know that someone who is able is back there working it out. As a child, most of us did not have to worry about the bills or the more complicated issues about what had to be done to provide for us. We trusted our parents and lived life. Think about all that went on to get us to adulthood. Even if our childhoods were not that good, there was work done on our behalf by many people. We will never know the full extent, but as we become parents, we get a glimpse of what it takes to raise a child and hopefully we have more mercy on our parents for all of their failings. It is so hard and although we try our best, we fail so often. But God is the perfect parent and we can rest easy knowing that He is working to take care of what needs to be done to get us to our final destination. We need to be like that weaned child resting with its mother, confident in the safety she provides (Psalms 131). God is there. God does exist. He has a plan. The trials will eventually pass. All hard times do eventually come to an end, and that in itself is good.
Secondly, we need to learn that sin has far reaching consequences, not just in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us as well. Many times the Bible talks about the sins of the fathers (Ezekiel 18). We are not held responsible in the sense that we will die spiritually for what someone else does, such as our parents, but their sins will still impact us. Children and spouses' of alcoholics know the truth in this. Sin leaves scars that are often difficult to heal. Even sins we might consider less dramatic such as impatience and selfishness damage others. When we say careless and mean things in our anger, those around us will have to deal with the depth of that wound. Even if they forgive us, the words have gone out and can never be taken back. We often hear the echoes of cruel things that were said to us years later, try as we might to forget. The Bible states that we will be called to account for every careless word we speak (Matt 12:36-37). This verse is sobering to me as I know I have said many careless things in my life. It reminds me that we have to take our lives seriously because we do impact others for eternity, whether we want to or not.
Finally, the last lesson I will mention here is that God is still there in the silence; working away at the plan He has for our lives. In the silence of the Old Testament, God was working out His plan of salvation for not only Israel but for the whole world. We do not know why it took so long but it was worth the wait. The behind the scenes work of the universe is a bit beyond us, but it is good enough for me to know that someone who is able is back there working it out. As a child, most of us did not have to worry about the bills or the more complicated issues about what had to be done to provide for us. We trusted our parents and lived life. Think about all that went on to get us to adulthood. Even if our childhoods were not that good, there was work done on our behalf by many people. We will never know the full extent, but as we become parents, we get a glimpse of what it takes to raise a child and hopefully we have more mercy on our parents for all of their failings. It is so hard and although we try our best, we fail so often. But God is the perfect parent and we can rest easy knowing that He is working to take care of what needs to be done to get us to our final destination. We need to be like that weaned child resting with its mother, confident in the safety she provides (Psalms 131). God is there. God does exist. He has a plan. The trials will eventually pass. All hard times do eventually come to an end, and that in itself is good.
"My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore." (Psalm 131)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
It is so hard to be like the weaned child. We have so many fears and it is so hard for us to just rest in You. Yet, You are majestic and able. Forgive us for insulting Your power and goodness. We, as sinful humans, know how to give good gifts to our children. You are so much more. Thank You for thinking in the long term and for not always giving us what we want. Thank You for letting us go through the hard times so that we might in the end make it to be with You in eternity. Help us to keep our eyes on the eternal and in the times of silence know that You are there. Just as the sun shines behind the clouds though we see it not, You shine throughout the universe. We praise Your name.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I feel like God is moving and present in my life or do I feel like He is silent and absent? Why? When have I felt these two different ways? How do I deal with the times in my life when I feel that God is being silent? What can I do to get through these difficult times?
2. Am I willing to face the consequences of my actions? Am I helping my children to face the consequences of their actions? How can I teach them this concept? Do I blame others for anything in my life? In what areas do I see this? How can I stop blaming others for my problems and start dealing more with my actions?
3. Am I dealing with any scars from the sins of those around me? How can I work on being healed?
4. Am I creating any scars? Are my sins affecting my children, spouse, significant other, roommate, etc.? How? What do I need to change and how can I?
5. Am I trying to control everything in my life? Am I filled with worry about all of the issues I face? Am I like the weaned child or like an unhappy child? How can I change? What will I do today to start trusting God more?
Friday, September 18, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/18/15 (11/18/09)
Prayer Focus - Needs
Day 7
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
One thing that is needed in your family
One thing that is needed at your work or in your social circle
One thing that is needed in your life
Focus on how the fulfilled need will help impact people's:
spiritual life
physical life
emotional life
mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 78
"The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan." ( vs. 9-12)
"They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God spread a table in the desert? When He struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly. But can He also give us food? Can He supply meat for His people?' when the Lord heard them, He was very angry; His fire broke out against Jacob, and His wrath rose against Israel, for they did not believe in God or trust in His deliverance." (vs. 18-22)
"In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of His wonders, they did not believe. So He ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him; they eagerly turned to Him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter Him with their mouths, lying to Him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to Him, they were not faithful to His covenant. Yet He was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time He restrained His anger and did not stir up His full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return." (vs. 32-39)
There are many ways to displease God and this psalm uses the stories of the Israelites to remind us of what to avoid. The first thing to avoid is turning back on the day of battle. We are equipped for whatever we have to face because we have God with us. God has appointed a path for us, a race to run. He does not give us more than we can handle. We must go up to battle when it is time.
Next we must remember God's covenant and keep His laws. We have to obey if we want things to go well for us. The third pitfall to avoid is ingratitude. We have to remember the miracles and wonders God has done in our lives and in the lives of those around us. The fourth way to displease God is to put Him willfully to the test. He does not need to prove anything to us. He has already proved enough. We just need to start believing and living out His word. Then we will see the victories in Christ. Next we need to not speak against God. We do not need to doubt Him or be dissatisfied with what He provides. We can be so spoiled sometimes. We have our minds set on one thing and when God provides for us in a different way, we say, "Yeah, but what about this?" We can be displeased in the midst of plenty. This is just not right.
We can anger God. Sometimes we think that no matter what, God just keeps on forgiving and doesn't really care what happens in our lives, good or bad. As long as most of the time we are decent people, (by our standards of course), then we will be okay with God as well. This is just not true. God went to so much trouble and pain to save us that it does matter to Him. He is invested in us and what we do. Each time we sin, it is a reminder to Him of what Jesus had to go through. We need to realize this and realize that the Israelites wandered in the desert because of all of these previously mentioned sins. They did not get to go to the promised land because they did not go up to take what God had promised. They doubted God. They doubted that He could get them into the promised land and, therefore, they received what they believed. Let us believe in God and trust in His deliverance. Let us enter into His rest. Let us strive to avoid these problems that brought the Israelites down. We can be faithful. We can make it, with God.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
The Israelites were Your promised people and You went to so much trouble to get them out of Egypt. You worked so many miracles in their lives and yet they still doubted and turned back on the day of battle. It is so important that we don't do this. We have to strive to believe and have faith. We want to enter into Your eternal rest. You have provided. Help us to live in such a way as to embrace Your will and covenants. You are great. We are grateful to be with You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I turn back on the day of battle? Am I being a soldier of Christ? What battles am I being called to fight? What is my reaction? How can I be a better warrior?
2. What has God done for me in my life? Do I recognize His blessings and His leading? What is the race God has marked out for me like? Am I satisfied with it? Why or why not?
3. Am I putting God to the test? Do I demand God prove Himself to me? In what areas am I tempted to do this?
4. What is my speech like towards God? Do I utter more praise or doubting? How can I focus more on praise and less on doubt?
5. Am I loyal to God? How do I show my loyalty? In what ways have I been unfaithful? How can I change this?
Day 7
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
One thing that is needed in your family
One thing that is needed at your work or in your social circle
One thing that is needed in your life
Focus on how the fulfilled need will help impact people's:
spiritual life
physical life
emotional life
mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 78
"The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan." ( vs. 9-12)
"They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God spread a table in the desert? When He struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly. But can He also give us food? Can He supply meat for His people?' when the Lord heard them, He was very angry; His fire broke out against Jacob, and His wrath rose against Israel, for they did not believe in God or trust in His deliverance." (vs. 18-22)
"In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of His wonders, they did not believe. So He ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him; they eagerly turned to Him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter Him with their mouths, lying to Him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to Him, they were not faithful to His covenant. Yet He was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time He restrained His anger and did not stir up His full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return." (vs. 32-39)
There are many ways to displease God and this psalm uses the stories of the Israelites to remind us of what to avoid. The first thing to avoid is turning back on the day of battle. We are equipped for whatever we have to face because we have God with us. God has appointed a path for us, a race to run. He does not give us more than we can handle. We must go up to battle when it is time.
Next we must remember God's covenant and keep His laws. We have to obey if we want things to go well for us. The third pitfall to avoid is ingratitude. We have to remember the miracles and wonders God has done in our lives and in the lives of those around us. The fourth way to displease God is to put Him willfully to the test. He does not need to prove anything to us. He has already proved enough. We just need to start believing and living out His word. Then we will see the victories in Christ. Next we need to not speak against God. We do not need to doubt Him or be dissatisfied with what He provides. We can be so spoiled sometimes. We have our minds set on one thing and when God provides for us in a different way, we say, "Yeah, but what about this?" We can be displeased in the midst of plenty. This is just not right.
We can anger God. Sometimes we think that no matter what, God just keeps on forgiving and doesn't really care what happens in our lives, good or bad. As long as most of the time we are decent people, (by our standards of course), then we will be okay with God as well. This is just not true. God went to so much trouble and pain to save us that it does matter to Him. He is invested in us and what we do. Each time we sin, it is a reminder to Him of what Jesus had to go through. We need to realize this and realize that the Israelites wandered in the desert because of all of these previously mentioned sins. They did not get to go to the promised land because they did not go up to take what God had promised. They doubted God. They doubted that He could get them into the promised land and, therefore, they received what they believed. Let us believe in God and trust in His deliverance. Let us enter into His rest. Let us strive to avoid these problems that brought the Israelites down. We can be faithful. We can make it, with God.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
The Israelites were Your promised people and You went to so much trouble to get them out of Egypt. You worked so many miracles in their lives and yet they still doubted and turned back on the day of battle. It is so important that we don't do this. We have to strive to believe and have faith. We want to enter into Your eternal rest. You have provided. Help us to live in such a way as to embrace Your will and covenants. You are great. We are grateful to be with You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I turn back on the day of battle? Am I being a soldier of Christ? What battles am I being called to fight? What is my reaction? How can I be a better warrior?
2. What has God done for me in my life? Do I recognize His blessings and His leading? What is the race God has marked out for me like? Am I satisfied with it? Why or why not?
3. Am I putting God to the test? Do I demand God prove Himself to me? In what areas am I tempted to do this?
4. What is my speech like towards God? Do I utter more praise or doubting? How can I focus more on praise and less on doubt?
5. Am I loyal to God? How do I show my loyalty? In what ways have I been unfaithful? How can I change this?
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/13/15 (11/13/09)
Prayer Focus - Needs
Day 2
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
Focus on how the fulfilled need will help impact people's:
spiritual lives
physical lives
emotional lives
mental lives
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 73
"Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." ( vs. 1-2 )
"This is what the wicked are like - always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning...When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Surely You place them on slippery ground; You cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! As a dream when one awakes, so when You arise, O Lord, You will despise them as fantasies." ( vs. 13-14, 16-20 )
"When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You. Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." ( vs. 21-26 )
Day 2
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
Focus on how the fulfilled need will help impact people's:
spiritual lives
physical lives
emotional lives
mental lives
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 73
"Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." ( vs. 1-2 )
"This is what the wicked are like - always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning...When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Surely You place them on slippery ground; You cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! As a dream when one awakes, so when You arise, O Lord, You will despise them as fantasies." ( vs. 13-14, 16-20 )
"When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You. Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." ( vs. 21-26 )
It is easy to lose sight of what is truly important in life. We know it should be God, but when we look around at others and compare ourselves with them, especially those that are not following God, we can end up dissatisfied with our lot. Those who are chasing after what the world has to offer can achieve quite a bit and I believe that Satan rewards them to help lead others astray. We can envy many things about them. We can look at their schedules, which often have more free time and leisure activities, and be frustrated because we always feel so busy. We can look at their financial success and feel like failures. We forget to look at the unethical methods they often use to get ahead or the wake of destruction that is left behind when they solely focus on money. We can look at their fancy houses, clothes, and the like and then wonder why we are having such a hard time and why we are struggling and trying to do things God's way. Sometimes we feel like God is not being fair. But God never promised wealth and success. God promised spiritual rewards. He would like to give us these things but it is not a guarantee. What is most important to God is where we are at spiritually and what will ultimately get us to heaven to be with Him for eternity.
If we lose sight of this we can easily slip. It is not hard to get to this point and when we do, we become like "brute beasts". We start envying. We lose all of our dignity and integrity. We often do things that we will later regret. This is not what we really want nor is it what God wants for us. At this point, we need to get our focus back. We need to turn to God and enter His sanctuary. We need to remember what will happen to all those who do not know Him. They will not endure. Whatever they are enjoying is for this life only. When we die, we take nothing with us. Naked we came and naked we go. Without God, they will leave it all here and enter eternity impoverished. They will be like a dream that is despised in the morning.
I don't want to be a bad dream to God. I want to be a good memory, and not even a memory, a good and faithful servant who is always with Him, serving Him for eternity. The amazing thing is, with God, this is possible. God is still with us, even when we are faltering. He is holding our hand and guiding us in the way that we should go. Everything may fail but God will not. God is our strength forever.
"But as for me, it is good to be near God." (vs. 28a)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We know You are good. We have always known this in our souls, yet we slip so easily. We are like Peter who took his eyes off you when he was walking on the water. We sink. We begin to look at those around us and begin to envy their prosperity and ease. Help us to enter into Your sanctuary on a daily basis so that we will remember their final destiny. Help us to remember what life is all about and that the eternal is what truly matters. We ask to not be like brute beasts but like those that have integrity and uprightness. We do not want to be a bad dream to You. We do not want to be despised when You awake. We do not want to be swept away by terrors or cast down to ruin. Help us to live for eternity and to live clearly and simply. You are here guiding us. Help us to not fight Your guidance, but to embrace it. We thank You for being our strength and our portion forever. You are all we have. There is nothing better than You. We desire nothing else than to please You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What things cause me to envy the most? What circumstances and people cause me the most trouble? How can I combat this?
2. Do I ever feel that I am trying so hard and yet it is all in vain? Do I feel this way when I am forgetting all the good things that God has done for me? How can I rekindle my gratitude?
3. How can I enter into the sanctuary of God on a daily basis? What places and settings help me to remember my spiritual perspective and get back to being grounded in what is important again? How can I incorporate these things into my daily life?
4. How is God guiding me? Am I receptive to His leading through His word, others, and my inner conscience? How can I become more receptive?
5. Am I being still so that I can remember that God is God and allow myself to hear His voice? Do I think about eternity and cultivate this long term perspective? How can I think more long term when it comes to my relationship with God and my goals?
Friday, September 11, 2015
Daily Devotiional - 9/11/15 (11/11/15)
Prayer Focus - Gratitude
Day 7
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
One thing you are grateful for about yourself
Thank God for the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
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 71
"In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me and deliver me in Your righteousness; turn Your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress." ( vs. 1-3 )
"For You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth... Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone...Be not far from me, O God; come quickly, O my God, to help me." ( vs. 5, 9, & 12 )
"But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise You more and more. My mouth will tell of Your righteousness, of Your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure." ( vs. 14-15 )
"Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth You will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again." ( vs. 20-21 )
I will always have hope. That is my choice. I will praise God more and more. Today I found it hard to praise God, but I will choose to do better tomorrow. My emotions will not control me, God will.
Today I felt old and worn out. I felt like nothing is ever accomplished in my life. I felt forgotten and alone. But in reality, none of these things are true save for in my mind. In my mind I rise or fall. In my mind I praise or curse. In my mind the battle is fought.
God is still God and though I am seeing troubles, many and bitter, He will restore me again. I believe this. So as for me, I will always have hope.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You are our refuge. As we grow older it can be discouraging to see all the things left undone. We had great dreams but You are still in control and Your dreams are greater than ours. We cannot even see tomorrow yet You hold all of time in Your hands. You are amazing and in You we can always have hope. Forgive us for our failures to believe and for our negativity. You will never let Your people fall or be put to shame. All we need to do is concentrate on being Your people and being pleasing to You. Help us in our unbelief. We choose to have hope. We choose to keep going. We choose You over an over again.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Why does God allow me to see troubles? What have I benefitted from them? Do I see how God has taken care of me through these times?
2. Am I becoming better or bitter? How can I make sure that I become better as a person through the difficult times?
3. How am I doing in my relationship with God as I get older spiritually and physically? Am I as zealous as I once was? Am I more serious about my relationship with God than I was? How can I ensure that I am growing more mature as I grow older?
4. What fears and discouragements am I facing as I get older? How am I turning to God with them?
5. Am I tellling of God's salvation? Is my purpose the same as God's or have I taken on some other purpose for my life? How can I get back on track?
Day 7
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
One thing you are grateful for about yourself
Thank God for the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
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 71
"In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me and deliver me in Your righteousness; turn Your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress." ( vs. 1-3 )
"For You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth... Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone...Be not far from me, O God; come quickly, O my God, to help me." ( vs. 5, 9, & 12 )
"But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise You more and more. My mouth will tell of Your righteousness, of Your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure." ( vs. 14-15 )
"Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth You will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again." ( vs. 20-21 )
I will always have hope. That is my choice. I will praise God more and more. Today I found it hard to praise God, but I will choose to do better tomorrow. My emotions will not control me, God will.
Today I felt old and worn out. I felt like nothing is ever accomplished in my life. I felt forgotten and alone. But in reality, none of these things are true save for in my mind. In my mind I rise or fall. In my mind I praise or curse. In my mind the battle is fought.
God is still God and though I am seeing troubles, many and bitter, He will restore me again. I believe this. So as for me, I will always have hope.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You are our refuge. As we grow older it can be discouraging to see all the things left undone. We had great dreams but You are still in control and Your dreams are greater than ours. We cannot even see tomorrow yet You hold all of time in Your hands. You are amazing and in You we can always have hope. Forgive us for our failures to believe and for our negativity. You will never let Your people fall or be put to shame. All we need to do is concentrate on being Your people and being pleasing to You. Help us in our unbelief. We choose to have hope. We choose to keep going. We choose You over an over again.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Why does God allow me to see troubles? What have I benefitted from them? Do I see how God has taken care of me through these times?
2. Am I becoming better or bitter? How can I make sure that I become better as a person through the difficult times?
3. How am I doing in my relationship with God as I get older spiritually and physically? Am I as zealous as I once was? Am I more serious about my relationship with God than I was? How can I ensure that I am growing more mature as I grow older?
4. What fears and discouragements am I facing as I get older? How am I turning to God with them?
5. Am I tellling of God's salvation? Is my purpose the same as God's or have I taken on some other purpose for my life? How can I get back on track?
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/10/15 (11/10/15)
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 the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
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. 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 have also experienced in our families and growing up, 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. 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. You are the God that calls things that are not as though they were. You are the God that turns our weaknesses into strengths. Help us to run to You and not away from You when we are struggling. We all struggle at times. It is lonely if we do not turn to You and the comforts that You provide through 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?
5. Am I rejoicing? What do I have to rejoice about? How can I keep a positive focus?
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 the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
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. 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 have also experienced in our families and growing up, 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. 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. You are the God that calls things that are not as though they were. You are the God that turns our weaknesses into strengths. Help us to run to You and not away from You when we are struggling. We all struggle at times. It is lonely if we do not turn to You and the comforts that You provide through 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?
5. Am I rejoicing? What do I have to rejoice about? How can I keep a positive focus?
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/1/15 (11/1/09)
Prayer Focus - Strangers
Day 4
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
One person in politics
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 61
This devotional was originally written in November of 2009. I have left it as I wrote it then. The whole year of 2009 was extremely difficult for my family and I. In January of 2009, my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer which we eventually learned, had spread to his liver. I struggled to hold our family together through the two surgeries and two rounds of chemotherapy that would consume the entire year. Writing these devotionals became a therapeutic outlet for me as I re-evaluated my relationship with God and clung to Him moment by moment. We made it through that year and many more after it. We have dealt with a reoccurrence of cancer last year and keep struggling on. God has always come through. Sometimes I do not see how the victory will come but it does come anyway. God has always been faithful and no matter what happens, I believe that He has used everything I have gone through to strengthen my faith, my family, and myself. He truly is the rock that is higher than I.
"Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to You, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. Increase the days of the king's life, his years for many generations. May he be enthroned in God's presence forever; appoint Your love and faithfulness to protect him. Then will I ever sing praise to Your name and fulfill my vows day after day." ( Psalms 61)
"Listen to my prayer Lord, because I am growing weaker." Haven't we all been there? We fight and fight and keep going and keep going and then it just feels like there is nothing left. There is a limit to us and what we can do. Praise God, however, there is no limit to Him. When life is overwhelming, we need to let Him lead us to that rock that we can climb up on and be safe from the waves that are battering us. He is our refuge.
I have to confess, I have been battered lately. I have been struggling with life. My Joelle has been sick since off and on since October 2 with her asthma and a cold/flu. Just when I think she is getting better, she gets worse again. I have been sick as well for about two weeks and then last night, my middle daughter develops a 102 fever. This would usually be not that big of a deal, but since she was exposed to H1N1 by at least two classmates, I was a bit stressed. I took both girls to the urgent care today and was told not to worry too much about Lorelei, and Joelle got a breathing treatment and some stronger medicine to try and get her asthma under control. Now tomorrow, my husband is supposed to start his second round of chemo and I am trying desperately to get my grades done in the midst of all this. I have missed so much work already and am debating if taking tomorrow off would be a good thing or not. My house is an utter disaster area and I am so tired. So these are my waves. This is what is battering me. Now I need to face them and then I need to get up and climb up on the rock that is higher than I.
I do long to dwell in God's tent. I want some shelter. I am tired of doing it all and being responsible for everything. God knows my vows. He has given me the heritage of those who fear His name. I am in good company. This is all just temporary and God has it all under control. I just need to climb out of the water I am sinking in and rest in Christ. Our health will get better and we will move on. I will get my grades done. I always do somehow or other. And God's love and faithfulness surround me and protects me. I will praise God. I will be positive in spite all of this. I will. I will fulfill my vows.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Lift us to the rock that is higher than we are. We need You as our refuge. This world is too hard for us alone. We are fading away. Help us to run to You. Help us to get out of the rough water that surrounds us and lift up our arms to You, our Father and our Protector. We have made vows to You and we need You to help us fulfill them. You are able. We search for Your love and faithfulness. We know they are there. We look for You. We long for You. Hear our cry O Lord for without You, we are lost.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How is my prayer life? Am I crying out to God? Do I really pour out my heart to Him or do I just recite the same things over and over? How can I revitalize my prayer life?
2. Am I growing faint of working on something or dealing with some issue in my life? What are the waves that are battering me? Am I bringing them to God daily in prayer?
3. Is God my refuge? If He isn't, what do I take refuge in when I am struggling? How can I run to God and take refuge in Him? How can I do this more?
4. Do I recognize God's love and faithfulness? How can these qualities of God protect me? How can I be more aware of them in my life?
5. Am I praising God? Am I fulfilling my vows? Which am I better at doing, praising God, or fulfilling my vows? Why? How can I grow in these two areas?
Day 4
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
One person in politics
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 61
This devotional was originally written in November of 2009. I have left it as I wrote it then. The whole year of 2009 was extremely difficult for my family and I. In January of 2009, my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer which we eventually learned, had spread to his liver. I struggled to hold our family together through the two surgeries and two rounds of chemotherapy that would consume the entire year. Writing these devotionals became a therapeutic outlet for me as I re-evaluated my relationship with God and clung to Him moment by moment. We made it through that year and many more after it. We have dealt with a reoccurrence of cancer last year and keep struggling on. God has always come through. Sometimes I do not see how the victory will come but it does come anyway. God has always been faithful and no matter what happens, I believe that He has used everything I have gone through to strengthen my faith, my family, and myself. He truly is the rock that is higher than I.
"Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to You, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. Increase the days of the king's life, his years for many generations. May he be enthroned in God's presence forever; appoint Your love and faithfulness to protect him. Then will I ever sing praise to Your name and fulfill my vows day after day." ( Psalms 61)
"Listen to my prayer Lord, because I am growing weaker." Haven't we all been there? We fight and fight and keep going and keep going and then it just feels like there is nothing left. There is a limit to us and what we can do. Praise God, however, there is no limit to Him. When life is overwhelming, we need to let Him lead us to that rock that we can climb up on and be safe from the waves that are battering us. He is our refuge.
I have to confess, I have been battered lately. I have been struggling with life. My Joelle has been sick since off and on since October 2 with her asthma and a cold/flu. Just when I think she is getting better, she gets worse again. I have been sick as well for about two weeks and then last night, my middle daughter develops a 102 fever. This would usually be not that big of a deal, but since she was exposed to H1N1 by at least two classmates, I was a bit stressed. I took both girls to the urgent care today and was told not to worry too much about Lorelei, and Joelle got a breathing treatment and some stronger medicine to try and get her asthma under control. Now tomorrow, my husband is supposed to start his second round of chemo and I am trying desperately to get my grades done in the midst of all this. I have missed so much work already and am debating if taking tomorrow off would be a good thing or not. My house is an utter disaster area and I am so tired. So these are my waves. This is what is battering me. Now I need to face them and then I need to get up and climb up on the rock that is higher than I.
I do long to dwell in God's tent. I want some shelter. I am tired of doing it all and being responsible for everything. God knows my vows. He has given me the heritage of those who fear His name. I am in good company. This is all just temporary and God has it all under control. I just need to climb out of the water I am sinking in and rest in Christ. Our health will get better and we will move on. I will get my grades done. I always do somehow or other. And God's love and faithfulness surround me and protects me. I will praise God. I will be positive in spite all of this. I will. I will fulfill my vows.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Lift us to the rock that is higher than we are. We need You as our refuge. This world is too hard for us alone. We are fading away. Help us to run to You. Help us to get out of the rough water that surrounds us and lift up our arms to You, our Father and our Protector. We have made vows to You and we need You to help us fulfill them. You are able. We search for Your love and faithfulness. We know they are there. We look for You. We long for You. Hear our cry O Lord for without You, we are lost.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How is my prayer life? Am I crying out to God? Do I really pour out my heart to Him or do I just recite the same things over and over? How can I revitalize my prayer life?
2. Am I growing faint of working on something or dealing with some issue in my life? What are the waves that are battering me? Am I bringing them to God daily in prayer?
3. Is God my refuge? If He isn't, what do I take refuge in when I am struggling? How can I run to God and take refuge in Him? How can I do this more?
4. Do I recognize God's love and faithfulness? How can these qualities of God protect me? How can I be more aware of them in my life?
5. Am I praising God? Am I fulfilling my vows? Which am I better at doing, praising God, or fulfilling my vows? Why? How can I grow in these two areas?
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Daily Devotional - 8/30/15 (10/30/09)
Prayer Focus - Strangers
Day 2
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 60
"You have shown Your people desperate times;...But for those who fear You, You have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow." ( vs. 3a, 4)
"Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies." (vs. 11-12)
God never promised us life would be easy, just that He would be there. Sometimes He lets us go through terrible times, times when everything is sad and negative; desperate times the verse says. But if we fear God, we will gain the victory. No one else can help us and provide for us like He can. We will win in the end, if we stay with God and He will eliminate our enemies in the right time
.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We do go through desperate times sometimes, but You are still there. Help us to remember that as we get older You have victories in store for us, however, and we rely on them. Fill us with Your love and protection because the help of man is worthless. You are our only true victory.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What desperate times have I gone through? Am I going through such a time now?
2. What does it mean to me to fear the Lord? How can I learn about what this means?
3. Do I fear God? How do I know if I do or not? What can I do to develop a greater fear of the Lord?
4. Do I truly believe the help of man is worthless? Who do I turn to for help? Do I go to God first, or my friends first? Can I try for one hour/ one day/ one week to go to God first whenever I have a need or problem or even joy?
5. What enemies am I fighting? What victories do I need? What will I do to thank God when we (God and I) are victorious?
Day 2
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 60
"You have shown Your people desperate times;...But for those who fear You, You have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow." ( vs. 3a, 4)
"Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies." (vs. 11-12)
God never promised us life would be easy, just that He would be there. Sometimes He lets us go through terrible times, times when everything is sad and negative; desperate times the verse says. But if we fear God, we will gain the victory. No one else can help us and provide for us like He can. We will win in the end, if we stay with God and He will eliminate our enemies in the right time
.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We do go through desperate times sometimes, but You are still there. Help us to remember that as we get older You have victories in store for us, however, and we rely on them. Fill us with Your love and protection because the help of man is worthless. You are our only true victory.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What desperate times have I gone through? Am I going through such a time now?
2. What does it mean to me to fear the Lord? How can I learn about what this means?
3. Do I fear God? How do I know if I do or not? What can I do to develop a greater fear of the Lord?
4. Do I truly believe the help of man is worthless? Who do I turn to for help? Do I go to God first, or my friends first? Can I try for one hour/ one day/ one week to go to God first whenever I have a need or problem or even joy?
5. What enemies am I fighting? What victories do I need? What will I do to thank God when we (God and I) are victorious?
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?
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, September 2, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/2/10 (10/2/09)
Prayer Focus - Leaders (any type - World, State, Local, Church, Business, Work)
Pray for:
One leader who inspires you
One leader who you know is struggling with something
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear You and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 32
"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said,' I will confess my transgressions to the Lord' - and You forgave the guilt of my sin." (vs. 1-5)
We all want to be blessed. Here are some keys for us to consider. We are blessed if we are forgiven. We are blessed if we have no deceit. Why is this? First of all, we can be right with God and have a relationship with Him now and after death. But secondly, and quite relevant while we are here on earth, we can walk with out fear and guilt. It is a terrible state to be in when there is something we are hiding. The psalmist writes that when he was silent his bones wasted away and he groaned night and day. He was miserable. That is how undealt with sin affects us. We can think that eventually we will forget, but we are still haunted. Only when we get things out can we feel that light free feeling that comes with a transparent life. It is a truly blessed feeling. I have been in both places. I know. We need to be open channels for God's love to flow through us. There is so much that needs to be done in this world, that we just can't let sin, clutter, confusion, and disorder of any kind block us and stop us up. We will lose the strength and power that is available to us. We will miss the opportunities that God has in store for us. We need to just open up our lives and then call out to God to search us and heal us.
"Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him." (vs. 6-9)
We do this by confessing and then by going to God in prayer. We can't wait. We must pray while God can be found. There are opportunities when God is calling us and we can miss them. People miss out on God and eventually our hearts can get so hardened to everything that it will be almost impossible for us to change. Unfortunately, there are deadlines in life. Whether or not we want them to exist, they do. Thank God, however, that we can hide in Him. We don't have to run and hide somewhere when we are feeling guilty. We can go to Him because He is much better place to hide than any real physical place. God will protect us and restore us. He will make us into someone incredible if we let Him. He created us for great and glorious things and He will teach us and show us the way to go. He will counsel us and watch over us.
There is a catch to these incredible promises though. We have to receive His direction. We need to not be like an animal who has to be forced to go where its master wants it to go. God is longing for us to follow willingly. Our attitude should be, "I will do it!" Let's not force God anymore. The road is much easier for us when we are not rebellious. The way of the rebellious is hard the Bible states elsewhere, but unfailing love surrounds us if we trust in God.
"Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!" (vs. 11)
If I am righteous and upright in my heart, I will be able to do this. I will rejoice and be glad. I will be able to see beauty in everything. This is God's world. Despite the sadness and difficulties, it still is good, and there is always hope.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful for Your forgiveness. Help us not to be deceitful. We are praying. Help us to pray more. We want to find You. You are our hiding place and it is good to be able to run to You. We do not want to run away any longer. Grant us the strength to face where we have gone wrong and turn to You. We need You and we long for Your unfailing love. We will rejoice in You for You are good.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How am I deceitful? How can I become honest in all my ways?
2. Is there anything blocking the flow of God's love and communication through me? If so, how can I get rid of it?
3. Am I praying about my needs and the needs of others regularly? Why or why not? How can I get in the practice of praying for others on a regular basis?
4. How am I doing at receiving God's instruction? Am I willing to learn or am I like an animal that needs a bit and bridle in my mouth to force me to obey? Why am I like this and what results am I gaining from my attitude towards instruction?
5. Am I rejoicing daily? What is my attitude about life? Have I let undealt with sin make me bitter? How can I change and start seeing the beauty that God intended for us in the world?
Pray for:
One leader who inspires you
One leader who you know is struggling with something
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear You and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 32
"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said,' I will confess my transgressions to the Lord' - and You forgave the guilt of my sin." (vs. 1-5)
We all want to be blessed. Here are some keys for us to consider. We are blessed if we are forgiven. We are blessed if we have no deceit. Why is this? First of all, we can be right with God and have a relationship with Him now and after death. But secondly, and quite relevant while we are here on earth, we can walk with out fear and guilt. It is a terrible state to be in when there is something we are hiding. The psalmist writes that when he was silent his bones wasted away and he groaned night and day. He was miserable. That is how undealt with sin affects us. We can think that eventually we will forget, but we are still haunted. Only when we get things out can we feel that light free feeling that comes with a transparent life. It is a truly blessed feeling. I have been in both places. I know. We need to be open channels for God's love to flow through us. There is so much that needs to be done in this world, that we just can't let sin, clutter, confusion, and disorder of any kind block us and stop us up. We will lose the strength and power that is available to us. We will miss the opportunities that God has in store for us. We need to just open up our lives and then call out to God to search us and heal us.
"Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him." (vs. 6-9)
We do this by confessing and then by going to God in prayer. We can't wait. We must pray while God can be found. There are opportunities when God is calling us and we can miss them. People miss out on God and eventually our hearts can get so hardened to everything that it will be almost impossible for us to change. Unfortunately, there are deadlines in life. Whether or not we want them to exist, they do. Thank God, however, that we can hide in Him. We don't have to run and hide somewhere when we are feeling guilty. We can go to Him because He is much better place to hide than any real physical place. God will protect us and restore us. He will make us into someone incredible if we let Him. He created us for great and glorious things and He will teach us and show us the way to go. He will counsel us and watch over us.
There is a catch to these incredible promises though. We have to receive His direction. We need to not be like an animal who has to be forced to go where its master wants it to go. God is longing for us to follow willingly. Our attitude should be, "I will do it!" Let's not force God anymore. The road is much easier for us when we are not rebellious. The way of the rebellious is hard the Bible states elsewhere, but unfailing love surrounds us if we trust in God.
"Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!" (vs. 11)
If I am righteous and upright in my heart, I will be able to do this. I will rejoice and be glad. I will be able to see beauty in everything. This is God's world. Despite the sadness and difficulties, it still is good, and there is always hope.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful for Your forgiveness. Help us not to be deceitful. We are praying. Help us to pray more. We want to find You. You are our hiding place and it is good to be able to run to You. We do not want to run away any longer. Grant us the strength to face where we have gone wrong and turn to You. We need You and we long for Your unfailing love. We will rejoice in You for You are good.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How am I deceitful? How can I become honest in all my ways?
2. Is there anything blocking the flow of God's love and communication through me? If so, how can I get rid of it?
3. Am I praying about my needs and the needs of others regularly? Why or why not? How can I get in the practice of praying for others on a regular basis?
4. How am I doing at receiving God's instruction? Am I willing to learn or am I like an animal that needs a bit and bridle in my mouth to force me to obey? Why am I like this and what results am I gaining from my attitude towards instruction?
5. Am I rejoicing daily? What is my attitude about life? Have I let undealt with sin make me bitter? How can I change and start seeing the beauty that God intended for us in the world?
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/23/10 (9/23/09)
Focus letter - W
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 to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear Your voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 23
"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comforth me." (vs. 4)
This is the valley of the shadow of death. I always wondered where it was and then I realized it was right here, the earth. We live in the shadow of our death, in the fear of the death of all those we love, every single day of our lives. But I do not need to be afraid because I will remember that the Lord is my shepherd. He will take care of me now and when I die. I shall not be in want if I don't want to because God is in control.
He will take care of me, all of me. God wants to take care of the physical, the spiritual, the emotional, and the mental aspects of my being. These make up the totality of who we are and the Lord is equally concerned about each one. If we look at this psalm and also at the greatest commandment we see each one represented.
"Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)
The first aspect of our lives He is concerned about is our physical being. "He makes me lie down in green pastures (vs. 2a)." He provides for us physically and takes care of us. He gives us rest when we need it. "God grants sleep to those He loves (Psalms 127:1-2)." He wakes us up in the morning and keeps us going throughout our days. He knows what we need to physically stay alive. He does this so that in the end, we can love Him with all of our strength. This is the building block for the rest of the aspects of our lives because if we are not having our physical needs met, it is very difficult to focus on more spiritual issues.
Secondly, He is concerned with our emotions. "He leads me beside quiet waters (vs. 2b)." When all our emotions are on edge, we need to go to the quiet places and be still. It is very difficult to be spiritual and pleasing to God when we are overly emotional or having a temper tantrum. We need our emotions calmed down and God can provide that. How often does He offer peace to us in His word. We need to be emotionally restored and calmed so that we in turn can love God with all of our emotions. Once our physical needs are met and our emotions are calm, we can deal with the next level in our beings.
The third aspect God is concerned with is our souls or our spiritual development. "He restores my soul (vs. 3a)." He revives us and renews our spirits. When we are downcast, He lifts us up. We have all had those bad days and then something will happen and it all changes. We have been restored and it feels so good. Our souls are the deepest levels of our beings and God desires that they be completely His as well; that we love Him with all our souls. That is when we will be truly content.
Finally, God is concerned with our minds. "He guides me in the paths of righteousness (vs. 3b)." He knows we need guidance and instructions. Our minds are so easily filled with all the wrong things and society is continually bombarding us with messages, most of which are contrary to God's laws. Our minds need to be filled with His ways and renewed with His truth. Then and only then, can we love Him with all of our minds and we can use them to help others.
It is evident that God is concerned with all of us; all aspects of our lives and beings. One portion is not enough and we will continue to live in the valley of the shadow of death, fearing evil, until we can surrender it all over to our Good Shepherd.
Why does He do this? Why does He even care? He does it for "His name's sake (vs. 3b)." It is not about me. It is all about God. He takes care of me and loves me so that others will know how great He is and perhaps come to find Him. He restores my soul and guides me so that others might see the wonder of His ways and come to know Him. He gives me strength so that I might serve Him and others. It all comes back to Him. But that is okay with me because I, like a sheep, do not know how to do this thing called life. I would run off a cliff if the rest did, just like sheep without a shepherd might. I am not ashamed to admit I need a shepherd. I am tired of doing it on my own. I have seen where it has gotten me.
And so, even though I am here in this scary place, full of sadness, this "valley of the shadow of death", I will fear no evil. I will fear no evil for God is with me. The ways He leads me in are a comfort to me. God takes care of me in the midst of bad. God can do that. My cup overflows and everything is going to be alright.
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (vs. 6)
Things will be okay, now, and also into eternity. God will take care of His own.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for being our Shepherd. We are like sheep and we so easily go astray. We are so grateful that You are concerned with every area of our lives. You are not uninvolved. You know and care for us intimately. Help us to be humble and follow Your leading. Help us to accept Your care and nurturing. You are good and we are grateful.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I loving God with all of my heart (my emotions)? Am I letting Him calm them? How can I change?
2. Am I loving God with all of my soul? Am I letting Him restore me? What ways does He restore me?
3. Am I loving God with all of my mind? Am I letting Him guide me in the ways of righteousness? How can I start doing this?
4. Am I loving God with all of my strength? Am I letting Him care for my body and physical needs? Am I following His directions in caring for my temple (body)? How can I take better care of my physical body?
5. Am I following God's leading or am I trying to do it all on my own? What am I rebelling against? What am I accepting? What do I need to change?
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 to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear Your voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 23
"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comforth me." (vs. 4)
This is the valley of the shadow of death. I always wondered where it was and then I realized it was right here, the earth. We live in the shadow of our death, in the fear of the death of all those we love, every single day of our lives. But I do not need to be afraid because I will remember that the Lord is my shepherd. He will take care of me now and when I die. I shall not be in want if I don't want to because God is in control.
He will take care of me, all of me. God wants to take care of the physical, the spiritual, the emotional, and the mental aspects of my being. These make up the totality of who we are and the Lord is equally concerned about each one. If we look at this psalm and also at the greatest commandment we see each one represented.
"Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)
The first aspect of our lives He is concerned about is our physical being. "He makes me lie down in green pastures (vs. 2a)." He provides for us physically and takes care of us. He gives us rest when we need it. "God grants sleep to those He loves (Psalms 127:1-2)." He wakes us up in the morning and keeps us going throughout our days. He knows what we need to physically stay alive. He does this so that in the end, we can love Him with all of our strength. This is the building block for the rest of the aspects of our lives because if we are not having our physical needs met, it is very difficult to focus on more spiritual issues.
Secondly, He is concerned with our emotions. "He leads me beside quiet waters (vs. 2b)." When all our emotions are on edge, we need to go to the quiet places and be still. It is very difficult to be spiritual and pleasing to God when we are overly emotional or having a temper tantrum. We need our emotions calmed down and God can provide that. How often does He offer peace to us in His word. We need to be emotionally restored and calmed so that we in turn can love God with all of our emotions. Once our physical needs are met and our emotions are calm, we can deal with the next level in our beings.
The third aspect God is concerned with is our souls or our spiritual development. "He restores my soul (vs. 3a)." He revives us and renews our spirits. When we are downcast, He lifts us up. We have all had those bad days and then something will happen and it all changes. We have been restored and it feels so good. Our souls are the deepest levels of our beings and God desires that they be completely His as well; that we love Him with all our souls. That is when we will be truly content.
Finally, God is concerned with our minds. "He guides me in the paths of righteousness (vs. 3b)." He knows we need guidance and instructions. Our minds are so easily filled with all the wrong things and society is continually bombarding us with messages, most of which are contrary to God's laws. Our minds need to be filled with His ways and renewed with His truth. Then and only then, can we love Him with all of our minds and we can use them to help others.
It is evident that God is concerned with all of us; all aspects of our lives and beings. One portion is not enough and we will continue to live in the valley of the shadow of death, fearing evil, until we can surrender it all over to our Good Shepherd.
Why does He do this? Why does He even care? He does it for "His name's sake (vs. 3b)." It is not about me. It is all about God. He takes care of me and loves me so that others will know how great He is and perhaps come to find Him. He restores my soul and guides me so that others might see the wonder of His ways and come to know Him. He gives me strength so that I might serve Him and others. It all comes back to Him. But that is okay with me because I, like a sheep, do not know how to do this thing called life. I would run off a cliff if the rest did, just like sheep without a shepherd might. I am not ashamed to admit I need a shepherd. I am tired of doing it on my own. I have seen where it has gotten me.
And so, even though I am here in this scary place, full of sadness, this "valley of the shadow of death", I will fear no evil. I will fear no evil for God is with me. The ways He leads me in are a comfort to me. God takes care of me in the midst of bad. God can do that. My cup overflows and everything is going to be alright.
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (vs. 6)
Things will be okay, now, and also into eternity. God will take care of His own.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for being our Shepherd. We are like sheep and we so easily go astray. We are so grateful that You are concerned with every area of our lives. You are not uninvolved. You know and care for us intimately. Help us to be humble and follow Your leading. Help us to accept Your care and nurturing. You are good and we are grateful.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I loving God with all of my heart (my emotions)? Am I letting Him calm them? How can I change?
2. Am I loving God with all of my soul? Am I letting Him restore me? What ways does He restore me?
3. Am I loving God with all of my mind? Am I letting Him guide me in the ways of righteousness? How can I start doing this?
4. Am I loving God with all of my strength? Am I letting Him care for my body and physical needs? Am I following His directions in caring for my temple (body)? How can I take better care of my physical body?
5. Am I following God's leading or am I trying to do it all on my own? What am I rebelling against? What am I accepting? What do I need to change?
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/22/10 (9/22/09)
This is the post from the day after my husband's surgery last year. I have left it as it was. He is now doing better and appears to be cancer free.
Focus Letter - V
Pray for:
Five things that 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 to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Help me to hear your voice today, all day, and grant me the strength to obey.
My husband made it through surgery and is recovering. They removed the lower right lobe of his liver which had confirmed cancer and, unfortunately, also found another tumor on the left side. This was destroyed by laser. There are still two small unknown masses in the upper right lobe as well. As a result of this, more chemotherapy is recommended. We were sad about the news but are faithful yet. Thank you for all your prayers and support.
Psalms 22
As I sat at my computer, after a long day at the hospital and after receiving the bad news about the spread of the cancer, I felt a bit numb. On opening the Bible to review the psalm for this post, I had to smile. How fitting for this to be the psalm today. The opening words spoke to me.
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent." (vs. 1-2)
How I have felt this the past year. At every turn, we have received bad news. My husband was diagnosed with cancer in February but we were confident that it would be contained in the colon. After all, he was only 49. My mother had had colon cancer at 61 and hers had been contained; it had not spread although it was about the same size of a tumor. We went into surgery confident. The surgeon told us after the surgery that it did appear to be contained within the colon, but of course, he could not know for sure until the lab work. How shocked we were to receive the call about a week later to find out that it was not contained and that it was in the lymph nodes.
"My God, my God..." I thought.
"Well, at least it was only in two of the 30 lymph nodes they looked at," I said to my mother-in-law who was devastated by the news. Surely it hadn't spread very far. There was that spot on his liver that the doctors had noted before his original surgery. But they had not been worried about it. The doctor had felt that it was probably not cancer. I was confident my husband would do his chemotherapy and be fine.
He went in for a liver test to confirm that the spot was just a benign occurrence, a hemangioma, and we waited, not worried. The results came back. A biopsy was needed. The tumor was not a hemangioma. I remember receiving the call. It was a beautiful day and I was playing Candyland with my daughters. The sun streamed in from the window, creating a peaceful, happy glow in the room. We were laughing.
My husband was out running an errand when the phone call came in. "Mrs. Jacobs, the tumor is cancerous," the doctor said over the phone.
Everything stopped and again in my mind, "my God, my God..."
Six rounds of chemo; so difficult. The embolism to block off the cancerous part of his liver. The surgery prep, all in the hopes that this would soon will be over; that life would soon return to normal. Then yesterday, the surgery, to remove the right lobe of his liver; so that he would be cancer free. At pre-op, the doctor mentioned that if they find something in the left lobe, they would burn it with a laser. I paused.
"But there isn't supposed to be anything in the left lobe," I said.
"Well sometimes it is hidden from the MRI. We are going to check everything out. We will take good care of him."
"Okay," I said, thinking with less confidence now that there would be nothing in the left liver. This warning of his was all precautionary. The surgery was going to be the end of this. Six weeks recovery and then life would go on. It would be this way. I had decided.
At 12 noon, the doctor came out and I approached, eager to hear the good news. "We removed the right lobe, but there was a half an inch tumor deep in the left lobe as well."
"What?"
"The left lobe, a tumor. We destroyed it with the laser but there are still small unknown spots visible on the ultrasound as well. They are too small to know what they are. We recommend more chemotherapy."
"More?" I said sadly.
"Yes, more. Cancer is like a dandelion which spreads its seeds when blown. We don't know, can't know now. Everything else in the abdomen looks clear but the chemo - it is necessary." The doctor smiled at me in a serious, sad way. My heart sank. The chemo... the walking death. It is difficult to explain life during chemo. Lets just say, it is hard.
"My God, my God..." again I begin to think. Why? Why, at every turn, has the road to quick recovery been blocked? What is it we must learn, my husband and I?
And then I read on in Psalms 22, the psalm that goes on to prophecy Jesus' suffering on the cross.
"Yet You are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the praise of Israel. In You our fathers put their trust; they trusted and You delivered them. They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed" (vs. 4-5)
It is painful. This is painful. It is not what I wanted. But it is what God has given me. He has given me this, and He has given me Himself to fall back on. I am not alone. I am a part of His plan. This morning, in the calm of the cool, early morning air blowing in through the window, I remember God. I remember to give thanks. I am thankful my husband is still alive. I am thankful that they removed or killed all known cancer in his body. I am thankful he is as alert and well as he is after surgery. I am thankful for the 12 years and the three daughters that I have had with him. I am thankful for all the ways we have grown to be better people through all of this. I am thankful for all the ways that we will grow before this is over.
God has given me the assurance that He will be with me through these difficult times. He will never leave me or forsake me (Joshua 31:6). He has given me a Bible full of good promises, all of which have been given to me so that I will have peace. As He says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)"
He will deliver me. He will not disappoint me in the end. In the short term, I may have sorrow. I do have sorrow. But God is not in this for the short term. He is the God of eternity. In the light of eternity, I am not let down. Things may not happen as I have planned. It hasn't happened as I had planned, but I have been delivered so far. My husband has also been delivered so far. He is still here. We are still living in faith, and we are better people for all of this.
God is still with me, just as He was with Jesus as He went to the cross; surely not what Jesus had wanted but it was what needed to happen. Jesus suffered immensely, more than any of us ever will, and yet He returned to God and His sovereignty. I must remember His words at Gethsemane, " Not my will, but Yours be done." At times, we may be momentarily disappointed, but in the long run we are never. In the long term, the victory is always ours. In Christ we have the victory. God did not forget Jesus. He did not disappoint Him. There were three dark days and then Jesus arose and brought salvation to all of us. In the same way, God will not forget me either.
"You who fear the Lord, praise Him!...For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help." (vs. 23-24)
There is a reason for all of this. I am not forgotten and I will praise Him yet.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for the life You give us. It is Yours to give and take away. We pray for acceptance and courage in the face of whatever is on the path You have set out for us. Help us to live lives that are acceptable to You no matter what happens.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. When have I felt forsaken? Why? How did I deal with it?
2. What has God given me to deal with presently in my life? How am I dealing with it? Am I turning to God, or away from Him because of it?
3. When life does not go as I have planned, how do I react? How can I react in a more trusting manner?
4. What reasons can I see behind some of the greatest crises that have occurred in my life?
5. What support systems do I have to help me in difficult times? What helps me to feel peace in my struggles? What verses do I turn to?
Focus Letter - V
Pray for:
Five things that 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 to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Help me to hear your voice today, all day, and grant me the strength to obey.
My husband made it through surgery and is recovering. They removed the lower right lobe of his liver which had confirmed cancer and, unfortunately, also found another tumor on the left side. This was destroyed by laser. There are still two small unknown masses in the upper right lobe as well. As a result of this, more chemotherapy is recommended. We were sad about the news but are faithful yet. Thank you for all your prayers and support.
Psalms 22
As I sat at my computer, after a long day at the hospital and after receiving the bad news about the spread of the cancer, I felt a bit numb. On opening the Bible to review the psalm for this post, I had to smile. How fitting for this to be the psalm today. The opening words spoke to me.
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent." (vs. 1-2)
How I have felt this the past year. At every turn, we have received bad news. My husband was diagnosed with cancer in February but we were confident that it would be contained in the colon. After all, he was only 49. My mother had had colon cancer at 61 and hers had been contained; it had not spread although it was about the same size of a tumor. We went into surgery confident. The surgeon told us after the surgery that it did appear to be contained within the colon, but of course, he could not know for sure until the lab work. How shocked we were to receive the call about a week later to find out that it was not contained and that it was in the lymph nodes.
"My God, my God..." I thought.
"Well, at least it was only in two of the 30 lymph nodes they looked at," I said to my mother-in-law who was devastated by the news. Surely it hadn't spread very far. There was that spot on his liver that the doctors had noted before his original surgery. But they had not been worried about it. The doctor had felt that it was probably not cancer. I was confident my husband would do his chemotherapy and be fine.
He went in for a liver test to confirm that the spot was just a benign occurrence, a hemangioma, and we waited, not worried. The results came back. A biopsy was needed. The tumor was not a hemangioma. I remember receiving the call. It was a beautiful day and I was playing Candyland with my daughters. The sun streamed in from the window, creating a peaceful, happy glow in the room. We were laughing.
My husband was out running an errand when the phone call came in. "Mrs. Jacobs, the tumor is cancerous," the doctor said over the phone.
Everything stopped and again in my mind, "my God, my God..."
Six rounds of chemo; so difficult. The embolism to block off the cancerous part of his liver. The surgery prep, all in the hopes that this would soon will be over; that life would soon return to normal. Then yesterday, the surgery, to remove the right lobe of his liver; so that he would be cancer free. At pre-op, the doctor mentioned that if they find something in the left lobe, they would burn it with a laser. I paused.
"But there isn't supposed to be anything in the left lobe," I said.
"Well sometimes it is hidden from the MRI. We are going to check everything out. We will take good care of him."
"Okay," I said, thinking with less confidence now that there would be nothing in the left liver. This warning of his was all precautionary. The surgery was going to be the end of this. Six weeks recovery and then life would go on. It would be this way. I had decided.
At 12 noon, the doctor came out and I approached, eager to hear the good news. "We removed the right lobe, but there was a half an inch tumor deep in the left lobe as well."
"What?"
"The left lobe, a tumor. We destroyed it with the laser but there are still small unknown spots visible on the ultrasound as well. They are too small to know what they are. We recommend more chemotherapy."
"More?" I said sadly.
"Yes, more. Cancer is like a dandelion which spreads its seeds when blown. We don't know, can't know now. Everything else in the abdomen looks clear but the chemo - it is necessary." The doctor smiled at me in a serious, sad way. My heart sank. The chemo... the walking death. It is difficult to explain life during chemo. Lets just say, it is hard.
"My God, my God..." again I begin to think. Why? Why, at every turn, has the road to quick recovery been blocked? What is it we must learn, my husband and I?
And then I read on in Psalms 22, the psalm that goes on to prophecy Jesus' suffering on the cross.
"Yet You are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the praise of Israel. In You our fathers put their trust; they trusted and You delivered them. They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed" (vs. 4-5)
It is painful. This is painful. It is not what I wanted. But it is what God has given me. He has given me this, and He has given me Himself to fall back on. I am not alone. I am a part of His plan. This morning, in the calm of the cool, early morning air blowing in through the window, I remember God. I remember to give thanks. I am thankful my husband is still alive. I am thankful that they removed or killed all known cancer in his body. I am thankful he is as alert and well as he is after surgery. I am thankful for the 12 years and the three daughters that I have had with him. I am thankful for all the ways we have grown to be better people through all of this. I am thankful for all the ways that we will grow before this is over.
God has given me the assurance that He will be with me through these difficult times. He will never leave me or forsake me (Joshua 31:6). He has given me a Bible full of good promises, all of which have been given to me so that I will have peace. As He says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)"
He will deliver me. He will not disappoint me in the end. In the short term, I may have sorrow. I do have sorrow. But God is not in this for the short term. He is the God of eternity. In the light of eternity, I am not let down. Things may not happen as I have planned. It hasn't happened as I had planned, but I have been delivered so far. My husband has also been delivered so far. He is still here. We are still living in faith, and we are better people for all of this.
God is still with me, just as He was with Jesus as He went to the cross; surely not what Jesus had wanted but it was what needed to happen. Jesus suffered immensely, more than any of us ever will, and yet He returned to God and His sovereignty. I must remember His words at Gethsemane, " Not my will, but Yours be done." At times, we may be momentarily disappointed, but in the long run we are never. In the long term, the victory is always ours. In Christ we have the victory. God did not forget Jesus. He did not disappoint Him. There were three dark days and then Jesus arose and brought salvation to all of us. In the same way, God will not forget me either.
"You who fear the Lord, praise Him!...For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help." (vs. 23-24)
There is a reason for all of this. I am not forgotten and I will praise Him yet.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for the life You give us. It is Yours to give and take away. We pray for acceptance and courage in the face of whatever is on the path You have set out for us. Help us to live lives that are acceptable to You no matter what happens.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. When have I felt forsaken? Why? How did I deal with it?
2. What has God given me to deal with presently in my life? How am I dealing with it? Am I turning to God, or away from Him because of it?
3. When life does not go as I have planned, how do I react? How can I react in a more trusting manner?
4. What reasons can I see behind some of the greatest crises that have occurred in my life?
5. What support systems do I have to help me in difficult times? What helps me to feel peace in my struggles? What verses do I turn to?
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/20/10 (9/20/09)
Focus Letter - T
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for that begin with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 20
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." (vs. 7)
Even the most distrusting of us trust in something. It is really the defining element of our lives - what we trust in. For some it is career. We sink our souls and hopes in a job. It is who we are. It gives us authority. For some it is a spouse. We pour all of our love and devotion into that other person and expect them to bring us happiness and security. For some it is money. They rely on their cash to buy them happiness and friends. For some it is their physical health and strength. They work out, eat right, and focus on their appearance in the search for eternal youth. For others it is pleasure. That continual high of excitement and fun. They search for the next good time to keep them going. There is something for everyone whether we are consciously aware of it or not. Unfortunately all of these things will fail us at some time or another. They may succeed in bringing us what we seek for awhile but in the end they all fail.
There is only one who never fails and that is God. If we trust in the Lord our God we will rise up and stand firm. God will save us in the end.
And why do we trust? We were created to trust. We need to trust because if we are honest with ourselves, there are holes within us; gaps and spaces that need filling. Emptiness exists and the desire for security that resides in our souls eludes us. We know that we can do nothing to ensure we wake up tomorrow (Luke 12: 13-21). We know that time and chance happen to all of us (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12). We know that whether rich or poor, wise or foolish, all alike die (Psalms 49). We know about uncertainty but we do not like to dwell on it. We find what works for us or at least what we think works and we cling onto it. We create our version of the world and how it works. We find our truth. The problem with that is, however, truth is not relative. There is absolute truth. As surely as the sun is still shining on a cloudy day, truth is still shining whether we believe it or not.
And so we trust in something because we need to. That is why there has always been false gods throughout the ages and though we do not have images we bow down to today, we bow down regardless. We need a God, a Lord, and a Saviour. Psalms 20 states why. We need answers and protection (vs. 1). We need help and support (vs. 2). We need to be remembered and accepted (vs. 3). We need to have our desires filled and our plans validated (vs. 4). We need to celebrate victory and have a cause to live for (vs. 5). Finally, we need to have our prayers and requests heard (vs. 5). These are inborn desires and needs that we search to have filled. God put those desires there and He knows best how to fulfill them.
If we trust in Him, we will see them fulfilled and then we can know as the psalmist knew that the Lord does save His people and He does answer from Heaven. He will answer when we call.
Verses for reference:
"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect You. May He send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May He remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests." (vs. 1-5)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that we can trust in You. We have trusted in so many things over the course of our life and they have not fulfilled us completely. Only You can do that. We are grateful for all the blessings that come with a relationship with You. You will answer us when we call.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What am I trusting in? How do I know? Is it fulfilling me?
2. Of all the needs mentioned in Psalms 20, which is my greatest right now? How can I turn to God to fulfill this need?
3. What concrete steps can I take to trust God more? Who can I ask help or advice from about this?
4. How can I celebrate the victories God has brought into my life? Why is this important?
5. Do I believe in absolute truth? Why or why not? Where do I find my truth? Do I believe the Bible is truth? Why or why not?
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for that begin with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 20
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." (vs. 7)
Even the most distrusting of us trust in something. It is really the defining element of our lives - what we trust in. For some it is career. We sink our souls and hopes in a job. It is who we are. It gives us authority. For some it is a spouse. We pour all of our love and devotion into that other person and expect them to bring us happiness and security. For some it is money. They rely on their cash to buy them happiness and friends. For some it is their physical health and strength. They work out, eat right, and focus on their appearance in the search for eternal youth. For others it is pleasure. That continual high of excitement and fun. They search for the next good time to keep them going. There is something for everyone whether we are consciously aware of it or not. Unfortunately all of these things will fail us at some time or another. They may succeed in bringing us what we seek for awhile but in the end they all fail.
There is only one who never fails and that is God. If we trust in the Lord our God we will rise up and stand firm. God will save us in the end.
And why do we trust? We were created to trust. We need to trust because if we are honest with ourselves, there are holes within us; gaps and spaces that need filling. Emptiness exists and the desire for security that resides in our souls eludes us. We know that we can do nothing to ensure we wake up tomorrow (Luke 12: 13-21). We know that time and chance happen to all of us (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12). We know that whether rich or poor, wise or foolish, all alike die (Psalms 49). We know about uncertainty but we do not like to dwell on it. We find what works for us or at least what we think works and we cling onto it. We create our version of the world and how it works. We find our truth. The problem with that is, however, truth is not relative. There is absolute truth. As surely as the sun is still shining on a cloudy day, truth is still shining whether we believe it or not.
And so we trust in something because we need to. That is why there has always been false gods throughout the ages and though we do not have images we bow down to today, we bow down regardless. We need a God, a Lord, and a Saviour. Psalms 20 states why. We need answers and protection (vs. 1). We need help and support (vs. 2). We need to be remembered and accepted (vs. 3). We need to have our desires filled and our plans validated (vs. 4). We need to celebrate victory and have a cause to live for (vs. 5). Finally, we need to have our prayers and requests heard (vs. 5). These are inborn desires and needs that we search to have filled. God put those desires there and He knows best how to fulfill them.
If we trust in Him, we will see them fulfilled and then we can know as the psalmist knew that the Lord does save His people and He does answer from Heaven. He will answer when we call.
Verses for reference:
"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect You. May He send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May He remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests." (vs. 1-5)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that we can trust in You. We have trusted in so many things over the course of our life and they have not fulfilled us completely. Only You can do that. We are grateful for all the blessings that come with a relationship with You. You will answer us when we call.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What am I trusting in? How do I know? Is it fulfilling me?
2. Of all the needs mentioned in Psalms 20, which is my greatest right now? How can I turn to God to fulfill this need?
3. What concrete steps can I take to trust God more? Who can I ask help or advice from about this?
4. How can I celebrate the victories God has brought into my life? Why is this important?
5. Do I believe in absolute truth? Why or why not? Where do I find my truth? Do I believe the Bible is truth? Why or why not?
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/10/10 (9/10/09)
Focus Letter - J
Pray for:
Five things I am grateful for that begin with the focus letter
Five people whose first and last name begin with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Open my ears. I know You are always speaking to me but often I do not hear. I want to hear. Grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 10
"Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises...In his pride the wicked does not seek Him (God); In all his thoughts there is no room for God... He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to hide the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. He says to himself, 'God has forgotten; He covers His face and never sees.' ...But You, O God, do see trouble and grief; You consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless...You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more." (vs. 1, 2, 4, 9-11, 14, 17-18)
God sees trouble and grief. I am not alone. I will just commit myself to God. He will take care of me and be my defender. He is Lord.
God is not far off although sometimes it seems He is. Abusers and bullies surround us and I believe that there is a part in all of us that can be this way as well. The innocent and weak are taken advantage of. They are abused. It is a dog eat dog world. There are the abusers and the abused and if we do not respond to God properly, we will become one or the other.
Why do people abuse? They do it because they can. They think they will not be found out. They have forgotten God. In all of their thinking, their consuming thoughts of themselves and their desires, there is no room for God. (vs. 4 & 11)
And why does God allow such bad things to happen? Why does He not stop it? It is difficult to understand but what we live through and survive makes us stronger. We can comfort others with the comfort we have received. If we can forgive and deal properly with something, we can survive, and even flourish. Eventually, we will even be able to help others with those same issues. (II Cor 1: 3 - 7)
But bullies and those they bully are not that different. They are both weak. A bully does what he or she does due to a weakness in their character. They are not satisfied to live. A deep seated insecurity drives them to tear down others. There is no room for everyone to succeed in their world. They are weak. And the ones who are bullied are weak as well. For whatever reason, they have not developed the inner strength to set boundaries or to stand up for themselves.
There is a third type of person, however. There is the strong person. Few of these people exist naturally. Most of us are weak in and of ourselves. We fluctuate between the two ends of the spectrum - bullying and being bullied, sometimes doing both within the same day. The good news is that we do not have to stay this way. We can become strong. This is what God wants and what we need so that we are not caught in the schemes of the wicked. God does not want us to be bullied and He definitely does not want us to be a bully.
Many of us have experience with codependency which is a bully partnering with a weak person who enables the bullying to continue. Of course it is more complicated than this, but if we can become strong in Christ, we will be able to set boundaries. The victim commits himself to God (vs. 14). God sees and will take it into hand. The evil person is eventually found out, if not here on Earth, then at the least on the judgement day which will be worse.
How do we become strong? We put on the full armor of God so that we can finally stand in the day of evil. We need to do this daily and we also need to work out the issues in the meantime (Eph 6:10 -18). God does hear the desires of the afflicted. He knows if we are being abused. He knows those secret thoughts, hopes, and dreams that we dare not mention. He knows the tears we have cried in secret. He knows the times we have hidden in our rooms hoping to be left alone. He was there. He is here now. He encourages us and listens to our cries. He defends us in the end so that as the Psalmist writes, "man who is of the earth may terrify no more."
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We see pain and sorrow daily. We see our friends pass away, often tragically. We see and experience bullying. Life does not always make sense and yet, we know that You are near. You see our grief and our sadness. We are not alone. Help us to become truly strong. Help all that we experience to not be wasted but to be used for Your glory someday. Keep a bitter root from growing up in our hearts from the things we do not understand. We do not want to be weak any longer. We praise You. We praise You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. In what ways do I relate to the psalmist when he says. "Why, O Lord, do You stand far off?" What makes me feel like God is not watching over me?
2. Do I tend to be more of a bully or a victim? Why? How does this show my weakness? What do I need to do to become truly strong?
3. What have I survived through? How did I overcome or how am I overcoming? How will I be able to help others with this experience in the future?
4. Am I putting on the full armor of God? How can I do this? What parts of the armor are most important for me right now? Why? (Ephesians 6: 10-18)
5. How can the knowledge of God seeing my pain help me to overcome and make it through any difficult times I am facing? How can I remember this on a daily basis?
Pray for:
Five things I am grateful for that begin with the focus letter
Five people whose first and last name begin with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Open my ears. I know You are always speaking to me but often I do not hear. I want to hear. Grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 10
"Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises...In his pride the wicked does not seek Him (God); In all his thoughts there is no room for God... He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to hide the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. He says to himself, 'God has forgotten; He covers His face and never sees.' ...But You, O God, do see trouble and grief; You consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless...You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more." (vs. 1, 2, 4, 9-11, 14, 17-18)
God sees trouble and grief. I am not alone. I will just commit myself to God. He will take care of me and be my defender. He is Lord.
God is not far off although sometimes it seems He is. Abusers and bullies surround us and I believe that there is a part in all of us that can be this way as well. The innocent and weak are taken advantage of. They are abused. It is a dog eat dog world. There are the abusers and the abused and if we do not respond to God properly, we will become one or the other.
Why do people abuse? They do it because they can. They think they will not be found out. They have forgotten God. In all of their thinking, their consuming thoughts of themselves and their desires, there is no room for God. (vs. 4 & 11)
And why does God allow such bad things to happen? Why does He not stop it? It is difficult to understand but what we live through and survive makes us stronger. We can comfort others with the comfort we have received. If we can forgive and deal properly with something, we can survive, and even flourish. Eventually, we will even be able to help others with those same issues. (II Cor 1: 3 - 7)
But bullies and those they bully are not that different. They are both weak. A bully does what he or she does due to a weakness in their character. They are not satisfied to live. A deep seated insecurity drives them to tear down others. There is no room for everyone to succeed in their world. They are weak. And the ones who are bullied are weak as well. For whatever reason, they have not developed the inner strength to set boundaries or to stand up for themselves.
There is a third type of person, however. There is the strong person. Few of these people exist naturally. Most of us are weak in and of ourselves. We fluctuate between the two ends of the spectrum - bullying and being bullied, sometimes doing both within the same day. The good news is that we do not have to stay this way. We can become strong. This is what God wants and what we need so that we are not caught in the schemes of the wicked. God does not want us to be bullied and He definitely does not want us to be a bully.
Many of us have experience with codependency which is a bully partnering with a weak person who enables the bullying to continue. Of course it is more complicated than this, but if we can become strong in Christ, we will be able to set boundaries. The victim commits himself to God (vs. 14). God sees and will take it into hand. The evil person is eventually found out, if not here on Earth, then at the least on the judgement day which will be worse.
How do we become strong? We put on the full armor of God so that we can finally stand in the day of evil. We need to do this daily and we also need to work out the issues in the meantime (Eph 6:10 -18). God does hear the desires of the afflicted. He knows if we are being abused. He knows those secret thoughts, hopes, and dreams that we dare not mention. He knows the tears we have cried in secret. He knows the times we have hidden in our rooms hoping to be left alone. He was there. He is here now. He encourages us and listens to our cries. He defends us in the end so that as the Psalmist writes, "man who is of the earth may terrify no more."
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We see pain and sorrow daily. We see our friends pass away, often tragically. We see and experience bullying. Life does not always make sense and yet, we know that You are near. You see our grief and our sadness. We are not alone. Help us to become truly strong. Help all that we experience to not be wasted but to be used for Your glory someday. Keep a bitter root from growing up in our hearts from the things we do not understand. We do not want to be weak any longer. We praise You. We praise You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. In what ways do I relate to the psalmist when he says. "Why, O Lord, do You stand far off?" What makes me feel like God is not watching over me?
2. Do I tend to be more of a bully or a victim? Why? How does this show my weakness? What do I need to do to become truly strong?
3. What have I survived through? How did I overcome or how am I overcoming? How will I be able to help others with this experience in the future?
4. Am I putting on the full armor of God? How can I do this? What parts of the armor are most important for me right now? Why? (Ephesians 6: 10-18)
5. How can the knowledge of God seeing my pain help me to overcome and make it through any difficult times I am facing? How can I remember this on a daily basis?
Friday, August 6, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/6/10 (9/6/09)
Focus Letter - F
Pray for:
Five things that I am 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 for you and your family to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - allow me to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 6
"Be merciful to me for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?" (vs. 2-3)
Sometimes life is overwhelming. When I sat down and wrote the background information piece (8/31/09), I laughed because, if it wasn't my life, I would have thought that it was made up - and I didn't even include everything that was going on. Somehow, though, I am making it through and I even have a pretty good attitude about it most of the time. I know this can only be God.
But it is overwhelming, nonetheless, and this is what the psalmist appears to be feeling as well. He is faint. I have felt faint. He is in anguish. I have been in anguish. He asks how long, and I too have asked how long. He even felt like he wasn't going to make it through. I have felt that way as well. All of us have probably gone through at least one period of time in our lives that is similar to this; where everything seems to be crashing down around us. I remember at one point recently being very upset and thinking that this was not the way my life was supposed to turn out. Things were supposed to go right for me. However, despite my best efforts, everything was turning out wrong and falling apart. The apostle Paul also wrote about feeling these emotions. He wrote that he was under such great pressure that he even "despaired of life" (II Cor 1: 8-11)
We feel these emotions when we are worn out and exhausted from battling all of our enemies - in my case it was my debt, my clutter, the various health issues, my discipline issues with my children, and the like. It was too much for me and this was because I was using my best efforts, not God's. But just like Paul expressed, all these things were happening to me for a reason. They were happening to turn me back to God in a greater and deeper way. I had been relying on myself to accomplish what I had to accomplish. For example, I was relying on worldly wisdom when it came to my finances. I was just doing whatever came naturally to me with my children. I was collecting "treasures" (junk) because that is what I liked to do. I was not really looking to God to find out what He had to say about these issues or if I did know, I was not taking it seriously.
I had to face the fact that most of my problems were of my own doing. They came about by my own failure to adhere to God's laws. I was in debt because I overspent and lived outside of my means. God says, "let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another" (Romans 13:8). I had clutter because I horded things and was often undisciplined with my housework. God says it is better to give than receive (Acts 20:35) and that we should not be storing up things for ourselves here on earth but in heaven (Matt 6:19 -21). He also says that I did not receive a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline (II Tim 1:7). I had problems with my children because I was not consistent with them and because I was not training them up to know God's laws. I was not making them a priority. God says to show a child the way that he should go (Proverbs 22:6) and that it is up to us as parents to train our children to be godly (Deut 6:5-7).
"Turn, O Lord, and deliver me; save me because of Your unfailing love." (vs. 4)
Basically, I was putting a lot of effort into my life but it was not in the manner God desired. This was making me very unproductive and God was not able to bless what I was doing. I had to face these facts, as difficult as they were. I wanted to blame someone or something else, but I had to admit the responsibility was mine. When I came to grips with my responsibility, I could go back to God and ask Him to rescue me, to save me, because I now knew what I needed saving from. I also knew that it was only because of His love that He would rescue me. It was not because of anything I had done or would do. I had gotten myself into this mess, and yet, I could still ask God for help and deliverance.
"Away from me, all who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayers. All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace." (vs. 8-10)
I did have some responsibility though. I had to turn from my way of living, from depending on myself and running on my own power and reasoning. I had to get all my enemies (my sin of overspending, indulgence, laziness, etc.) away from me (vs 8). This is called repentance, the hating and turning away from all of those things that I did to get myself in such a mess. Then, I needed to cry out to God. I needed to have godly sorrow, not worldly sorrow (II Cor 7: 9 - 11). This is the weeping and sorrow that God will hear and acknowledge. God is strong enough to hear us and help us at any time, but our sin separates us from Him (Isaiah 59: 1-2). We have to deal with our sins first by acknowledging and confessing them, and then guess what, God hears (I John 1: 5-10). God hears and will continue to hear.
If He is pleased with us, He will accept our prayers and turn our enemies back in disgrace. The prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective (James 5: 16). We will start overcoming whatever is plaguing us, if we deal with it God's way - acknowledge it, accept it, own it, turn from it, and turn to God. This is all that matters really, making sure that the Lord is pleased with me, that I am right with Him. When I focus on this, I will receive His forgiveness, and ultimately His blessing. My problems may not completely and immediately go away, but God is able. He can take away everything, solve every problem, if He desires. All my enemies - debt, clutter, lack of discipline - they can all be scattered back in shame. All I need to do is remember to do it God's way; set my reliance and my hope on God and continue to do so.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We come to You with our lives and our problems. We acknowledge that we have failed in many ways. Help us to turn to Your ways and Your word so that our lives can be pleasing to You. The ways of the world will only lead us to frustaration but Your ways are ways of life and peace. We want peace dear Lord. Strengthen us so that we may obey.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What in my life tends to make me feel faint? What causes me anguish?
2. What are the underlying causes of these problems/ issues? Do I have any responsibility in them?
3. Am I trying to solve my problems God's way or the world's way? How do I know? What are the results of my actions?
4. Am I putting my enemies (sin) far from me? What are my feelings toward the concepts of repentance and godly sorrow? Do I feel bad about my sin because it hurts God or because it hurts my life? Do I feel bad about my sin at all? What do I need to change?
5. Am I asking God for help and deliverence? How is my prayer life? Do I lift up my problems to God? Do I pray for forgiveness and for spiritual transformation? Am I righteous so my prayers are effective? What can I change?
Pray for:
Five things that I am 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 for you and your family to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - allow me to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 6
"Be merciful to me for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?" (vs. 2-3)
Sometimes life is overwhelming. When I sat down and wrote the background information piece (8/31/09), I laughed because, if it wasn't my life, I would have thought that it was made up - and I didn't even include everything that was going on. Somehow, though, I am making it through and I even have a pretty good attitude about it most of the time. I know this can only be God.
But it is overwhelming, nonetheless, and this is what the psalmist appears to be feeling as well. He is faint. I have felt faint. He is in anguish. I have been in anguish. He asks how long, and I too have asked how long. He even felt like he wasn't going to make it through. I have felt that way as well. All of us have probably gone through at least one period of time in our lives that is similar to this; where everything seems to be crashing down around us. I remember at one point recently being very upset and thinking that this was not the way my life was supposed to turn out. Things were supposed to go right for me. However, despite my best efforts, everything was turning out wrong and falling apart. The apostle Paul also wrote about feeling these emotions. He wrote that he was under such great pressure that he even "despaired of life" (II Cor 1: 8-11)
We feel these emotions when we are worn out and exhausted from battling all of our enemies - in my case it was my debt, my clutter, the various health issues, my discipline issues with my children, and the like. It was too much for me and this was because I was using my best efforts, not God's. But just like Paul expressed, all these things were happening to me for a reason. They were happening to turn me back to God in a greater and deeper way. I had been relying on myself to accomplish what I had to accomplish. For example, I was relying on worldly wisdom when it came to my finances. I was just doing whatever came naturally to me with my children. I was collecting "treasures" (junk) because that is what I liked to do. I was not really looking to God to find out what He had to say about these issues or if I did know, I was not taking it seriously.
I had to face the fact that most of my problems were of my own doing. They came about by my own failure to adhere to God's laws. I was in debt because I overspent and lived outside of my means. God says, "let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another" (Romans 13:8). I had clutter because I horded things and was often undisciplined with my housework. God says it is better to give than receive (Acts 20:35) and that we should not be storing up things for ourselves here on earth but in heaven (Matt 6:19 -21). He also says that I did not receive a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline (II Tim 1:7). I had problems with my children because I was not consistent with them and because I was not training them up to know God's laws. I was not making them a priority. God says to show a child the way that he should go (Proverbs 22:6) and that it is up to us as parents to train our children to be godly (Deut 6:5-7).
"Turn, O Lord, and deliver me; save me because of Your unfailing love." (vs. 4)
Basically, I was putting a lot of effort into my life but it was not in the manner God desired. This was making me very unproductive and God was not able to bless what I was doing. I had to face these facts, as difficult as they were. I wanted to blame someone or something else, but I had to admit the responsibility was mine. When I came to grips with my responsibility, I could go back to God and ask Him to rescue me, to save me, because I now knew what I needed saving from. I also knew that it was only because of His love that He would rescue me. It was not because of anything I had done or would do. I had gotten myself into this mess, and yet, I could still ask God for help and deliverance.
"Away from me, all who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayers. All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace." (vs. 8-10)
I did have some responsibility though. I had to turn from my way of living, from depending on myself and running on my own power and reasoning. I had to get all my enemies (my sin of overspending, indulgence, laziness, etc.) away from me (vs 8). This is called repentance, the hating and turning away from all of those things that I did to get myself in such a mess. Then, I needed to cry out to God. I needed to have godly sorrow, not worldly sorrow (II Cor 7: 9 - 11). This is the weeping and sorrow that God will hear and acknowledge. God is strong enough to hear us and help us at any time, but our sin separates us from Him (Isaiah 59: 1-2). We have to deal with our sins first by acknowledging and confessing them, and then guess what, God hears (I John 1: 5-10). God hears and will continue to hear.
If He is pleased with us, He will accept our prayers and turn our enemies back in disgrace. The prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective (James 5: 16). We will start overcoming whatever is plaguing us, if we deal with it God's way - acknowledge it, accept it, own it, turn from it, and turn to God. This is all that matters really, making sure that the Lord is pleased with me, that I am right with Him. When I focus on this, I will receive His forgiveness, and ultimately His blessing. My problems may not completely and immediately go away, but God is able. He can take away everything, solve every problem, if He desires. All my enemies - debt, clutter, lack of discipline - they can all be scattered back in shame. All I need to do is remember to do it God's way; set my reliance and my hope on God and continue to do so.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We come to You with our lives and our problems. We acknowledge that we have failed in many ways. Help us to turn to Your ways and Your word so that our lives can be pleasing to You. The ways of the world will only lead us to frustaration but Your ways are ways of life and peace. We want peace dear Lord. Strengthen us so that we may obey.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What in my life tends to make me feel faint? What causes me anguish?
2. What are the underlying causes of these problems/ issues? Do I have any responsibility in them?
3. Am I trying to solve my problems God's way or the world's way? How do I know? What are the results of my actions?
4. Am I putting my enemies (sin) far from me? What are my feelings toward the concepts of repentance and godly sorrow? Do I feel bad about my sin because it hurts God or because it hurts my life? Do I feel bad about my sin at all? What do I need to change?
5. Am I asking God for help and deliverence? How is my prayer life? Do I lift up my problems to God? Do I pray for forgiveness and for spiritual transformation? Am I righteous so my prayers are effective? What can I change?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/4/10 (9/4/10)
The scripture reference for the story of the angel being delayed in coming that I mentioned yesterday is in Daniel 10:1 - 11:1, see especially verses 10 - 14. This is a very interesting story about the spiritual world and the spiritual warfare that goes on unbeknownst to us.
Daily Focus Letter - D
Pray for:
Five things you are thankful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A country, city, or place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that you would like to see your household grow in beginning with the focus letter
Dear Lord - help me to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 4
"Answer me when I call to You, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer." (vs. 1)
It is okay to ask for relief from our distress. We don't have to just gut it out all the time. There definitely are times of battle or times of suffering that we will have to endure but then God provides times of refreshing. Even Jesus thought His disciples should go off for some time of relief when they returned from their missionary journey.
What we need to ask ourselves is am I really doing the work of the Lord or standing firm in some struggle so that a time of relief is merited. If so, great, but I know I have many times just fallen into relief mode and often struggles and problems came about because I was in relief mode and then I asked for more relief. I was just being spiritually lazy. What I really needed in order to start feeling better was to start doing something!
As for suffering, it is okay to ask for relief but then we need to be ready for God to say no, or not yet. The best example of this is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked, and asked some more, but in the end, thankfully, He said, "not my will, but Yours be done"(Luke 22:39-46). Paul asked for the thorn to be removed from him but God said no, that His power was made perfect in Paul's weakness. Paul finally surrendered it and was able to say he "delighted" in his weakness and other struggles which were quite astounding (see 2 Cor 12:7-10 & 6:3-10).
The bottom line is that we are set apart by God, for His purposes. We aren't here for ourselves and our hopes and dreams. There is the wonderful verse in Psalms 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart," but often we forget the first part - delighting ourselves in God - and focus primarily on God giving us the desires of our heart. We need to think more about how we can delight in God and less about our desires and dreams. When we do this, the two will start falling into place.
"Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself; the Lord will hear when I call to Him." (vs. 3)
Secondly, we need to think about whether or not we are allowing ourselves to be set apart. Perhaps we are blending right into the world and everyone around us. What do our activities show, how about the TV shows we watch, and the movies we go to. What about the books we read and the places we hang out? I know when I first became I a Christian I was very sensitive towards what I was watching, wearing, and reading but then I got rather casual about it and even used the rationalization that I have to know what the world is into. After having children, I think I became more sensitive to these issues again because I started looking at the world from their eyes. When your child starts being able to read and starts asking what that vulgar saying on that person's t-shirt means, it begins to hit home. Or when you have to change the TV channel when they walk into the room, it makes you think.
"In your anger, do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent." (vs. 4)
Sometimes the way the world is, and the baseness of our culture as it strays away from Godly principles gets me upset. Then I tend to feel guilty because when I was growing up, I was taught to not get angry. We were not even allowed to fight in my house. So, while I understand the reasoning behind the rule, (it is exhausting to have duelling siblings), being told to not fight or to not get angry did not stop the very human emotion of anger, nor should it have really. What it did produce was a lot of built up resentment and the victim mentality in me so that I was not able to be angry in appropriate situations or even say "no" when I needed to. This led to me allowing others to abuse me and also to me placing myself in bad situations.
Verse 4 of this psalm was a revelation to me because it says "in your anger, do not sin." It is just accepted that we will get angry. It is okay. Jesus got angry. He even acted on it, but He did not sin (Matt 21:12 -13). I can get angry, I just need to channel it right. I cannot have a temper tantrum, which I want to do. That would be sin. I cannot throw things, which I have to admit I have done. That would be sin. I cannot swear at someone and tell them off. That would be sin. I cannot reject the world in the sense of looking down on it and feeling that I am above it. Or I cannot look down on those of my friends that are involved with things I know are wrong. I can be upset, even angry, but then I must respond in love and concern. They are the ones that will ultimately suffer. I need to be concerned about their spiritual welfare, and as one who has been there myself, try to help them and reach out in love. How they respond is up to them but my love can not stop. In my anger, I cannot sin
Self evaluation is so important to handling our anger correctly. As it says in verse 4, at night I need to go over my day and search my heart. I need to be silent and let God speak to me about where I have been and what I have done. Then, I need to deal with whatever I find. We cannot let the sun go down on our anger, as this will give the Devil a foothold in our lives (Eph 4:26-27). When we get angry (whether or not it is justified), and then don't deal with it, we let bitterness grow and develop in our hearts. This can eventually lead us away from God. We are to make sure that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Heb 12:15). Unresolved anger is the start of this bitterness.
In all this, sometimes, it seems like life is just too much. Too many problems, too many personal issues to deal with, too many world problems. I remember a point in time in my husband's battle with cancer, right after we found out that the cancer had spread, that I saw something negative about the state of the world on TV and just started weeping. My husband couldn't understand why this little short TV segment could set me off. I just kept telling him, "I can't take anymore bad news." Everything was building up and I was asking just like the psalmist - "Who can show us any good?" (vs 6). I just couldn't see any good. After I finished my cry, I turned back to God. I had to look up because there was nowhere else to go. In all that I have gone through in the last 25 years of trying to truly follow God, this is where I have always ended up. Yes, there are many things around me but God. That's it "Yes, But God."
I have always loved the last verses of the psalm (vs 7 & 8) because of this. They state..
"Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
I have to stop looking around at the world and my circumstances as overwhelming as they may seem and look up at God, at the light coming from Him. I have to remember that I am supposed to focus on God, rejoice in God, know that in the world there will be troubles, but God has overcome the world. The world - the grain and new wine which can be enjoyable - will never fill me up. Even if everything is going great in my life, even then, I still won't be filled with as much as I can be with God.
So in the end, I can lie down and sleep in peace. In the midst of everything the Lord is making me dwell in safety. Everything is going to be alright.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We live in a troublesome world. Often there does not seem to be any good, but You are here and You are good. You have asked us to dwell on the positive, the honorable, the lovely. Help us to fix our eyes on those things and to keep our eyes focused on Your face. Only then will we be able to live our lives properly. Help us to live truly set apart lives. Help us to remember You. You fill us with what is greater than the world has to offer but we are so easily deceived. We do not want to be deceived any longer. Help us to seek the truth. Help us to seek You so that we may truly have peace.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I in distress right now? What is causing this if I am? Am I asking God for relief and help in this time?
2. Am I in the spiritual battle and am I doing the work of the Lord or am I being spiritually lazy? Are any of the problems/issues I am facing in my life right now due to my spiritual inactivity or weakness? If so, what can I do to get back to where I need to be or to grow?
3. Am I being set apart? Is there any difference in my life/activities as a Christian or am I just like those around me who do not claim to know God? Is there anything that I am doing right now that makes me feel guilty or that I think deep down is not the best for me spiritually? What can I do differently starting today?
4. How do I feel about anger? How do I deal with my anger? Do I have healthy boundaries? Can I say no to people or situations that aren't best for me spiritually or do I get sucked into them time and time again? Am I bitter? How can I get help with this? Do I have strong spiritual friends who can help me?
5. Do I have peace in my life? Am I sleeping well? What am I trying to use to bring me peace and joy? Do I believe that my spiritual life could make a difference in this? Am I focusing on God or circumstances? What can I do to start moving closer to God and the peace that He offers?
(If you know of someone that might want to also follow this blog that is not on Facebook, the website is http://www.lillianjacobs.blogspot.com/)
Daily Focus Letter - D
Pray for:
Five things you are thankful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A country, city, or place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that you would like to see your household grow in beginning with the focus letter
Dear Lord - help me to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 4
"Answer me when I call to You, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer." (vs. 1)
It is okay to ask for relief from our distress. We don't have to just gut it out all the time. There definitely are times of battle or times of suffering that we will have to endure but then God provides times of refreshing. Even Jesus thought His disciples should go off for some time of relief when they returned from their missionary journey.
What we need to ask ourselves is am I really doing the work of the Lord or standing firm in some struggle so that a time of relief is merited. If so, great, but I know I have many times just fallen into relief mode and often struggles and problems came about because I was in relief mode and then I asked for more relief. I was just being spiritually lazy. What I really needed in order to start feeling better was to start doing something!
As for suffering, it is okay to ask for relief but then we need to be ready for God to say no, or not yet. The best example of this is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked, and asked some more, but in the end, thankfully, He said, "not my will, but Yours be done"(Luke 22:39-46). Paul asked for the thorn to be removed from him but God said no, that His power was made perfect in Paul's weakness. Paul finally surrendered it and was able to say he "delighted" in his weakness and other struggles which were quite astounding (see 2 Cor 12:7-10 & 6:3-10).
The bottom line is that we are set apart by God, for His purposes. We aren't here for ourselves and our hopes and dreams. There is the wonderful verse in Psalms 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart," but often we forget the first part - delighting ourselves in God - and focus primarily on God giving us the desires of our heart. We need to think more about how we can delight in God and less about our desires and dreams. When we do this, the two will start falling into place.
"Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself; the Lord will hear when I call to Him." (vs. 3)
Secondly, we need to think about whether or not we are allowing ourselves to be set apart. Perhaps we are blending right into the world and everyone around us. What do our activities show, how about the TV shows we watch, and the movies we go to. What about the books we read and the places we hang out? I know when I first became I a Christian I was very sensitive towards what I was watching, wearing, and reading but then I got rather casual about it and even used the rationalization that I have to know what the world is into. After having children, I think I became more sensitive to these issues again because I started looking at the world from their eyes. When your child starts being able to read and starts asking what that vulgar saying on that person's t-shirt means, it begins to hit home. Or when you have to change the TV channel when they walk into the room, it makes you think.
"In your anger, do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent." (vs. 4)
Sometimes the way the world is, and the baseness of our culture as it strays away from Godly principles gets me upset. Then I tend to feel guilty because when I was growing up, I was taught to not get angry. We were not even allowed to fight in my house. So, while I understand the reasoning behind the rule, (it is exhausting to have duelling siblings), being told to not fight or to not get angry did not stop the very human emotion of anger, nor should it have really. What it did produce was a lot of built up resentment and the victim mentality in me so that I was not able to be angry in appropriate situations or even say "no" when I needed to. This led to me allowing others to abuse me and also to me placing myself in bad situations.
Verse 4 of this psalm was a revelation to me because it says "in your anger, do not sin." It is just accepted that we will get angry. It is okay. Jesus got angry. He even acted on it, but He did not sin (Matt 21:12 -13). I can get angry, I just need to channel it right. I cannot have a temper tantrum, which I want to do. That would be sin. I cannot throw things, which I have to admit I have done. That would be sin. I cannot swear at someone and tell them off. That would be sin. I cannot reject the world in the sense of looking down on it and feeling that I am above it. Or I cannot look down on those of my friends that are involved with things I know are wrong. I can be upset, even angry, but then I must respond in love and concern. They are the ones that will ultimately suffer. I need to be concerned about their spiritual welfare, and as one who has been there myself, try to help them and reach out in love. How they respond is up to them but my love can not stop. In my anger, I cannot sin
Self evaluation is so important to handling our anger correctly. As it says in verse 4, at night I need to go over my day and search my heart. I need to be silent and let God speak to me about where I have been and what I have done. Then, I need to deal with whatever I find. We cannot let the sun go down on our anger, as this will give the Devil a foothold in our lives (Eph 4:26-27). When we get angry (whether or not it is justified), and then don't deal with it, we let bitterness grow and develop in our hearts. This can eventually lead us away from God. We are to make sure that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Heb 12:15). Unresolved anger is the start of this bitterness.
In all this, sometimes, it seems like life is just too much. Too many problems, too many personal issues to deal with, too many world problems. I remember a point in time in my husband's battle with cancer, right after we found out that the cancer had spread, that I saw something negative about the state of the world on TV and just started weeping. My husband couldn't understand why this little short TV segment could set me off. I just kept telling him, "I can't take anymore bad news." Everything was building up and I was asking just like the psalmist - "Who can show us any good?" (vs 6). I just couldn't see any good. After I finished my cry, I turned back to God. I had to look up because there was nowhere else to go. In all that I have gone through in the last 25 years of trying to truly follow God, this is where I have always ended up. Yes, there are many things around me but God. That's it "Yes, But God."
I have always loved the last verses of the psalm (vs 7 & 8) because of this. They state..
"Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
I have to stop looking around at the world and my circumstances as overwhelming as they may seem and look up at God, at the light coming from Him. I have to remember that I am supposed to focus on God, rejoice in God, know that in the world there will be troubles, but God has overcome the world. The world - the grain and new wine which can be enjoyable - will never fill me up. Even if everything is going great in my life, even then, I still won't be filled with as much as I can be with God.
So in the end, I can lie down and sleep in peace. In the midst of everything the Lord is making me dwell in safety. Everything is going to be alright.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We live in a troublesome world. Often there does not seem to be any good, but You are here and You are good. You have asked us to dwell on the positive, the honorable, the lovely. Help us to fix our eyes on those things and to keep our eyes focused on Your face. Only then will we be able to live our lives properly. Help us to live truly set apart lives. Help us to remember You. You fill us with what is greater than the world has to offer but we are so easily deceived. We do not want to be deceived any longer. Help us to seek the truth. Help us to seek You so that we may truly have peace.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I in distress right now? What is causing this if I am? Am I asking God for relief and help in this time?
2. Am I in the spiritual battle and am I doing the work of the Lord or am I being spiritually lazy? Are any of the problems/issues I am facing in my life right now due to my spiritual inactivity or weakness? If so, what can I do to get back to where I need to be or to grow?
3. Am I being set apart? Is there any difference in my life/activities as a Christian or am I just like those around me who do not claim to know God? Is there anything that I am doing right now that makes me feel guilty or that I think deep down is not the best for me spiritually? What can I do differently starting today?
4. How do I feel about anger? How do I deal with my anger? Do I have healthy boundaries? Can I say no to people or situations that aren't best for me spiritually or do I get sucked into them time and time again? Am I bitter? How can I get help with this? Do I have strong spiritual friends who can help me?
5. Do I have peace in my life? Am I sleeping well? What am I trying to use to bring me peace and joy? Do I believe that my spiritual life could make a difference in this? Am I focusing on God or circumstances? What can I do to start moving closer to God and the peace that He offers?
(If you know of someone that might want to also follow this blog that is not on Facebook, the website is http://www.lillianjacobs.blogspot.com/)
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