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 )

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?

Daily Devotional - 2/19/11 (10/19/09)

Prayer Focus - Friends



Day 5


Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you


Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs


Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.




Psalms 49



"Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me - those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him - the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough - that he should live on forever and not see decay.

For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.

But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem my life from the grave; He will surely take me to himself.

Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Though while he lived he counted himself blessed- and men praise you when you prosper - he will join the generations of his fathers, who will never see the light of life.

A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish." ( vs 1-3, 5-20)



I have struggled for six months to find something to add as commentary for this Psalm, yet nothing comes.  I believe it really says it all. 

We will all die, and someday, we will face God whether we believe in Him or not.  I truly believe this and so what happens here is only important on the spiritual realm.  Where are we at really with God?  In this new year, let us renew our vows and commitments and if this is new or foreign to us, let us seek it out.

We truly are mists, here today and gone tomorrow.  Let's make it count.



Prayer for the Day




Dear Lord,



We praise You for creating us.  Life is so beautiful, despite its ups and downs.  We know and believe that You exist and that You reward those who earnestly seek You.  We want to seek You.  We want to recommit to serve You and we want to be pleasing to You in all we say and do.  You are truly all that matters.  Turn our eyes away from the worthless things of this world and all that glitters and charms us.  Grant us an undivided heart that we might serve You wholeheartedly.  We know that You are able.



In Jesus' Name,
Amen




QFT



1. Am I afraid of anything that is going on in the world today? How can I turn it over to God and trust in Him to take care of it?

2. What is my attitude towards money? Is it trying to take first place in my life? How can I have a correct attitude about wealth?

3. Do I get overawed by the wealthy and the "successful" in the world's eyes? Who are my heroes and what does that say about myself?

4. What is my life focus? What am I striving for, and what am I putting my energy into on a daily basis? Is it moving people towards Christ?

5.  Where am I with God really?  Have I lost my first love?  Am I wholehearted in my devotion?  Am I focused on the spiritual?

Daily Devotional - 11/13

Prayer Focus - Needs

Day 2
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country


Pray about:
How it will help those concerned with their spiritual life
How it will help those concerned with their physical life
How it will help those concerned with their emotional life
How it will help those concerned with their mental life



Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 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 important. When we look around at others and compare ourselves with others, especially those not following God, we can end up dissatisfied with our lot. Those who are chasing after what the world offers can achieve quite a bit and I believe that Satan rewards them to help lead others astray. We can look at their schedules, which often have more free time and leisure activities, and begin to envy them. We can also envy their financial success as they often use unethical methods to get ahead. We can look at their fancy houses, clothes, and the like and then wonder why we are struggling and trying to do things God's way. But God does not promise wealth and success. God promises spiritual rewards.

If we lose sight of this we can easily slip. It is not hard to get to this point and we become like brute beasts when we start envying. We lose all of our dignity and integrity.  This is not what we want nor is it what God wants for us.  We need to get back 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 always with Him, serving Him for eternity.  The amazing thing is, that 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? Am I being still so that I can remember that God is God and allow myself to hear His voice?

Daily Devotional - 11/4

Prayer Focus - Strangers

Day 7
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
One person you always see but have never spoken to
One person that you have read about that is still alive
One person that you have not met but struggle to like


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 64


"Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy." ( vs. 1)

It is okay to pour out our hearts to God, even if what we have to say is not always lovely. There are difficult and evil things going on in the world, and sometimes even in our own lives. God desires to hear from us. He is waiting. How incredible is that, that the Creator of the Universe waits to spend time with us. He is there in the morning, hoping we will make some extra time to sit down and have a coffee with Him. He has an appointment with us all day long. He walks with us and lives with us. We can ever turn to Him. He is concerned about the good, bad, and the ugly. I know that I like to hear all the little things that are going on in my children's days, and definitely if they look upset or unhappy, I want to know what is going on. God, of course, is even more concerned about us as He is the perfect Father. He will hear, and He will protect us.



"Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning. But God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be struck down. He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. All mankind will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what He has done. Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Hm; let all the upright in heart praise Him." (vs. 6b-10)


Men are devious. They think of so much evil, it is mind boggling. But in the end, God still wins. Sometimes He lets minor victories go to the enemy, but we know the final outcome. Evil men will be found out. Their words will incriminate them and bring ruin upon them. It is not for us to force, it will happen in God's timing. We need to remember this and we need to strive to keep our ways righteous because it is easy to envy the prosperous and those who go about seeking their own self interest. We are not living for the here and now, though. We are living for eternity and we need to take refuge in God and praise Him for His protection from the enemy. The rest will all come.


Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,

It is easy for the world to get us down. There is such a lack of civility and morality these days. It seems that there is much evil around us all the time. It is enough to drive one's spirits down and cause desperation, but we know that in the end, You win. Help us to hang onto that thought. You will not hand us over to be destroyed and you will not allow other things to get in the way of our knowing and loving You. You are great and greatly to be praised.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT


1. Do I voice my complaints to God or to others? How can I work on not being a complainer around other people? How can I be positive and encouraging to others and only give my complaints and frustrations to God?


2. Am I making time for God? Do I realize that God is waiting for me to come and spend time with Him? What can I do to make my time in the morning with Him a priority?


3. Do I let evil discourage me? How can I become more resilient when faced with evil?


4. Am I proclaiming the works of God and the wonders of what He has done? Am I letting others know how awesome our God is and what He has done in our lives? Am I developing a healthy respect and fear of God? How can I do this?

Daily Devotional - 10/19

Prayer Focus - Friends


Day 5
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you


Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs


Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 49



"Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me - those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him...For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem my life from the grave; He will surely take me to himself. Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Though while he lived he counted himself blessed- and men praise you when you prosper - he will join the generations of his fathers, who will never see the light of life. A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish." ( vs 5-20)


Why should I fear when evil days come? Men are nothing. Men cannot save, only God can save. All perish and wealth gets passed on. It is so easy to envy those who seem to have it all together, especially monetarily. When you are penny pinching and see someone living in luxury, it is easy to think you missed the boat and are doing things all wrong. That is until you take a look at life from an eternal perspective. Then it all makes sense. Wealth is fleeting. We store up and then have to pass it on and we have no idea if the next person will be wise or foolish with what we worked so hard for. Everyone dies. There is no escaping it so we need to focus rather on pleasing God and being upright so that we will be redeemed and be taken to
God, Himself. We just don't endure!! We are fleeting so make a difference. The upright will rule over the the evil in the morning. God will redeem me from the grave. He will surely take me to Himself. Do not be overawed. Riches don't follow us, only God. A man who has riches without understanding is like a beast that perishes.


Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,

Thank You for taking hold of us and moving us toward You. We are grateful to have all the time we do with our brothers and sisters in Christ and we are so grateful to be learning more and more how to be close to you and how to worship you appropriately. We want to let go of all of our temptations to envy those around us that appear to have it all make. No one knows the pain those people might be going through and we have the answers. WE do not have to be apologetic and sad. We need to be remembering the fleeting nature of life and all that we have to share. Help us to not be afraid and help us to have understanding. We want to glorify You and we pray that we can through every avenue available.


In Jesus' Name,

Amen



QFT


1. Am I afraid of anything that is going on in the world today? How can I turn it over to God and trust in Him to take care of it?

2. What is my attitude towards money? Is it trying to take first place in my life? How can I have a correct attitude about wealth?


3. Do I get overawed by the wealthy and the "successful" in the world's eyes? Who are my heroes and what does that say about myself?

4. What is my life focus? What am I striving for, and what am I putting my energy into on a daily basis? Is it moving people towards Christ?